When any of us go through a difficult time, it could be a time of grief due to the loss of a loved one, it may be the breakup of a long time friendship, it could be the loss of a job, a financial crisis, it could be having to make a major decision that could impact the status quo of our lives; there a feeling that all of us, if we’re honest have that we can’t quite explain. We call it stress, anxiety, or worry. It can be so subtle that we may not even realize how it is impacting us.
As we go through this study and our discussions I want us to really be honest with ourselves because if we are I believe that we will be blessed and better able to fight off what can become a real spiritual battle. Remember we are in a war a spiritual war against a very smart and powerful enemy….Satan. Remember he never rests in this war,
1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Well, I have a confession to make. When I was going through the loss of Ruth and all of the things surrounding it, which included downsizing my living arrangements, juggling my finances, and working through some of Ruth’s and my, personal relationships. there were times that I wasn’t really enjoying studying to get ready for bible study on Sunday. I wasn’t into reading my quiet time devotions and scriptures, and some days didn’t do it at all. I was struggling writing my blog, which coincidently is called FTE Blog (which stands for Faith The Evidence Blog). I did force myself to study for Bible Study and to write, because I felt that it would help to stay busy, and because I thought that was what I was suppose to do as a teacher and minister, but I didn’t enjoy it and I struggled to do it. I still had a strong hunger for God but there were times that I really couldn’t get into the Word. Well I recently started a reading plan for my morning quiet time called “Doubt Revealed” and it became clear that my problem was and is doubt.
1.a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.
verb
1.feel uncertain about. "I doubt my ability to do the job"
2.fear; be afraid of. "I doubt not your contradictions
Doubt is a very unpopular word in the Christian community. Most Christians would be afraid to admit any form of doubt they may have due to feeling guilty for having thoughts of doubt, or due to the judgment of others.
When doubt surfaces, many consider it as a lack of faith...or a lack of believing God and His Word...so many struggle silently. Through their silent struggle, they can become stagnant in their walk with God.
It is imperative to know how to handle our doubt(s) so we can experience the rich relationship with God we are fully capable of having.
No I didn’t doubt God’s love. I knew that God loves me.
1 John 4:8 (NLT) But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
That means that God’s love is a quality of His but is His very nature, His essence.
I didn’t doubt His ability to work in my life.
Nahum 1:7 (NLT) The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
I knew that God is good and that He is our refuge the time distress. I also knew that, because I do trust Him that He would never leave or forsake me.
What I doubted was His willingness to act and work in my circumstances.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NLT) but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
Paul was talking about testing prophecies but the point was to take care! put everything to the test.”
We can start by asking God to help us to overcome our doubt(s) and help us through any situation of unbelief we may be facing.
Psalms 94:16-19 (NLT) Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord , supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Truly think about the doubts you have today.
Are you doubting that God can;
I have doubted God in some situations...and not even have known or realized it at the time.
There are many reasons we doubt.
Many of us doubt that God even cares.
But did you know that God actually bends down from Heaven to hear our prayers, heartaches, concerns, and even our questions?
Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT)1 I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.2 Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Out of the depths of trouble and sickness the psalmist, believed to be Daivd, called and the Lord answered. From this experience of answered prayer, he came to know God as gracious, righteous, and merciful. He now knows by experience that God preserves, helps, deals bountifully, and delivers.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Psalm 17:6 (NLT) I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.
The psalmist again believed to be David, requests that God will demonstrate his loving-kindness, keep him safe, and hide him from those who rise up against him.- The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
He's so good! He doesn't have to bend down to hear us, but out of His great love, He willingly chooses to.
Did you know that God has collected every tear you've ever cried and written every heartache you've ever experienced in a ledger?
Psalm 56:8 (NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
God truly cares about each and every heartache and heartfelt question or request we have. He cares about each of us and every situation we face...past, present, and future.
If you feel stale in your relationship with God, doubt may be the culprit.
Do you wonder how God handles doubters?
In scripture, God shows a loving example of mercy to the most famous doubter, Thomas.
John 20:24-29 (NLT)24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
Today, truly think about and label your doubt. Ask God to reveal any doubt(s) you hold in your heart. Be completely honest and transparent. The answer(s) revealed just might surprise you.
