We Have Come This Far by Faith: Part 5, Hope in Three Dimensions

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Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
We usually think about hope in one way or one dimension. We understand hope as something that people need who are struggling and feeling hopeless. Thank God that when we struggle, there is hope to sustain us. When life does not makes sense and hope seems lost, there is a great hope from God to lift us up. 
Hope is more than a survival strategy. Hope is not only for the hopeless. Hope gives substance to faith. Hope is a picture. Hope is a sustaining power from the Spirit of God. Jesus is the true hope giver.
The Biblical Greek definition of hope simply means,  “An expectation.” (noun); “To anticipate” (verb).
A modern dictionary definition of Hope: 1) a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, 2) grounds for believing that something good may happen
I want to suggest that there are three dimensions, or aspects, of hope: 1) Expectation, 2) Desire, and 3) Purpose.

Dealing With Your Mountains: Leaves or Figs?

We Have Come This Far By Faith
Part Four: Dealing With Your Mountains: Leaves or Figs?
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Mark 11:12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany (modern Al-Eizariya, Palestine), He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it. 
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. [“Be faithful to God and fruitful. Don’t be like this tree, putting out leaves, but showing no fruit.”]
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
In this text, Jesus gave a faith lesson. He talked about dealing with mountain sized obstacles when he said, “Have faith in God.” Having faith in God, asking for things when you pray, and believing you receive them, you will have them.
This particular lesson on faith is different the the one in Matthew 17:20 where he said , “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
In the teaching from Matthew Jesus attached a qualifier to it when he said, “his kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” As he dealt with the inability of the disciples to heal of boy brought to them with spirit of infirmity that looked like epilepsy.
In both of these lessons, Jesus taught about the nature of faith in God as well as something within the believer that was necessary.
Faith in God is not all about getting stuff, it is about doing God’s will. Don’t forget this statement:
Faith begins where the will of God is known.
The will of God is never found first in wanting things for your enjoyment. The will of God is always connected to His purpose and your character.
Jesus teaching in Mark 11 is dealing with personal character and doing the will of God.
Important question: Why did Jesus curse the fig tree, if it was not the season for figs?
At this point in late spring in Israel and Palestine, most fig trees had not yet developed mature fruit (Mark 11:13). But this particular tree draws Jesus’s attention because it already has a full covering of leaves. It’s an early bloomer. Its foliage signaled that it should have early figs.
With that expectation, Jesus inspects the tree. He is immediately disappointed. The tree is all leaves, no fruit. There was expectation, but no satisfaction.
He said, Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.
It appears shocking that Jesus cursed the tree and made it wither from the roots, never to yield fruit again. This seems stunningly out of character for Jesus
What should we learn from this peculiar scene?
On the surface, it’s an object lesson on the power of faithful prayer and how to have faith (Matt. 21:20–22). But more is going on here. The fig tree cursing when understood as a parable, is also a sober warning for us today.
Fruitlessness leads to judgment.
Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is described as God’s vineyard, tree, or planting. Fruitfulness is one of God’s priorities
Exodus 23:19 The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. 
Isaiah 5:1,  Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill. 2  He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also [b]made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes. 3  “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. 4  What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it?
Jesus said in John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you[b] will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples
When he created Adam and Eve, He said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” 
Being fruitful in doing God’s will is part of human nature and God’s purpose.
In our relationship with God: as his own special planting, it is His will to yield spiritual fruit as his covenant people.
Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Jeremiah 17:8, For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not [a]fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
Think about your own figs.
When the disciples ask Jesus to explain what just transpired, he pivots and talks about prayer and forgiveness. 
Jesus said in Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Thus the fig tree cursing was not just about a fig tree, it was historical Israel. And it is also about us. It’s about all the people of God throughout time.
This is a sobering passage, this passage that reminds us of this truth: A follower of Christ, a true Christian, by definition must produce spiritual fruit —even if only small early figs).
In our lives we can show “leaves,” but no fruit. Things in people and churches can appear to be big and flourishing, but it may only be leaves and not figs. That does not please the Lord.
Your leaves can fool you. What will the Lord find upon close inspection? Will he find only leaves? Or will he find figs, too?
In our lives, there may be no fruit of holiness, no intimacy with God, and no faith serving, giving, loving, and honoring. 

No Spirit of Fear: Power, Love and a Sound Mind

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

We Have Come this Far By Faith: Part Two, The Faith Habit

James 2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!  20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
There has always been misunderstanding about belief and faith. There are a lot of people who believe in God and say they have faith in God, but are actually lost. James described the full sense of having faith, not that we work for something, but that our actions give evidence to our faith. Those actions are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Faith in God produces a change in the heart, one’s life, and one’s lifestyle. Faith is not just belief or something we do on Sundays or Easter, faith is a habit. 
Habit Defined: A settled or regular tendency or practice.
There are good and bad habits.

We Have Come This Far By Faith, Part One, What is Faith?

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory." ~ Romans 5:2 (NLT)
Why we need faith in God. 
Gen. 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” 13 And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”
Outside of God's plan, people look like Cain, who disobeyed God and did things his way, “A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”Cain recognized his condition, “I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth.”
Fugitive Hebrew definition: “to quiver, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, waver, tremble”
Vagabond Hebrew definition: “to move to and fro, wander aimlessly, take flight, run away
What is faith? Faith has two definitions: 
Passive Faith or faith as a brand: our doctrine or beliefs, such as Christian faith, Catholic faith, etc.
Active Faith or faith as a lifestyle in Christ: Acting on God's promise and word. Jesus is the word. 
Matthew 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”
Certainly, you must have "faith" in order to "faith." If you don't have a relationship with Christ and a firm foundation in correct Bible doctrine, you can't have active faith. 
To win a football game, you just can't firs focus on catching the long pass for a touchdown. You begin with training, practice, learning all the plays, being in top condition. (Show Patrick Mahomes 3 and 15 play)
People want to God to honor their prayers and faith, but have no foundation with Christ and in the Word. 
 
The prayer of faith is not magic like waving your hand a saying "Abracadabra" or "Simon Says."
When the Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God," it is not talking about belonging to a faith, as in a church or religion. The text is not saying "Without being a member of XYZ church it is impossible to please God."
From time to time, we heard statements like "Faith leaders" gathered. That's a reference to Christians, Jews, and Muslims and getting together. Such gathers can serve a purpose.
However, what we need is leaders living by faith, following Christ, and doing the Word.
The second half of the verse explains it, "because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
How Does Faith Come?
Rom. 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
How does (active) faith come and grow?
Passive Listening • Passive means, “not active, but acted upon.” Passive people are generally sluggish and disengaged—believing that “whatever will be, will be.” Passive listeners only “perk up” when something is said that has the promise of easing their burdens or bringing more comfort into their lives.
A passive listener is the kind of person who ignores the importance of changing the oil in his automobile every 3000-5000 miles. Passive listeners tend to take action when trouble arises. Passive listeners tend not to act until they are acted upon. Passive listeners labor under a great number of self-inflicted problems.
Convenient Listening • Convenient is defined as, “Situated within easy reach.” The convenient listener only applies his heart to hear when the information or task is within easy reach. The best things in life are not usually within easy reach. We should not live with a sense of entitlement. We should live with a sense of purpose and responsibility. 
Jesus says something that sounds strange on first hearing, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (John 11:12). He was not talking about physical violence in this text. He was talking about being willing to take action. We call it being “proactive.” Convenient listeners do not embrace this approach to life.
Critical Listening • The word “critical” is defined as, “exhibiting the spirit of one who looks for and points out faults and defects.” Communication often fails because of critical listening that is more concerned about finding faults than in understanding the content and meaning of the message. Critical listeners are not motivated to learn and grow. Critical listeners often develop a self-righteous attitude that seeks to obtain or maintain a superior position. At the same time, such persons are often frustrated with others for not listening to them. Jesus addressed this condition:
“For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you and why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:2-3)
Active Listening • Active listening allows us to hear without the limitations of passive, convenient, or critical listening. This should be our goal. “Active” is defined as: “Not waiting to be acted upon. Prepared to apply what is heard and act on it—regardless of the circumstances.”
James 1:25 says, “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

Part 2 - Prisoners of Hope, Committed to Seeing the Best

Prisoners of HopeCommitted to Seeing the Best
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’ God Will Save His People 11  “As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12  Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
There is a certain amount of pain that comes with simply living in this world. People become distracted by the pain, noise and clutter of this world. People get caught up in carnal pursuits, which becomes their prison. There are all kinds of prisons. People who commit crimes, and some falsely accused, end up in literal prison. Some are prisoners to their own bad practices, such as lying. Some are prisoners to unforgiveness or bitterness.
Everyone is a prisoner, So you may as well be a Prisoner of Hope.
Paul and Silas understood that they were already prisoners of hope, even before they were put in jail. That’s why that began to sing praises. They were doing what they always did!
Prisoners of hope never stop seeing the best. Prisoners of hope cannot be bound by prisons of this world or captive circumstances created by people.
Acts 16:24-26 (New King James Version)24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
Prisoners of hope are believers in Jesus who recognize the limitation in their circumstances, but refuse to be limited in their expectations and actions. We have faith in a God who can do anything.
Prisoners of hope...
Focus on the promises of God more than focusing on the conditions and circumstances around us.
Understand that the world is full of darkness, but know that they are full of light.
Keep their love warm even in a cold world.
Are not distracted from serving God by the pressures and activities of this world.
Have high expectations of good things to come.
Follow the example of our father of faith, Abraham, who hoped against hope and fulfilled God’s purpose in his life. Like Paul and Silas
Have hope as a refuge and anchor for our souls. We are steady and steadfast in all conditions because Jesus has already entered the presence of God for us.
 

Prisoners of Hope: Committed to Seeing the Best

Zechariah 9:11 “As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12  Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you."
Psalms 68:4, Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name Yah, And rejoice before Him. 5  A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation. 6 God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a dry land
We are living in a world full of sin and darkness. If you read all of Zechariah 9, you will statement after statement of God judging Israel’s enemies and His promise to protect His people.There is a certain amount of pain that comes with simply living in this world. People become distracted by the pain, noise and clutter of this world. People get caught up in carnal pursuits, which becomes their prison. There are all kinds of prisons. People who commit crimes, and some falsely accused, end up in literal prison. Some are prisoners to their own bad practices, such as lying. Some are prisoners to unforgiveness or bitterness.
Everyone is a prisoner, So you may as well be a Prisoner of Hope.
Paul and Silas understood that they were already prisoners of hope, even before they were put in jail. That’s why that began to sing praises. They were doing what they always did! Prisoners of hope never stop seeing the best. Prisoners of hope cannot be bound by prisons of this world or captive circumstances created by people.
Acts 16:24-26 (New King James Version)24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
Prisoners of hope are believers in Jesus who recognize the limitation in their circumstances, but refuse to be limited in their expectations and actions. We have faith in a God who can do anything.
Too many people look at their circumstances and make the decision that they can do no more, or become no more than what they see. Like Jeremiah, those persons have to learn to “See well.”

The Leverage of Legacy

Joshua 4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”
Let’s think about LEGACY as something handed down from an ancestor or predecessor. We also think of legacy as something provided to work with and build on.
A legacy can be considered something obsolete (as in legacy software). A legacy can be considered something precious as an inheritance or benefits in life.
It is our responsibility to identify the value of legacy, live the lessons, and build the future on it. That creates our leverage. The alternative is starting from scratch without resources. The leverage of legacy is carried forward by learning and teaching others how to love and serve God by remembering all He and others have done.

Inheritance: Blessings For Today

Galatians 4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
In a world where people don't know who they are or what they have, in Christ you already have an inheritance.
In the ancient world the process of growing up was much more definite than it is today.
A) In the Jewish world, on the first Sabbath after a boy had passed his twelfth birthday, his father took him to the Synagogue, where he became A Son of the Law. The father thereupon uttered a benediction, "Blessed be thou, O God, who has taken from me the responsibility for this boy." The boy prayed a prayer in which he said, "O my God and God of my fathers! On this solemn and sacred day, which marks my passage from boyhood to manhood, I humbly raise my eyes unto you, and declare with sincerity and truth, that henceforth I will keep your commandments, and undertake and bear the responsibility of my actions towards you." There was a clear dividing line in the boy's life; almost overnight he became a man.
B) Under Roman law the year at which a boy grew up, between the ages of fourteen and seventeen a family festival was held called the Liberalia. He took off a toga worn by children and put on a toga worn by adults. He was then conducted by his friends and family down to the forum and formally introduced to public life
We live in a culture that is often disconnected from concepts of inheritance, family, and the sense of Kingdom. I didn’t appreciate a lot of these principles until later in life. We’ve seen examples of it, from both bad and good examples.
As the text states, an heir, as long as he a child, does not differ AT ALL from a slave, though he is master of all. He might be the owner of vast property but he could take no legal decision; he was not in control of his own life; everything was done and directed for him.When he became a man he entered into his full inheritance.
Inheritance was not something one generation could receive after the death of the previous generation. It was inter-generational transfer during life.
 
What keeps people from knowing who they are? As “children” (immature) we were bound to the “elements of the world.”
Elements of the world to a Jew meant the Law, which was elementary knowledge. In the world, there was astrology, in which one believed his fate was determined by the stars and gods (small G). One of the reasons so called Christians justified the slave trade is that they believe Africans were people destined to serve others under forced labor.
Elements of the world represents things not under the direction of God in Christ.
What is the solution? “See Well! What God Perform!”
Ephesians 1:16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality[g] and [h]power and [i]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come
When you look at the Bible, it's like the entire concept is about inheritance, what we have received from God, from our fathers, and what we provide to others.
Our culture in our part of the world is more concerned about getting our own without considering our larger purpose and legacy. Inheritance is actually less about money and about purpose.
Part of the blessing we have in making plans and fulfilling purpose is that we create inheritance and opportunity for others.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.’
 

See Well. Watch God Perform!

Matthew 6:22 (NLT) Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.
Welcome to the year of our Lord 2020 AD and to a new decade. Remember that Jesus changed time. 2020 is two thousand Twenty years since Christ came. “Anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi", which translates to "in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Dates counted down BC, before Christ. Now we count up.
Today, the Lord wants us to be inspired, informed, and renewed in hope. On New Year’s Eve, we heard from our ministers about the significance of Jesus’ words, “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.” Each one shared from the same Scripture and bought a wealth of insights. This shows the depth and power of God’s Word. 
I want you to renew your commitment to the Word of God today. There is nothing else you are reading, watching on TV, or looking on your phone, that is more relevant to your life. As Jesus in Matthew 4:4, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (NLT)
David said in Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” There are many Bible reading plans. Biblegateway .com is a good one. If you have Alexa, you can set it to read the Bible to you everyday. 
What makes your eye healthy is paying attention to the right things. What you need is information, insight, and inspiration.
What are three things you need to pay less attention to?
Part of our vision for this year is, “See well. Watch God Perform!” We are going to learn from the life of Jeremiah, specifically from an encounter he had with the Lord as described in Chapter One. When you read Scripture, you first want to understand the context of the text, what it means in the time it was written. After that, we look for application to our lives and purpose today.