Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 392.<\/p>\n
2
\n00:00:05,520 –> 00:00:08,520
\ndoubt.
\nHere are some of the thoughts <\/p>\n
3
\n00:00:08,520 –> 00:00:10,600
\nthat you shared with me from
\nyesterday’s class. <\/p>\n
4
\n00:00:10,600 –> 00:00:14,320
\nThank you everybody.
\nWe had 22 people who were able <\/p>\n
5
\n00:00:14,320 –> 00:00:16,360
\nto figure out a QR.
\nThat was really nice. <\/p>\n
6
\n00:00:17,720 –> 00:00:20,320
\nPaul needed help, but otherwise
\nwe got it. <\/p>\n
7
\n00:00:22,360 –> 00:00:25,800
\nOne person said doubt is the
\nother side of the coin of faith.<\/p>\n
8
\n00:00:26,840 –> 00:00:28,880
\nBoth are necessary with
\ncertainty. <\/p>\n
9
\n00:00:28,880 –> 00:00:32,040
\nYou don’t need faith.
\nDoubt is what shows the need for<\/p>\n
10
\n00:00:32,040 –> 00:00:36,160
\nfaith.
\nSomeone said my doubts come from<\/p>\n
11
\n00:00:36,160 –> 00:00:39,480
\nexpecting everyone to be nicely
\nwrapped up in a parcel. <\/p>\n
12
\n00:00:42,840 –> 00:00:44,760
\nI’m actually going to talk about
\nthat today because it’s one of <\/p>\n
13
\n00:00:44,760 –> 00:00:48,480
\nmy issues.
\nI’m also more apt to seek God <\/p>\n
14
\n00:00:48,480 –> 00:00:51,520
\nwhen having doubts.
\nHaving the feeling of <\/p>\n
15
\n00:00:51,520 –> 00:00:56,280
\nuncertainty before had me
\nfearful of being alone, but I <\/p>\n
16
\n00:00:56,280 –> 00:00:59,440
\nrealized to stand alone before
\nGod made my faith my own. <\/p>\n
17
\n00:01:00,320 –> 00:01:04,319
\nI realized I wasn’t truly alone.
\nGod was with me in my doubt. <\/p>\n
18
\n00:01:07,120 –> 00:01:09,560
\nTalking about thoughts and
\nfeelings of doubt has made me <\/p>\n
19
\n00:01:09,560 –> 00:01:14,440
\nvulnerable.
\nTry standing up here and doing <\/p>\n
20
\n00:01:14,440 –> 00:01:17,840
\nit.
\nBut the insight and thoughts <\/p>\n
21
\n00:01:17,840 –> 00:01:20,280
\nfrom others were the most
\nmemorable of moments from which <\/p>\n
22
\n00:01:20,280 –> 00:01:26,640
\nI learned and I will cherish.
\nI have learned to not see doubt <\/p>\n
23
\n00:01:26,640 –> 00:01:29,400
\nas a bad thing.
\nDoubt in our society is viewed <\/p>\n
24
\n00:01:29,400 –> 00:01:32,200
\nas a weakness.
\nTruth be known, we all have our <\/p>\n
25
\n00:01:32,200 –> 00:01:33,480
\ndoubts.
\nJust admit it. <\/p>\n
26
\n00:01:33,800 –> 00:01:38,440
\nTalk to God about it.
\nThe doubt lane can merge onto <\/p>\n
27
\n00:01:38,440 –> 00:01:40,400
\nthe freeway of faith and a
\nheartbeat. <\/p>\n
28
\n00:01:41,800 –> 00:01:43,640
\nThat’s almost like a bumper
\nsticker right there. <\/p>\n
29
\n00:01:44,680 –> 00:01:47,560
\nThe doubt lane can merge under
\nthe freeway of faith and a <\/p>\n
30
\n00:01:47,560 –> 00:01:53,040
\nheartbeat.
\nWhen you when you come to doubt,<\/p>\n
31
\n00:01:53,040 –> 00:01:58,120
\nyou know, really honestly
\ndoubting what you were always so<\/p>\n
32
\n00:01:58,120 –> 00:02:03,880
\ncertain about is it’s probably
\nthe hardest thing you’ll, you <\/p>\n
33
\n00:02:03,880 –> 00:02:05,200
\nknow, one of the hardest things
\nyou’ll do. <\/p>\n
34
\n00:02:06,560 –> 00:02:10,400
\nKelly and I always laugh about
\nwhether things are actually <\/p>\n
35
\n00:02:10,400 –> 00:02:13,600
\nchanging or whether we’re just
\ngetting older and realizing that<\/p>\n
36
\n00:02:13,600 –> 00:02:15,400
\nthings are changing.
\nYou know, it’s like, oh, wow, <\/p>\n
37
\n00:02:15,400 –> 00:02:18,440
\nthat’s kind of weird.
\nAnd I don’t know which one it <\/p>\n
38
\n00:02:18,440 –> 00:02:23,280
\nis, but it sure feels like
\nlately there’s a trend in our <\/p>\n
39
\n00:02:23,280 –> 00:02:27,680
\ncommunity of people leaving the
\nChristelphian faith and joining <\/p>\n
40
\n00:02:27,720 –> 00:02:31,640
\nother churches.
\nWe’ve always had people leave in<\/p>\n
41
\n00:02:31,640 –> 00:02:34,320
\nthe past.
\nWe’re all been used to that. <\/p>\n
42
\n00:02:34,520 –> 00:02:37,760
\nBut in my experience, it was
\ntypically someone who was just <\/p>\n
43
\n00:02:37,760 –> 00:02:41,600
\ndisconnected from the faith and
\nthey were just leaving the, you <\/p>\n
44
\n00:02:41,600 –> 00:02:44,240
\nknow, the religious life
\nentirely. <\/p>\n
45
\n00:02:44,520 –> 00:02:48,080
\nThe you might say the cares of
\nlife cause them to drift away <\/p>\n
46
\n00:02:48,080 –> 00:02:51,720
\nand and they weren’t involved in
\nany other religious service. <\/p>\n
47
\n00:02:52,160 –> 00:02:56,320
\nAnd today it seems to be more
\nand more of our loved ones whose<\/p>\n
48
\n00:02:56,320 –> 00:02:59,600
\nfaith is strong, but they feel
\ncompelled to pursue their <\/p>\n
49
\n00:02:59,600 –> 00:03:03,240
\nreligious walk in a different
\ncommunity and and they and they <\/p>\n
50
\n00:03:03,240 –> 00:03:06,160
\nleave the Chris elephants and
\njoin a different church. <\/p>\n
51
\n00:03:07,480 –> 00:03:11,600
\nOf all the catastrophes and
\ncalamities that can shipwreck <\/p>\n
52
\n00:03:11,600 –> 00:03:15,800
\nyour faith.
\nIt’s this continual assault of <\/p>\n
53
\n00:03:15,800 –> 00:03:19,880
\nnews of friends who are no
\nlonger fellowshipping with us, <\/p>\n
54
\n00:03:20,440 –> 00:03:23,840
\nfellowshipping with us that’s
\nreally rocked my faith the most.<\/p>\n
55
\n00:03:25,920 –> 00:03:28,680
\nEveryone’s different, you know,
\nyou’re all on your own personal <\/p>\n
56
\n00:03:28,680 –> 00:03:30,640
\njourney.
\nYou’re affected differently by <\/p>\n
57
\n00:03:30,640 –> 00:03:34,120
\ndifferent things.
\nAnd it may not bother you, but <\/p>\n
58
\n00:03:34,120 –> 00:03:38,400
\nit’s, it’s bothered me, My own
\nwife, we, we, it doesn’t bother <\/p>\n
59
\n00:03:38,400 –> 00:03:42,800
\nher as much as it bothers me.
\nIt’s AI understand that that’s <\/p>\n
60
\n00:03:42,800 –> 00:03:44,880
\nit.
\nWe’re different and, and, and <\/p>\n
61
\n00:03:44,880 –> 00:03:48,160
\nphilosophically, like
\nacademically, emotionally, <\/p>\n
62
\n00:03:48,160 –> 00:03:52,040
\nspiritually, I not emotionally,
\nspiritually, I kind of agree. <\/p>\n
63
\n00:03:52,040 –> 00:03:56,320
\nI understand that, you know, I
\nunderstand why some of my <\/p>\n
64
\n00:03:56,320 –> 00:03:58,840
\nfriends are no longer attending
\na Christophian meeting. <\/p>\n
65
\n00:03:59,320 –> 00:04:01,760
\nAnd, and for some of them and
\nsome of the circumstances, I <\/p>\n
66
\n00:04:01,760 –> 00:04:04,000
\nagree with it.
\nI would have made the same call <\/p>\n
67
\n00:04:04,000 –> 00:04:12,120
\nmyself.
\nI also understand that I miss <\/p>\n
68
\n00:04:12,120 –> 00:04:16,240
\nthem and and I’m not, I’m not
\nlike a, you know, overly social <\/p>\n
69
\n00:04:16,240 –> 00:04:17,920
\nperson.
\nI’m what you call an extroverted<\/p>\n
70
\n00:04:17,920 –> 00:04:20,880
\nintrovert.
\nSo you see me performing and <\/p>\n
71
\n00:04:20,880 –> 00:04:24,040
\nmaking a joke and you think I’m,
\nyou know, I’m an extrovert. <\/p>\n
72
\n00:04:24,040 –> 00:04:27,680
\nBut really I kind of enjoy being
\nalone, prefer just to be alone <\/p>\n
73
\n00:04:27,680 –> 00:04:28,720
\nright now, actually, matter of
\nfact. <\/p>\n
74
\n00:04:31,880 –> 00:04:34,560
\nSo it’s not, it’s not like I’m
\nnot like I’m really socially <\/p>\n
75
\n00:04:34,560 –> 00:04:36,480
\nconnected and I miss them in
\nthat sense. <\/p>\n
76
\n00:04:36,480 –> 00:04:39,480
\nIt’s just, and I, and then I
\nstart to wonder, Well, maybe <\/p>\n
77
\n00:04:39,480 –> 00:04:43,800
\nit’s is it making me question my
\nbelief? <\/p>\n
78
\n00:04:43,880 –> 00:04:46,400
\nLike, why am I here?
\nYou know, Gee, that guy was <\/p>\n
79
\n00:04:46,400 –> 00:04:48,880
\npretty smart and he left.
\nHow come I’m still here? <\/p>\n
80
\n00:04:56,290 –> 00:05:00,810
\nSomething else might be
\naffecting you and I don’t know <\/p>\n
81
\n00:05:00,810 –> 00:05:03,890
\nwhat it is.
\nBut the point is that things <\/p>\n
82
\n00:05:03,890 –> 00:05:08,850
\ncome along in life that make you
\nquestion, that make you feel <\/p>\n
83
\n00:05:09,050 –> 00:05:13,800
\nless certain than used to be.
\nFeeling something that we’ve <\/p>\n
84
\n00:05:13,800 –> 00:05:17,080
\nbeen familiar with our whole
\nlife start to unravel is <\/p>\n
85
\n00:05:17,080 –> 00:05:19,880
\nupsetting.
\nIt’s frightening, it’s <\/p>\n
86
\n00:05:19,880 –> 00:05:24,360
\nunsettling, it’s disorienting.
\nMaybe. <\/p>\n
87
\n00:05:24,880 –> 00:05:30,920
\nMaybe I’m not smart enough.
\nMaybe I’ve been faking it for 22<\/p>\n
88
\n00:05:30,920 –> 00:05:34,680
\nyears.
\nMaybe I haven’t memorized enough<\/p>\n
89
\n00:05:34,680 –> 00:05:37,000
\nBible verses.
\nMaybe I need to go to a Bible <\/p>\n
90
\n00:05:37,000 –> 00:05:39,760
\nclass more often.
\nThe assumption is when you start<\/p>\n
91
\n00:05:39,760 –> 00:05:42,960
\nto feel doubt is that you are
\ndoing something wrong. <\/p>\n
92
\n00:05:43,840 –> 00:05:47,040
\nYou’re failing in some manner
\nbecause it’s working for that <\/p>\n
93
\n00:05:47,040 –> 00:05:49,400
\nguy and that guy and that guy.
