How to Make Doubts Disappear

After John the Baptist was thrown in prison, he began to wonder if Jesus really was the Messiah. So John sent a message to Jesus asking, “Are You the Expected One or shall we look for someone else?”(Matt. 11:3)

Dear Jesus,

I am writing to inform you that I have been thrown into prison by Herod. I’ve been thinking about all of those things that I had preached about you, even before you began your ministry.

Remember how I told everyone that your winnowing fork was in your hand, and you would thoroughly clean your threshing floor? And remember how I said you would burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire? To me that meant that you would put an end to all injustice. I was counting on you to correct all wrongs.

To be honest, Jesus, I never thought I’d have to write this letter. I was sure you would have straightened things up around here by now. Rumors have it that Herodias wants my head. If you are wondering when to get out your winnowing fork to start cleaning up, now would be a good time. That is, if you are the one we are expecting. 

Respectfully yours,

John the Baptist

P.S. If we are to look for someone else, please let us know.

A few days later, the mailman delivered a letter to John’s jail cell. He anxiously opened it, hoping to receive news that Jesus was arranging for his quick release. Instead, John read:

Dear John the Baptist,

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Agape,

Jesus

P.S. Blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me.

Jesus wanted him to recall the facts he knew to be true. “John, you know I’ve opened blind eyes. That’s a miracle no one else has ever done. The prophet Isaiah predicted the Messiah would do this (Isa. 29:18, 35:5, 42:7). You know I’ve healed paralyzed people and cleansed lepers. I’ve made the deaf to hear and even raised the dead. Who else can do these things except the Messiah? If you will concentrate on these things you know to be true, your doubts will disappear.” (Slaying Your Giants p.38)

Focus your faith on what you know to be true. Not on what you don’t know. That's how you make doubts disappear. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY: Resolving Conflicts

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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Insights Into God's Guidance

God told Samuel, “I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons” (1 Sam. 16:1). When Jesse’s sons came before him, Samuel looked at Eliab and assumed he was the chosen one. Samuel could have made a big mistake here because apparently Eliab looked like a king. God told Samuel Eliab wasn’t the one. After Samuel saw all seven, he said, “The Lord has not chosen these” (16:10).

Samuel couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Since none of the seven were the king, it must mean another son was somewhere else. It’s interesting that God didn’t tell Samuel this. He had to figure it out himself. Samuel asked, “Are these all your children?” Jesse told him the youngest was tending sheep. When David was brought to him the Lord said, “Anoint him, for this is he” (v.12).

What can we learn from this? The Lord gave Samuel instructions, but He didn’t tell him everything. God could have told Samuel at the beginning to anoint the youngest son, David. But Samuel had to go through the process of elimination. It’s like dating seven people and eliminating them before you find the right spouse. Some people choose to marry someone because they “look good,” just like Samuel almost chose Eliab for this reason. We find out later that Eliab was afraid to fight Goliath (17:28). But David wasn’t afraid, which is why God chose him as king.

Many times God will tell you to do something, such as accept a job in a different city. But He won’t tell you everything about the situation. He will give you further instructions after you’ve obeyed what He has already told you to do. God will lead you to Point A, and after you’ve done that, He will take you to Point B.

Are you obeying what He has already told you? If God has spoken to you, it will come to pass, but it may not happen until later. Even though Samuel anointed David as king, it wasn’t until years later that David actually became the king of Israel (1 Chron. 11:9). www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY: Did Two Different People Write the Book of Isaiah?

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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Patience Makes Life Easier

Mike Bechtle says, “People can’t drive you crazy if you don’t give them the keys.” Do you know anyone who drives you crazy? If you do, it means you gave them the keys—and you need patience. A husband told his wife, “You are so impatient. It just drives me crazy when you’re impatient!” So was it the wife or the husband who was the most impatient?

The Greek word for patience is makrothumia and means “self-restraint when provoked.” Did you know that God is patient toward you? (2 Peter 3:9). Have you ever thought that God has to put up with our complaining, our worry, and all the dumb decisions we make? He patiently waits for our hearts to change.

The Lord can develop patience in your life as you yield to the Holy Spirit because it’s a fruit of the Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience (makrothumia)…” (Gal. 5:22). When the Holy Spirit develops patience in your heart, people won’t drive you crazy anymore. You’ll actually feel compassion for them. 

Once you acquire patience, life becomes easier because things no longer bother you. Think about it. How much would you pay to have the ability to go through life and nobody ever upsets you? You would always have peace in your heart, no matter what happens. People would pay thousands of dollars for that kind of attitude. That’s what patience is. And that’s what God is trying to develop in you. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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Does Time Heal All Wounds?

In the 1963 Canadian Football League championship game, QB Joe Kapp got into a fight with Angelo Mosca, who was a defensive lineman on the opposing team. The referee stepped in and broke up the fight. After the game was over, they continued to dislike each other.

Forty-eight years later in 2011, the two former pro football players were invited to appear at a luncheon for the Canadian Football League. Joe Kapp was 73 years old and Angelo Mosca was 74 years old. When the two players were introduced, the luncheon's host give Kapp an olive branch to give to Mosca as a peace offering. Everyone thought it would be a light-hearted moment about their feud and would bring a laugh from the audience.

