How To Respond When You Are In A Crisis Of Belief

“‘Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ So He said, ‘I will certainly be with you.’”  – Exodus 3:10-12

God, in His wisdom, has chosen to use those mortal men and women who are called by His name to be His voice and a light to a world that is bound for hell.  He chose Moses, to speak for Him and provided Aaron to help him.  When God is going to do something in our lives – through our lives for His glory and the good of mankind – He uses us.

I have shared this before – and I will probably more times in the future – God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit though prayer, the Word, circumstances and other Believers.  I believe that God is speaking to us now. Through all four methods.  He is speaking to us about unity in the Body of Christ.  He is making evident those things that divide us. It is never good that divides Christians – it is always sin.  Tolerated or ignored, but sin nonetheless.  So it brings us to a crisis of belief. We must come under conviction that individually or corporately we have sinned. Sin that we are aware of, but since it does not directly affect us, we pretend it is not sin – or at least not so bad that we must do something about it.  Sometimes God whispers and sometimes He shouts.  I think He is shouting now. 

The question is why? I think it is because He is about to do something and He is calling the Church to repentance, be united in purpose and witness. To be right with my brothers and sisters, I must first be right with God. Consider Matthew 5.

 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” – Matthew 5:21-24

 The man had humbled his heart before God and was then reminded of an offense with his brother.  God said, first be reconciled, then offer your sacrifice.  And what might that sacrifice be?

 “that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:1-2

 What is God saying to you in the midst of all of the turmoil caused by COVID 19 and the racial unrest?  Do you sense that something is not right spiritually? I hope so.  The idea of unity is not new. The idea of loving your Brother and Sister in Christ as being part of the same eternal family is not new – it is the second greatest commandment and proof that we are, indeed, Jesus disciples. It is proof to a lost world that there is a God in heaven, because what the world fails to achieve , the Church is able to achieve through faith in Jesus and the power of the Spirit.

 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” – Romans 1:28-32

Do you see what is happening around you in those verses? The world says – to prove that you are a “good and acceptable” person you must embrace sin.  God says that there are “none righteous”, “all have sinned”, bound for eternal separation from Him and you can only be “truly good” if you are born again. 

 “Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.’” – Mark 10:17-18

 Listen for God’s voice in the midst of the social and spiritual calamity that surrounds us.  Dr. Henry Blackaby said that know what God is saying is not the problem.  Obeying what He has said – that is the problem. 

Let your light shine!

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone