No Doubt

Mt. 11:6  "And a blessing will be on him who has no doubts about Me." (BBE)

From his prison cell, John must have had his doubts about Jesus.  Like so many others, John expected the Messiah to come with all the external, visible signs of pomp and ceremony fit for a king.  Then there would have been no doubt who Jesus was.  But John wasn't seeing that.

He also must have expected his own difficult, unpleasant circumstances to be so much different and better if, in fact, he was following the "real" Messiah.  But he wasn't seeing that either.

He wavered in faith because of his own imperfect expectations and his own circumstances.  He wasn't seeing Christ at work from his prison cell, only hearing (v.2) about Him.  John needed to be reassured.

Sometimes we find ourselves, like John, having doubts and wavering in our faith.  God isn't visibly powerful in our lives like we think He should be.  Our circumstances aren't easy or pleasant at all.  We just can't seem to see God at work.

But we must not stumble or "be offended" (NIV) because of Him.  We must not get discouraged or give up when God doesn't respond to our imperfect expectations.  He's late meeting our time schedule.  He's not opening the right (or any) doors.  He doesn't fix our circumstances to suit us.  Unmet expectations and circumstances can lead to doubt.  Proverbs 13:12 tells us that prolonged expectation (hope deferred) makes our hearts weak.

In trials and situations, never doubting, we must cling to our faith and rely on hearing God's Word concerning us whether or not we see anything.  Our seeing must not blind us from what we know in our hearts to be the truth concerning God and His promises.  That truth is what will give us the reassurance we need to remain steadfast in our faith.  Jesus said the man who has no doubts about Him will be blessed (envied).


Sock Monkey Snippet:  The man who has no doubts about Him will be blessed.

Our Banner

Isa. 59:19  ...When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

The standard, or banner, was the flag that preceded an army into battle.  When the enemy saw the banner raised, they knew immediately who they were up against.  So long as it was visible amidst the confusion of battle, the standard encouraged it's soldiers to fight on knowing that success was imminent.  Ultimately, it marked victory, giving evidence of who was in control.

In Exodus (17:8-15), as long as Moses kept his hands lifted with the rod of God from the top of the hill, the Israelites prevailed in battle.  The will of God was for Israel to have the victory.  Afterwards, Moses built an altar to remember Jehovah Nissi (The-Lord-Is-My-Banner).

When we are overwhelmed like a flood in our battles against our enemy, we should not get discouraged.  Fight on.  Isaiah writes that the Lord is holding up our victory flag!  Satan cringes knowing who he's up against.  He realizes his ultimate defeat because there is nothing he can do to prevail or bring the standard down.  No weapon he has formed against us can prosper.  Our success is imminent.  The outcome is already assured.  God is in control.

When you lift your hands in praise and worship, remember the victory of Moses and the Israelites.  Your victory is already assured because the Lord is your banner!

Sock Monkey Snippet:  Your victory is already assured.

God Delivers

Ps. 34:17  The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

When we are anxious, overwhelmed or troubled, nothing is more valuable than just having someone who will listen.  And there should be no doubt in our minds that God hears us.  We have the privelege of prayer.

However, hearing us is one thing, helping us is another.  So, along with the understanding that He hears our cries, please notice in this verse the reassuring fact that He does something about them.  He hears and delivers.  Like any loving father would, God responds to the cries of  His children.  He keeps us through and rescues us from all our troubles.  God delivers.


Sock Monkey Snippet:  God delivers.

Making Excuses

Lk. 14:16, 18  Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many..."  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.

At one time or another, we've all made excuses why we can't accept an invitation to go somewhere or do something.  When it comes right down to it, they are usually borne out of our own selfishness, pride, laziness or indifference.  Sometimes, as a result, we even miss out on opportunities because of them.

If we're not careful, we can make excuses to God.  And whether we know it or not, many times we can even use His very blessings as those excuses.  Our jobs, material possessions and even our families, all blessings from God, are often given priority over spending time with Him.  We're just too busy.  Not that we should ignore these responsibilities, but we should also realize the importance of His open, personal invitation to us and the opportunities for communion (fellowship) with Him that we are given each and every day.  Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you. (Jas. 4:8).  Accept His invitation.

When God invites, don't make excuses.  Don't be so busy with your blessings that they keep you from Him.  Don't let your blessings become your excuses.


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Don't let your blessings become your excuses.

