333 Words

333 WORDS….

Christ’s brother, James, explains why unanswered prayers are unanswered:

Ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man (that doubter) suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.

Lord Jesus matter-of-factly told His disciples why they couldn’t heal a certain epileptic:

Because of your unbelief.

If their failure was due to unbelief (doubt), their success (“Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your Name.”) must be credited to belief.

So the disciples had both belief and unbelief. And so do we….

There’s a war going on inside, belief versus unbelief – lifetime enemies vying for lordship.

We have sufficient faith that when we pass into eternity the Lord Jesus will receive us unto Himself. But we are nervous about our job, our health, the kids, and many etceteras. That nervousness should tell us something.

Believers, while believing, are not nervous. Confidence is the reward of those standing firm in Christ. With confidence comes peace, spiritual power and success. On the other hand….

Unbelief brings discord, sorrow, sickness, anxiety and every bad thing. The Israelites “were not able to enter because of unbelief.” The folks in Nazareth missed out on miracle healings “because of their unbelief”.

Your faith, more commendable than some and less than others, is the result of life lived, choices made. Precisely, your life has been lived out “according to your faith”, and “according to your” unbelief.

For a better life, stand firm against unbelief. You must be, first, that tough bouncer in a raucous bar, and, second, that grim-faced border patroller guarding against re-entry.

Unbelief must be a hated enemy. It is robbing you. As your belief will result in eternal salvation for others, so some (many?) will be eternally lost because of unbelief.

It is a serious matter.

You’re not stuck. Your past choices have brought you this far, and future decisions can bring you further, much further.