Faith and Doubt of the Invisible Sun PM 8-25-96

Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

Now we need to quickly quickly move in.

We should be in here by the preaching time.

Amen.

Either that, I guess we need about 10 more restrooms, and then everybody could be uh able to get back in here.

Uh Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

Let me uh quickly give you a synopsis of some thoughts this morning in the morning message.

And by the way, I just want to say uh thank you so much for praying for me while I was uh I was in Georgia preaching two days on Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning.

Wednesday night I flew to Jo uh to West Virginia and preached Wednesday night in uh some hills, way up in the hills in West Virginia, at a tent meeting up there, about five or six churches up there, and uh good people.

I mean, just uh solid people who love the Lord.

And then Thursday morning there and Thursday night.

And uh, well, I just I just wanted to thank you for your prayers.

I had an unusual amount of liberty there at that uh Wednesday and Thursday morning and Thursday night.

We had some very good results.

Uh this morning we had good results in the services.

Some people were saved this morning.

We'll be doing follow-ups on it.

I think we baptized six or seven this morning, and the morning service is here.

So some of you work in many different ministries and don't get to see everything that goes on in our auditorium here all the time, so we want to keep you in involved.

This morning, uh, we talked about faith just a little bit, and uh, I don't know, uh get this where you want it, guys, and everything.

The uh the concept this morning was this uh we as Christians do believe in the invisible.

Uh now unto the king, uh uh eternal, immortal, what?

Invisible.

The idea is we believe in the invisible, and sometimes when you think of the invisible, uh also the Bible would call it not yet seen.

The idea is some things we haven't seen yet still may be invisible, but you know what it says in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, that the things not seen are more real and eternal than the things seen.

2 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

Is that right?

So the concept of this morning was simply this, if you'll follow with me just for a moment.

We start over here, and God authors our faith, and it's through faith, if you would, belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finished of our faith, it's through faith that we enter into this belief of Jesus Christ, and we come into this first, if you would, I'll call it a sphere, and I'm not trying to make something doctrinal out of this, but the idea is that this sphere is this.

Um, when you first get saved, it seems like there's a struggle, a great struggle between faith and doubt.

And you kind of, you know, sometimes you start to pray, and and I don't know if you remember when you first got saved if you were an adult.

You started praying and you thought, who am I talking to?

Who am I really talking to here?

Am I lost it?

Am I just in some type of uh, you know, uh uh cult or uh somebody's just influencing me?

Do you know what I'm talking about?

And I mean you start thinking about, oh man, and and right in here there's this deal where it seems like doubt sometimes is stronger than faith.

But the Bible says in Romans that faith is in proportion doubt.

Remember, the disciples said, increase our faith.

And as our faith and our belief increase, we come into a realm in our life where it seems like faith equals doubt, if you would, and there's a struggle, but some days we don't even doubt much, and and faith takes over, and we believe in the invisible, and our prayer life gets greater, and and then and then if we keep going in the Bible, because faith cometh by what?

Say it.

Hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

So it's directly proportional to how much we're willing to study and act upon the faith, because faith without works is dead.

And if we don't want our faith to die, we act upon it.

And God brings us then over into another realm where this.

Now faith is much stronger than doubt.

In fact, we go days and days without really doubting what we're doing, and we believe in the invisible, we believe in the angels, we believe in God, we believe in the Holy Spirit.

In fact, we talk to the Holy Spirit.

Are you listen to me?

And this idea where faith gets strong enough to where it overshadows doubt, it's not, there's no doubt whether church is important.

When you get to this realm over here, there's no doubt whether Sunday school is important, or being a Sunday school teacher, or being a bus worker, or bringing a nurse to working, or working the Spanish ministry.

Why?

Because we believe in the invisible.

In fact, when we get into this realm over here, that Bible is more important than the TV guy.

Amen.

And it's like this it's not a matter of should I witness to somebody?

Do I really believe there's a hell?

Do I really believe there's a heaven?

That's all been settled, and we believe in the invisible.

We believe in what that Bible says, and it gives way to our actions.

Now, also, along with that, pleasure to God increases as we go this way.

Now, God is pleased when we get saved.

Without faith, it's impossible to what?

Please Him.

The idea is our faith increases.

We have the maturity to give Him more pleasure because we act on that which we've not yet seen, which pleases God.

Amen?

Uh, statement.

Faith is an attitude that says God can.

Yes, amen.

Are you listening to me?

Faith is an attitude that says God is able.

And you know what?

God likes that.

God likes his children to say, you can depend on me, and I know God can help me, and I know God will work it out.

