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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Moving From Doubt To Faith (Part 1) | July 7, 2025
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- [announcer] from the pulpit
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- Of the first baptist church of dallas, texas,
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- This is "pathway to victory" with dr. robert jeffress.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- Hi, am robert jeffress, and welcome again
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- To "pathway to victory."
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- In matthew 17:20, jesus said, "if you have faith
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- As tiny as that of a mustard seed, you can move mountains."
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- So how do we develop the kind of faith
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- That allows us to overcome major obstacles
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- That block our path to god's blessings?
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- Well, today i'm beginning a brand new series
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- Called "invincible," and over the next few weeks,
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- I'm going to show you how to conquer the mountains
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- That separate you from the blessed life.
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- My message is titled, "moving from doubt to faith"
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- In our series, "invincible," here on "pathway to victory."
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- ♪ music ♪
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- [announcer] sometimes our emotions are like mountains
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- That stand in our way.
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- Obstacles like doubt, bitterness, or fear keep us
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- From enjoying a peaceful life of courage.
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- In his book, "invincible: conquering the mountains
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- That separate you from the blessed life,"
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- Dr. robert jeffress helps you overcome barriers
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- Like guilt, loneliness, lust, grief, anxiety, and more.
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- Discover how to conquer the mountains that hold you back.
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- Request your hardcover copy of "invincible"
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- When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
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- ♪ music ♪
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- ♪ music ♪
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- Rising 29,029 feet in the air,
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- Mount everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
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- It's actually a part of a range of mountains
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- Known as the rooftop of the world.
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- For years, people tried to conquer everest, with no luck.
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- But on may 23rd, 1953, mountaineers edmund hillary
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- And tenzing norgay became the first explorers
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- To scale everest.
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- Interestingly, it wasn't edmund hillary's first attempt.
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- Two years earlier, he had tried to reach the summit,
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- And he failed.
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- And reportedly after his failure,
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- He stood at the base of that mountain, shook his fist at it,
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- And said, "i will return and conquer you
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- Because as a mountain, you can't grow,
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- But as a human being, i can."
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- And he returned two years later,
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- And he conquered that mountain.
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- Now, the fact is you and i will probably never
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- Climb a mountain, or at least not one like mount everest.
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- But you and i face different kinds of mountains
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- In our lives, challenges that seem impossible.
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- In fact, the bible uses the imagery of a mountain
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- To talk about an impossible situation.
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- In zechariah 4:7, an angel came
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- And said to the prophet, "what are you, o great mountain?
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- Before zerubbabel you will become a plain."
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- What was that angel talking about?
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- Remember, zerubbabel was the leader god chose
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- To rebuild the temple of god that had been destroyed
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- After israel came out of the exile in babylon.
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- And zerubbabel was going to face many challenges.
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- People opposed him in what he was trying to do.
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- There were critics that he had to face.
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- It seemed like an impossible situation,
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- But the angel was saying, "zerubbabel, with god's help,
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- That mountain of challenge that you're facing
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- Is going to be leveled into a mole hill."
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- And the fact is god can do the same
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- For the challenges you face.
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- Today we're beginning a brand new series
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- Called "invincible: conquering the mountains
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- That separate you from the blessed life."
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- And over these weeks, we're going to look at god's word
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- And see what the bible says
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- About the mountains you and i face.
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- You may be facing right now
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- A mountain called discouragement.
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- Maybe you are facing a mountain called addiction.
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- Maybe right now you're facing the mountain of loneliness.
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- The bible says that with god's help and your obedience,
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- You can be invincible.
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- And that's why jesus said in mark 11:22-23,
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- "have faith in god.
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- Truly i say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
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- 'be taken up and cast into the sea,'
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- And does not doubt in his heart,
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- But believes that what he says is going to happen,
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- It will be granted him."
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- I mean, what in the world did jesus mean?
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- He wasn't saying you can literally pick up a mountain
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- And move it, but he said you can conquer it.
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- In the same way, that challenge you're facing right now
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- That you seem to deal with over and over again,
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- God's not saying that challenge
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- Is ever going to disappear completely,
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- But again, with your obedience and god's help,
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- You can conquer that obstacle.
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- And that's what we're going to talk about in this series.
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- But notice the condition jesus says.
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- He says, "this promise is available to those
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- Who do not doubt in their heart."
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- Nothing will prevent your conquering mountains in your life
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- Any more than doubt.
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- And so today as we begin this series, we're going to begin
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- With the first mountain that we all face from time to time,
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- The mountain of doubt, questions that we have.
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- And we're going to discover how to move from doubt to faith
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- So that we can truly be invincible.
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- Now, the truth is whether we're willing to admit it or not,
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- All of us have doubts from time to time,
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- Doubts about life, doubts about god,
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- Doubts about the promises of god's word.
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- If it makes you feel better,
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- So have some of god's choicest servants in the bible.
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- They had to deal with doubt.
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- Moses doubted that he was capable
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- Of delivering the israelites from pharaoh.
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- David doubted that he was going to be able
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- To escape from king saul.
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- You look at jeremiah, he had doubts
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- About his call as a prophet.
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- John the baptist, the forerunner of christ,
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- Came to a crisis in which he doubted
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- Whether or not jesus was really the messiah.
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- And it doesn't stop there.
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- Throughout church history, great men and women of faith
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- Have had doubts, whether it's charles spurgeon,
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- The great preacher, john calvin, martin luther,
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- Amy carmichael, joni eareckson tada, all have been willing
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- To admit periods of doubt in their life.
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- Maybe you're facing doubts right now.
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- I'm speaking to some of you
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- Who are listening to this message,
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- Or you're here in our worship center,
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- You're a college student.
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- You grew up in a christian home.
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- You attended a bible-believing church like this church,
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- But when you went to the university,
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- You began hearing things
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- That made you question, have doubts about your faith.
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- That happened to me.
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- When i was 19 years of age. i started having serious doubts
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- About whether this book was truly the word of god.
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- And i came to a point that i was strongly considering
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- Not only letting go of my call to be a pastor,
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- But letting go of christianity altogether.
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- We have doubts.
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- Some of you are christian parents.
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- You've done the best you can with your children,
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- But they have wandered away from the faith.
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- They're prodigals, and you have doubts
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- About whether or not god can truly bring them back.
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- Some of you, especially over these last several years,
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- Maybe you've lost something important to you.
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- It may be your livelihood or your health.
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- You may have lost a loved one during this pandemic
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- That we've experienced.
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- You have doubts about god.
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- Is this how god really deals with people
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- Who say they love him?
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- Doubt is universal.
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- Now, there's a difference between doubt and unbelief,
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- As we're going to see, all the difference in the world.
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- Doubt can be very natural.
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- Part of the reason we doubt sometimes
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- Is just because it's hard doing business
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- With an infinite god.
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- There's such a difference between god and us.
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- And that's why god said to isaiah, isaiah 55:8,
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- "for my thoughts are not your thoughts.
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- Nor are your ways my ways," declares the lord.
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- "for as the heavens are higher than the earth,
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- So are my ways higher than your ways,
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- And my thoughts are higher than your thoughts."
- 00:09:07.269 --> 00:09:11.507
- And that's why when we doubt,
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- Running to god, asking for answers, in and of itself,
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- Is an act of faith.
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- The faith, the fact that we would go to god
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- When we have doubts shows that we believe.
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- What i'm saying to you is doubt and faith
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- Can actually coexist with one another.
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- Doubt and faith and unbelief cannot coexist,
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- But doubt and faith can coexist with one another.
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- Let me show you a great example of that.
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- If you have your bibles, turn to mark chapter nine.
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- This is a story about a father
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- Who was distraught beyond description about his son.
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- His son was regularly trying to kill himself,
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- Throwing himself into a fire or drowning himself
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- Because he was possessed by a demon.
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- The father didn't know it.
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- All he knew was he was at wit's end.
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- He had come to the end of his rope with his child,
- 00:10:04.060 --> 00:10:07.263
- And all he knew to do was to cry out to jesus for help.
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- Have you ever been at that spot
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- With your child or a grandchild?
- 00:10:14.570 --> 00:10:17.006
- You didn't know what else to do.
- 00:10:17.006 --> 00:10:18.441
- You tried everything, and there were no answers,
- 00:10:18.441 --> 00:10:21.110
- And all you could do is cry out to god.
- 00:10:21.110 --> 00:10:23.245
- Every parent can identify with that.
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- Mark 9:22, this father said to jesus,
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- "if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
- 00:10:29.485 --> 00:10:34.857
- Notice how jesus responded, verse 23,
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- But jesus said to him, "if you can?
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- All things are possible to him who believes."
- 00:10:41.964 --> 00:10:46.202
- And then i love this, verse 24,
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- "immediately the boy's father cried out
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- And said, 'i do believe; help my unbelief.'"
