Confidence in God
Men’s Breakfast • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Intro
Intro
Illustration: The Tightrope Walker and the Wheelbarrow
Illustration: The Tightrope Walker and the Wheelbarrow
There’s a well-known story about a 19th-century tightrope walker named Charles Blondin, who was famous for crossing Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Crowds would gather in amazement as he walked across the tightrope with no net beneath him.
One day, Blondin pushed a wheelbarrow across the rope. After making it safely to the other side, the crowd erupted in applause. Blondin then turned to the crowd and asked,
“Do you believe I can push this wheelbarrow across again?”
They shouted, “Yes!”
Then he asked, “Do you believe I can carry a person in this wheelbarrow across the falls?”
Again, the crowd cheered, “Yes!”
Then Blondin asked, “Who will get in the wheelbarrow?”
The crowd went silent.
**Do you trust God enough to get in the wheelbarrow?
Wouldn’t you like to have unwavering confidence in God?
I mean like you really really believe God will come through…
Like there’s no doubt, no worries, no concerns because you are SO confident in God to deliver…
1. Confidence through a Difficult Life
1. Confidence through a Difficult Life
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
“I know whom I have believed”
“Persuaded”
“He is able to keep”
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
The Apostle Paul uses very sure and imperative language regarding his trust in God:
Know
Persuaded
Confident
Wouldn’t you like to be confident, persuaded and have the ability to KNOW God will:
Take care of you?
Will take care of your family?
Will keep His Word?
Transition to Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego:
2. Confidence through Life-threatening Opposition
2. Confidence through Life-threatening Opposition
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego had an unwavering confidence in God to deliver them…
They had not seen God, nor verbally spoken to God that the Bible records to this point…
Yet, they still had an unwavering confidence in God to deliver…
When you’re standing in the face of the world, are you able to confidently, without waver, outwardly state confidence in your God?
Transition to Job:
3. Confidence through Suffering
3. Confidence through Suffering
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth,
And that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body,
Yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself,
And mine eyes shall behold, and not another;
Though my reins be consumed within me.
Job had confidence in God through suffering
Yet through suffering, he did not “curse God and die” like his wife requested…
He is making statements such as:
“I know that my redeemer liveth”
“he shall stand”
“my flesh shall I see God”
“I shall see for myself”
“mine eyes shall behold”
Through suffering, Job had an unwavering confidence in God…
Conclusion:
What was it that allowed the Apostle Paul have such amazing confidence and unwavering faith in God through a difficult life?
What was it that allowed Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego have such amazing confidence and unwavering faith in God through life-threatening opposition?
What was it that allowed Job to have such amazing confidence and unwavering faith in God through suffering?
A difficult life, life-threatening opposition and suffering seem to be automatic qualifiers for living life without confidence in God…
It seems these circumstances would lead the typical person to distrust God because He just did not come through for you like He should…
But how is it that these men had such unwavering confidence in God?
I. Confidence in God grows as you get closer to Him
I. Confidence in God grows as you get closer to Him
Paul said, “I know whom I have believed”
**At one time before in Paul’s life, he had believed in religion once before…
But this time God did something so magnificent in Paul that he was persuaded in God…
The jury was out and the decision has come…
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
A confident, flourishing, fruitful tree with no concern of drought…
II. Confidence in God grows as you companion with men of faith
II. Confidence in God grows as you companion with men of faith
Before Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego stood face to face with the king and refused to bow…
They companioned with a man named Daniel…
Prior to being confident and obedient in this life-threatening opposition, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego companioned with a man of faith and confidence…
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
They obeyed in something as simple as a diet…
They watched God work greatly…
No doubt leading up to wha they would face in the eye of the king…
When you’re around men and women of faith, it’s hard not to be a part of their faithful life...
When they place full confidence and trust in God and confidently wait for God to work…
God works like He promises and they are blessed, but so are those who are around them…
I believe Timothy’s confidence in God arose from Paul’s confidence in God:
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
III. Confidence in God grows as your walk becomes consistent
III. Confidence in God grows as your walk becomes consistent
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
21 And said,
Naked came I out of my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return thither:
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
How could Job stand in the face of such suffering and say “I know my redeemer liveth”…
It’s because he already had a consistent walk with God prior to the suffering taking place…
At the time of distress is not the time to figure out how to walk with God…
Develop a walk with God now and walk with Him through difficulty or victory…
