0633 Drowing Doubt

DROWNING DOUBT

Doubt can drown you. Doubt can also be drowned by you.

70 percent of youth leave church after high school. 40 come back.

Abraham father of faith doubted. Zacharia men of righteousness doubted. Philip, Nicodemas, Thomas, they all had doubts.

James 1:6 Ask in faith with no doubting, who he doubts is like wave of the sea, that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Matthew 21:21 If you have faith and do not doubt, you will speak to this mountain.

"Doubt occurs when what we expect is not happening, and what shouldn't be happening is happening."

Doubt is not unbelief, and it's not faith either, it waves between the two.

"Believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts"

"Who knows nothing, doubts nothing" French proverb

Doubt and Unbelief:

- doubt is i can't believe, unbelief is i wouldn't believe (Philip)

- doubt is honest, unbelief is stubborn (Nicodemaus and Pharaoh)

- doubt is looking for light, unbelief is content with darkness (Pharisees)

"Every other crime touches God's territory, but unbelief aims a blow at his divinity, impeaches his veracity, denies his goodness, blasphemes his attributes, maligns his character, therefore God of all things, hates first, and chiefly, unbelief, wherever it is" Charles Spurgeon

John 20:27-29

JESUS SHOWED UP HIS SCARS, NOT STARS!

1. Wounds say, people have been unfair, scars say, God has been good!

In the world we show our achievements not our struggles (CBC)

Paul boasted about his infirmities to prove his apostleship

"Wounds are not scars. Wounds are open, scars are closed. Wound hurts, scars are wounds healed. Wound says, I been hurt, scar says I been healed. Wound is pain, scar is his power"

Don't show your wounds to people, only to Jesus.

2. We don't have scars, not because we never been hurt, but never been healed. DON'T WAIT FOREVER TO BE HEALED.

3. Wounds that are neglected are wounds that are infected. Time helps, but Jesus heals. Stop the bleeding not smoking!

Don't wait 12 years to be healed of your bleeding. SHE WAS UNCLEAN!

STRIPES HEAL SICKNESS, SCARS HEAL DOUBT!

1. Doubts feeds on isolation

Isaiah 49:14-16

2. When in doubt, observe the marks God left on your life

John the baptist was reminded of that

3. When in doubt, observe the marks you left on God's life

God did not pencil you, but marked you in His hand, not to forget!

His stripes heal sickness, his scars heal doubt! Healing, hope!

WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, REMEMBER ME,

BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT MY HANDS, I REMEMBER YOU!

Don't drown in your doubt by going to Pharisees

Peter called on Jesus, when he was drowning.

Father said, HELP MY UNBELIEF!