- 00:10:50.439 --> 00:10:55.911
- Isn't that an interesting prayer?
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- Lord, i believe, but please help my unbelief.
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- What the father was saying is, "father, lord,
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- All i can muster up is a little tiny bit of faith.
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- I'm asking you to help me
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- With all that lack of faith that i have.
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- I believe, but help me in my unbelief."
- 00:11:18.901 --> 00:11:21.637
- Here's the good news.
- 00:11:21.637 --> 00:11:23.105
- It doesn't take a lot of faith to move the hand of god.
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- It takes just a little bit of faith.
- 00:11:26.175 --> 00:11:28.043
- In fact, in matthew 17:20, remember what jesus said.
- 00:11:28.043 --> 00:11:30.746
- "if you have faith as tiny as that of a mustard seed,"
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- You can do what?
- 00:11:34.416 --> 00:11:35.751
- "you can move mountains."
- 00:11:35.751 --> 00:11:38.521
- See, your little, itty bitty faith,
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- Coupled with god's tremendous power,
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- Can accomplish anything.
- 00:11:45.795 --> 00:11:48.097
- He said, "'lord, i believe; help my unbelief.'
- 00:11:48.097 --> 00:11:51.267
- And when jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering,
- 00:11:51.267 --> 00:11:55.137
- He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it,
- 00:11:55.137 --> 00:11:58.107
- 'you mute and deaf spirit, i command you,
- 00:11:58.107 --> 00:12:00.342
- Come out of him and don't enter him again.'
- 00:12:00.342 --> 00:12:03.179
- And after crying out and throwing him
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- Into terrible convulsions, the demon came out.
- 00:12:05.214 --> 00:12:08.617
- The boy became so much like a corpse
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- That most of them said, 'he's dead.'
- 00:12:10.686 --> 00:12:12.888
- But jesus took him by the hand and raised him,
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- And he got up."
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- When we go through impossible challenges,
- 00:12:18.928 --> 00:12:21.897
- That's the time that satan loves to taunt us with questions.
- 00:12:21.897 --> 00:12:25.868
- Where is your god now?
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- If god is really who he says he is,
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- Why isn't he listening to you?
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- Why isn't he helping you?
- 00:12:31.974 --> 00:12:35.444
- Is god not as powerful as the bible says?
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- Does god even really exist?
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- Those are the kind of doubts
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- That we have come into our life.
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- And if we're not careful, we water those doubts,
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- They become seeds of unbelief.
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- You know, i think about the story of horatio spafford,
- 00:12:54.797 --> 00:12:59.068
- Successful chicago real estate investor and attorney.
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- He lost everything in the great chicago fire of 1871.
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- He worked hard.
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- He rebuilt what he had, and spent two years doing so,
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- And in 1873, he and his wife and their four daughters
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- Decided to take a trip to england
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- To celebrate had happened in their life.
- 00:13:20.422 --> 00:13:24.026
- At the last moment, horatio spafford
- 00:13:24.026 --> 00:13:26.095
- Wasn't able to make the trip.
- 00:13:26.095 --> 00:13:27.496
- He had an emergency to take care of.
- 00:13:27.496 --> 00:13:29.698
- He sent his wife and four daughters ahead of him
- 00:13:29.698 --> 00:13:31.734
- And said he would meet them there later.
- 00:13:31.734 --> 00:13:34.570
- So anna spafford and their four daughters
- 00:13:34.570 --> 00:13:36.672
- Boarded the ship setting sail to london.
- 00:13:36.672 --> 00:13:40.542
- Four days into the cruise, their ship collided
- 00:13:40.542 --> 00:13:44.079
- With another ship, and their four daughters drowned.
- 00:13:44.079 --> 00:13:48.517
- Anna spafford was spared.
- 00:13:48.517 --> 00:13:51.153
- And when she reached wales, she telegraphed her husband
- 00:13:51.153 --> 00:13:54.156
- With these words, "saved alone, what shall i do?"
- 00:13:54.156 --> 00:14:01.397
- Losing four daughters would be enough
- 00:14:02.197 --> 00:14:04.400
- To cause anybody to give up their faith,
- 00:14:04.400 --> 00:14:07.036
- But not anna spafford.
- 00:14:07.036 --> 00:14:08.404
- When she talked to a minister
- 00:14:08.404 --> 00:14:10.739
- Who had also survived the collision, she said to him,
- 00:14:10.739 --> 00:14:14.710
- "god gave me four daughters.
