Doubt #1
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For many people - doubt is like a cuss word at church.
Men’s Retreat
Men’s Retreat
Doubt-ing
Men’s Video
For many people - doubt is like a cuss word at church.
For many people - doubt is like a cuss word at church.
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Voldemort in Harry Potter - He who must not be named.
Voldemort in Harry Potter - “He who must not be named”.
New Member Recognition Postponed to next week…
Here is something I want you to Remember
Honest Doubt is better than Phony Faith.
Here is something I want you to remember:
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Honest Doubt is better than Phony Faith.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Honest Doubt is better than Phony Faith
Are you ready for the WORD today?
Are you ready for the WORD today?
They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
Contrary
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But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see te nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
New Living Translation (NLT)
Doubt #1
They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
New Living Translation (NLT)
Doubt-ing
Doubt-ing
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
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28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
New Living Translation (NLT)
(NLT)
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
(Thomas) replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
Satan may tempt us to doubt Christ’s true identity. He knows that once we begin to question whether or not Jesus is God, it’s far easier to get us to do what he wants. Times of questioning can help us sort out our beliefs and strengthen our faith, but those times can also be dangerous. If you are dealing with doubt, be aware that you are especially vulnerable to temptation. Even as you search for answers, protect yourself by meditating on the unshakable truths of God’s Word.
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
What would it take for you to “sell out”? What is there in life that would cause you to compromise your faith? Whatever it is—sexual temptation, financial inducement, fear of alienating or offending someone—it will be placed in your path at some point. The enemy wants to destroy believers or at least neutralize them through sin, shame, and guilt. When that temptation rears its seductive head, do what Jesus did: rely on the Word of God and stand fast in your commitment to worship God alone, above all else. No matter the cost or the sacrifice, no matter how appealing the come-on, believers must follow Jesus’ example and stand strong.
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
For many people - doubt is like a cuss word at church.
STATS:
2 out 3 Christians admit to experiencing a season of spiritual doubt.
We treat doubt like Voldemort in Harry Potter - “He who must not be named”.
We think if we admit to doubt - we are going to struck by lightning and excommunicated from the church.
More than quarter of christ followers still find themselves doubting right now
Here is something I want you to remember:
The most common response to spiritual doubt is quit attending church altogether.
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What is our gameplan to get our of doubt?
“Honest doubt is better than phony faith”
Related Bible Verses:
Honest Doubts can be addressedPhony faith can’t be. You will never deal with a problem you don’t admit you have.Phony Faith will weaken the faith you do have.
Many of you are likely thinking that the punch line to this series - you just need to believe…
Spoiler alert* That is not what I am going to tell you.
In fact I will go one further - I will tell you can’t do that. Not sincerely. In other words you can’t just - ok I believe!
Doubt-ed
Wait - a minute pastor - I have heard you say that all belief is a choice - one billion times…
Why so many prayers go unanswered
That is 100% true - and I stand behind that - all belief is ultimately a choice. But let me explain how those choices work.
Your prayers will be hindered…
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Personally I never doubt if God can do anything. When I doubt I am doubting if he will…
How many of you enjoy a good magic show?
Magic (כשף, kshp (kesheph); μαγεία, mageia). Ritual manipulation of objects. The use of verbal formulas for the purpose of causing observable change by means of superhuman power. Witchcraft, socery…Dictionary . com the art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand, Card tricksSleight of hand…How many you believe it is real magic that you are seeing?
“Lord if you are willing…”
There is a line that we all cross with just about any belief that we ever have. That line is the acceptance of evidence.
Doubt-less
Magic stick story:
How do we get out of doubt?
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You can’t think of doubt as something that can be removed. That is called denial. It won’t work.
White JewelsColored JewelsDozen Tricks - I learned one.Rotate the stick really fast.
Think of it like this - How can you get the air out of this glass?
For a few - mostly kids - Believed I really changed the Jewels.
Pour it out?
Most adults - would make that face… You got me…
Wish it out?
I know you tricked - but I don’t know how.
Suck it out with a straw?
That’s why it’s called a trick.
Here is the inevitable reality - there is no way to remove the air from the glass without destroying the glass.
For the kids I had provided enough evidence for them to believe.
No matter how hard I try - I can never remove the air from this glass. However - as soon as I fill the glass with something else - the air forced out.
For the older ones - I had not. They still knew they were being tricked.
Doubt is the same way - you can never just stop doubting. Because you don’t like it. Doubt can only be forced out with evidence. I know you thought I would say faith. Doubt is not the opposite of faith.