\nWhy is it not working for me? <\/p>\n
94
\n00:05:51,720 –> 00:05:54,680
\nWe’ve spent our entire lives
\nthinking we can fix things. <\/p>\n
95
\n00:05:54,680 –> 00:05:57,600
\nEspecially guys you know, you
\nthink you can fix things, so of <\/p>\n
96
\n00:05:57,600 –> 00:06:00,960
\ncourse you try to fix this.
\nOur faith is broken. <\/p>\n
97
\n00:06:00,960 –> 00:06:06,320
\nIt needs to be fixed.
\nI would submit that. <\/p>\n
98
\n00:06:06,320 –> 00:06:07,840
\nThere’s a different way to think
\nabout it. <\/p>\n
99
\n00:06:09,600 –> 00:06:14,040
\nI would submit that doubt is not
\nthe enemy of faith. <\/p>\n
100
\n00:06:15,360 –> 00:06:19,640
\nDoubt might be uncomfortable,
\nbut don’t look at it as your <\/p>\n
101
\n00:06:19,640 –> 00:06:24,760
\nenemy.
\nI’m not going to say that doubt <\/p>\n
102
\n00:06:24,760 –> 00:06:29,360
\nis good.
\nI wouldn’t go that far, but I <\/p>\n
103
\n00:06:29,360 –> 00:06:33,360
\nwill definitely say that it can
\nhave a very good effect upon <\/p>\n
104
\n00:06:33,360 –> 00:06:39,400
\nyou.
\nAn explosion is a powerful <\/p>\n
105
\n00:06:39,400 –> 00:06:43,520
\nthing, and explosions are not
\ncomfortable. <\/p>\n
106
\n00:06:44,400 –> 00:06:46,680
\nThey’re not enjoyable.
\nYou don’t look forward to ever <\/p>\n
107
\n00:06:46,680 –> 00:06:53,760
\nbeing involved in an explosion.
\nBut if you have to move a <\/p>\n
108
\n00:06:53,760 –> 00:06:57,680
\nmountain, there’s no better way
\nthan a stick of dynamite. <\/p>\n
109
\n00:06:59,400 –> 00:07:02,120
\nAnd that’s what doubt is.
\nDoubt is powerful. <\/p>\n
110
\n00:07:02,640 –> 00:07:06,840
\nIt can have a powerful effect
\nupon your life, upon your faith.<\/p>\n
111
\n00:07:07,880 –> 00:07:11,400
\nIt can push you to places that
\nyou wouldn’t have gone on your <\/p>\n
112
\n00:07:11,400 –> 00:07:14,880
\nown.
\nDoubt can force you to develop a<\/p>\n
113
\n00:07:14,880 –> 00:07:17,800
\ndeeper trust in God than you
\nthought possible. <\/p>\n
114
\n00:07:21,800 –> 00:07:26,080
\nIf you can’t be certain, then
\nall you have left is trust. <\/p>\n
115
\n00:07:29,360 –> 00:07:31,800
\nI want to be clear.
\nDoubt is not something that you <\/p>\n
116
\n00:07:31,800 –> 00:07:35,320
\nwant in your life.
\nDon’t go looking for doubt. <\/p>\n
117
\n00:07:36,040 –> 00:07:38,720
\nDon’t push it and try to get it
\nto arrive before it wants to. <\/p>\n
118
\n00:07:39,840 –> 00:07:43,200
\nDoubt is sacred.
\nDoubt is one of the tools that <\/p>\n
119
\n00:07:43,200 –> 00:07:46,560
\nGod uses to work in your life.
\nNow, if you were a little bit <\/p>\n
120
\n00:07:46,560 –> 00:07:50,120
\nmore pliable and less of a jerk,
\nhe wouldn’t have to. <\/p>\n
121
\n00:07:55,240 –> 00:07:58,160
\nIt’s not coincidental.
\nThere are tons of Bible <\/p>\n
122
\n00:07:58,160 –> 00:08:01,720
\ncharacters who expressed doubt.
\nI made a quick list and I’m not <\/p>\n
123
\n00:08:01,720 –> 00:08:05,640
\na very good, you know, student
\nAdam, Eve, Abraham, Sarah, <\/p>\n
124
\n00:08:05,640 –> 00:08:09,440
\nMoses, David, Elijah, John the
\nBaptist, and this guy that we <\/p>\n
125
\n00:08:09,440 –> 00:08:16,520
\nliterally call doubting Thomas.
\nGod uses doubt to pull these <\/p>\n
126
\n00:08:16,520 –> 00:08:20,440
\npeople closer to him.
\nGod doesn’t get upset when you <\/p>\n
127
\n00:08:20,440 –> 00:08:22,600
\ndoubt.
\nThat’s the thing. <\/p>\n
128
\n00:08:22,600 –> 00:08:24,240
\nAnd that’s what you’re most
\nscared about. <\/p>\n
129
\n00:08:24,560 –> 00:08:27,760
\nYou know, you don’t want to
\nanger God and you’re most scared<\/p>\n
130
\n00:08:27,760 –> 00:08:29,520
\nabout you’re going to damage
\nthis relationship. <\/p>\n
131
\n00:08:29,640 –> 00:08:33,520
\nIf I started doubting my love
\nfor my wife, you know it <\/p>\n
132
\n00:08:33,600 –> 00:08:35,559
\nwouldn’t last long.
\nShe wouldn’t put up with that, <\/p>\n
133
\n00:08:36,000 –> 00:08:43,320
\nbut God can.
\nGod likes to wrestle, and in my <\/p>\n
134
\n00:08:43,320 –> 00:08:45,120
\nformative years, I was a
\nwrestler. <\/p>\n
135
\n00:08:46,160 –> 00:08:49,520
\nI wrestled 126 lbs, by the way,
\nwhich is quite amazing, I know. <\/p>\n
136
\n00:08:52,200 –> 00:08:55,080
\nBut you know, God likes it when
\nyou challenge him. <\/p>\n
137
\n00:08:57,000 –> 00:09:01,440
\nHe’s not afraid.
\nThe other day I heard a talk and<\/p>\n
138
\n00:09:01,440 –> 00:09:03,080
\nit was a lovely talk and I love
\nthe brother. <\/p>\n
139
\n00:09:03,080 –> 00:09:05,320
\nAnd he said we need to guard the
\ntruth. <\/p>\n
140
\n00:09:06,000 –> 00:09:09,360
\nAnd I was reminded of what Saint
\nAugustine said. <\/p>\n
141
\n00:09:09,920 –> 00:09:13,760
\nThe truth is a roaring lion.
\nIt does not need to be defended.<\/p>\n
142
\n00:09:14,280 –> 00:09:16,240
\nLet it loose.
\nIt will defend itself. <\/p>\n
143
\n00:09:17,400 –> 00:09:20,680
\nAnd and it’s that way with God,
\nlike you can bring whatever you <\/p>\n
144
\n00:09:20,680 –> 00:09:23,320
\nwant to God because he’s God.
\nHe can handle it. <\/p>\n
145
\n00:09:24,360 –> 00:09:28,560
\nYou’re the one that’s going to
\nget it a change, a, a, a feeling<\/p>\n
146
\n00:09:28,560 –> 00:09:33,240
\nand emotion, a charge from that
\nexperience, not him. <\/p>\n
147
\n00:09:33,880 –> 00:09:35,960
\nYou’re not going to come up with
\nsome good reason. <\/p>\n
148
\n00:09:36,120 –> 00:09:38,440
\nAnd God say, oh, I never thought
\nof that. <\/p>\n
149
\n00:09:38,440 –> 00:09:40,040
\nHell, yeah, I guess you’re
\nright. <\/p>\n
150
\n00:09:40,080 –> 00:09:42,000
\nYou know, I mean, it’s not the
\nway it works. <\/p>\n
151
\n00:09:46,800 –> 00:09:50,920
\nHe knows that he can stand up to
\nit, and He knows that if you <\/p>\n
152
\n00:09:50,920 –> 00:09:53,360
\nwork your way through it, you’re
\ngoing to come out it on the <\/p>\n
153
\n00:09:53,360 –> 00:09:56,040
\nother side much stronger and
\nmuch better. <\/p>\n
154
\n00:09:56,200 –> 00:09:58,160
\nAnd that’s the beauty of dealing
\nwith God. <\/p>\n
155
\n00:09:58,160 –> 00:10:04,840
\nGod is 100% at best.
\nOn my good days, I’m like 42%. <\/p>\n
156
\n00:10:05,600 –> 00:10:10,440
\nYou know, God is 100 percent,
\n100% true, 100% real, 100% pure.<\/p>\n
157
\n00:10:12,240 –> 00:10:15,120
\nNothing in his life even comes
\nclose to comparing it. <\/p>\n
158
\n00:10:15,480 –> 00:10:17,720
\nAnd God can stand up to your
\ndoubt. <\/p>\n
159
\n00:10:18,400 –> 00:10:21,280
\nHe can handle your toughest
\nquestions, your biggest <\/p>\n
160
\n00:10:21,280 –> 00:10:25,320
\nconcerns.
\nThat doesn’t mean it’s not <\/p>\n
161
\n00:10:25,320 –> 00:10:29,480
\nscary.
\nIt feels like, Oh no, I thought <\/p>\n
162
\n00:10:29,480 –> 00:10:32,360
\nI was a religious person.
\nNow I’ve, I’ve, I’ve lost that <\/p>\n
163
\n00:10:35,400 –> 00:10:38,240
\nlosing your religion.
\nThat’s what it feels like. <\/p>\n
164
\n00:10:39,960 –> 00:10:43,560
\nAnd I’ve defined myself as a
\ncrystal and I’ve defined myself <\/p>\n
165
\n00:10:43,560 –> 00:10:48,080
\nas a as a Christian.
\nIs my best friend still going to<\/p>\n
166
\n00:10:48,080 –> 00:10:55,960
\nlike me if I’m no longer that?
\nSo doubt is scary. <\/p>\n
167
\n00:10:57,600 –> 00:10:59,480
\nIt feels like you’re abandoning
\nGod. <\/p>\n
168
\n00:10:59,960 –> 00:11:03,680
\nIn reality, what you’re
\nabandoning is all those old <\/p>\n
169
\n00:11:03,680 –> 00:11:08,560
\nideas about God that you
\ndeveloped in Sunday school, you <\/p>\n
170
\n00:11:08,560 –> 00:11:11,640
\nknow, and you developed in, in
\njust poor and weak <\/p>\n
171
\n00:11:11,640 –> 00:11:13,880
\nunderstanding.
\nAnd, and, and it’s now a <\/p>\n
172
\n00:11:13,880 –> 00:11:16,560
\ntradition in your life.
\nYou’re leaving behind this, the <\/p>\n
173
\n00:11:16,560 –> 00:11:18,880
\nideas about God that you
\nsurrounded yourself with your <\/p>\n
174
\n00:11:18,880 –> 00:11:23,000
\nentire life, that that you
\nunderstood God, that you knew <\/p>\n
175
\n00:11:23,000 –> 00:11:26,760
\nwhat he was like, that that God
\nis like you, that God agrees <\/p>\n
176
\n00:11:26,760 –> 00:11:29,600
\nwith you.
\nGod is somehow within your own <\/p>\n
177
\n00:11:29,600 –> 00:11:32,000
\ngrasp.
\nHe’s within your own personal <\/p>\n
178
\n00:11:32,000 –> 00:11:40,160
\nfield of control and God most
\nclearly and definitely exists <\/p>\n
179
\n00:11:40,280 –> 00:11:45,560
\noutside of our field of control.
\nAnd you know what happens <\/p>\n
180
\n00:11:45,560 –> 00:11:50,360
\nquickly after that, you realize
\nvery few things exist inside <\/p>\n
181
\n00:11:50,520 –> 00:11:54,160
\nyour own field of control,
\nespecially your 11 year old son <\/p>\n
182
\n00:11:54,160 –> 00:11:56,160
\nor your, you know, 3 year old
\ngranddaughter. <\/p>\n
183
\n00:11:56,160 –> 00:12:02,360
\nYou know, it’s a God is not like
\nus. <\/p>\n
184
\n00:12:05,760 –> 00:12:08,240
\nYou know, it’s reasonable for us
\nto think that way because that’s<\/p>\n
185
\n00:12:08,240 –> 00:12:12,120
\nthe only way we can think.
