“NO UNBELIEF!”

Romans 4:20-25                            (ESV)

20 “NO UNBELIEF” made him (Abram) waver concerning the promise of GOD, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to GOD,

21 fully convinced that GOD was able to do what HE had promised.

22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."

23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone,

24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in HIM who raised from the dead JESUS our LORD,

25 WHO was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

The Pastor of the church where I worship is currently preaching through the book of Romans.  He was in Romans 4 a few weeks ago, and GOD is continuing to cause me to meditate on these verses.  In reflecting on one sermon, the man of GOD said that a man once came up to him and questioned Abraham having “NO UNBELIEF” since he had a son with Hagar by the name of Ishmael.  

This is what has caused me to be troubled since.  Until within the last day or so when a lightbulb came on above my head and my EYES were opened to SEE TRUTH.  Abraham had FAITH that GOD would do what HE promised, yet he did still have a child with Hagar.  Abraham may not have been experiencing UNBELIEF, but he may have been not waiting on GOD.  His wife, Sarah, suggested that he sleep with Hagar so he could have an offspring.  But even though Sarah “got what she wanted”, ultimately she had Hagar and Ishmael sent away because she wanted her son, Isaac, to be a sole heir.

It wasn’t as if Abraham ever doubted what GOD said to him, but Abraham listened to someone other than GOD when determining his future.  Yes, I do the same thing at times, allowing “the enemy” to make his lies more believable when GOD has already promised me a future.  Oswald Chambers has been quoted as saying "When in doubt, DON'T"!  My tendency is to do WHATEVER it takes to get results!  FAITH is trusting GOD with the results while living my life in accordance to HIS WORD.  

“NO UNBELIEF” is FAITH that GOD will do what HE has promised.  But it also means that I have to WAIT ON THE LORD (Psalms 27:14) to act on HIS timing......not my timing!  Although I may get really frustrated with waiting for GOD, “the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also”!  His example is plain to me that I am CALLED to have “NO UNBELIEF”!!!

“A DOER!”

James 1:22-25                                                   (ESV)

“22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but “A DOER” who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Far too often I seek to listen to the news media, view social media, or even listen to sermons instead of getting my guidance and direction from THE WORD OF GOD, which is “...living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)!  I am so BLINDED at times that I am unable to SEE TRUTH, for the enemy has so many lies in front of me that my judgement and discernment is distorted.  

Acts 17:11 says “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received THE WORD with all eagerness, EXAMINING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY to see if these things were so.”  So then why do I assume that my intellect is so much better that I can NOT TRUST in THE WORD OF GOD to steer me in the direction where GOD can receive Glory from me?  

Applying THE WORD in our lives is paramount in discipleship.  When we manage to SLOW OUR LIVES DOWN long enough to HEAR from GOD, we must become “A DOER” of HIS WORD, not merely hearers!  Listening to the news, social media, and everything else under the sun will NOT draw us closer to our Creator.  Only by becoming “A DOER” will we be more in HIS IMAGE!!!

“FIFTY-TWO DAYS!”

Nehemiah 6:15-16                                         (ESV)

“15 So THE WALL was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in “FIFTY-TWO DAYS“.

16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of OUR GOD.”

When OUR GOD performs a work, HIS Handiwork is frequently hard to miss.  When Nehemiah asked to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, King Artaxerxes only ask him how long he would be gone?  Nehemiah had to overcome obstacles, but he kept his eyes on the task assigned to him and completed the work in record time, “FIFTY-TWO DAYS”!

GOD Created the Heavens and earth in six days, so getting a wall built in “FIFTY-TWO DAYS” should be simple???  Adding humans into the mix must have slowed HIM down though?!?  We seem to always have questions and doubts about what HE is doing and how HE is going to get it done!  

ALMIGHTY GOD might have just SPOKE THE WALL into existence.  After all, HE had SPOKEN the worlds into existence, a tiny wall shouldn’t be that big of a deal!  “FIFTY-TWO DAYS”would be more than enough time to build anything for GOD.  

JESUS (Matthew 13:54; Mark 6:5-6) could do “no mighty work” in HIS hometown because of their UNBELIEF.  On July 09, 2007 I left my house headed to the hospital.  “FIFTY-TWO DAYS” later, I returned to my house after giving my doctors, family and friends a pretty big scare.  There were a very few who never doubted that I was going to “be just fine”!  GOD didn’t need “FIFTY-TWO DAYS” to heal me, but I needed “FIFTY-TWO DAYS” to reset my priorities!  Thanks for those of you who Believed!!!

“ALL MY PURPOSE!”

Isaiah 42:8-10                                             (ESV)

“8 "Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, 

9 remember the former things of old; for I am GOD, and THERE IS NO OTHER; I am GOD, and there is none like ME, 

10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'MY counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish “ALL MY PURPOSE”,'”. 

Nobody understands MIRACULOUS healing more than I do.   Many people, especially people who are trained in the medical profession, have made that clear to me since 2007.  According to friends, prayers were sent to heaven on my behalf from all over the world!  I’m not that well known, but a dear friend was working in Iraq at the time and I know he was praying for me!  Regardless, my recovery from the Brain Hemorrhage has been remarkable and I praise GOD for that.

But do you suppose that my survival depended on faithful prayer warriors begging and beseeching THE LORD for my restoration?  I have written many times that GOD HAS A PLAN, and I’m just blessed to be apart of it!  Who do I think I am to “inform” ALMIGHTY GOD about everything going on in my world?  Ahhh, but HE tells us in Philippians 4:6b-7 “....but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD.  And the peace of GOD, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in CHRIST JESUS.”  

GOD DESIRES our dependence on HIM!  THERE IS NO OTHER that is able to accomplish “ALL MY PURPOSE”!  Medical Doctors can aid in healing, but there are still some who can’t be saved.   Bankers can assist in dire financial times, but people still have needs they can’t cover.  When we finally realize that HE WILL ACCOMPLISH “ALL MY PURPOSE”, only then are starting to SEE that GOD IS IN CONTROL!  HE calls the shots and we can only beg HIM for HIS mercy.  

To exclaim that I am forever grateful for the prayers and support during my life is way beyond an understatement.  But ALMIGHTY GOD is the ONE WHO heals and HIM accomplishing “ALL MY PURPOSE” is the thing I am most thankful.  According to one doctor, GOD is the ONLY ONE WHO could have accomplished what HE did and it had to be “ALL MY PURPOSE!!!”

“THE RACE IS NOT TO THE SWIFT!”

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12                     (ESV)

“11 Again I saw that under the sun “THE RACE IS NOT TO THE SWIFT”, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

12 For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.”

Things in “this world” happen at such a pace that no one is interested in “taking their time” for anything any longer.  News reports routinely have “death breaking news”, but they are more “unconfirmed” reports than ever, and it seems the validity of reports are a thing of the past.  

Pure TRUTH can only be found in ONE PERSON.   JESUS said in John 14:6 “I am the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the FATHER except through ME.”   However, most people aren’t satisfied to operate at HIS pace.  They want to move as quickly as “this world” supposedly demands, whatever it takes to make it happen.  

The things of GOD still take as long as it always has though.  A tree still takes years to be strong and tall.  A full-term baby still takes about nine months to grow inside a womb.  The earth still moves around the sun at the same pace it was moving when GOD spoke it into existence!  And GOD can allow the plans of man to be made, but only through DIVINE intervention will those plans be fulfilled.   Even the air we breathe comes from HIM (Isaiah 42:5)!  

It seems we all want to proclaim that GOD IS IN CONTROL, but when we have to admit that we are NOT in control, we usually are saddened, if not heartbroken!  Now I am NOT the swiftest of people, either mentally or foot speed, but according to Scripture “THE RACE IS NOT TO THE SWIFT”!  GOD IS IN CONTROL!  If GOD has it in HIS Plan for a elephant to outrun a cheetah, it will happen!  There are many who know more Scripture, and more about Scripture, than I do.  But my heart is open to whatever GOD wants to accomplish with my life!?  I’m just thankful that “THE RACE IS NOT TO THE SWIFT”!!!

“THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND!”

Luke 2:48-52                                  (ESV)

“48 And when HIS parents saw HIM, they were astonished. And HIS mother said to HIM, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."

49 And HE said to them, "Why were you looking for ME? Did you not know that I must be in MY FATHER’S house?"

50 And “THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND” the saying that HE spoke to them.

51 And HE went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And HIS mother “treasured up all these things in her heart”.”

The writer of the song entitled “Mary did you know” says that Mary KNEW better than anyone that she was a virgin and was carrying the SON OF GOD in her womb.  But when JESUS was twelve years old (Luke 2:42), Mary must not have remembered that conversation with Gabriel (Luke 1:26-38)?  She said in Luke 2:40, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."  Apparently, in the hustle and bustle of “this world”, she forgot that ALMIGHTY GOD had blessed her with her CHILD, not Joseph.  

Joseph too must have been accustomed to having JESUS under his tutelage.  When JESUS responded “Why were you looking for ME? Did you not know that I must be in MY FATHER’S house?", Scripture says “THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND”!  How could they forget a message both had plainly been given by angels?  (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-38).   But don’t be too critical of Joseph and Mary, we do the same thing in our lives!  

We become so comfortable with our schedules and demands for our time that we live a large portion of our lives outside of the leadership of the HOLY SPIRIT.  “The enemy” tries to get us to add to what GOD has said, or take away from what HE has said, anything to get the TRUTH skewed in our minds and cause confusion.  At least twice in the book of Luke the earthly mother of JESUS “treasured up all these things in her heart”!  She had to keep her mouth shut until GOD opened her heart to grasp the TRUTH!

We might be wise to learn a lesson from Mary.  There are many times that we need to “treasure up all these things in our hearts” and let GOD work like only HE can!  When “THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND”, it might be because GOD doesn’t want us to understand AT THAT TIME!!!  HE doesn’t need my help in being GOD.  Even though GOD has given me a desire to help people in need, HE is the only ONE WHO can give them the help they really need.  “THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND” was said about the earthly father and mother of JESUS.  Sometimes GOD may WANT me to not understand???

“HIS PRIESTHOOD!”

Hebrews 7:18-25                           (ESV)

“18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to GOD.

20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,

21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The LORD has sworn and will not change HIS mind, 'You are a priest forever.'" 

22 This makes JESUS the guarantor of a better covenant.

23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,

24 but HE holds HIS priesthood permanently, because HE continues forever.

25 Consequently, HE is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to GOD through HIM, since HE always lives to make intercession for them.”

There is a post on social media saying “I just need one person to never give up on me.  Just one!”  That directed my thoughts to how we are saved from Spiritual death by the ONLY ONE capable of saving our Souls.   In John 4:24 JESUS says “GOD IS SPIRIT”!  Not GOD IS “A” Spirit!  And in Matthew 19:26 (and Mark 10:27) JESUS says "With man this is impossible, but with GOD all things are possible." ONLY HE CAN SAVE OUR SOULS!!!

Under the law, we were constantly needing to confess to a priest for