What to do When Faith Falters

I. Introduction

Would you be turning with me this week again to Genesis Chapter 12. Last time we were together we went to the School of Faith together and learned from the Professor of Faith himself, Abraham back at the end of Chapter 11 and into the beginning of Chapter 12…and through Abraham’s life, we learned quite a bit about faith. So this week we will be back there in Genesis 12…So be finding that....

Now…now that you’ve found it, look up here and let me tell you something: The measure of your accomplishments and your victory in life is your faith....did you hear what I just said? I’ll say it again: The measure of your accomplishments and your victory in life is your faith.

Listen to Matthew 9:29

Matthew 9:29 NASB95

Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.”

....to read it another way with the same exact meaning: according to your faith, it shall be done to you....Now, let me tell you something this morning church: The identifying mark of a Christian is his faith. As a matter of fact, Christians were called believers before they were called Christians. Faith is the identifying mark of a Christian. But not only is it his identifying mark; as we learned last week from Abraham: it is his chief duty.

Friend: you have no greater duty than to just simply believe God. John 6, verse 29: “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe.” (John 6:29) Isn’t that something? “This is the work of God, that ye believe.”

Now track along with me here: if faith is the chief duty, then what must be the greatest sin?…UNbelief, amen? Unbelief is the greatest evil. There is no greater sin than the sin of unbelief. As a matter of fact, that’s THE sin that will consign you to hell for eternity. The Bible says, in John 3, verse 18, “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18) Did you hear that? CONDEMNED—not because he steals, not because he murders or lies, not because of his lust or pride, but because he believes not. Unbelief is the mother sin, the father sin, the parent sin…it’s the sin out of which all other sins grow.

My dear friend, listen to me this morning: there is nothing that ties the hands of God in your life like unbelief. There is nothing that steals your joy and victory like unbelief....there is nothing that keeps you from getting God’s very best for you in this life like unbelief....and friend: if you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, there is nothing that will keep you out of Heaven for eternity like unbelief either.

Faith is not only important to us....it is essential. I heard the President on the news a while back and, as many of you know, he is a Roman Catholic, and a reporter asked him about his faith and he said “Oh yes, my faith is definitely part of who I am....”

Really? Well my faith IS who I am…and it ought to be the same for all of us. It ought to be our defining characteristic according to God’s Word. People shouldn’t be able to get to know us very long at all without seeing it....Question:

How long would it take a person to get to know you before they meet Jesus? How long?....

If you love Him…and you are a totally committed, totally in love follower of Christ…why in the world do we keep Him hidden? So He won’t offend somebody?....So He won’t hurt somebody’s feelings?

You see, dear friend, the way a Christian lives is this: He is to live by faith.

Now the Bible makes one statement four times. In Habakkuk 2:4, in Hebrews 10:38, in Galatians 3:11, and in Romans 1:17, there is one verse that is repeated four times. Do you want me to tell you what it is? “The just shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38) Do you have it? “The just shall live by faith.” Four times God says: “The just shall live by faith,” “The just shall live by faith,” “The just shall live by faith,” “The just shall live by faith.” Do you get the idea God is trying to tell us something? Yes, He is and I’ll tell you what it is: “The just shall live by faith.” My dear friend, the way that you live the Christian life is by faith.

Faith overcomes the world. Are you having troubles and struggling? Is this world oppressing you and weighting you down? The Bible says, in 1 John 5, verse 4, “And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4) You say, “Pastor, I’ve got a mountain of problems.” Our Lord says, in Matthew 17, verse 20, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove.” (Matthew 17:20)

You know I really....I do not have the vocabulary, words, or emotion enough today to emphasize to you the importance of faith. I hope you have seen that from last week....but you know....sometimes we find ourselves in a bad place in life don’t we?

Sometimes we have hurts and doubts....and sometimes, no we don’t lose our faith or lose our salvation....but sometimes it falters…sometimes that light flickers and fades a bit…isn’t that true folks? Come on now, we can be real with one another here, that’s what we’re all about here at Morningside is being real…you don’t have to put on a special show for ANYBODY, you know why? Because we are ALL imperfect and we ALL mess up....and we all need some help....

So here’s what I want to do this morning for just a little bit, I want to talk to you about what to do when your faith falters. What causes our faith to get weak? And what can we do to have a vital, vibrant, and victorious faith? That’s what we’re studying....so as I said way before:

a. Scripture: Genesis 12:10-20

I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word. Now Abraham has been called of God out of the land of paganism called Ur of the Chaldees. He’s been called by the grace of God to forsake his family, his friends, his fortune, and his fixed position, and to go into a land that God would show him. Now he’s come into that land. And I begin our reading here in Genesis 12, verses 10 to 20: “

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

Now I told you that Abraham was the Professor or perhaps the dean in the school of faith, but you know, to get there, he had to learn some lessons himself. At this time he was very young in the faith. And God now brings him into the land of famine, as we’re going to see, for one purpose, and one purpose only: and that is to test him.

But he failed that test. Now, my dear friend, God’s going to test your faith—not because He doesn’t love you, but because He does love you. If you don’t remember anything else that I’m going to tell you today, you remember this: A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted. How do you know that you have the real thing? How can you trust what you have if it’s not been tested? God often tests our faith and it is in those times that our faith is strengthened and made more sure. That’s one thing that can help us to prevent our faith from faltering in the future....

But let’s take a look at a few things about faltering faith this morning:

II. Major Points on Faltering Faith

The Cause

The Cost

The Cure

III. Point #1: The Cause

Explanation All right now, the first thing I want you to see is the cause of faltering faith. What is the cause? Why did Abram’s faith falter?

- A. One cause of faltering faith is worldly compromise—worldly compromise. Look in Genesis 12, verse 1: “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country,”—underscore that—“and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will shew thee.” (Genesis 12:1) Nothing could be clearer than that. “Get out. Leave your kindred, and go to the place that I will show thee.” Did he do that? Well, go down to Genesis 12, verses 4 and 5: “So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him

”—woah....woah....woah...now hang on just a minute. Didn’t He say, “Leave your kinfolks”?

....Yes. Who is Lot? Lot was Abram’s nephew—“and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.” (Genesis 12:4) Where was Haran? That was between his hometown and where God had sent him to be.

He went down to Haran and sojourned there for a while. “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.” (Genesis 12:5) But they didn’t go straight to Canaan, and they didn’t leave everything that they had behind. Rather than going all of the way, he settled in Haran....

Now, does that remind you of anybody that you know? I call them halfway Christians. I mean, they’re saved, but it seems like they only go halfway. Rather than forsaking this world, as our Lord has taught us to do, we have those hangover sins....we like them, even after we’re saved, we keep them....so that’s one cause of faltering faith....here’s another:

B. Weakened Confidence.....what’s the result of worldly compromise? I’ll tell you what is; it’s weakened confidence—weakened confidence. You see, when we begin to compromise with the world, our faith begins to sag. You see, the Bible says, “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” (1 John 3:21) Now, do you think Abram’s heart condemned him when he did not go, as God commanded him to go? Of course it did! Do you think Abram knew that he was doing wrong when he took Terah, his father, and Lot, his nephew, with him? Of course he did! But he was hoping somehow, some way, that God would just overlook it all. But in his heart he knew that God would not.

There are those sitting in this congregation this morning who desperately need faith and desperately need the power of God, but because of worldly compromise, you have weakened confidence. Your heart condemns you, and you know that you cannot pray with faith about this thing or that thing. And so there is a weakened confidence. There are probably some who don’t even have confidence that they are saved because of a lack of confidence....that all comes from wordly compromise.

So beware compromise with the world…and the lack of confidence it brings....that is, lack of confidence in God…yourself…and perhaps even your salvation....and listen folks: if you want to know how to combat a faltering faith, you have to know what causes it, which we just discussed....now let’s talk about the cost:

IV. Point #2: The Cost

Explanation So, here we have Abraham....and he has really messed up. At first, he was obedient, wasn’t he? He picked up all he had and all his belongnings and left.....BUT, he did it wrong…he brought someong (Lot) with him AND he went the wrong way to the wrong place…So let’s count the cost:

A. Time:

First of all, it cost Abraham time. Now, friend, when he was down in Egypt, he wasn’t up in Canaan. When he was down in Egypt, he was out of the will of God, and he was not doing the will of God. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) When he was down in Egypt, he was not living in faith. “For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23) And so all that he was doing down there was sin, because he was out of the will of God. Now, when you’re out of the will of God, it doesn’t matter how many good things you think you’re doing, because if you’re out of the will of God, the total result is sin, and you are wasting your time.

B. Testimony:

But not only did it cost him time; it cost him testimony—testimony. While he was down there, he had lost his testimony. Now, what kind of a testimony do you think Abram was before the pagan King Pharaoh? Maybe Pharaoh would have been saved if Abram had obeyed God and done what God had told him to do. Who knows, right?

But you listen to me: people are watching you, ESPECIALLY if you claim to be one of God’s, isn’t that true church? Even…and especially parents....

Now I want to say something very seriously to some of you parents: You’re living lives of worldly compromise, weakened confidence, and wicked conduct. And there are members of your family, while you’re living that way, who are going to get a taste of Egypt, and you’re going to pay a fearful price because of your faltering faith. Some of you parents—listen to me—you’ve got teenagers right now, and they are so impressionable. If you were ever going to live by faith, you ought to live by faith now. If you were ever going to trust God, you ought to be trusting God now!

We must protect our testimonies from the Devil because he will take them and USE a damaged testimony to turn people away from Jesus…and we have to answer for that one days: question:

Do YOU want to be the guy God looks at and says “why did you allow Satan to USE you to send somebody else to hell?” Ohhhhh....not me. Not me...

