And turn to Mark chapter six. Happy birthday, miss Judy. We We are so glad to have you. She does a phenomenal job on that organ. We are very blessed.

We had to hunt down the music to happy birthday because rest of us can't do it without music. This morning, the arch enemy of unbelief. If the just shall walk by faith then without faith, we are all we are all what? Unjust. Unjustified, unrighteous in the sight of God.

Absence of faith in Jesus Christ, in his work on Calvary, in God, is a fatal problem. And a problem which is rampant in the world in which we live today. Even a lack of faith among God's children is also a problem that we deal with more and more, I believe, in the church today. Both of them are destructive. Destructive even to the Christian in their walk, in their service, and in the growth of their relationship with the Lord.

Mark chapter six verse one. And he went out from thence and came into his own country and his disciples follow him And when the Sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue and many hearing him were astonished saying, from whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this? Which is given unto him that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands. Is not this the carpenter?

The son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph, and of Judah, and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honor but in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, say that he laid his hands on a few sick folk and healed them and he marveled because of their unbelief and he went round about the villages teaching. Matthew puts it this way in his record but Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honor, saving his own country and in his own house and he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord. For the faith that you have given to us through your word and by your spirit. Thank you Lord for your son who died on the cross for us. We thank you for the grace that if you have showed unto us, we put our faith and trust in you and we pray Lord if there's one here today that has not made that decision that they would do that today before it is eternally too late.

I do also pray Lord as we look into your word today who know you that our faith would be strengthened and that Lord, if we have allowed doubts into our heart and mind to cause us to stumble in our service to you Lord that we would repent of those that we would look to you for the reassurance and the faith that we need to walk daily with you closer to you bringing glory to your name. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. The obstacle that stands between man and God is man's unbelief. Now, you could put there sin.

Yes, you could. Sin is what separates God from man all the way back going to the what? The Garden Of Eden. But there is one unpardonable sin and I believe that unpardonable sin is unbelief. It is a rejection of the testimony and work of the Holy Spirit and the word of God to bring into the heart of a man and woman the faith that they might be saved and the rejection of that testimony and unbelief is what condemns people to an eternity in hell.

If you reject Jesus Christ, there remains no sacrifice for sin for he is the only sacrifice where be whereby we might be saved through what? Through faith in him. So, the obstacle this morning that I'm preaching on is that obstacle of unbelief that keeps men from God. The obstacle which stands between men and forgiveness and eternal life is the same. Man's unbelief because sin can be forgiven in Jesus Christ.

Our plight in sin and the penalty thereof in hell can be reversed through what? Faith in Christ but unbelief, unbelief keeps people from that. The obstacle which often stands between man and God's blessings and his reward in their life is unbelief. And lack of faith. Hebrews eleven six.

I read it earlier. I have it up here but without faith, it is what? Is what? Impossible. But without faith, it is impossible to please him.

For the he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Enoch believed God. He put his faith in God and God took him straight to heaven. Why? Well, because he never sinned.

I don't believe so. But because his sins were what? Forgiven through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. No belief, no faith, no hope of pleasing God or receiving of his grace and of his mercy and of his blessing. Few examples this morning from scripture.

Why did Eve eat of the tree God commanded her not to eat of? Why did she eat of that tree? The answer is she did not trust in the words of who? In the words of God. She knew God's word.

She told the serpent when he tempted her that God said that she could not eat nor touch that tree or else she would what? Die. She knew what God had said but in the end, she chose not to do what? She chose not to believe him. Instead, she allowed herself to be deceived and believed the words of the deceiver, Satan.

And she took of that fruit. And she became a sinner. Why do people sin today and think that they will escape the judgment of God? Why do they think to themselves, well, yes, they suffered the consequences but I won't. What makes them think that they can ignore the God who made them and they can ignore his laws and they can ignore his love and they can ignore his mercy and they can go about their lives their way without regard for the one who made them and think that he is not going to do anything about it.

What is the problem? Unbelief. In many many cases, not only do they have the testimony of God in their heart but they have heard the word of God and the warnings of God and yet they disregard them because they have chosen not to what? To believe it. They have chosen not to believe it.

And thus, they continue in their sin without regard for the Lord. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatsoever man soweth that shall he also what? Reap.

