Acts of Faith Part 3

Message Review

Main points and scriptures from this week's message.

• Is it enough just to believe something in our heart, or does it matter if we act on it?

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) 
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 

• "Those who SEEK him." The writers are inferring that faith is accompanied by action. 

James 2:17 (ESV) 
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Acts of faith are the steps we take to seek God, to know Him, and honor Him. The both lead us to Him, and they please Him. They are more than just behavior, they are seeds that we plant that tell life what to give back to us. 

Galatians 6:7–8 (NIV)
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

The type of seed we sow is up to us. There are good seeds and bad seeds. But the following is true of every seed:

• A seed's potential is never realized until it is sown. 

There are many types of seeds we can sow in life. Prayers, Spiritual Disciplines, time, money, attention are all examples of the seeds we can either sow, or not sow. 

Here are some tips on how to be effective sowers. 

1. Sow seeds with confidence that something is happening even when it seems like nothing is happening. 

Most of us are not farmers, but maybe you have planted a physical seed before. You put it in the ground, cover it with dirt, and then you see nothing. Yet we have confidence that something is happening under the surface. Eventually that seed will grow and produce something. Some seeds produce fruit relatively fast, and others take years. A tomato can take 2-3 months, asparagus takes 3-5 years, and an avocado tree can take 5-17 years before it produces fruit. 

Have confidence that something is happening on your behalf if you are sowing seeds.

Hebrews 10:35 (NIV)
Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

2. In order to keep growing, we must keep sowing.

Consistency and persistence is key. Keep on keeping on. This means we are always planting, tending, and cultivating our seeds of faith. 

EXAMPLE: Farmers have plots within their fields for consistently growing the same crops at different intervals as well as different crops during certain times. This way different crops will be at different stages at any given time. The idea is to avoid a feast-or-famine situation where the entire crop comes in at once and then is done. It's much better to have a steady supply ready for harvest. Smaller farmers or gardeners also do something called succession planting to make consistent and efficient use of each space. With this method, there is never an unplanted area in the vegetable plot. As soon as one crop is harvested, the space is immediately replanted with a different crop.

This is the same with our lives, we want to continue planting. Perpetual seed planting has a compounding effect on our lives. 

Ecclesiastes 11:4–6 (NIV) 
Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap . . . Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.

3. Don't allow weariness to convince you to walk away from your harvest. 

I need my faith to be the strongest when my weariness is the loudest. While it is true that some harvest takes longer than others, due season is a promise from God. 

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I think some of you need a reminder that your due season is not far off! You have been doing, sowing, investing, and your harvest is closer than you think. 

There is a powerful word picture in Psalms. 

Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV)
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

Message Discussion Questions

Read the following guidelines before starting your group discussion.

• Answer the question specifically. Avoid tangents and try to stay on target.
• Limit your responses to 1-2 minutes per question.
• Use I, me, or we statements. This is a time for personal reflection, not a time to fix others.
• Each person is free to share without interruptions when sharing within the suggested guidelines. 

The following questions will help guide your discussions and give your group some opportunities to open up and share.

• Does knowing that your faith will result in action make you feel pressure to perform or confident that you will perform. 
• In what ways are you actively "seeking" God? Where do you want to get better at "seeking" Him?
• What seeds have you planted that have not shown fruit yet? Is it hard for you to have faith that it will someday produce fruit?
• What areas of your life do you want to plant more seeds in? (Relationships, Finances, Family, Health, Spiritual, Serving)
• Do you ever feel weary of doing good? How do you fight through it?
• Talk about your ideal harvest. What does your best life look like in 10 years?
• Now work backwards from your ideal harvest. What seed do you need to plant now to get to where you want to be 10 years from now. 

Live It Out

Encourage your group to start doing. Commit to a step, and live it out this week.

• Write down your ideal harvest for what your best life looks like 10 years from now and put it on your mirror or somewhere visible in your home where you will see if every day. 
• Every morning pray over that harvest. 
• Develop a list of seeds you need to plant to realize your harvest. Instead of checking them off like a "to-do" list, put tally mark every time you plant that seed and continue to perpetually plant seeds. 

Closing Thoughts

• Finish group with prayer requests and praise reports.
• More resources always available here: Small Group Resources