A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken: Finding Certainty in Uncertain Times
May 17, 2020
Review
- As many of you know, we began this year announcing that we would spend it focusing on the .
- For us that includes a review of the Word of Faith (or ) theology, one of the doctrines that influences our church.
The doctrine is controversial for two reasons:
- For what it claims: that faith is the means by which we can material prosperity.
- For who makes the claims: wealthy televangelists who brag about and display status symbols of material .
- In my last series, one of my objectives was to put all of this in .
- If your knowledge of the prosperity movement comes primarily from television hype, popular catch phrases, disgruntled Christians and internet critics, you will miss the central of those most committed to it.
- My commitment to the doctrine is not just in how I’ve interpreted Scripture, but in the impact I’ve seen it have on people’s lives—including my own.
- It has people’s lives. It has healed people’s bodies. It has secured people . It has people from physical harm.
- I know about many of these testimonies first- hand.
- But putting the prosperity doctrine in perspective is more than about highlighting the victories. It also means the disappointments.
- There is no value in skirting around the reality of disappointment and unanswered , nor in giving people false hope.
- What I will provide instead is perspective: we acknowledge life’s challenges while remaining focused on the we have in Jesus.
- My focus is on providing a basis for believing that God will intervene in our material lives.
- In fact, my original intention was to start a Word of Faith sub-series that focused on .
- However, many of you will need some mental before you hear a message on divine healing.
- You need some spiritual pre-requisites before jumping into a course.
Unshakeable Faith
- My faith is unshakeable, but it’s unshakeable not because I “trust. . .in the promises of God, but [because I trust] in the who promises” (Myles Munroe, Re-Discovering Faith, back cover).
- The key is not to seek “the blessings of God, but the God who blesses” (Myles Munroe, Re-Discovering Faith, back cover).
- Blessings can be shaken and if you look at blessings (or circumstances in general), be shaken.
Acts vs. Ways
- David was able to appreciate because He prioritized a relationship with the bless-er.
Acts 13:22
Psalm 103:1-7
- If we on what God does or does not do, we will be shaken, which means we will doubt, worry and foster unbelief.
- However, if we focus on God’s ways, that is, who He is , our faith will never be shaken because God does not change.
Only Shakeable Things Can Be Shaken
- After the reality of God, there is one other constant in life: nothing created remains the .
Hebrews 12:27-28
- Everything is shakeable. This includes our bodies, our health, our minds, our economy, our marriages, our families, our government, our health care system, and our political system.
- The only way to navigate through a season of shaking is to focus on the .
Hebrews 12:1-2
- God helps us to focus by giving us a clear object of focus: .
- Some people with good intentions attempt to achieve the promised by prosperity theology, but they fail because they do not secure what Dr. A.R. Bernard calls the “first mark of a ”:
- “A living, loving, relationship with Jesus” (A.R. Bernard)
- Jesus is the and perfecter of our faith, so if our faith does not begin and remain with Him, life’s challenges will eventually rock us to our core.
- The message begins with Jesus.
- in all aspects of our lives is made possible by being firmly rooted in Jesus.
Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2020