By Faith
by Kevin Allen
September 18, 2022 · Centerpointe Apostolic Church (Murfreesboro, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Hebrews 11, Hebrews 11:1-10, Mark 16:14-18, Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 13:17, Ephesians 4, Acts 9:31, Hebrews 11:6, James 2:18-24, James 2:26, Acts 2:47, Mark 9, Mark 9:23, Mark 9:24

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kevin-allen--by-faith
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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And I feel like somebody needs, needs a little shot of faith today. I'm going to preach "By Faith." I feel like there's, there's some stuff going on right now in this room, where someone's facing decisions. And it's, it's like that song says: "God, I need you. I know you're working. I can't feel it. I can't see it." But I want to speak to your faith for a little bit today. That'd be all right? Anybody need a little, a little word for your faith? Anybody?

Hebrews chapter 11. Probably could have guessed I was going to go to Hebrews 11. That's the faith chapter. It is of my opinion that it — Paul was the writer of Hebrews. We, we don't have a way of proving that Paul wrote Hebrews. But based off of everything else that Paul wrote in the New Testament, there's a lot of things that point to: it was more than likely Paul who wrote it. You can disagree with me, and be okay. There's no way you or I, either one, can prove whether we're right. So, since I'm preaching, we're going to go with it being Paul. I believe Paul was taking time to make a point: that faith is a part of the relationship with God. And listen — I'm going to read 10 verses. You can be seated. I don't read lengthy passage today. I won't keep you standing. Once you — listen, listen to what Paul was saying here. This is probably going to be familiar to most of us, but listen intently, as Paul speaks to us. He says:

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of Things Not Seen. For by it, the elders obtained a good report. Through faith — say 'faith' with me — 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 do appear. By faith — say 'faith' — Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts. And by it, he being dead, yet speaketh. By faith — say 'faith' — Enoch was translated, that he should not see death. And was not found, because God had translated him. For before his translation, he had the testimony that he pleased God. But without faith — say 'faith' — it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. By Faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark, to the saving of his house. By which — by the which — he condemned the world, and became heir of righteousness, which is by Faith. By — Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. And he went out, not knowing whether he went. By — he sojourned to the land of promise, as a strange country, dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, The Heirs of him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and maker is God."

I could go on. The chapter continues to, to list the, the, the faithful that were listed in there, in this Hall of Faith chapter. I just like the way Paul writes, in Hebrews here, to us. He's — he, he goes right in, and just assumes that you might not know what faith is, because he feels that an improper understanding is going to hinder your walk with God. So he just lays it out for us. And I love that he says: "Faith is a substance." He says that faith is a substance. It's something tangible. It's something touchable. It's not just — that's out there. It's not this "I'm hoping on nothing." He wants you to know that faith is not just an idea. Faith is not just a dream. He goes right in, and describes that faith is much more in detail. He uses the faithfulness of God to paint this picture: that faith is in action. Faith doesn't set still. Faith isn't over and a corner somewhere. Faith is not something that I can, can feel. Instead, he puts it in, inside the parameters of it. It is a substance. It's tangible. It's touchable. Faith is Walking with God, that Abraham did when God said to him, "I want you to come, and leave your Homeland." "Well, where am I going, God?" "I don't know. I just want you to start walking." That's faith. Faith got Abraham up, and he left everything that he knew. He left his mom and his dad, and everything that he had been raised around, because God said, "I have something for you. Just start walking. I'll be with you." That's faith.

Faith is waiting on God, that Sarah had, when she was promised, long after her childbearing years had Pastor. God told her, "I'm going to give you a son." And Faith was Sarah hanging on to what God had promised her. Faith is building an ark, when God said, "It's going to rain," and it had never rained in the entire history of mankind. And he's out there, in the middle of his backyard, with his neighbors making fun of him, saying, "What in the world are you doing, Noah?" "I'm building a boat, because God told me it's going to rain." That's faith. Faith is sending home an army that Gideon had, because God said, "You got too many." That's faith. Faith is stretching forth a rod, when Pharaoh's Army's behind you, and the Red Seas in front of you. "Moses, I want you to do something." And he — Faith — stretched out the rod that caused the seed apart. That's faith. Faith is standing on Mount Carmel, when you're surrounded by everybody that hates you. When, in the middle of a drought, you built an altar, and ask somebody to go get barrels of water to pour on the sacrifice, and you call down fire from heaven. That's faith. Faith is speaking to dry bones, When God says, "I want you to preach to the dead." That's faith. Faith is stepping out under the waves, when Peter realized it was Jesus, and he said, "If you're out there, that's where I want to be." That's faith. Faith is Peter and John saying, "Silver and Gold Have I None, but such as I have, give I Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk."

