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Learning to DOUBT your Doubts!

February 20, 2012 in Doubts, tampa church with 0 Comments

I do not remember the first time I heard this statement- “Instead of believing your doubts and doubting your beliefs… Why not doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs?  I like the idea and yet sometimes it seems I can’t get past my doubts.

Have you been there?  Maybe you have prayed the same prayer for years and they go like this:

  • Father, please bring my child back to you.  They are chasing everything that will destroy them- God please help… And yet nothing has changed.
  • It’s my husband Lord- Father would you help him find Jesus as his savior…and he still is not a Christian
  • Father, we have honored you in our finances and yet our business is not yet viable- would you please bless our business… and the heavens seem to be closed.

Some people say when that happens it is because you do not have enough faith.  That statement always interests me- Jesus said if we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could move a mountain.  Evidently Jesus didn’t think the size of our faith was the issue- rather who our faith was in!  Some say you didn’t pray with the right motives or there was sin in your life.  Those are reasons for unanswered prayer- but were they mine?  Many of your circumstances and experiences may lead you to this conclusion when you pray: “I doubt God will do it for me”.  Have you been there?  Are you there now?  In week 3 of Doubters Anonymous we will consider a guy in the Bible who had some faith- but was it enough?  We will also look at a couple of teenagers who make, what I believe to be, the greatest statement of faith we find in scripture.  Make plans to attend and bring a friend- I bet they will thank you as we explore “Can God really do this for me”?

If you missed last week- you can watch it below.


Don’t see a video- click here

 

Never Struggled with Doubt? Prophesy: You Will!

February 13, 2012 in Doubts, tampa church with 0 Comments

I believe doubts often drive us to God.  When we face pain, hurt and abandonment we want to know why God?  In the midst of this tension I have seen many people embrace faith in Jesus for the first time.  Why?  I am not talking about an easy answer, cookie cutter faith. To be honest,  I have really grown tired of the simplistic answers that are often given to real hurts, hang-ups and struggles.  I have attended too many funerals, too many held the hand of too many cancer patients and prayed with too many emotionally wounded people to accept the simple “Christian speak” answers of:

  • “This is a tough time I know- but don’t doubt God, He has a plan”
  • “I just think something bad was going to happen to them- so God took them now”
  • “It will be okay- it’s God will”
  • “All things work out for good”

If you have been where I have been and with the people I have been with- you know these answers are incomplete.

The truth is bad things happen- read your Bible- men and women of faith have experienced horrible pain (Hebrews 11 for example).  Jesus said it himself:

John 16:33

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows…”

It seems inevitable that we will experience trial and sorrows, so how do we respond?  Is it okay to be angry?  It has caused some to doubt whether God even cares or is good.  How do you respond to the pain?

There are no easy answers- and yet this weekend we are going to take an honest look at “How can God be good” when I see all this pain.  My guess is you know someone who needs to hear from God about this issue- please invite them to be your guest this Sunday.  That “someone” may be you- Doubters Anonymous- see you Sunday.

SuperBowl Sunday at Church at The Bay

January 30, 2012 in tampa church with Comments Off

The Superbowl is a time honored tradition in the United States and consists of 22 men on the field desperately in need of a rest and 130 million viewers in desperate need of exercise.  So who are you picking?  Will the Patriots win again or will Eli make it happen for the Giants?

 

Church at the Bay will throw down on Superbowl Sunday as you:

  • Wear your favorite Team’s Gear.  It doesn’t matter if you team is in the big game, plays college, high school or pony league- It’s time to represent!
  • Pick the winning team and score and you will win a gift card to Outback Steakhouse!  Of course we have some rules…
  1. You must post your team score prediction on Church at the Bay’s Facebook wall as a comment under this post: “What is your Superbowl Prediction.  Give me the winning team and the score”.  It must be posted as a comment.
  2. You must live in the Tampa area to win- but everyone can post!
  3. In order to win- your comment must be posted before the kick off! (only one prediction per person)
  4. We will give the winner the gift card on Sunday February 12th – good luck!

By the way- this Sunday we will be giving out these to all that attend.

Church at the Bay- Whatever it Takes!

 

Whatever it Takes- Cell Phones???

January 23, 2012 in tampa church with Comments Off

Last Sunday and next Sunday will be formative days for Church at the Bay.  We are explaining Part-ner-ship and then inviting people to become Partner’s at CATB.  For more information about this just click here…

We had a great response to the cell phone sign-up.  Basically we will send you a verse to meditate on and memorize each week.  We may also notify you of something important.  But- we will not spam you.  This plan also lets you opt out at any time.  I know some had problems texting the number and name… if you did just fill in this app below and you will be signed up to receive a weekly text.
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