Faith To Faith In the Darkened World by Brother Duke Hansen

         Good morning. If you could, turn your bibles to the book of Romans chapter 1. We will start reading at verse 16. The fall of man has occurred and continues to occur because man places more faith in himself rather than in God. As you take in what is happening around you both locally, nationally, and globally, please realize that the agenda of the devil isn't about building and executing laws for evil. He isn't content for the world to wax worse and worse, he wants to be out in the open and confrontational using man's inherent evil and narcissistic self. As a Christian, you need to recognize these surroundings, and not take up arms in fighting back against it for your family or your church. Your fight isn't using a weapon, it's using prayer every day to cover you and your house from the evil surrounding you. Paul is writing to the church in Rome in Romans. Rome draws defined parallels to our nation today. Too many of us though are either too distracted or blind to see this. 

        16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

        17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

        Those who walk by faith, living their life according to this word, the more difficult it is to discredit them. And they will know them by their fruits. If you don't put into practice what the words in the book say, then they are just words you read and you are wasting God's time. 

        18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

        19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.

        The only way you learn things is if you feel things in your flesh. Things like guilt, condemnation, heaviness. There are many self professed Christians who mourn more over sin and what they used to enjoy then they do rejoicing in what God delivered them from. 

        20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

        It doesn't matter how many gods you celebrate. One one died for you on the cross.

        21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

        What's the point of one God and it was Jesus? Jesus would provoke the Jews in his ministry because they had chased after their own lusts. You keep practicing your sin is crucifying Jesus afresh for you don't see him as your savior, but as a teacher or a storyteller. Some Christians still dabble in sin, and the sin which you are captured by may not affect others. Some sins in your life are curses which stretch back generations. We get haughty and think that we're smarter than those who came before us because of the accelerated progress in technology. We are dumber now in spite of that progress. 

        The world and even the church are filled with a lot of immature people. They never fully grew up emotionally or mentally. They flee from the realities of present day to the comfort of the past. God doesn't reward laziness with good he rewards it with absence. God demands fruitfulness and profit. Profit and build his kingdom and not yours. People are not good. Their nature is rooted in evil. They are either anointed or not. How backwards are we when can show displays of praise in the world with not a second thought, and in too many churches today there's a fear and reservation in just raising a hand in praise. Drop down to verse 24 of Romans 1.

        24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

        25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen.

        When God sees you love your flesh more than him, he turns you over to yourself and leaves you alone.

        26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

        27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was met.

        The problem is in carrying yourself in the world and retaining your testimony rather than just protecting yourself from sin. 

        28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

        29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

        These two verses are but the beginning of what God currently allows to live in the world today. Notice, this is the early church. What we see and are repelled by is nothing new. Sin has been always been present. You have sinners inviting you to do something wrong and then talking behind your back about it. That are not your friends.

        30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

        31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

        Without confidence in knowledge they place arrogance in their ignorance. There are people consumed in themselves. This type of person is called a narcissist. Whatever you experience, their experience is bigger, more intense, more whatever than yours. Watch yourself not to fall under this spirit and watch who you associate that may carry this spirit. Can you rejoice and celebrate someone else's accomplishments other than your own? That's a hard question for you to ask and examine yourself because this gets our flesh riled up and active.

        32 Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

        Knowing the judgement of God. This is the key verse for you to remember. Go to Acts chapter 28 and the 27th verse. Paul is in Rome and Luke is writing how as Paul was waiting, people were going to his lodging and listened to him expound and testify about the kingdom of God. Some of them believed and some didn't. Luke writes in verse 27

        27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

        This verse directly ties into books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Isaiah 6:10, Jeremiah 5:21, and Ezekiel 12:2 to be exact. Our biggest challenges as Christians is knowing the dangers of culture and protecting ourself and our household. You need to have true religion instead of just religion. Study these scriptures and hold onto the truth they bear. Look at your inner circle. Who are your trusted friends and confidants? Are they truly a friend or merely an acquaintance? 

        Be the Christian that breaks chains, overturning tables, and cleaning out his temple. As God tells Joshua numerous times Be strong and of good courage. We need to guard, foster this truth, mentor and pass it down to younger people. Should we not build places of remembrance in our life? We live faith to faith in life as we grow.