\nI only know how people think and<\/p>\n
186
\n00:12:12,120 –> 00:12:14,720
\nthat’s how I think.
\nSo I think God must think like <\/p>\n
187
\n00:12:14,720 –> 00:12:19,560
\nthat.
\nThat’s the lesson that I had to <\/p>\n
188
\n00:12:19,560 –> 00:12:23,000
\nlearn.
\nAnd God can often teach you that<\/p>\n
189
\n00:12:23,000 –> 00:12:26,760
\nlesson through times of doubt.
\nI want to take a look at how <\/p>\n
190
\n00:12:26,760 –> 00:12:29,960
\nAbraham and Sarah learned it
\nbecause I just love their <\/p>\n
191
\n00:12:29,960 –> 00:12:31,720
\nexample.
\nAbraham and Sarah were already <\/p>\n
192
\n00:12:31,720 –> 00:12:36,600
\nold when God promised them He
\nwas going to make a great nation<\/p>\n
193
\n00:12:36,600 –> 00:12:39,160
\nfrom them.
\nA very clear understanding that <\/p>\n
194
\n00:12:39,160 –> 00:12:41,920
\neven though you’re barren now,
\nyou’re going to have so many <\/p>\n
195
\n00:12:41,920 –> 00:12:43,400
\ndescendants you wouldn’t be able
\nto count them. <\/p>\n
196
\n00:12:44,080 –> 00:12:48,320
\nThe message right there would
\nhave taken some faith to hear, <\/p>\n
197
\n00:12:49,160 –> 00:12:56,560
\njust just hearing it.
\nBut then they had to wait and <\/p>\n
198
\n00:12:56,560 –> 00:13:01,840
\nwait and wait.
\nAbraham was 75, Sarah was 65 <\/p>\n
199
\n00:13:01,840 –> 00:13:08,080
\nwhen God confirmed that a son
\nwould be born to them 25 years <\/p>\n
200
\n00:13:08,080 –> 00:13:12,200
\nlater.
\nThey waited and they waited and <\/p>\n
201
\n00:13:12,200 –> 00:13:14,760
\nthey waited.
\nMost people would get <\/p>\n
202
\n00:13:14,760 –> 00:13:16,680
\ndiscouraged, I would think,
\nafter a year or two. <\/p>\n
203
\n00:13:17,960 –> 00:13:20,560
\nI know one of my sons had a He
\nand his wife had a hard time <\/p>\n
204
\n00:13:20,560 –> 00:13:25,000
\nhaving a baby and it took seven
\nyears and it was very hard on <\/p>\n
205
\n00:13:25,000 –> 00:13:30,240
\ntheir faith.
\nTry living your whole life, <\/p>\n
206
\n00:13:30,520 –> 00:13:34,320
\nBaron.
\nThen be miraculously promised a <\/p>\n
207
\n00:13:34,320 –> 00:13:39,080
\nchild and then not get pregnant
\nfor 25 more years. <\/p>\n
208
\n00:13:40,520 –> 00:13:43,960
\nThe strain on their face must
\nhave been incredible and we get <\/p>\n
209
\n00:13:43,960 –> 00:13:47,840
\na glimpse of that when we read
\nabout it in Genesis 17. <\/p>\n
210
\n00:13:48,040 –> 00:13:51,480
\nWhen Abraham was 99 years old,
\nthe Lord appeared to Abram and <\/p>\n
211
\n00:13:51,480 –> 00:13:54,400
\nsaid to him, I am God Almighty,
\nwalk before me and be blameless.<\/p>\n
212
\n00:13:54,680 –> 00:13:58,720
\nHe was 99 years old and look
\nwhat happens. <\/p>\n
213
\n00:13:59,640 –> 00:14:02,120
\nAnd God said Abraham is for
\nSyria your wife. <\/p>\n
214
\n00:14:02,120 –> 00:14:04,760
\nYou shall not call her name
\nSyria, but Sarah shall be her <\/p>\n
215
\n00:14:04,760 –> 00:14:07,000
\nname.
\nAnd I will bless over bless her <\/p>\n
216
\n00:14:07,000 –> 00:14:08,960
\nand over I will give you a son
\nby her. <\/p>\n
217
\n00:14:09,200 –> 00:14:11,360
\nI will bless her and she shall
\nbecome nations. <\/p>\n
218
\n00:14:11,520 –> 00:14:13,160
\nKings of people should come from
\nher. <\/p>\n
219
\n00:14:13,600 –> 00:14:17,600
\nAnd Abraham fell on his face and
\nlaughed. <\/p>\n
220
\n00:14:23,040 –> 00:14:27,880
\nWhat is that in, in text Speak
\nROFL. <\/p>\n
221
\n00:14:28,240 –> 00:14:29,440
\nRolling on the floor laughing.
\nRight. <\/p>\n
222
\n00:14:29,440 –> 00:14:32,200
\nYou know, like, literally this
\nisn’t. <\/p>\n
223
\n00:14:32,360 –> 00:14:41,160
\nThis isn’t Yeah, this is just
\nblown away, like falling on the <\/p>\n
224
\n00:14:41,160 –> 00:14:46,040
\nfloor laughing.
\nAnd he said to himself, shall a <\/p>\n
225
\n00:14:46,040 –> 00:14:48,200
\nchild be born to a man who’s 100
\nyears old? <\/p>\n
226
\n00:14:48,360 –> 00:14:50,800
\nIt’s never happened in the
\nhistory of the world. <\/p>\n
227
\n00:14:52,280 –> 00:14:55,160
\nShall Sarah, who’s 90 years old,
\nbear a child? <\/p>\n
228
\n00:14:56,280 –> 00:15:00,080
\nI mean, come on.
\nI think it’s a very <\/p>\n
229
\n00:15:00,080 –> 00:15:04,400
\nunderstandable response from
\nsomeone who’s so old, has been <\/p>\n
230
\n00:15:04,400 –> 00:15:06,760
\nwaiting so long, and it’s never
\nhappened. <\/p>\n
231
\n00:15:08,960 –> 00:15:11,560
\nI can’t even, I can’t, I can’t
\nimagine myself in that position.<\/p>\n
232
\n00:15:11,560 –> 00:15:15,200
\nI’ve never waited 25 years for
\nanything, you know? <\/p>\n
233
\n00:15:15,800 –> 00:15:18,840
\nYou know, if Amazon’s not here
\nby 10:00 AM, I’m, you know, <\/p>\n
234
\n00:15:18,840 –> 00:15:21,000
\nchecking the app like what’s
\ngoing on, you know? <\/p>\n
235
\n00:15:26,240 –> 00:15:32,000
\nAnd on top of it, God is like,
\nphysically standing there before<\/p>\n
236
\n00:15:32,000 –> 00:15:36,120
\nyou represented an Angel.
\nYou know, I mean, that I would <\/p>\n
237
\n00:15:36,120 –> 00:15:38,840
\nhave hopefully been on my best
\nbehavior when the Angel is <\/p>\n
238
\n00:15:38,840 –> 00:15:40,920
\nstanding there talking to me
\ninside. <\/p>\n
239
\n00:15:40,920 –> 00:15:44,880
\nI’m going, yeah, right, right.
\nBut at least I wouldn’t, you <\/p>\n
240
\n00:15:44,880 –> 00:15:46,920
\nknow, fall on the floor and
\nstart laughing. <\/p>\n
241
\n00:15:48,080 –> 00:15:51,320
\nAnd Sarah has the exact same
\nresponse in the next chapter. <\/p>\n
242
\n00:15:52,600 –> 00:15:55,040
\nThe Lord said I will surely
\nreturn to you about this time <\/p>\n
243
\n00:15:55,040 –> 00:15:56,720
\nnext year.
\nAnd Sarah, your wife should have<\/p>\n
244
\n00:15:56,720 –> 00:15:58,400
\na son.
\nAnd Sarah was listening at the <\/p>\n
245
\n00:15:58,400 –> 00:16:00,680
\ntent door behind him.
\nAnd we all know what happens, <\/p>\n
246
\n00:16:01,960 –> 00:16:04,280
\nAbraham, we’re old.
\nEveryone say we’re old, advanced<\/p>\n
247
\n00:16:04,280 –> 00:16:05,960
\nin years.
\nThe way of women had ceased to <\/p>\n
248
\n00:16:05,960 –> 00:16:12,480
\nbe with Sarah years ago, had had
\na period in 10:15, 20-30 years. <\/p>\n
249
\n00:16:13,800 –> 00:16:17,440
\nSo Sarah laughed herself.
\nI always kind of thought Sarah <\/p>\n
250
\n00:16:17,440 –> 00:16:19,640
\nwas worse than Abraham in this
\nuntil I looked at it closely. <\/p>\n
251
\n00:16:19,640 –> 00:16:21,680
\nShe didn’t even fall on the
\nfloor, like, you know, she just <\/p>\n
252
\n00:16:21,680 –> 00:16:24,960
\nlaughed to herself.
\nAfter I’m worn out and my Lord <\/p>\n
253
\n00:16:24,960 –> 00:16:28,160
\nis old, shall I have pleasure to
\nwait so long for anything? <\/p>\n
254
\n00:16:28,160 –> 00:16:31,880
\nIt’s just amazing to say nothing
\nabout something this important, <\/p>\n
255
\n00:16:31,880 –> 00:16:34,800
\nthis big in their life.
\nI think they obviously would <\/p>\n
256
\n00:16:34,800 –> 00:16:37,080
\nhave given up on the idea of
\nhaving children years ago. <\/p>\n
257
\n00:16:37,720 –> 00:16:40,320
\nAnd then, you know, after
\nmenopause, it was completely <\/p>\n
258
\n00:16:40,320 –> 00:16:45,040
\nover.
\nAnd then God promises that it is<\/p>\n
259
\n00:16:45,040 –> 00:16:47,840
\ngoing to happen.
\nAnd they wait and they wait and <\/p>\n
260
\n00:16:47,840 –> 00:16:50,680
\nthey wait.
\nTheir doubts very, very real, <\/p>\n
261
\n00:16:50,760 –> 00:16:54,800
\nvery understandable, very
\npalpable to actually laugh when <\/p>\n
262
\n00:16:54,800 –> 00:16:58,600
\nGod tells you something they had
\ndoubt played such a big part in <\/p>\n
263
\n00:16:58,600 –> 00:17:00,640
\ntheir life.
\nI think they had obviously <\/p>\n
264
\n00:17:00,640 –> 00:17:03,120
\nlearned a lot through that
\nexperience. <\/p>\n
265
\n00:17:04,200 –> 00:17:06,839
\nTo have something that big in
\nyour life and then have it all <\/p>\n
266
\n00:17:06,839 –> 00:17:09,560
\nchange overnight and you’re
\nbouncing a little baby look at <\/p>\n
267
\n00:17:09,560 –> 00:17:17,520
\neach other like they believed it
\nwas going to happen and that’s <\/p>\n
268
\n00:17:17,520 –> 00:17:19,240
\nwhat was counted to them for
\nrighteousness. <\/p>\n
269
\n00:17:19,240 –> 00:17:22,680
\nNo matter how crazy it sounds,
\nno matter how implausible it <\/p>\n
270
\n00:17:22,680 –> 00:17:28,680
\nseemed, they believe God.
\nAnd that right there is the most<\/p>\n
271
\n00:17:28,680 –> 00:17:32,200
\nencouraging thing to me.
\nThat faith is believing things <\/p>\n
272
\n00:17:32,200 –> 00:17:36,240
\nthat are implausible, things
\nthat sound crazy, things that <\/p>\n
273
\n00:17:36,240 –> 00:17:38,000
\nyou wouldn’t, you know, think
\ncould happen. <\/p>\n
274
\n00:17:39,200 –> 00:17:43,280
\nThat’s what faith is.
\nI’m sure they had doubt, but <\/p>\n
275
\n00:17:43,280 –> 00:17:45,520
\ntheir faith was stronger.