Faith is something tangible. Faith is something in action. Faith is not just something I'm hoping for. Faith is what I live. These men and women understood: you have to live by faith. It's not a t-shirt I wear. It's not a bracelet I have on. It's not a bumper sticker on my car. That's not living by faith. That's not what God was talking about. That's not what's exemplified in these scriptures. If you've taken the time to, to read the Bible — one of the things I love about this great book right here is, it is filled within perfect, broken people. There's only one written in there that was perfect, and he died for you and I. Everybody else in here was broken, had some kind of an issue, some kind of a problem. Some of them started good, and ended bad. Some of them started bad, and ended good. It's a, it's a book about you and I, in our life. And every one of those stories points to faith in action. Not setting down. Not passively watching stuff go by. But at some point, engaging with the fact that God is for me. God is for me. God is for me.

Faith is working for God. Faith is still a part of our walk every day. Faith is paying your tithes, and seeing God bless you. Faith is inviting somebody to church. Faith is asking someone, "Can you teach them a Bible study?" Faith is being a witness to your co-worker, or to your friend at school. It's his — faith is praying to reach our city and our loved ones, and showing up on family prayer nights, expecting that God's going to hear your prayer, and do something. Faith is doing something that God wants you to do. Living in a way that God wants you to live. Give him something that God asks you to give. Going somewhere that God wants you to go. It's tangible. It's substance. You can feel, when you're connected into the source of life. And I wonder: is there anybody in the room today that's tapped into that Source, saying, "I know what you're talking about, Pastor. I live a life by faith." Something like 90 percent of Americans claim to believe in God. Sounds like a big number, right? The 90 percent — that may be a mental belief. But how many are living out that belief? Let me, let me, let me, let me get a little deeper in that. Latest research shows that we are less than 50 percent of our population in the United States to actually profess to being Christian. Now, you can say you believe all you want, but your lifestyle will tell us the truth. Your lifestyle: how you live, the fruit you bear. And the book says we're to Know You by the fruit that you bear. Then the life that you live: where do you spend your time? How do you spend your money? How do you live your life? All those things are indicators, as to whether or not you truly allow him to be Lord of your life.

Mark chapter 11, verse 14: "Afterwards, he appeared unto the leaven, as they said at meat, and upbrighted them with their unbelief and hardness of Hearts, because they believe not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them — these are red letter words — 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to Every Creature. He then believeth and is baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them and I believe: in my name, that shall cast out Devils. They shall speak with new tongues. Thy shall take up serpents. And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.'"

We can say we have faith until Jesus comes back. We can convince ourselves. We can convince our spouse. We can convince our friends and our co-workers. We can, we can act like we go through all the Motions when we come to church. But if you don't have some evidence, you're not convincing God. Oh, something you started, and you're like, "Oh yeah, it said, 'These signs shall follow them that belief.'" Where's your signs at, church? He didn't say, "These signs shall follow them: they shall go to church, and set on a pew." They didn't say that.

I said a few weeks ago, and I'm going to say it again: some of you are missing too much Church. Now, you can justify your absence all you want, but you're wrong. I'll show you scripturally: Hebrews 10:25. "And let us not neglect the meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is Drawing Near." Yes, there are acceptable reasons to miss church. There are — hey, yeah, I'm okay, you know. From time to time, you need to be able to go on a vacation. I'm okay with that, you know. You do get sick every now and — people get sick. I get sick, sometimes. Work situations do pop up. I get all that. You get 52 sabbaths a year. 52 commands. When he says, "Forsake not," don't — do you should be there. Remember the Sabbath. And if you miss five, that means you've missed one-fifth of the Sundays. Are you going to tell me you've missed one-fifth, and God is happy with you?

