A Summary of
the Teaching
of Rev. Geoffrey Chapman
"Faith that Makes a Difference"
May 4, 2001
I John 5:15 says our Faith opens the door that we can prevail
that we could make a difference in the world... we are more than conquerors...
Faith is...
1. Believing more than I can see...
Heb 11:1 - The ability to believe what we cannot see and
acting upon it is faith. Believing it what we cannot see as a reality,
being able to see it and make it happen... some things need to be believed
before you see them... Jesus can make this happen.
2. Acting on more than I understand...
 Noah
took decades to build the arc. His neighbors probably told him he needed
to "get a life!" When you have faith you have the capacity to
act (or obey) on more than our understand. Abraham, at age 75, didn't
think it was time for him to coast through the rest of his life. As long
as you are drawing breath... God has a purpose for you. Abraham didn't
ask "Where are we going Lord?" "How are we going to get
there?" "When will we know when we get there?" Abraham
was a guy who changed his world at age 75... because he was looking to
God and not his circumstances. Faith always involves risk
(always!). Even when what God is asking sounds absurd... be willing to
act.... If not you will leave a world a worse place not a better place.
3. Giving more than I can afford...
Faith ties this all together. Abraham offered up his only
son... In the  area
of stewardship there are two types of giving. One gives what is left over
(called extra giving). The other gives sacrificially. The former doesn't
change the world, the latter does. Abraham gave more than he could afford
and the world could afford.
A farmer gave up a pasture for revival meetings in 1939. His son attended
the meetings and was called by God to the ministry. The farmer gave up
both the use of the land to plant and harvest crops and also his son who
would have otherwise helped on the farm. The farmer, Franklin Graham,
gave sacrificially and we all know how his son, Billy Graham, has been
used!
King David insisted on paying for what he used to sacrifice because he
new it must be something that costs him something. [II
Samuel 24] He believed and offered a sacrifice (acted)... god gave
more than he could afford... He wants us to do so as well. Remember it
is no loss to give up what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot earn.
4. Persisting longer than I want to...
We need to live up to our commitments and not be guided
by our feelings. When I don't feel like doing something is usually when
I need it the most. If I do things only when I feel like it... then the
devil will make sure I don't feel like doing it! successful people live
up to their commitments regardless of how they feel. They develop habits
and stick with them. How do you develop persistence? Heb 11:27 talks about
Moses. He could see the invisible God and kept his eyes on Him. Moses
wandered in the desert 40 years... How long are you willing to be persistent?
do what god wants you to do... hang in there... you keep doing it... don't
quit... Look at Jesus and follow Him... in essence what Jesus is saying
is "Trust me!"
5. Trusting while I'm still waiting...
God is not a vending machine... He won't give you anything
you request... god will meet all our needs but not all our "greeds."
He works all things for good... but doesn't say there won't be trials
and valleys. He is more interested in character and holiness and not in
our comfort and happiness.
Four answers to Prayer:
- Yes - Often the answer
- No - He will say no if we ask wrongly or for things that are
harmful
- Not yet - be persistent in praying as He directs, or
- I have a better idea
Faith is trusting god when you get answers #3 or #4. we don't like being
in God's waiting room but its a place of transformation... there is never
a time wen god is not working in your life. Paul was in Rome for two years
in prison ... that is when he wrote some of the most important books of
the Bible.
Build your faith by
(1) Reading the Word on a regular basis and
(2) Looking to God and not yourself for answers.
|
