Embracing Miracles: Gratitude and Faith in Christ

"I want to start out today with a truth that I've known through my life. And that is that life is full of miracles. Amen. I think if we think back, we can think back. We can think back to times in our life. So I want you to do this. I want you to think back to a time, a memory that you have, that you know a miracle happened in your life. For some of us, it's watching our first child be born. That was a miracle. For some of us, it's watching them get through junior high. That was a miracle. Perhaps for some of us, it was ourselves getting through school. That was a miracle. But I think if we're honest, we can look back and see, different times in our life where the miraculous happened." [00:01:17] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Eventually, after years and years of praying for and seeking healing, she learned a lesson. She said, I learned that the core of Christ's plan is to rescue us from sin. Our physical aches and pains and broken relationships aren't his ultimate focus. He cares deeply about those things, but they're symptoms of the chief problem in this fallen world. God's goal is not to make us comfortable. He wants to teach us to hate our transgressions as he grows our love for him." [00:07:26] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Philippians four, verse six through nine. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." [00:09:02] (0 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Emotional doubt is doubt that emanates from passions or moods. That involve a subjective response by the individual. Factual doubt is not primary in people who deal with emotional doubt. Rather, it's the emotions behind the facts that drive this kind of doubt. So this kind of doubt can be summed up, I think, very succinctly by King David in Psalm chapter 13, verse 1 and 2. To the chief musician of Psalm of David, how long, O Lord, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?" [00:11:12] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Let me ask you, when was the last time you prayed? Have you prayed today? Do you make it a pattern in your life to practice prayer without ceasing? Do you find that prayer works in your life? I do. John Piper said, you should not begin your days or end your days or live any part of your day without prayer. This is what Paul is saying here, that we should pray without ceasing. We should be constantly in a state of prayer conversation with God. And guess what? You can rest assured that God hears your prayer. It's a promise found in scripture." [00:17:48] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Thanksgiving is the antidote to doubt. Thanksgiving is the antidote to doubt. Psalm 42, 11. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, the help of my countenance and my God. It is in the thanksgiving and the inevitable inevitable, praise that follows that we are led away from our doubt. Thanksgiving doesn't come naturally. You have to will it to be. You have to practice it in your life every day." [00:23:20] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Stop focusing on the what -ifs and focus on the truth of scripture. Usually the facts expose the doubt. According to Paul, one of the keys to overcoming emotional doubt is to meditate on the truth. Bacchus and Champion tells us that this is what they call misbelief therapy. Misbelief therapy. They suggest a three -part approach to overcoming emotional doubt. Locate your misbeliefs, remove them, and replace your misbeliefs with truth. Let me say that again. Locate your misbeliefs, remove them, and replace your misbeliefs with truth." [00:28:22] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Base your Christianity on the truth of scripture. But don't just dismiss those feelings. Actively argue against them with the truth of scripture. We should care less about feelings and care more about truth. Feelings will eventually go and I can prove it to you. Think back to that time when you were in high school where you had, girlfriend or a boyfriend, or maybe think back to your best friend from elementary school and you thought, oh, this is the one. I'm going to always be friends with this person or this girl. I know we're going to get married. Now, in my case, I actually did marry my high school sweetheart. But for some of us, we had these emotions. We had these thoughts." [00:31:43] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Through practice, we get better. Same thing is true in our life. When we practice Thanksgiving, when we practice these things that Paul has shown us, when we practice the things that are noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy, your life will begin to change for the better. I promise you it will. Practice these things, your doubts will begin to fade and your trust in the Lord will soar to new heights. Psalm 56 .3, when I am afraid, I put my trust in you and God whose word I praise and God I trust and am not afraid." [00:34:54] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Christ is our coach who implores us to watch him and to imitate him, to act like him, to talk like him, to walk like him, to think like him, to love like him, and yes, even to cry like him. This is how we practice our faithfulness. Our faith and overcome our emotional doubts. If we do these things, we will experience the peace of God. Verse 7, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." [00:35:45] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


"Knowing him is the best thing that ever happened to me. And if you know him today, you can agree with me this morning that knowing him is the best thing that ever happened. If you don't know him today, you can. You don't have to go through life not knowing him. If you're embarrassed or if you're shy about this, overcome that. Take the best gift that has ever been given to you. It's never been given to anyone. Salvation in Jesus Christ." [00:38:50] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)