Latest / The Daily Word / August 18 – Don’t Doubt, Only Believe
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hi friends, welcome to the Daily Word Podcast. I'm Robert Rosales, and along with my wife Yolanda, I have the privilege of serving as the campus pastor at our Gastonia location. Thank you so much for taking some time to invest in God's Word with me today. Whether you're listening on your morning commute, enjoying a cup of coffee, or beginning your day with the Lord, my prayer is that this time encourages you and draws you closer to Him. As we read, we're going to be using the SOAP method scripture, observation, application, prayer. In other words, what's the scripture that really popped out to me? What's the thing that I'm observing in the text? How does it apply to my life? And a simple prayer that I'm writing down and praying to God. It's a it's a really great, simple and easy framework for us to use. It will help kind of move God's word from You know, the pages into our everyday lives. Okay? Let's pray before we get started. Come on, pray with me. Father, thank you for this new day and for the privilege of opening your word. Quiet the distractions around us and the noise within us. Give us hearts that are teachable, minds that are attentive, and lives that are ready to obey whatever you reveal. Holy Spirit, illuminate the scriptures and help us not only understand them, but live them. We ask these in the name of Jesus. Amen. Well, friends, today's passage for August 18th comes from the Gospel of John, John chapter 20, and I journaled from verses 27 and 29. Let me read them to you out of the NIV as we get started. Then he, that is Jesus, said to Thomas, Put your finger here, see my hands, reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop doubting and believe. Then Jesus told him, Because you've seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. The title of my journal entry is Don't Doubt, only believe. Come on, say it with me. Don't doubt, only believe. I'm sure if you've read your Bible at all. You've been in church any length of time, you've probably heard about doubting Thomas. The poor guy. I don't think he'll ever, ever shake that off of his name. I want us to start by looking at the word believe. The Greek word is pistu o P-I-S-T-E-U-O. It's not a noun, it's a verb, it's action. And in this context, It means to trust or to have faith in, specifically to place one's confidence in Jesus as the risen Lord and God. And when Jesus tells Thomas, do not be unbelieving, but believing, he's calling him to move from skepticism to trust. Now it's also important that we realize this: the contrast between unbelieving and believing. Isn't primarily about intellectual agreement with facts, but about a relational commitment, trusting Jesus as Lord despite initial doubt. Now, here's my observation that I jotted down. Thomas wasn't with the other disciples when Jesus first appeared to them after the resurrection. When they told him they'd seen the Lord, Thomas refused. To believe them, unless he could see the nail marks in Jesus' hands and put his own hands into Jesus' side. That's in verse 25. And what's amazing here to me is that Jesus knew exactly what Thomas had demanded. Jesus' words revealed that he knew everything that Thomas had said when he was alone with the other disciples. And rather than dismissing Thomas's doubt, Jesus met him exactly where he was. Offering the very proof Thomas had insisted upon. Then, as a final encouragement, he tells Thomas, Don't doubt, only believe. Wow. Jesus puts a high premium on faith, on believing. His final words on the subject echo like a rock skipping across a lake, leaving endless ripples. Because you have seen me, you believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Friend, we're blessed. That includes you and I today and everyone on into the future who believe Jesus and who believe Jesus is who he said he was. Now, how does all this apply to our lives? This is what I wrote down. This speaks to me in this season of life I'm in. Believing God for big things on our Gastonia campus. What about you, friend? What are you believing God for? Maybe it's your marriage, your kids coming to the Lord, maybe it's finances or healing. Sometimes I slip into doubting what I know that the Lord told me when He sent us to our Gastonia compass. Moving forward. I will be careful to believe what I know I heard the Lord say when he assigned us to Gastonia. I refuse to allow doubt to infiltrate my mind, emotions, and actions. I will choose to push back the doubt and only believe. Come on, somebody say amen. Receive that for yourself. Here's the prayer. Father God, thank you for speaking to me today through your word. Thank you for reminding me that Jesus is willing to meet me where I am, yet at the same time he encourages me to push back the doubt and only believe. Holy Spirit, help me. As I read, pray, and meditate on Scripture, I thank you that you help me to stir up my faith and you help me to believe what God said and is saying. I ask these things in the matchless name of Jesus. And everybody said, Amen. Well, Lakeshore family, as you go about your day, my prayer is that you'll continue to grow in your love for Jesus and His Word. And as you invest time with Him, may He give you fresh insight, strengthen your faith, and guide your steps. Thanks for joining me today on the Daily Word podcast. I pray you've been encouraged to stay in God's Word and walk closely with the Holy Spirit. God bless you. And we'll catch you again tomorrow.