For example, I'll just use this as an example.

You know, uh, when we get saved, we get baptized, we we join this church, we start coming.

One of the basic kindergarten doctrines is tithing.

Amen?

I mean, it's a kindergarten doctrine that we all ought to learn.

I'm talking about teenagers ought to learn it.

You make a dollar, you give a dime to the church.

You make$10, you give a dollar.

You make a hundred, you give ten.

Come on, amen.

Say amen.

Don't freeze up because I'm talking about money.

And you know what?

The very fact that we do that pleases God.

Let me say it again.

The fact that we say, hey, at least, as a minimum, and it should grow.

As a minimum, 10% goes back to the local church.

Say amen.

You do know that, don't you?

Come on.

I mean, that that, and by doing that and put actions upon it, somebody says, Well, I'm, you know what?

I'm struggling with that.

I don't know if I could make it.

Hey, you know where you're at in the doctrine of tithing?

You're over here.

You're over here where doubt is still encompassing your mind and faith hasn't yet taken over.

And you're only giving pleasure a little bit to God.

I mean, if you can't trust him with filthy lucre, with mammon, with the least.

Come on, talk to me.

I mean, as we move over here in faith and do things for God, I hope the giving catches up too.

Amen?

Come on.

And we move over this to where the invisible far outweighs in faith the doubting of whether it's really real or not.

You don't even think about it.

You don't even have to make a decision.

All you have to make a decision is how much you're giving above your tithe and offering.

Amen?

Come on.

Now, sometimes, though, people people want to stay over here, and they're they're a Sunday school teacher, maybe, they're a bus worker, they're a bus captain, they're a they're a Spanish worker, they're a nursery worker, or something like that.

But it seems like they backslide with their finances.

And they go back over here.

Now I want to tell you something.

I don't check anybody who gives what.

Why are y'all getting quiet on me?

I don't check anybody who gives what gives what.

But may I say, if you're leading in an area over here, or if you're involved in the ministry and you've been around this church for a while, your giving should follow what you are as a leader.

Your giving ought to follow what you are as a worker.

If you're a Sunday school teacher, you ought to give your tithe.

Amen, amen, amen.

Hey, if God can't trust you with that, how in the world is he trusting you with our children?

As a choir member, you ought to tithe.

Come on, talk to me.

I mean, working to the deaf means everybody who knows understands anything about dependency on God and giving pleasure to God, ought to give him his 10%.

You say, well, I only make$120 a month, then give him$12.

Come on, say amen.

I'm talking to teenagers, you make money.

I'm talking about anybody.

And the idea is, well, you just want my money.

No, you're missing the whole point.

When you believe in the invisible God that he is able, you give him that least little filthy lucre and trust him with the rest.

So the idea is we give him more pleasure.

Oh, by the way, as we give him more pleasure, I believe the blessings increase too.

As we give him more pleasure, God looks and says, now I want to bless you.

Now, the concept then is faith.

Look at verse 1 of chapter 11, Hebrews.

Would you read the first three words with me?

Ready?

Begin.

Now, faith is.

Let's stop right there.

Because faith is current.

Faith is something that should be right now.

I mean, everybody, every once in a while, we ought to look at ourselves and say, where is my faith right now?

Where is it in the way of a stage of growth?

What is my faith right now?

Because God says, my faith should be active right now.

Now, faith is, it's it's present.

Faith often is a mindset.

Actually, it's a substance, it's something God puts in us, but it creates a mindset that God is able to do something even in the face of the unknown.

For example, God said to Moses, it's gonna be necessary here for you, Moses, to build a big boat.

An ark.

Now, you know what's great about Moses?

He, who did I say Moses?

Well, I you know what, I better study my Bible.

He said to Noah, excuse me.

He said that Noah, it's been a long week, amen.

He said to Noah, I knew that.

He said to Noah, I want you to build an ark.

And the idea was Noah didn't question and say, you know, I don't understand this.

Could you explain it to me?

Could you show me the rain first?

Could you show me how high the water's gonna get and then I'll do it?

No, you know what?

Moses Noah, Moses, Noah, whoever it was, Noah.

You preach it your way and I'll preach it my way.

Amen.

So Noah was not the type of guy that asked a bunch of questions because you know what?

Faith was I'm gonna act even when I don't understand the unseen.

I'm gonna go ahead and act by faith and trust in what God said, and Noah.

Thank you, thank you.

Noah and his sons begin preparing.

Now, it was in the face of the unknown, the unseen.

And God liked that.

I think it was Abraham.

I hope it was Abraham, who had a son named Isaac.

Oh, you're so unkind.

And the idea was, though, God said, I want you to take your son up and what?

Sacrifice.

Hey, you know what?

That's a tough thing.

But Abraham by faith, not understanding everything in the unseen, not understanding everything in the invisible, but in the face of the unseen, and in the face of not understanding, he went ahead and acted.

Brethren, that's what faith is.

Somebody says, I got faith.

Well, show me your actions.

Because faith without what?

Works is and works is just actions upon that faith.

You know, God allows us to read this book and understand this book.

And as we understand this book, here's what we do: we take that which is written in here, which is in the past, and we think about it, we meditate on it, and we do this.

Man, if God could do that, He must have a plan and is going to take care of what I got going on.

And let me just read some.

And uh, and I made a list of just a few things.

Um when there was a rod held up and the Red Sea parted.

When you read about that, doesn't that increase your faith?

Uh how about uh when the priests put their feet in the water in the river what?

Jordan.

Jordan.

And the water opened up.

Do you really believe that?

I mean, that's the type of stuff that increases our faith.

Uh, Moses smote the rock, and what came out?

Water.

Water came out.

Uh, if you would, uh, when there was uh a jawbone of a donkey used, who used that?

Samson used that.

And the idea was you think about that, what he did, and God increases your faith.

Uh, who lost some donkeys but got in God's will because of it?

Saul did.

Do you know your Bible?

I'm still learning mine.

Um who uh who was it that uh his faith was increased by a tonking donkey?

Balaam was.

See, we read that stuff and we say, if God can do that, God can take care of mine.

Uh how about the little scarlet line that was let down?

Who did that?

Rahab.

And by faith, she did that.

Uh how about uh the rod, if you would, that was thrown down and the snake that was picked up?

Moses.

No.

Ah, yes, yes, yes.

There's always one, isn't there?

The idea is this: as we read these things, it increases our faith.

It's the past working on our present faith.

Now faith is to accomplish things in the future.

Uh, how about this one?

Uh pitchers, lamps, and trumpets.

Gideon.

Um, a staff stretched out, not a rod, a staff.

Joshua Day.

The idea was he held it out and held it out, and there was an ambush.

The idea, though, was this faith is increased by reading and studying this Bible and by meditating on it and believing that God of the Old Testament did all that is still able to today.

Uh how about a wall and circle and a shout?

Five smooth stones.

Uh iron that swam.

Who did that one?

Elisha.

Uh the axe head, if you would.

Uh, how about uh here's the New Testament music at midnight?

Paul and Silas.

You see, brother, when we start thinking about these things, I don't know what you're thinking about right now, and saying, boy, I don't know if God's able.

But think about what he did for these people in this book.

Look, if you would a little bit further with me in your mind's eye, uh, a stone rolled away and a wrapped-up man came out.

Amen.

Um, how about uh uh a bed, uh a bed comes down through the roof?

The one with the palsy.

Uh a man overboard but not drowning.

When Peter walked on the water.

Now, you know, we think about that, but doesn't that increase your faith?

Come on.

If God can command that and let a man do that, can't he take care of what you got going on right now?

Now, faith is current, present.

Um, the borrowed vessels.

Remember the story in the Old Testament?

Who was it?

Who was the lady that borrowed them?

The widow of who?

How about uh seven dips down the Jordan?

Naming, amen.

Now you say, what is this Bible trivia?

No, this is for you to think.

And by the way, may I say this, you ought to know some of these.

I mean, if you're going, what?

Seven dips where?

If you're a new Christian, you're okay.

If you're still right over here and in that faith out, you're okay.

But if you've been at it 15 years and you're still here, you ought to get in your book, amen?

Uh how about this?

Uh a ram in the thicket.

You see, we just let those things go by.

A she-bear helps out.

I think that she bear to help Brother Wade out, amen.

God sent some hornets.

God sent some lions.

I mean, all to help Israel, if you think about it.

A bush on fire.

Who?

Twelve barrels of water.

Elijah.

Twelve barrels of water and 63 words later, and the fire fell.

Amen.

Uh five loaves and two fishes.

Uh there was a tree cast into the waters at Merah.

What?

To make them sweet.

Who did that?

Moses.

Uh, how about the writing on the wall?

You see, brethren, all these things again, what?

This increases our faith as we think about that and say, man, I tell you what, God does have a lot of things in there.

Little things sometimes.

Um, not only did he write on the wall, but he wrote in those tables of stones to Moses.

Uh, how about the the fish in the nets?

Or was it the fish in the net?

Who was that?

Peter.

How about the money in the fish?

Who was that?

How about a whale of a night?

Who was that?

Jonah.

Hey, you know what the greatest thing about Jonah is?

He spent uh uh some time in the whale, but he lived.

Amen.

Um pillar cloud, pillar of fire.

Oh, how about this one?

Mud in your eye.

Remember Jesus taking the spittle and putting it down and putting it in?

Hey, now now listen, really.

We ought to know our Bible a little bit, amen.

Who was it again that built the ark?

I'm gonna work on that.

Moses did, amen.

How about this one?

Uh they were rowing and he was walking.

Jesus walking across the water.

Uh an unborn baby jumping and leaping.

Uh thunder on the road of Damascus.

A sound in the mulberry trees.

David.

He waited for the sound.

See, all these things build our faith.

Uh how about the rattling of some bones in a valley?

Them bone, them dome bones, them dry bones, amen.

And the idea is in Ezekiel, God gave him life.

A whirlwind.

Elijah, so many things.

Oh, I like this one.

Uh, if you think about that, uh I was seen a haircut the other day on the airport or the airplane.

I thought about this.

Short, stubbled hair.

Samson.

Just started to grow out just a little bit, and he got just enough strength back to get him back just a little bit, amen.

You say, why all this?

Hey, brother, these things are what builds our faith.

If I were to say to you in the Old Testament, fast food.

Oh, man, you can think of a lot of different things, amen.

Let's see, somebody said Wendy's.

Uh, that's not in the Bible, amen.

Manna from heaven.

Uh, how about a heap of meat?

The quail, amen.

They were swimming in that stuff.

And the idea is, brethren, we think about this, we meditate on this, uh when the uh when nothing burned but the ropes.

Me shack shadrack in a minute ago.

Hey, brethren, thinking about those past things help us to believe that in the presence God can.

Uh, archery without aim.

Who got it?

Who shot it?

Who shot it?

Who drew a bow at a venture?

A certain man.

Amen.

Brethren, as we spend time in the book, it's more important than spending time in TV.

And it increases our faith and gives us the faith, and faith is the substance that sets our mind that God is able.

Look if you would in Hebrews chapter 11, and look if you would at verse number two.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

Verse 2.

For by it, what's the it?

What's the it?

The elbers obtained a what?

A good report.

And may I say this: a good report is a positive report.

Look if you would in verse 39, please.

Verse 39.

Verse 39.

And these all, having obtained a what?

A good report through what?

Faith.

Brethren, you know what?

If if there's anything needed in a church, it's a good report.

Tonight from the Deaf Ministry, we heard a good report.

You know why?

They did something by faith.

They decided to have a revival.

They flew a man in.

They prayed.

They went out and brought people in.

They went out and visited.

They planned.

And by faith, not knowing what would happen, they did the word of God, and the end result of that was a good report.

Some people got saved.

There's a lady sitting there tonight that got saved.

Some saints got helped, and God is greatly pleased.

Man, I don't want a dead, dry church where people are talking about the color of the carpet.

And we got parking problems again.

Let me just announce it right now.

Let me announce it.

We got parking problems again.

We renounce.

Our parking spaces this morning here at the church.

So rather than talk about it, I've already announced it.

Now let's have a good report.

That's the blessings of God, amen.

Hey, we had a prison revival.

Why?

Because by faith we believed that God was able, and men flew in here by faith, and someone got their hotel rooms, and someone gave a car, and someone gave some money, and people got saved.

Say, I don't know if I believe in that jailhouse religion.

Salvation is salvation, amen.

And that's a good report.

And by the way, brother, those are one of the things we're supposed to think on.

Philippians 4 8.

Whatsoever is of a good report.

Faith brings about good report when we do some actions based on that belief that we have that God is able.

The reason they're dried up is because of this.

They used to be over here in this realm of believing in the invisible.

And I mean, it just took over.

And man, they were going for God and hot for God and doing things for the Lord and involved.

But somewhere along the way, someone offended them.

Someone hurt them.

Someone let them down.

Or they got out of their own personal Bible devotions.

Look up here.

And their prayer life began to fade.

And they got over back over here.

They were back in that where faith was overshadowing doubt.

And then they got into this thing where faith and doubt kind of coexisted, and somebody else said something, and they weren't appreciated, and this happened, and they got out of their Bible more.

Are you listening to me?

And they skipped a couple messages, you know, and they got back over here to where now doubt began to overshadow faith.

And one of the dangers of that is getting a little dry and getting a little crusty.

And when you used to be way out there and you get back over here, you know what?

All you start seeing is the negative.

Please look up here.

You don't hear the good report.

All you see is it's too crowded.

Can't even get to the restrooms.

Can't find a parking place.

That's because you're not living by faith.

That's because uh someone's not walking in the spirit.

Someone stands up and gives a report, and I mean it's just like, how long is this going to take anyway?

Careful.

You say, well, you know what, you know what it is?

You're out of your Bible.

When we get out of our Bible, we start getting a bad attitude.

Come on, talk to me.

When our prayer life starts dropping off, somebody says, you know what, I'm just not getting fed anymore.

You know, when I come to services, you know the preacher, he just doesn't seem to be on like he used to be.

Are you sure it's me not being on or you being off?

Come on, talk to me.

And I'm not trying to just, I'm trying to say, brother, every once in a while, it's good to look and say, Am I getting dry and crusty and why?

Oh, here, hey.

When you used to be out here, I mean, tithe, no problem, and everything like that.

Glory to God.

And now when you get back over here, you know what?

You know, I don't know if I agree with this.

So I'm just going to hang on to my money.

I don't know, you know, I don't know if if this is a good idea to rent this building or not.

So I think I'll just hang on to my money.

Huh?

What?

Well, you know what?

What I don't know if it's a good idea to have a bus ministry.

Huh?

What has that got to do with tithing?

That's a principle that God put in there.

You see, it's just a way sometimes we find an excuse to relieve our guilt.

Who was it that made that ark again?

Yeah, you see, when you say that you laugh, but when I talk about money, it's I'm trying to help you.

Hey, there is joy in giving.

What's the joy?

Doing something by faith, trusting the invisible, not figuring out how you're gonna pay all the bills.

If we're not careful, brother, we begin to backslide in our attitude because faith gives way to doubt.

I don't know about you, brother, but I like to live in a good report.

Hey, that's positive.

Hey, uh, Brother Fisher.

What are we gonna do now?

I mean, it's getting full.

What are we gonna do?

What's the solution?

We might start losing people again.

What do you mean, again?

Hey, we had a lot of people drive up at their old property when we were over there and drive on.

I mean, you know what, preacher?

I think we get more.

They know we're in a Seventh-day Adventist building.

Well, it hasn't stopped you from coming.

And if someone gets something when they come here, they'll come back.

Seventh-day Adventist property has nothing to do with it.

Well, what are we gonna do?

Let me give you a good report about what are we gonna do next?

I don't know.

I'm still trying to figure out who built the ark.

Let alone figure out what we're gonna do next.

What are we gonna do, man?

There's people in the aisles, and you know, and all this, and Sunday night.

I don't know.

But I'm trusting the invisible.

I'm trusting the not yet seen.

Because faith is looking forward and saying, you know what?

God is able.

He took us this far, he'll take us on.

If he could take care of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and he could take care of Paul and Silas, and he could take care of Peter, and he could take care of us, he could take care of us.

So I want to give you a good report.

I don't know, but I know he knows.

You say, well, what about the bus ministry, or what about this ministry, or what about that ministry?

You know, I don't have all those answers.

But I know he does.

Well, relate it to your own family.

Well, what about this, or what about that?

You know, you got two choices.

Tonight, when you go home and man, you got something you're facing and all that, here's what you can do all night long.

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

Oh God, what am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

What am I gonna do?

Or you can say, I don't know what I'm gonna do.

But I'm sure he's got a lot figured out.

Good night, honey.

And I'm gonna tell you that uh uh probably uh 360 out of 365 days of the year, that's what I do.

I'll tell you there's probably five nights that I fret a little bit around the somewhere around in the year or pray all night or something like that, just personally.

But uh most of the time, that's what I do.

Because I'm not trusting the TV guide.

Amen.

It's this book, it's the God of this book, and please, it's the Holy Spirit bearing witness inside to my spirit saying, You can't do it anyways.

Let him do it.

Let him do it.

Hey, look at something with me.

Stay with me.

Look at Hebrews 11 again, and look at verse 13.

Verse 13, are you getting it tonight?

I'm watching your time.

Hebrews 11.

Now watch this very clearfully.

Look at verse 13.

These all died in what?

Faith.

In what?

Talk to me.

They all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them, and what?

They embraced the promises that were given to them.

Let me just say, well, what promises do I have?

Look up here, right there.

It's an embracing, oh, you you're talking about you just, you, you know, and I'm not talking about, oh Bible.

Oh Bible, I worship you.

No, it's embracing it.

It's hiding in our heart, it's memorizing, it's thinking about it.

It's embracing these promises and confess that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For they that say such things declare plainly that they do what?

Say it.

Come on, they what?

Now you're losing me.

Or I'm losing you.

They what?

Seek a country.

That's forward-looking, right?

Then it says this in verse 15.

And truly, if they had been what?

Mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

But now they desire a what?

A better country.

That isn't in heavenly, where God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a what?

City.

But here's the idea.

You know what they just said there?

They didn't try to hold on to both.

They didn't try to be mindful of that which we came out of and hold on to that and hold on to that which they were going to.

That's double-minded.

Amen?

You say, now I don't quite understand.

All right.

Please look up here.

Here's the past.

Here's what happened to me in the past.

Uh here's what happened to our church 13 years ago.

If we were trying to hold on to that, it's hard to reach out to that.

Come on.

What am I saying?

If I'm just totally focused on the past, everybody has a past, right?

Do y'all have a past?

But we're not supposed to live in it.

If I started going through the church tonight and say, do you know what this guy's past is and this guy's past and that gal's past and this gal's past?

Hey, you'd say, I can't believe that.

You see, but you don't see them that way.

Why?

Because they've let go of the past and they've turned to reach towards the future.

I made mistakes last year.

I've learned from those mistakes.

I'm correcting myself from those mistakes, but I'm not going to live in those mistakes.

I'm learning from those mistakes even presently.

But, brother, I don't know about you.

I'm reaching forward.

Okay, look at Hebrews 12 real quick.

Look at Hebrews 12.

Faith allows us to let go of some things in the past to look forward to the future.

Look at Hebrews 12.

Verse 2.

Looking unto who?

That's the future.

The author and finisher of our faith.

Who, for the joy that was where?

Sat before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and to sit down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hey, when he says that he was looking for the joy that was set before him, that was that throne.

He got his eyes on the sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God.

And that allowed him to go through the shame of the present.

Now look what it says there.

You mean Jesus?

Jesus, who for the joy that was set before him, what did he do?

He endured the cross.

And he despised that shame.

And is set down.

He looked forward to when he would be past the cross, past this life, set down at the right hand of the throne of God, and that helped him to get through the present.

He wasn't double-minded.

Hey, please look up here.

He wasn't doing this.

He wasn't saying, well, let's see, I'm looking this way and now I'm looking back this way, and now I'm going to look this way, and now I'm going to look back this way and live in the past and go back here, and now I'm going to look this way for a while.

You know what?

Jesus was forward-looking.

He was saying, No, I'm heading for the throne.

I can endure what I've got to endure right now because I'm heading for the throne.

I'm going to sit down beside God and I can endure what I have to endure because I'm heading for the throne.

Faith is forward-looking, and faith is positive.

Faith believes in the reality of the invisible.

Faith believes that God has in the past, he is in the present, and he will in the future.

Honey, what are we going to do?

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.

Stop asking me, I don't know.

Don't ask me that again.

I don't know.

Well, I'm I'm I'm sorry, honey.

Well, you should be.

I'm just tired of you asking me.

What am I gonna do?

I don't know what I'm gonna do, okay?

Well, that makes for a wonderful honeymoon.

Um ministry leader?

You know, I just I'm just tired of this.

Well, I don't know.

What are we gonna do about this?

I don't know.

Well, you should know you're a ministry leader! Cool it, brother.

We're all living by faith.

We're planning, Lord willing, to have the buses back onto a single run by October.

That'll bless a lot of people.

That'll allow our teenagers to get back over here into junior churches more.

That'll allow some bus workers who are just dragging home because of the double runs, some of y'all.

That'll allow our junior church, that'll allow a lot of things.

But there's a lot of things that's got to happen for that to happen.

But by faith, where's Chris Sturger?

Stand up, Chris.

This is Chris Sturger, the one and only.

Go ahead, take your vows, Chris.

I understand.

Let me say it again.

This is Chris Sturger, the one and only.

In the balcony, I want you to know this is Chris Sturger, the one and only.

Death Ministry, I want you to meet Chris Sturger, the one and only.

Stand up.

I'm preaching here.

Chris and I met uh a couple weeks ago, and we've talked and everything.

And uh I've I've asked, uh, Chris asked me about a couple things, and I made a commitment.

I said, Chris, Lord willing, by October, somewhere in October, Lord willing, we're gonna be back to single runs.

He said, That would be great.

We've got some people that, you know, they're hanging on the best they can and everything.

And if you don't understand what single runs versus double runs are, that means they take the buses back and forth two times.

It's more time, it's a lot of effort, it's everything.

Well, why don't we just get to single runs?

Uh buses, money, drivers, workers.

Did I miss anything?

But by faith, Chris and I have looked forward to the future that God is able and willing and wants this.

Now, how's it gonna happen?

The answer is buses and workers and money, mechanics.

Did I miss anything?

Another new another classroom we need, drivers.

Yeah, that's that pretty well sums it up.

Oh, how's this gonna happen?

Oh, I made a commitment to Chris.

Oh, what am I gonna do?

Lord, Chris is a good guy.

He's your leader.

You show him what to do.

And and God bless him and his wife tonight.

Good night, honey.

You maybe see, Chris.

Hey, but we do it as a team.

We do it together.

And we've been through tough times and tight times before.

God has always worked it out.

And he'll work this out.

Are you getting the drift of the message?

Faith is, it's something present that gives us the attitude and a mindset that God is able to in the future, and we act upon that accordingly.

Now, stay with me.

We don't presume upon God.

We always say if the Lord will.

But, brethren, we start to put in actions believing that He will.

And we're not double-minded.

There is no doubt.

I've never had second thoughts about whether we should have moved in here.

Never one.

Why?

There was no choice.

Apply that where you're at right now.

Letting go of a country, letting go of a past, letting go of a past mistake, letting go of a past failure, letting go of something that just drags you down in the past.

Why?

So when we let go of that and learn from it finally and let go of it, we can turn and reach for that heavenly country, that new thing in the future, that new task in the future, that new job in the future, and put our mind on that, remembering what we learned, but not living back there, living in the future.

A good report.

One more thing, and we'll close.

Look at 1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

You say, you know, it just sounds so great.

It just sounds like, you know, we're just gonna, you know, tiptoe through the tulips.

No, Tiny Tim did that, amen?

That's not what we're gonna do.

Because there's the reality of this also.

Look at 1 Peter 1.

Look if you would, brethren, with me.

At verse 6.

Wherein, now now read with me.

Wherein ye do what?

Ye greatly rejoice, thank you.

Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in what?

Heaviness.

If it's necessary, there's heaviness, through manifold what?

Temptations.

Trials.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having what?

That's the invisible.

Ye what?

In whom though now ye see him not, yet what?

Believing, ye do what?

Rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

If we love the one who we've not yet seen, it makes the trial of our faith easier to go through because there are necessary times when our faith is tested to make it stronger.

I say, I don't know if I understand.

The trial of our faith weakens us.

I say it again.

The trial of our faith weakens us.

I must say it again.

The trial of our faith weakens us.

You say, no, no, no, that's not right, preacher.

The trial of our faith strengthens us.

No, the trial of our faith weakens us so he can be strong through us.

Oh God, increase my faith.

All right, then I'm gonna, if need be, put you through heaviness and manifold temptations for a season, and it's going to weaken you.

And when you're weakened, then I can be strong through you.

And by being strong through you, I will strengthen your faith, but it's not your faith, it's my faith in you.

You got it?

It doesn't feel like I'm growing.

Sometimes you don't feel like you're growing.

Sometimes the heaviness and the manifold temptations weaken us to where God can grow through us.

But verse 8 says, Whom now, having not seen, ye love.

In whom though now you see him not yet believing, what do you do?

Rejoice.

How can I rejoice when I'm in heaviness through manifold temptations?

Because there's a scripture that says he will not suffer us to bear that above which we're able.

And we believe that he won't put more on us than we're able to bear, and therefore we know we're going to be able to bear up.

We know we're going to learn from it.

We know he's going to take us on through.

We know we're going to overcome with overcoming faith that he gives us.

And we know this is all good for us.

And we trust him looking forward that he's going to bring us out of this, and we're going to be better because of it.

One more.

Same thing, James 1.

James 1.

Verse 2, my brethren, count it all what?

Joy.

When you fall into diverse what?

Temptations.

That's the manifold.

Diverse manifold, many trials.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith does what?

Worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire what?

Wanting nothing.

Contentment.

Contentment in trusting Him that He is able and will, and that we can lean on His wisdom and His knowledge.

I don't know where you're at tonight.

I don't know what you're facing.

But I'm going to say this to you.

If we, whatever we're facing, whether it be finances or health, family problems, relationships, ministry, church, business, whatever you're facing, look up here and I'm finished.

We want to walk in the invisible.

