Introduction
Before we start the message, let us understand
what we are going to discuss here
We have limited this message to certain points
and approaches.
Please keep this limitation of our present
message while you listen this video
They are:
1.
This message is about the
constituents of faith
That means, this is not an
explanation of any definition of faith
We are not trying to define, redefine,
and simplify faith
2.
This message is not a doctrinal
statement.
To establish,
reestablish or to introduce any new doctrine is not the aim of this message
3.
This video contains a Christian
sermon, not a theological discussion.
The aim of this sermon is to motivate Christian
believers to start building faith in God’s provision for them.
And
also I request you all to watch the whole video, because the end is more
important than the beginning.
The
arguments presented at the end of this message gives weight and meaning to
whatever I say throughout the sermon.
What is faith?
Let
us start with the question, what is faith?
Hebrews 11:1 presents a classic definition
of faith.
But
the definition is often blamed of obscurity
It
is a hard nut to crack.
Theological
wise men have been trying to crack the nut thrown to us by Apostle Paul in
Hebrews 11:1
They
have given us many explanations with an intention to simplify the definition of
Paul
As
we have stated in the beginning of this sermon, it is not our intention here to
define or explain the statement of Paul
Still
let us read the verse.
Here
I have a simple rendering of the verse.
I
am reading from New Century Version
Hebrews 11:1
1 Faith
means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real
even if we do not see it.
The
verse is clearer here than in many other versions of the Bible
It
states that faith is “knowing that something is real even if we do not see it”.
That
is it.
Though
we do not see it in our real physical life, something is real
Knowing
that something that is beyond our physical experience is real is faith.
With
this definition and explanation let us go to the message.
50% of Faith is dream
Fifty
percentage of faith is dream
I
do not mean all those dreams people see in their subconscious state of mind.
But
I do include:
·
Dreams a believer in God sees when he
is awake
·
Dreams given by God while he sleep in
day or night
·
Dreams and visions he receive by a
divine intervention
Dreams
are important
Dreams
are not only dreams that you see at night during sleep
And
all those dreams that you see during sleep are not included here in the 50% of
faith.
The
fifty percent accepts only dreams that are imparted by God.
Though
they are imparted by God, dreams are dreams.
Dreams
you see while you are awake are also important.
These
too can build faith in you.
This
may look bit foolish.
We
are free to dream anything while we are awake.
Can
it be a part of God’s plan for us?
Can
it draw God’s support in fulfilling them?
What
use of it if they are not backed by divine plan?
Here
we should remember that we are talking about the constituents of faith.
And
faith is a proprietary of a believer not of an unbeliever.
An
unbeliever believes in things and a believer in God has faith.
So
our message is about the faith of a believer, not the beliefs of an unbeliever.
The
day dream of a born again believer in God has the back support of God.
Why?
Please
continue to listen to this message for an answer.
Do
not go away.
Dreams
and visions have no day and night, no awake and sleep when they are imparted by
God.
God
can impart a dream or vision into your mind while you pray, talk, drive, do
shopping or at any moment in your life
Divine
impartation of dreams is a sign of a healthy relationship with God
Naturally
they help to create and build faith.
Let
me assure you that your dreams are life to your faith.
All
dreams, day or night, awake or sleepy, imparted or natural are life to your
faith.
This
is the blood that carries life to faith
No
dream no faith stands.
I
agree that, a Dream is no reality
But
a believer dreams not to waste away his extra time.
He
dreams for God to fulfill it.
Dreams
are highways to the reality.
This
is an important difference between the dream of an unbeliever and the dream of
a believer
A
believer wants God to fulfill all his dreams
He
dreams only those dreams that can be fulfilled by the Kingdom of Heaven.
His
dreams are within the boundary of the Heavenly Kingdom.
So
his dreams, during awake and sleep constitute his faith in God’s plan for him.
Before
God could do the miracle in Abraham’s life, God taught Abraham to dream.
Abraham
dreamed day and night.
