Jan 16, 2023
Does doubt make us stronger? Is it ‘Christian’ to have doubts? There is very little I don’t doubt. Throughout my life and its many twists and turns, I have often been filled with doubts. The good news is that doubt isn’t going to rob you of the goodness of God. He won’t withhold himself from you just because your faith is mixed in with questions and uncertainties. Jesus still healed the child of the father who cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (see Mark 9:17-27).
God is a holy God, and we should always approach him with reverence; but doubt is not irreverence, and God understands our questions. He doesn’t diminish his relationship with us or his miracle-working power in us if our faith is sometimes mixed with doubt.
Believe it or not, doubt can promote a greater revelation of God within us. We can see more of God’s glory when we are willing to wrestle with our conflicts and get to the other side of our questions with a more solid faith and deeper knowledge of him.
There are three steps to working through doubt. First, approach your doubt with an honest heart. If we say, “I want truth and life,” we will find truth and life. If we’re trying to simply prove a point or avoid obedience to God, we aren’t being honest.
Next, take time to meditate and study the scriptures. We live such busy lives that many of us are holding on to doubts that we have simply ignored for years. We don’t take the time to quietly contemplate and enter those doubts. I use a notepad and write down things that I’m wrestling with. I reach for my Bible and seek out the harmony of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
Finally, find a good Christian friend to talk to. If you’re in a church environment where you can’t express your doubts, you need to find a person of faith who will listen with an open heart. Even pastors face doubts, and they especially need a trustworthy friend or counselor.
Jan 13, 2023
Scripture says of Israel, “Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel” (Psalm 78:41 NKJV).Israel turned away from God in unbelief. Likewise, I believe we limit God today with our doubts and unbelief.
We trust God in most areas of our lives, but our faith always has boundaries and limits. We all have at least one small area that we block off where we don’t really believe God will take care of us.
For example, many people will pray for the healing of a well-known person who is a perfect stranger to them. But often, when it comes to healing for their own loved one, they limit God. I limit God most in the area of healing. I have prayed for physical healing for many, and I have seen God perform many miracles. When it comes to my own body, though, I limit God. I am afraid to let him be God to me. I douse myself with medicine or run to a doctor before I ever pray for myself. I’m not saying it’s wrong to go to the doctor, but sometimes I fit the description of those who “did not seek the Lord, but the physicians” (see 2 Chronicles 16:12).
Do you pray for God to bring down walls of oppression in other countries, but when it comes to the salvation of your own family you don’t have an ounce of faith? You think, “God must not want to do this. He doesn’t seem to be hearing me.”
If this is true, you are not seeing him as God. You are ignorant of his ways. God desires to “do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
Israel asked constantly, “Can God…? Sure, he made a way for us through the Red Sea, but can he give bread?” God spread a table for them in the wilderness. “But can he give us water?” He gave them water from a rock. “But can he give meat?” He gave them meat from the sky. “But can he deliver us from our enemies?” Time after time, God provided in every area, yet they spent forty years saying, “Can God…? Can God…?”
Beloved, we ought to be saying, “God can! God can!” God can and will do all that we ask and believe him to do.
Jan 10, 2023
For anyone to enjoy settled peace, he must cease from self and harken to God’s Word and rest without a single question on its pure, precious and everlasting record. God’s Word never changes. I change; my frame, my feelings, my experience, my circumstances change continually, but God’s Word is the same yesterday and today and forever.
It is a grand and essential point for the soul to apprehend that Christ is the only definition of the believer’s place before God. This gives immense power, liberty and blessing. “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17 NKJV). This is something perfectly wonderful!
Let us ponder it; let us think of a poor wretched, guilty slave of sin, a bondslave of Satan, a votary of the world, exposed to an eternal hell. Such an one is taken up by sovereign grace and delivered completely from the grasp of Satan. He is freed from the dominion of sin, the power of this present evil. He is pardoned, washed, justified, brought nigh to God, accepted in Christ and perfectly and forever identified with him so that the Holy Ghost can say, “As Christ is, so is he in this world!”
All this seems too good to be true. Most assuredly, it is too good for us to get, but blessed be the God of all grace and blessed be the Christ of God, it is not too good for him to give. God gives like himself. He will be God in spite of our unworthiness and Satan’s opposition. He will act in a way worthy of himself and worthy of the Son of his love.
Jan 7, 2023
It’s one thing to invest in people who have never hurt us. It is another thing to be moved with compassion toward people who have wronged us.
Consider this biblical story. “Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, ‘Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, “We will enter the city,” the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians…’” The lepers came into the Syrian camp and found that God had put all the soldiers to flight. They started to enjoy food and drink that had been left. “Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.’” (2 Kings 7:3-9, ESV).
In the case of the four lepers, think about how tempting it would have been for them to neglect, and thus get vengeance on, a city that had subjected them to incredible pain and rejection. Perhaps today you find a similar sentiment deep within your heart. You thought a measure of kindness would be extended to you, but you instead found yourself being pushed to the side as everyone else passes you by.
As a Christian in this last hour, you are going to discover incredible provision from heaven. You must be careful, however, lest the thought enter your heart, This is for me and me alone. I am going to eat my morsel by myself, here in my little corner of security. When this all blows over, I am going to emerge as the one whom God provided for. Who cares about my neighbors? What have they ever done for me?
Thankfully that was not the reaction of the four lepers. These men were moved with compassion, and consequently they exemplified the heart of Christ. As we see in their situation, this will often require that we walk in forgiveness. We must be willing to go back into a city that has caused us pain, willing to go back to neighbors or coworkers who were unkind to us.
Jan 6, 2023
Paul describes the love of God as wide, long, high and deep. “That you…may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19, NKJV).
I want to focus today on the depth of God’s love.
Over the years I’ve heard from backslidden Christians who want to return to their first love. One wrote, “I lived for years in awful sin. I am back, but I fear God can’t forgive my unspeakable sins. I have no peace.” Another said, “I want to get back to Jesus, but I’m afraid. I am one of the worst sinners.”
Many people are tired of their lives of sin and heartache, but they believe God has a limit to his love and mercy, a point at which he says, “You have rejected all my pleas and warnings, and now you’ve crossed the line.” Many are embarrassed or convinced that they have sinned away their day of grace.
The prophet Jonah ran from God’s commission, and his disobedience would put the blood of many on his hands. God never left him, though, even as he floated in the belly of the whale, mired in sin and rebellion (See Jonah 2). Jonah believed God had forsaken him for his sin. “For you cast me into the deep…out of your sight…my soul fainted within me” (see Jonah 2:3-7). But when Jonah reached the bottom, he was forgiven and delivered. He received a fresh touch and a special calling.
The Holy Spirit is at work on our behalf even when we are disobedient. No one is too far gone; no one is cast off. The Spirit says, “Repent. I am right here with you and will bring you back.”
Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing! “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
The blood of Jesus offers freedom, pardon, mercy and reconciliation with the Father. No matter how deep you have fallen, God’s love and forgiveness go deeper.
Oh, the depth of his love!
Jan 5, 2023
When the children of Israel went through times of testing, were they really supposed to express gratitude and thanksgiving in the middle of them? When they were surrounded and in a hopeless situation, did God really expect them to have that kind of reaction?
Yes, absolutely! That was the secret to getting out of their difficulty. You see, God wants something from all of us in our times of trouble. He wants us to offer him a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
I believe James discovered this secret when he admonished, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2 NKJV). He was saying, “Don’t give up. Make an altar in your heart and offer up joyous thanksgiving even as you are going through the storm.”
Of course, the children of Israel did offer the Lord praise and thanksgiving, but they did it on the wrong side of the Red Sea. Yes, they rejoiced all night, but God had no pleasure in it. Anyone can shout in gratitude after a victory. The question God put to Israel was, “Will you praise me before I send help, while you’re still in the battle?”
I believe if Israel had rejoiced on the “trial side” of the Red Sea, they wouldn’t have had to be tested again at the waters of Marah. Had they passed the Red Sea test, the waters at Marah wouldn’t have tasted bitter, but sweet. And Israel would have seen water springing up everywhere in the desert, rather than having to go thirsty.
May God help us to sing the right song on the testing side of trials. May we understand how much delight a song of thanksgiving brings to the heart of our heavenly Father.
Are you going through a difficult time right now? Then sing! Praise! Say to the Lord, “I praise you because I know you can do it. You delivered me before, and you can deliver me now. I rest in joy.”
