keeping faith alive

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KEEPING FAITH ALIVE MRS. FLORENCE MAUGHO

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Page 1: Keeping faith alive

KEEPING FAITH ALIVEMRS. FLORENCE MAUGHO

Page 2: Keeping faith alive

Goals I had for this year

To be a loving, wonderful and kind wife to my husband.

To be a wonderful mother and role model to my son.

To be a kind, compassionate and considerate daughter and sister to my kin.

Above all, to honor God in all I do.

Page 3: Keeping faith alive

Vaccines!

Wonderful solution to diseases that have been threatening to wipe out the entire world.

If only there was a vaccine for my goals……› Vaccine to keep me loving, kind and wonderful

wife.› Vaccine to make me automatically a

wonderful mother and role model to my son.› Vaccine to make me a joy to my siblings and

parents.

Page 4: Keeping faith alive

Vaccines!

And the mother of all vaccines to keep me from sinning against my God.

To keep me faithful, vibrant and on fire for my God.

To help me witness to my friends, colleagues and neighbours dying in sin…… while I walk around them with hope of eternal life…. For myself…..

Page 5: Keeping faith alive

Is it possible?

Are my goals realistic? Achievable? Desirable? Or am I kidding myself?.....

What does the Bible say?

Page 6: Keeping faith alive

John 15: 1-7

Remember our topic is Keeping faith alive. Of note is Jesus statement that He is the

vine…. And my father is the vine dresser. Every branch that bears no fruit is cut off

whereas the branch that bears fruit is trimmed and kept clean.

“…you are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in Me."

Page 7: Keeping faith alive

Abide in me!

That's what Jesus wants us to do. …."Remain in Me and I will remain in

you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.“

We cannot keep our faith unless we remain in touch with the LORD.

Page 8: Keeping faith alive

As simple as a vaccine?

All plants need to be attached to their stems and roots to be alive.

As beautiful as a rose is….. The minute you pick it to give to your wife or loved one… its dead…

So are we if we allow ourselves to be disconnected from him.

Page 9: Keeping faith alive

How to do we get disconnected?

When we hear gossip about us from members of our church?

When our role models in the church misbehave?

When we loose church office? When we loose our jobs and life gets

hard? When our spouses divorce us? When our children do things to ashame

us?

Page 10: Keeping faith alive

Romans 8:35

Paul asked “Who/what shall separate us from the love of Christ?... who/What?

Shall tribulation, war, strife, nakedness…and we can go on to add…

Church positions, irresponsible church members, rumors, jobs, wives/husbands, children, money… who/what?

Page 11: Keeping faith alive

What happens when we are disconnected?

Vs 6 “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

we die… we become useless… we become fit to be firewood .…

Page 12: Keeping faith alive

Analogy

You build a house…. Its modern, its beautiful. The wiring is done. Sockets are put in place. Bulbs in bulb holders. But should you fail to ask elecrogaz to

connect you to electricity… come darkness… all the wiring, the switches and bulbs are useless..

Page 13: Keeping faith alive

But..

Vs7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

Vs8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Page 14: Keeping faith alive

Luke 8:5-15

Some seeds fell on the path were trodden and birds of the air fed on them.

Some fell on rocky soil and due to poor moisture died.

Some fell on thorns which grow with the plants and chocked them.

Some fell on fertile soil and bore much fruit.

Page 15: Keeping faith alive

Explanation

The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who

hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

Page 16: Keeping faith alive

Explanation

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Page 17: Keeping faith alive

What if?

Your heart or mine is a path, a rock or is susceptible to thorns and weeds?

We can cry to the Lord like David…. Create in me a clean heart oh Lord…

and renew the right spirit within me… God can make our heart a fertile

ground for His word to grow… Remember God is the vine dresser

Page 18: Keeping faith alive

Ezekiel 33:18

“If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it.“

It is possible for electrogaz to give us electricity and it is also possible for us to neglect to buy cash power…. Then we will be in darkness.

Sometimes we can disconnect ourselves from God actively and by conscious thought.

Page 19: Keeping faith alive

How do we keep faith alive?

1 peter 5:8 1. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the

devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Psalm 119:9 – 11 9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

       By living according to your word. 2. 10 I seek you with all my heart;

       do not let me stray from your commands. 3.  11 I have hidden your word in my heart

       that I might not sin against you.

Page 20: Keeping faith alive

How do we keep faith alive?

Hebrews 10:25 4. Let us not forsake the assembling of

ourselves together as the manner of some is."  Don't do that.  "But let us encourage one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching.“

This means that church fellowship is very important.

Page 21: Keeping faith alive

How do we keep faith alive

1 Thessalonians 5:17 5. Pray without ceasing (continually). Prayer is the breath of life for

Christians. If we stop breathing, we die. If we stop praying, we die spiritually.

John 4: 39 – 42 (Let us read) 6. Witnessing: point people to Jesus

and He will take it from there.

Page 22: Keeping faith alive

John 10:3,4 3The watchman opens the gate for him,

and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

7. Know the voice of God. He doesn’t always speak in a voice like thunder, but also in a ‘still small voice’ – Your conscience.

Page 23: Keeping faith alive

Spirit of prophecy

Acts of the apostles pp. 560 The life of him in whose heart Christ

abides, will reveal practical godliness. The character will be purified, elevated, ennobled, and glorified. Pure doctrine will blend with works of righteousness; heavenly precepts will mingle with holy practices.

Page 24: Keeping faith alive

Spirit of prophecy

Pp. 561 None of the apostles and prophets ever

claimed to be without sin. They confessed the sinfulness of their

nature. They have put no confidence in the flesh, have claimed no righteousness of their own, but have trusted wholly in the righteousness of Christ.

Page 25: Keeping faith alive

Spirit of prophecy

E. G. White pp. 564 The Lord would have all His sons and

daughters happy, peaceful, and obedient. Through the exercise of faith the believer comes into possession of these blessings. Through faith, every deficiency of character may be supplied, every defilement cleansed, every fault corrected, every excellence developed.

Page 26: Keeping faith alive

So, yes.. My goals are realistic, achievable I only need to refuse to look in myself for righteousness but just entrust my life in him.

Simply abide in Christ. Thank You Lord! God bless you….. The end