* * * * *
Quotes:
Talk unbelief, and you will have unbelief;
but talk faith, and you will have faith.
According to the seed sown will be the harvest.
Ellen G. White
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Is he not a God that showeth mercy and keepeth covenant?
Of all sins, it seems to me that the sin of unbelief is the most dishonouring to God.
Elijah Parish Lovejoy
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Sin penetrates to the heart, darkens and hardens it until it extinguishes the light of belief. Each sin has a path that leads to unbelief. Unless that sin is swiftly obliterated by seeking God’s forgiveness, it grows from a worm into a snake that gnaws at the heart.
Said Nursi
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12 questions and answers are at the end of this teaching.
(This YouTube Video is 1:59 minutes in length, below is the transcript)
“I do believe help me overcome my unbelief!”
* * * *
What is Unbelief?
* * * * *
The American heritage dictionary defines unbelief as follows:
“Lack of belief or faith especially in religious matters”
* * * * *
Unbelief seems to be more an act of the will,
while lack of faith receives rebuke and reproach and we are encouraged to ask for more faith.
Unbelief seems to be more an act of the will and is condemned.
Also, while lack of faith generally centers on not trusting in what God can or will do,
Unbelief more often relates to not believing in who God (or Jesus) truly is and/or in the true goodness of His character.
* * * * *
When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
* * * * *
Unbelief is also related to hardness of heart.
* * * * *
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,
but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
* * * * *
What are the consequences of unbelief?
* * * * *
1) It limits God’s (Jesus) power to perform miracles and to heal.
2) It hardens the heart.
3) It prevents one from entering God’s rest.
So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
where your fathers tested and tried me
and for forty years saw what I did.
That is why I was angry with that generation,
and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ “
“See to it,brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”
Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
4) It provokes the wrath of God.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
5) It makes one a fool.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
6) It causes God to “give up” on people.
Because of this,
God gave them over to shameful lusts.
Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
Granted.
But they were broken off because of unbelief,
and you stand by faith.
Do not be arrogant,
but be afraid.
7) It leads to depravity and perversion.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
* * * * *
What then is the remedy?
We see that unbelief is truly an ugly and dangerous thing.
* * * * *
1) Repent and ask for God’s mercy and you will receive it.
Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
2) Ask Jesus to help, and He will.
” ‘If you can said Jesus.
“Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
A Quote from John A. Hardon:
Those Who Do Not Believe Do Not Pray.
This Is A Good Functional Definition Of Faith.
Faith Prays, Unbelief Does Not.
* * * * *
Therefore to help break any unbelief within our life,
I suggest that you study, meditate on and apply these
Questions?
1) Please write out Mark 9:24
2) __________seems to be more an act of the will, while lack of ______________ receives
rebuke and reproach and we are encouraged to ask for more _____. _____ seems to
be more an act of the will and is _____________. Also, while lack of faith generally centers on____________________do, ________________
more often relates to______________and/or in the true goodness of His character.
3) Unbelief is also related to ________________________of heart.
(4 -10 – What are the 7 consequences of unbelief?)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11) What are the two things you need to do to resolve unbelief in your life?
1)
2)
12) The quote from John A. Hardon says:
Those Who Do Not ______________________________
Do Not ________________________________________.
This Is A Good Functional Definition Of Faith. Faith _____,
_______________________________________Does Not.
Answers!
1) Please write out Mark 9:24 – Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed,
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief”
2) Unbelief seems to be more an act of the will, while lack of faith receives rebuke and reproach and we
are encouraged to ask for more faith.
Unbelief seems to be more an act of the will and is condemned.
Also, while lack of faith generally centers on not trusting in what God can or will do, Unbelief more
often relates to not believing in who God (orJesus) truly is and/or in the true goodness of His
character.
3) Unbelief is also related to hardnessof heart.
(4 -10 – What are the 7 consequences of unbelief?)
4) It limits God’s (Jesus) power to perform miracles and to heal.
5) It hardens the heart.
6) It prevents one from entering God’s rest.
7) It provokes the wrath of God.
8) It makes one a fool.
9) It causes God to “give up” on people.
10) It leads to depravity and perversion.
11) What are the two things you need to do to resolve unbelief in your life?
1) Repent and ask for God’s mercy and you will receive it.
2) Ask Jesus to help, and He will.
- The quote from John A. Hardon says:
Those Who Do Not Believe Do Not Pray.
This Is A Good Functional Definition Of Faith.
Faith Prays,
UnbeliefDoes Not.
* * * *
* * * *
* * *
* *
*
“I do believe help me overcome my unbelief!”
* * * *
*
What is Unbelief?
* * * * *
The American heritage dictionary defines unbelief as follows:
“Lack of belief or faith especially in religious matters”
* * * * *
Unbelief seems to be more an act of the will,
while lack of faith receives rebuke and reproach and we are encouraged to ask for more faith.
Unbelief seems to be more an act of the will and is condemned.
Also, while lack of faith generally centers on not trusting in what God can or will do,
Unbelief more often relates to not believing in who God (or Jesus) truly is and/or in the true goodness of His character.
* * * * *
When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
And he did n
ot do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
* * * * *
Unbelief is also related to hardness of heart.
* * * * *
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,
but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
* * * * *
What are the consequences of unbelief?
* * * * *
1) It limits God’s (Jesus) power to perform miracles and to heal.
Matthew 13:53-58 Mark 6:1-6
2) It hardens the heart. Mark 16:16
3) It prevents one from entering God’s rest.
So, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
where your fathers tested and tried me
and for forty years saw what I did.
That is why I was angry with that generation,
and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ “
“See to it,brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion.”
Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
4) It provokes the wrath of God.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
5) It makes one a fool.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
6) It causes God to “give up” on people.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
7) It leads to depravity and perversion.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
* * * * *
What then is the remedy?
We see that unbelief is truly an ugly and dangerous thing.
* * * * *
1) Repent and ask for God’s mercy and you will receive it.
Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
2) Ask Jesus to help, and He will.
” ‘If you can said Jesus.
“Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
A Quote from John A. Hardon:
Those Who Do Not Believe Do Not Pray.
This Is A Good Functional Definition Of Faith.
Faith Prays, Unbelief Does Not.
* * * * *
Therefore to help break any unbelief within our life,
I suggest that you study, meditate on and apply these
* * * *
* * * *
* * *
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