gtoctr/fs121221
Commentary:
Each Life Shape lesson is strategically designed to add and secure one more critical component of truth to the Believer’s life. This step by step approach to studying the Word of God will expose and explain the essential doctrines of the Bible in a logical format.
Have you ever considered the storehouses of God? The place where He keeps His gold, jewels, blessings, miracles, kindness, forgiveness, peace, patience, love, joy, righteousness and all manner of goodness and provision? Imagine the storehouses of the Sovereign Creator of the Universe … the place which also holds the inheritance of His only begotten Son in whom He is well pleased. Think about the abundant and perpetual supply.
Now imagine how that God, because He is good and so loves the world, reaches into these storehouses and daily blesses the earth and many individuals who never realize where their blessings are coming from. It is even from these storehouses that God gives food to the birds, from where He clothes the lilies and supplies bread to the eater and seed to the sower.
What if God was willing to give you access to His storehouses! This is the place where forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life are kept.
Good news … in fact that is exactly what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is – Good News! Why is it called “Good News” – because God is willing to grant you access to His storehouses, not because you deserve it, not because you earned it, not because you purchased it – in fact it cannot be purchased with money or works of any kind. God is willing to give you access because you are His child, and He is good, and He loves you that much. That’s exactly what we talked about in our last lesson … it is called GRACE!!! God’s grace is always sufficient.
We have access to this grace of God. There is only one door and it requires an access code. What is the access code? Let’s read what God has to say about this access code.
Key Scripture:
Romans 5
1 Therefore, having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Jesus, the Messiah, is the door. The access code is F-A-I-T-H. We gain access to God’s grace through Jesus by faith. What is faith?
Important Points:
1.
Faith is the level of our trust in the truth.
a. Minus either element,
trust, or truth, we cannot have faith
b. Faith is not just
believing in anything.
c. Faith is a productive
partnership between us and God
d. The Bible speaks of
levels of faith:
i. Great faith
ii. Little faith
iii. No faith
e. Our trust that God and
His Word is the Truth is Faith
2.
Without faith we cannot please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
3.
Faith grows when we listen to God’s Word. (Romans 10:17)
4.
Faith is also grown as a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22)
5.
Faith is our substance and evidence until we see our hope.
a. Hebrews 11:1
6. Faith accesses what grace provides.
Supporting Scriptures:
·
Hebrews
11:1 & 6 • Luke 7:9
·
Romans
10:17 • Mark 4:40
·
Galatians
5:22 • 2 Thessalonians 1:3
·
Matthew
6:30