\nThey they were able to work <\/p>\n
276
\n00:17:45,520 –> 00:17:47,960
\nthrough it.
\nRather they allowed it to work <\/p>\n
277
\n00:17:47,960 –> 00:17:51,480
\nthrough them.
\nAnd we need to do the same <\/p>\n
278
\n00:17:51,480 –> 00:17:53,040
\nthing.
\nWhen doubt arrives in your life,<\/p>\n
279
\n00:17:53,040 –> 00:17:55,000
\ndon’t try to resist it.
\nDon’t try to run from it. <\/p>\n
280
\n00:17:55,400 –> 00:17:58,080
\nJust patiently and honestly work
\nthrough it. <\/p>\n
281
\n00:17:59,520 –> 00:18:04,120
\nTrust is the key, right?
\nTrusting that God is there, that<\/p>\n
282
\n00:18:04,120 –> 00:18:06,760
\nhe’s brought it for a reason and
\nhe wants something to happen <\/p>\n
283
\n00:18:06,760 –> 00:18:09,080
\nthrough it and allow that to
\nhappen. <\/p>\n
284
\n00:18:10,560 –> 00:18:14,080
\nTransformation takes time, so
\nallow God to transform your <\/p>\n
285
\n00:18:14,080 –> 00:18:16,440
\nheart and mind through whatever
\nmeans possible. <\/p>\n
286
\n00:18:17,440 –> 00:18:22,040
\nFaith grows when it’s tested and
\nstretched and bent and twisted <\/p>\n
287
\n00:18:22,320 –> 00:18:24,960
\nand hammered.
\nThat’s how faith grows. <\/p>\n
288
\n00:18:25,360 –> 00:18:29,200
\nIt’s not that cute little
\npicture of the water bucket and <\/p>\n
289
\n00:18:29,200 –> 00:18:33,040
\nthe flower and you know, making
\nyour faith grow. <\/p>\n
290
\n00:18:33,640 –> 00:18:37,800
\nIt’s it’s the complete opposite.
\nYour faith grows when you’re <\/p>\n
291
\n00:18:38,720 –> 00:18:42,840
\ngrabbed and shook, like how Paul
\ndescribes it. <\/p>\n
292
\n00:18:42,840 –> 00:18:46,040
\nAnd he was 11.
\nHe said by faith, Sarah herself <\/p>\n
293
\n00:18:46,040 –> 00:18:49,600
\nreceived power to conceive, even
\nwhen she was past the age, since<\/p>\n
294
\n00:18:49,600 –> 00:18:51,880
\nshe considered him faithful who
\nhad promised. <\/p>\n
295
\n00:18:52,920 –> 00:18:58,360
\nTherefore, from one man and him
\nas good as dead were born <\/p>\n
296
\n00:18:58,360 –> 00:19:00,920
\ndescendants, as many of the
\nstars of heaven, as many as the <\/p>\n
297
\n00:19:00,920 –> 00:19:03,200
\ninnumerable grains of sand on
\nthe seashore. <\/p>\n
298
\n00:19:04,240 –> 00:19:07,440
\nNotice how it says that through
\nfaith she received power to <\/p>\n
299
\n00:19:07,440 –> 00:19:10,120
\nconceive.
\nThat’s what she’d been looking <\/p>\n
300
\n00:19:10,120 –> 00:19:13,200
\nfor.
\nIt’s something they were trying <\/p>\n
301
\n00:19:13,200 –> 00:19:14,440
\nfor.
\nThey hadn’t given up. <\/p>\n
302
\n00:19:14,880 –> 00:19:19,040
\nThey were still trying to have a
\nbaby because they live by faith.<\/p>\n
303
\n00:19:21,200 –> 00:19:23,400
\nWhat a goal to be that kind of a
\nperson, the kind of person that <\/p>\n
304
\n00:19:23,600 –> 00:19:26,040
\nlooks forward.
\nI love David’s thought today <\/p>\n
305
\n00:19:26,040 –> 00:19:27,920
\nabout, you know, to build a
\nbridge, you need to look <\/p>\n
306
\n00:19:27,920 –> 00:19:30,480
\nforward.
\nIf you’re looking back, you’re <\/p>\n
307
\n00:19:30,480 –> 00:19:32,160
\nnot going to build any bridges
\nin your life. <\/p>\n
308
\n00:19:33,000 –> 00:19:36,520
\nYou need to look forward.
\nDon’t focus on the failures and <\/p>\n
309
\n00:19:36,520 –> 00:19:39,280
\nthe downfalls of the past.
\nLive by promise. <\/p>\n
310
\n00:19:39,800 –> 00:19:45,000
\nWe’re people of promise.
\nNot dwelling on the years that <\/p>\n
311
\n00:19:45,000 –> 00:19:47,760
\nyour prayers were not answered,
\nbut living by hope. <\/p>\n
312
\n00:19:48,560 –> 00:19:50,720
\nTrusting that God will do what
\nHe’s promised. <\/p>\n
313
\n00:19:51,040 –> 00:19:54,120
\nMaking daily decisions based on
\nyour trust in God. <\/p>\n
314
\n00:19:54,840 –> 00:19:58,560
\nNot worrying too much about the
\nthe facts that oppose God’s <\/p>\n
315
\n00:19:58,560 –> 00:20:02,040
\nplan.
\nEvery single logical, reasonable<\/p>\n
316
\n00:20:02,040 –> 00:20:06,720
\nthing you can think of is going
\nto oppose this plan, but you <\/p>\n
317
\n00:20:06,720 –> 00:20:08,880
\nhave to have trust that it’s
\ngoing to happen. <\/p>\n
318
\n00:20:10,000 –> 00:20:13,080
\nNot concerned about their
\npersonal comfort or their ease. <\/p>\n
319
\n00:20:13,200 –> 00:20:15,280
\nLook at the rest of Hebrews 11.
\nYou see this pattern in <\/p>\n
320
\n00:20:15,280 –> 00:20:18,320
\nAbraham’s life.
\nBy faith, Abraham obeyed when he<\/p>\n
321
\n00:20:18,320 –> 00:20:20,640
\nwas called to go out to a place
\nthat he’s going to receive as an<\/p>\n
322
\n00:20:20,640 –> 00:20:23,200
\ninheritance.
\nAnd he went out not knowing <\/p>\n
323
\n00:20:23,200 –> 00:20:27,920
\nwhere he was going.
\nAnd by faith, he went to live in<\/p>\n
324
\n00:20:27,920 –> 00:20:30,920
\nthe land of promises in a
\nforeign land, living in tents <\/p>\n
325
\n00:20:31,480 –> 00:20:33,880
\nwith Isaac and Jacob, heirs with
\nhim with the same promise. <\/p>\n
326
\n00:20:33,880 –> 00:20:37,000
\nFor he was looking forward to
\ncity as foundations, you know, <\/p>\n
327
\n00:20:37,000 –> 00:20:40,960
\nuh, where he was living was a
\npretty nice place. <\/p>\n
328
\n00:20:42,520 –> 00:20:46,960
\nER was civilized and cultured.
\nArchaeologists have shown that <\/p>\n
329
\n00:20:47,160 –> 00:20:52,040
\nER actually had running water
\nand theaters and markets. <\/p>\n
330
\n00:20:54,440 –> 00:20:59,520
\nAnd God tells Abraham to pack it
\nup and go camping for the <\/p>\n
331
\n00:20:59,520 –> 00:21:01,840
\nindefinite future.
\nHow long we going to be gone? <\/p>\n
332
\n00:21:02,040 –> 00:21:03,640
\nAnd how many pairs of underwear
\nshould I pack? <\/p>\n
333
\n00:21:04,240 –> 00:21:07,920
\nIt’s an indefinite future.
\nHe doesn’t tell him where he’s <\/p>\n
334
\n00:21:07,920 –> 00:21:11,440
\ngoing to go, he doesn’t tell him
\nhow long he’s going to be gone, <\/p>\n
335
\n00:21:12,440 –> 00:21:15,600
\nand Abraham goes.
\nHe does it. <\/p>\n
336
\n00:21:17,920 –> 00:21:20,480
\nWhat’s greater than that?
\nHe stays there once he gets <\/p>\n
337
\n00:21:20,480 –> 00:21:25,120
\nthere.
\nOver 30 years, living in tents, <\/p>\n
338
\n00:21:28,040 –> 00:21:31,800
\nhe could have returned to Earth,
\nbut he was more concerned about <\/p>\n
339
\n00:21:31,800 –> 00:21:34,560
\nwhat was before him, not what
\nwas behind him. <\/p>\n
340
\n00:21:35,840 –> 00:21:37,240
\nThat’s the attitude God is
\nlooking for. <\/p>\n
341
\n00:21:37,240 –> 00:21:40,200
\nGod wants people of promise.
\nGod wants people who live in <\/p>\n
342
\n00:21:40,200 –> 00:21:44,480
\nhope, who live in faith, who
\nlook forward and not looking <\/p>\n
343
\n00:21:44,480 –> 00:21:46,720
\nback.
\nIf your faith is based on <\/p>\n
344
\n00:21:46,720 –> 00:21:51,080
\ntrusting in God, whether or not
\nyou understand why he’s saying <\/p>\n
345
\n00:21:51,080 –> 00:21:54,160
\nwhat he’s saying or doing what
\nhe’s doing, then your faith will<\/p>\n
346
\n00:21:54,160 –> 00:21:57,440
\nstand strong because you’re
\ntrusting in something that is <\/p>\n
347
\n00:21:57,440 –> 00:22:02,120
\nstrong, stronger than you.
\nYou believe what he says. <\/p>\n
348
\n00:22:02,880 –> 00:22:06,840
\nI want to talk a bit about that
\nword believe, more specifically <\/p>\n
349
\n00:22:07,080 –> 00:22:13,000
\nbelief with an F.
\nWe often talk about our beliefs,<\/p>\n
350
\n00:22:14,440 –> 00:22:17,680
\nbut I think that belief in the
\nBible is really talking about <\/p>\n
351
\n00:22:17,680 –> 00:22:23,280
\ntrust.
\nSo yesterday I was talking to a <\/p>\n
352
\n00:22:23,280 –> 00:22:26,720
\nfew people that I don’t like
\nthe, I don’t like the concept, <\/p>\n
353
\n00:22:26,720 –> 00:22:30,680
\nthe word of statement of faith,
\nbecause it’s really a statement <\/p>\n
354
\n00:22:30,680 –> 00:22:35,080
\nof what we teach.
\nAnd, and you really I don’t even<\/p>\n
355
\n00:22:35,080 –> 00:22:39,640
\nlike saying it’s our beliefs
\nbecause believe is about trust. <\/p>\n
356
\n00:22:40,360 –> 00:22:43,680
\nIt’s not about teaching.
\nAnd we use that word believe <\/p>\n
357
\n00:22:44,080 –> 00:22:47,040
\nwhen we talk about our faith,
\nlike we talk about our, our, our<\/p>\n
358
\n00:22:47,600 –> 00:22:49,560
\ndoctrines and what do you
\nbelieve in? <\/p>\n
359
\n00:22:50,600 –> 00:22:55,040
\nI, I don’t believe that.
\nHere’s what I believe, boy. <\/p>\n
360
\n00:22:55,120 –> 00:22:57,680
\nAnd what you believe and I
\nbelieve are quite different. <\/p>\n
361
\n00:22:58,800 –> 00:23:00,920
\nYou can be a member of my
\necclesia if you believe like <\/p>\n
362
\n00:23:00,920 –> 00:23:04,280
\nthat.
\nWe tend to use the word belief <\/p>\n
363
\n00:23:04,280 –> 00:23:08,600
\nin regard to a what?
\nThis is what I understand the <\/p>\n
364
\n00:23:08,600 –> 00:23:11,240
\nBible uses the word belief in
\nregard to a who. <\/p>\n
365
\n00:23:12,000 –> 00:23:15,600
\nIt’s.
\nThis is who I believe in, not <\/p>\n
366
\n00:23:15,600 –> 00:23:19,320
\nacademically, but having a
\nbelief in God. <\/p>\n
367
\n00:23:19,320 –> 00:23:24,120
\nNot not having a belief that God
\nexists, but believing God. <\/p>\n
368
\n00:23:26,440 –> 00:23:30,800
\nBelieving should be a who word
\nin your head, not not a what <\/p>\n
369
\n00:23:30,800 –> 00:23:33,080
\nword.
\nIf you forget that, then you <\/p>\n
370
\n00:23:33,080 –> 00:23:37,080
\nread into the Bible a tendency
\nto put what at the center of of <\/p>\n
371
\n00:23:37,080 –> 00:23:42,080
\nyour beliefs and not who.
\nIt’s tricky, of course, because <\/p>\n
372
\n00:23:42,360 –> 00:23:44,360
\nbelieving is never empty of
\ncontent. <\/p>\n
373
\n00:23:44,520 –> 00:23:48,080
\nThe Israelites turn to God
\nbecause of what he had done for <\/p>\n
374
\n00:23:48,080 –> 00:23:52,000
\nthem, but typically the Bible
\nisn’t thinking about a what. <\/p>\n
375
\n00:23:53,200 –> 00:23:58,320
\nThe Bible’s trusting in a who.
\nBible characters didn’t have as <\/p>\n
376
\n00:23:58,320 –> 00:24:01,880
\nmuch preoccupation with what to
\nbelieve as we do today. <\/p>\n
377
\n00:24:03,120 –> 00:24:06,760
\nFor US, religion faces
\nintellectual challenges that <\/p>\n
378
\n00:24:06,760 –> 00:24:10,320
\nweren’t on people’s minds
\nthousands of years ago. <\/p>\n
379
\n00:24:10,560 –> 00:24:13,520
\nToday it’s quite different.
\nIt seems that the predominant <\/p>\n
380
\n00:24:13,520 –> 00:24:18,400
\nthought today, please, you know,
\nincluding your comments, you <\/p>\n
381
\n00:24:18,400 –> 00:24:20,360
\nwhat you think.
\nBut for me, it seems the <\/p>\n
382
\n00:24:20,360 –> 00:24:24,120
\npredominant thought is the more
\nyou know, the harder it is to <\/p>\n
383
\n00:24:24,120 –> 00:24:28,680
\nbelieve in God, that the the
\nbelief in God is for the the <\/p>\n
384
\n00:24:28,680 –> 00:24:30,920
\npoor and the ignorant and the
\nunlearned. <\/p>\n
385
\n00:24:32,880 –> 00:24:36,280
\nCollege students often find a
\nresistance to believing in God. <\/p>\n
386
\n00:24:37,400 –> 00:24:42,480
\nAny kind of higher education
\nremoves a higher power. <\/p>\n
387
\n00:24:44,520 –> 00:24:47,680
\nWe like to explain things in
\nscientific rather than <\/p>\n
388
\n00:24:47,680 –> 00:24:51,600
\nsupernatural means, which makes
\nit harder to believe that God <\/p>\n
389
\n00:24:51,600 –> 00:24:54,720
\nactually exists.
\nSo when we see believe or belief<\/p>\n
390
\n00:24:54,720 –> 00:24:58,120
\nin the Bible, we shouldn’t
\nexport our intellectualized <\/p>\n
391
\n00:24:58,120 –> 00:24:59,760
\nmeaning onto these Bible
\ncharacters. <\/p>\n
392
\n00:24:59,760 –> 00:25:03,160
\nThat’s why I think we replace
\nthese words with trust. <\/p>\n
393
\n00:25:03,640 –> 00:25:05,880
\nYou come close to understanding
\nwhat the Bible is really getting<\/p>\n
394
\n00:25:05,880 –> 00:25:08,280
\nat.
\nIt’s not about what we believe. <\/p>\n
395
\n00:25:08,280 –> 00:25:10,880
\nIt’s about who we believe in.
\nIt’s about who we trust. <\/p>\n
396
\n00:25:11,400 –> 00:25:13,520
\nSo let’s look at some examples.
\nOne of the first ones comes in <\/p>\n
397
\n00:25:13,520 –> 00:25:18,320
\nmy mind is the verse who quoted
\nyesterday, Genesis 15. <\/p>\n
398
\n00:25:18,560 –> 00:25:21,320
\nAbraham believed the Lord and
\naccounted him as righteousness. <\/p>\n
399
\n00:25:21,480 –> 00:25:25,080
\nThat’s not a what?
\nIt’s not that Abraham believed <\/p>\n
400
\n00:25:25,080 –> 00:25:28,560
\nthat God exists, right?
\nNot that Abraham believed that <\/p>\n
401
\n00:25:28,560 –> 00:25:31,400
\nGod is omnipotent.
\nNot that Abraham believed that <\/p>\n
402
\n00:25:31,520 –> 00:25:35,640
\nGod is not part of a Trinity.
\nAll those things are true. <\/p>\n
403
\n00:25:36,640 –> 00:25:40,760
\nBut that’s not the point.
\nThe verse isn’t trying to teach <\/p>\n
404
\n00:25:40,760 –> 00:25:42,600
\nus that Abraham wasn’t an
\natheist. <\/p>\n
405
\n00:25:43,440 –> 00:25:48,440
\nThe point of the verse is that
\nthis 90 year old barren couple <\/p>\n
406
\n00:25:48,680 –> 00:25:51,760
\nwas told by God they’re going to
\nhave a baby and they believed <\/p>\n
407
\n00:25:51,760 –> 00:25:53,360
\nit.
\nThey trusted it. <\/p>\n
408
\n00:25:54,120 –> 00:25:55,800
\nSo if you read that verse, you
\nknow differently. <\/p>\n
409
\n00:25:55,960 –> 00:25:59,840
\nAbraham trusted Lord, and he
\ncounted for righteousness. <\/p>\n
410
\n00:26:00,360 –> 00:26:03,240
\nBelieve in the Hebrew.
\nHere is the word Amman. <\/p>\n
411
\n00:26:04,240 –> 00:26:08,640
\nIt’s the verse that Dan quoted
\nfrom Psalm 119, verse 66 this <\/p>\n
412
\n00:26:08,640 –> 00:26:10,400
\nmorning about trusting in God’s
\ncommandments. <\/p>\n
413
\n00:26:10,400 –> 00:26:13,320
\nIt’s Amman.
\nThe word has made its way into <\/p>\n
414
\n00:26:13,320 –> 00:26:15,680
\nEnglish.
\nHow do we finish our prayers? <\/p>\n
415
\n00:26:16,520 –> 00:26:21,200
\nAmman.
\nIt’s a common word in the New <\/p>\n
416
\n00:26:21,200 –> 00:26:23,200
\nTestament.
\nThey trusted the Lord. <\/p>\n
417
\n00:26:23,200 –> 00:26:30,120
\nThey trusted in Jesus.
\nYou might find the word believe,<\/p>\n
418
\n00:26:30,120 –> 00:26:32,760
\nbut what’s really important is
\nthat what they’re talking about <\/p>\n
419
\n00:26:32,760 –> 00:26:34,720
\nis is trust.
\nHere’s a good example. <\/p>\n
420
\n00:26:34,720 –> 00:26:39,680
\nIn Mark 9, Jesus said if you
\ncan, all things are possible for<\/p>\n
421
\n00:26:39,680 –> 00:26:42,920
\nthe one who believes Immediately
\nthe father child cried out. <\/p>\n
422
\n00:26:43,160 –> 00:26:46,240
\nI believe help my unbelief.
\nWhat’s he talking about here <\/p>\n
423
\n00:26:47,200 –> 00:26:50,600
\nthat I understand a lot of these
\nbiblical principles, but I’m I’m<\/p>\n
424
\n00:26:50,600 –> 00:26:52,640
\nmissing a few.
\nNo, that’s not what he’s talking<\/p>\n
425
\n00:26:52,640 –> 00:26:54,520
\nabout.
\nIt’s not that the Father didn’t <\/p>\n
426
\n00:26:54,520 –> 00:26:56,920
\n100% believe that Jesus was the
\nSon of God. <\/p>\n
427
\n00:26:57,080 –> 00:27:00,160
\nThere wasn’t any question here
\nabout his, his academic <\/p>\n
428
\n00:27:00,160 –> 00:27:03,160
\ndoctrinal understanding.
\nHe wasn’t asking Jesus to help <\/p>\n
429
\n00:27:03,160 –> 00:27:07,280
\nhim understand better.
\nHe needs help trusting Jesus. <\/p>\n
430
\n00:27:07,760 –> 00:27:11,560
\nSo what he’s saying is I trust,
\nhelp my, my lack of trust. <\/p>\n
431
\n00:27:12,920 –> 00:27:14,920
\nI trust you.
\nAt least I’m trying to trust <\/p>\n
432
\n00:27:14,920 –> 00:27:16,920
\nyou.
\nHelp me to trust you more. <\/p>\n
433
\n00:27:18,920 –> 00:27:21,200
\nNow these words believe and
\ntrust are very close in their <\/p>\n
434
\n00:27:21,200 –> 00:27:24,040
\nmeaning, but I think it’s
\nimportant, it’s been important <\/p>\n
435
\n00:27:24,040 –> 00:27:29,120
\nfor me to use the word trust
\ninstead of believe because it <\/p>\n
436
\n00:27:29,120 –> 00:27:32,840
\ncan’t be confused with a belief
\nsystem, you know, a system of <\/p>\n
437
\n00:27:32,840 –> 00:27:36,720
\ndoctrines.
\nIt’s trust and trust can’t be <\/p>\n
438
\n00:27:36,720 –> 00:27:41,240
\nconfused with knowledge.
\nThe times the Bible uses the <\/p>\n
439
\n00:27:41,240 –> 00:27:44,240
\nword believe, it’s not referring
\nto a set of doctrines that you <\/p>\n
440
\n00:27:44,240 –> 00:27:47,160
\nhold onto.
\nIt’s referring to the, the faith<\/p>\n
441
\n00:27:47,400 –> 00:27:51,680
\nand the trust that you have in
\nGod and in Jesus. <\/p>\n
442
\n00:27:52,160 –> 00:27:54,760
\nAnother example is in Luke 8.
\nRemember Jairus, his daughters <\/p>\n
443
\n00:27:54,760 –> 00:27:58,920
\ndied and Jesus says, but Jesus
\non hearing this answered him, do<\/p>\n
444
\n00:27:58,920 –> 00:28:01,640
\nnot fear, only believe and she
\nwill be well. <\/p>\n
445
\n00:28:02,880 –> 00:28:08,920
\nWell, he’s not asking Jairus to
\nbelieve clause 22 or the clause <\/p>\n
446
\n00:28:08,920 –> 00:28:12,680
\n7, right.
\nBy the time Jairus gets there, <\/p>\n
447
\n00:28:12,720 –> 00:28:16,120
\nJesus gets there, she’s dead.
\nIt’s not a matter of how what <\/p>\n
448
\n00:28:16,120 –> 00:28:20,120
\nyou know at that point.
\nIt’s a matter of whether or not <\/p>\n
449
\n00:28:20,120 –> 00:28:24,400
\nyou trust that Jesus is able to
\nraise her from the dead. <\/p>\n
450
\n00:28:28,720 –> 00:28:32,280
\nKnowledge is is vital.
\nJairus needed to understand that<\/p>\n
451
\n00:28:32,320 –> 00:28:36,640
\nJesus is able to raise her from
\nthe dead, but he had to trust <\/p>\n
452
\n00:28:36,640 –> 00:28:40,120
\nthat we have to know and
\nunderstand important things in <\/p>\n
453
\n00:28:40,120 –> 00:28:43,160
\nour life, important things in
\nthe Bible that the Bible <\/p>\n
454
\n00:28:43,160 –> 00:28:46,120
\nteaches.
\nAnd the only way we come to that<\/p>\n
455
\n00:28:46,120 –> 00:28:47,920
\nknowledge is by reading the word
\nof God. <\/p>\n
456
\n00:28:48,960 –> 00:28:51,000
\nBut it’s not that knowledge
\nthat’s going to raise that <\/p>\n
457
\n00:28:51,000 –> 00:28:56,960
\nlittle girl from the dead.
\nIt’s trust that Jesus can do it.<\/p>\n
458
\n00:28:58,160 –> 00:29:01,800
\nOur faith-based on trust is what
\nsaves us. <\/p>\n
459
\n00:29:02,160 –> 00:29:05,560
\nJames captures it great.
