Category Archives: Belief

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Belief, Bible, Doubts, Faith, Romans, Scripture, Trust

DOUBT YOUR DOUBTS

ROMANS 14:23

“But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.”

My pastor says, “Doubt your doubt and believe your beliefs. Don’t doubt your beliefs and believe your doubts.” Did you get that? Too many of us today have believed those doubts that have been raised by the world. For instance, creation versus evolution. So many Christians have been swayed by the doubts thrown out by the scientific community about the age of the earth and how mankind came about. God’s Word should never be doubted. Amen? If He said it, that settles it.

Paul ends chapter 14 with this final statement about the one who doubts and does things outside his faith. He says they are “condemned” and what he is doing “is sin.” Pretty blunt words, don’t you think? Paul didn’t mince words. He spoke truth as God through the Holy Spirit gave it. He confronted those who were living in ways contrary to their beliefs. Can I give you one example? Let’s take a look at Galatians 2:11-14.

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It reads, “11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For prior to the coming of some men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and separate himself, fearing those from the circumcision. 13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?’”

Pretty straightforward, huh? Peter compromised for a bit. He doubted the truth he had been taught by Jesus and resorted to old ways influenced by Jewish believers who taught that circumcision and other Mosaic laws should be continued. The Greek word used here in Galatians is kataginóskó which means to find guilty based on first-hand awareness of the facts. This is a decisive guilty verdict.

That is not the word Paul uses in our verse today, however. That Greek word is katakrinó defined as to give judgment against. It has the same prefix kata which intensifies the other word krino which means to judge. Look at what Paul is saying here. We are bringing judgment against ourselves by our actions. Have you ever done something and instantly feel guilty? Boy, I sure have. This is more intense than that. Paul calls these actions sinful!

So, today as you go out, remember to believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts. Measure everything against the Word of God which will never let you down.

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of the Holy Spirit Who keeps me in check on my actions.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Wooden sign reading 'God is Able!' in front of New Covenant Community Church
Able, Belief, Bible, Power, Romans, Scripture, Strength

GOD IS ABLE

ROMANS 11:23

“And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.”

If you have followed the Lord for any length of time, you know He is able to do whatever He wants whenever He wants however He wants. God is infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, etc. You know all that. Why is it if we believe God can handle our eternity but we doubt His ability to handle our daily lives? Come on now, you’ve done that. So have I. Paul writes “for God is able” to remind us all that He is still involved in our lives.

The verse today was written specifically to remind the readers that if the Jews who had rejected Jesus turned to Him, they too would be grafted back into the root. God had cut them off because of their unbelief, but if they turned that into belief, they were back in. That simple. Think about that. God cut them off but will attach once again to His family tree. Isn’t that awesome?

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The Greek word translated as “able” is a word I am sure you have heard before. It is dunatos defined by Strong’s Concordance as “powerful or capable (literally or figuratively).” What is the biggest challenge you have before you right now? You may be facing an unsurmountable financial crisis. God is able. It may be a health issue that doctors told you there is no hope for recovery. God is able.

If God chooses to intervene in those areas of our lives, He is more than able to do the impossible. You’ve seen it happen and so have I. God cares about the smallest details of our lives. Remember the sparrows? He said not one would fall without His knowledge. I am not a “name it and claim it” kind of believer. But I do believe He tells me to call out to Him with my requests for myself and others. Do I get discouraged sometimes when He doesn’t act quickly enough or in the way I want? Sure, but I still know He is able.

Lay your burdens down before the throne today. He is waiting to pick those up. Sadly, many of us keep trudging down the road dragging our bundle of miseries when He is just waiting for us to call for His help. Do you believe He loves you? Do you believe He wants what is best for you? He is able. Never doubt that. He is the Master of the universe. He is the creator of all there is. That includes you! Trust His ability, not your own. Amen?

Father, I know You are able to do whatever I ask of You. Help me ask according to Your will and not my own.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Mother pointing finger and speaking to upset boy with arms crossed
Belief, Bible, Disobedience, Gospel, Isaiah, Obedience, Romans, Scripture

REFUSING TO OBEY

ROMANS 10:16

“However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?’”

As a I child, I was told things by my parents to help keep me out of trouble. And like most kids, I ignored their advice. I chose to not listen and do my own thing. As a result, I paid the price for not obeying. As a parent, I did the same with my children with the same result. Some things my children listened to and other things they ignored. Listening does not imply hearing. That’s plain in today’s text.

Paul uses a Greek word that is translated here as “heed.” It’s the Greek word hupakouó, which the HELPS Word-studies says, “is acting under the authority of the one speaking, i.e. really listening to the one giving the charge (order). Hypakoúō (‘to hearken, obey’) suggests attentively listening, i.e. fully compliant (responsive).” Paul is telling us that not all who hear the good news will respond. This is still true today.

