Faith That Moves God

God is looking for a certain kind of faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6). Here are three components in faith that please God.

#1 PERSISTENCE  Four men carried a paralyzed man on a pallet for Jesus to heal. Jesus was teaching in a home but the men couldn’t get near to door because of the crowd. Most people would have turned around and said, “I guess it wasn’t God’s will to heal him.” Instead, they climbed on the house, tore a hole in the roof and lowered the man down in front of Jesus. 

Luke 5:20 says, “Jesus saw their faith…” Their faith was manifested by their persistence. Jesus forgave the man’s sins and healed him.

#2 INSIGHT  A Roman centurion had a servant who was sick to the point of death. Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” The soldier said, “Just say the word and my servant will be healed.” He knew that Jesus could simply say “be healed” and it would happen. Jesus replied, “I have not found such great faith in all of Israel” (Luke 7:9). He had insight into God’s ability and power that others in Israel didn’t have. His servant was healed at the same time Jesus spoke.

#3 EXPECTANCY  Peter and John went to the temple to pray. A man who had been lame from birth was begging by the temple gate and was “expecting to receive something from them” (Acts 3:5). The man was healed because of his expectancy.

So let’s put these things together.

God wants us to keep persisting in spite of obstacles. “Pray at all times and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1)

God wants us to understand His power to do the impossible. “With God nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37)

God wants us to expect Him to answer our prayers.  “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

And then you’ll have faith that pleases God and moves Him to respond.

READ THE SERMON HERE “Jesus Heals the Paralyzed Man”

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

Finding Significance in a Chair?

It's interesting what Jesus notices. He noticed how people gave their offerings in the Temple treasury (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus noticed how the invited guests at a wedding feast were picking out the places of honor for themselves (Luke 14:7-11). They were scrambling to get to the most prestigious seats.

At these feasts, the guests sat on a couch that had 3 seats around a table called a triclinium. Nine people could be seated at a time. The most important seat was in the middle and the 2^nd and 3^rd most important seats were to his right and left. Seats 4-6 were to the right side and seats 7-9 were on the left. If you looked at the triclinium you could instantly see who was the most important and who was the least.

People rushed to the seats of honor because they wanted to look more important than the other people there. Their self-esteem and significance was determined by their chairs!

We don't find significance in chairs today. Or do we? Yes, people still pick out their chairs today, although they look different from the ones in Jesus’ day. When we’re young, popularity is the chair that brings significance. As we grow older, the chairs change to our job title, financial success, or a nice home in a gated community. Although these things aren't wrong in themselves, God doesn’t want any of these things to determine our significance.

Then Jesus said, "But when you are invited, go and sit in the last seat" (Luke 14:10). Why did He say to take the least important seat? Because He doesn't want our significance determined by a chair. If we will humble ourselves in this life, we will be promoted in eternity. “For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11). So humble yourself and take the least important seat. Yes, Jesus will notice it. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net

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CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT “Who were the Sadducees?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

Don't Quit!

Persistence means refusing to quit. You’re determined to overcome the obstacle that stands in your way. But after you’ve battled a while without a breakthrough, it’s easy to get tired and discouraged. Persistence means to keep going until you cross the finish line. The turtle beat the hare because it kept plodding along. Here are four things that will keep you from giving up:

1. Don’t let discouragement enter your heart. Discouragement will kill your motivation. Once you quit in your heart, you’ll then quit in your actions. God says, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal. 6:9).

2. Keep moving forward a little bit at a time. I read about a woman who planted over 50,000 daffodil bulbs in her backyard, one at a time—for over 50 years. If you’ll keep doing a little bit over a long time, you’ll accomplish a lot. When Israel entered the Promised Land, they had to cut down an entire forest with axes—one tree at a time (Joshua 17:15-18).

3. Don’t let rejections deter you. Andy Andrews wrote The Traveler’s Gift, which was rejected by 53 publishers. The 54^th publisher accepted it and the book made The New York Times bestseller list. Obviously, 53 publishers were wrong in their evaluation. What if Andy had quit submitting his manuscript after the 53^rd rejection? He would not be a bestselling author.

4. Keep praying until the answer comes. “Jesus was telling them…at all times they should pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Jesus is the one who answers prayers and He specifically told us to not stop praying. Sometimes it takes a long time before the answer comes, so keep being persistent. According to Jesus, the answer is on its way. Don't quit until you cross the finish line. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY “Are There Degrees of Sin?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

Moses' Big Mistake

When Israel was in the wilderness they had no water to drink. They came to a mountain and the Lord told Moses, “Assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes that it might yield its water” (Numbers 20:8). Moses was probably thinking, “What? You want me to talk to this rock? That’s not going to work. I have a better idea, I’ll hit it a couple of times with my rod.” (Jesus said with faith it’s possible to speak to a mountain and cast it into the sea). Moses struck the rock twice with his rod. Because he disobeyed, he wasn’t allowed to enter the Promised Land.

It seemed like an innocent mistake. At an earlier time Moses used his rod to hit a rock to bring forth water (Ex. 17:6) but this time God changed the method. Now instead of hitting it, God wanted him to simply speak to the rock to get water. He wanted Moses to obey Him and not depend on the method he used the last time. Just because it worked that way before doesn’t mean God wants us to keep doing it that way.

