Daily Huddle - Thu Feb 11, 2021 Doubt Or Faith

​Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you what really happened.  It doesn’t hide things, or cover some things over to make certain people look better.  It is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Matthew 28:16 – Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to go.  When they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Shocking.  At least they obeyed, they did what He told them to do, that’s why they saw him.  If they didn’t obey, they would never have seen Him.  That’s what happens when you obey – you see things that no one would believe.  It’s where your testimony comes from – your obedience.  So you want a bigger testimony?  You want a bigger victory? then get a bigger obedience.  They obeyed, and they saw him.  And they worshipped.  Of course, what else could you do?  But some doubted?  Wow.  After all this?  Some doubted?  Talk about a week of highs and lows…  Just one week ago they were entering Jerusalem as celebrities - to the roar of the adoring crowd.  How quickly things can turn, from the overturned tables, to the upper room and the garden of Gethsemene, to Judas betrayal and the horrific, unjust execution of an innocent man, the One they loved.  And now to see Him alive again?  They saw Him die, they saw him buried, and now He is risen from the dead?  What joy they must have felt!  And yet some of them still doubted? Doubted what?  Doubt and unbelief, lacking faith even when you even see it with your own eyes.  So faith isn’t what you see.  Some people see it with their own two eyes, and still don’t believe… So faith doesn’t depend on what you see, even that won’t give you faith.  Faith is revealed by what you believe, and God has given you the measure of faith you need.  Will you use it? Or forsake it?  You cannot please God without using your faith.  You will always be required to live by faith, even when you see it happen, no matter what you see, even again and again.  Because even after the promise comes to pass, the devil will always try to give you another explanation of why that happened, as if it wasn’t really a miracle.  When God comes through again, and He will, there will still be another opportunity for faith – to please Him.  So what did God say?  And what will you believe?  Shrinking back – is when you stop believing.  It’s when you allow doubt to creep in, when you begin to say something different, or start using words that hedge your bets.  Don’t do it.  It’s not what you see that counts – it’s what you believe.  If He said it, - you will see it!  And when you see it, will you believe?  If you don’t believe now, why would you believe then? Just because you see another thing He promised come to pass?  You have already have seen these things time and time again.  The disciples had an eye witness view – but we have all the evidence they had and more!  We have the gospels, the Epistles, Revelation, and all of the other 66 books!   What has He said? And will you believe Him?  Praying that you will stand in faith, not sight.  That every word you speak is the word of faith, that you would banish any doubt and unbelief.  That you would praise Him like it’s happened, like you will praise Him when it happens.  Faith is not naïve, nor a disconnect from reality.  Faith is evidence, as sure as seeing it.  It is a connection to eternal reality – what God said - far more real than the temporary life you see.  God has given you the faith you need.  Feed it, use it, grow it, hold onto it – it will please Him, His Word is enough – it will establish you.  You will stand firm, not tossed like the wind.  You will see again what The LORD will do for those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. 
 
Love you all,
dad