Lord Jesus and Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the opportunity to gather together and open your word and to study it. Please help us now as we get into your word. Open our hearts and minds so we can absorb what you have in store to give us. And help us to use it in our lives so we can grow closer to you and build our faith. Encourage us to share that with others as well. We direct all of it as we pray in Jesus' precious holy name. Amen. Continuing our Bible study from A to Z. Starting a new word. We'll go into the word believer. Well, let's begin over in Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 14, this one verse here, which is very interesting the way some of the Proverbs are laid out, they're broken up into the verses, and each verse sometimes has a different category in it. But this one, we'll just look at Proverbs chapter 14 in verse And it reads, the simple believeth every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his going. It's interesting here the way they have put this in the book here, the simple believer is One, not in the form of what you would use the word simplicity or being simple, but they're actually talking about somebody that hasn't put a lot of thought into something. Something is just on a whim or just casually or easily persuaded. Because that's what the point is trying to make here. It's the simple believeth every word. And like we have some folks that you can tell them something and without even giving it any study or thought or reasoning, just believe it, just because you said it, or because they hear it, or because they read it, or because they saw it on TV, or it was on the internet, or it was in the newspaper. Am I considering the source? I don't know where I picked that term up, consider the source, but I picked it up years and years ago. But I think that's very good advice. Consider the source. What is the source of the information that you want to believe in? The Word of God tells us to always test the spirits, to study. To be diligent, we need to research it. You need to be skeptical, not just believe anything that somebody says. Even if the person that's saying it has credibility or authority, you should still ask the Lord for understanding. Ask the Lord, is that correct? Because even what would be thought to be the wisest person of all time, Solomon himself that wrote many of these proverbs. He messed up completely in his later days when he got pulled away by his pagan wives. So I'm sure he said a lot of things that weren't so good there at times. Fortunately, we don't have to go study all those things. Some of the things he said was very wise. The only words that we can stand on truthfully and know 100% that you can believe them are the Word of God. Listening to the Holy Ghost. Anything else you need to question it. I love that billboard that used to be up on 460 there. Rainbow Forest Baptist Church put up a few years back. It had a big picture of the Bible. It said, big picture of the Bible and right below it said, the Bible. Read it for yourself. So that you're not totally dependent upon somebody else to give you the word. Or give you the definition or the understanding of the word. The Catholic Church got in a lot of trouble over this, you might say, or a lot of problems that they still have today because they fell into a time period in their history where they trusted only in the chosen people that were the church leaders. It was even considered heresy for the common man to even read the Word of God. And they kept it in the Latin, which they still use today, to try to keep it out of the hands of the common man. And then the common people would have to depend upon the dependability or the accuracy of the interpretation of the word by the one that they were listening to. And through that, as you know, through the history, they were able to abuse their power and so-called power and authority that they took and cause a lot of problem in history. So we all, each and every one of us, need to question everything, look at it, and study it. Because just like it says in 2 Timothy 2.15, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. In order to rightly divide the word of truth, you have to yourself study it. And when you read it, and you listen to it, and you hear it, or you see it, because there are so many ways that you can receive it and hear it into you, this technology of today, And hearing it preached, of course, or taught to you by a teacher, but always pray about it. Listen to the direction of the Holy Ghost so that when you choose to accept something as truth or as factual, you have a lot to base that on. Just go with every whim or every breeze that blows in different directions. And that's the point that he's trying to make here in this proverb, is that you must be into it so deep, like it says, the prudent man looketh well to his going. Look carefully. Don't just be led along blindly, being led by the blind. Alright, let's jump all the way over into Matthew. Of course, as I said, there's a lot that could be covered in the Old Testament concerning believer and believers, We'll try to hold a little bit closer to the outline and go to Matthew chapter 6. Let's pick it up in verse 25 here. Now these subjects here of the next few verses that we'll go into are references to those that are non-believers or someone who has chosen not to believe or does not have enough faith. Matthew chapter 6 verse 25 reads, ìTherefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on, is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his statute? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which is which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the moral, for the moral shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. So the key verse being back over there in verse 30 where it says, ìO ye of little faith.î So he was teaching the disciples here and he had made an encounter or had an encounter there with some others and he was pointing out the lack of their faith and trust and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, ultimate authority, the heavenly Father, the one whoís going to look out for us. When you see someone who is so worried, so enveloped and just paralyzed by fear is because they have little faith and faith and belief could be paralleled and know that if they truly believed and had the faith then they would not be afraid and they would not be worried about where the next meal is going to come from, or where their shelter is going to come from, knowing that they are one of the adopted children of God, and He's going to look out for them, no matter what the situation might be. It might look pretty bad. You might be going through some really challenging stuff, but know that the Lord's always going to look out for us, and we yield to His will, and ask for His strength, and He'll see us through whatever challenge we might be facing. Right on over into chapter 8, it continues on this, O ye of little faith, chapter 8 verse 23. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves, but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us, we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? In that ship was the one who spoke everything into existence. See, they had not yet received the Holy Ghost, they didn't have that full faith and understanding of who was right there in the ship with them. They could have all went down and took a nap too, not worried about it. But they were afraid. And he used this as a way to teach them, as it continues. Then he arose and he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? not yet filled with the Holy Ghost or filled with the faith and belief and trust that they would acquire later. Now on over into Matthew chapter 14, we see here another use of the term, O ye of little faith, concerning those that did not have enough belief, in Matthew chapter 14, pick it up in verse 22. In a straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him and to the other side while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray, and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit, and it cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. Now that took a lot of courage. That took a lot of faith and belief for Peter to do that, to go ahead and step on out. But notice what happens to Peter as it happens to so many people when they get distracted, when they get their eyes off of Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. The way that he saw the wind boisterous is he got his eyes off of Jesus. He looked around. He saw how bad things really were. So he started to sink. But fortunately for him, he had the faith and the belief and the trust in Jesus and His power to cry out to Him for help. Just as we need to do if we're so overwhelmed, even if we're overwhelmed in the fact that we don't have enough faith or belief, look to Jesus because He can reinforce and increase our faith and our belief. We have records in the Scriptures where the disciples ask the Lord to increase their faith, giving us the example. We can do that as well. increase our faith, trust in Him, look to Him, when we're swallowed up in all the problems that are all around us. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were coming to the ship, the wind ceased. And they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying of a truth, Thou art the Son of God." Alright, now turn over to the Gospel of Mark. Mark chapter 9. Here we get into another category of the potential of believers. Mark chapter 9, pick it up in verse 14. It reads, And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit. And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away. And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him. And when he saw him straightway, the spirit tear him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, how long is it ago since this came to him? And he said, of a child. And oft times it hath cast him into the fire and into waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." That's where he's speaking of the category here, of the potential of believers. If you have the faith, if you have the belief, as he says here, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out and said, with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. Notice he included that, help thou my unbelief. If we merely ask Him to, He will. He'll strengthen our faith, He'll increase our belief, and bless us. He merely wants us to come to Him and ask, eagerly and sincerely wanting to. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him, and he was as one dead, insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing but prayer and fasting. Alright, let's roll right into Mark chapter 11 as it continues with this potential of believers in chapter 11 verse 12. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came. If happily he might find anything thereon. And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And jump on over to verse 20. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursed us is withered away. And Jesus answering, saith unto him, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." The potential for believers, if we fully and truly trust in the Lord, in His power, in His might, not our own, but in His, then, as he says, all things are possible. And he teaches us how our faith can grow in Luke chapter 17. Two verses here and then we'll back up into Matthew and cover the same subject that's recorded in Matthew as well. In Luke chapter 17 verses 5 and 6, And the apostle said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. This is what I mentioned earlier. He was asking them, increase our faith, increase our faith. That's something we ought to be doing continuously because we all could use a boost of faith. And the apostle said unto the Lord, increase our faith. And the Lord said, if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you. Alright, now flip right on back to Matthew chapter 17, because it's the same subject matter about the mustard seed here as it continues to teach them in this. In Matthew chapter 17, pick it up in verse 14. And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic, and sore vexed, and oftentimes he falleth into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered, and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him, and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and saying, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief, For verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Talking about a mustard seed, it's a tiny little seed, but yet it'll grow into this massive bush-like tree and capable even for birds to land in it from just a tiny little particle of a seed. Like a plant that came up in my garden this past year. the castor beans plant. And we had planted some the year before about 20 feet from my garden. And apparently some of those seed pods had made their way over to my vegetable garden. And that thing come up and grew faster than anything else in the garden. And by the season was over, that thing was about 16 feet tall and about 12 foot wide. And it was about four and a half inch diameter at the base. It was like a piece of firewood when I cut the bottom of it off and cut it up. And it all grew in just one summer. It was amazing. It all come from a seed about the size of a soup bean, but this huge tree-like, because the branches were big, big around. It was beautiful, and it was growing so quickly and so well, and the deer didn't eat it, so I thought, wow, I finally have something in my garden that the deer won't eat. So, I let it grow, just to see what it would do. It was an amazing plant. But that's what He's teaching us here, that it just takes a little bit, but when it's in the right place and it's nurtured properly, it can grow into something great, just as our faith. If we put our faith in the right place, that is, in Jesus Christ, our faith in Jesus Christ, and it be nurtured by studying of the Word and by the Holy Ghost, that faith can grow into something great and continually nurture that through the study and the association with the Lord and that will grow as it needs to and grow into something great and mighty and beneficial. And that's the lesson that he's teaching us here with the mustard seed. But as you can see, there's a lot of ways that this word believer can be applied in the Scriptures, all through the Scriptures, from those that have no belief, from those that don't have enough belief, to those that have full and complete belief. and trust in Jesus Christ. As we see as we go through the Scriptures and we get into the book of Acts and we get into some of the writings of Peter and Paul and the other apostles, those of great belief, those of great faith, and then even some of the guidelines that you can find in the Scriptures about how believers should behave and how they should share that belief and how they can use that to bring honor and glory to the Lord and how their belief is a good witness to those around. What kind of witness are you if you display that you don't have any faith or belief to others around, then they're looking at you thinking, well, you're the Christian, you don't even believe in your own God, then you must not be much of a Christian. So the belief that we display to others is very important so that we can have a good testimony. So we will continue to study deeper into this word. But we are out of time, so let's go ahead and pray. Lord Jesus and Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for your word. It is so powerful. All the way through from the beginning to the end, there's so many things in here that we need to take the time to dig deep into and understand and to apply to our lives and to share with others. We thank you so much for the opportunity to give us to be able to do that very thing, help us to help others have that as well. So many places in this world, they have to do it secretly or under the fear of being executed or imprisoned or other terrible tortures that would come upon them if they were to openly study. Thank you so much for this country that we can openly study your word and share it with others as well. Lead, guide, direct us always. Give us the boldness to step up and proclaim You as our Lord and Savior this week. As we pray in Jesus' precious holy name. Amen.