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Once again, Paul goes to the prophet Isaiah. Here he quotes from Isaiah 53:1, “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” About this verse, Barnes says, “The form of expression, ‘Who hath believed?’ is a mode of saying emphatically that few or none had done it. The great mass of his countrymen had rejected it. This was an example to the purpose of the apostle.” Isn’t this exactly what Jesus dealt with Himself? Few followed Him although thousands heard Him preach and teach.

Hypakoúō is used in Ephesians 6:1 and Colossians 3:20 where it says for children to “be obedient” to their parents. Hearing with the intent to obey is the idea here. We are God’s children, aren’t we? So, aren’t we supposed to hear Him and obey Him? Of course, we are. It’s not that hard. But we still turn a deaf ear to Him when we want to have our own way. We think we know better. We may not say that, but our actions speak louder than words.

What is the result of someone refusing to “heed” the gospel? Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. “7 …when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,…” Let’s do all we can to give the good news to those who need it and pray they will “heed” the call of the Master.

Lord, it burdens my heart to know that millions who have heard Your message will turn away into an eternal destruction.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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The word 'How?' in bold, orange retro typography with purple and blue outlines and surrounding stars.
Answers, Belief, Bible, Hearing, Preaching, Questions, Romans, Scripture

HOW?

ROMANS 10:14

“How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?”

If you’ve been around preschoolers enough, you have probably been riddled with the “Why?” questions. Am I right? I have mentioned before that I spent a large part of my ministry working with children before I “grew up” and started working with men, lol. So, I’ve been hammered by the best of the preschoolers’ questions. Why did God make the sky blue? Why are fish smelly? Why do frogs croak? Believe me, I’ve heard them all.

It almost seems that way in today’s verse when Paul starts his series of “How” questions. Let’s take a look at the first three. The Greek word for “how” is pos and can be translated also as “in what way.” I kind of like that. Don’t you? Paul poses these indirect questions without really expecting anyone to answer him. He will be giving us the answer a little later.

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The first question is a follow up to the previous verse we saw in yesterday’s blog post. “for ‘EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’” A person cannot be expected to call on someone they have not believed in, can they? The Greek word for “call” is epikaleó which means to invoke, to appeal to. The prefix epi intensifies kaleo (to call). In other words, it means to really call. I heard that the rescued Weapons Service Officer’s first reply when they received radio contact from him was “God is good.” I bet he was calling on someone he believed in, don’t you?

The next question follows this one. How can someone believe if they have not heard? Heard what? The Gospel message of faith in Jesus. Isn’t that what they needed to hear? The Jews had heard the message and had rejected it. The Gentiles could care less about this Jewish rabbi who proclaimed to be the Messiah. Someone’s ignorance of Jesus does not exclude them from judgment. Just look back at Romans 1:19-20.

And the final question Paul raises is how can someone hear unless someone tells them. They need a preacher, a prophet or a voice from God, right? Look again at the Romans 1:19-20 passage and answer that question. This, of course, does not exempt us from our responsibility to be a truth teller. We need to be spreading the message for and wide. Help answer some of those “how” questions for people. Show them the One Who has all the answers.

O Lord, You are the answer to every question anyone could ever ask. Draw them to Yourself.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Belief, Bible, Justification, Justified, Scripture, Works

DON’T WORK, JUST BELIEVE

ROMANS 4:5

“But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,”

Sentence structure is important for a writer. Jumble up your words and thoughts and the reader has a hard time understanding what you are trying to tell them. I have had some tough English teachers in my lifetime. I won’t call any names, but one that I had in college was the worst ever. She threatened to fail any student that had a comma splice in their final essay. I found out later that she was known as the toughest English professor there. Wish I had known that before.

Paul uses three different verbs in today’s verse. Actually, two are participles that are tied to the main verb which is “is credited.” We saw that verb in the previous verse. If there was any doubt as to what Paul has been saying about works and faith, he makes it clear here. It is not our works that justify us and bring righteousness. It is belief in Him – plain and simple.

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Take a look at what God does for us. I love that Paul writes that He “justifies the ungodly.” Can you raise your hand on that one? I sure can. When I think back to my position before Christ, that is exactly what I was – ungodly. That word “ungodly” is the negative of “respect.” It means to show a lack of reverence or a failure to honor what is sacred. Boy, that was me. I knew all about God but failed to live for Him. But He justified me anyway when I turned to Him.

We are not required to clean ourselves up, to do some kind of hard labor before our belief kicks in. We simply believe. We recognize Him for Who He is – Lord. And we are given that gift of faith that will lead us to a righteous lifestyle. We don’t get there overnight. It takes time for us to learn how to live godly. But through prayer and His Word, we learn what He expects from us.

