Devotions about Unbelief | from Devotional Christian

I feel … but God says …

January 19, 2010

There are many times in my life when how I feel does not match what the Bible says is true. My emotions and feelings overtake what my mind and heart believes. At those times, one thing I’ve found to be really helpful is to take one bit of Scripture and apply it to that one part of my life where I’m struggling. Often I will study and memorize these Scriptures that apply to my area of struggle. And as I do this, I find that God is faithful to help me in my struggle. Here are some examples that are helpful for me…

When I feel burdened by my sin and unable to approach the holy God … the Bible says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16) Also, “you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.” Colossians 1:21-23

When I feel weary and too tired to take another step … God says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

When I feel bound by circumstances and fear of man … God promises He is with me. “In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Psalm 118:5-6

When I feel like God’s love is gone …the Bible says, “for I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:28-29

When I feel like sin has power over me … the Bible says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:12-14

How about you? What are some verses that encourage you when you are struggling? I’d encourage you to memorize them, carry them on little cards and keep them with you throughout the day. God is faithful and His Word is powerful! When your emotions seem out of control, remember that the God who created emotions is there to help.

[copyright, 2010, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

Tags Bible Study, feelings, spiritual growth, unbelief
Comments: #1

When Fear Comes Knocking, Have Faith in God

October 28, 2009

Filed In Daily Devotionals

Fear and worry are not mere emotions; they are expressions of what we hold dear. They reveal the loyalties of our hearts. If we know Christ and have affirmed our allegiance to him, worry is a sign that we are trying to have it both ways. We certainly don’t want to renounce our allegiance to Jesus, but we want to protect what we feel is our own. We are not so sure that the Lord can be trusted with some of these things, so we look for help elsewhere. And if there is no obvious alternate source of help, we worry.
from Running Scared by Ed Welch

Because God is faithful, we have no need to fear. But often, circumstances speak so loudly. They tell us that fear is natural… that it’s a normal response to have. Fear tells us that circumstances are bigger than God’s power, or even at times that God doesn’t care. It can be so pervasive. It creeps in so subtly. So, what do we do at times in our life when fear comes knocking? Or when we’ve seen it take hold in our lives?

Knowing and understanding God is crucial in our battle against fear.

We need to take gospel truths and filter our every fear through it. It is important to look back and remember how God was faithful in the past. Remember who you once were apart from the work of Christ in your life. God, in his great love, provided His Son so that you do not have to live your life captive to sin, even the sin of fear and worry. His overwhelming peace can speak louder to your heart than all your concerns and fears.

Here are a few gospel truths about God that help me when I struggle with fear:

He is a God of great love:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. (Eph 2:4-5)

He is my Father:

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. (1 John 3:1)

He is near to me:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Ps. 46:1)

He has promised to complete what He began:

He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6)

He is my Rock:

Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” (Is. 44:8)

God is my Father. He is near in my troubles. He will complete the work in me. He is faithful, and I can rest on Him.

Look back and remember all the times God has been faithful in your past. Through every trial you’ve faced, He never left you. He will never stop being faithful. Fight the urge to think of and project yourself ahead to a godless future.

God delights in His children coming humbly to Him. He promises that every time you are afraid He will give you fresh grace and fresh strength… powerful grace. Grace that is greater than all our fears!

[copyrighted, 2009, Emily Schankweiler]

Tags fear, God is faithful, Trusting God, unbelief
Comments: #3

Christian, Consider Jesus

October 13, 2009

Filed In Daily Devotionals

“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 3:13).

The author’s warning of the deceitfulness of sin is within a larger context of displaying the failures of the nation of Israel in their wilderness wanderings. Despite witnessing the works of God for forty years, they rebelled. The author of Hebrews gives us insight into what the fundamental problem was: “So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief” (Heb. 3:19). The author, again, warns his readers in verse 12, “Take care brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart.” At the most basic level, the deceit of sin hardens our hearts to disbelieve the promises of God.

We should recognize two things about the deceitfulness of sin. First, as John Owen puts it, “Sin will not only be striving, acting, rebelling, troubling, disquieting, but if left alone it will bring forth great cursed, scandalous, soul destroying sins.” We should be aware of sin’s fervor against us.

Second, sin causes us to lose sight of the big picture. There seems no other explanation for the Israelite’s golden calf incident. The Israelites’ fear and unbelief caused them to forget the Exodus event, along with God’s saving promises and erect an idol, crediting it as their savior. Isn’t this the case in our daily struggle with sin? We lose sight of the faithfulness of God and his Gospel and give in to discouragement or impatience. Yet, thankfully, the author of Hebrews gives us a significant remedy for our daily struggle in sin: “Consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession” (3:1). Our hope as Christians is to daily consider Jesus, in whom God has fulfilled all his saving promises. He the sure and steadfast anchor for the soul.