09.27.2015 Biblical Faith - Maybe Not what You'd Expect

9-27-2015 from Grace Summit on Vimeo.

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Peter Pan – “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”
I think this is how we view faith in America – and I don’t think that is right.
We think of faith as something we must convince ourselves of – like a drumming up a feeling of certainty.
Feelings of certainty are a psychological state that has nothing to do with Biblical faith. Faith is not a feeling thing; faith is a lived thing. It is understood and seen by the way you live your life.
Mark 9: 17 And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; 18 and [a]whenever it seizes him, it [b]slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and [c]stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” 19 And He *answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you?
Faith is always tied to living in faithfulness. That is what Jesus is getting at here. It is not that they don’t have the right feelings; it is that they are not living in faith.
How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” 20 They brought [d]the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. 21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us! (IF YOU CAN)” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes
This tells us there is tremendous power in real genuine faith. Power to accomplish great things if that faith is placed in Jesus. And then the man’s response –
.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”
I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.
Where is he? He has no FEELING of certainty – like – O yeah, God’s gonna do this! But no, it is a simple honest response – Lord, I do believe, but it is hard – help me!
And on that little phrase, Jesus casts out the demon. Jesus acts on that. That is all it took. Nothing more.
Jesus, in another place says – if you have faith as a mustard seed – the smallest in the garden – you can move mountains!
We try so hard to make sure we have a LOT of faith – and Jesus is saying – if you can barely state it – if it is placed in the right person – there is tremendous power.
There is only one place genuine faith comes from 0- and that is God.
Jesus took what this man lacked and gave him what he needed. It cannot be drummed up. If we lack faith in something, we need to not try to drum it up but to be like this man and to say, help my unbelief. It must come from God. Jesus must give us the faith – impart in us the ability to trust Him in whatever it is we face. Without Him we will not have the faith.
The father’s expression is typical for many of us – very much the way it goes for our lives. We live a life, where there are times of great struggle, and doubt, and uncertainty – what is going to happen – and on the other side, there are times of belief and assurance – for me, there is this constant mixing. No assurance, no security – and it can fluctuate hour by hour. What is interesting – I believe this is true of people of great faith found in the Bible.
The father’s plea helped me to overcome my unbelief and Jesus’ response – faith and unfaith – dint of divine aid.
Faith can seem so fragile but can outlive all its would be conquerors.
Think of the great people of faith – they are so much like this father. Take Abraham – the great man of faith – Look at his life – it is only a few chapters – he starts in Ur of the Chaldeans.
Everyone wanted to live there – it was rich and wealthy – and they leave. IF God came to your family and said, hey, leave your job and go to this place – I’ve never heard of this place – just go! Would you get up and go? That would be some faith.
But what happens – he gets halfway there and settles where he isn’t supposed to. Then his father dies – and God tells him to go and he does - and takes Lot with him – and then he goes –and there is a famine – and he goes to Egypt – and practically loses his wife – hey, she is my sister… - works wonders for a marriage.
God tells him he will bless him – and give him children – and it doesn’t seem to be working out – so take my servant girl’s child – no, it will come from you… - and “Abraham believed God and it was credited as righteousness” – does that really sound like faith? And then He had Ishmael – and that was a mess. It might still be a mess. Abraham – I am God – walk before me and be blameless – and then he FINALLY gets it. This should be an encouragement to all of us! We might feel we have been at this way too long – and at times you can feel that way – he was 99! We have a long way before we get to 99 to get it. But that was plenty of time for God to get it.
Moses – sees the bush – it doesn’t burn up – I’m afraid to speak… God makes the staff a snake and back – and you’d think he would believe.
John the Baptist – declared by Jesus to be the most righteous on earth… - sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the one.
Peter – Get thee behind me Satan… - I will never deny – then deny deny deny….
Doubting Thomas – they all doubted before they saw –
What does this do? It gives us hope – as those of great faith have had times of great struggle and doubt and questioning –
Abraham - see how many times He questions God – and yet he is known as the example of faith.
Don’t try to muster faith – be like the father in that first story – I do believe – help me because I am doubting.
God loves that kind of faith.
What about this famous verse on doubt?
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [h]without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
We define doubt as a feeling or sense of uncertainty – that is not what this is talking about.
Here is the Greek language definition:
As evaluating the difference between things – discern, distinguish and differentiate – as making a distinction between persons – pass judgment on – discriminate.
We think – wow – what does that mean?
Go back to the true meaning of faith – and faithfulness being tied to a faithful life. What is going on in the book of James – you may have faith …
James – these people are double-minded – will they live as faithful followers of Christ or conforming to this world?
This word doubt literally means to separate, distinguish, or evaluate. When used to evaluate what is in ones heart – competing ideas and convictions – this person is not resolved on one meaning but wavering.
James 1: 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various [c]trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [d]endurance. 4 And let [e]endurance have its perfect [f]result, so that you may be [g]perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
They are going through trials and many stop following Christ. That is the doubting that is going on…. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

He is not choosing yet to say I am going to follow Christ no matter what trial comes. When he talks about wisdom – we tend to think… let me read one more quote
“The contrast here is with “doubt,” and since doubt is a waffling back and forth, the result of doubt is inaction. The one who doubts wavers and is tossed to and fro as on a tempestuous sea. Honest intellectual doubts are not in view here. After all, to doubt is human, as the Psalms attest. David, for example, gives voice to his doubts about the character and trustworthiness of God (cf. Ps 96:1). In Psalm 6 he wonders aloud if God has rejected him, and he even attempts to force God into action by an obvious bribe. Yet in the midst of this honest doubt, David is reminded of all that God has done for him in the past, and he gains the hope necessary to continue. Faith here in James understands and has experienced the character of God, who gives freely and generously; because of this experience, such a person has confidence. “ (David P. Nystrom, The NIV Application Commentary: James, 53)
Wisdom – when we think of it – what should I do, God? How should I choose? Wisdom has to do with, Lord, how shall I live? What kind of life shall I live? It is about living life rather than knowing. It is not about what CAR to buy! You can ask God that, but that is not what this is about!
James talks about wisdom –
James 3: 13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, [j]natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and [k]selfish ambition exist, [l]there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [m]reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the [n]seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace [o]by those who make peace.
A life of faith is a life that is lived well. A life that remains faithful through all the difficulties – that does not mean there are not struggles – but faith, in the end, continues. We tend to think of faith as the thing that explodes in front of us – but biblical faith just goes on for the long haul. They just keep coming back to I’m a follower of Christ.
When we live a life of faithfulness, we live a life of faith – through all the ups and downs
Paul told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith – it will always be a battle – then he said – take hold of the eternal life that is promised. Take hold of it –
This is eternal life, that you know Me, and that you know the father. Eternal life does not start when you die – it starts when you come to Christ. We enter into His kingdom when we come to Christ. Yes, there is a transformation – and He tells us to take hold of it – grab onto the life that Jesus wants you to live.
No matter where we are in life – if we are doing that, we are people of great faith, because we are continuing the struggle and remaining faithful.
Let’s pray.
Give us an encouragement that You have called us as people of faith –