See, here, I, I know some of you are going to dismiss me. And I came to an understanding several years ago — this, because God helped me. And here's the deal. This is what I realized: is that there, the, the Overland majority of the folks in the room here — you guys call me pastor. And that is such a humbling thing, that you call me pastor, and you are submitted to me, and you are committed to what goes on to this church. And it is, it is an amazing thing. But there's a group of you that attend this church, and I'm, I'm just your preacher. I'm not your pastor. I'm just a preacher. You like the way I preach, sometimes — especially if I get on a topic that you like. You know, I get on something that's your little candy sticking. Man, I can always tell when I hit that, because you stand up. And I go down something — it can be political, it could be cultural, it could be something — but I hit right, and man, I'm your preacher in that moment. That's okay, if that's what you want me to be. But here's the deal: if I'm only your preacher, you're not spiritually covered. Are you okay? Hebrews 13 and 17 says: "Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy, and not sorrow. That would certainly not be in your benefit." Did you pick up on that? Yeah, I think it was pretty plain, what, uh, what's being said there. Again, I firmly believe this was Paul writing.

You know, we, we have — here's the deal, okay? I'm — I have a pastor in my life that I'm submitted to. He says right over there — our Bishop. And I'm submitted. And I'm just gonna — I, I felt in prayer, the last couple days, that this is important, okay? There were, there were multiple times when he spoke some things to me that I didn't like to hear. My Flesh reared up its ugly head. Believe this or not: that man actually set me down before. And what I mean by that is, he pulled me out of everything I was involved in, and said, "No, you're going to sit for a while." I didn't like that. But I was submitted. And while I was sitting down, God worked on me, and helped me figure out the things I needed to work on. There's been stuff he's spoken in my life that was hard for me to hear. But I stayed submitted to a man of God in my life. Because if I only have people in my life that tell me what I want to hear, I will find myself in a ditch, really quick.

So he has permission to speak into my life. He still speaks into my life. We said in my office, most every Sunday morning, and we talk back and forth. And I tell him things that are going on. He's still speaking to me, because I got to have a man of God in my life. Because I know this. This is what the Bible says in Ephesians 4: "Now, these are the gifts Christ has given to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and the teachers." And part of our living out of faith is being submitted to pastor, and serving there, and not just amen and a preacher.

Let me ask you: if God has a gift for you, do you think you don't need that gift? But there are some folks that are never going to have a pastor in their life. They'll pay lip service to the office. But if it goes contrary to how they feel, they disagree in a moment. They willingly walk out from underneath a spiritual covering. Now, I'm talking about faith today. I haven't departed from my subject, okay? Faith says, "You're going to put a man of God in my life. And if he says some things that are hard for me to hear, I'm going to go, and seek your face, and see if there's something in my life I need to change."

And what I've found, in the culture that we're in today, there's a lot of people that are living in, in, in the understanding of: "Well, I feel it, or I don't feel it." You know, when I read the Old Testament, I see times where God specifically put prophets in cities, proclaiming, and living in crazy ways: laying on their sides, dancing naked, covering herself in manure, marrying prostitutes, doing all kind of stuff. Because he said, "I want to put you there. Because when they come back and complain that I didn't do something, I'm going to say, 'Nay, Nay, Nay. I put a man in front of you. He lived an example in front of you. You didn't listen to him. So therefore, this is happening in your life.'" And some of you are experiencing some things in your life. We're living in a dispensation of Grace. But I promise you: you're never going to fully fulfill all God has for you, if you don't have a preacher or Pastor in your life. And if I can't be your pastor — you've heard me say enough — that's okay. Go find you a man of God. You need a man of God in your life. And if I can't be that, then find somebody you can. I may make me sad for a minute. But I would rather see you saved than happy. We're in the middle of a Revival, church, that's going on right here. But got to maintain our faith, in order to continue in what God has for us. Because my role as a Christian is to win souls. But my role as a pastor is to teach, and encourage you, to win souls. A Revival church is a church that multiplies, not ads. I'm going to say that again: a Revival church is one that multiplies, not adds. I don't want to add to myself. I want to multiply, by all of you. If it's just me winning Souls, I'm only adding. But if I can encourage you, it starts multiplying. It's got to be bigger than me. This thing's bigger than me. This is bigger than just, just the pastor's staff. No, it's the whole church, to try to reach the whole world.

And when we see in scriptures — at the beginning of the book of Acts, God added to the church daily. But by the time we get to chapter number nine, all of a sudden, he's multiplying the Revival that's there. Because a few turned into many. And all of a sudden, we went from Madden to multiplication. Acts 9:31: "Then had the Church's restaurant, all Judea, and Galilee, and Samara. And they were edified. And walking to the fear of the Lord, into the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." And I'm ready to be in the multiplication business. I don't know about you, but we got a big job to do. And our city keeps growing by Leaps and Bounds. And we can't just be adding one or two, here or there. But it's time for you and I to grab a hold of the faith God is placed inside of us, and start activating what he's wanting to do. And realize that I have the responsibility, and an obligation. It doesn't all just fall on the pastor's soldiers, or the ministry team. But that each and every one of you have some place that you are contributing to the kingdom of God. And when we get that mindset, we will start multiplying around here. Center Point needs to become a church that puts faith into action. What am I talking about, but in faith, in action?

