Do You Believe In God?
- Now Think On This
by Steve Martin
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (Matt. 7:24-27 NKJV)
Do you believe in God?
No, really. Do you, who say you are a Christian, possibly born in a Christian home, maybe raised by Christian parents, and claiming all along that you ARE a Christian, really believe in the Lord God of heaven and earth? Or do you just say you do? Do you really know Him?
How do you answer or respond to these questions or statements? (Please answer them as truthfully as you can. Only you will really know if you do or not.)
1. I pray daily, believing that God hears my prayers and will answer in His way, His time, and for my greater good and those I love. Yes or no?
2. When something goes wrong in my life, I often think that God is punishing me. Yes or no?
3. If a health crisis occurs, I first call the doctor to get an appointment.
4. The Bible is God’s Word, and I seek to know more truth by reading that before the daily newspaper or watching the morning news show. Or checking Facebook.
5. There is a lot of bad stuff happening in the world right now. If God is Who He says He is, it wouldn’t be so. Yes or no?
How you responded to these every day questions or statements can well indicate if you really believe in God or not, or specifically, if you believe in the God of the Bible or not. How DID you respond?
I know there are times when we have doubts in our faith, in our walk with the Lord, and do question why and what, but is that a normal pattern in your walk, or more often than you realize? What would happen if something really traumatic occurs tomorrow? Or how did you respond when the last one did?
Having played on a sports team in my youth, through my teenage years, preparation for the upcoming games, with daily practice on the fundamentals and also unique situations that will arise in a game, made us ready. When real game situations did happen, that time given for the proper and needed time in anticipation, had made us ready. At least to the point that our ability and maturity had taken us in those years.
The many hours of hard work and effort paid off in the hour of the contest. We had put in the necessary time, making ourselves ready for the times ahead. And it indeed paid off, as it was a thrill playing in the state baseball championship games as a reward.
Putting the same scenario in our spiritual walk, as Jesus taught in the Matthew 27 Scripture quoted above, the one who built his house upon the rock, and made himself ready for the storms that would surely come, stood when the rough times came. The one who didn’t, well, he couldn’t, and didn’t stand.
The God Whom we say we believe in knows all, sees all, and is over all. If He says we must ready ourselves for the days ahead, for surely they will become dark and the love of many will grow cold because of it, then we must heed and obey His words.
“Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matt 24:12-13 NASU)
How will we endure? How will we stand?
We will be able to because of His grace, while most certainly because of the time we now give in preparation for those times – reading His Word, praying daily, strengthening our inner man in the Holy Spirit for such a time as those which are certain to come.
I hope this reminder encouragers you to keep during the basics in your Christian walk. Believe in God by doing what He says. Then you will be ready in season and out.
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder
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Now Think On This #171 “Do You Believe In God?” by Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2015 (05.06.15) Wednesday at 5:30 pm in Charlotte, NC
All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This
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