Instead of handing it to him, Kapp pushed it into Mosca’s face and then punched him. Mosca retaliated by hitting him with his cane. Like the referee did 48 years before, the host stepped in and broke up the fight. Both men were still angry over an incident that happened in 1963. If time could heal wounds, 48 years should be enough time.

God put a time limit on how long to be angry. It’s not 48 years, but less than 24 hours. “Be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day” (Eph. 4:26 NCV). If you don’t throw water on the fire before the sun goes down, your anger will keep flaring up—even 48 years later.

Time doesn’t heal all wounds. Forgiveness does. Whatever was done to you, it’s time to let it go. Forgive and release the wrongdoing into God’s hands. It’s the only way to have peace of mind. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY “Who are the Two Witnesses in Revelation?” CLICK HERE

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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Knocking Until the Door Opens

Late one afternoon when the office was ready to close, the business manager finally allowed a life insurance salesman to see him. The manager told the salesman, “You should feel highly honored. Do you know that I have refused to see seven insurance men today?” 

“I know,” replied the salesman. “I’m them!”

Jesus told a parable about a man who went to a friend’s house at midnight and knocked on his door, asking for bread (Luke 11:5-8). His neighbor told him to go away. But the man kept knocking on the door, knowing his friend wouldn’t get any sleep until he opened the door and gave him bread. Jesus concluded, “Because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he wants.”

The man did not give him the bread because of their friendship. The only reason for granting his request because the man kept pounding on the door. Jesus used this as an illustration of the kind of persistent faith that He’s looking for. Persistence is the most overlooked way to receive God’s blessings. (If God Knows What I Need, Why Should I Pray? p.81)

What if he had quit knocking after the first refusal? He might have thought, “It must not be God’s will or he would have opened the door on the first knock.” But it was God’s will because he finally received the bread.

What if the four men who carried the paralyzed man to Jesus would have turned around because of the crowd around the house? (Mark 2:2-12). They could have given up and said, “It must not be God’s will.” But they persisted and lowered him through the roof. And it was God’s will because Jesus healed the man.

What if the Canaanite woman had turned around after Jesus ignored her? (Matt. 15:22-28). She could have said, “It must not be God’s will.” But it was God’s will because she persisted and Jesus healed her daughter.

Sometimes you won’t get what you're praying for because it’s not His will. But what if you don’t get it because you quit knocking too soon? God won’t get mad at you for pounding on His door. He might even open it and give you the bread you need.  www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

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The Wrong Solution to the Problem

Suppose one morning your car doesn’t start, so you replace the battery. Your car still doesn’t start, so you put in another battery. Your car still doesn’t start. You replace the battery again. You keep doing this and before long you have a garage full of batteries, never realizing that the car is out of gas. You’ve chosen the wrong solution to your problem.

Many people look for the wrong solutions to their problems. Choosing the wrong solution not only doesn’t solve the problem, but usually makes your situation worse! For example:

Situation #1 Boy and girl fall in love, both thinking they’ve found “the one.” Wrong Solution: Decide to live together in same bedroom (Heb. 13:4). If it works out they will get married. Right Solution: Choose to live separately and stay sexually pure until marriage (1 Thess. 4:3). If they are meant for each other God will bless their marriage.

Situation #2 You have high credit card debt, a new car payment, and can barely make your payments. Wrong Solution: Keep buying more with your credit card and get Pay-Day loans to cover the difference (Prov. 22:7). Right Solution: Cut back on spending. Downsize to a less expense car. Sell unnecessary items to pay off your credit card. (Rom. 13:8)

Situation #3 Your 13-year old daughter wants to go to a party where you know there will be drinking. Wrong Solution: Give her permission to go but make her promise to not drink (1 Cor. 15:33, Prov. 13:20). Right Solution: Don’t let her go but instead let her invite a couple of friends to your house under your supervision (James 1:5).

What problem are you’re dealing with? Wrong solutions bring immediate relief but ultimate unhappiness. Right solutions are usually more difficult at first but bring peace and happiness. Many problems are caused because we haven’t obeyed what God has told us. Jesus said, “And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) Are you doing it God’s way? www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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WATCH VIDEO TEACHING (21 min.) “How Will God Provide for Me?” (Click and scroll down)

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

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What Could Be Better Financial Security Than That?

A few years after we got married, Cindy told me what she was thinking on our wedding day as she walked down the aisle, I hope he will take care of me! In 1977, I had a part-time janitor’s job making $3 an hour while I attended seminary. What could be better financial security than that?

I had preached four sermons in my life by the time I had graduated from seminary. You’d think that hundreds of churches would come knocking at my door begging me to be their pastor. But not even a single church called. What could be better financial security than that?

After graduating, we loaded up a U-Haul truck and moved to Garden City, Kansas to plant a church. We had only been there one time, had no job, only a few dollars saved, and no place to stay. What could be better financial security than that? 

But we did trust God to provide for us. We never missed a meal, paid our bills on time, and constructed a church building debt-free. It was like when Jesus sent out His disciples to preach and said, “Take nothing for your trip, neither a walking stick, bag, bread, money, or extra clothes” (Luke 9:3). 

Later He asked them to recall when He sent them out empty-handed: “‘When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?’ They said, ‘No, nothing’” (Luke 22:35). God provided everything they needed.

He promised to provide for those who trust Him. What could be better financial security than that? www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net 

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com