Doubting? Doubt No More

 

But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.   So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.”  Then He said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.”

Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”  

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

John 20:24-29

We can understanding why some people have a difficult time believing that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world when we consider that Thomas, who was one of His disciples did not believe that the other Disciples had seen the resurrected Jesus.  

Thomas' doubts mirror what many people feel when the truth of the Gospel is presented.  They cannot see a purpose to it or a reason that they would want to ask Jesus to be their Lord, Master and Savior.  Their doubt is real. 

When I was a young adult, I had a friend who thought because I was "religious" I should become a nun.  I had shared the Gospel with her, but she did not get it and thought I was religious nut.  We lost contact and then years later, she called me and said that she had became a Christian and she knew what I meant about love of God.  

That being said, we should not put too much stock in those who reject our message because others will come along with the Gospel message and they may be receptive to it because those words we spoke to them have settled in their hearts.  

   

   

  

 

 

 

Just Like That The Wind and Waves Stopped

Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”  So they launched out.

But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger.

They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”  And, He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped and it became calm.

And He said to them, “Where is your faith?”  They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

Luke 8:22-25

 

The Disciples woke Jesus up to warn Him that the boat was going to sink and they were going to die.  What Jesus heard was a cry for help and He helped by rebuking the wind and waves and just like that the wind and waves stopped.

 

Even though the Disciples had witnessed Jesus perform many miracles, they were surprised that the wind and waves obeyed Him.    

 

This is the way it is for us.  We sometimes short change the power of God by thinking that God might not be interested in our prayer requests because they are too big or too small.  When the truth is that God is intimately acquainted with us and knows what we will ask Him before we even ask.  Just like the disciples on the boat when they woke Jesus up were not sure what He might do, we underestimate the power of God to answer our prayers.

 

And, what's more sometimes God's answer is more spectacular than anything we can imagine.  

 

Dare to pray big - take everything to God and see what happens.   

Oaks of Righteousness

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 

To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3

Isaiah was a prophet who foretold the coming of Jesus and His ministry.  His words here proclaim that Jesus will restore the brokenhearted, bring liberty to captives and prisoners, care for those who mourn, strength the weak and powerless, and bring the good news to all so they may become righteous in God's sight.  

Jesus read this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth at the beginning of His ministry (Luke 4:18-19).

Even more important is that Jesus did all this and more.   

So, what has this to do with us?  It is model for our own ministries.  We can work on becoming more sensitive to the needs of those around us and showing compassion for their difficulties and celebrating their joys with them, all in the name of Jesus.  

And, by doing this and because of the power of God, people will find Jesus and become oaks of righteousness. 

Please Your Neighbor

 

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.  Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.   

 

For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me."  

 

Romans 15:1-3

I think Paul was talking about helping others, even if we think they don't deserve help.

This means taking time to talk to someone who is having a tough time.  It is not for us to judge whether or not another person’s problems are of their own making or not, but rather a matter of showing compassion.

When we act with compassion, we build up the kingdom of God.

Fight The Good Fight

 

I solemnly exhort you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction.  

For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths.  But as for you, use self-restraint in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:1-8

The Apostle Paul was no stranger to controversy.  He was frequently punished for his faith being beaten and jailed and tradition has it that he was beheaded by Nero.  To say he had a tough life is to put it mildly.

But, Paul never stopped preaching the truth of the Gospel.  In this scripture Paul reminds us to do the work of an evangelist - preaching the truth of the Gospel even if there are those who oppose our teachings preferring to be coddled by those who teach false doctrines.  

We are to preach the word and be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction, so that no one can say they did not know the truth.

We fight the good fight to bring truth and salvation to others so that when we stand for judgement before God we will receive the crown of righteousness.  

Fight the good fight. 

Forgive And Be Forgiven

 

Jesus said, “When you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you, your transgressions.” 

Mark 11:25

Forgiveness is not easy.  By nature, when we are wronged, we want to get even or at least be angry.  This anger can be misplaced on other people.  We yell at people we love and neglect to show affection where it is due because we are angry about something that has nothing to do with the people who we are dealing with.  Not forgiving results in us sinning against others.

There is no sin too big for God to forgive, so who are we to decide there are sins too big for us to forgive?  Forgiveness does not mean that what happened was right, it means that we are unburdening ourselves of it. 

Perhaps as we pray each day for our families, loved ones, and concerns, we should also pray for those who we need to forgive and forgive them, if not for their sake, then for our own sake.

We Are Blessed

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And whatever he does, he prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3

God blesses us for doing what is right in His sight.   

 

When we are not feeling victorious, we can rest upon this promise. 

 

We may not see the blessing, but it is coming.