Mind Games, Part 3: I Lack Faith

Mind Games, Part 3: I Lack Faith "I don't want to live. I feel abandoned. I lack faith. I don't need God." If you've ever found yourself thinking these thoughts, you've probably found yourself in the midst of a mind game.  "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)  "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Romans 12:3 (NIV)  "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:13 (NIV)  "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.  If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.  Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:13-16 (NIV) What is Faith?   1. Faith is Believing when I don't see it. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) 2. Faith is Obeying when I don't understand it. "It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood.  He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before." Hebrews 11:7 (NLT)   "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 (NIV)  "Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was declared right with God because of what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do.  His faith was made complete by what he did – by his actions." James 2:21-22 (NLT) 3. Faith is Giving when I don't have it. "By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did.  By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings." Hebrews 11:4 (NIV) 4. Faith is Persisting when I don't feel like it.  "By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." Hebrews 11:27 (NIV)  5. Faith is Thanking God before I receive it.  "By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days." Hebrews 11:30 (NIV)  "On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!" Joshua 6:15-16 (NIV) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) 6. Faith is Trusting if I don't get it. "They were all commended for their faith yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better…" Hebrews 11:39-40 (NIV) For more information on the vision of Freedom Church, please visit our website at www. freedom-church.org.