Tag: Faith

  • Those Little Doubts

    Christians often live their lives with an open question towards God. Sometimes we openly verbalize it, and other times it hovers in the background. That question is “God, show me your plan.”  I don’t think it’s a conscious thing, but we’re treating God as a fortune teller or oracle of some kind. It’s true that God is outside of time and sees it all, but that doesn’t mean we need to know all the answers.  Those questions reveal the secret little doubts that we can sometimes harbor.  

    We know God will come through for others and truly believe that. Yet, we listen to the whispers of the enemy or our own self-doubts and doubt that we are worthy of Him coming through for us.

    There are some verses from the Bible that most of us have memorized:

    Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

    Trust in Yahweh with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
    In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.     Proverbs 3:6-6

    Those verses are easy to recite and, in some ways, easy to believe, but much harder to live out in practice. We want to see where our footsteps will land rather than trusting God to guide us. Those nagging little doubts about our worthiness hold us back.

    Of course, based on our own merits, none of us is worthy. That’s why we needed Jesus in the first place. As believers, we are co-heirs with Christ, worthy not because of our own merit but because of who He is. God sees us with the imputed righteousness of Christ.

    There is a story in three of the four gospels of a man who wants Jesus to heal his Son. Jesus asked the man if he believed, and the reply is how we sometimes feel.

    Immediately the boy’s father cried out and was saying, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24

    Can we relate?

    James calls us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. Jesus calls us to obey His commands. That takes faith. Our faith calls us to step past our little doubts.

    What if instead of treating God as our personal oracle, or listening to those little doubts, we simply started living life as His Word and Spirit call us? What if we strove for lives of simple trust or obedience? 

    How would that change the way we live?

    Some simple self-examination and prayer might be in order. Where are we not trusting Him? Where are we wanting to move in certainty rather than faith? What’s holding us back from simple obedience?

    God will not fail us.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    When we say no to God

    SUMMARY

    I unpack why we quietly treat God like a fortune teller, demanding to see the plan instead of trusting Him with it. Real faith isn’t about certainty; it’s about obedience even while the doubts are still talking.

    TAKE AWAY

    We often ask God to reveal the future rather than trusting His guidance 

    Little doubts about our own worthiness can quietly undermine our faith 

    True faith looks like obedience, not certainty

    Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone) 

    The church needs you

  • Getting older and the hope of glory

    The stepstool beside it reminded me that I'm getting older

    I know I’m getting older. I used to hop up and down into the bed of a pickup with no problem. Now I much prefer to use a step stool. It’s not as cool, but I don’t look or feel as uncoordinated as I would without one, and frankly, it’s safer. As they say, “Getting older isn’t for wimps.” For all my young friends, you might not relate yet, but your time will come.

    One thing about getting older is that it is one step closer to glory. Now, like many Christians, I am really looking forward to being there with Jesus, but at the same time, I don’t want to go home yet.

    Going to be with Jesus isn’t something I spend my days obsessed with, but it does cross my mind the older I get. A friend from church passed away this week, unexpectedly, and while we know where he went, he will be missed by those left behind.

    I have no fear about what happens after my passing from this mortal coil. As a Christian believer, I know exactly where I’m headed.

    John’s Revelation of Jesus the Christ speaks at length about it, and there are plenty of hints and glimpses elsewhere in the Bible.

    Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” Revelation 19:7-9

    When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

    It’s going to be a celebration unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. United with Jesus, the one who knew me and loved me enough to die for me. Gathered with every believer that ever was, regardless of ethnicity, skin color, economic status or any of the other artificial separators and dividers we use here in this world.

    All my sins and sorrows gone, no more pain and suffering. Joy unspeakable. Finally being all that God created me to be.  Free to serve Him in everything, with everything I do for His glory.

    Honestly, I can’t really comprehend what that will be like. I imagine the most peaceful and joy-filled moments in this life and know it will dwarf them. 

    Just meeting Jesus face to face will be better than anything this life has to offer. I don’t know how it will all unfold, but I hope that’s the first thing I see.

    Not sure about what will happen to you after death? Get right with Jesus today.

    I can hardly wait. What about you?

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God) 

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

    Unchanging mountains – How will we fare when the Master returns?

    SUMMARY

    Getting older has a way of turning your eyes toward eternity — and for the believer, that’s not a bad thing. A friend’s unexpected passing this week, a step stool by the pickup truck, and the words of Revelation 19 and 1 Corinthians 13 all point the same direction: a celebration with Jesus that will dwarf anything this life has to offer.

    KEY POINTS:

    • Aging is one step closer to glory, and the Christian can face that reality with confidence rather than fear
    • Heaven is a wedding feast — face to face with Jesus, every believer gathered, every earthly divider gone
    • The most peaceful, joy-filled moments of this life won’t come close to what awaits

    The Gospel: The best news you will ever hear