'Īnd He answered them and said, ``O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!' I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it. And then ask Him to make your doubt into something beautiful for His kingdom-a flourishing of belief that wouldn’t otherwise have been possible, like a tree blooming after the winter.Īnd one of the crowd answered Him, ``Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute Īnd whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. Be gentle with yourself and don’t force anything.Ī good place to start is simply to confess your thoughts and feelings to God as if to a caring friend.

Instead of worrying about your thoughts, try accepting that they’re a normal part of the process of growing in Christ. We may not always be able to see how seasons of doubt factor into our journey with God, but that doesn’t mean those ripples and waves are without divine purpose. The Lord is kind, patient, and understanding-He knows our limitations and loves us without condition. What’s more, our struggles don’t upset the Lord, who remains by our side, even when we can’t sense His presence. For centuries, countless believers before us have struggled through the same thoughts and emotions. And when that happens, the experience of doubt can feel very isolating.īut even in those lonely moments or seasons when we’re questioning what we believe, we’re never alone. But on other occasions, it hits us like a crashing wave. Thankfully, when we respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, believe in Jesus, and are born again as God’s children (John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said to him, ``Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'), we can rest assured.Have you ever felt your faith in God waver? Sometimes a doubt passes through us like a ripple. Salvation is a work of divine grace, not the product of man’s effort. Verse 12 of today’s passage shows that receiving Christ is the way to be in God’s family. Acts of service are an important result of salvation rather than the basis for it. If I serve or help others in God’s name, aren’t I part of His family? Good works are wonderful, but they don’t reconcile us to God. Pride makes us reject the idea that we need forgiveness. Won’t the Lord accept me because of His goodness? God is loving and good, but He is also just and cannot overlook sin. through faith.” It is the “gift of God” and “not a result of works.” What’s more, Ephesians 2:8-9 specifies that salvation is “by grace. But Romans 3:10 says, “There is no righteous person, not even one.” Holy God will not have dealings with unrighteous people-in other words, those who haven’t trusted in Christ. If I try to live morally, won’t God accept me? Questions like this assume that the Lord saves us on the basis of how we live. This statement often evokes many questions: Salvation refers to the freedom that is gained when the Lord rescues someone and makes that person part of His family (Romans 6:6-7 - knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin for he who has died is freed from sin). But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. John 1:9-12 - There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. Charles Stanley (September-10-2023) Daily Devotional: How We Are (And Aren’t) Saved.ĭo you still lack peace about your relationship with God? You can have assurance today.

Charles stanley devotional for today