BY JIM KASEMAN
Text: Luke 18:8b (NKJ) “…Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?” (AMP) “…However, when the Son of Man comes will He find (persistence in) the faith on the earth?”
I n the context of this parable (Luke 1 18:1-8), we are not to lose heart and give up (verse 1), but we are to be persistent in our faith towards God.
True faith is part of our everyday practical experience in life, and manifests itself in works of faith as we walk and work together with God daily.
However, if Jesus is to find faith on the earth when He returns, there are some things about faith that we need to understand.
1. FAITH TRUSTS AND REVERENCES GOD
Luke 21:25-28 speaks of the return of Jesus and how men’s hearts failed them because of fear of the things going on in the earth at that time.
Mark 4:35-41 also speaks of Jesus’ disciples’ hearts failing them because of the fear of perishing in the storm.
But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). _,. ..
We can get a better understanding of what Jesus is saying to them by understanding that another word for fear is reverence (reverential fear, awe, respect, worship), and that another word used for faith is
trust (i.e., Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart”).
In light of this, what Jesus was saying to His disciples is: “Why is it that you have such reverence for what the devil is doing through this storm and you do not trust me?”
According to Mark 4:38 the disciples had no doubt that they would perish in the storm; they had great reverence, awe and respect for the devil and his power, instead of worshipping Jesus and putting their
trust in His power to protect them.
Their hearts failed them because of their trust in what the devil could do to them instead of what God could do for them.
When Jesus returns, will He find that you and I have greater confidence in the devil and the world’s system instead of God and the promises in His word? Will our hearts fail because of lack of faith in
God?
2. FAITH UNDERSTANDS TESTS TRIALS. AND TEMPTATIONS
If we are to fight the good fight of faith (I Timothy 6:12), we need to know what comes from the devil and what comes from God.
The Word of God tells us in James 1:23, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various (trials, tests, and temptations), knowing that the testing of your faith produces (patience, endurance,
perseverance).”
And, James 1:13 says, “Let no one say when he is (tempted, tested, and tried), ‘I am (tempted, tested, and tried) by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”
The scriptures are very plain; anything evil is not of God. Anything to do with the Law of death is not of God. He is of life. Poverty, fear, etc. is all evil, therefore it is not of God!
Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10).
When Christians believe that evil trials, and tests come from God, they are actively lying down and letting the devil destroy them instead of resisting the devil and causing him to flee so that God can
bring life to them!
We are all subject to attacks from the devil but we are to develop patience and perseverance so that we will continue to stand on God’s Word and trust God in spite of opposition and difficulty. By doing so, we will see God’s promises come to pass in our lives!
THERE IS A TEST! But it is not an evil test. It is simply a test of faith! Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith (or trusting God) it is impossible to please Him. James 2:26b tells us that faith or trust without corresponding actions is dead!
Do you want to pass God’s test? Then believe what He says and do it!
Believe that by His stripes you were healed and walk in health. Bring God’s tithes and offerings to His storehouse and experience the floodgate blessings of God to be poured out to you. Walk in love and
see your faith work! Take the name of Jesus, resist the devil and he will flee from you! Forgive and you will be forgiven, etc… Believe and do God’s Word and pass the test!
Pass God’s test and loose God’s blessings abundantly in your life!
3. FAITH AGREES WITH GOD IN WORD AND DEED
Hebrews 3:1 tells us that Jesus is the Apostle and high priest of our confession. The word confession in this verse means “to agree with or to say the same thing.”
Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together except they be agreed.”
Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
I Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the GOOD CONFESSION in the presence of many witnesses.”
Christianity is known as the “great confession.” Certainly if we sin we are to confess our sins and receive forgiveness (I John 1:9). However, we must agree with God in every other area of life as well! We
must also agree with God and confess with our mouth that He has redeemed us and we are righteous.
By His stripes we were healed so we confess we are healed and walk in health. He has redeemed us from the curse which includes poverty. Therefore, we confess that our financial needs are met abundantly!
We agree with God not only in our confessions with our mouth, but we agree with God in our hearts and in our actions. If we believe God’s Word is true for us today, then we must also agree with God in our
actions! (James 2:26).
4. FAITH IS NOT OFFENDED
In the Amplified Bible, I Corinthians 13:5b says, “Love is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it-pays no attention to a suffered wrong.” In other words, loves does not allow itself to be offended.
One of the biggest problems in the body of Christ today is Christians getting “offended” with one another and with God. Consequently, the door is opened for the devil to operate in their lives and take them captive at his will and destroy them! (II Timothy 4:22-26).
Christians pay a high price when they allow themselves to be offended. Yielding to offense gives the devil opportunity to bring sickness, disease, poverty, accidents, destroy relationships and every sort of tragedy into their lives as the devil destroys them.
5.. FAITH WALKS IN LOVE
To walk in love is to walk with God for God is love (I John 4:8). Faith worketh by love (Gal. 5:6). If Jesus is to find faith when He returns to the earth, then we must walk in love. It is the only commandment we have in the New Covenant we have with God.
6. FAITH IS RICH TOWARDS GOD
Luke 12:13-34 speaks of the parable of the rich fool and what our attitude should be towards riches and towards God.
The rich fool was “seeking things” for himself. Verse 21 tells us that he was laying up treasures for himself, and that he was not rich towards God.
Verse 31 tells us to “seek God” and al these things (the very things the rich fool was seeking) will be added to you. Now, we are rich towards God AND rich in things!!! This is God’s will for us.
Our heart must be rich towards God, He must be our treasure, then all the earthly things we would ever need are ours, through the Blood Covenant that we have with Him.
Now in order for us to be “rich” towards God, we must be “rich” towards one another in our relationships because we are all members of His body! We must “seek one another in love first” and the things of
the world second. We must have our priorities right.
I once read a letter written by a truck driver who had driven off a cliff on a certain mountain highway. The accident could not be seen from the road so the truck driver died after many hours of waiting for
help that never arrived.
While he was dying he wrote a letter to his wife. In the letter he commented on how he had put the truck and making money first place in his life, how he had taken her for granted and didn’t spend the time
that he should have with her and the children. He closed his letter by saying, “I love you more than anything in life. I just forgot to tell you.”
The truck driver was not rich in his relationship towards his wife or God. He was seeking the things of life first. His priorities were wrong.
When Jesus comes back on the earth, will He find Christians rich towards God and one another in love? Faith is walking in love first of all and then these things shall be added unto us!
CONCLUSION
“…Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
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THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY JIM KASEMAN MINISTRIES, APRIL 1997, PAGES 1,2. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
