“Doubts Overcome Under Blessed Truthful Savior! (D.O.U.B.T.S)”

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

April 20, 2009

SCRIPTURE:
"Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"  But he 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 it." 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."  Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:24-29, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself what do I learn about Thomas?
1. Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
2. Thomas did not believe that the disciples saw the Lord when they told him.
3. Thomas specifically told 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 it."

A week later, Jesus appears to the disciples again but this time Thomas was with them.

Observations:
I asked myself what do we learn about Jesus?
1. A week later, though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them.
2. Jesus said, "Peace be with you!"
3. 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."

Interpretations:
I asked myself what is significance of Jesus' statement to Thomas?
Jesus' statement to Thomas revealed that Jesus already knew what Thomas was going through in his life, specifically his doubts, even though Jesus was not there when Thomas made those comments to the disciples. Now a week later when Jesus appears to them again, Jesus proclaims 'PEACE BE WITH YOU' to all of them and directly addresses Thomas giving him the sign he needed to believe. Jesus could have left Thomas in his doubts but did not because Jesus loved them so much and wanted them to have peace. It is hard to have PEACE when a mind is filled with doubts. So, Jesus let Thomas experience what he wanted to experience. Wow! Jesus met Thomas where he was at. But, Jesus did not stop there. Jesus now told Thomas, 'STOP DOUBTING AND BELIEVE'

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life as I studied this passage. Just as Jesus knew exactly what Thomas wanted even though Jesus was not there when Thomas made his criteria available to the other disciples specifically: "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 it.", Jesus also knows what I tell other people even if they are filled with doubts. Jesus loves me so much that Jesus wants to reach me where I am at just as Jesus reached out to Thomas in his doubts. That makes me so overwhelmed with peace, that the Creator of the Universe cares for my own doubts and will come to intervene just as He did in Thomas' life. Jesus could have thought that 'I spent 3 years with Thomas and gave him prophecies about me, etc but he did not want to believe in my resurrection so I should let him go' but instead Jesus gave Thomas evidence to believe in Him. After giving the evidence, Jesus told him 'STOP DOUBTING AND BELIEVE'.  I am grateful to the Lord for doing similar things in my life. Praise the Lord.

I ask you now dear friend, what won't Jesus do for you in your doubts?
Dear friend, when Thomas doubted Jesus' resurrection and appearance to the disciples, Jesus could have left Thomas alone and ignored him but instead a week later, Jesus appears again and this time specifically goes to Thomas to give him evidence to overcome his doubts. That is so touching to know. Jesus did not appear right away to Thomas after Thomas made the statement, "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 it." but came in His perfect timing and knew exactly what Thomas wanted to believe and gave Thomas the evidence to believe: 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." 

In the same way, Jesus WON'T LEAVE YOU abandoned in your DOUBTS. Whether it has to do with finals, relationships, career, life & death situations, Jesus will come meet you where you are at in your doubts in His perfect timing. I can speak from experience too!

Whatever you are going through Jesus knows already just as Jesus knew what Thomas was going through. Jesus did not appear right away to Thomas but had His perfect timing to appear and reveal himself to Thomas. Jesus will reveal Himself to you too in your doubts in life and give you the answers you are seeking. Yes, He will friend.

Our Lord loves us so much that when DOUBT creeps in, He does not abandon us. Instead, He gives EVIDENCE to help us overcome our doubts just as Jesus reached out to Thomas.

Whatever doubts you have, take them to the Lord and be specific as possible. Thomas was very specific and Jesus addressed his doubts specifically. Jesus can do the same for you. Yes, he can friend. Whether it is in a relationship, academics, career, etc, He will be there for you.

It is important to remember that whatever you want the Lord to do in your life to help you overcome your doubts, He will never go against His Word so when you make things specific also make sure they are Scriptural.

For example, if you have doubts whether you should stay in the marriage or not and want the Lord to give you a sign to divorce, don't expect the sign to come from the Lord because the Lord is against divorce.

Overall, Jesus will reach us in our doubts. This is not to say that Jesus wants us to doubt. On the contrary, Jesus did not want Thomas to doubt but Thomas doubted anyway in his free will. In the same way, Jesus wants us to TRUST HIM wholeheartedly but sometimes we let our flesh get in the way and DOUBTS creep up. In those situations, what Jesus won't do for us in our doubts is abandon us. No way but will reach us where we are. That is awesome to know. This is not the only time that Jesus reached out to someone in their doubts for Jesus did the same for John the Baptist. In that situation, Jesus sent back word to John. That was one of my favorite devotionals to write:

Mark 6: "How do you handle D.O.U.B.T.S in your life?" (Feb 18, 09, 10:20 a.m.)

