Faith’s Here to Stay (Part Two)…

by

Pastor Ron Fullerton

the Lord told me last week to teach ‘faith’ basics, so we found…

   that 224 times in the NT, the word ‘faith’ is written… to the Church

 we found also found out that ‘faith’ is essential in walking with God

Heb 11:6   (NKJ)

6  Without [SEPARATE FROM; APART FROM] faith…

it is impossible [UNABLE TO BE DONE; IT IS NOT POSSIBLE]

   to please [TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO; TO BE AGREEABLE TO] Him…

 so, it looks like we’re going to have to figure out what faith IS…

   and then how to put it into action – in ways pleasing to God

 7  By faith Noah…

 Paul just said that Noah had ‘faith’, so maybe we better look at Noah

   to see if we can find out something about ‘faith’

 first of all, let’s see what kind of ‘world’ Noah lived in…

             Gen 6:5-8

            5  Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man…

            was great in the earth, and…

               that every intent of the thoughts of his (all men’s) heart…

                  was only evil CONTINUALLY.

            6  The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth

            and He (the LORD) was grieved in His heart.

            7  So the LORD said, "I will destroy man…

            whom I have created from the face of the earth,

               both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air,

                  for I am sorry that I have made them."

 in less than 1700 years, mankind had totally corrupted the earth

the Creator was seriously considering ‘pulling the plug’ on the Earth

   and totally wiping-out everything on it – every living thing

things can’t get any worse than that… even today

             8   But Noah found [ACQUIRED; ATTAINED] grace [FAVOR]

                in the eyes of the LORD.

 do you realize if it wasn’t for those 10 little words in v.8 …

   on one here would be alive or even exist this morning

 we all have our favorite Bible heroes – Esther, David, Jonathan, Moses, Joshua, Joseph, Daniel, Peter, Paul, etc.

 but maybe it’s time to put Noah at the top of the list, because…

   if it hadn’t been for Noah – those heroes would have never lived

 Paul said that by his ‘faith’… Noah caused things to be changed

 (Noah) being divinely warned of things not yet seen,

 God told Noah, He was going to flood the entire earth with rain…

   Noah didn’t know how He could do it, but he believed what He said

 Heb 11:7 (b)

... moved with godly fear [AWESOME, REVERENTIAL FEAR OF GOD]

   prepared [CONSTRUCTED and EQUIPPED] an ark

      for the saving of his household,

 the first time in history a ship was built as big as Noah’s ark…

   it was a British battleship… built in World War I

 there’s various theories about how long it took to build

   but, with the tools available – it had to have taken a long time

 and apparently, when he did take some ship-building time off…

   Noah preached to folks of the coming judgment

2 Pet 2:5   (NKJ)

… and (God) did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah,

one of eight people, a preacher [HERALD] of righteousness…

 Moses said in Gen 6:8 that Noah acquired favor in God’s eyes

   and Paul said in Heb 11:7 says that Noah used his ‘faith’

 so, what exactly did Noah DO…

   Noah believed that God would do… exactly what He said He’d do...

 and that… is ‘faith’ – and that… is what got him ‘favor’ with God

  as a result of his believing God (faith)… Noah put his ‘faith’ to work

 by constructing and totally equipping and ark big enough for

   the saving of his entire household and two of every single creature 

and guess what… using computers analysis and design, today

   we’re still building ships proportionately the same way Noah did

 some folks think that it took as long as 120 years to get the ark built,

   divided into holding pen areas, and stocked up with provisions

 Well, Pastor… that’s just plain impossible !

 Oh, I don’t know… remember how long it took you…

   to pack the car and the kids – for just a two-week vacation !!!

 Heb 11:7 (b)

by which (by his continuous work and preaching all those years)

   he (Noah) condemned [PASSED SENTENCE ON] the world…

 and (Noah) became heir [LEGAL POSSESSOR]

   of the righteousness [RIGHT-STANDING WITH GOD]

      which is according to [ACHIEVED; ALLOTTED THROUGH] faith.

 so, faith is when you hear from God – and act like it’s true

                                                                                   Pastor Ron

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