Amherst Wesleyan Church Amherst Wesleyan Church

We need to follow the evidence, not our assumptions or preferences. - We have based our faith on what the Bible says, but is it accurate? The Bible is old, history has been weird, and after a few thousand years how confident can we be that it is actually true? This is a long message, but in it we tackle this question systematically step by step and look at the evidence. There is sooo much more could talk about with this subject but this should give you some key evidence to consider!
1 John 1:1-6 & Deut 18:20-22
We need to follow the evidence, not our assumptions or preferences. File Downloads: https://dq5pwpg1q8ru0.cloudfront.net/2024/07/22/16/25/10/6ded7202-178c-4785-b9eb-6f4514a1fb2c/Summer%20Playlist%202024%20IV.pdf

When a giant opposes God, it's God's fight, not yours. - We face obstacles all the time, sometimes they are so massive we end up calling them giants. The Bible isn't a book about how to become a great person who can defeat giants, but it is about us following God into battle where the giants oppose what God wants to do. He wants to do good things in your life, He wants to free you from sin, heal your heart, save marriages, change lives and many many other things. We need to understand that when we follow God in every part of our lives, the giants we face will be giants opposed to God. That changes the situation a lot, because...
1 Sam 17:36-37 & Numbers 14:7-9
When a giant opposes God, it's God's fight, not yours.

Obedient evangelism happens in UNCOMFORTABLE places - What happens when God tells Peter, a Jew, to GO share his faith with Cornelius, a Gentile? What should our response be when God calls us to share our faith with someone or in some place we feel is uncomfortable? It's time to get uncomfortable and obediently follow the call God is placing on our lives.

Keeping the Gospel to yourself is not an option; you have to share it. - The Gospel is a great message for us. It makes a massive difference in our lives. Sometimes we settle into the idea that we can just relax with the goodness of the Gospel and let it do good in our own lives, but Jesus doesn't give us that option.
Matthew 28:19-20
Keeping the Gospel to yourself is not an option; you have to share it.

The middle of the fight is not the time to fall asleep. - I think we have all fallen asleep while praying. We are already tired and then we close our eyes and try to surrender our troubles to God, then we fall asleep! Unfortunately, that often leaves us missing our time with God, and not only that, it gets in the way of our mission. There is power in prayer, and Jesus understood this better than anyone. In a critical moment of His ministry He didn't ask His disciples to gather food, preach louder, or make money, He asked them to pray with Him. Then, they fell asleep.
Matthew 26:41-46
The middle of the fight is not the time to fall asleep.

You’re not supposed to do God’s work without God’s power. - When we feel the call of God to change something in our lives, take a step of faith, or reach out and do something to help someone else, we can often fall for the lie that we are supposed to do that on our own. That's like entering a NASCAR race and thinking you have to run the race on foot instead of in the car! It just doesn't make sense!
Matthew 14:13-21
Youre not supposed to do Gods work without Gods power.