A Word of Encouragement for a Season of Doubt

There is nothing better than the encouragement of a good friend.
Katharine Butler Hathaway

A Word of Encouragement for a Season of Doubt
Bayless Conley
Answers with Bayless Conley

Being a Christian doesn't mean you won't have doubts. In fact, some of the greatest heroes of the Christian faith had doubts and crises of faith, one of which we find recorded in Luke chapter 7.

In this chapter, we find John the Baptist in an intense season of doubt and fear. He was in prison after being arrested by King Herod, and in his struggle of faith he asked of Jesus, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

That's right… the same John who had been there on the Jordan River when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove… the same John who heard the voice of God say, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"… the same John who had publicly testified that Jesus was the Son of God, saying, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"… doubted that Jesus was whom He said He was.
John… the great sage, prophet, and spiritual leader… struggled with doubt!

Yet through his struggle we learn two lessons that can encourage us when we find ourselves in a season of doubt.

The first lesson is to go to the right place with our doubts and fears—which is straight to the Lord.

What I love about John is that he didn't let pride keep him from going to the Lord about his doubts and fears. He could have thought, "Hey, I told everybody He's the One! What will my disciples think if I let them know I'm doubting? I'm going to look really stupid if it looks like I doubt the very things I've preached and proclaimed myself."

Yet John went straight to the Lord… and so must we!

If you're grappling with doubt, tell the Lord. He knows anyway. The worst thing you can do when you're having a crisis of faith is to allow yourself to become isolated, because Satan knows that isolation is where you are most vulnerable. When you doubt, you must draw close to God and to friends of faith who can encourage you!

The second lesson we can learn from John's crisis of faith is that in the eyes of the Lord, it's the whole journey that defines us—not just a single event.

You know, when John's disciples left and Jesus began talking to the multitude, He could have said, "John is such a disappointment! I can't believe it. He was there at the Jordan River at My baptism… God has dealt with him like no other man of this generation… he has more knowledge than a hundred men put together. He's My cousin, for goodness sake! I can't believe he's asking Me if I am the One!"

But Jesus didn't say that. Instead, He said, "Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist."

Even though John doubted, Jesus didn't condemn him!

And when you stumble, Jesus won't condemn you because of that one misstep. Even though some people may define who you are by one stupid mistake you've made, God doesn't. He's looking at the whole journey… and your journey isn't done.

So, my friend, no matter what doubt you may be facing today, be encouraged. Jesus is always there for you… ready for you to come to Him. And don't worry if you've messed up. He won't condemn you, but instead, He looks at the whole of your life!

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For more from Bayless Conley, check out the Answers for Each Day devotional, or click here for the Answers with Bayless Conley broadcast at OnePlace.com
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Take care until…......and God Bless ya
http://jamesedgecombe2.blogspot.com/

Are you ready to face eternity? If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life and desire to make that commitment now please repeat the following prayer:

Lord Jesus be merciful to me a sinner. I realize that I have sinned against you and come short of your glory. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that God has raised him from the dead. I pray for your forgiveness and ask that you save me now and accept me into your kingdom. Give me eternal life today.
In Jesus Name, Amen. Read more!

Faith is a Verb

Hello again and hope you had a great weekend. Well as you start another week I do hope you have great expectations for something good to happen in your life. Here’s something to remind you that you have to put your faith to work:

Faith is a Verb
by James MacDonald
Walk in the Word

"Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" And they took offense at him... And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Matthew 13:54-58

One time in the Gospels it says that Jesus didn't do much in the town "because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58). Wouldn't that be an awful thing to have said about your home, about your family, about you? Jesus couldn't do much in or through you because of you just didn't believe Him. "Lord, why don't You do more in our church?" Could it be because of people's unbelief?

Faith is the key. God's promises are activated by faith. Faith is not passive-it's an action verb. Don't say, "Well, I'm just waiting here. Maybe God will work; maybe He won't." What are you doing about it? Well, not much.

It's like the sick guy who needs to get better, but he doesn't go to the doctor. That's foolishness. You've got to do what you can.

Like the girl who is looking for a husband, but never goes to the Young Adult meetings at church. She just sits down in her basement. "My husband will have to find me here." Yeah, that's not a great plan. Do what you can!

Like the person who's filled with concerns and wants to have hope, but has never read the Bible.

It's God promises that give us hope. How many Scriptural promises do you know? How many promises have you memorized? How many are on the tip of your tongue? Well, no wonder you're filled with anxiety! No wonder you don't have any hope! You're not holding onto anything.

Get your heart around some of the exceedingly great and precious promises of God! Hold on to what God has said in His Word. Someday you're going to be in a difficult situation and the enemy will be try to pull you down but you've got God's Word hidden in your heart. His words will flood you with courage and fill your life with faith.

"God helps those who help themselves" is not in the Bible but it is a biblical concept. Faith has to be active to be real. Remember the guy in 2 Kings 5 who had leprosy and God told him he had to go dip in the river? In faith, he had to do what he could. Like the woman in poverty in 2 Kings 4 who had to collect containers to hold all that oil God was giving her - she did what she could. Like a warrior heading into battle, he has to pick up his weapon.

Put some action behind what you believe and watch God work.
--James MacDonald

Lord, I never want there to be a day that You can't do Your work in me because I just don't believe You. Increase my faith today, Lord. I believe that You are able to make all things are possible. Amen.

Going Deeper:
1. What am I believing God for right now for myself? For my family? For my church?
Are there steps of faith I can take as I wait for Him to work?

2. Are there areas of unbelief in my heart? About what? Talk to the Lord about it today.

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Take care until…......and God Bless ya
http://jamesedgecombe2.blogspot.com/

Are you ready to face eternity? If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life and desire to make that commitment now please repeat the following prayer:

Lord Jesus be merciful to me a sinner. I realize that I have sinned against you and come short of your glory. I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I believe in my heart that God has raised him from the dead. I pray for your forgiveness and ask that you save me now and accept me into your kingdom. Give me eternal life today.
In Jesus Name, Amen. Read more!