"But he said to them, 'Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." -John 20:25
The disciple Thomas is unfortunately more known for his unbelief than anything else in scripture. The famous phrase "doubting Thomas' refers to someone who is a skeptic because of a lack of personal experience. In this case, Thomas doubted that Christ had risen from the dead because of the simple fact that he had not seen (or experienced) the risen Christ. Even though all of the other disciples tried to convince Thomas that Christ had risen, he wanted nothing to do with it. In order for Thomas to believe, he was going to need some real, tangible evidence that Christ had indeed be resurrected from the dead.
It is interesting to note that even though Thomas did not believe, he still hung around with the disciples. In the very next verse, John records that a week after Thomas's famous declaration, Jesus revealed himself to Thomas. But where was Thomas when Jesus revealed Himself? He was with the disciples! I think it is a reminder to believers that even though we all experience moments of doubt, we still should be around other people of God.
But what about if you don't believe in Christ at all? I think the story of Thomas is a testament that if you truly want to know Christ, He will reveal Himself to you. If Thomas really did not want to know if Christ had risen from the grave, he would have left the other disciples. Even during the week before Christ revealed Himself, Thomas must have thought that the disciples were crazy or had a bad dream or even hallucinated that they saw a risen Jesus. Yet, no matter what he thought, Thomas still hung around. There had to be a little something inside Thomas that said, "You know, all of these guys sound crazy and there is no way that Christ could have really risen from the dead. But what if He did...?" I think that this is an important fact for non-believers to take note of. So many people are quick to dismiss the facts of Christianity and the notion that Christ could rise from the dead. But what if? What if Christianity is true? What if Christ really did rise from the dead after being crucified? It could be life changing for you.
Though I am Christian and believe the Bible to be true, there are still moments of doubt. There are still times when I wonder if what I believe is actually true. Though I have these doubts, I don't rest on them. I seek answers. And so far, every answer that I have searched for has led me straight back to Christ. Sure, there are arguments against Christianity that make me stop and think. They make me question what I believe. But every issue deserves a fair look on both sides. If you're struggling with the facts of Christianity, don't just dismiss them. Investigate! Research! Seek truth! Don't just settle.
I also encourage Christians to keep seeking the truth. Just because you believe the bible and what it says, don't stop there. Why are you a Christian? What evidence can you give of Christianity? We need to be able to answer these questions. And when someone raises a fair question that makes you think about your faith, just remember, "The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." - Proverbs 18:17.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
God Cries?
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 'Where have you laid him?' he asked. 'Come and see, Lord,' the replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, 'See how he loved him!'" -John 11: 33-36
There are moments in time when we hurt. Sometimes it may be nothing more than just loneliness but most of the time we have a legitimate reason to be hurting. It could be because you lost your job or you can't find a job. It could be because of a relationship that is no longer. Or it could be because of the death of someone that you really cared about. In chapter 11 of the Gospel of John, Lazarus, Jesus' good friend, dies. When Jesus finally arrives in Judea, Lazarus has already been dead four days. The scripture from above details as Jesus goes to the grave of Lazarus. He is being lead by Martha and Mary, Lazarus' sister. As they roll away the stone blocking the entrance of Lazarus' grave, Jesus sees everyone there begin to cry and the bible says that "He was deeply moved and troubled." And then perhaps one of the most unthinkable things in all of the bible happens: Jesus cries! Jesus, who is God in human form, weeps at the grave of Lazarus. Now to be fair, theologians have argued to no end as to why Jesus cried. For those who don't know the whole story, SPOILER ALERT! After He weeps, Jesus raises Lazarus back to life, calling him out of the grave after being dead for four days. People have asked the question, "why did Jesus cry if He was going to bring Lazarus back to life AND He knew he was going to do it?" Its a fair question but I think the most probable answer is that Jesus had compassion on Mary, Martha, and the other Jews at the grave. He felt their pain; he felt their anguish toward the death of Lazarus. Yes, Jesus knew that in a matter of moments, he would be calling Lazarus out of the grave but I think that this scene shows that God hurts when we hurt. Death was never supposed to be a part of life. God did not create human beings with the purpose of one day dying but instead we were created to live forever with Him. Jesus crying really touches my heart. To know that I serve a God who feels my pain and knows what I'm going through is really comforting to me. I know that no matter what I go through in my life, God is with me and he cares for me. And just like Lazarus dying was such a terrible thing, Jesus used it to show His power. Maybe you're going through a tough time and you think that there is no way anything good can come from it. Romans 8:28 reminds believers that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him." Remember, there would be no rainbows if there were no rain. God can take the worst situation and turn it into something you never thought possible. Nothing could be a better example of this than Jesus dying on the cross. The worst thing that has ever happened in the world; God in human form is murdered. But what did God do with that? He turned it into the gift of salvation for those who put their faith in Jesus. No matter what you are going through, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Put your faith in Jesus and trust Him to get you through it.
There are moments in time when we hurt. Sometimes it may be nothing more than just loneliness but most of the time we have a legitimate reason to be hurting. It could be because you lost your job or you can't find a job. It could be because of a relationship that is no longer. Or it could be because of the death of someone that you really cared about. In chapter 11 of the Gospel of John, Lazarus, Jesus' good friend, dies. When Jesus finally arrives in Judea, Lazarus has already been dead four days. The scripture from above details as Jesus goes to the grave of Lazarus. He is being lead by Martha and Mary, Lazarus' sister. As they roll away the stone blocking the entrance of Lazarus' grave, Jesus sees everyone there begin to cry and the bible says that "He was deeply moved and troubled." And then perhaps one of the most unthinkable things in all of the bible happens: Jesus cries! Jesus, who is God in human form, weeps at the grave of Lazarus. Now to be fair, theologians have argued to no end as to why Jesus cried. For those who don't know the whole story, SPOILER ALERT! After He weeps, Jesus raises Lazarus back to life, calling him out of the grave after being dead for four days. People have asked the question, "why did Jesus cry if He was going to bring Lazarus back to life AND He knew he was going to do it?" Its a fair question but I think the most probable answer is that Jesus had compassion on Mary, Martha, and the other Jews at the grave. He felt their pain; he felt their anguish toward the death of Lazarus. Yes, Jesus knew that in a matter of moments, he would be calling Lazarus out of the grave but I think that this scene shows that God hurts when we hurt. Death was never supposed to be a part of life. God did not create human beings with the purpose of one day dying but instead we were created to live forever with Him. Jesus crying really touches my heart. To know that I serve a God who feels my pain and knows what I'm going through is really comforting to me. I know that no matter what I go through in my life, God is with me and he cares for me. And just like Lazarus dying was such a terrible thing, Jesus used it to show His power. Maybe you're going through a tough time and you think that there is no way anything good can come from it. Romans 8:28 reminds believers that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him." Remember, there would be no rainbows if there were no rain. God can take the worst situation and turn it into something you never thought possible. Nothing could be a better example of this than Jesus dying on the cross. The worst thing that has ever happened in the world; God in human form is murdered. But what did God do with that? He turned it into the gift of salvation for those who put their faith in Jesus. No matter what you are going through, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Put your faith in Jesus and trust Him to get you through it.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Void Only God Can Fill
"This is what the Lord says: 'What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.'" - Jeremiah 2:5
I know in my life, there have been plenty of times when I have felt alone; I feel that no one can understand what I'm going through and no one can help. I think it's human nature to sometimes feel defeated and empty. Sometimes we get to a certain point in our lives and we wonder if we're doing what we are destined to do. Some people try to mask this empty feeling with alcohol, drugs, or their money but somehow the void is always there. It never goes away. All the alcohol, drugs, and money in the world are not going to fill the void; they're only going to make it bigger. I have found that the only thing, more specifically the only person, who can fill that void is Jesus Christ. I have found that when I put my faith in Him, he never leaves me and he never forsakes me. Of course there are times when I still feel lonely or helpless but that's when I get the most use out of my faith in Jesus. I know that no matter what I do or how I feel, He will never leave me. I sometimes think about people who don't have a faith to call on and how they rely on the desires of this world to fill that void in their life. I truly believe that the void that you feel was placed by God on purpose. Not that He wants you to feel lonely or depressed but He wants you to know that He is the only one that can fill that void in your life. What that void really is is a longing to know God; a longing to have a relationship with Him. He loves you. You were created in His image to enjoy the life that He has blessed you with but also to be in close connection with Him. I know some people will read this and think that I'm now some sort of "Jesus Freak" and that is okay with me because I am. And if everyone would truly ask Jesus to come into their life and make a change, they could experience all the things that I have described.
If you are going through something in your life and it feels like nothing else in this world is making you better, maybe it's time to try Jesus. As I said before, the feeling of emptiness is God's way of letting you know that this life on Earth is not the only thing you were made for. You were made to be in heaven where He is. The great Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." Lewis nailed it. This life on earth is just a temporary stop on our way to heaven.
If you're tired of being disappointed by the things this world has to offer, ask Jesus for help. It will be the best decision you'll ever make. I guarantee it.
I know in my life, there have been plenty of times when I have felt alone; I feel that no one can understand what I'm going through and no one can help. I think it's human nature to sometimes feel defeated and empty. Sometimes we get to a certain point in our lives and we wonder if we're doing what we are destined to do. Some people try to mask this empty feeling with alcohol, drugs, or their money but somehow the void is always there. It never goes away. All the alcohol, drugs, and money in the world are not going to fill the void; they're only going to make it bigger. I have found that the only thing, more specifically the only person, who can fill that void is Jesus Christ. I have found that when I put my faith in Him, he never leaves me and he never forsakes me. Of course there are times when I still feel lonely or helpless but that's when I get the most use out of my faith in Jesus. I know that no matter what I do or how I feel, He will never leave me. I sometimes think about people who don't have a faith to call on and how they rely on the desires of this world to fill that void in their life. I truly believe that the void that you feel was placed by God on purpose. Not that He wants you to feel lonely or depressed but He wants you to know that He is the only one that can fill that void in your life. What that void really is is a longing to know God; a longing to have a relationship with Him. He loves you. You were created in His image to enjoy the life that He has blessed you with but also to be in close connection with Him. I know some people will read this and think that I'm now some sort of "Jesus Freak" and that is okay with me because I am. And if everyone would truly ask Jesus to come into their life and make a change, they could experience all the things that I have described.
If you are going through something in your life and it feels like nothing else in this world is making you better, maybe it's time to try Jesus. As I said before, the feeling of emptiness is God's way of letting you know that this life on Earth is not the only thing you were made for. You were made to be in heaven where He is. The great Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." Lewis nailed it. This life on earth is just a temporary stop on our way to heaven.
If you're tired of being disappointed by the things this world has to offer, ask Jesus for help. It will be the best decision you'll ever make. I guarantee it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)