Tag Archives: doubt

When?

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I have nothing to write this morning.  I came here to speak a word of encouragement or two.  But nothing, among my thoughts stands out.  No thought glows with that beautiful holy glow.  Yet, there is one idea that will not dispel as I try to write.  It is the thought of “foundation”.

It was with me in prayer this morning.  It was the “verse of the day” on Bible Gateways app.  It is the sum of understanding when it comes to salvation.  And the permanence of it is astounding as I look back at what I was.

Bible Gateways “verse of the day” is, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.

I see so many lack faith in that.  I see so many disbelieve.  I see them worry without ceasing.  I see them move about, frantically trying to restrain the destruction that is obviously their lives.  I try to calm them down.  But to no apparent effect.

The next time I see them, they are again consumed with frantic worry.  I am astounded at this plight of man.  Why will “we” not believe?  Why do we prefer to worry, struggle fruitlessly, hate and be hated in return, all the while we say, “God will save me”.    Why?

Does God lie?  Is God able to cause the entire fabric of heaven and earth to remain, being sustained by his sheer Holy will, yet he can’t help a single person with the things that bite at them like hungry mosquitos?  Are you kidding me?  Is this what Christ means to us?

If Jesus is not sufficient to all our needs now, can someone tell me when He will “become” sufficient?  If we refuse to rest in belief now, can someone tell me when that will happen?  Just when will God be “enough” for us?  Name the time, mark the calendar, set the hour, post it everywhere.  When the moment comes, will you believe then?  If you do not believe now, you are not likely to believe then.

How shameful is the way of man to consider the offer of God’s help as if it were some future truth, or (at worst) a lie!

Backed Against the Wall

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It is said that if you back a coward into a corner with threats of death, he may well leap out against you with an excellent strength.   I believe there is a place where this has truth.   But I believe there is also a place with this might be true with a “man” of peace.  You can back him against his beliefs only so far.  Until you can back up no farther.

There is a place where the average man will not succumb to any pressure anymore.  Do you know the place in yourself  that I’m talking about?  Have you been pushed back to what you refuse to doubt?

We stand in this world and testify of Christ.  And if we are bold we will step away from the foundations of our belief into the realm of pure faith.  While we are extended like that, there is a possibility that we could be pushed back to the things we refuse to doubt.  And I’ll admit, sometimes we have extended ourselves way too far.  Being pushed back is simply a natural restraint.

But what is the extent of a Christian’s firm beliefs?  How far will they extend from himself that he may walk to the edge and push farther in pure faith?  How much of God’s promise are we willing to believe without doubt and without wavering?

How far could we be reaching out now?  What is not being done that could be?  What are we denying The Lord?

Our reaching out is stymied by doubt.  Is it possible to consider that a favorable response to his glorious grace?

Lots of questions.  Every man holds a different answer.

Owners of Decay, Owners of Eternity.

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The prosperity of riches, among Man, is defined by those things a man might acquire. And so they bear their proper name.   Easily lost or destroyed by rust and various decay, such things have no right to bear the name “prosperity”.  For no sooner are they acquired (or even desired), they begin their demise.

Penniless paupers are those who desire only the things of this world.  But rich are those, and beyond voicing, who place their desire in the things of eternity.  This “hope” in Christ we own, is riches unspeakable.

Let the unbeliever ridicule the Christian.  Let them hope in every possible “value” in this world.  They stand as proud owners of decay.  But let understand sink in.  The Hope we own in Christ is given to us by He who is endlessly true.  Such a One cannot give any decay to anyone.  What He gives is a faith that cannot possibly die, except that a man might rise one day to choose doubt over belief.

Yet he who owns Prosperity of Eternity owns what is absolute.  This one is rich!  He is rich beyond his ability to know, yet he believes.

Doubt belongs to the owners of decay.  Belief is received by He who extends eternal riches.  Believe and prosper.  Doubt and remain a pauper.

God’s Presence

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One day, when I was in college, I was called in to a certain teacher’s office.  Another teacher came to sit with us two.  A question was asked.  I don’t remember the exact phrasing, but it sort of went like this: “What makes you think that God appears to men today?”

I was relatively young in Christ.  And I don’t remember my response.  But in retrospect, I am still amazed that these two should ask such a thing.

It was a Bible College!  It was a popular Christian College on the west coast.  Yet there were two teachers there who did not believe in the living presence of the Living God.

I was stunned by the question, I do remember that.  I was angered that such people, in such a position of ability, should even dare to challenge one of their students with such a foolish and unbelieving question.

I could not give powerful answer on that day, I do remember feeling rather weak before their “mighty” minds.  And I do remember how I relegated their teachings to “small” after that day.  I had doubted their power in Christ before that.  That doubt only grew from then on.

But doesn’t the question remain?  And isn’t it asked by far more than two unbelieving teachers in a Bible College?  There are millions of “Christians” who have wrestled with this very question in their heart for years.

The answer does not appear in physical proof.  It comes to us by faith.  Yet, I can testify that the power of the Living God does rest upon those who believe.

We hear the Word.  We believe the word.  And as we apply that belief to our life, the Living God moves in.  The more we turn to that belief, as our singular power to live each moment, the stronger is the presence of God.

The answer to their question is something like this:  “If God is not willing to reside within His people, then everything you stand for is a blazing lie.  Everything you’ve taught is worthless trash.  Therefore, your position, title, and all the money you make here, is stolen.”

I wish I had said that.  I wish I had sealed my lips after speaking it, got up from my chair, and left them to ponder.

The Perfection of Holy Forgiveness

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It’s amazing how some things dawn on us ever so slowly.  We think we understand but we do not know as we should. Many people would call humans rather intelligent.  I am forced to think otherwise.

The comparison men use to grade themselves on intelligence, is born in the sea of men (the sum of which could be compared to a jellyfish).  But compare our intelligence to the Most High God and His holy son Jesus, and we fall so far short we are not even worthy of mention in his righteous court.

We all make mistakes on a daily basis.  Many of those mistakes can be referred to as sin; for we knew better but chose that way anyhow.  Can God forgive our sins?  The answer is “absolutely”.

It just dawned on me today how that can be so.  Duh.

The Lord has allowed me to be with and love an absolutely wonderful woman.  She knows my faults but chooses to overlook them.  She is full of discretion and does not speak of them to others.  She makes no excuse for me, but she buffers me against what could be an enemy.

If she is such a wonderous human being and yet falls so far short on the intelligence level, (As do we all.)   How much greater and more discreet is the sweet love of the Son of God?

Certainly something to ponder when doubt overshadows our forehead.

By His Grace

Highest possible

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The hope we have in Christ Jesus is the highest of all possible hopes.  It is eternal life in a perfect Kingdom.  What more could possibly be asked?

The world condemns the Lord’s people because they dare to dream of something the world cannot attain; God with us.  Yet to anyone who is willing to believe, this hope is standing ready to give.

We believe and are saved.  We believe and he teaches us.  We believe and become.  And all who believe say Amen.

Let those who doubt consider their plight.  Let the foolish become wise.  The door is standing wide open.  Let all who will humble themselves come to the Lord and receive this magnificent hope.

But let all who will continue in doubt continue then in doubt.  The Lord’s Way is written in the blood of His Holy Son.  God is righteous and true.  His judgments are without fault.  And his kingdom moves forward without the slightest impact of the lies of men.  And the harvest of God will eternally separate!