January 23rd, 1993                               “Learning a Walk of Faith”                                     Mrs. N. Daniel

 

Hebrews 12:1&2

We have been trying to learn the faith of the servants of God listed in the 11th chapter of Hebrews. They were men and women who learnt from God, who walked with God, and glorified God. How to preserve our faith is the important thing in our lives. The answer is in the 2nd verse - “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;”

God has called us to this holy ministry. He has also given us the clue - how to walk with God, talk with God and glorify God. The saints of old walked with God and fulfilled the will of God in their lives. In order to walk with God, the Lord has taught us to pray, and to look unto Jesus. We have to first learn Christ. Then we can live Christ and glorify Christ. That is the will of God for our life which is lived but once - to learn Christ, live Christ and glorify Christ. In the Old Testament, in the 71st Psalm we get an idea of how King David lived a victorious life. He says, he made God his continual resort in prayer. Ps.71:3.

For every little thing we see David used to go to God and get an answer. Verse 71:17. He was able to see God's wondrous works from his youth. King David was looking unto God. He got answers from God and thus kept in touch with God. In the Old Testament, we learn how men of God walked with God, talked with God and did great things for God. We have to prove in our lives that Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. These days, people who are being taught the Word of God, are not saying, “God is speak­ing to me, God told me this, God taught me like this." But God desires that our prayer should lead us to hear what God wants to speak to us. Satan does not want us to be much in prayer or in the reading of the Word of God either. The disciples were taught by the Lord to live a life of faith that brings glory to God, and afterwards they were to maintain a close contact with heaven. Only this way can we find heavenly help to live a life of faith. We will not escape tests of faith. Sometimes, they can be severe tests! But those who are in contact with heaven overcome these tests. They see the great works of God and do great things for God. We have been seeing that God does great things in these 'Children's Retreats.' A certain lecturer heard the Word of God, in a certain place. He had wanted to attend the 'Children's Retreat. But Satan hindered him. He attended only the Sunday service during the retreat. When he heard the Word of God, God completely changed him. So God is working in our midst. The Lord wants to pour out His Spirit upon the people when they are yet hearing the Word of God. I was able to see the spirit of God working in the 'Children's retreat' when the Word of God was given clearly. The Spirit of God came down powerfully, even upon small children of four years old. A four year old girl confessed her sins and was converted. God has got great plans for His own work. This is His work. Those of us who are gathering here to pray, need to learn more of Christ. God wants to give us a great share in His power and grace. So, looking unto Jesus, we want to walk before Him. We have almost come to the end of the construction of this hall. But first of all, we who come here must use this place very reverentially, for God is holy. This constru­ction was a great miracle of God. Looking unto Jesus Christ, we paid great bills. We did not borrow, we did not make appeals, we did not covet anybody's wealth. Looking unto Jesus, this work has been completed. He has done great things in our midst. Our duty is to keep the place very holy. We find this very difficult. When there is time for young people to study the Word of God and pray, it is very easy to take a mat and go to sleep. There is a tempta­tion to miss Bible classes and roam about wasting time and opportunities. But this is the time of your youth. David says, “In my youth thou didst teach me, thy Word." In the Old Testament, the chl1dren of God always looked unto God and God spoke to them. In the New Testament, we are exhorted to look up to God who can preserve our faith. Thus we can advance in spiritual life and we can do great things for God and glorify Him. We must learn a perfect faith, because Jesus lived a perfect life of faith and glorified God. Our responsibility is very great. We have to keep this place, a continual dwelling-place for Jesus Christ, God and the heavenly hosts. We have to maintain it as a light-house for this city. We are fed with the Word of God here and we are given many chances to pray here. So we must move about this place with fear and trembling. And young people who come here for training are taken good care of. The Lord is giving them free boarding and lodging and free tuition here. So they are directly responsible to God. We must be a holy people worshipping here. His house is a ‘house of prayer’, and this ‘house of God’ is a holy place. The Word says "Ye are the temple of the Holy God." So, we must keep this place very holy. The servant of God Paul says, “For those people, who are righteous and walk righteously to the end, crowns are ready. God will give it to them.” So, for those who are faithful to the end, God has prepared in heaven crowns of righteousness. We are not striving just for the crowns, but to glorify God with all our hearts. We have to resist the evil one. We live this life only once. We have to preserve our faith, getting victory over our temptations and finish the race with a perfect faith. The saints of God have walked with God, walked with Christ, with fear and trembling, in order to glorify God. So with fear and trembling, we shall go forward, look­ing unto Jesus. HE WILL GIVE US CHANCES TO GLORIFY HIM!