Listen to the podcast @ thenpc.com or download our app. northpoint church nb

Check out the podcast @ thenpc.com or download our app. northpoint church nb

Life is to be lived with a faith that is awake & alive. Mark 11:22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.” My faith has a purpose.  Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 1. Big Audacious Un-Belief. a) Unbelief is doubt accompanied by a desire to believe.  Mark 9:23-24 23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  b) Unbelief is an obstinate, hard-hearted refusal to believe.  Heb. 3:12 ESV Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.  This kind of unbelief hinders the work of God in our own lives. Faith & Unbelief are both powerful.  Matt. 10:32-33  32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. There is power in belief.  Rom. 10:8-13 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”Heb. 4:14 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Heb. 10:23 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  2. The day Jesus marveled. Mark 6:1-6  1Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.Why? Faith comes by…..Rom. 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} li.li1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} ol.ol1 {list-style-type: decimal}

Life is to be lived with a faith that is awake. Jesus says to us, “Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22  Faith speaks to the mountain. Faith does not doubt in our heart. Faith believes. My faith has a _________________________: Faith is God pleasing. Heb. 11:6 Faith is our victory. 1 John 5:4-5 1. ’Your Faith matters to ___________________.’        a.   Through Action - Matt. 5:16        b.   Through _____________________ - Eph. 4:29 / Prov. 18:21        c.   Through that which we in ______________ can’t give - John 7:37-39        d.   Through sacrificial giving.  2. The ‘______________________’ kind of faith.  Mark 2:1-12  5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Our faith matters to others. All of us will probably have the opportunity to be a participant in a story that is similar. a. ___________________ to be carried. James 5:13-16 b. Having the opportunity to help ________________ someone’s burden. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 12.0px} li.li1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre} ol.ol1 {list-style-type: lower-alpha} man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Today - we continue our series on ‘big audacious faith’ - stories found in the scriptures revealed through the lives of men and women who believed God inspite of their circumstances. These are men and women who cried out instead of shutting up. These are those who moved when others said you can’t go there. These are those who got back up when life pushed them down.  These are those sacred ‘God’ moments in the lives of people who believed God. People just like us. These stories are found in moments and seasons of crisis, stress, great need, desperation, storms that are within and without.  Audacious faith: showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks, bold, daring, fearless, brave, courageous, valiant, heroic….based on faith in Him, his word. Life is to be lived with a faith that is awake/alive…..  Jesus said these statements about people and their Faith:  Have Faith in God.  How is that you have no faith.  I have not found such great faith.  Oh you of little faith.  Where is your faith?  O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Do not be unbelieving but believing.  John 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. 1. Have faith in God. a. Jesus calls us to faith.  Mark 11:22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.” b. Jesus gives us a working description of a faith that is active.  Mark 11:23-24 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. Faith speaks to the mountain. Faith does not doubt in his heart. Faith believes. Faith receives before physical having. These are signposts of faith.  1 Peter 1:8-98 whom having not seen[a] you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 2. Faith comes. Rom. 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. If Faith comes this way: Then we should Stay Close. Keep yourself around Jesus. Keep yourself around God’s word. His presence. His people. His church.Keep yourself in a posture of hearing. Keep yours eyes open to the truth. Keep your heart free from clutter. Ask the Holy Spirit to Help. 3. Peter & Audacious Faith. Let’s take a few minutes and look at a snap shot from the life of a man named Peter.A very normal guy, A very common guy, Rough around the edges, A fisherman by trade, One who answered the call to follow Jesus Christ. Matt. 14: Background - John the Baptist Jesus’s cousin has been killed. Jesus heads out to spend some time in a deserted place….. Matt. 14:13-33 Jesus departs to be by HimselfPeople find out and follow HimJesus saw the multitude and was moved with compassion & healed their sick5 Loaves and 2 Fishes miracle - 5000+ are fed  vs. 22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. vs. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when the evening came, He was alone there. Jesus went to pray. vs. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. a. Jesus has put them in the boat to go somewhere - there on a mission and can’t seem to get anywhere. Just because Jesus sends us somewhere or gives us a vision doesn’t mean it’s a cake walk, without resistance or trouble. vs. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. b. In the middle of our storms - look for

1 Chron. 16:34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. I'm reminded rascism is a spiritual battle first, we can’t debate it away, we can’t fix it - only Jesus.  Take a few moments to pray for.  Today - we continue our series on ‘big audacious faith’ - stories found in the scriptures revealed through the lives of men and women who believed God inspite of their circumstances. These are men and women who cried out instead of shutting up. These are those who moved when others said you can’t go there. These are those who got back up when life pushed them down.  These are those sacred ‘God’ moments in the lives of people who believed God. People just like us. These are found in moments and seasons of crisis, stress, great need, desperation, storms that are within and without.  Big Audacious faith defined: showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks, bold, daring, fearless, brave, courageous, valiant, heroic….based on faith in Him, his word. Jesus invites us to follow him into the complexity of life, relationships, and all the crazy stuff and challenge the tensions between what looks good and feels good ... with that which is truth and of the faith. Illustration:  Have you heard the statement: To thine own self be true? it’s from Hamlet Have you heard this statement: Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny             himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. My goal is to be true to the King of Kings rather than true to myself. I can’t trust the voice of my flesh or an unrenewed mind. These voices, if followed, will take me places contrary to where Jesus calls me to follow Him too. They will lead me from true freedom to lawlessness. Prayer…..Our Father in heaven,Hallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come.Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Life is to be lived with a faith that is awake/alive…..By Faith. With Faith. Through Faith.  1. Have faith in God. Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Mark 11:22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.” John 20:27-29 27 Then said he to Thomas, Reach here your finger, and behold my hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said to him, My LORD and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 1 Peter 1:6-96 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen[a] you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Faith: conviction of the truth, belief; persuaded fully; trust; confidence;  When we look at the Healings of Jesus. There are  at least 19 different healings recorded in the gospels. In 12 of these Jesus said…Your faith has made you well/whole/healed you.  When we look at Heb. 11 - the Hero’s of faith chapter we see this phrase: “by faith”… -18 times: What’s it there for? to encourage us to faith / to believe God  Heb. 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.  2. My faith has a purpose.  Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. In this life of faith. We must believe that He is (who He said He is/who He

Truth is timeless. What we will look at this morning is relevant for all the seasons of our lives. Rom. 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.1 John 3:1-33 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1. How many times are we to Look? It’s a standing invitation - So let’s look again, and again, and again…… YOU are the object of ALL of God’s love. Can I twist your arm today? - Go ahead and look again and again and again….It will only do you good. Big: His love reaches down into our life AND His love brings us up and out.  Illustration: ‘Walk around the room. Love on people with the Word.’  2. The more we look the more we see. Of His great love and we realize & see how He has changed us. His love received has the power to Change EVERYTHING about our lives.  The Love of God is amazing. It’s Bigger than we realize. It’s deeper than we thought possible. It’s scope has yet to be fully seen. It’s big. It’s bigger and it’s greater still.  3. God made us to overflow with His love.  He gave it to us at New Birth.  Rom. 5:5  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Now, may we grasp it & know it. Phil. 1:9-11 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, (that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ) 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—Goto the glory and praise of God.Eph. 3:14-19 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 4. The so that. So that we may love well. John 15:12-13 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. Thought: ”We sing the (beautiful) praise chorus, 'It's all about you, Jesus.' Who are we kidding? It's all about Jesus—as long as it's in a service I like, in a building I like, with people I like, with music I like, for a length of time I like. At some point, 'Take up your cross and follow me' changed into, 'Come to Jesus and he'll make your life better.'"Eph. 5:1-2  1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love (live the life of love), as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Here is the measuring stick for love: that we lay down our lives for others, for our neighbor, for our friends, for our family, for my wife, husband….. that we don’t have to be first, that if I help someone else succeed – then I am a success. If I reach out, If i’m a connection point, If I build up, If I encourage, If I pray with and for. If we obey - we are a success.  Let’s think about this in the context of our Local Church.  What re

Is there not a cause? Rom. 15:4 4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 1 Cor. 10:11 amp. Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come. The story of David & Goliath is the story of 2 kings.  The king of fear. The king of faith. 1. The king of fear. Saul. 1 Sam. 15:24 24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 1 Sam. 17:8-118 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.  9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.”  11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 1 Sam. 17:1616 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening. 40 days of fear. 1 Sam. 17:23-2423 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.  Same Words. Same Result.  Saul and His Army misrepresented God for 40 days.  2. The king of faith. David. 1 Sam. 17:2626 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” a. When David showed up. Faith showed up.  ‘Is there not a cause?’ Jude 1:3-4 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed…  David’s fight was really a fight of faith. There was no faith in the camp. Faith is a big deal.  Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 1 John 5:4-54 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our[your] faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? b. David’s confidence.  1 Sam. 17:32-3732 Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.  36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”  37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” c. You can

1 John 3:1-33 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1. How many times are we to Look? It’s a standing invitation - Behold. Look. See. Turn our eyes toward Him again. Let’s look again, and again, and again…… YOU are the object of ALL of God’s love. Can I twist your arm today? - Go ahead and look again and again and again….It will only do you good. 2. The more we look the more we see. Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.His love received has the power to Change EVERYTHING about our lives. The Love of God is amazing. It’s Bigger than we realize. It’s deeper than we thought possible. It’s scope has yet to be fully seen. It’s big. It’s bigger and it’s greater still. 3. The Father desires us walking in the fullness of this Great, Extravagant, Powerful, Love. He gave it to us at New Birth. Rom. 5:5  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.Now, may we grasp it & know it. Phil. 1:9-11 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, (that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ) 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.Eph. 3:14-19 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.4. The so that. So that we may love well. John 15:12-13 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. Eph. 5:1-2  1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love (live the life of love), as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 15.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Optima; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,