With great confidence people will often quote twisted scripture and skewed ideas they’re convinced represent God’s thoughts and perspective. Some of these diverged ideals have become so common they’ve even been absorbed as truth into our contemporary church culture. These ways of thinking are popular, but misleading. This message series will help us translate what God really says.

There are some groups who teach a winning slot machine gospel: Obeying Jesus leads to windfalls and favor. They believe that if Christ is on their side, they will have success in all their endeavors. The truth is our peace and reward in any situation comes from trusting that God is in control and knows what he is doing.

Message Notes

Misquote:
Obedience leads to windfalls and prosperity.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11 describes the difference between living in God’s promise and waiting for God’s promise.

All these people were still living by faith when they died.
Hebrews 11:13
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, about David, Samuel and the prophets. Who, through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again… There were others… Who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging; and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
Hebrews 11:32-39

Is this the truth?