Introduction:
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We begin a two-part study
of faith building lessons.
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The most common myth-"It
doesn't matter what you believe, as long as your sincere."
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Can be sincere but
sincerely wrong. It take more than sincerity/takes truth.
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I want to give 6 facts
about what you believe because what you believe is important.
I. The truth about what you believe
A. My beliefs are my choice.
1. Here's the point: You can't blame
anybody else for your beliefs.
a. Notice this example: Romans 1:25 says: "Instead of believing
what they know
was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies..."
B. My beliefs determine my behavior.
Proverbs4:23: "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by
your thoughts."
2. The point is, even if your beliefs
are wrong, they effect your behavior, so you need
to examine
them.
II. The world has taught me many false
beliefs.
A. It used to be people would
say: "You know, I'll believe it when I see it."
1. You can't believe that anymore because
of technology "virtual reality"- blending fact &
fiction. So,
even if you see it, it doesn't mean it's true. Did you see Forest Gump? He
bore his
back-side to President Lyndon Johnson and you saw him with Kennedy.
Video games,
etc. SO, just because you see something, you can't believe it's true.
2. And the world teaches us all kinds of
myths. Now, the number one source of cultural
myths today are T.V
talk shows and there are about 2,000 of them.
B. The bible gives us some very blunt advise about this.
1. 1John 4:1 "Don't always believe
everything you hear... for there are many false
teachers
around." So many-money!
III. Untrue beliefs are cause of
emotional problems & unhappiness.
A. A belief does not have to
be true in order for it to effect you emotionally, or cause
turmoil.
1. Remember the story about Jacob thinking
Joseph had been killed by wild animals. The
same is true
concerning any thing that we believe to be true.
Conclusion: The only source of
absolute truth is God. Rom.3:4. What will be the authority in my life?
What and who will rule & guide me? What will be the basis for my
beliefs? Will the World or Word? Luke 21:33; Jesus explodes myths. Can
trust him, word is forever true. S.O.M. "You have heard it said,
But I say..." (Math.7) see v.24.
Douglas L. Post
