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II THESSALONIANS 1:3

GROWING FAITH

Intro: Our relationship to God is a faith relationship. Faith is the key that unlocks the
       doors to all His benefits. Faith often begins very small, but it grows The potential
       of faith - moving mountains.

I. THE DISADVANTAGES OF A LITTLE FAITH.
        A. When your faith began it was very small.
        1. Faith just to consider Jesus Christ.
        2. Faith to come to Christ.
        3. Faith to rely on Christ, for salvation.
        4. Faith to trust Him for daily needs.
        5. Faith to rest in Jesus Christ.
        B. Little faith possesses but it knows not that it possesses.
                1. God has saved you from your sin by your faith in Jesus Christ.

a. Yet you fear for your salvation.
b. You sometimes doubt if you are really saved.
                                1. Because of your attitudes or actions you feel as if
                                        you've made Him angry.
        C. Little faith is beset by needless fears.
                1. It can imagine all kinds of problems where no problems exist . The  "what
                   if" syndrome.
                2. If things are going bad it fears they will never change.
                3. If things are going good it fears that it is a bad omen. Something bad must
                   be going . . .
        D. Little faith lacks assurance.
                1. Thus, little faith lacks joy in Christ. 
                2. Thus, Iittle faith seems aIways to be constantly worried.
        E. Little faith does not rest.
                1. Cannot rest in finished work of Christ.
                2. Cannot rest in the promises of God.
                        a. Written his own bible, "God helps those who help
                                themselves."
                3. Thus little faith lacks real peace.

II. HOW CAN FAITH BE INCREASED?
        A. By knowing God better.
                1. "He that cometh to God must believe..."
                2. The more you know His power; plan; love and concern, the more  faith.
                3. This knowledge obtained through the Word.
        So to increase your faith you must read the Word.
        B. By exercise.
                1. Take a promise of God and stand on it.
        a. Note that many promises conditional, you fulfill your port then  wait.
        b. When God fulfill Is His, then mark by that promise T & P, tried  & proved.
        c. When beset again with same problem go back to that 
                promise and note its been tried and proven.
                2. Take care that you wait for God to work.
        a. "But you have need of patience that after ye have done the
                will of God, you might obtain the promise."
        b. So often fear takes over and we move in.
        c. God does not always conform to my time schedules. I deal in  hours and minutes, He
           deals in eons and eternity.
                                1. Ok, God I' ll give you 5 minutes to work it out.
                        d. When is too late?
                                1. Eviction in Corona.
                                2. Eating beans to survive in ministry.
        C. By fellowship with the saints.
                1. There is an atmosphere where faith stunted.
                        a. School, work, sometimes home. The lease little thing goes
                                wrong, "Well, where is your God now?"
                2. We gather in fellowship here, we share our love and relate our
                        experiences to each other and faith grows.
        May God grant that your faith will grow exceedingly.