Have you ever felt the gap between what you're experiencing and what you’re expecting from God? This episode dives into how to handle those moments of doubt when God's promises feel delayed. Drawing from biblical lessons and personal experiences, we explore how to close the gap in faith and trust in God's proven track record.
Sermon Notes for Listeners:
Introduction: Understanding the Gap
- Definition: A gap is an empty space, a break in continuity.
- A conversation with a nutritionist inspired this message: Don’t let a small misstep (e.g., one bad meal) grow into a wide gap. Refocus before separation grows.
- Spiritually, how wide is your gap between belief in God’s promises and your current reality?
I. Experiencing vs. Expectations
- Faith is challenged when experiences don’t match expectations.
- Personal Testimony:
- Excitement in trusting God, followed by three years of waiting.
- A health crisis brought further tests to faith.
- Question: How do you maintain faith in the gap between promise and fulfillment?
II. When Promise Turns Into Prison
- How do you trust God when you feel bound and stuck?
- Historical Context:
- John the Baptist, chosen and devoted to God, identified Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 34).
- Later, John was imprisoned for speaking truth. In Matthew 11:3, he asks, “Are you the Messiah, or should we expect someone else?”
- Jesus’ Response (Matthew 11:4-6):
- The blind see.
- The lame walk.
- The lepers are cleansed.
- The deaf hear.
- The dead are raised.
- The gospel is preached to the poor.
- “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
- Jesus assures John that He is The One, even if the fulfillment looks different than expected.
III. God’s Proven Track Record
- Trust God’s history. He is proven, even if current circumstances seem unclear.
- Reflect on past blessings and His faithfulness.
IV. Build Altars of Affirmation
- While physical altars are no longer required, create spiritual altars in your heart.
- Places of remembrance, consecration, and commitment.
- Holy habits that affirm God’s presence and work in your life.
- Example: Baptism symbolizes the closing of the gap through repentance and new life in Christ.
Closing Thought: G.A.P. Acronyms
- Grace and Peace
- God and People
- Get Up and Proceed
When doubt creeps in, remember this: He Is The One. Build an altar from your experiences and trust in His proven faithfulness, even when the wait is longer than expected.
