Drilling Holes In Our Doubts Series

INTRODUCTION

• VIDEO CLIP

• SLIDE #1

• Doubt can be so destructive in our lives. For Mr. Templeton, it pretty much ruined his life.

• As we continue on with our series “Equip, The Essential Tools For Spiritual Living”, my prayer is that we can learn how devastating doubt can be if left unchecked.

• Doubt not only can ruin our relationship with Jesus, but it can also destroy relationships around us.

• As we explore the issue of doubt, we are not on a crusade to condemn asking questions about your faith or asking questions about God. In the case of Mr. Templeton it seems as though because he did not get the answers HE wanted, he decided to forsake his faith and go on to live a troubled life.

• The bottom line with some of the questions we have is this, in this life we will NEVER have all the answers and secondly, we will not always LIKE the answers we do receive.

• The issue we need to deal with is what do we do when we do not understand or get the answers we like?

• In the context of the passage we will examine today, James is talking to his readers about how to deal with trials that come with life along with an explanation of some of the blessing that comes through trials.

• James goes on to further say in verse 5 that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and He will generously give it to us.

• But then James puts a condition on receiving wisdom from God and I would expand that condition to anything we ask of God.

• Turn with me to James 1:6-8

• SLIDE #2

• James 1:6-8(ESV) 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

• The best way to drill holes in our doubt is to understand that…

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. Faith displaces doubt.

• Verse 6 tells us is that if we are going to ask (for wisdom in the context) things of God that we need to ask in faith.

• As the folks are reading this, their faith was being tested by the trials many of them were facing.

• The way they were going to be able to endure the trials was to rely on their faith in Jesus.

• Faith boils down to having continual confidence in God despite the circumstances.

• SLIDE #4

• Hebrews 11:6(ESV) 6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

• If we go to God in faith, confident in who He is and what He can do. If we lack faith in God, then why ask?

• God is not in the business of answering the “just in case there is a God prayers.”

• Faith is connected with the granting of prayer requests in many New Testament passages.

• The word “faith” in verse 6 is not the general term for Christian belief but it refers to the certainty that the request will be fulfilled.

• Faith will dispel doubt even if we do not understand what is going on around us.

• In John 6:68 when Jesus said some things that were hard to understand many of His followers lift Him. Jesus turns to His disciples and asks them if they too are going to leave Him. Peter answers

• SLIDE #5

• John 6:68(ESV) 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,

• Peter knew that although he may not have understood what was going on, that his doubt and possible insecurities could not lead him away from Jesus.

• When I think of the possibilities with God, I think of the story of David and Goliath.

• The whole time the Israelite Army was being challenged by Goliath to go one on one with anyone from the Israelite army, not one single person, including the king had enough faith in God to take Goliath on.

• All the army could see each day as Goliath taunted them was a giant that could not be defeated.

• David, whom had seen God work in his life previous to Goliath had no doubt that God would deliver Goliath into his hand. What others saw as a problem, young David saw as an opportunity for God to shine!

• Before we move on, we need to know the phrase “with no doubting” is not honest intellectual doubt or lack of clarity about the solution. It is not confusion over whether it is right to ask. It is divided loyalty. It is doubting that God cares, that he is powerful, that he is good.