1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:13,850 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're so glad 2 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,570 Speaker 1: to have you listening. I'm Lynette Kittle, and today's topic 3 00:00:17,730 --> 00:00:22,389 Speaker 1: is A Faith That Survives the First Frost. We'll be 4 00:00:22,450 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: right back after a brief message from our sponsor. A 5 00:00:39,220 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: Faith That Survives the First Frost. Written and read by 6 00:00:43,659 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: Lynette Kittle. Now faith is confidence in what we hope for, 7 00:00:49,100 --> 00:00:55,100 Speaker 1: and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11.1 8 00:00:55,740 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: What kind of faith do we have? Does it hold 9 00:00:58,660 --> 00:01:02,690 Speaker 1: fast and deepen through the seasons of life? Or does 10 00:01:02,770 --> 00:01:07,270 Speaker 1: it change like the weather? Do darker, colder days send 11 00:01:07,330 --> 00:01:11,450 Speaker 1: a chill over our hearts? and send us downward with 12 00:01:11,510 --> 00:01:20,300 Speaker 1: our circumstances, disappointments, failures, and losses. Likewise, do great successes 13 00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: and joy cause us to feel like we're doing pretty 14 00:01:23,620 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: well on our own? What causes us to take our 15 00:01:28,220 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: eyes off Jesus? Do we let unexpected life events make 16 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 1: our faith waver, or do we stay steadfast and draw 17 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: nearer to God? In times of distress, as well as joy, 18 00:01:43,620 --> 00:01:47,460 Speaker 1: James 4.8 urges, Come near to God, and He will 19 00:01:47,500 --> 00:01:51,750 Speaker 1: come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and 20 00:01:51,810 --> 00:01:56,890 Speaker 1: purify your hearts, you double-minded. If we find our faith 21 00:01:56,990 --> 00:02:01,530 Speaker 1: changing and falling, off like leaves after autumn's first frost, 22 00:02:02,250 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: we'll want to survey our hearts and minds and see 23 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: what's leading our belief and trust in God. to fluctuate 24 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: like the blowing wind. As James 1, 6-8 warns, But 25 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because 26 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, 27 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not 28 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person 29 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:37,470 Speaker 1: is double-minded and unstable in all they do. Jesus recognizes 30 00:02:37,550 --> 00:02:43,610 Speaker 1: how in some Faith fluctuates, asking in Luke 18.8, However, 31 00:02:44,130 --> 00:02:47,209 Speaker 1: when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith 32 00:02:47,430 --> 00:02:50,630 Speaker 1: on the earth? The world has a way of wearing 33 00:02:50,669 --> 00:02:57,030 Speaker 1: people's faith down. Jesus explains how that happens in Matthew 24.12. 34 00:02:57,030 --> 00:03:00,810 Speaker 1: Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most 35 00:03:00,889 --> 00:03:06,820 Speaker 1: will grow cold. As Hebrews 3.12 warns believers, See to it, 36 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, 37 00:03:10,300 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Even so, 38 00:03:15,900 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: as 2 Timothy 2.13 explains, if we are faithless, he 39 00:03:21,660 --> 00:03:27,030 Speaker 1: remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. So what kind 40 00:03:27,090 --> 00:03:31,370 Speaker 1: of faith survives through the first frost and beyond? The 41 00:03:31,430 --> 00:03:36,210 Speaker 1: following is a description of the five characteristics it takes. 42 00:03:37,030 --> 00:03:42,390 Speaker 1: Number one. Surviving faith sets its mind on Jesus. Locking 43 00:03:42,450 --> 00:03:46,580 Speaker 1: our gaze on Jesus keeps our hearts and minds set 44 00:03:46,740 --> 00:03:52,380 Speaker 1: on Him. As Colossians 3.2 urges, set your minds on 45 00:03:52,460 --> 00:03:59,750 Speaker 1: things above, not on earthly things. As well, Hebrews 12.2 urges, 46 00:04:00,750 --> 00:04:04,830 Speaker 1: fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, 47 00:04:05,430 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: for the joy set before Him He endured the cross, 48 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,290 Speaker 1: scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand 49 00:04:13,450 --> 00:04:19,630 Speaker 1: of the throne of God. 2. Surviving faith stays steadfast. 50 00:04:20,350 --> 00:04:23,370 Speaker 1: It's our choice when it comes to standing firm and 51 00:04:23,450 --> 00:04:29,740 Speaker 1: staying steadfast in our faith. Colossians 1.23 describes what we 52 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: need to do. If you continue in your faith, established 53 00:04:34,660 --> 00:04:37,580 Speaker 1: and firm, and do not move from the hope, held 54 00:04:37,660 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you 55 00:04:40,740 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under 56 00:04:44,540 --> 00:04:48,510 Speaker 1: heaven and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. 57 00:04:49,490 --> 00:04:53,910 Speaker 1: Number three, surviving faith holds on to hope. Holding on 58 00:04:53,930 --> 00:04:57,290 Speaker 1: to hope keeps us from swerving back and forth in 59 00:04:57,370 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: our faith. As Hebrews 10.23 urges, let us hold unswervingly 60 00:05:03,100 --> 00:05:07,690 Speaker 1: to the hope we profess For he who promised is faithful. 61 00:05:08,830 --> 00:05:14,210 Speaker 1: Number four, surviving faith spreads to others. When our faith survives, 62 00:05:14,770 --> 00:05:18,099 Speaker 1: it can't stay contained within us because there is too 63 00:05:18,140 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: much life in it to keep silent. Faith that survives 64 00:05:22,140 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: finds ways to share with others, even while we're still 65 00:05:25,860 --> 00:05:31,250 Speaker 1: growing in it. Acts 18.25 tells us of a passionate 66 00:05:31,310 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: Jewish leader in Ephesus named Apollos. who couldn't keep his 67 00:05:36,310 --> 00:05:40,150 Speaker 1: faith quiet, even though he was still learning and growing 68 00:05:40,250 --> 00:05:43,890 Speaker 1: in his relationship with God. He had been instructed in 69 00:05:43,930 --> 00:05:46,330 Speaker 1: the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great 70 00:05:46,430 --> 00:05:50,890 Speaker 1: fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only 71 00:05:51,310 --> 00:05:57,630 Speaker 1: the baptism of John. 5. Surviving Faith Prays Continually A 72 00:05:58,550 --> 00:06:02,100 Speaker 1: faith that keeps praying takes us through the seasons of life. 73 00:06:02,740 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: As Paul urges, in Ephesians 6.18, and pray in the 74 00:06:07,339 --> 00:06:11,750 Speaker 1: Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. 75 00:06:12,610 --> 00:06:15,850 Speaker 1: With this in mind, be alert and always keep on 76 00:06:15,930 --> 00:06:20,890 Speaker 1: praying for all the Lord's people. Intersecting Faith and Life 77 00:06:21,610 --> 00:06:25,450 Speaker 1: Does your faith waver at times? If so, commit to 78 00:06:25,500 --> 00:06:29,700 Speaker 1: building a surviving faith that weathers the first frost and 79 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:34,930 Speaker 1: much more. Further Reading a prayer to deepen and strengthen 80 00:06:35,130 --> 00:06:42,610 Speaker 1: your faith. Thanks for listening to today's devotional. 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