We want to walk where faith is so strong it overshadows doubt.

We can't yet pass through this last one because this last one is when faith becomes sight.

And now we're not looking through a glass darkly, we're in heaven.

So we have to live right here, close and ready, but still right here in this realm of faith.

Not yet seeing him, knowing it's there, knowing he's there, believing he's there, trying to give him pleasure in this operating realm of faith.

But please look up here.

Every once in a while, God says, now, I need to allow some heaviness through manifold diverse trials.

But the trying of your faith, it's more precious than the gold that perisheth.

And what I'm going to do here, Doug, is I'm going to weaken you.

And I'm going to weaken you down.

I'm going to break you down.

But the reason I'm doing that is because I'm setting you up for something more in the future.

When you're weak, then I can be stronger through you.

And your confidence is no longer in yourself, it's in me, in you.

It's in the God of that book.

It's not in your own wisdom and knowledge, it's in God's wisdom and knowledge in you.

Are you listening to me?

And what I'm doing is setting you up to give me more pleasure so I can bless you and reward you in the future.

It doesn't seem like it.

But tonight, trust me.

It's all okay.

Get some sleep.

You'll need it for tomorrow.

I got a lot for you to do.

I got a guy I want you to witness to.

I got some people I want you to pray for.

I got some decisions that I'm going to show you what to do so you can make them.

I got a wife that's going to need some loving tomorrow for you.

Got some children that are going to need some wisdom.

So just get a good night's sleep tonight because you're going to be a busy boy tomorrow.

And all I don't want to tell you this so you don't fret, but I got a big trial coming for you too tomorrow.

And you're not going to like it.

You better sleep tonight because you're not sleeping tomorrow night.

Oh, he giveth his beloved sleep.

And I'm glad I'm of the beloved.

Now I lay me down to sleep.

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake, glory to God.

Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Tonight's a good night.

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

God bless my wife and all them children.

And uh the leaders of our church, and uh and uh yeah, good night, Holy Spirit.

And that's the way it works.

Let's all stand.

Now faith is.

Now faith is.

Tonight I'm planning on before I go to bed, reading about the Ark.

It's been a while, I guess, since I've been in that story.

But tonight I'd like you to do this.

You never know what you're going to face between now and the time you go home.

Sometimes a good altar call lays everything out so you can get the rest you need.

Tonight, maybe some of you need to come and say, Lord, I need my faith increased.

Lord, I'm going through a heaviness type of temptation and trial, and I understand better what it is.

Lord, I don't know what the future holds, but I'm trusting you to hold the future.

I can't see it, but if I keep my eyes on you who can see, then I can let patience have her perfect work that comes through those trials.

Tonight, Lord, I just want to thank you.

And I'm going to ask you to give myself and my family a good night's sleep so I can be ready to go in the morning.

You say, What this is all about at church.

I'm trying to teach you about resting in God through faith.

And there's no greater mindset attitude and to be able to rest in God.

You can't pay for it.

A psychologist can't give it to us.

It must come from God tonight.

Ladies, you don't know maybe some of the things your husband is facing.

And it would be good to pray for him and say, God, give my husband that kind of faith.

Men, you don't know what your wives are facing.

Singles, you don't know what each other's are facing.

I'm talking we ought to pray not just for ourselves, but one for the other.

Pray for that ministry leader.

Pray for that leader.

Pray for those who are making decisions.

Pray that God will give them the faith and intercede.

And if you're not saved tonight, that's the first step to enter into a faith that gives you that kind of rest.

Brethren, tonight, before we leave, if God has given you some good rest because you're trusting in Him, you can go home and lay your pillowed head on the pillow at night.

It's because He authored some faith in you.

And it wouldn't hurt for some of us to get on our knees and say, God, I just want to thank you.

I'm not out in a bar tonight trying to drown my sorrows.

I'm not doing drugs tonight trying to forget the pressure and the stress.

I'm not hyped up on some over-the-counter massive mounts of drugs to help me to escape.

God, I'm of a sober, sound mind.

I'm trusting thee tonight.

And I want to thank you for that.

Tonight, with your heads bowed and your eyes closed.

Brethren, let the redeemed of the Lord say so back to God.

If you need to use an old-fashioned altar tonight, come.

If you say, God, increase my faith, then God just might tonight give you what you need.

And measure out a proportion of faith according to Romans 12 to give you the kind of sleep and rest you need tonight to face tomorrow.

Whether it's a financial burden or a ministry or a business or a relationship, whatever it be, and whatever it is, God is able.