Never Have Doubt in
the Lord
There are times when a Christian, even a Christian of
strength, harbors doubt as to what the Lord has in store for them in this
lifetime on earth. All too many Christians say that they never doubt what is in
store for them but perhaps they are only fooling themselves instead of facing
the truth.
Look at the times of the Bible. God instructed Moses to lead
the Israelites out of Egypt.
Moses did as instructed only to find himself and his followers on the shores of
the Red Sea with the army of the Egyptians in
close pursuit. Moses prayed to God for His intervention and got an answer.
Exodus 14:16
“Use your shepherds staff- hold it out
over the water, and a path will open up before you through the sea.”
The Israelites could not help but see the ‘pillar of fire’
that protected them from the Egyptian army as the night passed. The Israelites
could not have failed to witness the Red Sea
as it parted and witnessed the wind that blew that same night that caused the
pathway before them, through the Red Sea, dry.
After crossing through the sea and emerging on the other
side the Israelites could not have failed to witness their pursuers, the
Egyptian army, and attempt to use that same dry path only to become engulfed by
the water as God allowed the sea to close upon them.
To the average Christian that scene is something we can only
imagine. We have seen movies as they have attempted to depict such a scene but
when the vast numbers of Israelites is taken into consideration, the parting of
the Red Sea had to be wondrous indeed. Imagine
a dry pathway in sufficient width top accommodate the passage of 2 million men,
women and children.
Even after witnessing such an astounding miracle as the
parting of the Red Sea it took only 3 days,
yes 3 days for the Israelites to register their first complaint with Moses. It
is hard to imagine how anyone, let alone over 2 million people who had just
been delivered from bondage, walked on dry land through a sea and, seen
their pursuers destroyed, doubt God in any way whatever.
Yet, they did!
Exodus 14:24
Then the people turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they
demanded
After seeing Moses follow God’s direction and gaining the
safety of lands across the Red Sea they again
doubted God’s will.
We all know the story of the Golden Calf. We know how God
gave the Israelites the country of Israel after having them wander in
the desert for forty years. The gift of freedom, manna from heaven, potable
water, and food aplenty should have convinced any man of God’s love, yet, it
did not!
Let’s jump forward in time. Let us consider Elijah.
Elijah led a life of amazing faith and was bestowed many
gifts directly from God. At Mount Carmel Elijah called down from heaven fire to
consume the sacrifice he made to God; he wiped out 400 priests of Baal; he
prayed for a drought, and then prayed for the rain that God sent to end that
self same drought; then cried out to the Lord, I have failed You.
Elijah was taken up to the Lord as even though he feared
from time to time, he lived a life in total dedication to the Lord our God.
King David was one of God’s most faithful servants and
prophesied. King David also sent a man to his death just to gain that man’s
wife. He fell but he always cried out in times of need to God for His direction
and blessings.
Peter, a disciple and Apostle of Jesus denied Jesus out if
fear.
Matthew 26: 69-70 Meanwhile
Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, a servant girl came over and said
to him, ”You are one of those with Jesus the Galilean..” But Peter denied it in
front of everyone…
Now, when I say that,
“All too many Christians doubt what the Lord has in store for them here on
earth,” I am telling you that to have such doubt is part of our human weakness.
Not a one of us can say that we live in total confidence of what lies ahead
here on earth. We experience illness, commit sins, and do not always live in
accordance with God’s wishes. Let me tell you something that you can rely on as
being true.
I have not met a single Christian that has not, at one time
or another had a particular need that he or she prayed for and got an answer
but failed to see that answer! Many pray for financial matters and fail to see
that what they have is a result of what they prayed for. Many pray for ill ones
and do not realize that God has indeed granted a healing. That healing, often
spiritual, goes unrecognized. The person voicing that prayer failed to see that
the ill person was at ease with his or her physical condition as they had gained
spiritual truth and peace in their life. I could go on but I think you can see
my point. That point is, never doubt that your weakness or humanity is not
shared by other Christians. If over 2 million Israelites, Elijah, King David,
Peter and scores of others doubted or denied our Lord, then were granted
forgiveness, then you can rest assured that you will also be forgiven.
If any has a doubt of my message, ask yourself…of any that I
have named, Moses, Elijah, King David, Peter, and others been condemned by God?
Allow me to say, and with confidence, Jesus Christ suffered an agonizing
earthly death for you and for me. His death served as atonement for all the
sins we confess to God and receive forgiveness for.
Let us each ask God to eradicate all earthly doubts we may
harbor and continue to deliver us from evil.
(Closing prayer)
Almighty God, Father of us all we come to You with hearts
filled with praise and undying love for You. You are our reason for being and
although we often fall in recognizing that please forgive us our humanity.
Father, erase all fears and doubts that we may encounter
over the course of our earthy lives and strengthen our resolve to be the
Christians we desire to be. It is by Your Divine love and mercy that we can
say. “We are saved by the Blood of Christ.”
If there is ever a time that any one of us must face an
ordeal that we cannot avoid, please be with us and assist us in facing that
ordeal with the knowledge that You are there for us and our salvation is
assured.
Lord, we thank You for all You have given us and for all
that You will give us in the future. Please allow us to recognize the blessings
You bestow upon us and to be ever thankful for them.
Father, we have a military that is protecting us from evil.
Please send Your angels to assist them and keep every one of them free from
harm and in Your grace. You are their God and we ask that You keep them from
harm. Bless our elected officials and if any fail to keep our county’s best
interests in mind, counsel them and change their hearts.
All these things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, You
Son, who is One with You and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever,
Amen, amen and amen.
Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr, DOM
God's Word Christian Ministry
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