When you sow unto sin, you will reap the consequences. Thereof, be assured your sin will find you out. It found Eve out. She did not believe the word of God. She should have trusted in what he said and she didn't and Adam followed her and here we all are dealing with sin today.

Number two, why did people of Noah's day die in the flood? Well, let me ask it this way. Why was Noah saved from the judgment of the flood? Was it because Noah never sinned? The answer is no.

It was because of his what? Because of his faith, his belief in who? In God and in his word. Hebrews eleven seven, by faith, Noah, being warned of God, things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. So, if Abraham was saved by faith from the judgment of the flood, Then, those who were not saved, perished because of their what?

Because of their unbelief. Indicates in scripture simply is common sense that Noah most definitely told others over the course of one hundred years. Why he was building that ark And the warning, the judgment of God that was coming and yet no one except his family. Walked into that ark when it was time. No one but his family.

They all perished because of their unbelief. Why do people today reject the love of God and the way of escape from judgement? Unbelief. Matthew twenty four thirty seven and thirty eight. That as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the son of man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark. It isn't that there's something wrong with eating and drinking and having marriages. That's not the point. The point is they disregarded God's what? Warning.

They were living their life as though the warning, the judgment of God was not coming. They disregarded it because they didn't believe the message that Noah gave them. The message from God and so, they didn't enter the ark and so they all what? Perished because of their unbelief. Number three, example this morning, because of the unbelief, because of unbelief, Israel refused to go into the land and a generation was lost.

Turn with me if you would over to Hebrews. Hebrews chapter three. Now, most of you know the story. The Israelites were became slaves in Egypt. They were bound in slavery for four hundred years there in Egypt and God delivered them by a strong-arm, mighty arm, many miracles, plagues that he brought upon Egypt, 10 of them and after the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn and the institution of the Passover.

They left Egypt. God divided the waters of the Red Sea so they could go across on dry ground. God fed them in the wilderness. God provided them water from the rock and other sources. God took care of his children.

He brought them from Mount Sinai where he gave them his covenant and the 10 commandments to the southern part of the land of Canaan that he had promised to them and it was time for them to go in and Moses said, well, let's send in 12 spies to spy out the land. I don't believe intentions were to determine whether to go in or not. His intentions I believe were to see how to go in. What they were going to face when they got in there and how by God's help, they were going to spy deal with it but I don't believe it ever occurred to Moses that they were going to turn around and go back. That was not his intention and yet 10 of the spies came back and said, we can't do it.

We can't defeat these people. They have armies with chariots. They have walled cities that there's no way we can get through those walls. We will be smooshed. We will be defeated like grasshoppers we are in their sight.

This is suicide. And the people sided with the what? That generation sided with the the 10. There were two, Joshua and Caleb that said, no. God has said he'll give us this land and God always keeps his what?

Promises and they believed. But well over a million people possibly 2,000,000 people, Israel. The vast majority of them sided with the 10. And every adult lost their life as they wandered in the wilderness for how long? Forty years.

One year for every day, the spies were in the land until that generation who left Egypt, who saw the works of God, and got to the promised land, refused to go in out of what? Out of unbelief. Look if you would in Hebrews three twelve. Take heed brethren, lest there be any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast into the end.

While it is said today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart as in the provocation. What's the provocation? Well, the provocations that story I just told you about when they were provoked against the Lord and refused to go in the land. For some, verse 16, when they had heard, did provoke, how be it not all that came out of Egypt by Moses, but with whom he was grieved forty years. Was it not with them that had sinned whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

What was their sin? What great sin had they committed? Had they turned to idols? Were they living immorally? No, their sin was the what?

The sin of unbelief. Kept them out of the land. And they lost their lives. Verse 18, and whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believe not. So, we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Unbelief. You know there are many that say particularly when they're younger, I believe but later, don't. Now, I believe with all my heart that those who are truly God's children, he will never leave nor forsake and that we will never what? Never perish. But for those who claim to know him, but turn from the faith.

There is a warning here. You better make sure, you better make sure that you are in the faith. You better make sure that you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. That it wasn't just in your an emotional response. It wasn't just doing something that somebody else wanted you to do.

But that you trusted Christ and put your faith in him and that it was real and that it was lasting. For there will be many, sad to say, who will wake up like the rich man in hell and wonder, how did I get here? And the answer will be, unbelief. Maybe they put their faith in the wrong thing. Sad to say there are many that do that today.

