Keep the Faith - Sept 6, 2020

Pastor Chuck Ryan

Keep the Faith!!!

Mark 9:14-32

Thesis: Faith in God is critical to experiencing a victorious Christian life!

1. Keep the Faith in the good times…Praise His Name!
2. Just as the disciples experienced a “Mountain Top Experience”, so do we as Christians.
3. God has blessed us with “God Moments”, birth of children, loving spouses, the love of family, with houses and lands, monetary and material blessings, etc.
4. We need to count our blessings and “Praise His Name”!

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21)

1. Beware, it is often in the good times that people forget about God.

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 8:10-15)

1. Keep the Faith in the bad times…Seek His Face! (vs 14-19)
2. After Jesus and the disciples experience the amazing time with God on the mountain, they encountered three great challenges.
3. A large crowd and the teachers of the law in a religious dispute.

“When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.”

2. A father explains to Jesus his son’s Spiritual/mental/physical condition and his disciple’s failures. (vs 17-18)
3. A father’s lack of Faith in Jesus.

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

1. As Christians there will be great challenges in our lives, but we are not alone.

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33

1. Do not share with the unsaved person that if they become a Christian, they will not have challenges. Possibly they may have more

• "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)

2. The advantage of being a Christian is that we have Christ to help us in a time of need.
3. In challenges we can turn to God in prayer, who hears and answers our prayers.
4. Never Forget!!! “Prayer is the Key to Power”

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

• Faith is the Victory…so “Keep the Faith”! (vs 20-29)

1. The father of the child humbled himself before Jesus and “exclaimed, I do believe”. He then admitted his lack of faith by asking Jesus “help me overcome my unbelief!”
2. Every person must declare Jesus as Lord to find salvation.

“If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
2. If our faith is weak, we must confess and ask Jesus to increase our Faith!

1. Jesus in response to the father’s faith healed the demon possessed boy! (Read vs23-29)
2. In response to the disciple’s question on why they could not heal the people, Jesus underscores the power of prayer. (vs28-29)