Choose today, like Thomas, to take your doubts to God and place your doubts in His hands. He already knows what is in your heart so be honest.
Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
The reward truly is a closer relationship with Him!
As we go through this study and our discussions I want us to really be honest with ourselves because if we are I believe that we will be blessed and better able to fight off what can become a real spiritual battle. Remember we are in a war a spiritual war against a very smart and powerful enemy….Satan. Remember he never rests in this war,
1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Well, I have a confession to make. When I was going through the loss of Ruth and all of the things surrounding it, which included downsizing my living arrangements, juggling my finances, and working through some of Ruth’s and my, personal relationships. there were times that I wasn’t really enjoying studying to get ready for bible study on Sunday. I wasn’t into reading my quiet time devotions and scriptures, and some days didn’t do it at all. I was struggling writing my blog, which coincidently is called FTE Blog (which stands for Faith The Evidence Blog). I did force myself to study for Bible Study and to write, because I felt that it would help to stay busy, and because I thought that was what I was suppose to do as a teacher and minister, but I didn’t enjoy it and I struggled to do it. I still had a strong hunger for God but there were times that I really couldn’t get into the Word. Well I recently started a reading plan for my morning quiet time called “Doubt Revealed” and it became clear that my problem was and is doubt.
Doubt
noun1.a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.
verb
1.feel uncertain about. "I doubt my ability to do the job"
2.fear; be afraid of. "I doubt not your contradictions
Doubt is a very unpopular word in the Christian community. Most Christians would be afraid to admit any form of doubt they may have due to feeling guilty for having thoughts of doubt, or due to the judgment of others.
When doubt surfaces, many consider it as a lack of faith...or a lack of believing God and His Word...so many struggle silently. Through their silent struggle, they can become stagnant in their walk with God.
It is imperative to know how to handle our doubt(s) so we can experience the rich relationship with God we are fully capable of having.
No I didn’t doubt God’s love. I knew that God loves me.
1 John 4:8 (NLT) But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
That means that God’s love is a quality of His but is His very nature, His essence.
I didn’t doubt His ability to work in my life.
Nahum 1:7 (NLT) The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
I knew that God is good and that He is our refuge the time distress. I also knew that, because I do trust Him that He would never leave or forsake me.
What I doubted was His willingness to act and work in my circumstances.
I have to admit that I still have those periods of doubt when certain circumstances happen or things don’t go the way that I would like to see them go. I didn’t doubt what God could do I doubted what He would do. I was like the father when he asked Jesus to heal his son and Jesus said it’s possible if you believe. The father’s answer was I do believe but help my unbelief.
Mark 9:23-24 (NLT)23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
How many of us are in doubt today?
How many of us have thought we're not worthy of God acting on our behalf?
How many of us doubt God's sincerity?
We cannot afford to trust our hearts, our mere thoughts, or our feelings during times of doubt…
What does the Bible say about our hearts?
Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT) “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
When the Bible talks about our hearts it’s talking about our inner being and that’s where our will and action come. Some people say that the soul is where those things come from. The point is it’s deceitful and wicked especially before we are saved and since the soul is equated, most often with the flesh, it can also be true of saved folk.
I did some research for a sermon that I preached in 2013, on what was meant when the word heart was used in the bible. Here’s with I found. :
The HEART, biblically speaking, includes THINKING according to Strong’s Concordance. The Greek word is kardia. Here's the definition from Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.prolonged from a primary kar (Latin cor, “heart”); the heart, i.e. (figurative) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle :- (+ broken-) heart (-ed).
From Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Bible Theology
It denotes a person's center for both physical and emotional-intellectual-moral activities; sometimes it is used figuratively for any inaccessible thing.
The Heart as Center of Hidden Emotional-Intellectual-Moral Activity. "Man looks at the outward appearance, " says Samuel, "but the lord looks at the heart"
1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Lord searches all hearts to reward all according to their conduct
Jeremiah 17:10 (NLT) But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jesus says that the heart's secrets are betrayed by the mouth even as a tree's fruit discloses its nature.
Matthew 12:33-34 (NLT)33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say..
We must test our thoughts and feelings, and train our hearts to trust God to overcome doubt.
When we do then we can make the most important confession that we will ever make when we confess with our mouth what the heart trusts;
Romans 10:9 (NLT) If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
When we train our hearts to trust God to overcome doubt we start to test everything through the filter that God is love and God is good and is our refuge like it said in the scripture we read from Nahum.
Nahum 1:7 (NLT) The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
Mark 9:23-24 (NLT)23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
How many of us are in doubt today?
How many of us have thought we're not worthy of God acting on our behalf?
How many of us doubt God's sincerity?
We cannot afford to trust our hearts, our mere thoughts, or our feelings during times of doubt…
What does the Bible say about our hearts?
Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT) “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
When the Bible talks about our hearts it’s talking about our inner being and that’s where our will and action come. Some people say that the soul is where those things come from. The point is it’s deceitful and wicked especially before we are saved and since the soul is equated, most often with the flesh, it can also be true of saved folk.
I did some research for a sermon that I preached in 2013, on what was meant when the word heart was used in the bible. Here’s with I found. :
The HEART, biblically speaking, includes THINKING according to Strong’s Concordance. The Greek word is kardia. Here's the definition from Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.prolonged from a primary kar (Latin cor, “heart”); the heart, i.e. (figurative) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle :- (+ broken-) heart (-ed).
From Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Bible Theology
It denotes a person's center for both physical and emotional-intellectual-moral activities; sometimes it is used figuratively for any inaccessible thing.
The Heart as Center of Hidden Emotional-Intellectual-Moral Activity. "Man looks at the outward appearance, " says Samuel, "but the lord looks at the heart"
1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Lord searches all hearts to reward all according to their conduct
Jeremiah 17:10 (NLT) But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jesus says that the heart's secrets are betrayed by the mouth even as a tree's fruit discloses its nature.
Matthew 12:33-34 (NLT)33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say..
We must test our thoughts and feelings, and train our hearts to trust God to overcome doubt.
When we do then we can make the most important confession that we will ever make when we confess with our mouth what the heart trusts;
Romans 10:9 (NLT) If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
When we train our hearts to trust God to overcome doubt we start to test everything through the filter that God is love and God is good and is our refuge like it said in the scripture we read from Nahum.
Nahum 1:7 (NLT) The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NLT) but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
Paul was talking about testing prophecies but the point was to take care! put everything to the test.”
We can start by asking God to help us to overcome our doubt(s) and help us through any situation of unbelief we may be facing.
Psalms 94:16-19 (NLT) Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord , supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Truly think about the doubts you have today.
Are you doubting that God can;
- heal your broken heart
- save your marriage
- help you financially
- forgive you
- fully accept you
- heal your broken soul
- work in the life of a rebellious spouse or child
- that He can provide
- that He can work in any other situation that is tearing you apart inside?
I have doubted God in some situations...and not even have known or realized it at the time.
There are many reasons we doubt.
Many of us doubt that God even cares.
But did you know that God actually bends down from Heaven to hear our prayers, heartaches, concerns, and even our questions?
Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT)1 I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.2 Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Out of the depths of trouble and sickness the psalmist, believed to be Daivd, called and the Lord answered. From this experience of answered prayer, he came to know God as gracious, righteous, and merciful. He now knows by experience that God preserves, helps, deals bountifully, and delivers.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Psalm 17:6 (NLT) I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.
The psalmist again believed to be David, requests that God will demonstrate his loving-kindness, keep him safe, and hide him from those who rise up against him.- The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
He's so good! He doesn't have to bend down to hear us, but out of His great love, He willingly chooses to.
Did you know that God has collected every tear you've ever cried and written every heartache you've ever experienced in a ledger?
Psalm 56:8 (NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
God truly cares about each and every heartache and heartfelt question or request we have. He cares about each of us and every situation we face...past, present, and future.
If you feel stale in your relationship with God, doubt may be the culprit.
Do you wonder how God handles doubters?
In scripture, God shows a loving example of mercy to the most famous doubter, Thomas.
John 20:24-29 (NLT)24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
Today, truly think about and label your doubt. Ask God to reveal any doubt(s) you hold in your heart. Be completely honest and transparent. The answer(s) revealed just might surprise you.
Choose today, like Thomas, to take your doubts to God and place your doubts in His hands. He already knows what is in your heart so be honest.
Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
The reward truly is a closer relationship with Him!
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