Bible Verse of the Day


2 Peter 1:5-8


For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Believe It or Not

Here’s a tough question for you….are you an unbelieving Believer? Don’t get all riled up and defensive at the question…not without serious consideration. In something of a Jeff Foxworthy style let’s look at it.

You might be an Unbelieving Believer if:

You believe in God but don’t think He will do what His promises say He will for you.

God’s promises are written all through the Bible and are as valid today as when Jesus walked the earth. The Disciples walked with Jesus and heard His teachings, yet faltered to believe he would rise on the third day as He told them again and again. They believed in Him but didn’t think He would do what He said He would. Are we so different?

You respond to every scriptural encouragement someone gives you with a “yes, but…”

We all tend to think our problems are the exception to everything. “I know but…” then a laundry list of why it doesn’t apply to you, why you’ve suffered more than others, why God isn’t taking care of your business. “Yes, yes”, we say, “God is in control but…”

You think God has forgotten you because your prayers aren’t answered the way you wanted.

We tend to think God isn’t working on our behalf if we don’t get our way. We pray, call out to Him and yet, He didn’t answer our prayers, so He must have not heard me, He’s not concerned with me, “MY God wouldn’t let this happen.” We think it patronizing when people try to tell us God may have something better in store than that for which we prayed.

You act as though all the godly instructions in the Bible were meant for everyone but you.

All that stuff in the Bible about how we need to treat others, turning the other cheek, forgiving, loving the unlovable, etc…well, in our case, it’s just plain too hard. We can’t do it, we have been hurt more, endured more, disappointed more…thinking we are the exception to biblical principles boils down to: we don’t believe God really meant and/or requires it from us.

As a woman I consider my Spiritual Mother once told me, “You either believe the whole Bible or you don’t. You can’t pick and choose the parts you like.” Anything less is choosing to be an unbelieving Believer. Not for me, thanks.

No comments: