Sep9
Matthew 11:4-5………Working
11:4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear (Jesus’ teachings, preaching.) and see: (Jesus’ miraculous healings.) 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the good news (Gospel) is preached to the poor. (Not those in poverty, but burdened by the weight of sin. By quoting the prophet Isaiah, Jesus reassures John that He is the Messiah, by showing how He’s doing exactly what Isaiah had prophesied.) {Is. 35:5, 61:1}
Continued From Book
Displays the tenderness of Jesus. He doesn’t rebuke us because of our lack of faith, but comforts and encourages us. ⇒ Notice Jesus does not send back a stinging word of rebuke. Jesus could have reacted in anger. Jesus could have said “Who does John think He is to question me? He saw the Spirit descending on Me. He knows that I am the Savior. He knows and he has preached it! He has no right or room to doubt me! But this is not what Jesus does! When He hears the doubts that gripped John’s heart He responds with love, patience, and grace. Look at His response: “Go and show John again…”Jesus is willing to help John as he works through his problem. Jesus will demonstrate the same tenderness to us when we find ourselves locked in the prison of perplexity. He will come to us and minister to us there. He will never come down hard on us when our faith falters or when we go through low points in our Christian walk. In fact Jesus does just the opposite He speaks words of comfort, peace, and honor. In the same way if you know someone who is struggling and doubting don’t fall on them like a ton of breaks “Where’s your faith man”! Instead be patient with them. If they’re struggling, struggle with them. Find out what they’re struggling with. Help them find good answers. If its an intellectual struggle welcome that. Welcome those questions. Find good solid answers to those questions. If it’s a theological problem about Jesus take them to the scriptures concerning the things of Christ and His fulfillment of them. .
“Teaches how were to go to those who are struggling with doubt, telling them what we have seen and heard.” ⇒ Will you go and tell those who are in prison what you have seen and heard. Will you go and tell those who are grieving, those who are lonely, those who are struggling in life, those who are fighting some kind of battle, sickness, and addiction, what you have seen and heard. Will you go and tell them that you have a God who loves them, and who promises to be with them always no matter what they’re going through.
“Teaches how God often gives us what we need but not in the way we think or the way we expect.”⇒………….(To be Continued)
“Teaches how God doesn’t always change the circumstances, but does something far more helpful, He give us hope.” ⇒ When you think about it, Jesus’ answer doesn’t get John out of prison. It doesn’t change the circumstances of his life. But what it does do is gives him hope. Now, John can die in peace. He can accept his fate, whatever it may be, knowing that his life’s work was not in vain, knowing that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. And that is what true faith is all about, and that is what true faith gives us: True faith gives us true hope. Our faith doesn’t always change our circumstances. But it always gives us hope.
“Even today, when struggling with doubt and questions of faith we should always look to God’s Word for answers.” ⇒ If your confused about Jesus’ identity, Jesus’ nature, or Jesus’ love for you or His will for your life go to the Word of God. If your troubled with doubts concerning Jesus’ divine nature go to His Word and read passages like John 1:1-3, 1:14, 14:6-11, Phlip. 2:5-7, Col. 1:15-29, 2:9-10. If you doubt God’s love read John 3:16 “God so loved the world.” If you doubt God’s power read Ephesians 3:20; “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”. If you doubt God’s care read Philippians 4:19; “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” If you doubt your Salvation Read 1-John 5:13; “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” If you struggle that God can forgive you of sin read 1-John 1:19; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Or Exodus 34:6-7 “The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” Another good practise is to Re-examine the promises of God. Very often we claim promises that God never made! God never promises an easy life. As you examine the scriptures carefully you see that He has actually promised the opposite. What He has promised is His presence to strengthen us in difficult times.
More Notes & Applications
Calls for looking at what God is doing, rather than for what God is not doing. To often we get focused on what God isn’t doing, that we lose sight of all the wonderful things God is doing. Do not allow the situation your in, good or bad, to define who God is. Your situation should not be a commentary on God’s faithfulness or lack of it. God is faithful, God is, just, God is true. He is loving, He is merciful in all His ways. And just because we don’t sense that, in whatever our circumstance is, doesn’t change that immutable character of God! He’s still God. Whether in our moment it feels like it or not. He’s still God! And often He’s up to things we don’t understand in the moment. So instead of getting into that kind of slump, always remember the many wonderful things God is doing. And get our eyes off of, why isn’t God doing this, or why isn’t God doing that. It’s so easy to focus on the negative rather than the positive. It’s easy to see things as a lose, rather than think what did we gain in the process. Even when God isn’t doing something we think He should do. He’s doing something we need Him to do. Always! Ask yourself this how many times in a day do we tend to harpe on our kids, on our spouse, or on an employee for the one thong they aren’t doing, instead of seeing all the wonderful things they are doing? Because we do the same things with God.
Teaches when our faith is wavering God will be there to give us the affirmation and confirmation we need
Teaches when we find ourselves doubting we can go back to the bible and be reminded of God’s word & promises.
Warns how looking at our temporal circumstances can cause us to take our eyes off the spiritual/eternal.
Teaches though Jesus may not be the kind of Savior we expected, He is the Savior we need.
Warns against trying to pigeon hole Jesus or define Jesus by our own standards and expectations. It is we who should be defined by Jesus, not vice versa.
Teaches how God is big enough to handle our insecurities, our fears and our disappointments. Jesus may not have been the God John expected, maybe not even the God John wanted, but He was the God John needed, the God who we all need!
When the disciples of John left Jesus they returned and told him what they had seen and heard. They must have helped John overcome his doubts and fears because we never hear of him expressing doubt again. Also, consider the fact that John went to his death a willing martyr for the glory of the Lord.
HOW TO OVERCOME DISCOURAGEMENT & DOUBT
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Know that doubting is the normal part of the Christian life
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Reinforce your faith through reading the bible and prayer
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Remember how God has been faithful in the past
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Question your doubts as much as questioning your faith
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Take baby steps of faith
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Share your doubts with others who are strong in the faith that they may encourage you
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Accept them, deal with them and move past them. Let faith prevail
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Stay worshiping, serving, and following Jesus
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See doubt as part of the process of growing into maturity
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Remind yourself of God’s goodness and loving character
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Trust that God is going to provide an answer, and look for it
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Realize you don’t have all the answers, but God does
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Doubt can be a virtue in keeping us humble
- Posted by David Costa/
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