believe

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Believe. . . ! Doubt Your Doubts!

27th September

““Peace be with you,” He said. Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand into the wound in My side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!””

John 20:26c-27

Thomas was one of the only disciples that didn’t believe Jesus had physically risen from the dead, even though he had been told that Jesus had revealed Himself to the other disciples, on the same day of His resurrection. John tells us that 8 days later, as the disciples where gathered together, Jesus showed up in their midst. Guess who was there this time?! Yes, Thomas.

One of the most amazing points of this story, if not the pinnacle of this story, is the way that Jesus revealed Himself to Thomas. Earlier Thomas had said to the other disciples that he wouldn’t believe Jesus had resurrected unless he saw the ‘nail wounds in His (Jesus’) hands’, put his ‘fingers into them’ and put his hands into ‘the wound in His (Jesus’) side’. When Jesus saw Thomas, guess what He did to prove His bodily resurrection to Thomas. He graciously let Thomas see His hands, put his fingers into them and touch the wound in His side. It was exactly the kind of evidence Thomas needed. As a result Thomas did believe. So much so, that according to some Christian historical records, Thomas was the first man to take the Good News to India.

What does this mean for us? If Jesus saw it fit to calm Thomas’ doubts by showing Him exactly what he wanted to see, then shouldn’t that be of significance to us too. When we pray for people to come to know Christ, why not pray that Jesus would reveal Himself to them in exactly the way that they need, to no longer doubt but believe! Jesus could have performed a miracle, could have spoke a prophetic word or done so much more to prove Himself to Thomas. Yet He didn’t because He chose to reveal Himself to Thomas in exactly the way he needed.

Lord, I pray that You would reveal Yourself to . . . . . . ., and show them exactly what they need to be rid of their doubts and believe in You. Just as you did with Thomas, meet them where they are at, with what they need to believe in You.. IN JESUS’ NAME. Amen

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Empty Words – A Hypocrite’s Language

7-8th March Weekend Edition

“When you pray don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.”

Matthew 6:5

Corporate prayer, when done in the right way, can be so edifying, encouraging and uplifting. Yet there is a stark difference to praying as a united body and praying so everyone can hear your eloquent long speeches to God. The key to an effective prayer, as we talked about yesterday, is asking in faith, believing that you will be answered and be thankful for the response you will receive. An ineffective prayer, is a prayer that is prayed so others can hear what you are saying to make yourself look good and sound clever. This is exactly what Jesus was addressing here in today’s passage. The Pharisees and Scribes, often named as the hypocrites, tended to pray loud, long and wordy prayers, not to enhance their relationship with God but to show off their superior spirituality to others around them. However Jesus directly challenged this attitude and corruption of what prayer really is. He even adds that the only reward for their prayer would be the response they received from the people listening. It may seem harsh but praying in this manner is completely missing what prayer is. There is no use in praying, if you are praying so other people can enjoy your churchy jargon. Prayer is a heart to heart communication with God. Period. Again, that is not to say that praying out loud or corporately is wrong. On the contrary; when in the right context and in purity, honesty and sincerity, corporate prayer can be so powerful and strategic. The issue Jesus challenges is that of an insincere and self-edifying prayer. When you pray, whether corporately or privately, imagine that you are sitting at the very feet of Jesus and having a real conversation with Him and that He is the only one listening.

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Ask, Believe and Receive

6th March

 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Matthew 7:7

Part of praying is believing that what you pray for will happen. That is called faith. Faith is not found in prayers of eloquent words or in prayers that have been prayed for long periods of times. Faith is quite simply knowing who it is I am praying too, and knowing that if I ask in His Name and in accordance with His will, it will be done.

Jesus reminds His disciples that an effective prayer is one that believes and receives. If you ask, receive what you are asking. If you are seeking, then you will find and if you are knocking, the right door will open for you. The key is simply believing and receiving in faith. God knows what you need even before you ask. That is why He has already prepared your answer, even before you pray. Yes there are sometimes, when God allows us to make our own decisions based on common sense and God living in us. Yet, when we need divine inspiration, healing, break through, guidance and wisdom, Jesus is at hand to answer our prayers of faith.

The good news is that no prayer is too big or small for our loving Heavenly Father to deal with. He wants what is best for us every time. All we need to do is believe and receive. Don’t lack because you haven’t asked for it. Trust God and He will provide. Trust God and He will guide you.