Hebrews 11 and 6: "But without faith, it is —" Wow. We run into scriptures, a place where it mentions an impossibility. That impossibility is right here: without faith, it is impossible for God to be happy. But listen, it's not there: "For he that cometh of God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that —" Two things, right there. We see very much that you can only please God if you believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek.

What is "diligent"? What is it? I mean, the actual, pure definition is — is diligent is: consistent in effort, to accomplish something. Attentive and persistent, in doing anything. This chapter, for me — when I read through it, and look at it — there's a listing of ordinary, imperfect people, that believe God was. And then they just fell in love with him, and diligently sought after him. There was nothing extraordinary about those individuals. They were just people. Like Abram, when God said, "I want you to leave." And Abram said, "Okay, where am I going?" "Just go." "There where?" "Just go." "Okay." No — "I want you to build a boat." "A what?" "A boat." "I'm not even near water." "It's okay. Build a boat." "Why?" "Because it's going to rain." "It's going to what?" "Liquid is going to come out of the sky." Now, you may laugh about that. But it had never rained before. He didn't — he's telling him, "It's going to rain." "It's going to who, what, where?" "I'm going to make drops of water come out of a cloud, so much that you need a big boat to save you and your family in." You think about the commitment. Because Noah was given the instructions once. I'm talking about living by faith. By faith. Some of you — he just says, "I want you to go talk to the lady at the cash register." And you fleece in God. You want it to be wet one moment, then draw the next minute. You want the Twix bar open, and a bus to go by on fire. No one got one instruction to build a boat. And he spent his entire life doing it. One, that's faith. "Well, God, if you'll just —" Yeah. Um, you got to be careful how much of that pushing back you're doing. He's looking: "Do you trust me?" Oh, I'm speaking to somebody. And the Holy Ghost run down. He's, he's, he's looking — somebody: "I've asked you to do — you, you've taken the chance. You've went out on a limb. And I don't be second guessing what I've asked you to do. Just keep moving forward, by faith." Faith is something that you can feel. You can touch. It's real. It's around you. Let me ask you: has he been good to you before? Has he been good to you in the past? Then what makes you think he's not going to be good to you now? "Well, I can't see a way out." This book is full of people who couldn't see a way out. But God always showed up, when he needed to.

Thank you. Thing about David: you're looking out across that field of Goliath. His brother's telling him, "Won't you just be quiet?" He could have hid behind the Rocks, like the rest of them. But there was something in David. Something swelled up inside of him, and reminded him: "Is there not a Cause? Don't we have a reason? Do you hear how he's talking about our God? Why are you boys hiding in the bushes? Somebody walk out there." "Oh, you're just up to no good." Something inside him — let me tell you, Center Point, something: that faith is work. Faith is effort. Faith is getting involved. Faith is evident. David could have stood behind the Rocks, like everybody else. But because he had Faith, he walked out onto the battlefield, and he slayed the Giant.

Some point, you got to put your faith in operation. There's a whole lot of good intentions that have set unfulfilled on Church peers. There's a whole lot of things that are in there, that: "Oh God, if you would just do this, and do this, and this." I'm gonna tell you: sometimes you just need to start working. Sometimes you just need to start doing. Sometimes it doesn't have to be the perfect environment, the perfect conditions. You know, nobody didn't say, "Well, God, if — you know, if you don't let it get hot around here, and if you could have the Beavers bring the logs to me — I mean, they're going to get on the boat anyway, so if you could just have them do a little work for me, so I'd have to work." We have nothing recorded in here where, where Noah gave stipulations back to God, under the parameters to which he was willing to build the boat. We don't have anything over there where David has been down, picking up the rock, saying, "God, uh, I'm only going to do this if you'll — if you'll write my name on The Rock. I'll know that you needed me to do this, if it's laser engraved. Don't hear: 'This is the giant killing Rock.' I'll pick it up in my —" No. None of that's there.

