Dave Havir - Understanding True Faith - Part 1

Dave Havir, commencing on a series titled Understanding True Faith , reminds us that faith, hope, and love are perhaps three of the most important subjects in the world. Jesus asks a question on whether He will find faith when He returns to earth. In the Parable of the Importunate Widow, Jesus encourages us to be persistent in prayer, even though justice in its fullest extent will not occur until after the Resurrection. Jesus will probably not find much faith, but it does not take much faith to move mountains. Sadly, it is hard to attain and keep even a little bit of faith. We constitute earthen vessels, perplexed and troubled, but are receptacles of God's precious, eternal Holy Spirit. We have to look past the temporary to get to the eternal. We need to differentiate between faith (which emanates from head knowledge) and hope (which emanates from the heart). Often people misinterpret promises. God has promised to protect us, but we must take precautions about time and chance situations, taking care not to tempt God. There are times to use common sense, using the God-given gift of human reasoning. Faith is what God has promised, not something we can work up. Unlike the name- it-and-claim-it theologians, God may give us what is good for us, but not necessarily whatever we want.

Abraham and Isaac * Abraham * Acts 24:14 * Arguing * Believing * Building hope * Disagreeing * Earning salvation * Expectation * Earnest expectation * Faith and hope * Faith in human leaders * 1 John 5:14-15 * 1 Peter 1:21; 4:18 * Gerald Waterhouse * Hope * Human reasoning * Importunate widow * John Ogwyn * Luke 11:9-10; 18:8 * John 14:13-14 * Mark 9:23; 11:22-24 * Matthew 17:20; 21:21-22; 14 * Misinterpreting promises * Mustard seed * No answers * Nothing is impossible * Obeying God * Persecution * Persistent widow * Perspective * Philippians 1:20 * Practicality * Protection * Reality * Reg Killingley * Requests of children * Romans 4:21 * II Corinthians 4:7-18; 12:8-9 * II Samuel 12:15-23 * Setting dates as an exercise of hope * Speaking for God * Squashing hope * Strong hope * Treasure in earthen vessels * Whatever you ask * True faith * Vanity * What is real? * Where did God promise me today it wouldn't rain? * Zealots * Zealous Christians * Zealous Muslims