If you take communion, we'll take communion, the Lord's supper. The fifth Sunday of the month. If you do that, do not put your faith in the grape juice and the bread to save your soul. Because it will not. Only Christ will do that.

Put not your faith in the waters of baptism to save your soul. I don't know how many people I have asked particularly baptists. Do you know you're going to heaven? And the answer, I got baptized when I was 13. Now, if that meant you trusted Christ and you got baptized, that's fine.

But it always throws up a red flag in my mind. When somebody and answer that question tells me, when they got baptized because the waters of baptism cannot save your soul. The works or sacraments of the Catholic church cannot save your soul. Your good works of giving to the poor or putting money in the offering plate cannot save your soul. And sad to say there were many that will wake up that day and say, how did I get here?

Because of misplaced faith or a lack thereof. Why do people, even God's children sometimes refuse to obey his word and to do his will? A lack of what? A lack of faith. As we pointed out, even Abraham at times demonstrated a lack of what?

A lack of faith but we see in his life also. Praise God a growth in that faith that should be evidence in our lives also. But a lack of faith in God and his power and his love, in his direction, his word will sometimes cause us to make the wrong decisions that will get us into trouble. If we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and are kept in Christ Jesus by his grace, we are his children. But God does not promise that we will not suffer here for dumb decisions we make because we choose not to trust in who?

In God and in his word. Thus, Proverbs three, five, and six, trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not unto thine own understanding. All thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path. You'll never go wrong.

Trusting in the Lord. However, the Bible says, there's a way that seems right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death. Trust God, not yourself. Because our heart can lead us astray. And often, it does.

Trust in the Lord. Those that generation came out of Egypt looking to enter the promised land and they ended up losing that opportunity and dying in the wilderness because of their unbelief. Number four example, because of the unbelief of their descendants, Israel was cast back out of the land. For the sake of time, I don't have time this morning to go back and read all the passages we've looked at in our Thursday Bible study about where God told Israel, if you will trust me, if you will be loyal to me, if you will keep my commandments and not turn to idols, then I will bless you in the land and you will remain there how long? Forever.

But they didn't. Because of a lack of faith in God's word, because of a lack of faith that he would keep them, they turned to the idols of those in the land in which they dwelled, that they were supposed to cast out. And hundreds of years later, God God cast them out. What was the problem? Well, the problem was a problem of faith.

They turned and put their faith in other things They divided their allegiance and it doomed them. I don't know your situation but so many people today are lost and suffering because they will not give in and cast themselves into the arms of who? Of Jesus. By faith. They hear the word.

They hear the message but there are things that they are tied to here. That they are not willing to let go of. To put their faith in Jesus. Pleasure, pride, wealth, ritual, self righteous works, whatever it may be. You must let go.

And you must trust Jesus. Others, Christians allow things to come into our lives which do not belong. Pleasures, addictions, worldly mindsets, personal ambitions, and God has to take second place and as a result, everything is going wrong. And who gets blamed? God does often times but is it God's fault?

No. It isn't God's fault that we need his chastening hand. It's ours. When we don't want. When we don't trust him.

So, many of the problems we suffer from, not all, but many that we suffer from, even Christians are of our own making. Because we do not trust in the almighty hand of God in his wisdom and goodness towards us and we go off on our own path to find our own solution. Is that not what happened with Abraham and Sarah? When they said, well, you know, God hasn't given us a son through Sarah. So, Sarah said, well, here, don't you take Hagar?

That sounds like a solution. I mean, it's God's desire, God's will for you have a child. So, why not this way? I mean, I'm too old. I'm not having any children.

And look what look what sorrow and suffering it brought into their home and more so into this world that we are still dealing with today between the Jews and the Arabs. It's always best to trust in who? To trust in the Lord. Number five, because of unbelief, Jesus ceased to demonstrate his power in Nazareth. We read about that.

He came to his hometown where he was born. He did some miracles. He preached in the synagogue. He identified himself from Isaiah as the Messiah that God promised to send, and they took him and they drug him to a cliff and they threatened to what? Throw him over the cliff and maybe they would have but Jesus being Jesus and it not being his time to die, he turned around and he walked away and they stood there.

But as he said here in this verse we read earlier, they chose not to believe and he chose not to do his mighty works and he chose to move on from the city of Nazareth because of their what? Because of their unbelief. Be forewarned, reject Jesus light and the testimony and conviction of the Holy Spirit and he will likely what? Move on and then where will you be? It's not up for me to see in the hearts of individuals or speak for God and say, when that may be the case, but it appears that it sometimes is.

And if it is not for the working of the Holy Spirit, conviction that God brings, then the day may come when God moves on. And then, where will you be? Because of unbelief, Israel rejected their own Messiah. He came unto his own and his own what? Received him not.

They rejected Jesus before his death. They rejected Jesus after his resurrection. They rejected Jesus after the coming of the Holy Spirit. And God said, that's enough. I'm moving Matthew twenty one forty three, therefore, I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Acts thirteen forty six, then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing he put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life. Low we turn to the Gentiles. When Paul and Barnabas went into towns, the first place they usually went was to a what? A synagogue. But often times, the Jews in the synagogue would reject the glorious message that the Messiah that they had been waiting for had come and died for them.

And Paul and Barnabas or Paul and Silas would turn from the synagogue and then take the word to the what? To the Gentiles, to the people of the city. Matthew twenty three forty seven or 37. Jesus said, oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kills the prophets, stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathered her chickens under her wings and you would not. It is human nature to doubt.

It is human nature not to trust. It is human nature to trust in ourselves and not in the God who made us but it is deadly and it is destructive and is detrimental even in the heart of the child of God. It must be repented of. It must be seen as the enemy that it is. Number seven, because of unbelief, people are condemned to hell.

John three eighteen, he that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is what? Condemned already. John three thirty six, he that believeth on the son of on the son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the son of God shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him. What's the problem?

The problem is man's unbelief. Revelation twenty one eight, but the fearful and what's the next word? Unbelieving. And abominable. And murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death.

You say, well, hey, I'm not a murderer. I'm okay. You know, I'm not an idolater. I'm not a sorcerer. Yes.

But if you are not a believer, if you've not put your faith and trust in Christ alone to save you from sin and hell, then you are yet in your sin. Your name is not written in what? The lamb's book of life and you will be cast into one day the lake of fire. Do not let that be your end because of your lack of faith, because of your rejection of God and his word. The only way of escape is by faith.

The only way to have your name written in the book of life. By faith. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoso believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. And then one more verse here, actually, two more. We'll go back to Hebrews 11 but second Timothy four seven eight, I want you to see this.

Paul says, I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the what? I have kept the faith. There henceforth, there's laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them that love is appearing.

Paul was about to die. He was about to face execution. So, he wrote Timothy and he said, I am not afraid. Why was he not afraid? Because of his faith, because his faith assured him that there was a place in heaven waiting him and rewards awaiting him in Jesus Christ, his savior.

His faith gave him strength. His faith gave him peace. And he was not afraid. Today, are you not afraid of eternity? Because your faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And what he did for you. Or are you here today? And there is fear. When you put your head on your pillow at night. Fear not knowing what eternity may hold.

Fear that you will face it alone. Because your faith is absent or because doubts hold sway in your mind. Do not let that be the case tonight when you put your head on your pillow. Put your faith in Jesus Christ. Make sure you are in the faith.

And God will give you that assurance. Christian, if you have doubts, talk to God about them. Ask God to relieve you of them. Draw nigh unto him and he will what? Draw nigh unto you.

And if you have made bad decisions out of doubts, repent of it. Confess it. Let God cleanse you. Strengthen you. Strengthen your faith.

So that tomorrow you will make decisions in faith. And not in doubt. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for Jesus Christ, our savior and we pray Lord particularly if there's one here today that's never trusted you as the Lord and savior of their life. Lord, if there is any doubt, if they're unsure, if they're afraid because they're not sure of what eternity holds or even what tomorrow holds.

Lord, I pray that they would come as we give this hymn of invitation today and I pray Lord for your children. Lord, if there's doubts, if there's a lack of faith in our life that have led us not to trust you, that we would see that as what it is, sin, and repent of it. And ask you to help us, to strengthen our faith That we might be to the praise and glory. In every aspect of our life, to the one who gave his life for us. In Jesus name, we do pray.

Amen.