IF (2)

The New International Version Hebrews 3:6

But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

If We Hold

firm to our confidence

We tend to misplace our confidence

Misplace confidence in work, pedigree, our own strength, how good we are, our ability, the word of others,

When we do this we set ourselves up for disappointment and for our hope to be crushed

&

the hope in which we glory (boast)

We tend to boast in the wrong things.

But when we put our confidence in the unseen God, what we do is position ourselves in a posture of faith that says “Even IF”

The New International Version John 4:10–12

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

If You Knew

My Father

If You knew the gift

You would ask for something else

The New International Version John 11:40

“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

If You Believe / If You Have Faith

You would speak

Romans 10:10-17

You would do

Matt. 7:21-23

You would see

Believing results in seeing. Contrary to the old saying seeing equals believing.

You would start cultivating expectation.

There’s a game getting ready to take place this afternoon called the Superbowl 58.

At this point one might ask. “How do you cultivate expectation?”

We have to attach faith based conclusion to our if’s rooted in our hope and not rooted in what we see.

The New International Version Daniel 3:16–18

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Even if

He doesn’t show up when

He doesn’t show up how

He doesn’t do