Saturday, May 30, 2020

VIDEO: 5-31-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith sees beyond itself"

As we worship together "from house to house," we understand that this event is not about us. It is not about me. It is about Him. It is about our Lord. It is about God. Our faith must see beyond ourselves.

As we gather together this Sunday in our own homes, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper in your home at 10:00am. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for our community. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to see beyond yourself. Respond to the invitation. Watch the bonus video of one of my favorite songs.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read 1 Peter 3:18 (NIV), "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit." Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, we thank you for our new life in the Spirit. We are humbled that your Son gave his body up to death. We are grateful for His suffering. His sacrifice brought us to You. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for our community as we are feeling the pain of social unrest. Pray for us as we love our neighbor. Pray for us as we work to become agents of change in our communities.

MESSAGE

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:20-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Who do you need to bless? Have you blessed your children? Research in the Scripture what it means “to bless” someone. Bless someone this week. Be a blessing to someone this week.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word at Kenwood Church. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I encourage you to speak with me via phone (248-476-8222) or an email (toddlackie@kenwoodchurch.org). I would be honored to speak with you about what God is doing in your life and try to connect you with a community of faith in your area.

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith sees beyond itself - Hebrews 11:20-23 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on May 31, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH:Faith sees beyond itself (Hebrews 11:20-23 ) - May 31, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith sees beyond the boundary of self. Faith allows us to find peace outside of self-satisfaction. Faith frees us.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:20-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH BLESSES OTHERS

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” - Corrie ten Boom

A. Isaac blessed his sons

1. Jacob

2. Esau

B. Isaac looked to their future

II. FAITH LOOKS BEYOND OUR LIVES

“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” – Billy Graham

A. Jacob blessed each of Joseph’s sons (legacy)

B. Jacob worshiped as he leaned on his staff (legacy of faith)

C. Joseph extended hope to his children of the fulfillment of the promise (legacy of hope)

III. FAITH PROVIDES FOR THOSE WHO COME BEHIND US

A. Moses’ parents protected their son.

1. They hid him.

2. They saw he was no ordinary child.

3. They were not afraid of the king’s edict.

B. We must protect those who come behind us.

1. Act in their interest

2. Observe their uniqueness

3. Not give in to fear

Our faith should bless others, look beyond our own lives, and provide for those who come behind.

CHALLENGE

Who do you need to bless? Have you blessed your children? Research in the Scripture what it means “to bless” someone. Bless someone this week. Be a blessing to someone this week.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

TROUBLESHOOTING for VIDEO: 5-24-20 Sermon

If the videos do not load on your mobile device (phone) when you click on 'VIDEO: 5-24-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith takes the test," scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "View Web Version." Some phones are not loading the videos, but this solution should correct that. It appears that computers and tablets are loading the content properly.

Thanks,

Todd

VIDEO: 5-24-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith takes the test"

As we worship together "from house to house," we make a statement that our God is worth the inconvenience. Our God is more important than the disruption to our lives. Our God is greater than a global pandemic. Our God is worthy of our praise!

As we gather together this Sunday in our own homes, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper in your home at 10:00am. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for the lost. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to take the test of faith. Respond to the invitation. Watch the bonus video of one of my favorite songs.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read John 3:17 (NIV), " For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. " Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, we delight in your mercy. We remember that Jesus came into the world to save sinners. We are grateful for his body and blood that were so graciously given for us. Thank you for your salvation. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for our witness to a world that is lost and dying. Pray that we shine a light that leads them to Jesus. Pray for open and contrite hearts. Pray for humility for God's children as we reach out to those who stand in the exact spot we stood once upon a time. Pray that Prodigals might come home.

MESSAGE

“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:17-19‬ ‭NIV

CHALLENGE

Where is God testing you today in your faith? Write down 7 areas in your life that God is challenging your faith. Circle the 3 that are the biggest test. Put a rectangle around the one that is currently your greatest struggle. Acknowledge your struggle to God in prayer. Ask God to give you faith for the test. Share with another person your test in the faith. Ask that person to pray for you in that area and question you about it once per week for the next month. Withstand the test.

INVITATION

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith takes the test - Hebrews 11:17-19 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on May 24, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH:Faith takes the test (Hebrews 11:17-19 ) - May 24, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith sees testing as a part of the journey. A test does not mean our faith has failed; a test is only administered where faith can be found.

