Pastor Andy Stanley: Faith, Hope, and Luck

Pastor Andy Stanley: Faith, Hope, and Luck

"Faith, Hope, and Luck" by Andy Stanley notes from KH Our "1 Peter 3-15 in-action" talking points are as follows: Circumstantial faith is fragile and never withstands the force of an emotional body blow It is our nature to want to embrace a belief system based on life experiences - this forms the basis of circumstantial faith. God is not a slot machine Foundational faith is not rooted in circumstantial faith. It is based on person. See HB 12: 2 and 3. People from every religion attempt to create the appearance of a "manageable" god. Biblical faith is simply the confidence the that God will deliver on what he promised. This is supported by our very capable biblical ancestors. See HB 11:1, 2,3, 7,8,13. What has God promised: a. Not wealth b. healing for some, c. grace and mercy to endure, d. real empathy during times of trial.

"Faith, Hope, and Luck" by Andy Stanley notes from KH Continued: What do we do when God does not deliver on what we hoped for? The fact that God says no to a super hero Christian (Paul) should bring encouragement to us. God s mercy and grace is sufficient for you. God gives use the grace to endure. Paul s 2nd letter to Corinthians 12:7-10: To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given to me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my (God s) power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ s power may rest on me. God exerts his greatest power at the time of your greatest weakness if you let him in. Your greatest weakness is God s greatest area of opportunity. If you walk away, you are walking away from the provision of God s empowering Grace.

"Faith, Hope, and Luck" by Andy Stanley notes from KH Continued: Rev Philip Yancey (I am paraphrasing): : The only thing that is worse than trial with God is toil without God. We should come boldly to God s throne of Grace since our weakness is God s greatest opportunity. You then become a reflection of God s greatness (despite a bad circumstance). What is great faith: Great faith = great surrender. Surrender is not weakness. It is a position of peace. Faith is not something to leverage for your own secular benefit. Our culture can make us want to seek the easy path. Do not make Jesus part of this cultural arrogance.

"Faith, Hope, and Luck" by Andy Stanley Continued: See John 5:30, John 12: 49-50, John 6:38-40 A simple man with a great plan for us. Enter God s Kingdom via either faith or circumstance. With faith, you become a reflection of God s greatness.

Rabbi Kushner s son Aaron 13-year battle with progeria... we will simply have to learn to live with it, sustained and comforted by the knowledge that the earthquake and the accident, are not the will of God, but represent that aspect of reality which stands independent of His will, and which angers and saddens God even as it angers and saddens us.

Excerpt from the The Shack: Mac:... And what is the value in a little girl being taken away from me by some twisted deviant? God: there are millions of reasons to allow pain and hurt and suffering rather than to eradicate them, but most those reasons can only be understood within each persons story. I am not evil. You are the ones who embrace fear and pain and power and rights so readily in your relationships. But your choices are also not stronger than my purposes, and I will use every choice you make for the ultimate good and the most loving outcome... Broken humans center their lives around things that seem good to them, but that will neither fill them nor free them. Humans are addicted to power, or the illusion of security that power offers. When a disaster happens, those same people will turn against false powers they trusted. In their disappointment, they either become softened toward me or they become bolder in their independence. If you could only see how all this ends and what we will achieve without the violation of the human will then you would understand. One day you will.