Confronting Unbelief

 "Take care, brothers, lest there be in you an evil, unbelieving, heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today", that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin". Hebrews 3:12-13. 

"And Jesus said to him, 'If you can? All things are possible for the one who believes". Immediately the father of the child called out, 'I believe, help my unbelief'". Mark 9:23-24.

"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever". Hebrews 13:8

Well, there is so much here, where do I start? I can only speak from my own experience. I don't know where you are my friend, but I can see that I have been afflicted by the unbelieving heart mentioned in Hebrews 3. It all makes sense now. The Jesus of today is no different than the Jesus who walked this earth 2000 years ago. If He healed and performed miracles, signs and wonders then, He can do it now. But when was the last time I prayed for someone, and they were healed? Have I even tried to cast out a demon? After He had risen from the dead, some still doubted, and Jesus had to rebuke them for their unbelief (Mark 16:14). Which of "these signs" mentioned in Mark 16 have followed me around? Casting out demons? Nope. Speaking in a tongue known to men but not to me? NYET. Snakes? Not so much. Laying hands on the sick and they recover? I only wish. 

Here's the thing: I always knew I wasn't doing ANY of the things Jesus said a disciple would do, but I assumed it was because Jesus just wasn't doing these things anymore. And when I DID hear of miracles done elsewhere, my response was fear, not faith. Or judgment. Certainly that "name it and claim it" preacher must be a quack, right? Well, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck . . . But their walk is not mine to judge. What is Jesus asking of ME RIGHT NOW? That alone must be my concern. 

Today I heard on the radio the well known song "We shall overcome". The lyrics are well known, but could I make a suggestion? Get rid of we SHALL overcome. Replay the song this way:

    We  HAVE overcome. We HAVE overcome. We HAVE overcome by Faith. Oh deep in my heart, I do proclaim, that we HAVE overcome by Faith". The hour is short. Jesus said that at the end of the age, many will come in His Name claiming they know Him, doing many signs and wonders, but doing so deceitfully. Is not God also raising up a new army of HIS followers, who really DO know Him, and who will also do these same signs? Let us then prepare our hearts, Saints. Let us invite the Holy Spirit to deal aggressively with the unbelief in our hearts as we await these last days.