\nJames says you believe that God <\/p>\n
460
\n00:29:05,560 –> 00:29:06,640
\nis 1.
\nYou do. <\/p>\n
461
\n00:29:06,640 –> 00:29:12,160
\nWell, even the demons believe
\nand shudder believing that God <\/p>\n
462
\n00:29:12,160 –> 00:29:17,680
\nis X or God is Y or God is the.
\nIt’s important and it’s crucial <\/p>\n
463
\n00:29:17,680 –> 00:29:20,920
\nand our understanding of who the
\nperson is we’re worshiping and <\/p>\n
464
\n00:29:20,920 –> 00:29:24,200
\nserving.
\nBut it’s so Even so easy that <\/p>\n
465
\n00:29:24,200 –> 00:29:26,320
\nliterally a trained monkey can
\ndo it. <\/p>\n
466
\n00:29:28,080 –> 00:29:33,360
\nThere was a wives tale that I
\nheard growing up and I used to <\/p>\n
467
\n00:29:33,360 –> 00:29:35,640
\nlaugh about.
\nIt was a cute little wives tale,<\/p>\n
468
\n00:29:35,800 –> 00:29:38,400
\nold wives tale.
\nThe term is, you know, a <\/p>\n
469
\n00:29:39,720 –> 00:29:42,680
\ntradition that we heard about
\ngrowing up, and it taught a neat<\/p>\n
470
\n00:29:42,680 –> 00:29:47,920
\nlittle lesson in Christadelphia.
\nAnd then last week, I had dinner<\/p>\n
471
\n00:29:47,920 –> 00:29:50,880
\nat Rocky Mountain Bible School
\nwith a brother who was there <\/p>\n
472
\n00:29:50,880 –> 00:29:53,400
\nwhen it happened.
\nAnd it wasn’t a wife’s tale. <\/p>\n
473
\n00:29:53,400 –> 00:29:56,520
\nIt was really true.
\nHe was in Baltimore, Ecclesia. <\/p>\n
474
\n00:29:56,800 –> 00:30:02,040
\nAnd one day six young men come
\nwalking in and they asked if <\/p>\n
475
\n00:30:02,040 –> 00:30:08,640
\nthey could have Bible classes.
\nYou know, we had one young man <\/p>\n
476
\n00:30:08,640 –> 00:30:10,680
\nwalk into our ecclesia want to
\nhave Bible classes. <\/p>\n
477
\n00:30:10,680 –> 00:30:12,520
\nAnd we thought it was the best
\nyear we’ve ever had. <\/p>\n
478
\n00:30:12,680 –> 00:30:16,200
\nYou know, 6 young men from the
\nnearby college all went to the <\/p>\n
479
\n00:30:16,200 –> 00:30:17,680
\nsame school.
\nThey came and they want to have <\/p>\n
480
\n00:30:17,680 –> 00:30:21,440
\nBible classes.
\nAnd for three months they took <\/p>\n
481
\n00:30:21,440 –> 00:30:27,160
\nBible classes and they got
\nexamined and they got baptized <\/p>\n
482
\n00:30:27,800 –> 00:30:30,760
\nand they passed the fraternity
\nhaze and were able to join their<\/p>\n
483
\n00:30:30,760 –> 00:30:33,200
\nfraternity and they never saw
\nthem again. <\/p>\n
484
\n00:30:38,760 –> 00:30:44,400
\nA trained monkey can do it.
\nEven the demons do can do it. <\/p>\n
485
\n00:30:44,400 –> 00:30:48,400
\nEven the demons can understand
\nthat God is 1. <\/p>\n
486
\n00:30:50,800 –> 00:30:55,400
\nMoving that belief from your
\nhead to your heart is the hard <\/p>\n
487
\n00:30:55,400 –> 00:30:58,600
\npart.
\nThat’s something else entirely. <\/p>\n
488
\n00:30:58,960 –> 00:31:01,360
\nThat’s the part that you can’t
\nlose sight of. <\/p>\n
489
\n00:31:01,600 –> 00:31:08,320
\nWhen we talk about believing,
\nit’s not about our beliefs, it’s<\/p>\n
490
\n00:31:08,320 –> 00:31:11,600
\nabout our trust.
\nKnowledge is important to <\/p>\n
491
\n00:31:11,600 –> 00:31:16,040
\ngrowing faith, but faith has to
\nbe based on trust for it to save<\/p>\n
492
\n00:31:16,040 –> 00:31:20,160
\nus.
\nWilford used to tell me you’re <\/p>\n
493
\n00:31:20,160 –> 00:31:25,040
\ngoing to fall 10 inches short of
\ngetting into the Kingdom. <\/p>\n
494
\n00:31:30,640 –> 00:31:35,760
\nWhen we say someone has faith,
\nwe run into a similar problem, I<\/p>\n
495
\n00:31:35,760 –> 00:31:38,360
\nthink is with belief.
\nWe might say, tell me about your<\/p>\n
496
\n00:31:38,360 –> 00:31:41,080
\nfaith.
\nAnd the answer might be, well, I<\/p>\n
497
\n00:31:41,080 –> 00:31:43,840
\nbelieve that Jesus is the Son of
\nGod who died for our sins and, <\/p>\n
498
\n00:31:44,080 –> 00:31:47,640
\nand he’s not God himself, but
\nhe’s the Son of God and on and <\/p>\n
499
\n00:31:47,640 –> 00:31:48,960
\non and on.
\nAnd there’s nothing wrong with <\/p>\n
500
\n00:31:48,960 –> 00:31:53,280
\nthat.
\nFaith, like belief, includes <\/p>\n
501
\n00:31:53,280 –> 00:31:54,760
\ncontent.
\nIt includes the what? <\/p>\n
502
\n00:31:55,880 –> 00:31:58,000
\nBut you can’t stay on that
\nlevel. <\/p>\n
503
\n00:31:59,080 –> 00:32:01,120
\nIf you do, you’re going to miss
\nout on a lot. <\/p>\n
504
\n00:32:01,360 –> 00:32:03,800
\nTypically when we see faith in
\nthe New Testament, it isn’t <\/p>\n
505
\n00:32:03,800 –> 00:32:07,920
\nabout the content of what to
\nthink, it’s about trusting in <\/p>\n
506
\n00:32:07,920 –> 00:32:11,400
\nGod and acting upon it.
\nFaith is an active word. <\/p>\n
507
\n00:32:13,240 –> 00:32:15,480
\nIt’s not a, it’s not a a what
\nword, right? <\/p>\n
508
\n00:32:15,600 –> 00:32:19,040
\nFaith is a, is a trust word.
\nWe just saw in the 2 examples <\/p>\n
509
\n00:32:19,280 –> 00:32:21,400
\nwith the with the parents, with
\nthe with the children, right? <\/p>\n
510
\n00:32:21,600 –> 00:32:26,080
\nI believe, help my unbelief only
\nbelieve and she will be saved. <\/p>\n
511
\n00:32:26,240 –> 00:32:29,680
\nIn both those verses.
\nThe Greek word there is pistos. <\/p>\n
512
\n00:32:30,080 –> 00:32:34,960
\nPistos means to have faith.
\nHe’s saying, you know, I believe<\/p>\n
513
\n00:32:35,160 –> 00:32:39,040
\nI have faith.
\nHelp me with the part I’m I’m <\/p>\n
514
\n00:32:39,040 –> 00:32:41,480
\nlacking on the part I’m
\ndoubting. <\/p>\n
515
\n00:32:42,720 –> 00:32:45,080
\nSo when you see believe or faith
\nthe New Testament, it’s not <\/p>\n
516
\n00:32:45,080 –> 00:32:49,880
\ntalking about something that we
\nbelieve about God or Jesus is <\/p>\n
517
\n00:32:49,880 –> 00:32:53,600
\ntalking about the sense of
\nbelieving in God or Jesus that <\/p>\n
518
\n00:32:53,680 –> 00:33:01,400
\nall in trust and God in Jesus.
\nFaith describes a parent letting<\/p>\n
519
\n00:33:01,400 –> 00:33:04,960
\ngo of the fear for the child and
\nhanding that over to Jesus. <\/p>\n
520
\n00:33:06,160 –> 00:33:08,840
\nThat’s hard to do.
\nFaith is not easy. <\/p>\n
521
\n00:33:08,840 –> 00:33:12,960
\nFaith is a tough word.
\nFaith requires us to be faithful<\/p>\n
522
\n00:33:13,040 –> 00:33:15,800
\nto each other.
\nGalatians says for in Christ <\/p>\n
523
\n00:33:15,800 –> 00:33:18,360
\nJesus, neither circumcision or
\nuncircumcision counts for <\/p>\n
524
\n00:33:18,480 –> 00:33:27,200
\nanything.
\nThey killed people over it, Paul<\/p>\n
525
\n00:33:27,200 –> 00:33:33,480
\nhimself killed people over it.
\nAnd yet circumcision <\/p>\n
526
\n00:33:33,480 –> 00:33:37,040
\nuncircumcision doesn’t count as
\nanything, only faith working <\/p>\n
527
\n00:33:37,040 –> 00:33:40,360
\nthrough love.
\nRead faith in that verse as <\/p>\n
528
\n00:33:40,360 –> 00:33:43,280
\nfaithfulness and I think you
\nbetter understand it in English <\/p>\n
529
\n00:33:43,280 –> 00:33:46,080
\nright?
\nYou get faithfulness working <\/p>\n
530
\n00:33:46,080 –> 00:33:49,480
\nthrough love.
\nFaith isn’t just something <\/p>\n
531
\n00:33:49,480 –> 00:33:52,760
\nbetween God and us.
\nFaith is an action between each <\/p>\n
532
\n00:33:52,760 –> 00:33:55,440
\nother.
\nYou want to be a faithful <\/p>\n
533
\n00:33:55,440 –> 00:33:57,920
\nhusband.
\nYou want to be a faithful <\/p>\n
534
\n00:33:57,920 –> 00:34:02,760
\nbrother, a faithful messenger, a
\nfaithful representative. <\/p>\n
535
\n00:34:05,280 –> 00:34:07,560
\nFaith is also described as
\nsomething that God does. <\/p>\n
536
\n00:34:07,760 –> 00:34:10,320
\nThat’s a big clue.
\nThat is, it’s not talking about <\/p>\n
537
\n00:34:10,360 –> 00:34:13,080
\nhaving faith, but being
\nfaithful. <\/p>\n
538
\n00:34:15,840 –> 00:34:17,440
\nIt doesn’t matter how long
\nyou’ve been in the faith. <\/p>\n
539
\n00:34:17,600 –> 00:34:19,600
\nHow long you’ve been in the
\nfaith doesn’t matter. <\/p>\n
540
\n00:34:19,880 –> 00:34:21,960
\nIt matters how long have you
\nbeen faithful? <\/p>\n
541
\n00:34:23,120 –> 00:34:26,520
\nThat’s what matters.
\nIt’s not about whether or not we<\/p>\n
542
\n00:34:26,520 –> 00:34:29,280
\nbelieve in a statement of faith,
\nit’s whether or not we are <\/p>\n
543
\n00:34:29,280 –> 00:34:33,880
\nfaithful people.
\nHaving faith is is believing in <\/p>\n
544
\n00:34:33,880 –> 00:34:38,280
\nsomething, but being faithful is
\nacting upon those beliefs. <\/p>\n
545
\n00:34:40,600 –> 00:34:42,639
\nGalatians 2 talks about
\nfaithfulness. <\/p>\n
546
\n00:34:42,920 –> 00:34:45,159
\nIt says.
\nYet we know that a person is not<\/p>\n
547
\n00:34:45,159 –> 00:34:48,719
\njustified by works of law, but
\nthrough faith in Christ Jesus. <\/p>\n
548
\n00:34:49,000 –> 00:34:53,400
\nChange that verse too.
\nThey’re justified not by works <\/p>\n
549
\n00:34:53,400 –> 00:34:57,080
\nof law, but by faithfulness of
\nChrist Jesus. <\/p>\n
550
\n00:34:57,960 –> 00:34:59,920
\nPaul isn’t talking about what
\nwe’ve done. <\/p>\n
551
\n00:35:00,320 –> 00:35:05,280
\nHe’s talking about what Jesus
\ndid, how Jesus was faithful and <\/p>\n
552
\n00:35:05,480 –> 00:35:09,440
\nto us and dying for us, and
\nabout how God is faithful to us <\/p>\n
553
\n00:35:09,440 –> 00:35:12,640
\nand giving us His Son.
\nAnd we need to be faithful as <\/p>\n
554
\n00:35:12,640 –> 00:35:17,560
\nwell, not just to God and to
\nJesus, but to each other in self<\/p>\n
555
\n00:35:17,560 –> 00:35:20,880
\nsacrificing love.
\nWe need to act like God, be <\/p>\n
556
\n00:35:20,880 –> 00:35:24,880
\nfaithful like God is.
\nBecause in all this, being like <\/p>\n
557
\n00:35:24,880 –> 00:35:29,920
\nGod is the goal.
\nBeing faithful is the goal. <\/p>\n
558
\n00:35:32,680 –> 00:35:36,400
\nAnd everything we do becoming
\nmore like God should be our <\/p>\n
559
\n00:35:36,400 –> 00:35:40,320
\ngoal.
\nWe’re most like God not when <\/p>\n
560
\n00:35:40,320 –> 00:35:48,560
\nwe’re certain that we’re right.
\nWe’re most like God when we are <\/p>\n
561
\n00:35:48,560 –> 00:35:54,880
\nfaithful, when we trust in him,
\nwhen we act toward one another <\/p>\n
562
\n00:35:55,440 –> 00:36:03,480
\nlike God would act.
\nHumility, love and kindness our <\/p>\n
563
\n00:36:03,560 –> 00:36:07,560
\nour our acts of faithfulness.
\nThat’s how we show it. <\/p>\n
564
\n00:36:09,840 –> 00:36:12,440
\nJohn tells us we’re like God if
\nwe act like him. <\/p>\n
565
\n00:36:12,440 –> 00:36:14,360
\nHe says no one has ever seen
\nGod. <\/p>\n
566
\n00:36:15,480 –> 00:36:19,880
\nIf we love one another, God
\nabides in US and His love is <\/p>\n
567
\n00:36:19,880 –> 00:36:23,320
\nperfected in us.
\nAt the end of the day, love is <\/p>\n
568
\n00:36:23,320 –> 00:36:29,400
\nthe goal.
\nAt the end of the day, love is <\/p>\n
569
\n00:36:29,400 –> 00:36:32,480
\nthe goal.
\nHaving God abide in US is is <\/p>\n
570
\n00:36:32,480 –> 00:36:35,600
\nmuch more than the belief
\nsystems that we hold onto, the <\/p>\n
571
\n00:36:35,600 –> 00:36:38,520
\ndoctrines we recite, or the
\nstatement of faith that we <\/p>\n
572
\n00:36:38,520 –> 00:36:40,960
\nadhere to, no matter how
\nimportant they are. <\/p>\n
573
\n00:36:40,960 –> 00:36:43,960
\nAnd they are important.
\nBut being obsessed with making <\/p>\n
574
\n00:36:43,960 –> 00:36:46,880
\nsure that you have all your
\nthoughts about God properly <\/p>\n
575
\n00:36:46,880 –> 00:36:50,200
\narranged and classified and
\ndefended and supported isn’t <\/p>\n
576
\n00:36:50,200 –> 00:36:57,120
\nfaith.
\nIt’s Bible study, trusting in <\/p>\n
577
\n00:36:57,120 –> 00:37:01,560
\nGod in the day-to-day and the
\nexperiences that happen to you <\/p>\n
578
\n00:37:02,040 –> 00:37:05,600
\nin the good and the bad and in
\nthe terrible. <\/p>\n
579
\n00:37:08,200 –> 00:37:15,880
\nThat’s faith.
\nLiving godly and showing love to<\/p>\n
580
\n00:37:15,880 –> 00:37:20,680
\nthose that we live around every
\nday is faith. <\/p>\n
581
\n00:37:21,800 –> 00:37:24,560
\nWe all know that faith without
\nwithout actions is dead right <\/p>\n
582
\n00:37:24,560 –> 00:37:26,080
\ngood.
\nWhat good is it my brother’s? <\/p>\n
583
\n00:37:26,080 –> 00:37:28,800
\nIf someone says he has faith but
\ndoes not have works, can faith <\/p>\n
584
\n00:37:28,800 –> 00:37:30,680
\nsave him?
\nHer brother or sister is poorly <\/p>\n
585
\n00:37:30,680 –> 00:37:32,920
\nclothed and lacking in daily
\nfood and one of you says to him,<\/p>\n
586
\n00:37:33,160 –> 00:37:36,720
\ngo in peace, be warm, be filled
\nwithout giving them the things <\/p>\n
587
\n00:37:36,720 –> 00:37:38,080
\nthey need for the body.
\nWhat good is that? <\/p>\n
588
\n00:37:38,600 –> 00:37:42,920
\nSo also faith by itself doesn’t
\nhave works, is dead. <\/p>\n
589
\n00:37:43,520 –> 00:37:45,760
\nSome will say you have faith and
\nI have work, show me your faith <\/p>\n
590
\n00:37:45,760 –> 00:37:47,840
\napart of your works.
\nI’ll show my faith by my works. <\/p>\n
591
\n00:37:48,200 –> 00:37:50,760
\nI think we miss out a lot on
\nwhat the biblical writers are <\/p>\n
592
\n00:37:50,760 –> 00:37:54,120
\ntrying to get at if we think of
\nbelief and faith as correct <\/p>\n
593
\n00:37:54,120 –> 00:37:58,280
\nthinking words.
\nThey are deep in meaningful <\/p>\n
594
\n00:37:58,280 –> 00:38:03,200
\nwords, even hard words, but
\nthey’re beautiful and they move <\/p>\n
595
\n00:38:03,200 –> 00:38:05,400
\nus deeper into the presence of
\nGod. <\/p>\n
596
\n00:38:05,760 –> 00:38:10,920
\nTrust God no matter what is a
\ncommon theme through the Bible. <\/p>\n
597
\n00:38:12,160 –> 00:38:14,240
\nBut I don’t have a verge to
\nsupport that. <\/p>\n
598
\n00:38:14,240 –> 00:38:16,560
\nI have, you know what, what,
\nwhat is exactly to say? <\/p>\n
599
\n00:38:16,560 –> 00:38:20,000
\nWhat’s the Hebrew?
\nIs it 5472 or is it 5473? <\/p>\n
600
\n00:38:20,000 –> 00:38:21,920
\nWhich, which one is it?
\nI have to understand that <\/p>\n
601
\n00:38:21,920 –> 00:38:23,160
\nproperly.
\nNo, you don’t. <\/p>\n
602
\n00:38:25,000 –> 00:38:28,880
\nYou just trust God no matter
\nwhat. <\/p>\n
603
\n00:38:29,240 –> 00:38:31,440
\nOh, but this argument over here
\nsays this and I read this book <\/p>\n
604
\n00:38:31,440 –> 00:38:33,160
\nover here and I heard a podcast.
\nSo the guy was saying this. <\/p>\n
605
\n00:38:33,360 –> 00:38:37,480
\nIt doesn’t matter.
\nTrust God no matter what. <\/p>\n
606
\n00:38:38,680 –> 00:38:45,400
\nWhether you’re a 90 year old
\ncouple promised a baby, a <\/p>\n
607
\n00:38:45,400 –> 00:38:51,480
\ncaptive looking to God for
\ndeliverance from a hellhole, or <\/p>\n
608
\n00:38:51,480 –> 00:38:59,720
\na parent and trusting your dying
\nchild to God, trust Him. <\/p>\n
609
\n00:39:04,520 –> 00:39:08,840
\nWhat you learn quite quickly in
\nthe Bible is that trusting God <\/p>\n
610
\n00:39:09,080 –> 00:39:11,280
\nisn’t just for those times when
\nyou’re hunkered down in a <\/p>\n
611
\n00:39:11,280 –> 00:39:14,080
\nfoxhole with bullets flying over
\nyour head. <\/p>\n
612
\n00:39:14,800 –> 00:39:19,800
\nTrusting God is for every single
\nmoment of your day. <\/p>\n
613
\n00:39:23,560 –> 00:39:31,280
\nI used to laugh at the modern
\nday Christians in my <\/p>\n
614
\n00:39:31,280 –> 00:39:34,920
\nneighborhood who would make
\ncomments about how you know God <\/p>\n
615
\n00:39:35,120 –> 00:39:37,600
\nhelped them find a good parking
\nspace for the they weren’t late <\/p>\n
616
\n00:39:37,600 –> 00:39:40,560
\nfor their dentist appointment.
\nI don’t laugh anymore. <\/p>\n
617
\n00:39:41,880 –> 00:39:45,560
\nI don’t know if that’s what God
\ndoes, but that person was <\/p>\n
618
\n00:39:45,560 –> 00:39:50,440
\ntrusting God for everything.
\nTrust God in every moment. <\/p>\n
619
\n00:39:50,720 –> 00:39:52,320
\nTrust in Lord with all your
\nheart. <\/p>\n
620
\n00:39:52,320 –> 00:39:53,960
\nDo not lean into your own
\nunderstanding it. <\/p>\n
621
\n00:39:54,320 –> 00:39:57,480
\nIt won’t make sense to you is
\nwhat he’s saying. <\/p>\n
622
\n00:39:58,120 –> 00:40:00,360
\nTrust God with all your heart,
\neven though it doesn’t make <\/p>\n
623
\n00:40:00,360 –> 00:40:03,160
\nsense to you.
\nIn all your ways, acknowledge <\/p>\n
624
\n00:40:03,160 –> 00:40:05,680
\nGod.
\nRealize that God is in control <\/p>\n
625
\n00:40:05,680 –> 00:40:08,640
\nof your life, not you, not your
\nbest thinking, not your <\/p>\n
626
\n00:40:08,640 –> 00:40:11,360
\nwillpower, not your strength,
\nbut God. <\/p>\n
627
\n00:40:13,240 –> 00:40:15,040
\nIn the Old Testament, the word
\nheart. <\/p>\n
628
\n00:40:15,640 –> 00:40:18,440
\nIt’s not only use where your
\nemotions reside, but it’s also <\/p>\n
629
\n00:40:18,440 –> 00:40:20,880
\nthe seed of your thoughts and
\nyour moral compass and your <\/p>\n
630
\n00:40:20,880 –> 00:40:22,880
\nwill.
\nAnd he’s saying trust God with <\/p>\n
631
\n00:40:22,960 –> 00:40:28,920
\nall of your heart.
\nIt means all of you, every part <\/p>\n
632
\n00:40:28,920 –> 00:40:33,560
\nof you, what you feel, what you
\nthink, what you do, the complex,<\/p>\n
633
\n00:40:33,560 –> 00:40:39,040
\nthe important, the trivial.
\nTrust God all the time. <\/p>\n
634
\n00:40:43,520 –> 00:40:45,000
\nNow, there’s going to be times
\nwhen you doubt. <\/p>\n
635
\n00:40:46,600 –> 00:40:50,160
\nThat doesn’t mean you need to
\nlose your trust in God when you <\/p>\n
636
\n00:40:50,160 –> 00:40:52,760
\ndoubt.
\nActually, those are times you <\/p>\n
637
\n00:40:52,760 –> 00:40:54,400
\nreally come to trust God the
\nmost. <\/p>\n
638
\n00:40:56,560 –> 00:40:59,000
\nThose times that David
\ndescribes, that Solomon <\/p>\n
639
\n00:40:59,000 –> 00:41:01,960
\ndescribes, and the Job
\ndescribes, when you simply do <\/p>\n
640
\n00:41:01,960 –> 00:41:05,160
\nnot understand what is going on.
\nWhat is God getting at? <\/p>\n
641
\n00:41:05,160 –> 00:41:10,000
\nWhat could he possibly want?
