What If?

What If?       8-12-18
Bottom Line: One of Satan’s most powerful tools for destroying the spirit in our life is doubt.

Introduction:
A. Familiar stories of doubters:
1. Angels tell Abraham and Sarah they will have a baby!
* They laugh & doubt – Hard to swallow!
2. The apostles are in a boat during a storm & Jesus walks by! (Mat.14:22-32)
* “It’s a ghost!” – “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be
afraid”
* Peter… “Come” Sinks, reaches, caught by Jesus
* “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
* Sinking in doubt!
3. Ten apostles tell Thomas they saw Jesus alive!
* “See it to believe it!” – Me in WV about healing
* Thomas = see and touch! NEED MORE!
B. Quenching the spirit with a bucket of doubts!
1. Hard to swallow? Do you have a few?
2. Sinking in doubt? Too many unanswered questions?
3. NEED MORE? Can’t give sight & touch, but…faith!
C. Is doubt putting out your spirit flame?
1. Doubt can be faith killing!
2. Doubt can turn us into cynics, critics, & water boys
3. Doubt turns the joy of salvation into a struggle for spiritual survival! Where are you?

1. Why do we have doubts? (Some, but not all)
A. Doubts come from a lack of understanding!
1. We doubt what we can’t explain or defend (i.e. HS, angels, heaven, prayer…)
2. Complicated: grace, pain & suffering, providence…
3. My struggle w/ God sacrificing His son
4. Matt.25:14-30, 5-2-1 talents – One talent, vs.24-30
5. We see God as a judge and not the loving Father!
B. Doubt comes from our seeking excuses!
1. Justify or rationalize our lack of faith! “It isn’t real!”
2. James 1:6 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt.” A double-minded person?
C. Doubt comes from having unrealistic expectations!
1. God & His will doesn’t match our wants & desires
2. Spock “Live long and prosper” – expect & demand, but
3. Evaluation of self? Expectations of other? Disappoint
D. Doubt comes from a weak or non-existent relationship with God! (Talk w/o walk!)
1. It can’ be a violation of trust! God said, but…
2. It comes from a lack of love. Only it removes fear & covers sin – but we don’t believe or accept it.

2. How do we overcome our doubts? Honesty!
A. Deepen our relationship with our Father!
1. Personal talk – increased trust – honest love
2. God’s family is an important part – a tool to help
B. Keep doubting positive! Questions that seek knowledge and understanding are not signs of doubt but steps to maturity!
* Doubt is a process not an address!
C. Remember the Four “S’s” of growing faith!
* Seeking * Sensing * Serving * Sharing

3. Doubts are powerful tools of Satan!
A. Spirit quenching questions He loves to use!
1. What are the chances that there is no God?
* It takes more faith to believe in a giant cosmic accident than it does to believe in a Creator!
2. What if none of what I read in the Bible really happened?
* The most studied, researched, & attacked book of all time – 2000 yrs by best scholars & critics, yet not one single significant contradiction!
* History? Archeology? Science? More…
* 40 writers over 2000 yrs w/ no collaboration only One Director behind it all!
* Most reliable book! Resurrection real! People don’t die for fables!
3. What if there is nothing after death?
* You won’t know it!
* God promised, people returned = Jesus
* What does your heart tell you?
* Is living by faith about what you missed out on or what you gained? (Satan’s original temptation)

Conclusion:
A. Our incredible trip full of history, places & people
1. All had one thing in common – they all died!
2. We are no different!
B. We must live until we die! Live in faith or doubt?
1. Believe in a Creator who made us in His image
2. He had a plan and He made the sacrifice
3. No one can make you believe or doubt – we choose!
C. American Cemetery above Omaha Beach – 10k graves
1. Crosses & Star of David – Names, State, & death date
2. Some: “A Comrade In Arms – Known But To God”
3. If that is true – we need to get to know Him now!