"The Guarantee of A Great faith"
Matthew 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
In our last study, we noticed that the Lord Jesus said of the centurion, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (v10). Think about that; here was a soldier under Caesar's orders, who no doubt engaged in battles, and yet he had a faith in the Lord Jesus that the Lord called a great faith! Praise God, as a soldier, you can have a great faith! And my counsel to you is that while you are under your Commander in Chief's orders, and defending America in this war against terrorism, be sure to exercise a great faith! Let it be said of you by the Lord Jesus, "I have found a great faith!" Surely as you face every day with its unknowns, and yes, its heartaches and tragedies, it is wise to do so with a great faith, for a great faith is what will get you though the days.
Do you remember the definition of faith according to the Bible that I gave in our last study?
In our last study we identifies the beginning of a Great Faith in God. It begins with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that assures the believer that he is a child of God and has eternal life, and has a home waiting for him in heaven!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
So many people have a belief about the Lord Jesus that does not give them the peace and assurance that they are the children of God with a home in heaven waiting for them because they have not faith in the Lord Jesus as their Lord & Saviour! They have not repented of their sin, and made a decision of faith in Jesus Christ for the gift of everlasting life!
Have you come to Jesus by faith -trusting Him to be the God man, God in the flesh, who lived a sinless life only to die on the cross for all your sins, and pay the wrath of God for your sins, and on the third day bodily rise from the dead? Are you trusting in Jesus Christ and His death, burial and resurrection for God's forgiveness of your sins and the gift of eternal life?
The Bible says in John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Perhaps you need to believe on Jesus Christ the Bible way! You need to call on the Lord by faith right now! Perhaps you need to pray from the heart, "Father, I am a sinner, and I deserve an eternal hell as the just punishment for my sin. But your Son Jesus Christ became a man for me, and died for my sins on the cross, and rose from the dead on the third day. And right now by faith, I trust in Jesus Christ and Him alone for your forgiveness of all my sins and the gift of eternal life. Thank you for hearing me and saving me! Thank you for forgiving me of all my sins; thank you for making me your child; thank for my home in heaven waiting for me. Now help me to live for you BECAUSE I am your child. AMEN.
Praise God for the Lord's promise in John 6:37... him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. If you just came to Jesus Christ and claimed Him by faith as your Lord and Saviour, trusting in Him and Him alone for God's forgiveness of your sin and eternal life, you are saved! And you have a great faith!
O soldier, have a great faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
1) Have a faith in Jesus Christ that gives you eternal life!
But then, let's note the promise of your great faith in the Lord Jesus: 2) Have a faith that KNOWS you will never be where God is not!
The Bible says to God's children in Hebrews 13:5,6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
O my friend, do you know what this verse is promising you as a child of great faith? There will never be a place or situation or circumstance that God will not be there with you! There will never be a moment in your life that God will be absent from you, not even a second! Rather He has promised that He will always be there with you regardless of what you face or what you go through & He will be active and involved in your life!
I grew up on a dairy farm in western New York. And I remember during my early childhood that while living in the old farm house, strange creaks and noises could be heard in the darkness of the night! Mom and Dad were in bed at the other side of the house. And as these noises seem to persist, my imagination got the best of me! I thought I saw people in the corner of the room or hanging on the curtain, and I even heard them under my bed! So with a fearful thrust out of the bed, I would run to the other side of the house, jump in bed with Mom and Dad, and sleep restfully for the rest of the night in the presence of parents!
O, dear soldier, as you face the reality of war, as you find yourself engaged against the enemy, in lonely situations, with lonely assignments, and face insurmountable dangers, and fear grips your soul, you don't have to run after God for He is already there with you! He Has said I will never leave thee not forsake thee! And you can exercise a great faith! You can say confidence, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."Claim His presence by faith, and He will reassure you that He is with you and you are not alone!
The Bible says in Psalm 139:1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Just think, there is no place that you will be that your God is not there with you! The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah ministered in Judah during a time in which the people were covetous, running after other gods, and indifferent towards God and His Word! They were spiritual rebels! Jeremiah preached the Word of God to them. He called on them to repent and return to their Lord before it was too late and God respond with chastening! But they hated his message, and they turned on him. They silenced him by throwing him in a jail which was nothing more than a muddy pit. Jeremiah was discouraged and scarred; he was lonely, and felt so alone! He did not know what to do! But God spoke to Him and reminded him that He was there with him. And the Lord gave him a promise that He gives to you and I as well! Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
O dear soldier, exercise a great faith! Turn to the presence of the Lord with your fears and anxieties!
The Bible says in Psalm 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
David said in Psalm 37:25 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread... 28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Exercise your great faith in the Lord! Have a faith that KNOWS you will never be where God is not, so that you will boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" Hebrews 13:6.
Remember, we are faithfully praying for you. If you have any specific prayer needs, be sure to send them to gbc4god@coastalnow.net Until the next time, may God bless!
Love in Christ,
Pastor John Mills
Grace Baptist Church
1406 Airport Road
Hinesville, GA 31313