In the same way, Jesus could directly deal with your doubts as He did with Thomas through the power of the Holy Spirit residing in you or deal with your doubts as He did with John the Baptist by using His Spirit to work in other people's lives to address your doubts.

Whatever way it is done, it is exciting to know that JESUS WON'T LEAVE YOU IN YOUR DOUBTS FOREVER!

In this time of finals for many, it can be a tough and stressful time not knowing whether the exams or the papers will go well. It can also be a time of doubt regarding different things as a result of finals, etc but YOU NEED TO KNOW

"Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way!" (Proverbs 20:24, NIV)

Don't worry about things but leave them in the precious Hands of the Savior whether you feel like you will pass or fail because when the Creator of the Universe is looking after you, everything else becomes miniscule. Let Him reach you by His GRACE as He wants to and will. Depend on the Lord always giving your best in your studies and leave the results in His precious Hands. Whatever the results, He is there to take care of you.

Jesus will meet you where you are at. Turn to the Lord in prayer and may His presence captivate you now and forever more! My you your doubts overcome under blessed truthful Savior!

"Doubts Overcome Under Blessed Truthful Savior! (D.O.U.B.T.S)/"What won't Jesus do for you in your doubts?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, you knew what doubts Thomas was having even before he expressed it to you. Thank you so much Jesus. Whatever Thomas was telling the disciples you knew automatically so when you came to them again a week later, you addressed Thomas specifically in his doubts. Thanks so much Jesus. You know the doubts I have and I need your help. Take my doubts Oh Lord and reveal yourself in areas of my life that I need your Hand in. I pray this for anyone going through doubts. Thank you Jesus that you won't leave us abandoned in our doubts but reach us where we are at. It means a lot Jesus. We turn our doubts to you. Please take care of them Jesus. We wait on you Lord. Hear our prayers and answer us please. Thank you for loving us so much, for dying for our sin, and coming back to life to save us.  Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me as I turn to thee. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

May you experience the POWER OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION this day, and give Him the LOCKED areas of your life too so you can experience His PEACE as you become an ACTOR in the film called LIFE being directed by your DIRECTOR, JESUS CHRIST who comes to give JOY and PEACE.

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to live out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo shared this example this past Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is alive and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and live with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and restore us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (Colossians 5:17-21, NIV)

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

May you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior becoming His offspring so you can spend Eternity with Him. He is waiting for you. Come as you are. Please do not reject the gift of God.

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart and finding your new identity in Christ Jesus.

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for foreshadowing once again about SAVING US when you spoke to the disciples about the KERNEL OF WHEAT. Thanks for dying for our sin so we can have Eternal Life and be saved when we turn to you. The previous day, you allowed Mary to wash your dirty/stinking feet. Anything you do has a reason and you foreshadowed what you would do for us one day on the cross. You washed away all our sins with your precious cleansing blood on the cross. Thank you so much Jesus.  No matter what we have done or where we have been, we can know that you love us and paid the ransom to deliver us from the stench of sin. Thank you Jesus. I accept the antidote you offer and want you to wash me clean with your precious cleansing blood so I can have new life. My sin I give it all to you so you can cover me with your righteousness. Help me Jesus. I don't want to live like I have been living. I don't want my life to smell because of the stinky/dirty sins of my life. I know you offer cleansing and washing so I come to you now and receive it. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sin when you paid the price on the cross for me which I accept now. Please give me new life Jesus. Come into my heart and make my heart your home. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and help me to serve you the rest of the days of my life so I can say, "Lord Jesus, ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, I am ready" as you strengthen me and walk with me and talk to me. I love you Jesus. I accept you as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please be my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you for helping me learn about what Mary did for you and the implications for our own lives. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me giving me new life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

"Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D this HOLY WEEK?" (April 08, 09, 11:28 a.m.)

"How do you know judgment will P.A.S.S.O.V.E.R you this HOLY WEEK?" (April 09, 09, 11:43 a.m.)

"What does the C.R.O.S.S mean to you on and after GOOD FRIDAY this HOLY WEEK?" (April 10, 09, 8:41 a.m.)

"How do you match J.E.S.U.S attitude this HOLY WEEK?" (April 11, 09, 10:03 a.m.)

RESURRECTION SUNDAY:

"Why have you L.O.C.K.E.D youself away?" (April 13, 09, 1:41 a.m.)

"Why are you not at P.E.A.C.E in your life?" (April 14, 09, 11:43 a.m.)

"Will you be in Jesus' A.C.T.I.O.N film called life?" (April 15, 09, 11:55 a.m.)

"Why can you have J.O.Y in life?" (April 16, 09, 2:05 p.m.)

"What will give you P.E.A.C.E in life?" (April 18, 09, 12:32 p.m.)