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COMPLETE SERMON NOTES
Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting
14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Much speculation: The right thing at the wrong time
Separation [flowers, sappy letters, etc.]
Romans 8:28
Instruct your kids right after something happens
Right words in marriage – wrong time [fuel the fire]
Message: QUESTION: How can Saeed hold tight to his faith, but others falter at the first sign of trouble? How can martyrs rejoice but others fall away because they love this world more than than the things of God?
~It’s hard to apply practical application when it comes to Jesus’ life. On one hand, He is the model we are to follow, but on the other hand, He is the model we cannot follow.
He knew the perfect will of the FATHER…He never failed.
18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. 20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. 23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them,“Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land. 27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.
For more info. on healing, see “Healing – Seeking to Clear the Confusion” http://vimeo.com/88722770
Let’s look at faith 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…
KEY: Faith is not mind over matter; it’s not trying harder – its aligning our life with the will of God: we recognize His promises, we have the same desires, and we look forward to the opportunities. BUT on the flip side, faith is also the anchor in the storm.
GOD’S NOT DOING THIS OR THAT…and we become sour.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
We don’t have to apologize, “I know it seems silly…outlandish.”
Chip Ingram, “Walk outside at night.”
1. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
Faith falters when worship and righteousness falters.
Faith falters because we gauge it be “what’s happening” to us.
~ “We don’t live on explanations; we live on promises” (Warren Wiersbe) ~
2. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Faith falters when we don’t move to action.
3. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Faith falters when we don’t obey God.
The tight rope and wheel-barrow story
4. 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
Faith falters when we fail to reinforce the promises of God.
How do I know the promises of God?
If our lifestyle isn’t focused on worshiping God, spiritual disciplines and obedience; if we’re not living in a way that fosters faith, it will fade…it will falter.
“Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” Prov. 16:3
Counsel
Wisdom
Not self-focused
The Word with Prayer and Worship
HELP! My Faith is Faltering: TWO CLOSING THOUGHTS BEFORE…
1. There is no such thing has a half-way Christian, a mediocre Christian, a part-time Christian . . . Much of Scripture is applicable to the “fully surrendered life”.
2. Do you have GENUINE saving faith to begin with?
KEY: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Faith falters when we fail to trust God…when we fail to please Him
“Though I walk thru the valley…”
“Though you slay me, yet will I trust you.”
“Though the storms come…”
“Who can separate me from the love of God…”
Through it all my eyes are on you…it is well with my soul.
“In 1871 the great Chicago fire virtually ruined Horatio Spafford. It was almost the biggest trial of his life but not the biggest,” began Piper at the 3-minute mark in the video.
“Two years later, 1873, he puts his wife and his four daughters on a ship to sail for England and the ship runs into another ship and sinks very quickly, and all four girls died – eleven-year-old Tanetta, nine-year-old Elizabeth “Bessie”, five-year-old Margaret Lee, and two-year-old Anna “Annie” – and his wife barely escapes.
He hears about the accident and he receives a telegram from his wife: The two crushing words simply read, ‘Saved. Alone.’
“He gets on a ship and heads to be with his grieving wife and as he passes over the part of the ocean where the girls went down and were at the bottom, he wrote, ‘when peace like a river attendeth my way or sorrows like sea billows roll…Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
Faith falters when my eyes are no longer on God …
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