What if I could have done the trick more slowly… no hands…
Faith is the combination of the belief and actions - therefore faith can have a number of opposite. Unbeleif and inactivity are both opposites to faith.
EVENTUALLY - they would be forced to admit that I had magical powers.
The opposite of doubt is confidence. The only thing that creates confidence is evidence.
That never happened - because I don’t…
You will never get to confidence by ignoring evidence. The only way there is to embrace evidence and allow God to make himself real to you.
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If you are confident that something can’t be done - you won’t try.
What I am going to show you in this series is that you can never just blindly accept that what you actually doubt.
If you confident that something can be done - you won’t stop trying.
Avoiding doubt will never produce faith.
That is why faith is not the opposite of doubt - it is the abundance of confidence.
What I am also going to show you in this series is how GENUINELY to get past doubt and into great belief which leads to great faith.
You don’t go from skepticism to true believer - in one step. Unless it is a really big step.
Side bar - I want to make sure we do not over conflate the words - Faith & Belief. Those are two different things.
Most of us go from skepticism to hope, hope to experience, experience to Knowledge. And there is FREEDOM there… You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
Faith is the combination of your beliefs and your action.
Knowledge is when you no longer think, or assume or ask - you know!
Doubt - does not make you bad person - it just means you are not convinced.
One of the most dangerous things you can do is to pretend to know something you really only hope… You cant fake yourself.
Statistically - when people are honest - we learn that doubt is nearly as prevalent inside the church as it is on the outside.
You can fake me, others and everyone one else - but if you lie to yourself you will get very disappointed.
STATS: According Barna Research
2 out 3 Christians admit to experiencing a season of spiritual doubt.More than quarter of christ followers still find themselves doubting right nowThe most common response to spiritual doubt is to quit attending church altogether.
Don’t run from hard questions - ask them!
We have to change our approach to doubt.
Search for them, research for them. Dig, discuss, pray, read…
There was a disciple named Thomas - who has a nickname - does anyone know what it is? Doubting Thomas.
…All who seek shall find…
We usually talking about poor Thomas with this pitiful arrogance - tsk tsk tsk - poor Thomas.
When did Jesus get frustrated with doubt? And when he didn’t
Thomas was not the only who doubted - He was the only one who said something.
Skepticism - Hope - Experience - Knowledge
“Honest doubt is better than phony faith”
Where is faith in the process? Faith is everywhere.
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When you act on hope - that is faith
(NLT)
When you act on experience that is faith
25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
I don’t know if God will but I know he did it before…
But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
When you act on knowledge that is faith
Thomas had guts - Thomas had character… I respect people who are honest about their doubts.
Have you ever been frustrated with God?Prayed for the sick and nothing happened?Ask for a miracle and it didn’t come?
I have prayed for people who are sick - and they didn’t get better, they died. Brutally honest series…
Next week I am going to specifically talk about why some prayers don’t get answered. One of my FAVs…
Lets go back to Thomas - Later we read that Jesus shows up and lays the hammer down on Doubting Thomas…
Screen PLEASE DON’T PUT UP EARLY…
(NLT)
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
In that moment Thomas crossed the line from wishing, hoping or even doubting - and because of the evidence - he CHOSE to BELIEVE.
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I am afraid I have to leave you hanging a bit in this message and maybe the next one too. But by the end of the last message I am going to tie all this together with a pretty bow and hand it to you.
You need to think of this as one long message vs. 3 shorter messages.
When we really truly believe something we rarely use the words I believe. Rarely. To say we believe means we are leaving a little room to be wrong. When we really believe something we cross another line - we KNOW it.
But there is a path we all take to get there.
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Skepticism - Hope - Experience - Knowledge
Not necessarily a linear path and you can go both ways.
Love -
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(NLT)
13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
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Would you give the Word of the Lord a big round of applause?
Stop Facebook Live while people applaud
There was a lot in this series I never got to… Unicorns.
Would you Bow your heads and close your eyes with me?
I believe that TODAY is a day of decision for many in here today.
A decision day to:
Maybe today you see yourself:
....
I want to pray with you...
Today as we pray I would like everyone to pray this prayer with me:
God I believe You're realI thank you for believing in meJesus, I believe you died for my sinI believe you rose to life again.Lord today I make a promise - I am not who I used to beI am born again
With Every eye still closed every head still bowed - if you today was your first time to say that prayer - you wanted to say it, you needed to say - and you are glad you said it - I want you to raise your hand right now....
Pray - EXIT…