Marty Sloan – Living the Dream

Pillars to build your faith upon

1 24 10 HT PM

James 1:2-6 MSG

James 1:2 MSG

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.

James 1:3

You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.

James 1:4

So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

James 1:5

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.

James 1:6

Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves.

Everyone of us has dealt with the reality of our faith being challenged!

Three Pillars for Faith -

1. Jesus and all His power is with you

Matthew 28:1 NKJV

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

Matthew 28:2

And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone ◙ from the door, and sat on it.

Matthew 28:3

His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

Matthew 28:4

And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

Matthew 28:5

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

Matthew 28:6

He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Matthew 28:7

And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

Matthew 28:8

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

Matthew 28:9

And ◙ as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Matthew 28:10

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

Matthew 28:11

Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

Matthew 28:12

When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

Matthew 28:13

saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’

Matthew 28:14

And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.”

Matthew 28:15

So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Matthew 28:16

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

Matthew 28:17

When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

Matthew 28:18

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Matthew 28:19

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 28:20

teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

• Jesus possessed ALL power!

o The world wants to squelch His power through deception and detours

• Jesus wants to transfer His power to us

o Jesus asked them to go farther than He – Jesus entire ministry was in a small radius of His Capernaum headquarters – he asked them to exceed his own parameters.. its believed that He never went more than 50 miles from to Capernaum ( to Jerusalem)

• Jesus has promised to be with us!

• When the task seems insurmountable:

o Remember He is with you – remind yourself everyday that Jesus is with you!

o Because He is with you, so is His power!

• The natural mind will always tell you how impossible things are;

Matthew 19:26 NKJV

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

2. God is your safety net, His arms are under you

Deuteronomy 33:26 NLT

“There is no one like the God of Israel.

He rides across the heavens to help you,

across the skies in majestic splendor.

Deuteronomy 33:27

The eternal God is your refuge,

and his everlasting arms are under you.

He drives out the enemy before you;

he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’

• The arms of God rest under your life

• When we fall we will NOT fall through:

Micah 7:7 NKJV

Therefore I will look to the Lord;

I will wait for the God of my salvation;

My God will hear me.

Micah 7:8

Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;

When I fall, I will arise;

When I sit in darkness,

The Lord will be a light to me.

3. Your faith is already in proportion to you will face

• Nothing catches God by surprise

Isaiah 46:9 NKJV

Remember the former things of old,

For I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like Me,

Isaiah 46:10

Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things that are not yet done,

Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,

And I will do all My pleasure,’

• God establishes his investment in you based on His knowledge of what you will face.

Romans 12:3 NKJV

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

• God is loading you daily

Psalm 68:19 NKJV

Blessed be the Lord,

Who daily loads us with benefits,

The God of our salvation!

• God will fight for you

Exodus 14:10  MSG

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw them—Egyptians! Coming at them!

They were totally afraid. They cried out in terror to God.

Exodus 14:11

They told Moses, “Weren’t the cemeteries large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt?

Exodus 14:12

Back in Egypt didn’t we tell you this would happen? Didn’t we tell you, ‘Leave us alone here in Egypt—we’re better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness.’”

Exodus 14:13

Moses spoke to the people: “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again.

Exodus 14:14

God will fight the battle for you.

And you? You keep your mouths shut!”

• Get moving

Exodus 14:15 MSG

God said to Moses: “Why cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites. Order them to get moving.