One of Them

Lk. 17:15, 16  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.

Ten lepers all knew who Jesus was.  As He approached, they knew that He was able to heal them.  In faith and obedience, they did as Jesus instructed and went to show themselves to the priest, receiving their blessing of healing along the way.

However, only one of them, and a Samaritan at that, came back to say thanks and to loudly, publicly praise and glorify God.  Jesus asked why the other nine, who also received the same blessing, did not return.  Understand that He didn't need their thanks any more than those of the lone, returning Samaritan.  But, giving thanks was for their benefit not His.

Giving thanks is for our benefit, too.  For by giving thanks, we acknowledge our dependence on God.  We look beyond the blessing to the Source  of it.  How easy it is to take our blessings for granted or to entertain that they were somehow of our own making or that we earned them.  The apostle Paul (1 Thess. 5:18) reminds us it is the will of God that in everything we give thanks.

Unashamedly and with a loud voice for all to hear, one of them gave thanks and glorified God.  I want to be one of them.


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Giving thanks is for our benefit.

Tunnel Vision

Ps. 103:2  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.

Tunnel vision is a condition of the eyes which restricts a person's field of vision.  He sees only a small portion of what he should.  He doesn't see the complete picture.

When Jesus hung on the cross, He said, "It is finished! (telestomai, teleio)"  You may think that He was merely stating that the task of redemption was finally done.  But actually, the word "finished" means complete.  He was really saying that what He did provided us with a complete (teleio), full and total package of what we will need to meet any and every need in our lives.  His sacrifice was complete or lacking nothing, the perfect gift to us in every way.

So, if we're looking at Jesus as just our Savior, we have tunnel vision and are not looking at the complete picture.  He's more than just our Savior.  He's the total package.

He's our Healer (Rapha), our Provision (Jireh), our Righteousness (Tsidkenu), our Shepherd (Roi), our God who is always there (Shammah), our Victory (Nissi) and our Peace (Shalom).  Now that's seeing the complete picture!  These are all His benefits.  Forget not.


Sock Monkey Snippet:  He's more than just our Savior.

Faith and Patience

Heb. 6:12  ...do not become lazy, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Faith and patience are two rare commodities in today's society.  Believing beyond our circumstances and then waiting or patiently enduring are almost unnatural for us.  We're more likely to react based upon what we can see and become discouraged or disappointed when things don't happen when we think they should.

If we're honest, we all struggle at times with having faith and patience.  Yet these are the two keys to realizing God's fulfilled promises in our lives.  Notice that they are inseparable.  You can have faith but no patience.  If so, you'll get tired of waiting.  You can have patience but no faith.  If so, you'll get tired of believing or enduring.  Both are necessary.  Faith expects and patience endures.

Chapter 11 of Hebrews is filled with the names of those who are great examples for us to follow.  We're told to imitate such people and be encouraged by them that we might not become lazy but remain steadfast in our own faith.

We are meant to inherit God's promises.  He can not and will not go back on His word.  We just need to expect and endure.


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Faith expects and patience endures.

Be Diligent

2 Tim. 2:15  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In the business world, due diligence is the process of gathering and evaluating information before making a decision.  It is making a thorough, careful check or investigation in order to know all the facts.  Then, a course of action is developed based on this gained knowledge.

Paul exhorts Timothy to be diligent or study God's Word, the truth, not half-heartedly but rather with determined thorough care.

Without question, what we believe (or don't believe) determines how we live.  It is so very important that we understand and know, through our own study, the truth according to the Bible.  For by this gained knowledge, we develop the course of action for the rest of our lives.  We make the decisions by which we live.

Knowing and understanding (rightly dividing) the truth and living accordingly will result in a life that is acceptable and pleasing to God.  A life of which we need not ever be ashamed.

Make time for His Word.  Be constant, persistent and perservering in your study of it.  Be diligent.

Be Perfect

Mt. 5:48  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The dictionary defines perfection as being complete beyond improvement or conforming absolutely to the ideal.  The Greek word for perfect (telios) used in this verse means complete, not defective, nothing missing.  Jesus speaks here about how Christians are to be consistent (complete) in love.

It's easy to love our family, friends and neighbors and, of course, we should.  It's not so easy, some may say impossible, to love our enemies, those who don't love back.  In our human nature, we are more apt to seek revenge, hold a grudge, or respond in anger or bitterness toward them.  But as Jesus points out (vv. 46, 47), if we do, then we are no better than those who are not Christians.  We're not doing anything remarkable.

