Sunday Stillness Link - If You Believed - Growing Through God's Word

Sunday Stillness Link – If you believed

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40, NIV)

 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer (Matthew 21:22, NIV)

Last Sunday our minister asked us when we began to believe. Then he asked us, “What do you think helped you to come to believe? He talked about all the pray-ers in our families, in our lives. Then he told us that the prayers of those people opened up God’s power to bring each of us to the knowledge of God. If you are not there yet, don’t worry. God is working on you – He is not finished with you yet. And He is not finished with believers either.

I have some ideas of who prayed for me. Certainly there were women in the church I started to attend who prayed non-stop for me. I know that because I joined their Bible study shortly afterwards. I thank God for leading me to them and for their prayers. I know my parents and my Dad’s parents were prayers – so I am sure I would have been in their prayers.

Let’s look at what the Bible says about believing:

Even though many saw the blind beggar healed, they refused to believe. But the now not-blind beggar certainly exclaimed, “Jesus healed me”.

We read from John 9:25 (NIV). The Pharisees had accused Jesus of being a sinner because he broke the rule of healing on a Sunday.

He (the blind man) replied, “Whether he (Jesus) is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

and then the beggar returns to Jesus. John 9:35-38, NIV

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

God only asks us to believe – not waver, but trust in Him. (click to tweet)

Do you have friends or family who do not believe?

Let’s pray for them now.

Lord Jesus, prayers we know are powerful because You are powerful. We pray for our families and friends who do not believe. We ask you to open ways for them to believe. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

I have asked myself many times, “if I believed earlier, how much different would our lives be now?”

My belief has changed my very existence, – the way I think, the way I act, the way I live. (click to tweet)

But then I remember it is all in God’s timing. Maybe I wasn’t ready to truly believe earlier. And that’s how I think of my family and friends – God is not ready to reveal Himself to them …. YET.

What are your thoughts? Yes or no.