MIKE RUTTER - "What Does Living By Faith Mean?" [07 July 2013]

Sermon MP3
TRIED AND TESTED FAITH
“What does living by faith mean?”
Message Outline (07/07/2013)

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that
through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have
hope.” Romans 15:4 (NIV)

“Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an
opportunity for joy. For WHEN YOUR FAITH IS TESTED, your endurance
has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully
developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”
James 1:2-4 (NLT)

GOD ALWAYS TESTS THOSE HE INTENDS TO USE
 In each person we see...
 _______________________ (God gives a promise)
 ______________________________
 __________________ (A waiting period or test)

I. (NOAH) GOD MAY TEST YOUR FAITH WITH...

 __________________________________
“It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood. He
obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened
before.” Hebrews 11:7 (NLT)

Faith is believing ____________________________________
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not
see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

II. (ABRAHAM) GOD MAY TEST YOUR FAITH WITH…

 __________________________________
“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to LEAVE
HOME AND GO TO ANOTHER LAND that God would give him as his
inheritance. HE WENT WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING.”
Hebrews 11:8 (NLT)

 __________________________________
“And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by
faith—for he was like a foreigner, LIVING IN A TENT. AND SO DID
ISAAC AND JACOB, to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did
this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal
foundations, a city designed and built by God.” Hebrews 11:9-10 (NLT)

 ___________________________________
“It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was ABLE TO HAVE A
CHILD, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham
believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came
from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children—a
nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the
seashore, there is no way to count them.” Hebrews 11:11-12 (NLT)

 ___________________________________
“It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was
testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to
sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had promised him, ‘Isaac is
the son through whom your descendants will be counted.’”
Hebrews11:17-18 (NLT)

Faith is obeying ______________________________________
“Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively
speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death!” Hebrews 11:19 (NIV)

III. (MOSES) GOD MAY TEST YOUR FAITH THROUGH...

 __________________________________
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of
Pharaoh's daughter. HE CHOSE TO BE MISTREATED along with the
people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He
regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the
treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”
Hebrews 11:24-26 (NIV)

Faith is persisting ______________________________________
“By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; HE PERSEVERED
because he saw him who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:27 (NIV)