Don’t Stop Believing
Read This Week: John 20
Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later, his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” – John 20:25-27 NIV.
This chapter of John captures the different appearances of Jesus after He rises from the dead. He miraculously appears to Mary Magdalene, two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Peter, and the Apostles, including a decisive moment on the shores of Galilee. Christ also appears to the Apostles again, but this time one of the disciples is present that wasn’t there on Sunday evening. When the follower, Thomas, heard that Jesus had appeared to them before, he didn’t believe it. He said he couldn’t believe it unless he saw the wounds in Jesus’ hands and the wound on His side.
Then Jesus showed up again and said to Thomas, put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Stop doubting and believe. As human beings and imperfect followers of Jesus, we have moments like Thomas. Our doubt can lead to an assortment of distractions and paths that lead us away from God. But the Lord loves us so much that He gives us the same wake-up call to examine ourselves and our faith. He stands with us in a room and calls us back to the scars on his feet and hands to remind us of His sacrifice, grace, mercy, sovereignty, and power.
Like when we get a little too full of ourselves, self-sufficient, or desirous of the praise and notoriety that God alone deserves, something inevitably happens that says, stop doubting and believe. We didn’t bring anything into this world and won’t take anything out of it, so we must not allow doubt in who God is to make us arrogant and prideful. We must allow faith to humble and mature us.
When mistrust in the Father leads us to get a little too pious, self-righteous, or judgmental, God says, stop doubting and believe. We’re human and were once dead in sin before we placed our faith in Christ, so we must not allow doubt to make us like Thomas or the Pharisees. We must enable faith to give us the trust and acceptance of a submissive child.
When suspicion about our identity in Christ leads to self-consciousness, insecurity, and a lack of significance, Jesus says, stop doubting and believe. We are made in His image with meticulous care to love, worship, and be in a relationship with Him. We must not allow doubt to make us feel worthless and unimportant. We must allow faith to remind us of our place as children of God and heirs to His throne.
Doubt doesn’t equal no faith, but it can have a negative impact on all the blessings and spiritual benefits that come with our relationship with God through Christ. Faith is not absent in doubt, but it is much better. It empowers us to place a greater value on what is eternal instead of squandering too much on secular values that decrease valuable margin and prevent intimacy with Christ. Faith incites humility and helps us seek help to sure up blind spots that plagued Thomas and every Christian. Faith recalls God’s promises when faced with uncertainty and is the best answer to anxiety. Faith remembers the resurrection and the victory that we experience every day. Stop doubting and believe.
This week in John chapter 20 I got a song
My heart grows for you
I felt so lost so alone but it changed when I gave my life to you I have you Jesus helping me through no matter how hard my life is you’re always lift me up when I’m down you give me joy in the sadness Give me love when my hearts broken thank you for always loving me giving me hope comfort peace most of all you give me grace and mercy I’m never going to give up I’m never gonna give up I got you next to me
Amen
Everything changes in our life but the one thing that doesn’t is the love of our Father. He loves us so much. It’s an Honor to be his daughter so thankful he waited for me.
John 20:30 Purpose of Writing this Gospel
30 There are also many other signs (attesting miracles) that Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God; and that by believing [and trusting in and relying on Him] you may have life in His name.
God was saying to me,
John loved Jesus very much, He wanted people to believe in Jesus and to get to know Him.
Everyone has the same the opportunity to want to believe in their hearts why I sent Jesus, I sent Him because I love you and I love everyone with My whole Heart and I want to be apart of your life always.
It blesses My heart when someone joins the family, they believe, trust and rely on Him.
What this means to me I’m so thankful that I’m apart of Father God family, I believe in the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, I want to be like Jesus and I want to share Him with those who want to get to know Him too!!
Love you Father God, Jesus and Your Holy Spirit
[now having received the Holy spirit and being led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone; they are retained.
God Is Saying:
My child, you are wonderfully made in my likeness and image. My Holy Spirit that I have breathed into you, just as I breathed into my disciples is the cornerstone to peace and forgiveness, beginning the first moment that you believed. I forgave you now, now you forgive others. Do not hold on to the sins of the world, rather let them go through me, in you.
What This Means To Me:
The breath of life, the Holy Spirit is in me. When wrongdoing comes against me from the world, go to the Father and give the sin to Him. The Holy Spirit will exchange bitterness and darkness for light and peace, peace that surpasses all understanding, peace that brings faith in Him and not in the world.
This Week in the Life: John 20
For the best experience, we suggest you listen to the first song, the message, and the second song.
1. Sunday Worship – First Song: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-0129-Worship1.wav
2. Sunday Message: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-0129-Message.wav
3. Sunday Worship – Second Song: https://reachchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023-0129-Worship2.wav
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I love this song
It goes so perfect with John 20
Love you Father God, Jesus and Your Holy Spirit
Our Father everlasting
The all-creating One
God Almighty
Through your Holy Spirit
Conceiving Christ the Son
Jesus our Saviour
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
Our Judge and our Defender
Suffered and crucified
Forgiveness is in You
Descended into darkness
You rose in glorious light
Forever seated high
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
I believe in You
I believe You rose again
I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord
(I believe)
And I believe in You
I believe You rose again
I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
(We believe in Lord Jesus)
I believe in life eternal
I believe in the virgin birth
I believe in the saints’ communion
And in Your Holy Church
I believe in the resurrection
When Jesus comes again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
For I believe in the Name of Jesus
Praise you, Lord
Worship you, Jesus
this song is from Hillsong worship
This I Believe
God focused me on John 20 Verse 30
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
What God said to me about this is “Just as you learn more about Me and there’s only a fraction that you truly know, the same goes for the recordings of those who interacted with Me and the many who were not recorded. The Embodiment of faith is all around you. ”
Really what this means to me is that we are only seeing the very, very tip of the iceberg when it comes to learning about God. Imagine everything that has not been recorded that has completely changed people’s lives. This is a sampling of the wonders of God. Just like there are new miracles every single day occurring all around us. I encourage you to be vocal! Share your experiences with and about God! Record even the smallest blessing and the result will be nothing short of spectacular.