Food for the sou by Joenel Bartolo Villaranl

Food for the sou by Joenel Bartolo Villaranl sermon from God's Word, spiritual insights, encouragements etc.

07/03/2022

| Hebrews 11:4-7 | Righteous by Faith

The Bible is filled with heroes - men and women of courage and humility. And their stories are amazing. They are a diverse bunch to say the least. But what do they have in common? What’s the source of their courage? And what drives their character? Here in Hebrews 11, we find one simple answer. Starting at verse 4:

“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did” (Hebrews 11:4).
Remember Cain and Abel from Genesis? They both offered sacrifices to God. Why did God accept Abel’s? What was different? Simple. Abel had faith. See Cain was a man who went through the religious motions, and Cain even knew God existed, but he didn’t have faith.

But how is that possible? He talked with God. How can you do that without faith? Watch his actions right afterwards. He killed his brother. And he thought he could get away with it, thought God wouldn’t see. Today you can go through the motions at church, and still go out and sin up a storm. And anyone who thinks they can get away with that simply doesn’t believe that God is God. They lie to themselves, and often they convince themselves they’ll make it to Heaven on a technicality. “I went to church, dropped money in the plate, and said the prayer! Boom. Done.” But that is not faith. Faith changes how you give and changes how you live.

Look at Abel, the brother who had faith. Back in verse 4:

“By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4).
Pay attention here. Abel’s faith set him apart as righteous - right in God’s sight. But hold on. Abel had faith and Abel was right with God, and yet God allowed him to be killed. Why? Here faith gets tricky. Do we trust that God is faithful when life gets hard? Even when life ends?

Then verse 5:

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away” (Hebrews 11:5).
Remember Enoch’s story? He walked with God, and God took him home. No death - just straight to God. That’s way back in Genesis 5, and it’s a big hint - from the beginning - at God’s plan for how you and I can escape death. And it’s all about faith. We are saved by grace through faith. Back here in verse 5:

“For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).
This is huge. In every relationship, we’re always trying to figure out what it takes to please the other person. Parents, friends, spouse, boss. So what about God? Verse 6:

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
You can’t please God if you don’t believe that God exists. Simple. The greatest transformation of the human soul begins with the simple conviction that God is. That’s it. Sink those two words deep into your being, at the core of your consciousness. God is. And second, believe and trust that God rewards those who genuinely seek Him.

Next hero, verse 7:

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family” (Hebrews 11:7).
Noah gives us another dimension to this faith. He heard God’s warning about things he had never seen before. But he didn’t build his life on what he’d seen. He heard God’s Word and he believed what he heard. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing. And back here in Hebrews, Noah…

“…became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
There’s those two words together again - righteous and faith. That’s big. Righteous means right with God. And in the Bible, righteousness is the one and only way to enter God’s Kingdom, and ultimately go to heaven. Righteous is your only ticket. The problem is - on our own we are not righteous. Not one of us.

So God made a plan to restore our standing, heal our relationship, and make us right with Him. We are righteous by faith. Now, it is not simply our belief that God exists that makes us righteous. Jesus died for our sins to make us righteous. But we accept it by faith. Without faith it doesn’t happen.

And that reminds me of another story. A five year old boy was walking through a city park, and happened upon a man reading a book. The little boy inquired about the book, and then told the man quite bluntly, “You had better read the Bible, because if you don’t follow it you will go to hell.”

Christians raise funny kids, don’t we. And when the man questioned him, the kid pointed back at his parents and said, “They will tell you everything!” How would you like to be the parents in that story? Where do you start when your five year old just told a grown man that he’s going to hell?

The year was 1940. The place Bucharest, Romania. And as it turns out, the dad was Richard Wurmbrand - the same man who had wandered, as an atheist, irresistibly drawn to a village, to a house where an old man gave him a Bible. And when his son told a man that he had better read the Bible, well Richard gladly explained to the man the story of the Bible. And the man became a believer. The man’s name was Constantine Ioanid. He would become one of Romania’s most famous and most important poets - a Christian poet in fact - through an entire generation of atheistic communist oppression.