\nWhen you actually feel, because <\/p>\n
642
\n00:41:10,000 –> 00:41:11,680
\nyou’re looking at it from a
\nhuman point of view, that’s the <\/p>\n
643
\n00:41:11,680 –> 00:41:14,640
\nonly thing we can do, you feel
\nthat God must have gotten this <\/p>\n
644
\n00:41:14,640 –> 00:41:17,600
\nwrong.
\nClearly God has this wrong. <\/p>\n
645
\n00:41:18,920 –> 00:41:21,680
\nAs you see with David and
\nSolomon and Job, though, God <\/p>\n
646
\n00:41:21,680 –> 00:41:24,480
\ndoesn’t criticize us for having
\nthose moments of doubt. <\/p>\n
647
\n00:41:25,480 –> 00:41:29,280
\nHe, he welcomes them because He
\nknows that once we eventually <\/p>\n
648
\n00:41:29,280 –> 00:41:31,280
\nwork through them, we’re going
\nto be closer to Him. <\/p>\n
649
\n00:41:31,560 –> 00:41:34,600
\nThis is going to help our
\nrelationship in the long end. <\/p>\n
650
\n00:41:36,080 –> 00:41:38,080
\nSo doubt is important to the
\nprocess. <\/p>\n
651
\n00:41:38,680 –> 00:41:41,320
\nDoubt means that you’re being
\nhonest with yourself. <\/p>\n
652
\n00:41:42,720 –> 00:41:45,720
\nDoubt means you’re not letting
\nyour fear of letting go of <\/p>\n
653
\n00:41:45,720 –> 00:41:49,400
\ncertainty get in the way or rule
\nyour life. <\/p>\n
654
\n00:41:51,080 –> 00:41:54,320
\nReally appreciate your thoughts
\nyesterday so if you would like <\/p>\n
655
\n00:41:54,320 –> 00:41:57,520
\nto share some before I read
\nevery one of them and I’m <\/p>\n
656
\n00:41:57,520 –> 00:42:02,520
\nattaching them to my notes in
\ncase God forbid someone asked me<\/p>\n
657
\n00:42:02,520 –> 00:42:06,040
\nto give this class again, I’d be
\nable to improve it with what you<\/p>\n
658
\n00:42:06,160 –> 00:42:09,160
\nwhat you give me.
\nSo this is some some thoughts <\/p>\n
659
\n00:42:09,160 –> 00:42:14,120
\nfor you to consider tonight if
\nyou can grab that. <\/p>\n
660
\n00:42:18,840 –> 00:42:24,600
\nI do want to close with a caveat
\nand I’m the kind of person that <\/p>\n
661
\n00:42:24,600 –> 00:42:29,040
\nhates caveats so but I feel it’s
\nimportant for me to say this <\/p>\n
662
\n00:42:29,960 –> 00:42:38,200
\ndoubt has its place, but doubt
\nis not for times of persecution.<\/p>\n
663
\n00:42:41,360 –> 00:42:44,040
\nI don’t want to get what I’m
\nsaying here confused with a <\/p>\n
664
\n00:42:44,040 –> 00:42:46,680
\ndifferent circumstance when
\nwhere doubt is spoken of in the <\/p>\n
665
\n00:42:46,680 –> 00:42:48,200
\nBible because I think you’re
\ngoing to come up to me <\/p>\n
666
\n00:42:48,200 –> 00:42:50,200
\nafterwards with this verse and I
\nwant to, I want to hit this <\/p>\n
667
\n00:42:50,200 –> 00:42:55,040
\nverse first.
\nDoubt is is in moments of <\/p>\n
668
\n00:42:55,040 –> 00:42:59,240
\npersonal retrospection.
\nIt’s not for times when the barn<\/p>\n
669
\n00:42:59,240 –> 00:43:01,880
\nis burning.
\nIt’s not for times when the <\/p>\n
670
\n00:43:01,880 –> 00:43:05,000
\nCreek is rising.
\nAnd that’s what James is talking<\/p>\n
671
\n00:43:05,000 –> 00:43:09,800
\nabout in James chapter 1.
\nHe says let him ask in faith <\/p>\n
672
\n00:43:10,040 –> 00:43:13,000
\nwith no doubting.
\nFor the one who doubts is like a<\/p>\n
673
\n00:43:13,000 –> 00:43:15,400
\nwave of the sea that’s driven
\nand tossed by the wind. <\/p>\n
674
\n00:43:16,160 –> 00:43:18,480
\nThat person must not suppose
\nthat he will receive anything <\/p>\n
675
\n00:43:18,480 –> 00:43:20,440
\nfrom the Lord.
\nHe’s a double minded man, <\/p>\n
676
\n00:43:20,440 –> 00:43:22,000
\nunstable in his all, all his
\nways. <\/p>\n
677
\n00:43:22,160 –> 00:43:23,680
\nThis is how doubt got a bad
\nname. <\/p>\n
678
\n00:43:23,680 –> 00:43:29,320
\nThis is how doubt got a bad Rep.
\nAnd I think what James is <\/p>\n
679
\n00:43:29,320 –> 00:43:34,200
\ntalking about, he’s talking
\nabout those times when things <\/p>\n
680
\n00:43:34,200 –> 00:43:38,640
\nare an emergency.
\nThere are times when you need to<\/p>\n
681
\n00:43:38,640 –> 00:43:41,360
\nhear.
\nGod will not abandon you when <\/p>\n
682
\n00:43:41,360 –> 00:43:43,360
\nyou’re struggling and trusting
\nin Him. <\/p>\n
683
\n00:43:43,880 –> 00:43:45,280
\nNow there are times you need to
\nhear. <\/p>\n
684
\n00:43:45,720 –> 00:43:47,680
\nThis is not the time to dwell on
\nyour struggles. <\/p>\n
685
\n00:43:48,640 –> 00:43:50,360
\nGet up and get out of here.
\nThe barn is burning. <\/p>\n
686
\n00:43:51,800 –> 00:43:54,360
\nNow.
\nParents are very familiar with <\/p>\n
687
\n00:43:54,360 –> 00:43:56,040
\nthe difference between these two
\ntimes, right? <\/p>\n
688
\n00:43:56,960 –> 00:44:01,120
\nYou want your kids to grow, to
\nlearn, to stretch the boundaries<\/p>\n
689
\n00:44:01,120 –> 00:44:03,720
\nof what they think they can
\nachieve and to be a better <\/p>\n
690
\n00:44:03,720 –> 00:44:06,760
\nperson.
\nBut there’s also times when <\/p>\n
691
\n00:44:06,760 –> 00:44:10,120
\nthey’re in immediate danger and
\nyou bring out your parking lot <\/p>\n
692
\n00:44:10,120 –> 00:44:13,480
\nvoice, right?
\nAnd that means business. <\/p>\n
693
\n00:44:13,680 –> 00:44:15,400
\nYou have got to listen what I
\nsay. <\/p>\n
694
\n00:44:16,200 –> 00:44:18,160
\nYou know, there’s a car coming.
\nGet out of the road. <\/p>\n
695
\n00:44:19,240 –> 00:44:22,440
\nAnd there’s there’s times for,
\nyou know, Yeah, go ahead, <\/p>\n
696
\n00:44:22,560 –> 00:44:25,200
\nexperience that, you know,
\nSally, learn about that. <\/p>\n
697
\n00:44:25,200 –> 00:44:26,400
\nGrow.
\nYeah, go ahead. <\/p>\n
698
\n00:44:26,400 –> 00:44:29,840
\nYou know, But no, there’s also
\ntimes when it’s different. <\/p>\n
699
\n00:44:31,360 –> 00:44:33,800
\nSometimes you just have to trust
\nGod and move forward. <\/p>\n
700
\n00:44:34,360 –> 00:44:38,320
\nI was I was close to a sister
\nwith a terminal illness who said<\/p>\n
701
\n00:44:38,320 –> 00:44:41,480
\nthat God had been preparing her
\nfor the moment her entire life <\/p>\n
702
\n00:44:42,720 –> 00:44:46,560
\nwithout her even knowing it.
\nShe’d been in all sorts of <\/p>\n
703
\n00:44:46,560 –> 00:44:50,320
\nsituations where she needed to
\nlet go of control and trust God.<\/p>\n
704
\n00:44:51,720 –> 00:44:55,400
\nAnd then facing the biggest
\nletting go moment of her life, <\/p>\n
705
\n00:44:56,240 –> 00:44:58,000
\nall those years of training paid
\noff. <\/p>\n
706
\n00:44:59,560 –> 00:45:03,200
\nShe really felt she was ready to
\ntrust God in the hour of need. <\/p>\n
707
\n00:45:05,880 –> 00:45:10,200
\nThis really give those around
\nyou an account of of the hope <\/p>\n
708
\n00:45:10,360 –> 00:45:13,960
\nthat’s in you.
\nIt’s not a discussion of the <\/p>\n
709
\n00:45:13,960 –> 00:45:18,040
\nTrinity, it’s not a discussion
\nof heaven or hell. <\/p>\n
710
\n00:45:19,160 –> 00:45:22,800
\nIt’s someone seeing that you
\nhave a relationship with God <\/p>\n
711
\n00:45:23,680 –> 00:45:26,680
\nthat’s carrying through the most
\nterrible days ever. <\/p>\n
712
\n00:45:29,120 –> 00:45:33,960
\nThat’s what really changes
\npeople’s views correctly. <\/p>\n
713
\n00:45:35,280 –> 00:45:38,320
\nBut a faith that’s described in
\nthe Bible is based on trust <\/p>\n
714
\n00:45:39,840 –> 00:45:43,240
\nrather than our trust in God,
\nnot ourselves, and a <\/p>\n
715
\n00:45:43,240 –> 00:45:47,040
\nfaithfulness to God by being
\nhumbly faithful to others. <\/p>\n
716
\n00:45:51,600 –> 00:45:56,880
\nYou look pretty good, your
\nshirts tucked in, your hair’s <\/p>\n
717
\n00:45:57,040 –> 00:45:59,960
\nblow dried.
\nYou look like you have things <\/p>\n
718
\n00:45:59,960 –> 00:46:04,600
\nunder control.
\nThat’s the illusion we want to <\/p>\n
719
\n00:46:04,600 –> 00:46:09,720
\nlive under.
\nWhen things are out of control <\/p>\n
720
\n00:46:10,600 –> 00:46:15,080
\nis when God speaks to you.
\nGod allows things in your life <\/p>\n
721
\n00:46:15,080 –> 00:46:18,520
\nto spin out of control so that
\nyou can learn to trust Him. <\/p>\n
722
\n00:46:19,760 –> 00:46:23,600
\nTrust is letting go and learning
\nto lean on God. <\/p>\n
723
\n00:46:23,720 –> 00:46:28,080
\nNot on your own intelligence,
\nnot on your own knowledge, not <\/p>\n
724
\n00:46:28,080 –> 00:46:30,240
\non your own willpower, your own
\npersonal strength. <\/p>\n
725
\n00:46:30,480 –> 00:46:33,920
\nThere is no shortcut.
\nThe only way out is through it. <\/p>\n
726
\n00:46:36,120 –> 00:46:42,320
\nWhen faith leaves no room for
\ndoubt, then all we have left is <\/p>\n
727
\n00:46:42,320 –> 00:46:46,360
\nreligion.
\nYou don’t want religion in your <\/p>\n
728
\n00:46:46,360 –> 00:46:54,280
\nlife, you want God in your life.
\nSomething that takes place in <\/p>\n
729
\n00:46:54,280 –> 00:46:56,800
\nour lives along with all the
\nother things in our lives. <\/p>\n
730
\n00:46:57,120 –> 00:47:04,280
\nDoubt is God’s way of helping us
\nnot to go there, God’s way of <\/p>\n
731
\n00:47:05,640 –> 00:47:07,760
\nteaching us what we need to
\nlearn. <\/p>\n
732
\n00:47:10,760 –> 00:47:14,000
\nAnother way we’ll talk about
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 392. 1 00:00:01,400 –> 00:00:05,520 Maybe…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/8765608\/podcast\/play\/117249192\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-20%2Fb74e5919-0992-08af-9692-8ae7a2d15f91.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:47:14","filesize":"108.16M","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"tags":[],"series":[18],"class_list":["post-1459","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","series-gct-ext"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t