It’s Okay to Ask

            

Oswald Chambers  tells us,“If you are up against the question of relinquishing, go through the crisis, relinquish all, and God will make you fit for all that He requires of you.”  From Devotions for MORNING and EVENING with OSWALD CHAMBERS.

Our Daily Bread:

            “It’s perfectly natural for fear and doubt to creep into our minds at times.

            ‘What if heaven isn’t real after all?’ ‘Is Jesus the only way to God?’
            ‘Will it matter in the end how I lived my life?’

Questions like these should not be given quick or trite responses.

            John the Baptist, whom Jesus called the greatest of the prophets (Luke 7:28), had questions shortly before his execution (v. 19). He wanted to know for sure that Jesus was the Messiah and that his own ministry had therefore been valid.

            Jesus’ response is a comforting model for us to use. Instead of discounting the doubt or criticizing John, Jesus pointed to the miracles He was doing.

            As eyewitnesses, John’s disciples could return with vivid assurances for their mentor.

           But He did more—He used words and phrases (v22) drawn from Isaiah’s prophecies of the coming Messiah (Isa. 35:4-6; 61:1), which were certain to be familiar to John.

           Then, turning to the crowd, Jesus praised John (Luke 7:24-28), removing any doubt that He was offended by John’s need for reassurance after all he had seen (Matt. 3:13-17).

           Questioning and doubting, both understandable human responses, are opportunities to remind, reassure, and comfort those
who are shaken by uncertainty. —Randy Kilgore                    

                        "When my poor soul in doubt is cast
                        And darkness hides the Savior’s face,
                         His love and truth still hold me fast                   
               For He will keep me by His grace.—D. De Haan

                  Reassurance comes as we doubt our doubts
                               And believe our beliefs.”

“Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk,…the poor have the gospel preached to them.” —Luke 7:22

Read Luke 7:18-28

Our quote for today:  Oswald Chambers – “There is only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ…If our trust is placed in human beings, we shall end in despairing of everyone.”[Jul. 30, pg. 436, of his Devotions for MORNING and EVENING with Oswald Chambers]

Today’s treasure truth #14: If you are “born again”, you are getting all your needs met. (Phil.4:19)

Our thought for today:  The opportunities you will have to live by faith are in your circumstances you are in each moment.

Tomorrow's post:  It's Not About Me! Barbara Duram writes, "It’s not about me. I can’t focus on myself. I must focus on God.

 I must let him use me, not me use Him for my purposes. It’s about learning to let God lead me.

The preacher did a good job with his sermon on Sunday but that kid..."