The amazing thing is—even though he disobeyed God and hit the rock, the water still gushed out. What’s the lesson here? People can produce impressive results without having God’s blessing. Filthy movies can be blockbusters, but it’s not because God is in it. Drug dealers make lots of money even though God opposes what they’re doing. Obeying God is more important than looking successful in other people’s eyes. 

Moses died in the wilderness because he didn’t obey what God told him to do. Don’t make the same mistake. Do what the Lord says, even if it’s something as silly as talking to a rock. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net

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CLICK HERE FOR “How to Answer Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

Life After Death

In 2013, a 37-year-old man went to sleep in his Florida home. He didn’t realize it would be the last day of his life. Sometime during the night, a sinkhole opened up under his house which literally took him to his grave. His body was never recovered.

You probably won’t die in a sinkhole but your last day on earth is coming. After you spend a few brief moments in this world, you’ll then spend the rest of your eternal existence in the afterlife. Life on earth is just a temporary world but it will determine what happens to you in eternity. There is a world beyond this world, which will last forever. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

To enter heaven when you die, you must receive Jesus Christ as your Lord during this life (John 1:12, Rom 10:13). Salvation is a free gift and is offered to all, but it must be received by faith. Those who reject Jesus will spend eternity separated from Him and His kingdom.

The apostle Paul saw heaven and said it is “far better” than this world (Phil 1:23). Heaven is filled with eternal joy and ecstasy—and without any pain. (Psalm 16:11, Rev. 21:4). “Those who believe in Him will NOT be disappointed!” (1 Peter 2:6).

What will we do in heaven forever? Those who follow Jesus will have assignments, which will be privileges like eternal hobbies. “And there shall be no more curse…and His servants shall serve Him” (Rev. 22:3). Serving Him means He will have assignments for us in the next life. Heaven would be boring if we had nothing to do forever! After you’ve been saved—your faithfulness at your earthly job, your offerings to Him, and how you treated others—will determine the rewards you’ll receive and the privileges you’ll have in the next world (Matt. 25:21, 23, 1 Cor. 3:13-15).

You only get one shot at living on planet earth, so make it count! “Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1-2). www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

CLICK HERE TO WATCH AN AMAZING VIDEO of a man who died and went to heaven. Ian McCormack was an atheist who called out to Jesus just before dying. His testimony is in 10 short video clips. Parts 1-4 explain how he was killed. Parts 5-10 explain what happened after he died and how he came back to life.

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

Staying in the Light

Did you know that a goldfish will lose its color if it doesn’t stay near light? If it stays in darkness for too long or if the light isn’t bright enough, the color of the goldfish begins to fade. Staying in the light is a lesson for us as well.

When Moses was on Mt. Sinai in the Lord’s presence, his face radiated with the glory of the God even after he came down from the mountain (Ex. 33:18-23, 34:29-35). Moses didn’t try to manufacture the brightness with his own ability. The light radiating from his face was a result of being in God’s presence. 

God “has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Unfortunately many believers want to spend time with both light and darkness. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12) So how do we walk in the light? The only way we can reflect the glory of God is to spend time in His presence.

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” We draw near to Him in our hearts by talking with Him in prayer throughout the day. We regularly read His Word and let Him speak to our hearts. We love Him and worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24) If we don’t actively seek the Lord (in the light), we’ll drift away from Him (into darkness). “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it” (Heb. 2:1). Drifting away doesn’t mean losing your salvation, but slipping back into our old ways. Then we lose our “color”—our joy, enthusiasm, and strength.

I pray you’ll decide today to stay in the light of God’s presence. He loves you, wants to speak to you, and will guide through this life.  www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net ****************************************************************************************************

BIBLE STUDY: “What does ‘the Lord make His face shine on you’ mean?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

When a Person's Conscience Stops Working

Have you noticed that many people’s consciences aren’t working? Nearly every week a psychopath shoots up a school, concert, or mall. Violent people are bullying and attacking others on social media using the most hateful and filthy words. Sexual immorality is rampant, even with those who claim to be Christians. Don’t people have consciences anymore? Perhaps the following story explains what has happened.

Years ago I rented an apartment located next to some railroad tracks. I was soundly asleep on the first night when a train came roaring past my room, blaring its horn. Immediately I jumped out of bed with my heart pounding, as I covered my ears to block the noise. After the train passed, it took me a while to get back to sleep.

The next evening, the same thing happened. I covered my head with a pillow and went back to sleep. Each night after that, I briefly woke up and then quickly went to sleep. As I kept ignoring the train horn, I eventually learned to sleep through the night without waking up.

This explains what has happened to many people’s consciences. God has put a conscience inside everyone where people instinctively know the difference between right and wrong. “Their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them” (Rom. 2:15).

When their conscience convicts them they’re doing something wrong, they keep ignoring the warning (like me ignoring the blaring train horn) and they eventually learn to not hear it anymore. Their consciences stop working. The Bible calls this a “seared conscience” (1 Tim. 4:2, Eph. 4:18-19), meaning their conscience loses sensitivity and fails to respond.

We’re seeing an increasing number of people in the world with seared consciences. That’s why they commit mass murders in schools and restaurants. This is why so many people “call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isa. 5:20). The only remedy is that they will turn to God and come to repentance. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net ****************************************************************************************************

BIBLE STUDY: “Why did Jesus talk about Himself in third person?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett