Pastor Donald Shoots

From the Pulpit...

Central Pentecostal Ministries

Where Is Your Faith?“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” Luke 8:22-25

Letusspeakbrieflyaboutwhat was to follow this storm. In vs 26-38, we see Jesus and His disciples in thecountryoftheGadarenes,andheretheyseeamanlivingamongthetombs,naked,andpossessedbymanydevils.JesusHimselfwoulddeliverthismanandsethimfree.Now,thatiswheretheyweregoing.Theywereintheboat,inalake,inastorm,butthatiswheretheyweregoing!

Storms always attempt to distract

and cloud where you are going.

Jesus said, “Let us go over unto the other side of the lake”andthedisciplesgotintotheboat.However,unknowingly,theywereheadedtothecountryoftheGadarenestoministertoamanwhowasnaked,possessedbydevilsandlivinginthetombs.TolivethisChristianlifeistowalkbyfaith.Meaning,anyforwardmovementmusthavefaithinit.ItisnotenoughtoabstainfromsinandobeytheTenCommandments,wemusthavefaith!“The just shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38).Now,thatwaswhatwasgoingtohappenaftertheygottotheotherside, but right now,theyareinastorm.

Faith is a possession, and your possession will be tested.

Herewegetabeautiful,mellowandneedfullookatthehumanityofourLordJesusChrist.Hereinthisboat,inthisstorm,JesusChrististiredandwentto sleep.This tells us thatwearenot theonlyoneswho get tired! Then He is aroused by these wordsfrom His disciples, “Master, master, we perish.” ThankGodthesedisciplesletusseeourselves.Howmanytimeshavewesaidthesamethingwithourlipsorourthoughts?ToknowtheLordwithpuretruthistoknowHiswholemissionistosave!Nevertheless,the disciples are still thinking this terrible thought,Jesus is with us in the boat, but it is over for us. We wouldmuchratherhearJesussay,I know you are in a tough place. You are wrestling in your mind, you are wrestling in your spirit. You are not sure what the Will of God is. You are miserable, you’ve got a RIGHT to say that! You have a right to say to me, “Master, master, we perish”! Wewant Jesus tovalidate our fear!Let’slookatwhatJesusactuallysaid;“Where is your faith?” Friends may stroke us, easing ouremotionswithwords,stating, you have a right to feel the way you feel. Oh yes, I understand why you can’t pray. If I was in your situation I couldn’t pray either. I know you are bitter, I know you have been hurt, but you know in your situation you have a right to be this way.NOT JESUS!Hewill never tell you that.Jesussays,“Where is your faith?”He’snotpamperinganyonehere!

If faithwas a feeling,or if feelingwas faiththenallofourvictoriesandspiritualaccomplishmentswould depend on how we felt. Many have seenthis ‘work up’ deal. I realize that there is a stirringof the Spirit of God, and a movement of the HolyGhost. I know there is a troubling of the waters,especiallywhenChristiansrealizethefullnessofthemanifestation ofGod.However, thisworking up offaithcanbedangerous,especiallyifyoucan’tworkitup!Yes,wehavethetoolsavailabletostir-up ourfaith,butwecan’tstirupwhat’snotthere! Now, thismust tell us something about faith.“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesuswashuman,hewastiredandHewenttosleep.Heisawakenoutofthisdeepsleepandimmediately rebukes the stormand thewindscease.Hethenturnstothedisciplesandasks,“Where is YOUR faith?” That means faith is

to become a possession.ThatmeansJesuslaiddownandwenttosleepwithfaithinwhoHewasandWhoHisFatherwas!Whentheywokehimwith,“Master, master, we perish”,HehadfaithinHiscall,purposeandposition!Jesusdidn’thavetorecitescriptures!Becarefulofwhatcanbecomeacripplingeffectasyouare trying to live this lifeof faith. Ihearpeoplesaythingslike,“thatsongreallybuiltmyfaith”.Christian,becarefulwithwhatyouaresaying.Whatifyouhadnotlistenedtothesong?IfwearenotcarefulthedevilwillcatchuswithnoCDorfaithpamphlet!Whenthestormcomesweshouldhavefaithinsidereadytopulloutanduse!Faithmustbecomeapossession. Jesus didn’t wake up and ask the disciples to sing. Jesusdidn’tneedto.HewokeupandusedwhatHewasandwhatHepossessed!

Faith must become a possession!

True faith is tried with different storms andsometimesmanyof them.Thegeneralscenery issotypicalandmuchlike thestoryofour lives.Here isalittleboatinabiglakeorabigproblemandalittleboat.Thisisthewaythedevilalwayswantstomakeitlook,butpraiseGod,“greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world” (IJohn4:4).Faith turns a littleboatintoabigboat!Youmaysay,Pastor, I am facing the biggest storm of my life!You’vegotabigGod!True faith is tried, but for it to be tried, doesnotmeanitfails.James1:2-3tellsusto“count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”.John16:33says“Intheworldyeshallhavetribulation:but beofgoodcheer”.