- 00:14:14.710 --> 00:14:17.012
- Now they have been taken from me.
- 00:14:17.012 --> 00:14:19.515
- Someday i will understand why."
- 00:14:19.515 --> 00:14:23.352
- When horatio spafford received the news
- 00:14:24.219 --> 00:14:26.355
- About his four daughters lost at sea,
- 00:14:26.355 --> 00:14:29.224
- He boarded the next ship, and he set sail to london.
- 00:14:29.224 --> 00:14:34.496
- When they got to the spot in the atlantic ocean
- 00:14:35.497 --> 00:14:36.932
- Where his daughters had died, the captain told him,
- 00:14:36.932 --> 00:14:40.536
- "this is where it happened."
- 00:14:40.536 --> 00:14:42.604
- Horatio spafford looked out on the icy atlantic,
- 00:14:43.539 --> 00:14:48.277
- Returned to his cabin, took a piece of paper
- 00:14:48.277 --> 00:14:51.547
- And with a pen, wrote those words
- 00:14:51.547 --> 00:14:54.650
- That have comforted so many millions of christians.
- 00:14:54.650 --> 00:14:59.521
- "when peace like a river attendeth my way,
- 00:14:59.521 --> 00:15:04.860
- When sorrows like sea billows roll;
- 00:15:05.661 --> 00:15:09.465
- Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say,
- 00:15:09.465 --> 00:15:13.535
- 'it is well, it is well with my soul.'"
- 00:15:14.370 --> 00:15:19.408
- There's a difference between honest doubt and unbelief.
- 00:15:20.509 --> 00:15:26.448
- Somebody has said it this way,
- 00:15:27.082 --> 00:15:28.417
- "doubters look for reasons to believe.
- 00:15:28.417 --> 00:15:31.687
- Unbelievers look for reasons not to believe.
- 00:15:31.687 --> 00:15:35.858
- Doubters ask questions. unbelievers refuse answers.
- 00:15:35.858 --> 00:15:41.163
- God accepts doubters. he rejects unbelievers."
- 00:15:42.097 --> 00:15:47.102
- Doubt is universal. it's natural.
- 00:15:47.870 --> 00:15:51.173
- Well, why do we doubt? why do we doubt god?
- 00:15:52.074 --> 00:15:55.978
- Frederick buechner, the christian writer,
- 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:58.814
- Said, i love this, he said,
- 00:15:58.814 --> 00:16:00.649
- "doubts are like ants in the pants of faith.
- 00:16:00.649 --> 00:16:04.486
- They keep it awake and moving."
- 00:16:04.486 --> 00:16:07.656
- Well, here are some of the reasons
- 00:16:08.390 --> 00:16:09.925
- We have ants in our pants of faith sometimes.
- 00:16:09.925 --> 00:16:13.662
- First of all, unlived truth can be a cause
- 00:16:13.662 --> 00:16:18.267
- For doubt in your life.
- 00:16:18.267 --> 00:16:19.802
- I'll never forget the warning
- 00:16:19.802 --> 00:16:21.437
- Of a seminary professor 40 years ago.
- 00:16:21.437 --> 00:16:25.207
- He said, "men, never forget this.
- 00:16:25.207 --> 00:16:27.309
- Nothing will cause you more doubt
- 00:16:27.309 --> 00:16:29.845
- Than trafficking in unlived truth."
- 00:16:29.845 --> 00:16:33.215
- What he was saying was, if you as a pastor,
- 00:16:34.116 --> 00:16:35.951
- Are up preaching god's word week after week,
- 00:16:35.951 --> 00:16:38.987
- But in your own heart there is secret sin,
- 00:16:38.987 --> 00:16:42.558
- It's going to cause you to doubt.
- 00:16:42.558 --> 00:16:44.359
- By the way, that's not just a warning for preachers.
- 00:16:45.427 --> 00:16:47.096
- It's a warning for every christian.
- 00:16:47.096 --> 00:16:50.065
- When you are living disobediently
- 00:16:50.065 --> 00:16:53.402
- To the truth you say you believe,
- 00:16:53.402 --> 00:16:55.871
- It's going to cause great doubt in your life.
- 00:16:55.871 --> 00:16:59.174
- Let me tell you what i've discovered as a pastor.
- 00:16:59.174 --> 00:17:02.344
- It is impossible for a christian to hold on to belief in god
- 00:17:02.344 --> 00:17:07.683
- And hold on to his disobedience to god
- 00:17:08.517 --> 00:17:11.487
- For any long period of time.
