THE DOOR OF FAITHFULNESS (7 OF 9)
Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-27
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The Door of Faithfulness (7 of 9)
Series: Open Doors
Dennis Marquardt
2 Samuel 11:1-27
INTRO: Faithfulness is not so much a product as it is a process! Being faithful to God this week doesn't guarantee that you will not have to discipline yourself to be faithful to Him next week! Faithfulness requires an act of will all the time! We must continuously choose to be faithful to the Lord, even those who have lived many years faithfully but have let their guard down for a moment know the price of unfaithfulness!
Faithfulness is not a product of feelings; it is an act of the will! If we live by our feelings we will probably live a life of vacillating faithfulness! Those who let their emotions rule their lives find ways to excuse their lack of faithfulness rather than deal with it!
ILLUS: A GOLFER NAMED JONES WAS JOINING HIS BUDDIES ON THE GOLF COURSE ONE SUNDAY MORNING RATHER THAN GO TO CHURCH WITH HIS WIFE AND KIDS. ARRIVING A LITTLE LATE HE EXPLAINED TO HIS FRIENDS WHY HE HAD COME LATE. ''MY WIFE ASKED NE TO GO TO CHURCH, AND I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD FLIP A COIN TO SEE WHETHER I WAS TO GO TO CHURCH OR PLAY GOLF, I WOULD LET GOD DECIDE. HEADS I DECIDED WOULD MEAN I PLAYED GOLF, TAILS AND I WOULD GO TO CHURCH AND YOU KNOW FELLOWS, I HAD TO TOSS THAT COIN 43 TIMES BEFORE IT CAME UP HEADS!'' - SOURCE UNKNOWN
Faithfulness is at the very core of Christianity and not a lukewarm commitment either! We focus too much sometimes on God's faithfulness and not enough on our own we like messages about God's faithfulness to us, but since this is never in doubt, we might need more preaching about our faithfulness!
ILLUS: A YOUNG PASTOR NAMED TIM DEARBORN HAD TO SHARE A CAB WITH 4 OTHER PEOPLE IN BANGKOK, THAILAND. ONE OF THE 4 PEOPLE WHO RODE WITH HIM WAS A MARXIST REVOLUTIONARY ON HIS WAY TO INDIA. THE MARXIST QUIZZED TIM AT LENGTH ABOUT HIS FAITH IN CHRIST AND FINALLY SAID TO HIM, ''HOW CAN YOU BE A CHRISTIAN? DON'T YOU REALIZE THERE'S NO WAY YOUR CAUSE CAN WIN?'' TI ...
Series: Open Doors
Dennis Marquardt
2 Samuel 11:1-27
INTRO: Faithfulness is not so much a product as it is a process! Being faithful to God this week doesn't guarantee that you will not have to discipline yourself to be faithful to Him next week! Faithfulness requires an act of will all the time! We must continuously choose to be faithful to the Lord, even those who have lived many years faithfully but have let their guard down for a moment know the price of unfaithfulness!
Faithfulness is not a product of feelings; it is an act of the will! If we live by our feelings we will probably live a life of vacillating faithfulness! Those who let their emotions rule their lives find ways to excuse their lack of faithfulness rather than deal with it!
ILLUS: A GOLFER NAMED JONES WAS JOINING HIS BUDDIES ON THE GOLF COURSE ONE SUNDAY MORNING RATHER THAN GO TO CHURCH WITH HIS WIFE AND KIDS. ARRIVING A LITTLE LATE HE EXPLAINED TO HIS FRIENDS WHY HE HAD COME LATE. ''MY WIFE ASKED NE TO GO TO CHURCH, AND I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD FLIP A COIN TO SEE WHETHER I WAS TO GO TO CHURCH OR PLAY GOLF, I WOULD LET GOD DECIDE. HEADS I DECIDED WOULD MEAN I PLAYED GOLF, TAILS AND I WOULD GO TO CHURCH AND YOU KNOW FELLOWS, I HAD TO TOSS THAT COIN 43 TIMES BEFORE IT CAME UP HEADS!'' - SOURCE UNKNOWN
Faithfulness is at the very core of Christianity and not a lukewarm commitment either! We focus too much sometimes on God's faithfulness and not enough on our own we like messages about God's faithfulness to us, but since this is never in doubt, we might need more preaching about our faithfulness!
ILLUS: A YOUNG PASTOR NAMED TIM DEARBORN HAD TO SHARE A CAB WITH 4 OTHER PEOPLE IN BANGKOK, THAILAND. ONE OF THE 4 PEOPLE WHO RODE WITH HIM WAS A MARXIST REVOLUTIONARY ON HIS WAY TO INDIA. THE MARXIST QUIZZED TIM AT LENGTH ABOUT HIS FAITH IN CHRIST AND FINALLY SAID TO HIM, ''HOW CAN YOU BE A CHRISTIAN? DON'T YOU REALIZE THERE'S NO WAY YOUR CAUSE CAN WIN?'' TI ...
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