Not a bad story. I guess that’s what happens when you have the faith of a child.

Next: Read Hebrews 11:4-7

For Thought & Discussion:

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. Why do you think that faith is so important to God?
Hebrews 11:4 and 11:7 both connect faith with righteousness. Why do you think there is such a close connection between believing in God and being right with God?

22/02/2022

Worship Renews Your Strength

“Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.”

To strengthen your faith, you must unite with others in worship. Worship is for God, but it also has benefits for you. Here are two of the biggest benefits of corporate worship: It renews your faith, and it restores your joy.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”

How many times have you gotten up on a Sunday morning and said, “I am so tired. I really don’t have any energy to go to church,” but then you went to church and worshipped and afterward you were more energized? That happens because worship renews you. It strengthens you. It strengthens your faith.

You’re not going to get your strength renewed by watching golf on TV. That’s just going to make you lazier and lazier. You get renewed by worshipping God with other believers.

As a pastor, sometimes I think of myself like the coach in the boxing movie “Rocky.” Rocky is out there in the fight, and he’s pouring his heart out and just getting beat to a pulp. The bell rings and he goes, “Thank God.” He comes to the corner, and the coach says, “You’re doing a good job.” The coach throws some water on him, pats him on the back, and says, “Now get back out there.”

Sometimes I feel like that’s what I’m doing on Sunday for my church. I’m telling them, “You’re doing a good job. Now get back out there. You can do this!” But that’s not me renewing people’s strength. It’s the Word of God. It’s music and praying and worshipping together with other believers.

The Bible also says in Psalm 100:2, “Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy” (NLT, second edition).

I think it ought to be fun to go to church. That may seem strange to you because it’s not how you were raised or how you felt about a certain church you’ve attended. But the Bible says to worship the Lord with gladness — not boredom, sadness, anger, or out of duty. You should be singing for joy in church! Church should have that effect on you. Worship should renew your faith and restore your joy.

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD’” (Psalm 122:1).

25/10/2021

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9‭-‬10

There is nothing more irritating than the counsel, “keep smiling”; that is a counterfeit, a radiance that soon fizzles out. The one thing that Jesus Christ does for a man is to make him radiant, not artificially radiant. The joy that Jesus gives is the result of our disposition being at one with His own disposition. The Spirit of God will fill us to overflowing if we will be careful to keep in the light. We have no business to be weak in God’s strength.

We have no business to tell God we cannot stand any more; God ought to be at liberty to do with us what He chooses, as He did with His own Son. Then whatever happens our life will be full of joy.

Reflection Questions: Is my smile forced or natural? Is my joy a hopeful pretense or inner radiance? Do I trust that God can give me joy through circumstances that I do not choose?

Oswald Chambers

20/10/2021

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Philippians 1:12‭-‬14

The fortune of misfortune! That is Paul’s way of looking at his captivity. He does not want them to be depressed on his account, or to imagine that God’s purpose has been hindered; he says it has not been hindered, but furthered. The very things that looked so disastrous have turned out to be the most opportune, so that on this account his heart bounds with joy, and the note of rejoicing comes out.

The spirit of obedience gives more joy to God than anything else on earth. When the love of God is shed abroad in my heart (Romans 5:5), I am possessed by the nature of God, and I know by my obedience that I love Him. The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies, but its obedience.

Reflection Questions: What disasters have turned into opportunities? What joy would I have missed if I had not walked with God through adversity?

Oswald Chambers

13/10/2021

Two things I ask of you; don’t keep them from me before I die: Fraud and lies— keep far from me! Don’t give me either poverty or wealth; give me just the food I need. Or I’ll be full and deny you, and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or I’ll be poor and steal, and dishonor my God’s name.
Proverbs 30:7‭-‬9

The realization that my strength is always a hindrance to God’s supply of life is a great eye-opener. A man who has genius is apt to rely on his genius rather than on God. A man who has money is apt to rely on money instead of God. So many of us trust in what we have got in the way of possessions instead of entirely in God.

