Doubt with Faith

Introduction

Last week we ended in Numbers 14 at verse 23. However I want to read your verse 24.

Numbers 14:24 NASB95

“But My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.

You see his faith was rewarded. In the midst of so many people doubting God, Caleb stood on faith. As we endeavor to ask and answer questions about God and His word, we need to be careful how we approach it. We learned last week that their is a negative way to do this. How then do we question in a positive light? It begins with faith. Instead of trying to question God and make Him prove He is right, we should start from a place assuming God is right and the Bible doesn’t contradict itself.

Story of how Sam stuck up for me when my ex girlfriend lied about my character.

There is a story in the Bible where some people had strong faith in the Lord. They showed us how to do it. They showed us the depth of faith, and they showed us God’s response to faith. So let’s read about these young people.

Paraphrase: Daniel and three other Hebrew men (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) were the focus of the stories in the Book of Daniel. However, you may know these three as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They had been sent to Babylon after the fall of Israel. In this instance the King Nebuchadnezzar had erected a statue in his likeness, and he was calling for all people to bow down when they heard a specific sound or song. When the time came and they played it these three young men did not bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar. That is where we will pick up reading.

Daniel 3:8–20 NASB95

For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! “You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. “But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. “There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? “Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.

Faith Stands Firm in the Face of Opposition (vv. 8-18)

Our faith will call us to stand up for what we believe in. In the context of this series, many of the questions you have asked have been in regards to things people have brought before you to disprove God and the Bible. It is becoming increasingly unpopular to say you believe in God. You are called dumb and uneducated, because you believe in God. You will hear all kinds of people challenge God and the things the Bible asks of us. Even Jesus acknowledged it in John 15:18 when he says ““If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”

We have to stand firm in our faith. The tallest tree in the world is the California Red Wood tree. They are on average 300-350 ft tall. Tall is fun but it isnt always an advantage. For the Redwood they are exposed to weather that other trees might not be due to their extreme height. How do they stand up to these winds and intense weather cells? As tall as there are, their roots only go about 6 to 12 feet deep, but they can spread horizontally almost 100 ft. This depth and deep intertwining help them stand tall for many years. Much like the Redwood our faith is similar to stand tall against opposition we must bury our roots deeps, but we must also bind our roots to others.

We have to trust God, but we must also do it in community. Sometimes we will have to stand alone, but when we can we should seek to stand together. I encourage you in this study to resolve to stand for what you believe in. If God reveals an answer to you or His plan from you, I encourage you to not shy away from it even if its hard.

Most of the time we cant control the outcome thats why...

Faith Trusts God No Matter the Outcome (vv. 17-18)

We may not understand how God is gonna work things out. We may not even like the way God decides to work them out, but we can have faith. Nonetheless, our faith should not be dependant on the outcome. We should have faith in God because He is God. But why? Because God deserves it. Ill be a toddler her and ask again but why? because He has already done things worthy of our life long praise, worship, and faith.

I like to think of a toddler standing on the edge of a pool while their parent is in the pool with their arms outstretched. The toddler may come to the edge of the pool and hesitate when jumping in, but the assurance from their parent that they will catch them is enough and they jump in. In that moment, that toddler doesnt know how it is going to work out, but they trust their parent and are willing to take the chance.

The three men in this story did not know how God would save them, but they trusted in who God was. Just like them we have to be willing to take leaps of faith and trusting in God for who He is.

As we seek God through this series, I encourage you to have faith in Him even if the answer you receive is not what you are looking for. Has he led you astray up until now? So why would he start now.

Faith is Rewarded (vv. 24-30)

A faithful follower is loved by God. He chooses to bless those who are faithful to Him. This is exactly the case in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spared them and they were stronger in their faith because of it. God even went as far to put a heavenly being in the fire with them. When we seek and stand for God faithfully we will find a reward.

I believe if we seek God humbly through this process, He will reward our faith. However that is the crux of the matter. We have to approach this process in faith. We have to trust in who God is and trust that He will reveal what we need to know in His timing and His perfect way.

Conclusion

Faith is the answer to our doubt. We should stand on our faith and no back down just because we are opposed. Jesus told us this would happen. We should have faith no matter the outcome. God has already earned our lifelong faith through the sacrifice of His son Jesus, therefore, we trust Him no matter what. Finally, we hold fast to the truth that our faith will be rewarded. We may not see how, but know that God we not forget out faithfulness.

As we continue this series, and begin answering our questions, and doubts we may have about God I encourage you to not be like the Israelites last week and call God out and challenge Him and His character, but instead you respond to Him in Faith even when you dont know the outcome.