He
dreamed of children as much as stars in the sky and sands on the shore.
His
dream created faith
His
dream built the faith
His
dream nourished the faith until he tasted the fruit of faith.
A
son was born to him at the impossible age of 100 years.
2. 25% of faith is hope
Hope
is the hope of Abraham
Surely,
faith models our great Patriarch of faith, Abraham
So
hope too has a model in him.
Abraham
hoped for a miracle where there was no chance of hope.
He
was promised to have a son next year by that time, at an age of 99 years.
He
knew that there was no chance of begetting a son at this age.
Still
he dreamed of sons as much as stars in the sky and hoped for its materialization.
He
knew it was impossible
He
knew it is hopeless
Still
he hoped to see it materialized.
And
it came true.
Hope
that is constituent to faith has a special
character.
It
is long suffering hope
It
is a long, long hope
It
is a hope to see the dreams materialize.
It
is a hope that will go on hoping till the dreams materialize.
Short
term hope is not accepted as a constituent of faith.
Only
long term hope is included as an ingredient of faith.
It
is a hope to see the impossible happen
It
is a hope that goes on till the impossible happen.
Hope
is a creative power
It
moves the hands of God to create the impossible out of nothing
Hope
carries his dreams to future
Hope
keeps his dreams alive through perils and uncertainties
Hope
is a safe place to deposit your dreams until they are materialized.
Hope
is a safe chest where no thieves shall steal.
Devil
may attack hope, but he can never conquer hope.
In
turn, hope can defeat the devil.
Hope
looks beyond the present reality
Hope
sees beyond the horizon.
Abraham
lived on this earth as a rich man with his son, servants, cattle and wealth
Still
he hoped to inherit a Kingdom build by God
He
hoped to live an eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven
So
he lived on the earth as a stranger.
He
perched his mind on the spiritual kingdom by his hope.
Hope
is not an inactive or idle waiting
It
is active and dynamic
It
is working even if we do not see any change.
It
brings a small cloud as big as a palm
Then
it grows and grows…. And finally it falls down as thunder and rain
Hope
is a force that works beyond the geographical area
It
works powerfully in the spiritual realm.
Hope
brings down the material of your dream from the spiritual realm into the
physical realm.
So,
Faith is composed of dreams and hope.
3.
25% of Faith is the
Word of God
All
constituents of Faith are deeply rooted in the Word of God
Word
of God is the base and foundation of faith
Nothing
build on anything else is faith.
Faith
cannot exist without God’s Word
Word
of God is of two kinds:
·
Logos – the written word, as it is
available to us today in printed or electronic medium
It is spoken long before and recorded
for the future generation.
It does not change.
·
Rhema – the spoken Word of God
It is the Word that God speaks to His
Church or to individuals today and now.
Rhema is what God speaks today and
now to His faithful
We cannot predict what God is going
to speak to us today or now.
It is totally based on His Will and
Pleasure.
It is divine instructions for us to obey today.
Dreams
are usually unsubstantial, immaterial things
But
the dreams of a believer in Christ has a strong foundation.
Our
dreams must have the foundation of His Word – Logos or Rhema
Our
dreams must be constructed on the foundation of His Word
His
Word makes our dreams substantial and concrete
We
dream of His Word coming true
Our
dreams are a foretelling of what God is going to do in our life
Foretelling
is declaring something before it happen.
It
is not prophecy
It
is our wish expressed, based on His Word
Hope
is an extension of dream based on God’s Word
The
power of hope is the power of God’s word
God’s
Word materializes our hope
No
hope live long without His Word
And
only a long living hope is converted into concrete experiences.
The
conversion is possible only with God’s Word
God’s
Word is the originator and the fulfillment of hope
God’s
Word is the hope that stands against despair
It
is Word that creates, sustains and fulfills Faith.
Conclusion
50%
of Faith is dream
25%
of Faith is Hope
25%
of Faith is God’s Word
Without
God’s Word there is no dream and no hope
God’s
Word is all and everything.
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