Faith is a possession, and your possession will be tested.

Not knowing this truth opens to a world ofdepressing questions. Questions like, “Why is thishappening?”Now,thismessageisnotfortheonewhogotoutof theWillofGod.YouknewGodtoldyounot to do that, but you did it anyway and now youarepayingthepricefordisobedience.Iamnottalkingabouttheonewithonefootinthechurchandonefootin theworld. Iamtalking to thebelieverwho lovesJesuswithalltheirheart,soul,mindandstrength,buttheyare in a storm!Satanwillmove in andalwaysattempttouseastormtohisadvantage!Donotengagein conversationwith the devil, just rebuke him andmoveon!Theholeofdoubtgetsdeeperanddeeperifpurefaithisnotrevived. Mark4:38bringsgreaterlightontheresponseof the disciples. “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” What could be more hurtful to a Father,especiallyourlovingCreator?NowthedisciplesaresayingthistoJesus,theOnewhoisabouttogiveHislife on the cross!What an indictment to say to theOnewholovesyoumorethanyouwilleverbelovedbyanyoneonearth,“You don’t care if we die?” The disciples have allowedthisstormtoplummetthemtoastatethattheywouldsaytoJesus,you don’t care if we die!Maybeyouaretheonewhoneedstoanswerthequestion,“Where is YOUR faith?”ForJesustoaskthisquestionimpliesthattheyhadfaithatsomepoint.Where is it now? Inotherwords, Jesuswas saying,you are in a storm; pull faith out and use it!Wemustconsiderfaithandfeeling,thenlearnthatfaithcannotbebasedonmyfeeling!Tohaveabadeventcannotdictateoreraseourfaith.Everybodywillhaveabadday,abadevent,astorm,adifficultplacetheymustwalkorevenavalley.Therewillcomeatimeforallbelieverswhentheenemywillattempttokillyou.

ThatistheplacetohearJesussay,“Where is YOUR faith?”Haveyou lost it?Didyou let someonestealit?Didyouleaveitatthelastbattleyouwerein?Thedisciples had itwhen they obeyedwith faith to getinto the boatwithChrist!Where is it now?For thesakeofChristandVictory,pulloutyourfaithanduseit!Faithisapossession!Whenyouwerebornagain,youweredealtaportionoffaith,thenfaithgrowsbyhearingandreceivingtheWordofGod.Hopefully,asyoumaturedinyourwalkwithChrist,yourfaithhasgrown.Theairconditioningunitmaynotalwaysbeon,butitisalwaysthere,readytobeturnedon!Faithisaresponsetotruth.

“Where is your faith?”Meaning, why don’tyou apply it here.Why don’t you apply it to yoursituation?Ifyouwillfindyourfaithyoucanbringitbackandputitagainstthestorm!Thesediscipleshadallowedthisdifficultplacethattheywereintocontrolthem. If theywouldhave justasked themselves thisbeautiful,butsimplequestion.“Peter, who do you say that I am? “, “Thou, art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Well, that is who is in this boat. Isn’t it sad and amazinghowweplummetsoquicklyto, ‘master, we all are going to die’?HereImustask,whatdidtheythink would happen to Jesus? How foolish can weget?Jesus is with me, He said he would never leave or forsake me! Thefleshallowsforalotoffoolishness.Thefleshwars against faith!Carnalitywars againstthe lifeofvictory!Ohmy, tohear thedisciplessay,we are going to die even though Jesus is in the boat. Is itpossiblethatthedisciplesareinsinuatingthatJesusmightdrowntoo,whichrevealshowfoolishmancanbecome?Godwill not stepdown toyour erroneousfeelings and perceptions of doubt and fear, but Hedoeswant tobringyouupoutof them.Let faithbea possession!Don’t let anyone or anything steal it.Don’tloseittosillythinkingofcarnalproportions,for

remember,Jesussaid,“let us go over unto the other side”.Let’sgototheotherside,church! Jesus asked His disciples, “Where is YOUR faith?” In other words, get it,wherever you lost it, go find it, whoeverstoleit,gogetitbackandapplyittothisplace you are in! Jesuswasn’t talking tothe lost, He was talking to the disciples.“Where is your faith?”

Central Pentecostal Ministries

7/18

Central Pentecostal Ministries

Where Is Your Faith?

ThepurposeofthispublicationistobenefitthosetrulyseekingtofollowJesusChrist.IfyouorsomeoneyouknowwouldbeencouragedandstrengthenedbyreceivingtheseFull-Gospelmessages,pleasecontactusat:

Central Pentecostal MinistriesP.O. Box 1558 - Lynn Haven, FL 32444 - (850) 785-2662 or www.centralpmi.org

This storm was not to be a graveyard or a stopping place. This was an indicator that something big was going to happen when the other side became reality.

Praise God the devil is still a liar, Press on! Live to see the Will of God performed!

Where is your faith?

S - SatanT - ThinksO - ObstaclesR - ReverseM - Me

STORM: