When Disappointment Leads to Doubt, Part 2

Disappointment comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes were disappointed when we meet a celebrity doesn't rise to our expectations disappointed when were persecuted for what we believe or perhaps it's when a random disease strike someone we love all seems so unfair. Whatever the case, disappointment can cause damage to your soul today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll guides us through a passage in Matthew 11 that reinforces our confidence in God's all-knowing care and compassion, even in our darkest moments titled today's message when disappointment leads down one day our father passed the gate and then we will know everything. It will then make completely good sense because we will see things fully from your perspective how easy it is for us to become a wash in our disappointments, disillusionment's and outs.

Life is no simple journey from earth to heaven not only complicated, it is complex. There are prayers that are not answered as we expected them to be. There are times that unfold in what appears to us to be nothing but tragedy.

There are events about which we tend to think have no good reason. Nevertheless, you were there through it all you've never left your plan is unfolding in its sovereign timetable and we are learning slowly that you are good and faithful father I pray that you administer especially today, those lost in the morass of doubt. Give them ears to hear, eyes to see hearts and minds to believe, even when the light at the end of the tunnel is blotted out cannot be seen. Pray for those who love individuals with terminal illnesses. Pray for those whose children have gone away. They become wayward Summit virtually lost their senses departed from what they once embraced. I pray for those struggling through their days of education failing courses feeling like failures and for those aging hope seems to be fading and purpose God. At least it seems so minister to all of us.

Father teaches the value of being still stopping all of our activities and discovering that you are God and you do all things well. Even this even today were grateful for those who represent you in difficult places somewhere. The uniform of our country and they fight in the fight. Some are there as soldiers of the cross followers of the Lamb who do not fear to own your cause or blush to speak your name. Bless these very faithful women and men teenagers as well who live on foreign soil and difficult places, and serve the Lord Christ summer in the middle of the Beltway difficult place for cynicism is on the rise help those who know Christ to speak wisely and well of him. More importantly to model him before those who do not believe we pray for those who make decisions that relate to the whole country bring wise counselors to them when they hear what they say may make a difference. Deliver us as a nation.

From this current trend toward self-destruction in the Lord, we pray that you will use your word in each of our lives as we sit before it and submit ourselves to it, we give our gifts that others might know the joy that we have worshiping living Christ in his name we pray. And all this people said a man to study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures study by going to Insight world.org/studies another message from Chuck about when disappointment leads to doubt often small frustrations lead later to disappointments ended with you like Job or Elijah under the tree or Peter about the fire or Paul despairing of life in our loneliness and disillusionment. Are you ready for this.

Even the cousin of Jesus doubted his name is John the baptizer runner of the Messiah, the only one free appointed profit asks are you really the Messiah that we been looking for. Or should we keep looking for one he has now succumbed to doubt, let me say no one is immune to this malady, but doubts never occur all alone is always reason for the take John for example verse two introduces him in a Simple Way, John. The baptizer was in prison. What John the told the truth wasn't very tactful. Certainly wasn't politically correct in those days when you spoke against the king you paid for it dearly.

This however he is the forerunner of the Messiah who will not only heal the sick and give sight to the blind and cleanse the leper, it will set the prisoner free where is a Jesus doesn't even come for a visit. Are you the Messiah, or should we be looking for another you guys go asking these reasons that have built up into "first thought, I will be here long Messiah will know I'm here is anticipation built to where it became through the help of the imagination a reality and that vulnerable place of reality thinking that what he had been anticipating what happened did not happen in time. Continued a long time now there's disillusionment followed by disappointment and finally are you really Messiah, but what Jesus does. Since it was the disciples of John who brought the message John is in prison. Verse four. Jesus talked to them. Let's turn to Luke chapter 7 Luke 718. The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing so. John called for the two of his disciples and he said to them, he sent them to the Lord asking Oregon was a lie we been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else. Just what Matthew wrote.

But there's more here. John's two disciples found Jesus and said to him, the baptizer sent us to ask are you the Messiah. We been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else. At that very moment at that very moment when the question had just fallen from their lips right then. Notice what it says right then Jesus cured many people of their diseases illnesses evil spirits restore the site to many who were blind then notice right did he did that and then on the heels of it.

He told them go back to John telling what you've seen and heard the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear the dinner race to live good news being preached to the poor is a really question on Messiah back to Matthew 11 Jesus does all these things and then he adds a beatitude.

Blessed are those who were not scandalized because of me literally God blesses those who were not offended because of me. Take heart, John, take heart. Special blessings await those who were not offended because an answer hasn't come as expected, Blessed are you, John.

Stay right there and knowing that I am Messiah and God's sovereign plan is unfolding now. It gets even better.

I think the disciples here that they turn these two in the make their way back to John. Look at the next transition as John's disciples were leaving, you will often find a transition in the narrative.

At the beginning of the verse. Here is one turn and they're making their way out and on their way to John while they are gone. He talks about John behind John's back will use that phrase in a negative way here. I don't know that there's a greater statement of affirmation than what we read in the verse that follows on a look at this. He says this about the man who just said you Messiah or do we look for someone else got a man did you go in the wilderness to see you see the crowd had heard about that statement. The disciples said, and so they were forming opinions in Jesus and I needed to clarify. John is what got Amanda due going the wilderness to see you. We read swayed by every breath of wind. You know better than that is about a strong conviction of the next verse, or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothing better than that is a matter of self-denial verse nine. Were you looking for a profit. Yes is more than a prophet in the sense that he was the chosen prophet to be my forerunner. Furthermore, he's the one of whom other prophets prophesied and then he says what you'll never read anywhere else. John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say look, I'm sending my messenger ahead of you and he will prepare your way before me. I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived nine is greater. John the Baptist. Look at that state. The very man who it said are you Messiah or do we look for another and honest doubt and sent his disciples to find out. Jesus said, John the baptizer on this earth. There is none greater when we are children of his in the kingdom.

He says later. Then we will be greater than that.

But for now on this earth on this earth. There is none greater than John.

Jesus said that no other person may say to you on the basis of this if you are wishing to become speak to the man because John was such you are wishing to become a man of God. How do you start where do you go. Let me give you these three guidelines to follow a man of strong convictions start their cultivate strong convictions. There is no we read in John. Second, a man of genuine self-denial. He cared nothing about making a good impression or the latest clothing or looking important. He was who he was dressed like a man in the wilderness, a man of self-denial and the third a man. Trudy was calling called to be the forerunner and he fulfilled that calling, go a step further with this, you have a son you have a grandson you want to build godliness into that character good place to start a daughter as well.

For sure, but in this case were referring to sons when he was stationed in Australia and serving as the supreme commander of the Allied forces in Southwest Pacific area Gen. Douglas MacArthur wrote this prayer for his only son, Arthur, my quote build me a son overlord who will be strong enough to know when he is weak and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid one who will be proud and unbending and honest defeat humble and gentle in victory lead him. I pray not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge Lynn learn to stand up in the storm let him learn compassion for those who fail build me a son whose heart will be clear whose goal will be high a son who will master himself before he seeks to master. Others, one who will reach into the future and yet never forget the past and after all these things and I pray enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously, giving humility so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness.

The open mind of true wisdom and the weakness of true strength then I his father was there to whisper. I have not lived in vain.

If Jesus would say this of the baptizer. He is a man of strong convictions and genuine self-denial and Trudy was calling and then call him the greatest on the earth. I suggest the same qualities are worth our time and attention. Trust me, if you have a young person close to you related to you under your mentor ship the pressure they live under. We can hardly imagine this adult for him or her to live like this to stand up against the mockery of the cynic. The words of those who see all that is foolish. I mean, self-denial in the 21st century are you kidding, not kidding. True greatness how we long for that in our own lives and now the lives of those who will come after us. Let me offer for things to remember about doubt. I hope that it will help you they help me and I think they will help you number one doubts will arise because were human when you are in the midst of doubt. You are looking at life from a horizontal perspective. You have a limited understanding of the big picture and we've allowed the domino effect to happen. Quite likely, you can trace your doubt back to that anticipation, and that expectation, all of which were dashed, which led you to where you are today say secondly doubts may temporarily disturb our relationship with God, but they do not permanently destroy doubts may temporarily disturb our relationship with God but it's not a permanent destruction tissue fearful of that to be assured of those words even when we do not stand for him.

