Yeah, Sure, I Believe…A Devotional
© 2002 Steve Lattier and Men’s Help MinistriesIf you were to stop and ask most people in America today if they believed in God, that would be the summation of their answer. A half-hearted affirmation to a mystery that they don’t understand but are willing to concede belief in only because it is safe to do so. Notice that I did not say whether or not the people were churched. That is because many in the church believe that same way. There is every category of person from teens making the anguish and question riddled transition from the faith of their parents to faith of their own to octogenarians who are caught in the trappings of religiosity and every type and class of person in between. If you have read the books or seen the movie “Left Behind” you can find these people summed up in the character of the disillusioned preacher who was astonished and broken to find that he actually did not believe. When you ask that question of someone there should be a certain fire in their eyes when they deliver a yes answer. Where does this kind of belief start? In the beginning of course. If you went back and queried those same people again with this question “do you believe the first chapter in the book of Genesis, the way it was written?” you would find a myriad of answers. Many people would argue fossil evidence and carbon dating, rare is the person that you come across that will simple say “yes.” You see, there is a direct correlation to how you believe the beginning, as to how you will believe the middle or the end. If you can’t believe that God actually created Life, then how can you resolve Him becoming flesh and dying to reconcile our differences? When asked about Genesis most people, even Christians will try to give some “modified” account using a plethora of “un-disproved” scientific theorems. Do you realize that what we accept world wide as fact about creation is just that? A whole mess of scientific theories that simply have not been disproved!!!! Outrage! Why, Genesis stands on its own that easily. Did you know that Science and all its theories has not disproved Genesis! Why is it that most people cannot bring themselves to utter belief in Genesis? Easy. If Genesis is true then the rest of the bible is true and if the rest of the bible is true then we really are wholly accountable to God for ALL our actions when we stand before Him to be Judged. If Genesis is true then that means the whole bible is true and that means that many people are going to go to hell irregardless of whether or not they were nice people. Scary propositions, those. How can you believe the end, if you do not believe the beginning?
The Word:Matthew 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.Jesus is admonishing us to tighten up our beliefs. It is important to take God at His word. While I am quite sure that I will be surprised by who I will see in Heaven, the Bible is painfully clear that there will be those who will not make it. What will stop them? Unbelief will. Jesus say’s that the gate is “small” and the road “narrow” to get to Heaven. We cannot accept the worlds’ views and values and opinions and expect to make it to Heaven. Jesus’ resurrection holds no power until you believe it. If you think that Jesus spitting on the ground and making mud, putting it on a blind mans eyes and healing him is just a metaphor, not a reality, then how can you believe that Christ overcame Death? Belief is essentially the cornerstone of Faith and Faith in Christ is, of course, the cornerstone of Christianity. It is critical in how we believe and how much we believe. Look at this fellow.
The Word:Mark 9:22 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" 22"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." 23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." 24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"“I believe, help me with my unbelief,” now that is a puzzling statement. Well, it would be if we were not talking about this very subject. Belief like growth comes a little at a time. Belief in the entirety of the Bible will not generally hit someone overnight. More often than not it is a process where you are nudged by tidbits that get spoken into your life over time. Then one day you realize that it IS ALL true and you come to life changing salvation in Christ. That man’s son was possessed and he struggled with belief, because he had lived with it since his son was a mere boy. In all that time you can be assured that he had been to many priests and healers. The man was a skeptic. He wanted to believe but had gotten his hopes up too many times. Jesus came along and the man was ready, he had already heard stories of Jesus’ miracles. Jesus gave him that last little nudge into belief. I can see Jesus just kind of glancing sideways at the man and saying “If you can?” with a wry, joy filled grin on his face. That man had to see something in Jesus, and the way he looked, to trigger the beginning of belief. Jesus became real to that man that day. But the man was not finished on that day. He still had doubt, he still had fear, that is why he asked Jesus to help him with his unbelief. We are no different than that man. We have heard tales of Jesus’ miracles, we want to believe, yet Jesus has not become REAL to many of us. In order for us to enter the “narrow gate” then Jesus has to become real enough to us, to cause us to believe! If “In the beginning” isn’t set in stone in your life then how can “and God sent his one and only son” be? When someone asks you if you believe there should be no hesitation and your answer should leave no question. “Oh, I absolutely believe!” See it is absolutely all true it can’t be a pick and choose Bible, remember only the “narrow road” leads to life!
Pray with me: Father, I believe; help me with my unbelief! Lord I admit that I struggle with the beginning. Help me to believe your words and how you said you authored creation. I understand that just like in a race my start effects my finish. Help me to finish strong. Help me to have rock solid belief. Help me to be the one to answer others questions and point them to you. I love you Father! Change me forever! Make it so in Jesus name. Amen!If you are not saved and would like more information please email me, see me, or visit us at
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