C. Trouble:

Do you know what he got in Egypt? Do you know what he picked up in Egypt? He got two things down in Egypt. First of all, he got wealth; and secondly, he got a woman. He got wealth and he got a woman when he was down there in Egypt. See? Few things bring trouble quicker than a woman, amen? I”m just kidding....but from that moment on Abraham began having troubles.

“Well,” you say, “it doesn’t look to me like he’s failing; it looks like he’s succeeding.” Listen to me, friend. A wise man once said this: “Whatever a man does without God, in that thing he will fail miserably, or he will succeed even more miserably.” Now, what did he get? What kind of wealth did he get down there? Well, look, if you will, in Genesis chapter 13, verse 2. The Bible says here, in this particular verse, that “Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.” (Genesis 13:2)

Now look at the word cattle. You see it? Underscore it. “Very rich in cattle.” This is the first mention of cattle in Abram’s life. Abram did not come out of Ur of the Chaldees with cows; he came out with sheep. Abram was not a rancher; he was a shepherd. He was not a herdsman; he was a keeper of sheep. But when he got down there in Egypt and got out of the will of God, he got cattle.

Now when he came back, his cattle caused him difficulty. There was a range war. And what was the range war over? Look in Genesis chapter 13 and verse 7: “And there was strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle” (Genesis 13:7)—not the shepherds of Abram’s sheep and the shepherds of Lot’s sheep. No! The cowboys! They were having a range war. Why? God didn’t give Abram those cattle. Pharaoh gave them to him.

You see? Whenever your faith flutters, you can sure to there will be troubles....

V. Point #3: The Cure

A. Repentance:

What does repent mean? It means to literally turn your back on something. So when you turn your back on sin, you agree to never ever do it again. It’s not just saying “I’m sorry”....it’s SO MUCH more than that....When Jesus told the prostitute women to get up and go after He had saved her from those who wanted to stone her, did he say “arlight, I saved you....go on living your life of sin!”....NOOO! What did He say: “Get up and GO and SIN. NO. MORE!”

Abraham had repentance....Look in Genesis chapter 13, verse 1: “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.” (Genesis 13:1) First of all, repentance. He got out of where he was and should not have been; he forsook Egypt. He could not have remained in Egypt and gotten right with God at the same time. And I’m glad he did forsake Egypt. I’ve told you perhaps a hundred times: The most miserable man in the world is not an unsaved man. The most miserable man in the world is a saved man out of fellowship with God. He forsook Egypt. That’s repentance. That is the first part of the cure. If you’re in sin and your faith is faltering: step 1? STOP.....STOP IT....Turn from your sin and stop today.

B. Remembrance:

But not only repentance; there was remembrance. Look, if you will, in Genesis 13, verses 2 and 3 of this chapter: “And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai.” (Genesis 13:2–3) Hai means “a heap of ruins.” Bethel means “the house of God.” He pitched his tent there before the house of God, with a heap of ruins reminding him that this old world is a heap of ruins, but this is the house of God. And Abram had an altar and a tent reminding him one more time of his pilgrim character. And he goes back to Bethel, back to the house of God, back to where he was in the beginning.

Now, friends, if you’ve gotten away from God, I want to tell you where you are going to find Him. Are you listening? You’re going to find Him right where you left Him. The Bible says “I the Lord do not change.”

Several years ago, my dear sweet wife was to be the brides maid in a wedding for people very dear to us. I also happened to be officiating that wedding. The wedding was in Augusta…About half way to Augusta, Hannah looked at me and said “Did you happen to grab my dress?” I said “why in the world would I grab YOUR dress?” She, for some reason, just thought I would have grabbed it....and she got in the car just like that. Well we realized very quickly half way there that she didn’t have he bridesmaid dress. Where was it? Right were she left it....now thank the Lord for sweet family members who went by the house for us and grabbed it and brought it for us....but that was rather stressful....but what if the dress haddn’t been where she left it? Then we’d have REALLY been in a mess! Remember: The Lord is always right where you left Him.

If you have faltering faith this morning: Remember the Lord....Remember where you came from....Remember that when you left Him, he stayed right where you left Him.

C. Restoration:

Now, listen. If there was ever a time that you loved God more than you love Him right now, to that degree, you’re a backslider—you’re a backslider. Not only repentance and remembrance but also restoration. Look in Genesis 13, verse 4, and look at it here: “unto the place of the altar.” (Genesis 13:4) You know what the altar stands for? The Lord Jesus Christ. “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Restoration: He’ll restore you when your faith falters.

VI. Conclusion

a. Heads are bowed; eyes are closed. Father God, thank you so much for your Word today. Lord God, I just thank you that there is a cure for faltering faith. Lord God, help us that we’ll forsake Egypt, and Lord, that we’ll come clean out of Ur. Lord God, that we will obey you in spite of circumstances and in spite of consequences. Lord God, teach us. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.