MMB 8/4/2014

FREE #4 - The Faith Factor

Galatians 5:5-6 (NIV) 5 “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

   

Paul’s words here speak to a Vital Factor in the fight for your soul … Essentially the Enemy wants you in Bondage – Jesus Christ wants you Set Free. Paul states then the PRIMARY FACET IS FAITH. 

**FAITH IS THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS THE HANDCUFFS OF BONDAGE** …

FAITH DEFINITION: HEB 11:1 (AMP) “NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” 

There are Three Strategic Components to FAITH: 

(1) You are Assured of What You Can’t See [Faith is TRUST]; 

(2) You have Hope and Inward Proof of What is Unseen [Faith is CONFIDENCE]; 

(3) You Perceive as Fact What is Not Revealed by the Senses [Faith is CONVICTION].

OLD TESTAMENT EVIDENCE OF FAITH (and How it Sets Free) 

A. GENESIS 6:9-22 NOAH & THE FLOOD = Freedom from Drowning

B. GENESIS 22:3-18 ABRAHAM’S TEST = Freedom from Son's Death

C. EXODUS 14:10-28 MOSES’ FIRM STAND= Freedom From Pharaoh's Killer Army 

You see, The FAITH FACTOR involves the Holy Spirit of God “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith” v5a

    1. THE SPIRIT GIVES FAITH Gal 5:5 “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope” There are Three Key Elements expressed here: (1) FAITH: God’s Spirit knows Faith Doesn’t Come Easy. It’s a Special Gift to FULLY, ABANDONLY TRUST WITH YOUR WHOLE BEING! And God gives His Spirit to Fortify Your Faith! Romans 8:24-26a (NIV) 24 “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness”. The 2nd Key Element is (2) RIGHTEOUSNESS: “await by faith the righteousness...” The HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD. So HE is All About Righteousness, Holiness and Perfection. You will Never on this Earth Be Perfect But By Faith and in the Might of God’s Spirit You Strive for that. THE FAITH FACTOR: Righteousness! Right Living. And By Faith You Trust the HS to make You More & More Sanctified and Righteous! And Then The Final Key Element ... (3) HOPE: “await by faith the righteousness for which we hope” Hope is What We Need. We were all born into a World of Hopelessness. Do You Realize the “Handcuffs of Bondage” Have a Word that Describes them Perfectly; HOPELESSNESS. Let Me Tell You that FREEDOM IS IN THE FAITH FACTOR And the Result is HOPE!  => Freedom through the Spirit: Your FAITH FACTOR! 

  2. THE SON HONORS FAITH Gal 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” And Here are Three Key Considerations: (1) LAW: FUNDAMENTAL FACT=> “… no value …” There is No Reason to Stick with Law (neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value)! Paul’s Words are Significant: “For in Christ Jesus” means you have the Essence of the FAITH FACTOR in Your Savior! It’s Not the Law – It’s Not Tradition – It’s Not Religion – It’s Not Even the Organized Church! IT IS IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS X! (2) FAITH (here is that word again): “the only thing that counts is faith” THE FAITH FACTOR is Wrapped Up in the Person of Jesus X! We are NOT talking about an Arbitrary Belief or Trust in Religiousness or Church or Good Efforts. It is an Abandoned Selfless Reliance upon the Very Person of God Himself == the Lord Jesus Christ! True Freedom comes from True Faith in X Jesus! (3) LOVE: “faith expressing itself through love” Now get this right! … Paul is NOT suggesting Faith and Love are Equal Elements and pose your status greatly before God. NO, he is saying THE FAITH FACTOR RESULTS IN LOVE; Christ's Love (in Greek the word is agape)! This is Awesome!  => The Value of the FAITH FACTOR Is Your Freedom! 

Three Final Suggests to Consider >

1. TRUE FAITH LEADS TO ABANDONED OBEDIENCE RESULTING TO BLESSING FROM GOD - FREEDOM!

2. TRUE FAITH LEADS OT ABUNDANT LIFE – NOT COMFORTABLE LIFE – CAUSING FREEDOM!

3. TRUE FAITH BRINGS PROTECTION, PROSPERITY (Spiritual not Material) AND PURPOSE - FREEDOM!

Comments are always encouaged!

MMB - 7/28/2014

Here's the last MMB for July 2014!

You can't control the weather ...
      ... but you can control the temperature of your soul!

You can't control life circumstances ...
      ... but you can control your spiritual reactions!

Followers of Jesus have CONTROL ISSUES! If they are NOT under the Spirit's Control ...

• Thunderstorms break out!
• Hurricanes Form
• Lightening strikes causing fire pockets
• wind and hail stir up and causing frightful damage

Even though you can't control the outside weather -- you most certainly can control (under the Holy Spirit's power) the SPIRITUAL weather of your life!

1. SUNNY DAYS => under the Spirit's Control - you bear Fruit! Gal 5:22-23
2. WARM CALM NIGHTS => under the Spirit's Control - you have Mind Renewal! Phil 4:4-8
3. BREEZY AFTERNOONS => under the Spirit's Control ... you have Victory! Rom 8:5ff
4. STIRRING MORNING SUNRISE => under the Spirit's Control ... you have a Testimony! Acts 24-26

Comments are always welcome!

Monday Morning Blog - July 14, 2014 Edition

FREE OF RELIGIOUS RITUALISM - Galatians 5:2-4

Paul speaks of the shackles of the "Law" when he refers to the Jewish Religious Ritual (and Requirement ... before Christ came) of circumcision. He does so to compare the Law with Grace. Essentially the Law was a bondage ... a burden; because no one could keep it acceptably. One could try but any failure caused the whole thing to be labeled "FAILURE". 

God provided freedom from the bounds of the law in Jesus Christ (who, by the way, is the only one who kept the Law perfectly, being impeccable Himself - without sin). Freedom in Christ Jesus erases all facets of bondage included religiousness! The words Paul wrote, he wrote from the Holy Spirit who used Paul's own experience as a Hebrew and Jewish Leader. See what he says in verses 2-4. (NIV) 2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 

God's design was that the law was good and necessary in pointing all mankind to their need for the "Perfect One", Jesus Christ. No one but Christ himself ever kept the Law fully. He became our substitute for fulfilling the Law - so in reality ... Christ is better! Christ via "Grace" broke the demands of the Law. Exodus 20 shows the demands of the Law (10 Commandments) while Ephesians 2 display the marvel of Grace ( 8 "for by grace you've been saved through faith ... it is the gift of God")!

There is provided for all a Grace Liberation! And it's a Grace Freedom Reality! Jesus Himself is that Grace Reality that sets man free. God's blueprint for setting man free is GRACE. God's pattern for man's freedom from the Law is GRACE. God's plan for releasing man fro shackles of sin is GRACE. GRACE FREEDOM REALITY is in the very person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Freedom comes gift-wrapped to you from the Almighty in a Five-Letter Word: G-R-A-C-E!