Even when we deny him, he does not deny himself as 1/3 special blessings await those who can live with life's inequities.

If you have come to the place in your life where you can live with the fact that what you expect it didn't happen and it doesn't shatter your faith doesn't drop you into the dungeon of doubt. Special blessings are yours.

Special measure of maturity you've reached Mia and if you choose to linger in your doubt you're on your way to a life of cynicism. The cynic is acidic because he or she chooses to foster and to build on their own doubts rather than to go back and realize they really are not in charge of their lives. Here is the fourth doubts will come, but they need not derail us. If you starve them out.

It's a remarkable recovery if you linger there to remind you you are on your road to cynicism and I know of no good thing that comes from sentences many good things come from questions. Probing involves asking the hard things cynic doesn't want answers cynic simply wants to throw rocks stand against true. The truth of the Scriptures.

Not an easy sermon to preach but a necessary one for all of us to hear unlike us about together you mice you maybe somewhere along the way and the syndrome of the domino's you may be right that vulnerable place where your expectations are obviously not happening in the reality of all of that is not crashing in on you to good time to pause and reacquaint yourself with the promises of God's word great piece of they who love thy law rights. The psalmist at the very end and nothing will offend them a great love for the word of God will do much to guard you again cynicism will soften the encroachment of doubt not give it a place your doubts come because of no relationship with God. What a perfect place to come.

Right now you think like you think because you've never met the Savior so you believe what others have told you about it rather than what God's word teaches time in this quiet moment for you to face the fact that you are not your own master. You did not create yourself. You did not give yourself your parents.

God chose the you do not have control over the results of your destiny.

All of that is set what you have, to deal with is preparing yourself for trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be rescued, think on these things through this afternoon with you, Lord. Not only do we pray that you would enable us to build our sons and grandsons and daughters like we just heard what we desire to have a life like that ourselves and always comes the hard way through struggle, hardship, disappointment, dreams that are dashed hopes that flyway give us the strength we need within trust you in the dark and to stay true in the long tunnel of trials and tragedies provide hope, I pray so that we might continue our growth toward maturity on our journey from earth to heaven and hear the prayers of those who today turned to you for eternal salvation.

These things I ask in the name of Christ our Savior, who loved us and gave himself for us, truly the Messiah, who is coming to rescue us and all God's people's aim. Our topic yesterday and today what to do when disappointment leads to doubt you're listening to the Bible teaching of pastor and author Chuck Swindoll this is Insight for living.

To learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org it's possible you've come to a place of discouragement and quite candidly your trust and confidence in God's sovereignty is waning. Let me put you to a helpful book. Checks written to bolster your confidence. This is a tremendous resource for yourself or perhaps someone you love is going through a challenging time. It's a devotional book called perfect trust you'll find all the details and insight.org/store. In addition, we are inviting you to add the Swindoll study Bible to your personal library. The Bible is integrated with checks, pastoral insight, practical application and inspiration and is laid out in a format that simple to navigate plus checks conversational style brings a warmth that's rarely found in study Bibles to purchase the Swindoll study Bible go to insight.org/store or if you prefer, call us listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 insight for living ministries is a nonprofit organization made possible not by the provision of study Bibles and other resources through the voluntary financial gifts of faithful supporters ever grateful for the loyal friends come alongside us with the generous financial gifts, especially during this complicated season. The pandemic is collided with a variety of cultural issues pressing us into unfamiliar territory. There's never been a season quite like were intent on walking alongside you every step of the way provide the means necessary to broadcast Chuck Swindoll's message radio and the Internet you could give a donation right now by calling us listening in the United States, 1-800-772-8881 800-772-8888 or give online@insight.org.

Thank you for your generous support. Chuck Swindoll describes how the disciples responded when Jesus turned up the heat Friday on insight for living. The preceding message when disappointment leads to death was copyrighted in 2016 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited