GOOD QUESTIONS - WHY DO YOU DOUBT?

With Spiritual Doubts - Why Do You Doubt?

What is doubt?

      Doubt:
      /dout/
noun
      a feeling of uncertainty or a lack of conviction*
On an emotional level, doubt is indecision between belief and disbelief

What is faith?
      Faith:
      /fāTH/
noun
      complete trust or confidence in someone or something

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
John 20:24-25 (NIV)

Doubt can CRIPPLE you!
Doubt can ROB you of joy!
Doubt can SHACKLE you!
Doubt can HINDER your future!

Faith can HEAL you!
Faith Can GIVE YOU Joy!
Faith can FREE you!
Faith makes YOUR FUTURE certain!

So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.
Genesis 15:9-12 (NIV)

When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces.
Genesis 15:17 (NIV)

Doubt makes us believe in the negatives of “What If” living

How Can we have faith that God can save us from our sins but can’t do anything else?

In a World Full of Doubt, We must be a people Full of Faith!

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:26-29 (NIV)

We have to choose one or the other:
It’s Faith vs. Doubt

People Make Choices… and Choices make People

Will you choose today, to keep doubting?
Or
Will you choose today, to live by Faith?

Good Questions - Do you Want to be well?

In a storm—Why Are You So Afraid?
Need a miracle—Do You Believe I Can Do This?
Ongoing challenge—Do You Want to Be Well?
With spiritual doubts—Why Do You Doubt?

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.
John 5:1-2

Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.
John 5:3

One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
John 9:5-6

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
John 5:7-9a

THE LONGER A PROBLEM PERSISTS:

• THE MORE DISCOURAGED WE BECOME

• THE MORE EXCUSES WE MAKE

• THE MORE YOU LEARN TO 

REVEAL ANSWER

You cannot change what you are willing to tolerate.

• You can’t help someone who 

REVEAL ANSWER

 help, you can only help someone that 

REVEAL ANSWER

 help.

“DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE WELL?”

What is the biggest hindrance of faith?

Until our desire becomes bigger than our disability, we will not be able to start to find healing.

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
John 5:8-9a

• I DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSE. I WANT TO SEE YOUR FAITH.

Good Questions - Do you believe I can do this?

Storm - Why Are You So Afraid?
Need A Miracle - Do You Believe I Can Do This?
Ongoing problem — Do You Want to Be Well?
Spiritual doubts—Why Do You Doubt?

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When (Jesus) had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.
Matthew 9:27-30

WHAT KIND OF FAITH HONORS GOD?

1) FAITH THAT BELIEVES WHEN IT DOESN’T SEE.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1

When (Jesus) had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied.
Matthew 9:28

The size of our request reveals the strength of our faith.

2) FAITH THAT PERSISTS WHEN NOTHING CHANGES

 Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God.
Colossians 4:2

3) FAITH THAT WORKS WHEN IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

You see that (Abraham’s) faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
James 2:22

I’d rather be blind with faith that God can heal…
Than see and have no faith!

It takes faith to step away from the familiar.

Good Questions - Why Are You So Afraid?

The best way to find truth is on the other side of a good question.

• In a storm — Why Are You So Afraid?
• Need a miracle — Do You Believe I Can Do This?
• Ongoing challenge — Do You Want to Be Well?
• With spiritual doubts — Why Do You Doubt?

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, Why are you so afraid?“ Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:35-41

2 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU’RE IN THE STORM

1) YOU’RE IN THE STORM WITH HIS PRESENCE.

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

     BUT…

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
Mark 4:37-38

THE PROMISE OF THE GOSPEL IS NOT THIS:
Having Jesus in the boat doesn’t mean storm is not going to rock you.

THE PROMISE IS:
It’s not going to sink you.

Never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt presence of God.

God is my refuge & strength, my ever-present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1

Never leave me — never forsake me…
Hebrews 13:5

2) YOU’RE IN THE STORM FOR HIS PURPOSES.

Can’t tell you if God caused it or allowed it — but he always uses it.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:39-41