- 00:17:11.487 --> 00:17:13.956
- Maybe for a short period, but over the long term,
- 00:17:13.956 --> 00:17:17.226
- You can't hold on to both god and disobedience.
- 00:17:17.226 --> 00:17:21.296
- You'll either give up your disobedience
- 00:17:21.296 --> 00:17:24.266
- Or you'll let go of your belief in god.
- 00:17:24.266 --> 00:17:26.902
- You can't hold on to both of them.
- 00:17:26.902 --> 00:17:29.705
- Unlived truth can be a cause of great doubt.
- 00:17:29.705 --> 00:17:33.242
- Secondly, unexamined faith,
- 00:17:33.242 --> 00:17:36.745
- We have this little adage that says,
- 00:17:36.745 --> 00:17:39.615
- The bible says it, i believe it, and that settles it.
- 00:17:39.615 --> 00:17:42.885
- We think, oh, isn't that great faith?
- 00:17:42.885 --> 00:17:44.419
- Not really, because that faith, that kind of faith
- 00:17:44.419 --> 00:17:47.923
- Is usually shipwreck, eventually,
- 00:17:47.923 --> 00:17:50.526
- When it comes upon the rocks of contradictions.
- 00:17:50.526 --> 00:17:54.696
- Whenever somebody hears a sermon
- 00:17:54.696 --> 00:17:59.501
- That may be causing him to doubt god's word,
- 00:17:59.501 --> 00:18:02.404
- Or reads an article, or listens to an interview,
- 00:18:02.404 --> 00:18:05.307
- Eventually somebody's going to face
- 00:18:05.307 --> 00:18:06.975
- Some kind of challenge to their faith.
- 00:18:06.975 --> 00:18:09.278
- And if they don't understand why they believe what they do,
- 00:18:09.278 --> 00:18:13.015
- It's going to cause great doubt.
- 00:18:13.015 --> 00:18:14.850
- We need to understand not only what we believe,
- 00:18:14.850 --> 00:18:17.619
- But why we believe it.
- 00:18:17.619 --> 00:18:20.022
- Thirdly, unanswered prayer can be a cause of doubt.
- 00:18:20.022 --> 00:18:24.159
- We pour out our hearts to god, and heaven is silent.
- 00:18:24.159 --> 00:18:28.530
- We wonder, why doesn't god hear my plea?
- 00:18:28.530 --> 00:18:32.034
- Does he not care about me?
- 00:18:32.034 --> 00:18:33.802
- Is he not really there?
- 00:18:33.802 --> 00:18:35.704
- By the way, daniel in the old testament
- 00:18:35.704 --> 00:18:37.773
- Dealt with that problem of unanswered prayer.
- 00:18:37.773 --> 00:18:39.975
- He was distressed about israel's exile and babylon,
- 00:18:39.975 --> 00:18:43.245
- And he wanted to know the future.
- 00:18:43.245 --> 00:18:45.347
- He asked god for some reassurance in daniel 10,
- 00:18:45.347 --> 00:18:48.750
- And the heavens were silent.
- 00:18:48.750 --> 00:18:50.652
- And finally, after 21 days, michael the archangel appeared,
- 00:18:50.652 --> 00:18:55.424
- Michael the archangel, and he said,
- 00:18:56.191 --> 00:18:58.393
- "i'm sorry i'm late, but i got held up.
- 00:18:58.393 --> 00:19:01.396
- There was a demonic war going on in heaven,
- 00:19:01.396 --> 00:19:03.999
- And that's why i'm delayed in my answer."
- 00:19:03.999 --> 00:19:05.867
- And i'm not sure how many times that happens,
- 00:19:05.867 --> 00:19:08.003
- If that's a common reason for unanswered prayer,
- 00:19:08.003 --> 00:19:11.006
- But it was the reason for daniel.
- 00:19:11.006 --> 00:19:13.709
- The bible says sometimes god doesn't answer our prayers
- 00:19:13.709 --> 00:19:17.312
- Because of our own sin.
- 00:19:17.312 --> 00:19:19.648
- In isaiah 59:2, remember, god said through the prophet,
- 00:19:19.648 --> 00:19:23.485
- "your wrongdoings have caused a separation
- 00:19:23.485 --> 00:19:26.655
- Between you and your god.
- 00:19:26.655 --> 00:19:28.557
- And your sins have hidden his face from you,
- 00:19:28.557 --> 00:19:31.026
- So he does not hear."
