NOT!

 

Hear these urgent, prophetic Words of Jesus.

It seems we have been so inculcated by the thoughts, ideas, views and ways of the world, that our Christian thought has become muddled and mixed with error. This is fatal for a Christian. We cannot walk in the Spirit of God and see the power and presence of God in our lives if we spend our days, lingering in the world.

I would go as far to say, we have lost our way. We no longer run from sinful images or displays. We no longer shun evil.

We drink it in by what we watch on TV and at the movies. We revel in it by what we read, think and say. We consider the “old time religion” as too strict and legalistic. So, we stain ourselves with the sin of doubt and blur our vision with double-mindedness. We doubt.

The Apostle and disciple, James, warns us that we “must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

The Bible tells us instead, and yes, commands us, doubt not and to “have the mind in us which is also in Christ Jesus”. It is the only way.

Jesus tells us that we must not doubt.

Strong’s concordance (#1252) definition of DOUBT: (diakrino), means to

1) to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to prefer

2) to be at variance with one’s self, hesitate, doubt

When it comes to God’s Word, we cannot make distinctions or discriminate or show preferences based on what we have learned from the world around us or by our life experiences. We cannot withdraw from doing God’s Word nor dispute what we must do in obedience to Him. We cannot be at variance with ourselves, nor hesitate or doubt in what God tells us we must do.

The world is against Christ and the world is teaching us to make up our own minds without regard to what God tells us. And as a result, our minds are being transformed by the world, by the media, by television programming, by the filth in the movies, by anti-God magazines, by hate mongering politics and more.

This is nothing new:

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from [a]any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  (Genesis 3:1).

The serpent told Eve to make up her own mind based on what she saw and thought according to the world around her. She gave the same advice to Adam, and they both ate, and their eyes were opened.”

And they died. And, all humankind died.

Death manifested as a life ending natural death, followed by the horrors of spiritual death and eternal separation from God.

The serpent has been telling us, since the beginning, that we surly will not die. He continues to tell us the same lie, today.

And, we are dying. Our faith is dying, our witness is dying, our Spiritual walk is dying. Morality is dying, families and relationships are dying and true wisdom is all but dead.

We take part in immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, every day. God has warned that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

This is the method of the Evil One. He is working to change our minds about God. He is telling us, “You surely will not die!”

But, God says for us to “wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

He is crouching at the door; and his desire is for you – but you must master him.”

DOUBT NOT

Matthew 21:21–22, “And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

This is not just a “memory verse”. This is not a method or a program for success. This is not knowledge for knowledge’s sake.

This is the Word of Life. It is the Flesh and Blood of Jesus. Consume it. Drink it in.

We must practice the Presence and the Word of God, every waking minute, if we are going to do what God has commanded.

You and I must separate ourselves from this world at every chance. Turn off the news. Put down the newspapers. Turn off the television. Avert your glance from all that is evil or full of dissension.

We can and must retake the lost territories. Listen to the LORD. Here is how:

Joshua 1:3-8 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.  “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

If you are able, join me in a 30-day Spiritual diet of God and His Word. Start by rejecting the evil thoughts and images of this world. Do this until you can go for ONE MINUTE without dwelling a negative or evil thoughts.

If an errant thought come to your mind, quickly cast it out and turn your mind, thoughts and words to Jesus.

Do this until you successfully complete ONE MINUTE.

Then go for TEN MINUTES.

Then, go for ONE HOUR.

Then, go for, ONE WEEK.

Then, make it for, THIRTY DAYS.

The results will astound you.

Remembering that God has said that, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

This is something we can do, now. This is what God is willing for us to do, now.

Have Faith

Doubt Not

Ask in Prayer

Believe

Receive

Your Friend and Brother

Mike Young