All these sources of strength are sources of double weakness. But when we realize that our true life is “hid with Christ in God,” that we are “complete in Him,” in whom “dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” then His strength is radiantly manifested in our mortal flesh. God grant that His Spirit may bring everyone of us to the place where the secret is learned and enjoyed that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Reflection Questions: How does my strength hinder God? How do my resources hinder God? What secret is being kept from me because I refuse to rely on God?

Oswald Chambers

08/10/2021

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1 Corinthians 1:26‭-‬29

it is always easy to neglect a man or woman who deliberately accepts the aim of his life from the lord jesus. many of us are imitators of other people; we do christian work because someone has asked us to do it. we must receive our ministry, which is to testify the gospel of the grace of god, from jesus christ himself, not from other christians. joy is the result of the perfect fulfillment of what a man is created for. it is continually necessary to revert to what the new testament asks us to accept about ourselves. our first accepted vocation is not to help men, but to obey god, and when we accept that vocation we enter into relationship with the despised and the neglected.

God is so immediately near and so immensely strong that i get more and more joyous in my confidence in him and less and less careful how i feel.

Reflection questions: do i imitate other people to avoid finding my own ministry? what testimony has God given to me and to no one else? what message of joy has God given me to proclaim?

Oswald Chambers

16/09/2021

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10

People are tired of the preaching about a future heaven and they have gone to the other extreme and deal only with what is called the practical. Consequently they rob themselves of the unfathomable joy of knowing that everything God has said will come to pass. The Redemption covers more than men and women, it covers the whole earth. Everything that has been marred by sin and the devil has been completely redeemed by Jesus Christ. At present that is absolutely inconceivable to us. The world represents the societies of men on God’s earth, and they do as they like; the earth remains God’s. “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” The meek bide God’s time.

We go to God when we have no joy in ourselves and find that His joy is our strength.

Reflection Questions: Is my heart resting in the certainty that God is full of joy even though my experience is clouds and darkness? Is my confidence in Christ’s final victory sufficient to sustain my joy while awaiting the fulfillment of His promise?

Oswald Chambers

08/09/2021

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
Psalm 18:2‭-‬3

The Scriptures are full of admonitions to rejoice, to praise God, to sing aloud for joy; but only when one has a cause to rejoice, to praise, and to sing aloud can these things truly be done from the heart. In the physical realm the average sick man does not take a very bright view of life, and with the sick in soul true brightness and cheer are an impossibility. Until the soul is cured there is always an underlying dread and fear which steals away the gladness and unspeakable joy which God desires for all His children.

Only when God takes a life in hand can there come deliverance from discouragement. Living in the peace and joy of God’s forgiveness and favor is the only thing that will bring cheerfulness.

Reflection Questions: What is my reason for rejoicing? From what sickness—physical or spiritual—have I been cured? From what discouragement have I been delivered? From what fear have I been freed?

Oswald Chambers

16/06/2021

Faith is when we hope for something and we know it’s going to happen. In order to hope for something, you have to picture it in your mind.

14/06/2021

The Benefit of Believing

“I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish.” (John 11:25-26a TLB)

There are a lot of benefits to believing in Jesus and having a relationship with him, but even if there were nothing else, there would still be this, and it’s a pretty big deal: When you believe in Jesus Christ, you are guaranteed eternal life. Your eternity is sealed because of Jesus’ Resurrection.

You see, Jesus bringing himself back to life changed everything. It literally split history into A.D. and B.C. It’s the most important event. And it proved three things.

First, it proved that Jesus is exactly who he claimed to be. He repeatedly said he was the Son of God who came to die for our sins. And he did just that.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most well-documented events in history. It would stand up in any court of law. In fact, it has many, many times throughout centuries.

The Resurrection also proved that Jesus keeps his promises. Jesus told his disciples that he was going to let the people kill him and that he would come back to life. If he kept that promise, then you know you can trust the other promises in the Word of God.

The third thing the Resurrection proves is that there is life after death. If Jesus Christ hadn’t resurrected, you would have no hope for the future.

Jesus said in John 11:25-26, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish” (TLB).

Where else are you going to get a promise like that? Nowhere! Who else can give that to you? No one! If you don’t get it from Jesus, you won’t have it. That is an amazing benefit, and it’s available to you today. What’s the qualification? You must believe.

If you want to make a decision to believe in Jesus Christ and follow him, just pray this prayer: “Dear Jesus, you have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in Heaven one day. I confess my sin, and I believe that you are God, my Savior. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today I’m turning over every part of my life to your management. You have the right to call the shots in my life. Jesus, I want to relax in your love. Thank you that I don’t have to earn it or deserve it or work for it. I want to use the rest of my life to serve you rather than serving myself. I humbly commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

01/06/2021

Grow, Sow, and Go in Faith

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:7 NLT, second edition)

God wants you to focus on growing, sowing, and going in faith.

First, God wants you to grow in faith. He doesn’t want you to be a spiritual baby! The Bible says in Colossians 2:7: “Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness” (NLT, second edition).

And God wants you to sow in faith. He wants you to learn to become generous, because you cannot become like Christ without becoming generous. The Bible says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV).

This is the law of sowing and reaping, and it’s true in every area of life. If you sow criticism, you’re going to reap criticism. If you sow love, you’ll reap love. If you sow kindness, you will reap kindness. And you always reap more than you sow. When you plant one corn kernel in the ground, you don’t get one kernel back. You get a whole stalk. You always get more back —positive or negative — of what you put out in life.

Then God wants you to go in faith.

Hebrews 11:8 says, “It was by faith Abraham obeyed God’s call to go to another place God promised to give him. He left his own country, not knowing where he was to go” (NCV).

Would you do that? Abraham was up in years. He was in his retirement phase, just about to hang it up and settle down when God said, “No. Dust yourself off, and get ready for the greatest journey of your life.” When you live by faith, it involves going, often to places you were never planning to go.

Why is it so important for you to develop your faith?

Because everything that God does in your life he does by his grace and through your faith:

“Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6a NIV).

“According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29b).

“Anything that is not done in faith is sin” (Romans 14:23b GW).

11/05/2021

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

Is It Fear That Is Holding You Back?

What keeps you from developing your full potential? Fear. What keeps you from becoming all God wants you to be? Fear. What keeps you from building a legacy that will last into eternity? Fear.

There are three kinds of fear that will keep you from developing your talents and accomplishing your purpose.

1. Self-doubt. It keeps people locked in a prison and unable to develop their potential. This is actually the fear of failure. But failure is not fatal! In fact, the fear of failure is far worse than failure itself. Failure is actually a good thing. Failure is how you learn what doesn’t work. And it’s how you grow into a better parent, partner, and professional.

Don’t let self-doubt keep you down. I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than attempt to do nothing and succeed.

2. Self-consciousness. If you worry about what other people think, nothing will ever get done in your life. You just have to do what God tells you to do. That’s all you’re accountable for. You’re not called to be the best in the world. You’re called to be the best that God made you to be.

3. Self-pity. There were two disciples that had spectacular failures. Peter and Judas both denied Jesus in clutch time, but they responded to their failure in very different ways. Judas went out and had a pity party and hung himself. Peter, on the other hand, wept bitterly, grieved about it, repented, asked God to forgive him, picked himself up, and went back to serving God. And 40 days later, Peter spoke to the whole city of Jerusalem on Pentecost, and 3,000 people became believers and the Church was born. Of all the people God could have used to start the church, he used the guy with the biggest failure. That means there’s room for you in the family of God!

Instead of living in fear, believe what God says about you in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

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