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Faith and Doubt

What is "Faith"?
  1. Study - Hebrews 11:1
                1] Where does faith come from?
                        a. Romans 10:17
                        b. Learned from others (I Thessalonians 1:8)
                        c. 2nd hand - inherited from parents
                2] Why does it go up and down?
                        a. Faith can be great, weak, little, dead
                        b. Our faith is challenged by:
                                1. Pain and suffering
                                2. Skeptics
                        c. Loss of Balance
                                1. Reality of problem
                                2. Coping mechanisms
                                3. Support system

2. What about "Doubt"?
  1. Some Observations:
                    1] It is OK to ask "WHY?"
                    2] I cannot always provide an answer
                    3] Jesus asked, "WHY?" (Matthew 27:46)
  2. Some passages of Scripture to notice:
                    1] II Corinthians 13:5 "prove your own selves"
                    2] I Thessalonians 5:21 "prove all things"
                    3] Romans 12:2 "prove what is good, acceptable"
                    4] Galatians 6:4 "prove his own work"
  3. The opposite of Faith is Inactivity
                    1] James 2:24 "faith without activity = dead"
                    2] Doubt can take two forms
                            a. "Let me investigate and find out."
                            b. "Who cares? I give up!"

3. What are the questions that come?
  1. Write them down.
  2. Raise the question with people of faith.
  3. Study, read, pray and be alert for the answer.

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