sunday's scuds (july 22, 2007)

Unbelievable day yesterday. We continued the Miracles series. The highlights for me were (1) LeeAnn Miller's monologue (Nooma-style) to set up the message...and (2) April's closing song Cry Out to Jesus. UN-REAL.

The miracle we learned about was Jesus' casting out of the evil spirit that tormented a boy since childhood. Here are the scuds:

• "Jesus said that a little bit of faith can move mountains. A lot of times, the mountains seem to move my faith instead of the other way around..."
• "Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is sure and certain. Why is it, though, that my faith is often unsure and uncertain?"
• "I have an easier time believing that God will come through for you--in your situation that requires a miracle than believing he'll come through for me in my impossible situation."
• "When you get your hopes up and nothing happens, it hurts you."
• "Jesus said, 'Everything is possible...for him who believes.'"
• "So how much faith is enough? The answer: you just need enough faith to come to Jesus and ask him."
• "It's not my job to conjure up a feeling of certainty; it's not my job to try to increase my faith. It's my job to come to Jesus. It's his job to increase my faith."
• Obstacles to real faith: Sign-demanding faith (God, just give me a sign), Second-hand-faith (riding the coattails of someone else's faith...there's no such thing), and Self-centered-faith (Okay God, here's how it's going to go down, and if it does, then we're cool. If not, then forget you).
• "How do we move past these? (1) Immerse ourselves in God's Word. (2) Act on it."
• "Faith without actions, faith without living it on Monday...is dead. It's a joke."
• "Either we believe God can do (miracles) or we are just playing church."
• "My faith is not based on outcomes. My faith is in the heart, the character, the nature of God."
• "Real faith doesn't hinge on outcomes."
• "Here's what's amazing about Jesus: Jesus prefers honesty to certainty. You don't have to be sure...you've just got to be real."
• "What's your 'if you can' prayer? What request do you have that's so big, so beyond your power...the one that's broken your heart...the on that the truth is, you're not even sure it could ever happen?"
• "You have enough faith...if you have enough faith to just come to Jesus and say: If you can do anything...That's enough. That's amazing. "
• "It doesn't meant that you'll always get what you want when you want it. But I'll tell you this: the only prayer God cannot answer is the one I never ask."