- 00:19:31.026 --> 00:19:33.695
- If you harbor sin in your life,
- 00:19:33.695 --> 00:19:35.797
- Don't expect god to answer your prayers.
- 00:19:35.797 --> 00:19:38.867
- Thirdly, the bible says sometimes idolatry
- 00:19:38.867 --> 00:19:41.670
- Can keep god from answering our prayers.
- 00:19:41.670 --> 00:19:44.006
- If we love, if we put ahead any other person
- 00:19:44.006 --> 00:19:50.479
- Or any other thing above god in our life,
- 00:19:51.346 --> 00:19:54.750
- That's idolatry to love anyone
- 00:19:54.750 --> 00:19:57.252
- Or anything more than we love god.
- 00:19:57.252 --> 00:19:59.755
- And it can hinder our prayers.
- 00:19:59.755 --> 00:20:01.223
- In ezekiel 14:3, god said, "son of man,
- 00:20:01.223 --> 00:20:05.060
- These men have set up their idols in their hearts,
- 00:20:05.060 --> 00:20:09.431
- And they have put in front of their faces
- 00:20:09.431 --> 00:20:11.900
- The stumbling block of their wrongdoing.
- 00:20:11.900 --> 00:20:14.269
- Should i let myself be consulted by them at all?"
- 00:20:14.269 --> 00:20:17.539
- God said, "should i listen to people who love other things
- 00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:20.976
- Or love other people more than i do?"
- 00:20:20.976 --> 00:20:23.578
- The bible said finally, many times the answer
- 00:20:24.513 --> 00:20:27.816
- To unanswered prayer is, "i don't know."
- 00:20:27.816 --> 00:20:30.619
- As god said through isaiah, "my ways are not your ways."
- 00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:35.924
- A fourth cause of doubt, sometimes,
- 00:20:36.725 --> 00:20:39.227
- And perhaps the most basic reason for most people,
- 00:20:39.227 --> 00:20:42.497
- Is what they feel like is undeserved suffering
- 00:20:42.497 --> 00:20:45.701
- In their life.
- 00:20:45.701 --> 00:20:47.235
- Bart ehrman went to the moody bible institute,
- 00:20:47.235 --> 00:20:51.006
- Graduated from that conservative school.
- 00:20:51.006 --> 00:20:53.208
- He went to princeton theological seminary.
- 00:20:53.208 --> 00:20:56.411
- He became the premier apologist
- 00:20:56.411 --> 00:20:58.447
- For conservative christianity.
- 00:20:58.447 --> 00:21:00.248
- He was a expert in the new testament,
- 00:21:00.248 --> 00:21:04.586
- But he never could resolve that problem
- 00:21:05.420 --> 00:21:07.422
- Of undeserved suffering.
- 00:21:07.422 --> 00:21:10.392
- And because of that, he gave up orthodox christianity,
- 00:21:10.392 --> 00:21:13.862
- Became its greatest critic,
- 00:21:13.862 --> 00:21:16.064
- No longer believes in the inerrancy of the bible
- 00:21:16.064 --> 00:21:19.167
- Or the exclusivity of christ for salvation.
- 00:21:19.167 --> 00:21:22.804
- He wrote a book about his journey to unbelief.
- 00:21:22.804 --> 00:21:26.375
- It was entitled "god's problem: how the bible fails
- 00:21:26.375 --> 00:21:30.746
- To answer our most important question, why we suffer."
- 00:21:30.746 --> 00:21:35.584
- And in that book, bart ehrman said,
- 00:21:35.584 --> 00:21:37.452
- "suffering is not only senseless, it is also random,
- 00:21:37.452 --> 00:21:41.990
- Capricious, and unevenly distributed."
- 00:21:41.990 --> 00:21:46.194
- For some of you, who may be having great doubts
- 00:21:47.129 --> 00:21:49.898
- About god for undeserved suffering you feel,
- 00:21:49.898 --> 00:21:54.903
- Or some other fact in your life, unanswered prayer,
- 00:21:54.903 --> 00:21:58.006
- How do you handle that doubt?
- 00:21:58.006 --> 00:21:59.741
- How do you conquer that kind of doubt?
- 00:21:59.741 --> 00:22:03.378
- Remember, doubts are natural,
- 00:22:03.378 --> 00:22:05.547
- But if they're not taken care of, if they're watered,
- 00:22:05.547 --> 00:22:08.850
- They become seeds of unbelief
- 00:22:08.850 --> 00:22:12.454
- And ultimately, departure from the faith.