Our love needs to be consistent toward all, including our enemies, regardless of how we are treated.  We need to speak well about those who don't speak well of us.  It's not easy but our words reveal our heart.  We need to do good to those who hate us.  It's not easy but sometimes our actions speak louder than our words.  We need to pray that the Father will forgive those who use or persecute us.  It's not easy but Jesus did (Lk. 23:34).

In doing all these things, we are being consistent and complete beyond improvement in our love toward all men.  We are being like the Father (v. 48), conforming absolutely to the Ideal, and confirming ourselves as His children (v. 45).  Now that's something remarkable!

Be Fruitful

Jn. 15:8  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

A vineyard, although it may look pretty, doesn't accomplish it's purpose if it doesn't yield or bear fruit.  As His vineyard, God purposed for our lives to bear fruit.

Disciples should be expressions of the one they follow (Lk. 6:40).  If we are Christ's disciples, then the fruit we produce should be the same as the fruit that He produced.  The love He showed and the kind of life He lived, His fruit, should be expressed in and through our lives, too.

Galatians (5:22, 23) lists the fruit of the Spirit, nine characteristics or traits which paint a wonderful portrait of the character of Christ.  He possessed and demonstrated them all.  And Acts (10:38) says Jesus went about doing good and healing all.  So, He was known for His actions as well as His character.

As Christians, therefore, we should be known for Christian character and Christian actions (Mt. 7:20), our fruit.  If we stay connected by faith to Jesus, the vine, we will be.  And the Father will be glorified. 

Got any fruit?

As Good As Dead

Heb. 11:12  Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude - innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

He was about a hundred years old and as good as dead, according to this Scripture, with Sarah, a barren wife.  Abraham's circumstances gave him no reason to believe God's promise that he would be the father of many.  It seemed like a pretty hopeless situation and highly unlikely that he would be the father of even one.  Sarah laughed when she heard that God said she would bear a son.

Often times our circumstances can look pretty bleak, too.  What we see around us just doesn't give us much hope.  We're as good as dead in our situation.

But Abraham was fully persuaded (Rom. 4:21) and had unwavering faith.  Regardless of what he saw around him, he chose instead to believe what he heard from God.  He was absolutely certain and totally convinced that if God promised it, nothing else mattered.  Isaac was proof of that.

We must be just as certain when it comes to the promises of God no matter what our circumstances are.  That's faith!  It is to believe that what God has promised, He is able to perform, even if what we see around us is contrary to what we know.

Remember, circumstances don't determine the outcome of any divine promise for our lives.  God does.

Use The Ladder

Gen. 28:12  Then he (Jacob) dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

A ladder is a necessary tool that we find in almost every household.  It gives us access to otherwise unreachable things.

In Jacob's dream, he saw a ladder that connected heaven and earth.  And God the Father stood above it (v.13) while angels ascended and descended on it.

Jesus spoke (Jn. 1:51) of Himself as the Son of Man upon whom the angels were ascending and descending.  In other words, Jesus was and is the ladder!  He is the connection between man and an otherwise unreachable God, our one (and only) Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5).

Jacob's dream so perfectly illustrates God above and sinful man, the object of His mercy, below being reconciled through Jesus Christ.  There is no other way (Jn 14:6) for us to access God the Father except through His Son.

If anyone asks you how to get to heaven, tell them to use The Ladder.

A Promise Forever

Ps. 111:9  He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name.

Promises are meant to be kept.  They are commitments that we expect will be honored by those who make them.  Unfortunately though, we've probably all been on the receiving end of a broken or unfulfilled one.  Maybe we've even made one ourselves that we weren't faithful to complete.

In ancient times, a covenant or promise involved the blood of an animal sacrifice.  It's blood was shed as it was cut and slaughtered.  In fact, the word covenant actually means cutting.  Once the sacrifice was made, the covenant was ratified and sealed.

God made a promise to us that is found in Hebrews 8:10.  He says, "I will be your God and you will be My people."  And Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice that was made to seal God's promise.  Through the shedding of His blood, this covenant of God's grace was put into effect.

Rejoice in knowing that God will remain faithful to His covenant (Ps. 105:8, 111:5). 
He intends to keep His promise forever!