Faith to receive and to suffer

What I talked about a month ago with you still turns me a little bit, about the daily vanishing that each one of us should have in our lives. In recent weeks I have been impacted by some kind of news that has been going around the world, especially our Christian brothers, pastors, missionaries and people who are in places where we think they should not have so many problems for preaching the word of the Lord and the good news.

But I was surprised by the reaction of many countries in the Middle East where the majority profess the Muslim religion, where many pastors, many men and women of God, many families, children, have been killed for preaching the Gospel. Others are in the process of being sentenced for the death penalty that they have for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and many are also being told that they can continue living if they deny their faith in Jesus.

That is not very easy for us today. We live in a country where anyone who forces us to deny the name of Jesus can get into trouble, we can take him to court and maybe we'll get a few thousand dollars, right? but in other countries you cannot live like that.

In America, in the American continent, in Cuba, there are many prisoners who are there because they are children of the Lord, they have preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and although they worry about saying that it is not so, many of us know that it is so.

But here in the United States there is also a type of persecution. Here are men and women who are being persecuted for their faith, whether it be for a matter of tradition, whether it be for a matter of a political or philosophical point of view, or for an economic matter, in different ways we can express this movement about of Christians today.

And I want to talk to you about a topic that is very unknown to us called faith. How many have heard that word? No it's not true? They have always told us about a part of faith, this beautiful part of faith. And why do I say this beautiful part of faith? Because within all this news that I have seen, I have also seen another series of sermons where he talks about faith, and faith translates into a car, or faith translates into a house, or faith translates into a good check Either faith translates into a good miracle, or faith translates into well-being.

And I want to take you to Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews. You know that this Chapter is the Chapter par excellence of the faith. Hebrews 11:1 says:

"... It is therefore faith, the certainty of what is expected and the conviction of what is not seen..."

So when we pastors ask, what is faith? Ah, I know pastor, it is the certainty of what is expected and the conviction of what is not seen. We know that by heart, but more than two concepts is the only biblical word that has two concepts, and I would say that they are two important characteristics in the life of the man and woman who have accepted Jesus Christ in their hearts.

Today I don't want to talk about that faith, that the heavens open up and a Rolls Royce falls on him outside his house. I don't want to talk about that faith that the heavens open and you already have a 3-story house to yourself. I don't want to talk about this faith that the only thing that makes it open wide paths for you to walk with your neck raised. Do not think that I am going to talk about Hebrews, Chapter 11, verse 1. We are going to go to verse 32 and we are going to read some things.

Today I want to draw your attention to this topic that is so beautiful but sometimes so limited when you talk to us about it. We always speak of faith in a tone of personal benefit. Faith to me means how much I have accomplished in my checking account since I came to the Lord. Faith for some of us may have meant how much my business has prospered since I came to the Lord, how many things I have acquired as I have walked in the faith of Jesus Christ.

But I want to invite you to read a part of the faith that is not being very popular in these times. Verse 32 says:

“…And what else did he say? Because I would lack time counting the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Gepte, David and as well as Samuel and who else?

Does anyone remember any faith story of these men? They are our favorite stories, they are those stories that have to do with abundance, with prosperity, with extraordinary things. Let's continue reading verse 33:

“… who by faith conquered kingdoms, did justice, reached promises, covered the mouths of lions. They put out impetuous fires, avoided the edge of the sword, drew strength from weakness, became strong in battle, put foreign armies to flight..."

Let's stop there. Let's go back to Hebrews 11:1. So, more than a concept of faith, there is a characteristic in faith, faith has to be certain and has to have conviction. It is necessary to understand that we cannot apply a single concept to faith, because faith acts according to how God acts, if there are a thousand situations, there are a thousand different ways in which God acts. Therefore, the situation may be very similar between us, but God has a perfect plan and for some reason we are going through situations that are going to lead us on the path that he has designed for our lives.

That is why faith is more than a liturgical, religious action, accompanied by a couple of choirs, or some good jumps, or some good instruments. Faith is beyond a liturgical action that has to do with a building. Faith has to do with a way of life and with a way of looking at the one who is the giver of salvation, the one who is the giver of life, the one who is the giver of forgiveness for us.

Faith must not only be based on our life, on what we have received as benefits, but on how much we have also had to learn to deny ourselves for the love of Jesus Christ.

How many have denied themselves some things in their life? Has anyone had to say, no, I can't do that, because I love the Lord now, because my God doesn't like that I do that, because my God doesn't like that I speak that way, because my God doesn't He likes me to act that way, because my Lord doesn't like me to think that way.

Faith is broader than just the interests we have about our daily requests. In Romans, Chapter 10, verse 17 a very, very well known Gospel verse. Who knows? Are we in an evangelical church?

