Mark 5:36b. Be not afraid, only believe.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, isn’t it great to be alive, to see another beautiful day on God’s bountiful earth? It certainly is, regardless of all our troubles!
And all God’s people raised a joyful shout of ‘Glory Hallelujah! Sing praises to the Most High God, for He is indeed worthy of praise, being such an awesome and magnanimous God!’
And that He most definitely is my brethren. He is just the ‘MOSTEST!’ (smile) The ‘Mostest’ in everything; LOVE, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, wisdom, faithfulness, understanding, compassion, comfort, etc. etc. etc. And we can go on listing the etcs’ forever. Wow!
Oh my people, it never fails to amaze me when I consider the mighty God we serve and worship, for there is none other like Him to be found anywhere in the entire universe!
And that’s why it is so important that ALL His creation believe in Him who created us in His own image; in His Son Jesus Christ who sacrificed His holy and sinless life on the cross to pay our sin debt in full and reconcile us to the Father; and in the Holy Spirit who lives and dwells in us, those who BELIEVE, to guide and comfort us along the oftimes rough and rugged pathway of our earthly pilgrimage.
And consequently, it’s imperative that we do as Jesus so wisely tells us in our Bit: ‘Be not afraid, only BELIEVE!’
And when we do that simple act my brethren, what an awesome change it brings to our lives; peace and mercy, LOVE and compassion, wisdom and understanding, faithfulness and righteousness… if fact all the wonderful attributes of our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present Deity are transferred into our souls, thus bringing us into right thinking and living with our Creator, which is basically all He asks of us.
But Friends, the first step of the wonderful journey is always BELIEF; sincere Belief!
Yes, believe that the Holy Trinity is who and what they say they are. For without that strong belief, that strong faith buried in our souls that wonderful journey with Jesus is impossible.
Enough of me though trying to convince you, let’s hear it from Jesus Himself. And the first instance is when Jesus prays for His own. ‘Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may also be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.’ (John 17:17-21)
Yes Friends, Jesus is praying there for all like you and I, who believe on the words of the apostles and those who come after them. Imagine that nuh, Jesus prayed for us some two thousand years ago!
And the scholars offer these explanations: ’17:17. Sanctify means to “set apart” or “separate for God’s purposes.”
17:18. Sent me…sent them means the mission of the church, corresponding to that of Christ. Their tasks are alike – in fact, in purpose, and in results, as this prayer shows.
17:21. They…may be one conveys spiritual unity, not organizational unity (cf. 1 Cor.12:13; 2 Cor.1:11; Eph.2:19; 4:3-16; Heb.10:25).’
Please take the time to read those scriptures Friends, I did, and they are all interesting, helpful passages.
Ah mih people, the power of belief, especially belief in Jesus, it is so strong that it can move mountains, and even the hardest of hearts! (smile)
Then we come to that seminal moment of truth, re Thomas’ unbelief. When Jesus rose from the dead and visited His disciples, on the first occasion Thomas was absent. However, when the others told him later on that they had seen the Saviour, he outright refused to believe, saying: ‘Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ (John 20:25)
How foolish Friends! But eight days later, Jesus again appeared to the disciples, and this time Thomas was there. And it’s certainly revealing and important how He picked out Thomas and said to him: ‘Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless (unbelieving), but believing.
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’ (John 20:27-29)
Yes Friends, those who haven’t seen and yet have believed, like us, are truly blessed! Such is the power of BELIEF!
And the scholars have an interesting note here: ’20:28. Lord…God: These words from Thomas form the climax of John’s gospel and summarize its theme.’
Oh my people, it’s all about BELIEF; belief in the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Now the long and short of the story is, if you believe, you’re blessed and saved; but if you don’t believe, crapaud smoke yuh pipe, you’re in serious trouble, facing eternal separation from Almighty God, the worst thing that can happen to a living soul.
So let’s be wise and believe nuh, it’s as simple as that. And furthermore, after we believe, let’s live a believing life and encourage others to believe, for remember the Father doesn’t want to lose even one single soul to that ole crook Lucifer.
And that’s the final message on belief from Jesus… And I hear the sighs of relief and the clapping of hands from the penny section. (smile)
And now may the Lord bless and keep us, those who believe, and also enable us to go out and help others to believe, for that is our bounden duty. Much LOVE!
…only believe…all things are possible with Jesus…only believe…
SCRIP-BITS 