This morning, Pastor Randy spoke about faith.  It was a great message.  Unfortunately, Mike's sound recorder ran out of batteries, so the message didn't get recorded.  Perhaps it was simply meant for the people who heard it this morning...I don't know.

Anyway, I thought it prudent to record the sermon, because I really believe it was a powerful word from God.  I have a lot of thoughts about it regarding my own life, and I'm going to put them in another post, but I just wanted to remember to record the scriptures and the thoughts that Randy shared this morning.

This message was not the message Pastor Randy intended to deliver this morning.  However, around 11:00 p.m. last night, he couldn't sleep.  I don't know how to say what happened without using church talk, but, basically, God told P. Randy to "chuck" everything he had already prepared.  God brought a scripture passage and a song to P. Randy's mind repeatedly...P. Randy couldn't let go of it.  That's how God told him.

The scripture was Luke 18:35-43.  The song was "Whisper His Name", written by Johnathan Stockstill and performed by Deluge Band.

Luke 18:35-43 tells of a time when Jesus was traveling between cities.  This situation happens later on in Jesus' life, so many people know of Him and all the miracles he has performed.  There is a big crowd traveling with Jesus, and, apparently they make quite a ruckus.  I say that, because there is a blind man sitting on the side of the road, and he can tell that something big is happening.  He asks what's going on, and the people tell him that Jesus is coming by.

The blind man immediately calls out, "Jesus!  Son of David!  Have mercy on me!"

The people around him tell him to shut up.

But he doesn't.  He calls out again, even louder, "Jesus!  Son of David!  Have mercy on me!"

Jesus hears him and has him brought over.  Jesus tells the man that his faith has saved and healed him.  The man immediately sees again and gets up and follows Jesus.

P. Randy pointed out a few things about the passage and how we can learn from it today.

1. Voices
Anytime we face a situation where we need faith, there will be a lot of voices speaking to us: our own voice, the voice of Satan, and the voice of the crowd around us.  Many times, those voices will not speak truth.  Faith is hard.  Those voices can easily speak doubt into our minds and hearts.  For instance, the crowd around the blind man told him to shut up.  Would that not fill your heart with doubt?  I mean, if the lowly people around you don't even have enough mercy to listen to your pleas, why in the world would a great man like Jesus care to listen?

2. Doubts
And that brings us to the second part of faith.  It is so easy to have doubts in the midst of faith.  We can have two types of doubt: doubt about God or doubt about ourselves.  Many times, we fully believe that God can do what He says He can do.  We fully believe that He is capable and able of performing miracles and answering our prayers.  The problem is that we doubt ourselves.  We doubt that we deserve God's help.  We doubt that we are worthy to be used.  Other times, we doubt God: either His ability or His willingness.

Here's the key thing about Doubt:  It doesn't matter what you're doubting.  The doubt will automatically squash the faith.

James 1:6-8
says that a person who doubts is like a wave of the sea, going back and forth between faith and doubt.  It says that a person like that cannot expect to receive what they've asked for.  In many places, the Bible confirms that faith is the key to our lives and the key to finding the help and support we need from God.  Sometimes, we need a miracle.  Other times, we just need comfort and peace.  God can (and will!) do it all.

3. Just Asking
But we have to ask.  Not only do we have to possess faith, not only do we need to banish doubt and fully believe...but we must ask.  If it's not doubts holding us back from calling out to Jesus, then it's probably pride.  It can be downright humbling to ask for help.  Sometimes, we've made a wrong choice, and asking for help is an admission of that fact.  Sometimes, we feel guilty that we're not able to take care of a situation in our own power or using our own resources.  Sometimes, we're simply ashamed of the thing we're requesting.

We have to lay down our pride and ask anyway.  James 1:9 goes on to say that a man in a humble situation should take pride in his high position.  Why is his position high?  Because Proverbs 3:34 says that God is against pride.  Proverbs 3:34 says that God gives grace to the humble.  What a great place to be in!!  When we are humble, when we are down and out, when we are relying on nothing but faith...

...we can be sure that God is on our side.  And if that's the case, who in the world can be against us??

But we have to ask.  We have to believe, fully.  We have to fight against our doubts.  And we have to ask, with a full measure of faith.

And it all starts by calling out to God, calling out to Jesus.  You may need to start by whispering, and that's okay.  God promises that, if we will call out to Him, He WILL answer us.  So just call out, ask for help.  And ask for the faith to be able to grow louder and stronger, even when the voices around you are trying to make you doubt.

Whisper His Name
Jonathan Stockstill
© 2008 Integrity's Praise! Music/BMI

Whisper His name
Whisper His name
Whisper His name
And He will answer you

Whisper His name
Whisper His name
Whisper His name
And He will come to you

Call out His name (Jesus)
Call out His name (Jesus)
Call out His name (Jesus)
And He will come to you

Shout out His name (Jesus)
Shout out His name (Jesus)
Shout out His name (Jesus)
And He will run to you

For when we lose our selfish pride
And when we fall down on our knees
For when we lift our hands
And say You’re all I need

Oh God we lose our selfish pride
Lord we fall down on our knees
We lift our hands to You
And say You’re all we need

You’re all we need
You’re all we need
You’re all we need

Glory to You in the highest place
Glory to You in the highest place
Glory to You in the highest place