Faith passes the test.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:17-19‬ ‭NIV

I. FAITH TAKES THE TEST

“Faith is a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain.” - Dave Willis

A. Faith acts.

B. Faith accepts the promise and the confusion.

II. FAITH TRUSTS THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING

Mary Hollingsworth tells a story about the noted director of biblical epics, Cecil B. DeMille. When they began working on the movie Ben Hur, DeMille talked to Charlton Heston–the star of the movie–about the all-important chariot race at the end. He decided Heston should actually learn to drive the chariot himself, rather than just using a stunt double. Heston agreed to take chariot-driving lessons to make the movie as authentic as possible.

Learning to drive a chariot with horses four abreast, however, was no small matter. After extensive work and days of practice, Heston returned to the movie set and reported to DeMille.

“I think I can drive the chariot all right, Cecil,” said Heston, “but I’m not at all sure I can actually win the race.”

Smiling slightly, DeMille said, “Heston, you just stay in the race, and I’ll make sure you win.”

A. Abraham believed God would do what God does best, the miraculous.

B. Abraham believed God could raise the dead.

C. Abraham believed God.

III. FAITH IS CONNECTED TO GOD’S ULTIMATE PLAN

William Barclay wrote in his book The Mind of St. Paul, “The great value of the doctrine of the Second Coming is that it guarantees that history is going somewhere. We cannot tell how it will happen. We cannot take as literal truth the Jewish pictures of it which Paul used. We need not think of a physical coming of Christ in the clouds, or a physical trumpet blast. But what the doctrine of the Second Coming conserves is the tremendous fact that there is one divine, far-off event to which the whole creation is moving; there is a consummation; there is a final triumph of God.”

A. Even death is not final with God.

B. The perception of the permanence of death.

C. The victory of resurrection, the power of Easter.

D. The hope of the resurrection

“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:50-57‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Sunday, May 17, 2020

TROUBLESHOOTING for VIDEO: 5-17-20 Sermon

If the videos do not load on your mobile device (phone) when you click on 'VIDEO: 5-17-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith looks to the future"', scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "View Web Version." Some phones are not loading the videos, but this solution should correct that. It appears that computers and tablets are loading the content properly.

Thanks,

Todd

Saturday, May 16, 2020

VIDEO: 5-17-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith looks to the future"

As we worship together "from house to house," we enter worship with the knowledge that our world is not the way it should be. We miss gathering together to worship our King. We feel displaced and isolated. We look beyond the day when we shall once again gather in our sanctuary built of brick and wood. We look toward a day when we will be gathered together to worship the Lamb face to face. We look forward to a day of worship in the future where we will all be assembled in the celebration of our Savior. But until that day, we lift up praise wherever and however we can.

As we gather together this Sunday in our own homes, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper in your home at 10:00am. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for the lost. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to demonstrate your faith in the God who holds our future in His hands. Respond to the invitation. Watch the bonus video of one of my favorite songs.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read John 6:35, "Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, we long to never hunger or thirst. We take this bread and cup as a reminder to us that Jesus has already satisfied every hunger and thirst. We rely upon you for all that we need. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for wisdom as restrictions are relaxed. Pray for self-control for those who would behave as if their freedom is the only issue. Pray for civility and maturity. Pray for our witness to a world that is always watching. Pray for one another.

MESSAGE

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:13-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Do you look forward to being with God in heaven? Talk to one other person this week about your hope of going to heaven. Set aside 5 minutes per day for the next week to think about living in heaven with God. To develop longing in your faith, write down 4 things that you look forward to in heaven (not things you will be glad to be rid of from here). Meditate upon these items during your 5 minutes of thinking about living with God in heaven.

INVITATION

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith looks to the future - Hebrews 11:13-16 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on May 17, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith looks to the future (Hebrews 11:13-16 ) - May 17, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith looks to the future. Radical Faith is anchored in tomorrow, not today. Radical Faith trusts that what was not realized today will be realized sometime in the future.

Faith looks to the future while faithfulness is demonstrated today.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:13-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH REMAINS TILL THE END

“A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death’s doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.

With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death’s agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven. There, spread out on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies.

Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man? Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife.

“Stay out of those,” she said. “They’re for the funeral.” - Source Unknown

It’s always about tomorrow.

A. Living by faith when they died.

B. “Seeing” from a distance.

C. “Welcoming” what was not there yet.

D. “Admitting” this was not their home.

II. FAITH LOOKS FORWARD

“Because the results of God’s sovereignty are delayed, waiting remains an act of faith. We believe results will occur one day. By waiting on God, we affirm our belief in his providence. We trust his timetable. We hope in heaven. Waiting on God is inseparably bound to our belief in the sovereignty of God to bring about the good he promises.

Waiting is often the application of many other, more abstract, biblical qualities of character. Hope, for instance, requires waiting. Faith is all about waiting. Patience and waiting are yoked together. Trust requires delayed gratification. In fact, run down your mental list of the fruit of the Spirit and see if waiting doesn’t play into every single one of them (see Gal. 5:22–23).” - Wayne Stiles, “Waiting on God” Baker Publishing Group, 2015, pp. 16-17.

A. Faith talks about the fulfillment.

B. Faith thinks about the fulfillment.

C. Faith longs for fulfillment.

III. FAITH FINDS ITS REWARD

A. God is not ashamed to be called their God.

B. God has prepared a city for them.

““Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.””

‭‭John‬ ‭14:1-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Saturday, May 9, 2020

VIDEO: 5-10-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith trusts even when the promise takes longer than expected"

As we worship together "from house to house," we give glory to our God who never changes. Although our circumstances change on a daily basis, we give glory to our God who never changes. While our lives ebb and flow with every twitch and turn of the globe, we give glory to our God who never changes. Our God never changes.

As we gather together this Sunday in our own homes, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper in your home at 10:00am. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for the lost. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to demonstrate your faith in the God who has not fulfilled your wishes yet.. Respond to the invitation. Watch the bonus video of one of my favorite songs.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read Matthew 26:26-29 New International Version (NIV) "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "It is right and good to give you thanks and praise, O God, because from the beginning, you invited us on a journey with you, a journey of wonders and miracles, a journey of healing and joy, a journey of mystery, a journey full of life and love. We look toward that day when our journey ends with you in your Father's kingdom. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for our nation as states begin to "open up." Pray for wisdom for our governmental leaders who determine our public health policy. Pray for the vulnerable.

MESSAGE

“By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:9-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Make a list of 2 times you gave up on your faith because “it was just taking too long.” Write down how you can reengage your faith with God in these two items. Pray for guidance on how you can actively demonstrate your faith in the God who has not fulfilled your wishes yet.

INVITATION

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith trusts even when the promise takes longer than expected - Hebrews 11:9-12 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on May 10, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith trusts even when the promise takes longer than expected (Hebrews 11: 9-12) - May 10, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith trusts in the One who promised, not the timeline in our mind.

Have you ever had to wait to get what was promised to you. Last Christmas Paula and I both had to wait for our Christmas presents because they both arrived later than they were supposed to arrive. Even though they both arrived late, we both knew we would receive gifts because we trusted one another.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:9-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH TODAY DEMANDS FAITHFULNESS TOMORROW

“The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin.” - A.W. Tozer

A. Abraham left to go to a country that was not his own.

B. Abraham lived like a nomad in his own land.

C. Abraham trusted God would fulfill his promise.

1. A city whose architect was God.

2. A city whose builder was God.

II. FAITH DEMANDS FAITHFULNESS IN THE LIGHT OF DISAPPOINTMENT

“God delights to increase the faith of His children . . . I say, and say it deliberately—trials, difficulties and sometimes defeat, are the very food of faith . . . We should take them out of His hands as evidence of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us.” - George Muller

A. Disappointing situations do not determine destiny.

B. Disappointment is the fertile soil in which faith can grow.

C. Disappointment is the garden of God’s greatest victories.

D. Disappointment is often the harbinger of fulfillment.

III. FAITH WAITS

“Triumph and failure always go together in the wait of faith. They are the head and tail of the same coin. Show me a person who has had no struggle with waiting, whose faith has known no swings between victory and defeat, and I’ll show you a person who has never really trusted God with his or her life.