Do you believe? Do you really believe? Have you accepted this gift of grace and received your justification? God loves you with an everlasting love. He reached down from heaven and has chosen you to be His child. He called your name and, if you have answered, you are forever His. He will never leave you or forsake you. Now, stop trying to work for your salvation. Trust in Him and believe. Follow Him and obey.

Father, I thank You that since I did nothing to get saved, there is nothing I can do to “unsave” myself.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Belief, Bible, Existence, God's Will, Power, Scripture

DO YOU BELIEVE?

ROMANS 3:3

“What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?”

One great response to someone who says, “I don’t believe in God” is “Well, He believes in you.” You see, our belief in the Creator of the universe does not change the fact of His existence. God is God – period. He wants us to believe in Him, but He doesn’t need us to believe in Him to accomplish what He wants to do here on earth. If our unbelief could thwart God’s Will, He would not be a very powerful God, would He?

Paul points out in today’s verse the fact that some do not believe in God, but that their unbelief doesn’t “nullify” God’s faithfulness to us. That word “nullify” is the Greek word katargeó. It means to render entirely idle or useless. Paul is saying that what we believe or don’t believe about God does not make Him any less powerful.

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The Topical Lexicon says, “The verb carries the sense of causing something to lose its operative power: to render idle, inoperative, useless, or to bring to nothing.” What kind of God would He be if our belief or unbelief determined His power? I am reminded of God’s discourse with Job at the end of that book. In Job 38 God begins to question Job. You can read chapters 38-41 to get the full discourse. Look at 38:2-4 and see just a little. “2 ‘Who is this who darkens the divine plan by words without knowledge? 3 Now tighten the belt on your waist like a man, and I shall ask you, and you inform Me! 4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,’”

We have no right to question God’s existence. We may not understand a lot about God, but all we have to do to fix that is ask Him. Do you think God is playing with us? Do you think He wants to keep us in the dark about Who He is? Of course, not. He wants us to know Him fully. Our doubts and unbelief limit our knowledge of Him.

Ask the Lord today to show you more of Himself, if you’re ready for that. God desires to reveal more and more of Himself to you. All you have to do is come to Him and seek Him. Matthew 7:7 tells us, “‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.’” Jesus meant that when He said it, and it still holds true today. Believe and see!

Lord, show me more of You so that I show others.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Access, Atonement, Belief, Eternity, Faith, Forgiveness, Gifts, Grace, Scripture

SAVED BY GRACE

EPHESIANS 2:8

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” 

One of my memory passages is Ephesians 2:8-9. It is basic to our beliefs. In fact, it is fundamental. You are saved in no other way (we will see more on this tomorrow). It is through the grace of God that any of us can claim salvation and a hope for eternal life. In today’s verse, we see part one of this truth. God’s grace is sufficient for our salvation.

What exactly does Paul mean by this statement, “by grace you have been saved through faith”? HELPS Word-studies defines it this way. “Xáris is preeminently used of the Lord’s favor – freely extended to give Himself away to people (because He is “always leaning toward them”).” Paul knew, better than most, the magnitude of God’s grace. It had been given to him, a murderer of Christians, to give him access to the Father.

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But we can’t stop with just this one statement about being saved by grace through faith. Look at the last part of this verse – “it is the gift of God;…” Theologians have wrestled with this verse for centuries. Is grace the gift or is faith the gift? I believe if we look at the construction of the Greek, the answer is there.

Paul says “by grace you have been saved.” We saw this same phrase back in verse 5 of this chapter, but I wanted to wait for today’s verse to explain it. The Greek for this phrase reads, “by grace you are being saved through faith.” The verb is in the Present Indicative Active. It is an ongoing event. It is through your faith that God continues to save you because He is always leaning towards us.

I believe, as many others, that the real gift here is not grace, but faith. We are told in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” Isn’t that just like a gift? We hope for it, but we know it’s coming. God’s gifts to us are sure. Faith is one of them. He gives it freely to all who believe. Do you believe? Have you accepted this gift of faith which yields God’s grace to us?

O Lord, thank You for the gift of faith which allows me to tap into Your grace and my salvation.

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Abiding, Belief, Bible, Eyes, Heart, Scripture, Understanding

THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

EPHESIANS 1:18

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”

Understanding things is essential. Let me give you an example. I love to watch Do It Yourself (DIY) videos for home repairs. I was watching a video this week of a guy insulating his garage door. He seemed so confident and sure, even professional. Then, about midway through the video, he pauses the project and says he messed up. He had not fully understood all the details of the project. He had assumed each panel of the door was the same and cut his insulation appropriately. They weren’t, and he had about eight panels with the wrong size cut. He had not fully understood his project.

Paul is praying, in today’s verse, that the Ephesians will fully understand some things. Paul says, “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.” Albert Barnes says of this phrase, “The idea here is, that Paul not only wished their “hearts” to be right, but he wished their ‘understanding’ to be right also.” He wants them to understand two things – “the hope of His calling” and “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Paul wants them to know what they believe, not just believe. He wants them to be able to defend what they believe.

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Jesus said something similar in Matthew 6:22. “‘The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.’” Our eyes are for seeing. Our understanding is for perceiving – especially perceiving truth. Too many Christians get saved and just stop right there. They truly believe Jesus died for them and have asked Him to forgive their sins and come and live within them. They are saved, but they are ignorant of God’s truths. That makes them susceptible to the enemy.

1 Peter 3:15 tell us, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect;” We need to understand truth in order to be able to give a defense. The Greek word for “defense” is apologia, which is where we get “apology.” Think about apologetics. Apologia is defined as “a well-reasoned reply; a thought-out response to adequately address the issue(s) that is raised.” (HELPS Word-studies)

Are you prepared? Do you understand the truths of God’s Word? I don’t mean you have to have a seminary degree or be a theologian. But do you study to prepare to give a defense, to give a well-reasoned reply to someone who asks you about Jesus? That’s what Paul wanted for the Ephesians. That’s what God wants for you.

Thank You, Lord, for a good mind and the ability and freedom to study Your Word.

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Access, Belief, Bible, Following, Gifts, Knowledge, Scripture, Wisdom

WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

EPHESIANS 1:17

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”

Who doesn’t want to be wise and have knowledge? I guarantee you every student who is about to sit down and take an exam in school is praying for it. Who says there can’t be prayer in school, lol? But wisdom and knowledge are more than just knowing stuff and understanding things. The Bible says so much about wisdom and knowledge. In fact, we have whole sections of the Bible that are called the Wisdom section.

Paul says in his prayer (that he mentioned in yesterday’s verse) that he is praying that God will give the Ephesians “wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”But what exactly is he asking for? The Greeks loved acquiring wisdom and knowledge, but Paul is speaking more about them knowing how to use it. Notice he said, “a spirit of…” This wisdom and knowledge needed to make an inner change in them. That’s his prayer for them.

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We are probably all familiar with Solomon’s famous prayer to God when asked by God what he wanted now that he was king of Israel. Solomon said in 1 Kings 3:9, “‘So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, to discern between good and evil. For who is capable of judging this great people of Yours?’” 1 Kings 4:29-30 tells us of God’s blessing on Solomon. “29 Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of  mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.”

Unfortunately, Solomon ceased using that wisdom and knowledge when he intermarried and starting worshipping other gods. We find this sad end of Solomon’s life in 1 Kings 11:9-10. “9 Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him regarding this thing, that he was not to follow other gods; but he did not comply with what the LORD had commanded.”

My point? It’s not just the attaining of wisdom and knowledge. It’s how you use it and how you continue walking in it. We are all fallible, errant believers. We will never be perfect. But God, Who gives us this wisdom and knowledge, is able to carry us through, if we will allow Him. Will you be a lifelong seeker of wisdom and knowledge?

Father, I know any wisdom and knowledge I have is a gift from You.

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Abundance, Belief, Bible, Blessing, Eternal Life, Eternity, Pledge, Promises, Scripture, Trustworthy

FIRST INSTALLMENT

EPHESIANS 1:14

“who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

I currently have one installment loan that I am responsible for. When I moved to Knoxville, TN back in March, my wife and I had to borrow money to buy our home. That loan is an installment loan. Any type of loan you borrow all at once and repay in smaller increments is an installment loan. I will be paying on this house until I go to heaven or Jesus returns (whichever comes first, lol).

Paul uses this word three times in his letters – here, 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5. Only he uses it in the New Testament. I love how Albert Barnes explains this Greek Word, arrabón. “God thus gives to his people the assurance that they shall be saved; and by this “pledge” makes their title to eternal life sure.” The installment payment God made was His Holy Spirit. We have a little taste of heaven by being indwelt with His Spirit.

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Let’s look at the other two occurrences of that word. 2 Corinthians 1:22 says, “who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” In the same letter, Paul says this in 5:5, “Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a pledge.” This word was a common term used in business transactions. It was a promise of future payment. This pledge or first payment was meant to show you were good for the rest.

Aren’t you glad we know our God is good for the rest? His promises are sure. He will never fail us. He has promised us so much, but the best is an eternity with Him. Can you imagine? No more alarm clocks waking you up to go to work. No more bills to pay. No more aches and pains. No more…you fill in the blank. We will have a lot of “no mores,” but we will also have a lot of “so much mores.”

Take a minute and thank God for His gift of the Holy Spirit in your life as a believer. Thank Him for convicting you of sin.  Thank Him for uttering our deepest pains when we can’t find the words. Thank Him for His guidance through difficult situations. Thank for this pledge of our inheritance.

Father, You have promised us so much and given us this pledge as a reminder.

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