Pastor Eric continues the Hebrews 11 series BY FAITH as the life of Enoch teaches us that FAITH CHASES AFTER GOD!

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 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 11:5-6

1. FAITH WALKS WITH GOD

2. FAITH PLEASES GOD

3. FAITH CHASES AFTER GOD

God isn’t simply another part of life… God, His presence, His plans… they are the purpose for living, the reason we get up in the morning.

God is what occupies our thoughts, our time. He is our treasure.

WE CHASE AFTER HIM. We don’t let other things, other plans or activities, get in the way of spending time with Him, worshipping Him, and enjoying Him. FAITH CHASES AFTER GOD

What does the life of Abel teach us about faith?

"By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead." – Hebrews 11:4

1. FAITH AGREES WITH GOD

Understanding the requirement and need for atonement, Abel came into agreement with God’s way and he offered an acceptable sacrifice – a pure lamb. And for this, Abel was called a man of faith. On the contrary, Cain chose to do it his own way and God rejected the sacrifice.

Examine your life... Are there areas of your life that you are choosing your own way instead of fully surrendering and coming into agreement with God’s way?

2. FAITH RECEIVES FROM GOD

When we realize that our best efforts will always fall short, that we are sinners, transgressors, lost, and in need of a Savior. When we get to this place of understanding that we must receive from God, then we are finally ready to live by faith.

3. FAITH ECHOES THROUGHOUT ETERNITY

Faith, properly placed, will echo throughout eternity. It will impact the generations because it restores relationship with God & touches His heart – that’s eternal.

1. Faith agrees with God, 2. Faith Receives from God, and 3. Faith Echoes Throughout Eternity

The Lord is calling us to a study of Hebrews 11 and the topic of faith so that we can be those Christ followers who live fearlessly and without regret.

This message begins to paint the picture of what it looks like to live BY FAITH.

"1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. – Hebrews 11:1-3

1. FAITH RELIES ON GOD’S PROMISES

2. FAITH TRUSTS IN GOD’S POWER

3. FAITH IS NOT BLIND

We are those who, BY FAITH, believe the fact of who God is (we believe His Word, His promises), and we act on this belief. Therefore, we are those who take flight and defy the limitations placed on us by this broken world and instead live as free citizens of God’s eternal kingdom, enjoying His rewards, and His very presence – BY FAITH!

LIVE OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE:

"Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." - John 7:24

The bubble is our small, little, tight world where we make judgements about others based on our personal preferences, our perceptions, our past, our political party, and our prejudices. And we ALL have a bubble.

When we restrict our lives to the confines of our bubble, we find ourselves falling into the trap of making wrong judgments about people.

With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape. - Proverbs 11:9

Unless we have a personal relationship with someone, we don’t really know them. And if we really don’t know them, then we had better be very careful about making judgments, otherwise we could be falling into this trap of opening our mouths and (like the godless) bringing destruction to our neighbor.

Jesus is our example of living outside of the bubble.

Jesus shows us that living outside the bubble means that we get personal. We break through the stereotypical barriers that a broken society or a religious spirit has created and we GO and TALK with people. And when we make it personal, miracles happen and God’s kingdom advances.

The big things of God are found outside the bubble. But, living outside the bubble requires humility.

Our response must be like Christ – we must live outside the bubble and GO to people.

Obstacles should point us to God.

A look at the Gospel of John, chapter 9

Message from Bob Blayter on Aug 20, 2017

"For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit." – 1 Corinthians 14:2

The gift of tongues is also thought of as mysterious b/c it is diverse in its use. And so, let’s look at 5 USES of the gift of Tongues and start to remove some of the mystery & fear, and replace it with excitement & desire.

1. A Form of Spiritual Prayer: Tongues is a gift that helps us speak to God.

2. A Vehicle for Delivering Prophetic Words

3. An Instrument of Praise & Thanksgiving: Tongues allows our worship life to go to a whole notha level where we can sing the songs of heaven with the Holy Spirit giving us the perfect lyrics.

4. A Tool for Evangelism: remember Pentecost.

5. A Weapon for Spiritual Warfare: when we don't know how to fight, the Holy Spirit has given us the weapon of tongues to demolish the enemy (Ephesians 6:18).

So, take a step of faith and go after these gifts (yes, tongues too), try it, practice it, grow in it, be around others who use the gifts, and enjoy these gifts as they are from God.

In this sermon, Pastor Eric systematically handles the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 14 where the Apsotle Paul is very clearly encouraging orderly worship gatherings for the express purpose of making space for the use of the spiritual gifts, not for the exclusion of them. Here's the overview of this chapter:

1. Church, I want you to use all of the gifts. They are good and they build up the whole body.

2. However, some of the gifts are more beneficial in your public gatherings. Use these “more beneficial” gifts more frequently than the other gifts when you are all together, but not at the exclusion of the other gifts.

3. For instance, prophecy is more beneficial in a public gathering than tongues for the simple fact that everyone can immediately understand a prophetic word. Therefore, everyone is built up.

4. However, simply because everyone can’t understand a tongue or because it primarily builds up the one using the gift of tongues doesn’t mean we forbid tongues or any of the gifts when we gather.

5. I still encourage all of the gifts. GO AFTER THEM - ALL.

Listen to the whole message and let's create space for the use of the spiritual gifts.

Follow the way of love and EAGERLY DESIRE spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. – 1 Corinthians 14:1

Real desire is made evident when you

take action & GO AFTER IT.

Going After Them isn’t a passive experience. Rather, it is ACTIVELY ENGAGING with God.

Don’t just dream… PURSUE. Don’t just read about it and talk about it and debate it, but DO IT. Go after it.

We spent the morning celebrating love in action as we discovered what happens (in the real world – inside and outside of the church) when we respond to God’s call on our lives, when we determine to wrap our lives in love, and when we answer the call to simply… “BE who we are, SAY what we know, and GIVE what we have.”

This message consists of three interviews:

1. Jerry & Christy Shannon of Embracing Hope Ethiopia

2. Charity Allen & Brad Jarrett discussing their recent mission trip to Rwanda.

3. Chris & Mark Panepinto, Nicole Mashingaidze, and Linda Rhodes revealing how the Lord launched the Evident Life Thrift Store & Boutique.

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. – 1 John 4:7-12

Let’s thank God for what He is doing in us and through us.

Let’s celebrate LOVE IN ACITON.