What Faith Can Do Series

"WHAT FAITH CAN DO"

TEXT: JUDGES CHAPTER 6-8

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever watched or something and either thought to yourself or said out loud (as your bottom jaw dropped), "THAT’S AMAZING," Things like: The Blue Angels performing their aviation acrobatics, a gymnast or figure skater performing for the gold, Michael Jordan playing basketball, David Copperfield making the Statue of Liberty disappear, the space shuttle returning to earth, and how about computer chips and fax machines, it is incredible what technology can do....

You know, there was a time when people were Amazed with things that we now take for granted -- things that are not a big deal anymore.... television, automobiles, air conditioning, radio’s and believe it or not at one time people were amazed at 8 track stereos....

You see, the life span of something being considered amazing is often short lived... But there is something that is truly amazing... perpetually amazing... something that still leaves us in total amazement at what it can accomplish even after thousands of years.... And that something is "Faith in God..." real faith in the true God leads people to accomplish some incredible things... I’ve seen and you have seen faith empower people to endure, overcome and achieve some amazing things...

The Hebrew writer in that great chapter of faith Hebrews 11, tells us some amazing things people did through their faith in God...

ABEL THROUGH FAITH PUT GOD FIRST AND GAVE HIM THE VERY BEST OFFERING HE COULD...

NOAH THROUGH FAITH BUILD AN ARK IN THE MIDDLE OF DRY LAND -- WHEN RAIN HAD NEVER BEEN EXPERIENCED TO SAVE HIS FAMILY -- WHICH HAD YET TO BE EVEN BORN....

ABRAHAM THROUGH FAITH LEFT, HIS HOMELAND, HIS PEOPLE ,, HIS GODS AND HIS FAMILY TO FOLLOW GOD EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING... BY FAITH HE AND HIS FAMILY LIVED AS FOREIGNERS IN A STRANGE LAND...SLEEPING IN TENTS IN A DRY BARREN LAND... NEVER EVEN HAVING A PLACE TO CALL HOME...

AND ABRAHAM THROUGH FAITH OFFERED HIS ONLY CHILD ISAAC THE CHILD OF PROMISE AS A SACRIFICE TO GOD.... EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN’T MAKE SENSE -- AND HE LOVED ISAAC -- THROUGH FAITH HE TRUSTED IN HIS GOD..

THROUGH FAITH MOSES WHEN HE WAS FULL GROWN REFUSED TO BE KNOWN AS THE SON OF PHARAOH’S DAUGHTER. HE CHOSE RATHER TO BE MISTREATED ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD....

BY FAITH THE PEOPLE PASSED THROUGH THE RED SEA AS ON DRY LAND...

THROUGH FAITH THE WALLS OF JERICHO FELL DOWN AS THE PEOPLE MARCHED AROUND THEM FOR 7 DAYS....

Faith can result in some amazing things, can’t it? someone really giving God their best, building the first ark, leaving everything to follow God (even though you don’t know where it will take you) , being willing to put God first even sacrificing your own son, or choosing God over material riches, power and great fame.....

THE THINGS FAITH CAN DO ARE AMAZING. AND TONIGHT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT FAITH CAN DO (TAKE US FROM WEAKNESS TO WARRIOR) AS WE LOOK AT THE LIFE OF A MAN NAMED GIDEON..

Doctor Fred Craddock is a homiletic (preaching) professor at Phillips University in Oklahoma. One time while he and his wife were vacationing in Gatlinburg, they were sitting in a restaurant trying to get off by themselves and they noticed a distinguished looking white-hair man, going from table to table introducing himself and having a conversation. They to each other, "I hope he doesn’t come over here to intrude on our privacy", but here he came and said, "where are you folks from." Dr. Craddock said, "Well we’re from Oklahoma." He said "what do you do?" Dr. Craddock replied, "I’m a homiletics professor at Phillips University." He said, "Oh, you train preachers do you, well I got a story I’d like to tell you", and he sat down. Dr. Craddock though to himself, "Oh no, here comes another preacher story." The man said, "You know I was born in these mountains. My mother was not married and as I grew up I had to put up with a lot of hassles. I felt self-conscious and just kind of kept to myself. What I hated most was coming into town on Saturday because people would stare at me and question me as to who my father was. Even when I went to church I would come in late and leave early, because I didn’t want anyone to ask me questions.

One day when the church had a new preacher, who had a short benediction I didn’t get out in time and got caught in the crowd. The preacher grabbed my hand and said, `whose are ya boy, whose son are you.’ And I thought Oh boy even the preacher is going to give me a hard time. But then he said, `Oh, I recognize the family resemblance your a child of God’, then the preacher patted me on the back and said, `you have a great inheritance now you go and claim it.’ Those were the most encouraging word’s I have ever heard and I have been grateful to preachers event since."