Faith

Message Notes:

Opening Question: Most of my life is made up of things that I cannot control.

•Yet, there is one primary thing that I can control — namely ME.

Story about Corrie Ten Boom — what she could control:

•How She Reacted in the Face of EVIL

Scripture passage for the new series:

•2 Peter 1:3-9

•Emphasis on verses 1:5-7

•Emphasis for today’s message: FAITH

“Faith” and “believe” come from the same Greek root word — “pist.” But faith is a noun and believe is a verb. Faith and believe occur around 715 times in the Bible.

There are negative and positive uses of these words in the Bible:

•Negative uses: Little (Matt. 8:26); Doubting (James 1:6); No Root (Lk 8:13); Weak (Rom 14:1); Dead James 2:17.

•Positive uses: Saving (Jn 3:16); Assured (Heb 10:22); Sincere (2 Tim 1:5); Growing (2 Thes 1:3); Unwavering (Romans 4:20); Strong (Romans 4:20); Achieving (Heb 11:33-34); Persevering (Heb 11:39) 

Billy Graham said faith manifests in three main ways:

•In Doctrine

•in Morality

•in Worship

DL Moody — Four Kinds of Faith

•Struggling Faith — like a person floundering

•Clinging Faith — like someone hanging onto the side of the boat

•Resting Faith — when someone is safely inside the boat

•Strong Faith — being secure and helpful to others; pulling them from the water into the boat.