Faith seldom explodes suddenly Sudden and unexpected events Tragedy Evil Disappointment

Faith may be weakened and even broken in time by a slow chipping away of its character Saving faith is in perpetual growth Rom. 4:20-21 2 Thess. 1:2-3 Heb. 10:35-39 Romans 4:20-21 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, (21) fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Abraham) 2 Thessalonians 1:2-3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (3) We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Hebrews 10:35-39 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (36) For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (37) For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; (38) but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." (39) But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

TRUST

Temptation can weaken faith by chipping away at trust 1 John 4:14-15 Heb. 13:5-6 Psa. 118:5-8 I want to trust God, but… He’s let me down before My prayers go unanswered His church is not honorable I’ve been hurt before There is too much evil Christians are corrupt Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (6) So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?“ 1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (15) And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. Psalms 118:5-8 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. (6) The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (7) The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. (8) It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

RESOLVE

Temptation can weaken faith by chipping away at resolve 1 Peter 4:1-3 Hebrews. 12:3 1 Peter 4:1-3 Looks good Recall they taste good Tastes good Others enjoy them Convince myself it won’t hurt just this once Why do the contents of vending machines test our resolve? Hebrews 12:3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 1 Peter 4:1-3 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, (2) so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (3) For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

TRUTH James Carville and Mary Matalin Truth is relative

Temptation can weaken faith by chipping away at truth John 17:17 1 Cor. 14:33 Romans 1:20 Eph. 4:14 Bible = God’s Word No consensus God’s Word = Truth Confusing Other points of view sound good and plausible I used to believe the Bible equals God’s Word and God’s Word equals the Truth. John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. Romans 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Ephesians 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

DES I RE

Temptation can weaken faith by chipping away at wants Matt. 6:31-33 Eccl. 12:8 Matt. 16:26 2 Cor. 4:16-18 Godly priorities Meaningful goals Godly wants Meaningful success Vanity of life without God and reaching heaven Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (32) For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (33) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Ecclesiastes 12:8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. Matthew 16:25-26 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (26) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. (17) For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, (18) as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Temptation only has power over us if we give it power FAITH James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

We can overcome any and all temptation FAITH 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.