“Faith Full ”
Hillcrest Church Office
June 11, 2003

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“Faith Full”
by Tom Goodman

Philip Yancey says that faith is “believing in advance in something that will only seem logical when seen in reverse.”

I like that.  Faith is holding firmly to God’s promises despite the circumstances, and sometimes those circumstances can be pretty intense.  The Bible warns us about “the flaming arrows of the evil one” and tells us we are to lift up faith like a shield against those things.

Maybe you’ve heard the high whine of this arrow in the air:  “You’re a lousy person, a loser, you’ll never amount to anything!”  Then raise up this confidence like a shield:  “I believe Jesus loves me and wants me with him now and forever! I’m not what I will be but thank God I’m not what I used to be!”

Or maybe you’ve heard this one like the flapping flames of a fiery arrow:  “Remember what that person said to you and did to you?  Think about what you could do to that person in return!”  If so, then raise up the shield of faith.  Say, “I believe that God revenges all injustice done against me.  I believe God even takes the wrongs done against me and works good out of it.”

Or maybe a shower of financial fears has rained down on you and you hear a little voice in your heart:  “You’ve got bills on the kitchen counter you can’t pay!”  Instead of responding with panic and anxiety, raise your shield against those incoming darts.  Say, “I will not be anxious and fretful because I belong to a God who supplies all my needs!”

Or perhaps you’ve felt the heat of temptation, and you hear our Enemy, like a hoarse whisperer, saying, “You deserve it.”  Raise up a shield, saying, “God delivers those who put their trust in him!”

The disciples once said to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5)  This Sunday morning, June 15, we’re going to lift up the same prayer.  Come learn how to be faith-full this week!

See you at 8:30 or 10:45!

– Tom

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