- 00:22:12.454 --> 00:22:15.457
- We're going to talk about three practical ways
- 00:22:15.457 --> 00:22:17.859
- To handle your doubts,
- 00:22:17.859 --> 00:22:19.161
- But before we do that, we're going to look
- 00:22:19.161 --> 00:22:21.596
- At a case study in doubt from the new testament.
- 00:22:21.596 --> 00:22:25.867
- If you have your bibles turn to john chapter 11.
- 00:22:25.867 --> 00:22:29.171
- We're going to look at the champion doubter of all time.
- 00:22:29.171 --> 00:22:32.808
- Do you know who he is?
- 00:22:32.808 --> 00:22:34.943
- His name is thomas.
- 00:22:34.943 --> 00:22:36.778
- He was one of the apostles.
- 00:22:36.778 --> 00:22:38.213
- We don't talk a lot about thomas,
- 00:22:38.213 --> 00:22:40.282
- Perhaps because of all of the doubts he had.
- 00:22:40.282 --> 00:22:43.485
- But i like thomas, i really do,
- 00:22:43.485 --> 00:22:46.455
- Because thomas was the kind of guy
- 00:22:46.455 --> 00:22:49.424
- That would ask the question
- 00:22:49.424 --> 00:22:51.460
- That everybody else was thinking privately.
- 00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:54.563
- I mean, he actually said
- 00:22:54.563 --> 00:22:56.598
- What everybody else was thinking in a room,
- 00:22:56.598 --> 00:22:59.401
- And god honored that.
- 00:22:59.401 --> 00:23:01.770
- He honored his sincere questioning.
- 00:23:01.770 --> 00:23:04.573
- And turn to john chapter 11,
- 00:23:04.573 --> 00:23:06.842
- And we're going to look at three areas of doubt that thomas had
- 00:23:06.842 --> 00:23:11.480
- And how they correspond to the kind of doubts we have.
- 00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:14.649
- First of all, doubts about life itself,
- 00:23:14.649 --> 00:23:19.154
- Doubts about life itself.
- 00:23:19.154 --> 00:23:20.589
- I'm talking about doubts about what's happening to you
- 00:23:20.589 --> 00:23:23.725
- And whether god is capable of leading you
- 00:23:23.725 --> 00:23:26.127
- Through the challenge of this life.
- 00:23:26.127 --> 00:23:28.763
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:23:28.763 --> 00:23:32.601
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:23:32.934 --> 00:23:34.503
- This expansive list shows why so many christians struggle
- 00:23:34.503 --> 00:23:38.073
- To move from doubt to faith.
- 00:23:38.073 --> 00:23:40.542
- But with god's help, you can overcome the mountain of doubt.
- 00:23:40.542 --> 00:23:44.913
- And i'm going to say more about this important topic
- 00:23:44.913 --> 00:23:47.449
- Next time on "pathway to victory."
- 00:23:47.449 --> 00:23:49.784
- So please make it a point to join us.
- 00:23:49.784 --> 00:23:52.988
- Now, in closing today, let me add
- 00:23:52.988 --> 00:23:54.823
- That your faithful support of "pathway to victory"
- 00:23:54.823 --> 00:23:57.692
- Allows us to reach an ever-growing audience across america
- 00:23:57.692 --> 00:24:01.963
- And around the world.
- 00:24:01.963 --> 00:24:03.565
- We're providing clear biblical truth and hope
- 00:24:03.565 --> 00:24:06.501
- Desperately needed at this critical time in history.
- 00:24:06.501 --> 00:24:10.472
- And while it's my voice you hear
- 00:24:10.472 --> 00:24:12.240
- On this daily bible teaching program,
- 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:14.976
- It requires friends like you
- 00:24:14.976 --> 00:24:16.545
- To make "pathway to victory" possible.
- 00:24:16.545 --> 00:24:19.281
- So thank you for your generosity
- 00:24:19.281 --> 00:24:21.917
- As together, we continue to pierce the darkness
- 00:24:21.917 --> 00:24:25.754
- With the light of god's word.
- 00:24:25.754 --> 00:24:27.856
- Now please, stay right there.
- 00:24:27.856 --> 00:24:29.157
- I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
- 00:24:29.157 --> 00:24:31.626
- In just a moment.
- 00:24:31.626 --> 00:24:33.395
- Jesus told us that if we have faith
- 00:24:34.129 --> 00:24:36.097
- As tiny as a mustard seed, we can move mountains.
