Don't Loose Heart
May I ask what you believe? That may sound like a funny question, but there are so many things fighting for our attention these days, that is quite possible to lose sight of what we really believe. David said, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13). So, I'll ask again... what are you believing? Do you, like David, believe you will see the goodness of God in this lifetime? I do.
You will find written in the front of my Bible: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. I didn't learn the scriptures until I was an adult. And it just so happened that I was saved in a non-denominational church. I do not know much about other religions or denominations, although as a Bible teacher I am often asked questions that pertain to such things. For example, there was a young lady that had been raised in a certain denomination her entire life who was attending our church and a Bible study that I was having. After class one night she asked me, "If these things have always been in the Bible, why have I never been taught them?" I was stumped of course, because I had no basis at all with which to answer her. But before I could even give that much explanation, she looked me straight in the eye and said, "You know, I think they just don't want that much of God."
Wow. What an answer. I think she was right. I am not particularly moved by the name on the outside of a church building. What I want to know is, what do they believe? When my husband and I moved to Seminole to pastor, our new secretary asked us what she should tell people we believed if she was ever asked that question. I told her to say "The Bible... all of it." Notice again what I wrote in the front of my Bible: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. I did not write, "The Bible says it. I understand it all." No, I am still learning so much. And I have discovered there are layers within the scriptures that are revealed from faith to faith. But regardless of how much I understand, I still made the decision a long time ago to believe it all. Because if I did not, "I would have lost heart..."
Once upon a time, I believed Romans 10:9-10, which says, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." And with that, I was saved! How could I then pick apart the scriptures and only believe some of them? Wouldn't that make my salvation unsure? Because what if I picked the wrong scripture to believe. I mean, if some are good and some are not, how do I know which is which? Is it based on my understanding or what makes me feel good? Of course not! Yet, some people actually have a belief system just like this.
Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). The scriptures are Truth... all of them. Jesus is the Word made flesh that came and dwelt among us (John 1:14). When we reject any part of the Word of God (the Bible) we reject Jesus. And then deception enters our heart and we actually become "religious." We then find that all we have is a "...form of godliness, but deny the power.." (2 Timothy 3:5). It is the power of God that changes lives. That is why David said that if he had not made the decision to believe the Lord, he would have lost heart. He needed to know what God had to say about life, about him, about others, etc. Otherwise he would have been defeated and confused. And confusion is the result of refusing to make a decision. So, I'll ask again, what do you believe?
I won't lie. I struggle at times with issues regarding my identity, or my love walk, or faith (the list could go on). But what saves me is this: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. If I am struggling with my identity, I remember God's Word says that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:1). If I am struggling with my love walk, I remember God's Word says that the love of God has been shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit and that I can build myself up on my most holy faith and keep myself in the love of God by praying in the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5; Jude 20-21). If I am struggling with faith, I remember that Jesus said I could move mountains with my faith if I would speak and believe (Mark 11:22-23). My point is that there have been many occasions where I would have lost heart "...unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
I want you to go get a pen and write in the front of your Bible: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. Make a decision to believe all of God's Word. Once you do, I believe God will reveal more and more to you by faith. Jesus explained it to His disciples this way: "Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to (everyone). Those who understand {these mysteries} will be given {more knowledge}, and they will excel {in understanding them}. However, some people don't understand {these mysteries}. Even what they understand will be taken away from them" (Matthew 13:11-12, God's Word Translation). Don't lose what you do have by limiting yourself. And don't lose heart - THE BIBLE SAYS IT, THAT SETTLES IT!
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