To wait on God is to struggle and sometimes to fail. Sometimes the failures teach us more than the successes. For the failures teach us that to wait on God is not only to wait for his mercy, but to wait by his mercy. … The success of our waiting lies not in who we are, but in who God is. It is not our strength that will pull us through to the end, it is God’s amazing grace and mercy.”

A. Faith does not have a calendar.

1. Sarah and her failure.

2. Abraham and his failure.

B. Faith keeps trusting.

1. Paula’s kidnapping

2. Our wedding

CHALLENGE

Make a list of 2 times you gave up on faith because “it was just taking too long.” Write down how you can reengage your faith with God in these two items. Pray for guidance in how you can actively demonstrate your faith in the God who has not fulfilled your wishes yet.

Saturday, May 2, 2020

VIDEO: 5-3-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith goes into the unknown"

As we worship together "from house to house," we long for the day when we can worship with all of God's family. While that will not be until the end of the world as we know it, we take comfort in joining with our brothers and sisters who live on earth with us today. We may not be sitting beside one another, but we are worshiping the same God.

As we gather together this Sunday in our own homes, we would invite you to sing with the worship videos. We want to encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper in your home at 10:00am. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for the lost. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to faithfully do 2 things that God wants you to do that are beyond your understanding. Watch the bonus video of one of my favorite songs.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read Luke 22:19 (NIV) 'And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."' Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, 'Precious God, You sent Your Son so that He could offer life to those who were bound by the law of man. Your Son took the bread and gave thanks. Lord, I choose to take this bread and juice in remembrance of Your love for me, and I thank You for sacrificing Yourself so that I could be set free. In Jesus' name, amen.'

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for one another. Lift up a few of your Kenwood family and other brothers and sisters in Christ in His church. Pray for guidance and wisdom during this time of turmoil. Pray for peace and comfort during these uneasy times. Pray for health and strength to do those things God would have us do.

MESSAGE

"By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:7-8 (NIV)

CHALLENGE

Faith calls us into the deep end. List 2 ways God is challenging you to do something that seems beyond your understanding. Write next to them how you have responded to them so far. Write next to those responses how you can respond in faith. Do both of those actions this week. God bless.

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith goes into the unknown - Hebrews 11:7-8 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on May3, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith goes into the unknown (Hebrews 11:7-8) - May 3, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith trusts even when our eyes cannot confirm what our faith requires. Our knowledge of the One we trust is more important than our knowledge of the situation in which we must trust.

For the next several weeks as we examine faith, we will look at examples of how faith works in our world.

“The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.” - John Edmonds

We must jump trusting that our feet will find solid ground.

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:7-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH BUILDS A BOAT ON DRY GROUND

“The true, living faith, which the Holy Spirit instills into the heart, simply cannot be idle.” - Martin Luther

A. Trusted even when his eyes could not see the reality

B. Acted in holy fear

C. Judged the world by his actions

D. Became heir of righteousness

II. FAITH GOES INTO PLACES IT DOES NOT KNOW

“Faith is not merely your holding on to God—it is God holding on to you. He will not let you go?” - E. Stanley Jones

A. Faith obeys

B. Faith obeys even when it doesn’t know where it is going

Moving to Michigan

III. FAITH TRANSCENDS KNOWLEDGE

“God does not expect us to submit our faith to him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity.” - Augustine

A. Faith trusts

B. Faith trusts even when there is not enough information

C. Faith trusts independent of knowledge

The opportunity of the church in the Age of the Covid-19

I CANNOT SEE, BUT I CAN TRUST by A. E. Lind

I cannot see, with my small human sight,

Why God should lead this way or that for me;

I only know He saith, “Child, follow me”;

But I can trust, But I can trust!

I know not why my path should be at times

So straitly hedged, so strangely barred before;

I only know God could keep wide the door,

And I can trust, And I can trust!

I often wonder, as with trembling hand

I cast the seed along the furrowed ground,

If ripened fruit for God will there be found;

But I can trust, But I can trust!

I cannot know why suddenly the storm

Should rage so fiercely ‘round me in its wrath;

But this I know, God watches all my path,

And I can trust, And I can trust!

I may not draw aside the mystic veil

That hides the unknown future from my sight;

Nor know if for me waits the dark or light;

But I can trust, But I can trust!

CHALLENGE