“…. Faith comes from hearing and hearing the soap opera, hearing gossip, hearing the news every day, listening to the radio, music, the latest music released by the last singer, or the last singer? Hearing what? Specifically the word of God. And that not only translates into reading the Bible, it translates into times of prayer, it translates into times of intimacy with God, it translates into times of fasting, it translates into times of communion, it translates into times when we saints come together to pray and bless the name of the Lord. That is hearing the word of God.

When you get together here every Wednesday, every Sunday, whenever you can get together, your faith is being nurtured, your conviction about Jesus Christ is growing, and your hope is ever greater in what he can do. It is the way we have to know the Lord.

In Hebrews Chapter 11, verse 6, it says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is an important element in our life. It is not only an action of a specific religious group, but it is an element to reach the very presence of the Lord. Please God. How many want to please God? How many strive daily to please God?

It is not just an option, pleasing God is not just an option but it is a condition that we need to practice every day to reach the same throne, to the very presence of the Lord. Some things to understand about faith. Faith is a command.

In Luke, Chapter 8, verse 50 he says do not fear, just believe. In Mark, Chapter 11, verse 22 it says, have faith in God. It does not say, look if you want to believe. If you like, if you have another option, see if it suits you. He says, have faith in God. How many have faith in God? How many have faith in what he can do in their lives? How many believe that the Lord has them for beyond sitting in that seat? Or how many want to stay seated in that seat? At least change seats.

Another characteristic that we must observe is that faith is a defensive weapon. In Ephesians Chapter 6, verse 16, it says "... take the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the enemy..."

In one part it says he has a Rolls Royce, in one part it says faith translates into monetary value. Faith is a necessary condition to move the hand of God.

Another of the considerations, he wants to invite you to discern and experience an area of faith that today can help us grow. And this is the part I wanted to read. The other thing I read was to fill in a little bit for the minutes that Omar gave me. Verse 36, this part is that I want to ask you and I want to ask myself if I am willing to live for a conviction of faith. It says, verse 36, Hebrews, Chapter 11, verse 36:

“…Others experienced taunts and scourgings and in addition to this prisons and jails…”

Do you still have faith in Jesus? Is no one repenting? Because we are no longer talking about conquering, we are no longer talking about opening spaces, we are no longer talking about destroying, now we are talking about standing up well. This is the part of faith that sometimes amazes us from others in other countries. I know that many of us would not have the soul of a martyr to go live in a Muslim country. I believe that you have to have a good call from the Lord and believe that he will be your helper, because nobody else is going to help you. This is the part of faith that has intrigued me these days.

How many were born in the church? How many were born, they come from very young, they were born and this traditional question, would you give your life for the Lord? If someone came here and pointed at your head, would you deny Christ? It is a very question... Today this is not asked because the truth is that we do not want people to leave, we want people to stay.

Among pastors there is not much talk about it, on the contrary, the more we talk about the fact that the bank's coffers are going to be full, the better the faith. The poorer, the less faith.

Verse 37, “…they were stoned, do you think they threw little stones at you like that, little coins? They were stoned. How many are willing to receive a stone on their head for the love of Jesus Christ? I already put on half Pentecostal for my things. They were stoned, they were, this is the part, this is what brings pain, they were sawn.

The story, there's a parallel story in the New Testament from the book of Josephus, a great Roman Jewish historian, and it talks a lot about the experiences that the early Christians went through. He is much more explicit, more than the Bible even, more than the book of Acts about the early church. Josephus talks about what the Roman rites and traditions were like to be able to witness this type of Christian terrorists in those years.

So “….they were stoned, sawed, put to the test, killed by the sword, they walked from here to there covered in the skins of poor sheep and goats….” Today we see someone poor and we begin to doubt their spirituality. We are so surrounded by preachers who talk about prosperity theology, and we already think that anyone who walks with a broken shoe has spiritual problems. Really!

There are people who have dared to say that your economic condition necessarily goes through your lack of spirituality. One said out there, everything that the Lord has given me provokes envy in others. No, if that's not the problem, the problem is how he got it. It is not that one envy the prosperity of others, but none of us can assume a role of judge about what is the type of faith that we are living.

And then I'm going to tell you why? He says, "... poor, distressed, mistreated..." we could make him smelly, without bathing. Add some other adjective there. “…of whom the world was not worthy. Wandering through the deserts, through the mountains, through the caves and through the caverns of the earth…”

I want to stay there because otherwise I'm going to start crying. The truth is that somehow today I want to tell you that when we come to the conviction of what faith is, we make the certainty of what is expected have a name and it is called Jesus Christ. And the conviction of what is not seen also has a name and it is called Jesus Christ. Therefore, our faith, be it for great victories or to be in times of difficulty, is through the name of Jesus Christ.

What is the area of faith that you are experiencing right now? There are some who are being spoiled by the enemy. There are some who are being persecuted by the enemy and it is manifesting in their family, in their friends, in the most loved ones, in those that you did not expect, in some brothers in the church, who knows one?

Where is your faith being tested? Where is your conviction about who is the giver of faith being tested? You know, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and only the brave take it away. And you know what that means? That everyone who has faith in Jesus Christ can take away the kingdom of heaven. And it doesn't matter what condition of faith you have to live, if you have to be a great leader and move entire cities or if you have to be in the group of the sawn, the stoned, the poor, of those who have to wander forever. here to there Don't think that being undocumented is a curse, it can be a tremendous blessing to our lives.

Live your faith, not for the things that suit you but also for those that do not suit you. Live your faith not only for what interests you but for what you never wanted to happen to you. Live your faith not only for what the other is living, but for what the Lord wants you to live. He has designed a perfect path, he has a perfect purpose for his life and for my life, and he has patiently designed that path.

I waited for Jehovah, I love that psalm, and he leaned over to me and heard my cry, he says, he made me get out of the miry pit, out of the mud of despair. He put my feet on the rock and straightened my steps. He then put a new song in my mouth, praises to the Lord. This will be heard by many, he says, and will be believed.

We need to change that limited concept of faith, of only understanding that faith is what is convenient for me to receive. We need to change that concept of faith that has to do with what is related to the materialism that surrounds me. Faith is not what I have nor is it what I do not have. Faith is Jesus Christ. By that faith I was justified, by that faith I have been forgiven, by that faith I have been saved, by that faith I have received mercy from the Lord. That faith. Let's not only go to what really interests us, but let's go to the one who provides what interests us. Let us not only give thanks to the Lord for life, but to him who is the giver of life. Not only for the material things we have, but for the one who is the giver of the things we can have.

The church today needs to rise up as a body in faith to face the fiery darts of the enemy and not only preach what is good for it, but also assume what is not good for us. Because that is loving the Lord, that is getting tired with Jesus, that is being thirsty with Jesus, that is crying with Jesus, that is laughing with Jesus, that is walking with Jesus. He is life, he is truth.

The Holy Spirit is in our midst today to guide us to this certainty and this conviction. Forget faith and the certainty of what is expected, Lord, you know. I am certain, Lord, that you are going to send me that, but I am not going to have to pay anything. Sir, and the conviction, I already imagine it, Sir, in white, or with sports wheels.

Oh, Lord, I'm not talking about a cruise because this week a cruise ship stayed in the middle of the ocean, so I don't think anyone is going to take a cruise for at least a couple of weeks. Sir, yes, sir, let it be a wide seat in first class, to fly a few hours. Sir, I see the airline that is going to take me where I want to go. Lord, I want this, Lord, I want, Lord, the certainty and the conviction of what I need and what suits me.

You know, reading this I came to understand that the only certainty that I hope for is to be pleasing to Jesus Christ. The only conviction that I still do not see that I hope to please Jesus Christ. The only certainty that I hope for is to love Jesus Christ. The only conviction that I do not see is to come to love Jesus Christ as he wants me to love him. The rest, do you know what it is? Matthew 6:33, addition.

I believe that the Lord deserves a much stronger applause. I want to invite you, close your eyes for a moment. I like that song that says, mighty God. I want to invite you to reflect, I am not here to judge your way of seeing faith or how you are experiencing your faith. I only brought this, because today following Jesus Christ demands courage, it demands decision and it goes beyond the miracles that I need, the healings that I need. He is powerful to perform miracles, I know, he is powerful to heal, he is powerful to provide. There are some who have had and have reached situations where even what they have not had has been taken away from them, they have suffered mockery, they have been pointed at. Many of our situations have to do with our bad decisions, but there are also many of our situations that have to do with God's purpose for our lives. And I want to appeal to that purpose of God in your life and in my life.

What is the first thing you think of when you talk about faith? When faith is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Faith is Jesus Christ. Everything else is the blessing that he has for us. He wants us to change our mentality, our way of seeing him, simply as an object to bring us our most interesting desires.

One last thought. When I read the names of all these men in verses 32 and 33, I heard them a few weeks ago and today that made sense to me, Gideon, David, we could include Elijah, Elisha, Joshua, Moses, Joseph. And we might wonder where is their God? That these men moved by faith in that God, not by the results, but by faith in that God. The result didn't matter to them, because if they had faith in their God, the result was going to be good anyway.

Do you know what made me ask that? To think that God is asking and where are the Gideons of these times, where are the Joshuas of these times, where are the Elijah, the Elisha, the Joseph, where are all those men and women that we read about in the Scriptures, where are they in this times?

I have good news for you, you are one of them and God wants to show his power through you, perfect himself through you.