| "The Purpose of Doubt-The Power of Belief" (shortened) Dr. James L. Mayfield Tarrytown United Methodist Church Text: Mark 9: 20-24, John 20: 24-25 Today I want to talk about the purpose of doubt and the power of belief. Sometimes, church members will tend to view doubt as something that is bad-even evil, or at least evidence of spiritual weakness. Sometimes they will even talk about doubt as sin, as something to be avoided at all costs, something to be repressed or denied. I do not agree. I think doubt is not only part of what marks us as human beings who think, I view doubt as having a positive purpose. If we humans did not doubt, we would still be holding our cave-dwelling ancestors' views of life, the universe and God. Doubt questions what is, and what is needs to be tested from time to time. Doubt and questioning can clear the air and set us free from irrelevant perceptions and practices. If we are chopping weeds in the garden and mud clings to the hoe so that we are no longer able to chop weeds, we scrape off the mud so we can get on with the job. Doubt is what scrapes the mud and crud off of our assumptions and beliefs so that we are better able to get on with life. Doubt has a purpose, and it is a positive one. As I see it, doubt is a good gift God has given us to set us free from misunderstandings from the past, and to enable us to the scrape off the social and cultural mud and crud that builds up over the generations. But like every good gift we have received from God, we can misuse it and abuse it. It is one thing to have doubts, it is another to embrace doubting as a way of life. There is more to weeding a garden than scraping mud off a hoe. To be effective in our living, we must do more, much more, than question assumptions, perceptions and beliefs. As important as it is to do these things, what gives our living direction, meaning and vitality is what we really believe. Doubt has a purpose in life, but what we really believe gives power to our living. However, the beliefs that have power are not merely ideas or theories we consider to be accurate and true. It is one thing to believe God is; it is something else, to believe in God. It is one thing to believe with our intellect that the universe was created by God. It is something else to believe God is our Creator and the Lord of all that is. The beliefs that have power are those beliefs that are the foundation on which our perceptions and assumptions are based. The beliefs that have power are the beliefs that shape our attitudes, influence the way we think and talk, and guide what we choose to do and leave undone, what we choose to support and what we choose to oppose. Doubt has its roll to play in life. But what we believe, what we really believe, what we believe in, has the power to give our living direction and the power to motivate us to act. There is great power in what we really believe. This is true for good or evil. The beliefs of Adolph Hitler and his Nazi followers both gave direction to their lives and empowered them in their living. The beliefs of the apostle Paul or John Wesley also gave direction to their lives and empowered their living. But, my, what a difference between Wesley and Hitler. Because what we really believe is what shapes our perception of life, our attitude toward life, and our words and deeds in life, the question of what we believe, really believe, is the most important question. The first question is: "Do you truly and earnestly repent of your sin?" Are you so sincere and serious about all this that you are going to turn away from the behavior, values and attitudes that separate you from God and keep you from being the person God intends you to be? "Do you truly and earnestly repent of your sin?" "Do you believe in God, the Father?" Do you really believe that the Creator of all that is is like the ideal parent Jesus said God is-One who is for us and not against us? Do you really believe that our relationship with God should be like a child's relationship with the ideal parent? "Do you believe in God, the Father?" "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?" Do you really believe that in Jesus God has shown us who God is and also at the same time shown us who we have been created to be? Is your living going to be guided by what God has revealed through Jesus? "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?" "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" Do you really believe God is active in the world and in history? Do you believe God is present and active in your life? "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" "Do you receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments?" Do you recognize that the Scriptures are the basic documents we have telling us about God, telling us about life, telling us about Jesus, and telling us about living? Are you going to take the Bible seriously, so seriously that you will set aside time to study the writings it contains? And are you going to allow the Truth revealed in the Bible to shape the way you live? Do you promise to do the best you can to love God with all that you are and to love others as you love yourselves? Do you realize that it is in your staying connected with others who are also striving to be faithful that you will be able to love God with all you are and to love others as you love yourself? "Do you promise, according to the grace given you, to keep God's holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of your life as faithful members of Christ's holy Church?" Doubt is part of life, and we should never be afraid of doubt. Doubt helps us identify what is true and false. But as important as doubt is, it is not enough to build a life upon. The real power in our living comes from what we believe, what we really believe, what we believe in. What we believe, really believe, matters. What we believe sets the direction we go in life and influences what we say and do along the way. Wrong beliefs lead to wrong living, sometimes living that is so wrong it is evil. Right belief empowers us to live as God intends us to live. God, shape our beliefs so that we are empowered to live as you intend us to live. Amen. http://www.tarrytownumc.org/sermons/sr20010513.htm |
| "May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You, Oh Lord, My Rock and Redeemer." Psalms 19:14 Dearest Lord of my being, Thank you for blessing me with all that I need to be the best that I can be. I am so grateful for your love, light, and peace. May I always be aware of your presence and may I love and honor you above all things. I need you in my heart, in my soul, and in my life now and forever. Amen |
| astrologizing.net Sabbath Devotionals The Sabbath; Sat. March 13, 2010 |
| BIBLE READING NEW TESTAMENT Matthew 22:36 "... ’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” |
| BIBLE READING OLD TESTAMENT Jeremiah 31:29-31 KJV "In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:" — |
| HOMILY; What Do You Believe? Have you ever been asked this question? Has anyone ever asked you if you have been saved or if you are a believer? What do you say? Are you a believer in the Apostle's or the Nicene Creed? Can you recite it outside of church? Do you believe it word for word? The catechism of the Catholic Church gives this version: 1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 5. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. 6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 8. I believe in the Holy Spirit, 9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, 10. the forgiveness of sins, 11. the resurrection of the body, 12. and life everlasting. Amen. Other versions by other sects can be researched HERE. Sometimes it is good to take paper and pen to list exactly what one believes along with what one does not fully believe, and what may not even be important for one to believe. |