But where are we, in 2022, where we got to have customized invitations, and everything's perfectly fit, and parameters around, before — "I'm just waiting on the perfect will of God." The perfect will of God is: just do something. Just get out, and see if God will follow after you. Quit sitting around, waiting. All you're doing is saying, "I want to know that, when I step out, I don't have any — I'm not going to have any opposition. I'm not going to have any frustrations. The water's not right. I just don't know. I can't see the bottom." No. I'm waiting on somebody just to jump in. Just jump in. What I know is: there's a whole group of you. There's a whole group of you, right here. They have the potential to turn your school upside down. Turn it upside down. You don't have to have a bigger God. He's as big as he'd ever needed to be. You just need to operate that Faith that's inside of you. Live it out in front of them, and just see what God will do. Don't ask for the perfect environment. Look for the opportunity, and let God do something. But it isn't all on them. Because some of you need to be looking at the ones around you, at your office place, and when you're working, and when you run into people on the job site. Much around, and let God use you, too. There's a whole lost, dying world out there that's hurting. Their self-medicating. Their, their self-diagnosing. They're, they're putting themselves in closets. There's a, there's a, there's an overwhelming, uh, sense of, of, of loneliness that's out there in this world. They're looking for the hope that you have inside of you. Why don't you wake up, and just understand that you have inside of you the very thing this world is searching for? They're trying to fill it with everything else: alcohol, drugs, sex, everything they can try. It's never going to be satisfactory to the spot that only belongs to God. And you and I walk around with it inside of us, all the time, when people are around us, dying for what we have. Are you going to live by faith?

James 2 — might as well say, "Oh, and James going to hit us hard." Verse 18: "Now someone may argue, 'Some people have faith, others have good deeds.' But I say, 'How can you show me your faith, if you don't have Good Deeds? I will show you my faith, by my good deeds.' You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you." Hi, James. "Well, good for you. Even the demons believe this, right? I mean — you've made us to make your way up to the devil. How foolish!" Verse 20: "Can't you see that faith without Good Deeds is useless?" Don't tell me you have faith. Well, tell me you live in by faith, and you're always in comfortable places. Verse 21: "Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions work together. His actions made his faith complete. And so, what happened, just as the scripture says: 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous, because of his faith.' He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone." Skipping down in verse 126: "Just as the body is dead without breath, so is Faith dead."

So you can't be someone who lives by faith, and you're not exercising, you're not doing something. That's substance. That's tangible. That's touchable. It ought to be around you. It ought to be manifest in your life. There ought to be examples all around, you know why? It's not only important for you, but it's important for those around you, to see what God is doing around you, and through you. James is telling us that: I could stand all day, and say, "I believe in God, and I believe he's going to answer my prayers." But if I don't put something into action, my faith is dead. Do you know what the works of Faith are? It is the vehicle that the miraculous rides on. See, Faith — none of it's depended on me.

I don't want to let you in a little secret: I can't heal anything. I'm gonna give you another secret: I can't save anyone. Now, I've settled that inside of me, and that has brought me a lot of comfort. Because when I go to pray for you, it doesn't matter about the words that I use. It doesn't even matter — sometimes I jumble up a scripture from memory — because I'm not the one trying to do it all. I have to do is bring my faith, in the measure that he gave me, and to say, "God, I believe you're going to do this." So I believe it so much, that I'm willing to step out, and pray for somebody, that God's going to do something. And God, if you don't do it, it's okay, because it was you that didn't do it. But if God — you do it — it wasn't me either. It was you. So it takes all the pressure off of me. Because if it happens, it was God. And if it didn't happen, it was still God. Bishop talked about the first time he went to pray somebody at the hospital — they died. About you: "But I wouldn't be calling him, so far. Your track record's not so good." I believe "I'll let you try on a few more folks. And if you get it, then you can come back around, and pray for me." Foreign. God, to perform the miraculous, he needs the only resource we have left: our faith. But our faith can't be something we simply profess. Our faith has to be something that we live. God will use it. For the widow woman, it was their Crucible. The prophet says, "Hey, I'm hungry." I — in my version, he was hangry: "Once you make me one first." For another widow woman, it was the famine. It was the last meal.