- 00:24:36.097 --> 00:24:39.668
- But what does that promise really mean?
- 00:24:39.668 --> 00:24:43.071
- [announcer] in his book "invincible,"
- 00:24:43.071 --> 00:24:44.673
- Dr. robert jeffress helps you conquer the mountains
- 00:24:44.673 --> 00:24:47.075
- That separate you from the blessed life.
- 00:24:47.075 --> 00:24:49.377
- [robert] all of us are going to face mountains in life,
- 00:24:49.377 --> 00:24:51.980
- But those obstacles don't have to stop us in our tracks
- 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:55.550
- Because with god on our side, we are invincible.
- 00:24:55.550 --> 00:24:59.387
- [announcer] in the pages of "invincible,"
- 00:24:59.387 --> 00:25:00.922
- You'll discover how to move from doubt to faith,
- 00:25:00.922 --> 00:25:03.358
- From anxiety to peace, from discouragement to hope,
- 00:25:03.358 --> 00:25:06.428
- From fear to courage, and much more.
- 00:25:06.428 --> 00:25:08.997
- Life's up and downs can be overwhelming,
- 00:25:08.997 --> 00:25:11.600
- But in the eyes of the mountain mover,
- 00:25:11.600 --> 00:25:13.868
- Every mountain you face is a mole hill.
- 00:25:13.868 --> 00:25:16.871
- And god is ready to take you to the other side of blessing.
- 00:25:16.871 --> 00:25:20.842
- [announcer] you're invited to request a hardcover copy
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- 00:25:32.520 --> 00:25:34.522
- Along with a personal and group study guide.
- 00:25:34.522 --> 00:25:36.858
- Nothing will prevent your conquering mountains
- 00:25:36.858 --> 00:25:39.894
- In your life any more than doubt.
- 00:25:39.894 --> 00:25:42.664
- We've got this secret fear
- 00:25:42.664 --> 00:25:44.399
- That our doubts are bigger than god's answers.
- 00:25:44.399 --> 00:25:47.202
- Don't worry about that.
- 00:25:47.202 --> 00:25:49.237
- God is big enough to handle your questions.
- 00:25:49.237 --> 00:25:52.107
- [announcer] your generosity today will help us
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- Into the dark corners of our country and world.
- 00:25:59.481 --> 00:26:04.719
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:26:05.053 --> 00:26:06.421
- There are plenty of reasons that people doubt.
- 00:26:06.421 --> 00:26:09.190
- And trust me, god has heard them all.
- 00:26:09.190 --> 00:26:11.660
- Perhaps one of the doubts we discussed today
- 00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:14.362
- Resonated with you.
- 00:26:14.362 --> 00:26:16.431
- Gratefully, god welcomes your questions
- 00:26:16.431 --> 00:26:18.900
- And your concerns, inviting you to move from doubt to faith.
- 00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:24.239
- And next time, we'll look at a case study in doubt,
- 00:26:25.306 --> 00:26:27.375
- The apostle thomas.
- 00:26:27.375 --> 00:26:29.210
- And then i'll walk you through three biblical ways
- 00:26:29.210 --> 00:26:32.447
- That you can start living the life of faith
- 00:26:32.447 --> 00:26:35.050
- That god wants you to experience.
- 00:26:35.050 --> 00:26:37.986
- Now, please stay right there for a preview
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- Of what's coming up next on "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:40.455 --> 00:26:44.626
- When you have times of doubt in your life
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- About your christian faith,
- 00:26:47.862 --> 00:26:49.164
- Satan will do everything he can to convince you
- 00:26:49.164 --> 00:26:52.133
- You need to separate from the church,
- 00:26:52.133 --> 00:26:54.469
- You need to separate from other christians,
- 00:26:54.469 --> 00:26:56.771
- You need to work things out on your own
- 00:26:56.771 --> 00:27:00.108
- Before you come back and believe, no.
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- If you do that, you become spiritual roadkill.
- 00:27:03.244 --> 00:27:07.582
- No, there is strength in numbers.
- 00:27:08.316 --> 00:27:11.386
- Don't make the mistake of distancing yourself from others.
- 00:27:11.386 --> 00:27:15.490
- [announcer] set your dvr and join us next time
- 00:27:15.490 --> 00:27:17.625
- For part two of the message,
- 00:27:17.625 --> 00:27:19.227
- "moving from doubt to faith," here on "pathway to victory."
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- ♪ music ♪
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