I realized recently that I have become my own worst offender. I am starting to become one of those nomadic church hoppers. The one who goes to one church one sunday and then another on the next. I will grant that I only switch between two and if they were closer together the choice would be obvious. The distance and timing makes it difficult to go to the church that I would prefer or feel more at home. On the sunday's that I do get to go I only get to go the morning service and am not really plugged in. I can't have the best of two worlds so I have decided that I need to plant myself in the local one and become plugged in once again. These were the thoughts I had when I woke up and ended up missing the service I wanted to go to and had to hurry to make it to the local service where I could have gone to sunday school in the morning. I realized that life isn't perfect and neither are churches. The key is to get closer to God and make the best of whatever situation you are given. If I try and make it to the service that is thirty minutes away but has great praise and worship I am missing out on sunday school and fellowship. I think these thoughts and today's service helped med to realize that I am more called to stay at the local and get connected- and pray for the changes that I would like to see. Also: If you are reading this blog and you know someone who really wants to get into youth ministry for the college age kids as a paid position: EMAIL ME--> email on the side bar. I will give you more details.
Now that that's said and done today's message was titled
Dealing With Doubt:
The passage was taken from John 20:24-29 -talking about Jesus dealing with Thomas's doubts.
John 20:24-29 (The Message)
24-25But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master."
But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."
26Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."
27Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."
28Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
29Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."
Whenever we deal with Thomas we also see a negative stigma. "Doubting Thomas" or Thomas had a lack of faith. The truth of the situation is that Thomas was probably a realist or pragmatist. The others has the opportunity to see Jesus and affirm their faith. Thomas just wanted the same experience they had. How many of us would truly believe without seeing?
In order to overcome our doubts we must do three things:
we Acknowledge our doubt- this provides opportunity to work through and deal with doubt
we Confront our doubt- thomas didn't stop participating with the others he just wanted the same experience that they had. When Jesus appeared he didn't badger Thomas about his lack of belief in stead he helped him to be apart of the experience and offered him an opportunity to overcome his doubts.
we overcome our doubt
Summary: God wants us to overcome doubt. NOT just for an intellectual purpose but to know God and to develop a relationship with him. Don't just know about God but know who he is.
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