If we're really concerned about souls at Center Point, our faith might be knocking on the door. Our faith may be getting involved in Ministry. Our faith may be being a part of Outreach kids, or being a part of one of the other Ministries teams, and volunteer opportunities, that serve teams that are here. It might be making some phone calls, checking on some protocols. It might be visited in the prayer room before service, you know, and noticing that wall that's in — it has all those names on it. Maybe it's taking one of those to heart, and be willing to fast a few days for that, because that's somebody's loved one. Or maybe it's your loved one. Maybe that — see, that's what faith does. It's, it's, it's not just saying, "I have faith." But it's doing something with the faith that you have. Not just simply sitting bypass, simply saying, "Well, God's going to do it." Well, I know I can't heal. I know I can't say. But I can pray. I can ask. I can talk. I can walk. I can knock. I can write. I can do. I can make a phone call. I can send a text message. That's what — that's faith. This substance. This tangible. That's touchable. That I have something that I can do, myself. If we're really concerned about the souls around this place, we'll put our life in the motion.

Where's your action in Ministry? Acts 2:47 says, "The Lord added to the church daily." It will always be God that asks the church. But God uses our faith as the vehicle. Our actions as the vehicle. It will happen because people of God have taken a stance: that Faith Works. It will happen because, when Zion travails, babies to get born — that's what the word of God says. It will happen because his people have humbled themselves, and praying, and he begins to hear from heaven. And he begins to turn things around, and pour stuff out. Will happen because our faith, by our works, is mingling with a God. And when we line ourselves with up with his will, his will will always be performed.

Do we really understand what can happen, when the will of God is released? When you and I position ourselves to the point that: "God, I'm willing to do whatever it is you ask me to do. I'm not just going to look for the convenient things. I'm not going to look just for the things that, that, that doesn't require a lot of my time, again." And interesting, how when there are serve opportunities, the first thing we do is we ask ourselves — not "Am I able?" But the question is simply: "Am I willing?" There's a lot of stuff to do around here. We got a great big old city to reach, and I can't do it by myself. And I'm asking: are you willing to put some wheels on that faith? Are you willing to live that Faith out? Are you willing to be a party? You're willing to teach. You're willing to reach. You're willing to serve. Are you willing to — there's so much to do. That's living by faith: doing something with it.

Then God has seasons. And Ministry — the season is opportunity. I'm not asking you to put your, put your name on the line, and if you get involved in ministry, that's all you can ever do for the rest of your life. And I'm not saying that. No, there's a lot of stuff to be involved with. But, but my goodness: try something. Put your faith to work. Because when we align our faith with him, and we get ourselves in his purpose and his will, the dead — bring them back to life. They come out of their graves, and give a testimony. As power. As power. The blind receives sight. The dumb begin to speak. To death here. The drug, drug addicts are delivered. The alcoholics no longer are bound by those things. People who are considering suicide give their life back to God. Sinners come to repentance. People receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. They go down the water of baptism. And Revival continues. That's what it is to live by faith. Foreign. I'll say this: the Revival only continues when people are willing to give their Loaves and Fishes.

You know, Rodney, I was thinking about that story a lot. Because I'm gonna be honest with you: I don't like to share food, when we go out to eat. You know, I, I don't mind my wife — she's sweetheart — and sometimes we share meals. But I'll be honest with you: like, we're sharing a meal, I want the bigger portion. And there are times when she's like, "Let's just share." And I'm like, "I don't want to, because I'm really hungry. And I don't want to get halfway through this, and then I get mad at you, because then I got to repent over that. Let's just order separate plates." So when I see this story — Scott — this is what I think about: that little dude's got his little fish sandwich. And they're saying, "We need some food." And he's like — he could have — I don't know how it went. I don't — I don't know the particulars behind what he did. All I know is that, some — at some moment — he said, "I don't know if this is any benefit, but this is what I have."

When you think about that little fella — again, I'm preaching, so this is my version — but he's just a little fella. He probably didn't get a whole lot of food. He's probably — he probably was a scrappy guy, and always got beat up by his brothers. But he had that fish sandwich that day. But something hit him, because there was a need. And he had enough Faith to say, "I know what I have may not be much. But if you guys can do anything with it, I'm willing. I'm willing to give it." And they took that guy's little gift. They took his, his Act of Faith. And all of them were blessed. And I feel like I'm looking at a room here, and there's, there's a few people that think: "What you have — what, what little Talent, what little ability you have — it's not much. So why would you even bring it up?" Don't ever discount what you have. Faith is saying, "I don't think it's much." Proceed in me. When I hear this story — sister Kennedy — I see Jesus smiling, when that little boy says, "I have some fish. I have a loaf." And I see the master smile. He says, "Bring me what you got. Because what you got is exactly what I'm going to use. Feed them all." And I feel like there's some Fish and Loaves sitting in baskets in this room. They need to get out. They need to be brought out. And they need to be brought to the master, by faith. You think: "This is all you got. It's not enough. How's this going to make an impact on what goes around here?" I'm telling you: something happens when faith gets activated by motion. When Faith is — all of a sudden, it goes from something that's a belief, to a substance. When it goes from a belief, to something touchable and tangible. It was just fishing lows.

