PowerPoint

Guest (Female): Welcome to PowerPoint with Jack Graham.

Jack Graham: When it is dark and you cannot see, just wait. Because when you stumble in the darkness, ultimately, the dawn is coming. Jesus, the light of the world, will show himself, beautiful and powerful to you.

Guest (Female): On today's PowerPoint, Dr. Graham brings a message about how you can strengthen your faith in the midst of your doubts. Now, here's Dr. Graham with his message, choosing faith over doubt.

Jack Graham: Open God's word to the book of Proverbs, chapter 1 in our series, choices.

We're talking about making wise choices. Godly choices that guide us throughout all the days of our lives. How to live as the Scripture says, skillfully. That's the word wisdom in the Bible, living skillfully, that we may live successfully.

Out of the choices we make, what we consider today is one of the most important, which is to choose faith over doubt.

I didn't say faith over unbelief, but faith over doubt, and there is a difference in doubt and unbelief. We do not doubt what we do not first believe. As Christians, we live with a sense of assurance and certainty and confidence.

I say with the Apostle Paul, "I know whom I believed, persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day, until we meet Christ face-to-face." As Christians, we live with that kind of assurance, but not without doubt.

If you live, you will live to doubt. There are hard questions that the world ask, and we ask as well. When a tsunami, an earthquake, a natural disaster of some kind, strikes the earth, we wonder, "God, what is this? Why is this? How can so many seemingly innocent people be hurt?"

People try to explain these things, and it ends up in the ditch trying to explain these mysteries of the creation.

We ask questions, and the world is asking questions, like, "Can it really be true that Christianity, the Christian faith, that Jesus is the only way to heaven? How can you? How can we claim that Jesus and Jesus only is savior? That his name and his name only saves? What about other people who've never heard the name of Jesus? What about people of other religions who may be just as sincere and even more devoted than some who profess the name of Christ? God, what about that? Or Christian, what about this?"

Or questions that have been raised even among some evangelicals today. "How could a loving God or would a loving God send someone to judgment and to hell?"

"How can a person resist the love of God and end up separated from God forever?"

"How can it be possible that people suffer? That there is cancer in little children with unexplained illnesses, young men and women struck down in the primes of their lives, dads and..." Well, you know, because we've all asked these kinds of questions. If we're honest, we ask the hard questions.

And we're willing to not only ask, but to seek in God's word to answer those questions. On a personal level, maybe you've doubted when you prayed, and you prayed, but nothing seemed to happen. And the one you prayed for died, or is still sick, or perhaps a prayer for your marriage, and it still blew apart.

On and on we can go with questions, these kinds of questions that that we cannot ignore. In fact, the Scripture says that we are to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us.

And certainly there is evidence to believe. There is reason to believe, and we can believe confidently, but in order to do that, we must be willing to deal with our doubts. Because our doubts can become the doorway, listen to me, our doubts can become the doorway to a deeper faith. A more mature faith. A more powerful, fortified faith.

So in Proverbs, chapter 1, verses 22 and 23, we meet some individuals who are skeptical. Because I believe first and foremost, in our culture, this world of cynicism and this world of skepticism and unbelief and disbelief, we're dealing with exactly what we find in verses 22 and 23 of Proverbs 1. "How long, oh simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers," and there are many scoffers today and unbelievers today, "mockers, and fools hate knowledge?"

You see, there's a difference between an honest doubter and a dishonest doubter. An honest skeptic and a dishonest skeptic. An honest doubter, skeptic, doesn't know, but wants to know. "Lord, if you're real, show me your truth. God, if your word is literally true, teach me your truth. God, show me the way."

The Bible says if you seek him, you will find it. If you sincerely seek him, you will find him. That's an honest doubter, and God is not afraid of our doubts. God is not intimidated by our hard questions.

So ask your questions of God. If you are a skeptic, if you wonder if this is all true, ask God to show you the way. And as we're going to discover in this message, he will. But then there's the dishonest doubter, someone who who uh, doesn't know and doesn't care to know, doesn't want to know.

So often it's a smoke screen, a bogus excuse for a life without God, live without God. So often the problem with unbelief or doubt is not a mental exercise or a mental problem, but is a moral problem. Jesus spoke of an evil heart of unbelief.

But unbelief and doubts are different in that unbelief refuses to believe and respond, but doubt is questioning. Doubt is wondering. And so the Scripture says, "If you turn at my reproof," verse 23 of Psalm Proverbs 1, "If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour my spirit to you."

With all of our arguments, with all of our rationale, with all of our evidences that we should present to an unbelieving, skeptical world, we need to remember that ultimately, salvation, conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit. That the Holy Spirit is given by God to convict, convince, convert, to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, because they believe not. And the Scripture says, "I will make my words known to you." There it is.

So to the to the skeptic, to the doubter, we simply ask, "Do you want to know? Are you willing to do the hard work that it will require to truly believe?"

One of my favorite characters, personalities in the Bible, is Thomas. Oh, I know him. Doubting Thomas. Well, he had some doubts, but mainly he had some questions. He was a sincere, reflective doubter. He was a part of the inner circle of Jesus, a disciple of Jesus.

And thanks to Thomas and to his questioning the Lord, even at times interrupting the Lord, at times rejecting the words of others so that he would know himself. Thanks to Thomas, we have two of the most powerful affirmations of faith in all of the word of God.

John chapter 14, Jesus is explaining that he is going away to prepare a place in the Father's house. And Jesus said there in the dark night of that upper room, as he is on his way to the cross, preparing his disciples for his death, speaking of his resurrection. And yet there the disciples, they don't seem to get it. Jesus said, "And where I go, you know, and the way you know." Hand shoots up in the air. It's Thomas. Thomas, you again? Yes. Thomas, I've got a question.

"Lord, we don't have a clue where you're going or how to get there." And thanks to that question, we have one of the most firm, foundational truths of our faith. The words of Jesus in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, the life. And no one comes to the Father, except by me."

It's not your cause, it's not your creed, it's not your church, it's Christ. And with that sincere doubt and hard question comes our opportunity to believe in the one who said, "I am the way."

Guest (Female): You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message, Choosing Faith Over Doubt. July 4th, 2026 will be a day of great celebration for the 250th birthday of our great country. However, there has never been a more important time in our 250 years as a nation where we need God to move in power and heal our land. That's why I'm inviting you to join Dr. Graham in a prayer challenge for our nation. To join, simply text `CRY` to 59789. Again, text `CRY` to 59789.

Remember that your support of PowerPoint Ministries helps bring the truth of Jesus Christ to people all over the world. Every day we hear from listeners who are searching for answers, longing for peace, and discovering hope through God's word. Often for the very first time. Your generosity keeps that message going out. And as our thanks for your gift today, we'd love to send you Dr. Jack Graham's book, The Jesus Book. A powerful guide to help you grow deeper in your relationship with Christ. Text `MAY` to 59789 to give your gift and request your copy. Again, text `MAY` to 59789. Thank you for helping proclaim the hope of Jesus. Now, let's get back to today's message, choosing faith over doubt.

Jack Graham: Look at Proverbs 3:19. "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, and by understanding he established the heavens, and by his knowledge the deeps broke open and the clouds dropped down to the dew. My son, do not lose sight of these. Keep sound wisdom and discretion and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck, and then you will walk your way securely and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid, and when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught."

The writer is saying, God the creator who made heavens and earth will take care of you. Don't lose sight of this. It takes more faith to believe the monkey story, the evolutionary tale, than the simple, sublime message of the Bible that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

And if you know, even if you have a small faith, a small faith is better than a superficial faith. If in your small faith you seek to go deeper. Some people have a shallow faith. And so God may send doubts in order to prove himself strong in our behalf. That's what Proverbs 4:18 says. One of my favorite verses, where it says, "The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day."

Contrast that to the way of the wicked is like deep darkness. And they do not know over what they stumble. "My son, be attentive to my words and incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight, keep them within your heart," speaking here of the word of God, the wisdom of God, "for they are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh."

I like to get up early these days. When you get up in the morning, it's dark, and I don't know about you, but I I stumble to my coffee pot and I get the coffee going and and I get my Bible, I get my cup of coffee and try to get my head clear a little bit. And before I turn on the television, before I get the newspaper, I open God's word. And and it's dark, and it's and then as I look out my back window, I begin to see now it turns a little gray. You know what I'm saying? It it it's a gray dawn. And then before you know it, as you look to the horizon, these beautiful colors of orange and purple and yellow start appearing as the sun is on its way. And ultimately, the sun is up and it becomes about noon day, a perfect day, a beautiful day.

That's what the Scripture is teaching us here regarding faith, choosing faith over doubt. When it is dark and you cannot see, just wait. Because when you stumble in the darkness, ultimately, the dawn is coming. Jesus the light of the world will show himself, beautiful and powerful to you.

And ultimately in the perfect day, what do the old timers sing? "We'll understand it better by and by." The perfect day we see clearly. The pathway of the just and the way that we live and the way that we walk is like the breaking of the dawn, shining brighter and brighter and brighter and brighter until the perfect day when we will know even as we are known. In the pure light of eternity, in the perfect day, eternal.

We will see him face-to-face in his glorious light and the pathway of the dawn. But the opposite of it is true to choose unbelief as compared to faith is a way of darkness and stumbling and ultimately separation from God forever.

Proverbs 14:6 says, "A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding." Christianity is not this complicated thing that some have made it. Oh, there are the deep things of God, we understand that. But the Proverbs say, "A wayfaring man, though he is a fool, will find his way." The smallest child, the simplest person on earth can know and love Jesus.

Now, if you are prone to doubts, typically we doubt because of different conditions of our lives. For some, we doubt because of tragedy. It raises all of those questions. For others, we doubt because of pride. Proverbs 21:24, "Scoff is the name of the arrogant, the haughty, the man who acts with arrogant pride." Suffering, of course, produces doubt. Especially among believers. When we hurt so badly, we we begin to question our faith, we question ourselves. We may even say, "God, what on earth are you doing in my life? God, why did you take my child? This is not right, it's wrong. God, why is there this injustice," and so on.

When we suffer and when we are emotionally distraught and disturbed, move into a dark period in our lives, doubt and fears may rise. And when we suffer, while there are questions that we cannot answer, we run to him. Sometimes we hurt so badly that we don't run from him, but we of course need to run to him. Whether it is a discipline from the Lord. Whatever the cause or reason, sometimes we will not know, as I said, this side of eternity, but one day we will know.

Thomas, on another occasion, after the resurrection, he was absent the first time the disciples met Jesus on Sunday. It was daylight savings time and he slept in. So he wasn't there. Some of the disciples said to him later when they caught up with him, inviting him to church next week. They said, "We have seen the Lord." And remember Thomas, he said, "I'm not going to believe that until I see him and put my hands in his side, the spear wound in his side, the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet."

Those disciples were convinced enough that they said, "Well, come on, brother." And he did. And so he came with his questions and immediately when he saw Jesus, Jesus said, "Come on, Thomas. You asked for it, here it is." And Thomas gave us, as a result, one of the greatest affirmations of the Christian faith ever given. He fell on his face and said, "My Lord and my God." John chapter 20. Jesus received that worship. If anyone doubts that Jesus claimed to be God or accepted deity as his title, read John 20. And when Thomas said, "My Lord and my God," he was confessing faith in Christ and Jesus received that because that is who he is. But it was doubt that became the doorway to his faith.

I say, don't exchange what you don't know for what you know. There are many things that we know. Job in the midst of his darkness said, "I know that my redeemer lives and at the end will stand upon the earth." The Psalmist said, "Know that the Lord is God." The Psalmist said, "But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself."

Deuteronomy 7, Moses said, "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God." And who is he? "The faithful God, who keeps his covenant and steadfast love." He promises to do it. He never lies. You can shelter your soul in the promises of God, in the security of who he is. That's what we know.

John 6. "And we have believed and have come to know that you are the holy one of God." "We know, first John, that when he appears we will be like him. He's coming again." We believe that. "You know that he has appeared to take away sins. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich." "And you will know," John 8:32, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." And that man who came in faith to Christ, who was a blind man when questioned and prodded by those who were hysterically opposed to Jesus, he said, "I don't know, but one thing I know, I was blind, but now I see."

I know whom I believed. For some of us are dealing with doubts. You know a good way to get rid of doubt is to fortify your faith. And the way to fortify your faith, strengthen your faith, is to exercise your faith. If you want a muscular faith, then exercise your faith. Start believing God for something, even if it's something small. Praying and asking God to do something great in your life and trusting him to do the right thing.

What about your money? Trust God with your money, with your finances. Start by bringing the 10%. Some of us don't trust God a dime out of a dollar. When he said, "Prove me in this, bring the tithe and see if I will not bless you." Exercise the faith that you have. Oh, if I just had a, you know, if I could just win that lottery and have a lot, if I could just make a lot of money, I'd give so much to the church. You know what you'd do? You'd do the same thing with the 10 bucks you got in your pocket. He that is faithful in that which is least will be faithful in that which is much.

Exercise the faith that you have, with what you have. Find a place of service. Don't sit on the bench, don't be a couch potato, spiritually. Sit still, you know, enjoy the message, go home, exercise the message, exercise your faith. Walk across the street, talk to your neighbor about Christ. Walk across the room, invite somebody to church. Exercise your faith. If you're a student, if you're a young person, grow your faith, live your faith. You're just getting started. Don't depend on your parents' faith. Have a personal faith because when it's all said and done, faith is not about a dogma or a system of belief, or a mental assent. It is about a personal faith, a faith in a person. And his name is Jesus.

Guest (Female): You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message, Choosing Faith Over Doubt. We want to thank you for being a part of the mission of PowerPoint Ministries. Every day, through the support of friends like you, the message of Jesus Christ is reaching people across television, radio, and digital platforms around the world. So many people today are searching for answers, longing for peace, and looking for something to still hold on to. And your support helps point them in the one who offers all that and so much more, Jesus. As our thanks for your gift this month, we'd love to send you Dr. Jack Graham's book, The Jesus Book. A powerful guide to help you move beyond simply knowing about Jesus, to truly knowing him through his word. Text `MAY` to 59789 to get your gift and get your copy. Again, text `MAY` to 59789. July 4th, 2026 will be a day of great celebration for the 250th birthday of our great country. However, there has never been a more important time in our 250 years as a nation where we need God to move in power and heal our land. That's why I'm inviting you to join Dr. Graham in a prayer challenge for our nation. To join, simply text `CRY` to 59789.

Jack Graham: Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? I'm absolutely loving this series from Proverbs on choices. And today we considered choosing faith over doubt. And it's possible that a Christian can doubt. But in the midst of our doubt, we can find our faith. When we have doubts, when we wonder why, and we ask ourselves, "What happened?" This is not a time to turn from God. This is a time to run to him, to trust in him. Sure we're going to have some doubts and fears in life. Certainly there are going to be questions that we cannot answer. But we know a God who is the answer for every question of life. We know that we can trust him with everything, and I do mean everything. So no matter what you're facing today, turn from your doubts and your fears and believe God. The Bible is a faith book. So get the word of God into your life because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Did you know that it is impossible to please God without faith? So even in the midst of the shadows of doubt, believe God. Trust him when you don't know what, when you don't know why, when you don't know when. But trust him anyway. Believe God in spite of what's happening to you. Trust him through the dark nights of your soul and you will discover his presence, his light in the darkness that will fill your days with joy.

Did you know PowerPoint is on television in over 113 countries? PowerPoint is in countries like the United Kingdom and Iran, Russia and Australia. So you can watch the same message as your brothers and sisters all over the world. I would love to help you glorify the Lord with your day every day by broadcasting God's word right into your home. To join in, you can visit JackGraham.org and find your local channel or watch our broadcast right there on the website.

Guest (Female): And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember, when you give a gift to PowerPoint, we'll send you Dr. Graham's book, The Jesus Book. Just text `MAY` to 59789. And join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about three virtues that can move you from apathy to action. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.