DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE GOD? (PART 3)
TEXT:
"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, ... he that believeth shall not make haste." (Isaiah chapter 28 verse 16, King James Version)
In Romans chapter 9 verse 33 and chapter 10 verse 11, there it says that whoever believes in the Lord will not be put to shame. The same sentiment is expressed in Isaiah chapter 49 verse 23 and Joel chapter 2 verses 26 and 27. These verses and the Scripture reading for the day are saying the same thing.
Those who believe in God, dwelling in His revealed knowledge are stable, strong and in their commitment to Him, they do not make "haste". They wait and are not moved by what goes on around them. By their waiting on God, they have impliedly chosen His will, being not moved by the senses or events happening around them. In the end,
because they are not in "haste", but have chosen to wait on God, they are not "ashamed" because they have been properly guided by Him and are at last fulfilled by Him.
Believers don't act hastily; they are a patient stock, because they trust in God, knowing that all things work together for their good (Romans chapter 8 verse 28) and that He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3 verse 11). Patience is an indispensable Christian virtue that God has blessed us with, having made it part of the fruit of the human recreated spirit because of the Life of Christ within us (see Galatians chapter 5 verse 22, Revised Standard Version).
It's wonderful to hear that God has promised those that believe in Him that they shall never be put to shame; and glory to God for His faithfulness to His promises! Indeed, because of these kinds of promises, we put our faith in the Lord, believing that in the end things will get better for us. In as much as this is what is expected that we do as believers, it's critically imperative that we ask ourselves whether we truly believe in God. This is so because evidence abound of those who think they believe in God, whereas they actually do not; with the consequence that they become frustrated or disappointed and eventually, they make a shipwreck of their faith. My people, God says, are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea chapter 4 verse 6).
Beginning from part 1 in this series, we have successively shown that many Christians err considering what they mean when they say they believe in God. We have asserted that when many say they believe, it's at best a mere mental assent or acknowledgement of fact they have, which falls far too short of what it means to believe in order to secure for them the performance of God's promises. We have said that to believe is synonymous with obedience and that when you say that you believe, then you have to show it by acts of obedience. Anything short of this is not what the Scriptures say it is to "believe". It's therefore risky for anyone to say that he believes; whereas, he isn't at all; especially when it is God's promise that those that believe would not see shame. Any wonder that many see shame in spite of God's promise to the contrary?
To me, I think that the problem is with us and not with God. If only we can understand our role and know what we ought to do, we will always see God's Word performed in our lives. Has the Lord not been incontrovertibly shown to be faithful and true as regards His promises? (2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20). Again, has the Bible not said that "let God be true, but every man a liar;" (Romans chapter 3 verse 4). Besides, is it not a delightful thing to learn that God's counsels stand and are immutable? (see Proverbs chapter 19 verse 21 and Hebrews chapter 6 verse 7).
Therefore, it follows that any state of life that appears to depict or represent that God is unfaithful to His Word is borne out of the misplacement of culpability. We are the ones at fault, not Him! The question remains, DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE GOD? If so, shame is far from you, in Jesus name.
PRAYER:
Having believed in You Lord, I believe strongly that I will never see shame in my life because You'll always show up for me, in Jesus name.