Based on John 8:48-59 (New King James Version)
“Then the Jews answered and said to Him, ‘Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
For many people, the Lord can never do enough to help them believe how they need to believe in Him. They always want something more; like more evidence, that He fulfill their desires, that He do for them a miracle. But, it seems like it is never enough, even for those that say they believe in Him. Within the deepest parts of many people, this doubt still exists: “Is Jesus God?”
Unfortunately, many people continue being like the pharisees and the religious people of that time, and even like the regular people that existed back then. For it is written: “Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.” Mark 6:5-6. The majority of people did not believe in the Lord as who He is, even His own disciples; because there was also a moment before His arrest that He was abandoned by His disciple, for it is written: “But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.’ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” John 6:64-67. When Jesus was arrested, the remainder of them scattered as well, leaving Him completely alone. And finally, when He was buried, no one waited to see His resurrection, no matter how much He told them that it would happen. So then, even those closest to Him did not believe completely; because if they would have, they would have been waiting right next to His tomb to see Him resurrected at the third day.
We can start to contemplate all of the different reasons why people have a hard time believing, but the issue is, hardly anyone believes that Jesus is who He is: God, Lord, and the Almighty. Whatever the reason, or reasons, man’s disbelief bears a price: eternal perdition. No matter what they say, or what they do, if there is no real faith in the Lord, there is no salvation, because God cannot be deceived. For it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. He knows even man’s most intimate things; their thoughts, their feelings, absolutely everything. For it is also written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. So then, there is nothing hidden from Him. And one thing is sure, whether people believe it or not, that the power of judgment is in the Lord’s hands, and this is something that everyone should have present. For the Scriptures also say: “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” Matthew 10-27-29.
But here is where we see God’s great love (even though many don’t appreciate it because they ignore its value), that if you still don’t believe as you should in Him, and you are reading this, He (and only Him) is still giving you the strength, the ability, and the intellect to be able to come to believe as it is necessary. If a person is still living, it’s because of the manifestation of the Almighty in all of His love and splendor that is still giving them the opportunity to believe, for it is written: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:1-6. Even though a person may not believe it, He still continues giving opportunities to believe. This is the true manifestation of His love, His power, His glory, and everything that makes Him worthy, because such patience and goodness would not be possible any other way.
Maybe the greatest problem that many people have is that they lack the ability to realize that God is really trying to help them. They are blind to the reality that they will be lost if they don’t change and repent. The greatest miracle in all of the universe is the eternal salvation of a soul. There is nothing else that is more worthwhile. Eternity does exist, and it matters more than these few, miserable and sad years here on this planet. And if you don’t understand that, for your own sake, try to understand that, before your time comes to an end, because the opportunities will end.
So then, is there anything that might be holding you back from truly believing in the Lord as you need to? If you do have something that is interfering, my most excellent advice is that you let that go because nothing is more valuable than your soul. Doubt will send you straight to hell. The decision to believe in the Lord for who He is, and with all of your heart, is your responsibility. Lord bless! John