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You are not qualified!!!

February 28, 2012 in Doubts, Tampa Church with 2 Comments

As a pastor, one of the highlights of ministry is seeing people take steps of faith.  Sometimes it may be as small as inviting a friend to church or as large as a making career move. Rarely does someone take a step of faith that doesn’t bring about doubts like:

  • I am not smart enough- God you really could find someone better.
  • I have this huge failure in my past- God are you sure?
  • God would never use someone like me- God please make a better choice

The truth is every BIG step of faith I take happens with a cloud of doubt and sometimes fear.  I hear people talk about- yep, “never say never” or “I will do this in Jesus name” and other statements of bravado that made me believe- “Wow, they have so much faith and courage, my faith is nothing like that, God can’t use me”!  After years of reading my Bible and following Christ I now understand hat doubt and fear are the stuff steps of faith grow out of..  I am actually less impressed with the over the top bravado of some Christians because I know better.  This next statement is the key:

Great faith is not without serious doubts and fears-
and yet it chooses to step forward in spite of the circumstances.

It grieves me when I hear people describe great faith as though it insulates us from doubt and fear.  Read your Bible and see the doubts and or fears expressed by these Biblical heroes:

  • Moses when challenged to lead Israel
  • Gideon when challenged to lead Israel into battle
  • Jesus in Gethsemane and on the Cross prayed gut wrenching prayers in His struggle (yet fully God and fully man)
  • All of the disciples after Jesus was crucified
  • Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus died
  • Esther as she approached the king advocating for her people

Your doubts and fears do not disqualify you to be used by God because when He does use you- people say, “Wow, it must be God – I know Hal”!

This video got up a little late from Sunday…

Click here if you don’t see a video

Learning to DOUBT your Doubts!

February 20, 2012 in Doubts, Tampa Church with Comments Off

I do not remember the first time I heard this statement- “Instead of believing your doubts and doubting your beliefs… Why not doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs?  I like the idea and yet sometimes it seems I can’t get past my doubts.

Have you been there?  Maybe you have prayed the same prayer for years and they go like this:

  • Father, please bring my child back to you.  They are chasing everything that will destroy them- God please help… And yet nothing has changed.
  • It’s my husband Lord- Father would you help him find Jesus as his savior…and he still is not a Christian
  • Father, we have honored you in our finances and yet our business is not yet viable- would you please bless our business… and the heavens seem to be closed.

Some people say when that happens it is because you do not have enough faith.  That statement always interests me- Jesus said if we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could move a mountain.  Evidently Jesus didn’t think the size of our faith was the issue- rather who our faith was in!  Some say you didn’t pray with the right motives or there was sin in your life.  Those are reasons for unanswered prayer- but were they mine?  Many of your circumstances and experiences may lead you to this conclusion when you pray: “I doubt God will do it for me”.  Have you been there?  Are you there now?  In week 3 of Doubters Anonymous we will consider a guy in the Bible who had some faith- but was it enough?  We will also look at a couple of teenagers who make, what I believe to be, the greatest statement of faith we find in scripture.  Make plans to attend and bring a friend- I bet they will thank you as we explore “Can God really do this for me”?

If you missed last week- you can watch it below.


Don’t see a video- click here

 

Never Struggled with Doubt? Prophesy: You Will!

February 13, 2012 in Doubts, Tampa Church with Comments Off

I believe doubts often drive us to God.  When we face pain, hurt and abandonment we want to know why God?  In the midst of this tension I have seen many people embrace faith in Jesus for the first time.  Why?  I am not talking about an easy answer, cookie cutter faith. To be honest,  I have really grown tired of the simplistic answers that are often given to real hurts, hang-ups and struggles.  I have attended too many funerals, too many held the hand of too many cancer patients and prayed with too many emotionally wounded people to accept the simple “Christian speak” answers of:

  • “This is a tough time I know- but don’t doubt God, He has a plan”
  • “I just think something bad was going to happen to them- so God took them now”
  • “It will be okay- it’s God will”
  • “All things work out for good”

If you have been where I have been and with the people I have been with- you know these answers are incomplete.

The truth is bad things happen- read your Bible- men and women of faith have experienced horrible pain (Hebrews 11 for example).  Jesus said it himself:

John 16:33

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows…”

It seems inevitable that we will experience trial and sorrows, so how do we respond?  Is it okay to be angry?  It has caused some to doubt whether God even cares or is good.  How do you respond to the pain?

There are no easy answers- and yet this weekend we are going to take an honest look at “How can God be good” when I see all this pain.  My guess is you know someone who needs to hear from God about this issue- please invite them to be your guest this Sunday.  That “someone” may be you- Doubters Anonymous- see you Sunday.

Doubters Anonymous

February 6, 2012 in Doubts with Comments Off

Have you ever asked God for something so BIG that when it happens He is the only one who can get the credit?  I am praying that prayer right now and asking God to do miracles this week at Church at the Bay!  Here is the miracle I am praying for- that many people stop chasing their plans and surrender their lives to Jesus.  That is the kind of miracle that not only changes now but eternity. Often, when I think of a miracle I am thinking of physical healing.  Oh yes, I believe God still heals and yet I believe the biggest miracle is a changed life- someone surrendering to Jesus.

I trusted Jesus Christ as my savior when I was 16.  The friends I grew up with were shocked!  I was a foul mouthed, self- loving piece of work.  I did not grow up in a Christian home, so when I came to faith- no one saw it coming.  The miracle is not only did God change me but so many in my family have come to Christ since then.  It was so cool- my sister came to faith about the same time I did.  Then my brothers trusted Christ and then my parents.  That is a miracle!  God has changed the direction and eternity of a whole family!

So, I am asking God to use me and you to invite our friends who need a miracle to Church at the Bay this Sunday.  How cool will it be when God changes the trajectory of lives this and HE uses us to invite them.   Here is the a video that introduces “Doubters Anonymous” and gives your friends a “feel” for Church at the Bay.

Don’t see a video? Click here.