Step into the Abyss
Rick Warren Sermon Summary
We need faith to please God. How do we walk by faith and not by sight (Hebrew 11:6, 2 Corinthians 5:7)?
1. Believing when we don’t see it (Heb 11:1).
Faith sees things in advance before they even happen. Great achievements require believe in something become reality before doing them.
2. Obeying God when we don’t understand.
Noah built the ark before experiencing rain. The rich Abraham, at 75 years old, left his hometown with no details from God. The Israelites walked across the Red Sea through parted waters. Mary obeyed, leading to her virgin pregnancy. Like parents to their young children, God doesn’t owe us an explanation (Hebrews 11:7-8, 11:29; Luke 1:38).
3. Persisting when we don’t feel like it.
We persist by focusing on the invisible. Great people accomplish things through persistence even when no one, including themselves, feels like continuing (Hebrews 11:27, 11:1).
4. Announcing before we have it.
Words have tremendous power when said in faith. Abram, putting his reputation on the line, changed his name to Abraham, which means many nations’ father, at 99 years old, when he had no child with his wife and when at least initially he was skeptical (Romans 4:17, Hebrew 11:22, Genesis 17:17).
5. Giving when we don’t have it.
Love requires giving. Be like God, who gives. Money tests our faith. If we trust God with our eternal salvation, we should trust Him with our finances too. Give to God first, and He will provide. If we train our faith through giving, like training our muscles, we will experience God bailing us out (John 3:16, Proverbs 3:9-10).
6. Thanking God before we receive it.
Before receiving, we should thank God as if we have it. The Israelites walked around the highly-fortified Jericho walls for seven days, praising God. Then the walls fell (Mark 11:24, Matthew 9:27-30, Hebrews 11:30).
7. Trusting if we don’t get it.
Many suffer because they don’t understand God’s promises. Through suffering, we learn. In this fallen world, we won’t understand many things. Trust that God is good, with better plans and eternity to keep His promises (Hebrew 11:39-40).
To obtain such a faith, read His words. Focus on His power. Remember what He has done for us and look forward to the joy before us. Our anchor is Christ; He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Romans 10:17).
“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way.”
Summarized from two Rick Warren’s sermons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNP6dQj20c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz6ow5ad7T0
1. Believing when we don’t see it (Heb 11:1).
Faith sees things in advance before they even happen. Great achievements require believe in something become reality before doing them.
2. Obeying God when we don’t understand.
Noah built the ark before experiencing rain. The rich Abraham, at 75 years old, left his hometown with no details from God. The Israelites walked across the Red Sea through parted waters. Mary obeyed, leading to her virgin pregnancy. Like parents to their young children, God doesn’t owe us an explanation (Hebrews 11:7-8, 11:29; Luke 1:38).
3. Persisting when we don’t feel like it.
We persist by focusing on the invisible. Great people accomplish things through persistence even when no one, including themselves, feels like continuing (Hebrews 11:27, 11:1).
4. Announcing before we have it.
Words have tremendous power when said in faith. Abram, putting his reputation on the line, changed his name to Abraham, which means many nations’ father, at 99 years old, when he had no child with his wife and when at least initially he was skeptical (Romans 4:17, Hebrew 11:22, Genesis 17:17).
5. Giving when we don’t have it.
Love requires giving. Be like God, who gives. Money tests our faith. If we trust God with our eternal salvation, we should trust Him with our finances too. Give to God first, and He will provide. If we train our faith through giving, like training our muscles, we will experience God bailing us out (John 3:16, Proverbs 3:9-10).
6. Thanking God before we receive it.
Before receiving, we should thank God as if we have it. The Israelites walked around the highly-fortified Jericho walls for seven days, praising God. Then the walls fell (Mark 11:24, Matthew 9:27-30, Hebrews 11:30).
7. Trusting if we don’t get it.
Many suffer because they don’t understand God’s promises. Through suffering, we learn. In this fallen world, we won’t understand many things. Trust that God is good, with better plans and eternity to keep His promises (Hebrew 11:39-40).
To obtain such a faith, read His words. Focus on His power. Remember what He has done for us and look forward to the joy before us. Our anchor is Christ; He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Romans 10:17).
“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way.”
Summarized from two Rick Warren’s sermons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNP6dQj20c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz6ow5ad7T0