FAITH
– HOPE – LOVE
BREAD
1 Now
faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were
commended for. Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV)
3 Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has
given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead, 4 and
into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for
you, 5 who
through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation
that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of
trials. 7 These
have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even
though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory
and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even
though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the
salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9
(NIV)
22 We
know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth
right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption
as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen
is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do
not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:22-25 (NIV)
17 Because
God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs
of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two
unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled
to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor
for the soul, firm and secure. Hebrews
6:17-19 (NIV)
4 Love
is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is
not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record
of wrongs. 6 Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always
trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)
3 We
continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith,
your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)
13 And
now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is
love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
BUTTER
“It is because of faith that we exchange the
present for the future.” Fidelis of Sigmaringen
“Faith,
as Paul saw it, was a living, flaming thing leading to surrender and obedience
to the commandments of Christ.” A.W. Tozer
“I
was the enemy of God. I was stamping
through God’s universe, shaking my fist in His face. And in the very moment when I was shaking my
fist in God’s face and tramping through the Creator’s universe, muddying all
His streams, that’s when Jesus died for me.
And if this is when Jesus died for me, what hope it gives me now! Now, even when I fall, the blood of Jesus is
enough. He didn’t save me because I was
strong; He saved me when I was weak. He didn’t save me when I was a pretty
thing; He saved me when I was a mess. On the basis of this reality, I can have
comfort.” Francis
Schaeffer
“Hast
thou, O my soul, felt the weight of thy own guilt and misery, and been enabled,
in reality and truth, to lay hold by faith of the blood of Christ for thy
redemption, and faithfully to devote thyself to him in heart and life? Then hast thou a sure foundation to go upon: let it be thy constant care firmly to depend
upon these and such like blessed declarations; look to Jesus for every blessing
thou standest in need of. Has Christ
brought life and immortality to light?
Then look unto him and live. Is
there redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins? Then throw all thy guilt upon his
atonement. Has he blotted out the
hand-writing of ordinances that was against thee? Then shake off self-righteous dependences,
and legal fears also. Did he die for thy
sins? Then let his goodness and love lead
thee to unfeigned repentance; let the sense of thy sins break thine heart, but
encourage thy hope in the gospel.” K.H.
Von Bogatzky
“He
does much who loves much.” Thomas a Kempis
“For
the love of God is broader than the measures of man’s mind; and the heart of
the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.” Frederick William Faber
“Our
Lord does not care so much for the importance of our works as for the love with
which they are done.” Teresa
of Avila
“Love
one another that it may at last be said of Christians as it was at first: ‘Behold how they love one another.’” Ralph
Venning
HEART
SAVOR
- · Faith is being confident in God and His promises to me. He is my Surety. My actions will reflect my faith.
- · My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
- · My labor is to be motivated by love.
·
