Sometimes you do doubt, even when you love God with all your heart. The prophet Jeremiah certainly loved God, but when the Babylonians overran Jerusalem in 586 BC, he surely had a “bout of doubt”. In Lamentations 5:20 he cried, "Why do You forget us forever; why do You forsake us for so long?" Doubt is definitely a problem—a big problem. God calls it sin. Fight it with all your might. Know the occasions of doubt; know the sources of doubt and above all, know the cure for doubt, all of which we will discuss in our sermon today. Remember, even though we sometimes hate to admit it, all doubt can be traced to unbelief in God’s word. Confess that sin to God and move on from there to be immersed in God’s word, then examine yourself and pray like never before! References: Ephesians 4:18-19; James 1:8; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Kings 18:21; Romans 14:23; Hebrews 11:6; II Corinthians 13:5; Hebrews 6:1-9; I Timothy 4:13; II Timothy 3:16; Matthew 26:41; I Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12; Luke 24:38,49 (Listen to entire sermon below.) If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS.
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In the Bible, the book of James concentrates on faith and works. Both subjects have often been misunderstood, but as we go through this series, God will surely enlighten our hearts. Right up front, though, we need to understand a few principles cited in James: faith without works is dead; dead faith is worse than no faith at all; faith must work, must produce and must be visible; and lastly, verbal and mental faith is not enough, it must inspire action. Faith is more than just “believing”. The original meaning of the word was closer to “binding” and that is what faith really is…being “bound” to Jesus Christ. Are you “bound” or just hanging around? In James 1, we are encouraged to consider it pure joy when various trials are encountered because God has a plan and there are definite purposes for your tribulations. Endurance, perfect results, wisdom and the crown of life are all the benefits of those trials. But we must do all this in faith, without doubting or double mindedness – tough row to hoe, but absolutely essential in clinching that “binding” to Jesus. Listen in to the sermon and get some more golden nuggets from the Lord. (Originally recorded 11/20/13.) If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS. © http://www.123rf.com We so often feel that way when grief and struggles assail us. But we must be reminded that when overwhelmed…REMEMBER GOD’S GREATNESS! (Read Psalm 77:7-15 and Exodus 14:1-31) So, don’t get caught up in the details of your circumstances…get caught up in the greatness of God. We so often shake a fist at God because He didn’t stop the devastation or the “extreme circumstance”. But stop and think…if He is in total control, then your extreme circumstance isn’t “extreme” to Him! And, just because things didn’t work according to your plan, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t His plan! In the Scriptures noted, we see that the Israelites panicked when the Egyptian army was roaring down on them. They forgot so quickly what God had just delivered them from in their years of slavery and deprivation. By looking at the details of the situation instead of looking to God first, they were consumed in fear instead of faith. God’s love and plan won out and He rescued them again…just like He will for you. Lesson learned: Don’t get caught up in the details of your circumstances…get caught up in the greatness of God. LISTEN TO AUDIOIf you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS.
Doubt is certainly a dark place to be. The real problem though is not in the object doubted but in the subject who doubts! There is a lot more going on with doubt than meets the eye—just like with an iceberg…you see only the tip of it. When we doubt God it just may be because there are underlying issues in our hearts:
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That is the usual response from most sane people...no one looks forward to suffering. But can we learn something in it and gain something from it? The Book of Job certainly covers the issue and answers many questions regarding suffering. Just the word “suffering” brings a creepy, crawly feeling to most. So much so, we prefer to do without it forever! But let’s look a bit closer at the reality of suffering. It is really a two-sided coin. On one side, suffering could be seen as coming from God to bring out the best in us (squeezing the grapes to make wine, so to speak). On the other, it could be seen as Satan trying to use the same circumstance to bring out the worst in us. Your response to suffering can be to despise it, faint under it or receive instruction from it. If you realize the purposes of suffering, then maybe, just maybe, you can receive instruction from it. “Purposes” to suffering—yes, I said purposes to suffering. They are to produce fruit (patience, knowledge and maturity), to silence Satan, to glorify God, to become more like Jesus, to teach us dependence on God, to refine our lives, to rebuke our sin and to enlarge our ability to minister to others who are suffering. In Hebrews 12:11, we are told that discipline is sorrowful but if you are trained by it, it yields the fruit of righteousness. The entire Book of Job is glorious, really, when you see what God does to Job in his sufferings and the changes that came about in his life…it explains so very much and shows God’s supreme wisdom. Of course, we all know the ending...Job not only changes but has his health and his wealth restored to him doubly. Read Job 1-42, it’ll do a body good! Also, listen to the attached audio of the sermon and be blessed. Audio: (Click forward button below to play audio of message and/or download mp3 file.)
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Quick Access to Previous Message on the Study of Job: If you missed the first part of this two-part study, here is a quick link: Job - How God Turns Suffering and Loss Into Joy and Gain.
In the account of Job, we see a man who had everything. He was a man who loved God and was blessed mightily by Him. Satan, of course, didn’t like any of that and challenged God regarding Job. Satan accused Job of loving God only because Job had been blessed. He intimates that God used those blessings to bribe Job into loving Him. God proves His point in this account and allows Satan to torment Job, but not to take his life. Satan gladly obliges and throws it all at Job causing him to lose everything, even his health. But Job refuses to stop loving God. Job is tormented, he complains, he questions God, etc., but he never stops loving God and acknowledging God’s greatness. We all know the end of this story...even though Job lost everything, God restored him many times over. Job never got his original kids or servants or business back, but he received many times over a NEW and wonderful life to live. God is great and gracious in all His ways. He loves us and knows the depth of our suffering. Our problem is that we don’t wait long enough for God to fix or restore what is broken and lost. And, sometimes, even though things may never get fixed or restored, He will give you the strength and courage to get through it all and STILL have NEW life of joy and gain to make up for the suffering and loss. Joni Erickson was paralyzed in a diving accident at 15 years old. She never got the use of her body restored, but God blessed her with a determined spirit and a whole new life that she says would never have existed if she were not paralyzed from the neck down! She is a singer, artist, speaker, and philanthropist. She is married, and she and her husband started an organization that repairs old wheelchairs and delivers them to paralyzed youths in poor countries. Wow—what was taken away in one way was totally restored in another. Don’t try to figure God out...just let Him work His marvelous ways in your life. To Him be all the glory! (Scripture Reference: Job) Audio:(Click forward button below to play audio of message and/or download mp3 file.)
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God's say-so is the title of Oswald Chambers' daily devotional reading for June 5. This message is based on Hebrews 13:5-6, "Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.' So that we confidently (KJV - boldly) say, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what shall man do to me?'" Mr. Chambers comments that "My say-so is to be built on God's say-so. God says - 'I will never leave thee,' then I can with good courage say - 'The Lord is my helper, I will not fear' - I will not be haunted by apprehension." To haunt means to come to mind continuously, to pursue relentlessly, to harass. Apprehension means to be fearful or have uneasy anticipation of the future; to dread. In obedience to God's Word, followers of Jesus Christ can experience a life of freedom and emancipation from fear and doubt. Jesus did not do anything apart from His Father's say-so and we, as believers, are to do (practice) the same! Audio: (Click forward button below to play audio of sermon and/or download mp3 file.)
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