Now, as I get ready to close — not only — and the musicians can come — there's no doubt in my mind that I'm, I'm dealing with some unbelief in the room today. Some of you ought to just let your faith exercise. It is 12:48. I'm wrapping up. There's a story in Mark chapter 9. Man has a son that has been sick for a while. Any of his parents know: it's like, when, when my kids are sick, it's the worst. I don't like it. Even, even though they're older now, it's still — I don't like seeing my kids sick. I just say, every time I'm there, I'm like, "Lord, just let me be sick, in my town like." Just don't like my kids — don't like the kids being sick. But thankfully, I'm a very blessed man, that our children have never really had any bad sicknesses. I mean, this is the normal colds and flus, just the normal stuff. But here's a guy whose son is so sick, so bad off. He's, he's tried multiple times, multiple ways, to try to get help. Nothing's working. And he hears about this Jesus, and things are going on. And he's trying to find him, and he can't find Jesus. But he finds his disciples. And he brings the boy over there, and thinking: "Okay, I finally found these guys. I've been hearing about blinded eyes open. I've been hearing about dad being raised, and lepers being cleansed. And here's my boy. Can you please just do something with my boy?" And the disciples — they're trying to, you know, do what they can. But again, they can't heal. Foreign. It's another sermon for another day. But they're struggling with their own little identity there. And because that identity struggle that they're in, they're not able to even help.

And then Jesus shows up. Because Jesus always shows up, right when we need him. Jesus shows up. And in my mind — and the story — for us, this, this dad, he's just — he's just like silent. Little Tears are Falling, you know. He's not — he's not hobob and boohoo. And he's just got this, like, hope is hanging. Jesus looks, and says, "What's going on?" He says, "My boy's been sick. He's been sick a while. I managed to get him to your disciples, but these guys haven't done anything." Jesus says, "If thou canest believe, all things are possible." And I love — I love the raw, beautiful truth that comes out of his mouth. I'm here speaking to somebody right now. Somebody needs to listen to this. Look at this. Verse 23: "Jesus said to him, 'If thou can't believe, all things are possible to him they believeth.'" Verse 24: "And straightway, the father child cried out, and said with tears, 'Lord, I believe.'" "There was — there was enough belief in me that I brought him here. But if I'm being honest, Jesus, I'm struggling. I'm struggling, because I see that it's happened for other people. But, but this is my boy. I believe. But help the part of me that's struggling to believe." And Jesus healed that boy.

See, there's something about being completely transparent with a God who already sees through you anyway. So here's my altar call today: it's time that you start living by faith, through action. Some of you need to make your way to the front, and ask God to forgive you for your inaction, and that he will continue to open the doors for you, for you to walk through. But I know there's also some in this room today that are struggling. You're struggling with a belief, because you've been rocked hard. You faced a lot of stuff. You've been around the block a few times. And, and you're a little bit jaded to what goes on. I'm gonna tell you: that's a great place to be at, and cry out to God, and say, "I need you to help my unbelief." Because just like he met that man's need, he'll meet you, too. So, as I say my clothes in prayer, today this altar is open. I encourage you to come down, so that he can help you live by faith, with action.

Jesus, I love you. And I'm thankful, God, that I feel you so near us today, in this place. God, I pray that, as your word has been given, as we receive it into our hearts and our minds, God, that it would take root, and a hold, inside of us. God, I pray that we will be willing to put our faith into action. That we would be willing to move forward, and not back. To trust God that you brought us to where we are, for a reason, for us to continue to push forward. Because we are closer than we've ever been to the Breakthrough in our life, you have. I know that someone in this room today is struggling with their life, and understanding All That You Are. I pray, Lord, if they have enough Faith to believe in you, God, that you would begin to draw them to where they need to be. I know their life's been rough. I know it's been unfair. Maybe even been cruel. But I pray that they would run to you. Take control of their life. Help them get back to where they need to be, in you. Foreign. It's prayer time. Let's live a life by faith. See what God wants to do here.