Wonderful Counselor Series
Doug Freeman, Speaker
“As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.”
Matthew 9:27-31 NIV
http://bible.com/111/mat.9.27-31.niv
Focus: God honoring faith moves the heart of God.
God Honors:
Faith that BELIEVES, even when it does not see.
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 NIV
http://bible.com/111/heb.11.1.niv
Faith that PERSEVERES when nothing changes.
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?””
Luke 18:1-8 NIV
http://bible.com/111/luk.18.1-8.niv
Faith that is DEMONSTRATED by action.
“You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.”
James 2:20-24 NIV
http://bible.com/111/jas.2.20-24.niv
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
http://bible.com/111/heb.11.6.niv
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