Today I come to you with a Message the Lord laid in my heart last night; Faith is trusting God's character when His methods confuse us. Instead of putting God on trial, we step back from the witness stand and remember who He is.
Let me ask you something this morning… Have you ever noticed how some folks say they have faith…but they really just being reckless? They call it “trusting God,” but God is up in heaven saying, “I never told you to do that!”
Can I talk to somebody in here today?
Here’s the truth:
Faith is NOT putting God on trial. No no no… Faith is not testing God. Faith is not daring God. Faith is not jumping off buildings hoping angels got good reflexes.
Faith is… Doing what God said… while trusting God will do what He said. It’s a partnership. A God–man partnership. You do your part. God does His part. Let me make it plain… If you don’t study for your exam and then say: “Lord, increase my memory! That ain’t faith. That’s foolishness.
God said: “Study to show thyself approved.” You skipped the studying part and now you want angels whispering answers during the test. Faith don’t work like that!
James 2:17 says:
“Faith without works is dead.”
Not weak.
Not sleepy.
Dead.
Which means faith always moves your feet. Faith always obeys instructions. Faith always follows what God actually said.
Now let’s talk about Daniel… Because people preach this wrong sometimes.
They say: “Daniel walked into the lion’s den boldly!” No he didn’t! Daniel didn’t wake up saying: “Hmm… I feel like wrestling lions today.”
Daniel wasn’t showing off. Daniel was simply… praying like he always prayed. Doing what God told him to do. And the government grabbed him. Arrested him. Dragged him. And threw him in. He didn’t test God. He just obeyed God. And because he obeyed… God stepped in. Angels came down. Mouths shut. Lions turned into house cats. Because when you do your part… God ALWAYS does His.
But let me show you what faith is NOT.
If Daniel had said: “Hey everybody! Watch this! I’m about to jump into this lion cage — God got me!”
Oh no… That lion would’ve said: “Lunch has arrived.” That ain’t faith. That’s stupidity wearing a church hat.
Now lets look at Jesus Example
Even Jesus understood this.
Matthew 4:6–7 The devil told Jesus: “Jump off the temple… angels will catch you.”
And he even quoted Scripture! Because the devil knows Bible verses too! Some of y’all shocked like: “The devil reads scripture??” Yes! Probably more than some Christians!
But Jesus said: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” In other words: “I don’t test my Father like that.” If Jesus had jumped… He wouldn’t float. He wouldn’t glide. He would crash and SPLAT his brain cells all over the rocks... Because God never told Him to jump.
Here is the Big Truth...
Listen carefully church… God is not responsible for what He never told you to do. Let that sink in. Some of our problems ain’t attacks… They’re self-inflicted. You quit the job without prayer. You married without wisdom. You jumped without instruction.
Then you say: “God, why didn’t you catch me?”
God says: “I didn’t tell you to jump.”
Faith is a partnership. Noah built the ark. God sent the rain.
Moses lifted the rod. God split the sea.
David picked up stones. God guided the shot.
You move. God multiplies. You obey. God performs. You plant. God grows.
Imagine this… A father holding his child’s hand crossing the street. The father says: “Stay beside me.” But the child says: “Nah dad, watch this!” And runs into traffic. Then cries, “Daddy save me!” The father says: “I told you to stay with me.”
Faith is holding God’s hand — not running into traffic to prove He loves you. Stop trying to impress God. Stop trying to test God. Stop trying to force miracles. Miracles happen naturally when obedience is present. When you do what God said… Provision shows up. Protection shows up. Favor shows up. Doors open that you didn’t even knock on.
So today… Don’t jump. Don’t test. Don’t dare God. Just obey.
Pray when He says pray. Work when He says work. Move when He says move. Wait when He says wait. And watch Him move mountains you never touched. Because faith is not: “God prove Yourself.”
Faith is: “Lord, I trust You enough to obey.”
My friends... Am closing this sermon today with this scripture:
Proverbs 3:5–6
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart… lean not on your own understanding… in all thy ways acknowledge Him… and He shall direct thy paths.”
Not your leaps.
Not your stunts.
"...He shall direct Your paths." (Proverbs 3:6).
