OUTLINE:

Your Response To Love
Should a minister of God's word, when he tells you the truth about your spiritual illnesses and prescribes what the Great Physician has instructed him to, be thanked or scorned?

Gal 4:16
So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

You Are Blessed
Never get familiar with the true grace gifts in your life. I am one of them - more specifically, "not I, but the grace of God with me" (1 Co 15:10).

“the wisdom of men”
This refers to worldly, human wisdom. This is the kind of wisdom that demands rationalizing instead of faith, the kind of wisdom that looks at the man not the gift, the kind of wisdom that justifies ungodliness as a result.

Are You a Master Justifier…
...focusing your time on how to get away with things,... justifying why it's OK to do certain things,... even using scripture out of context to do so?

You Have Limited Time/Energy
Are you a Master Justifier?? Or will you be a Master Follower, a Master Giver, and a Master Lover?? Use your time and faith wisely!! The Lord's coming soon!!

What the Apostles Lacked
- Understanding (e.g.,Mt 16:15-23; Lk 18:31-34; Ac 1:1-9)
- Humility (e.g., Mt 20:20ff; Mk 9:33-35)
- Faith (e.g., Mt 16:5-11)
- Commitment (e.g., Lk 5:11; 22:31ff)
- Power (e.g. Mt 17: 16-17; Jn 20:22-23; Ac 1:8)

Faith Is Power
The reason the apostles didn’t have the power to cure the man’s son was they lacked faith. Jesus had already given them the ability to cast out demons (Mt 10:8) a year prior.

Faith Is Power
Some of us lack the power to overcome much smaller obstacles in our lives (e.g. casting out demons); and it’s not because God’s power is insufficient somehow (He is omnipotent). The reason is simple: we lack faith the same way the Apostles did.

What Do We Lack?
Faith, in general, but also in the power of the Word of God.

Col 3:16-17
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

“performs its work in you”
The Word of God is meant to sanctify you, make you holy, separated for God's good purposes in time (aka Experiential/Progressive Sanctification). If it's NOT working in you/your life, then you lack faith in it. Your faith's object must be the Word.