Weekly Bulletin
Believe
Faith Stretched
February 15, 2026
Pastor Terry Fulks
1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
John 11:1–16 ESV
Here are three aspects of believing God while in the midst of unsettling circumstances.
1. Some circumstances are built for God’s glory. v.4
2. Some circumstances are there to build our faith. vs.9-15
3. Some circumstances are there to test us. v.16
“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
– Abraham Lincoln
“I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.”
– Mother Teresa
“Likewise today, some Christians are content to merely exist until they die. They don’t want to risk anything, to believe God, to grow or mature. They refuse to believe his Word, and have become hardened in their unbelief. Now they’re living just to die.”
– David Wilkerson
“Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.”
– St. Ignatius Loyola
Points to ponder:
- You need to expect that God will stretch your faith.
- There really is a faith muscle and the more it is exercised the stronger it becomes.
- Circumstances can be overcome by faith or you can get through them by believing God in the middle of the storm.
- Remember it is not so much your faith that helps you as it is the one of whom you are placing your faith in.
- Would you like to place your faith in Christ?
Connection Prayer: Lord, please help me surrender to you and place my faith in you. Give me a hunger and thirst for you. I want to thank you for your light, life, love, and your truth. I now, with what faith I have, confess that you Jesus died on the cross for my sins, were buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. I take you as my Savior, Lord, and Leader. Please forgive me of my sins and thank you for your forgiveness. Help me to follow you all the days of my life. Amen.
Next steps for the new believer:
- If you prayed the connection prayer with me:
- Pick up a new believer pack as you leave.
- Read John 3, three times before you go to bed tonight.
- Read the gospel of John all the way through by reading about ten verses a day.
Next steps for the believer:
- This week review the sermon notes at least twice.
- Read John 11 at least twice this week.
- Pick a verse out of John 11 and memorize it.
- Think through if you truly believe Jesus is the resurrection and life.
- Where are you being stretched in your faith right now?
- Write out a prayer for this time in your life whether you are being stretched or not.