• IN A WORLD DARKENED BY LUST,SIN AND EVENTUAL DEATH![JAS.1:15]

    WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, GOD DOES EXIST, AND YOU WILL STAND BEFORE HIM ONE DAY... YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS! (JN.20:25)

    THE WORD *COINCIDENCE* DOESN'T EXIST WHERE BOTH GOD AND HIS DIVINE WORD ARE CONCERNED.

    Yes,*coincidence* is a manipulative tool from the devil's arsenal.

    This is why compassionate and desiring/aspiring Christlike believers are obligated to keep telling you the truth,even in the face of all kinds of adversity, mockery,scorn,denials, trials and afflictions, including persecutions.

    BUT OF COURSE, YOU'RE EQUALLY OBLIGATED NOT TO BELIEVE THE TRUTH... HOWEVER, YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE,WHEN IT COMES TO THE CERTAINTY OF YOUR MEETING YOUR CREATOR...YOU *MUST* HIM ONE DAY, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, EITHER AS YOUR SAVIOUR OR AS YOUR JUDGE!

    Like Thomas in the Bible, we tend to think that seeing is believing. Thomas insists, “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.” (John 20:25). We are often the same,if not much more.

    We live in a sceptical and cynical age. Few people tell the truth and even fewer people expect the truth to be told.
    Facebook is Fake News. Politicians lie. Everyone has an agenda. TRUTH SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER. And so, we are both sceptical and cynical.

    It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face. And in a culture like this... HOW COULD I POSSIBLY BELIEVE IN A GOD I CAN'T SEE? He just sounds made up.
    It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face.

    Our worldview doesn’t help, either.
    Most of us have grown up with materialism: the belief that nothing exists beyond the material world; that we live in a closed universe; that all reality is found within the four walls of the material realm and that anything outside of it is simply make-believe or mere COINCIDENCE !

    This is the air we breathe. So how can we believe in an invisible God who is Spirit? We can’t see Him...how can He be real?

    We think seeing is believing...just like Thomas.
    But we’re also very different to Thomas.
    Because Thomas did get to see. He saw Christ Jesus’ HANDS and FEET. He touched Christ Jesus’ SIDE. He believed because he saw. It's the reason that much isn't heart of him after that incident, except church history,listing him as the disciple that took the Gospel to India.
    (a terrific task then,I believe)

    But we can’t do that. None of us get to see Christ Jesus physically today. I’m happy for Thomas that he believes when he sees...but how does that help me? How can I believe when I can’t see?

    The apostle John was well aware of this dilemma when he wrote his gospel. He was writing to believers who never got to see what he saw. He was asking his first readers to do what we must do today...to believe without seeing. It sounds impossible. And so, John includes what Christ Jesus says to Thomas after he believes:
    Because you have seen me, you have believed; BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.
    (John 20:29)

    WHAT AND INCREDIBLE STATEMENT?
    NOT ONLY DOES CHRIST JESUS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING, BUT THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BLESSED BY IT, IF YOU DO!

    This seems so foreign from our expectations and experience and yet Christ Jesus says that it’s true. Christ Jesus promises us that we can believe without seeing. And He’s right. Here is why;

    SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING!

    First, we need to dispel the myth that seeing is believing. It isn’t and it never has been. The evidence for this is found in the people who did see Christ Jesus. Many people have said, *If I could just see Christ Jesus,I would believe in him.* I boldly answer yo, *No you wouldn’t...if you saw Christ Jesus, you would kill Him!* Because that’s what many people who saw Him did.
    Thousands of people witnessed Christ Jesus performed miracles impossible to man. And yet it was those same crowds that cried out for his crucifixion. Seeing is not believing: just look at those who saw Christ Jesus and did not believe.

    Christ Jesus demonstrates this Himself in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man descends into hell and pleads with Father Abraham to let him go back and warn his brothers, so that they will not end up there,

    Abraham replied, *They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.*
    ‘No, father Abraham,* he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.*
    Abraham said to him, *If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.*

    Remember also that this is ONE VERY IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE IN WHICH OUR LORD HIMSELF VERIFIED THE REALITY OF HELL...even though,some unbelieving theologians write it off as mere illustration. Every parable Christ Jesus told in the Bible was from things that were real...not folk stories. I'd to digress a little because HELL is a big issue.
    (Luke 16:29-31)

    In this parable, Christ Jesus makes it clear that someone could witness the resurrection and still not believe. Why? BECAUSE SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING.

    THE REAL REASON !

    But this raises a question. IF SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING... THEN WHAT IS THE REAL REASON WHY PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD?

    And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe.

    In John 7, Christ Jesus’ brothers urge him to *show Himself to the world*. They thought that if people just saw Christ Jesus...and in particular His miracles...they would believe and follow Him.

    DO YOU KNOW THAT JUDE WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF JUDE, WAS AN EARTHLY SIBLING OF CHRIST JESUS, BUT HE ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM, AFTER HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION...I'VE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY (SIBLINGS) , ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM AFTER HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION.
    (THEY,WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE PRIME BENEFICIARIES OF HIS PRESENCE! WE ARE LIKE THEM... DON'T BLAME THEM).

    This is what we often think as well. But Christ Jesus rebukes them: *the world cannot hate you, but it hates ME because I testify that its works are evil.* (John 7:7)

    What is the real reason why people don’t believe in God? And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe.

    Christ Jesus knows that the world will not accept Him and He knows that it has nothing to do with whether they see Him and His miracles or not. THE REAL REASON THAT THE WORLD WILL NOT BELIEVE IN CHRIST JESUS IS THAT IT HATES CHRIST JESUS.

    If Christ Jesus were to sing to the world’s tune, it would believe in Him in a second. But because He testifies that their works are evil, they hate Him. And that is the real reason why they don’t believe in Him. They don’t want to. Their evil consciences couldn't cope with His righteous rebukes.

    Later in the same chapter Christ Jesus challenges the religious leaders with this truth:

    My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (John 7:16-17)

    The person who wants to do God’s will believes in Christ Jesus. The person who wants to live their own way won’t. And this is exactly what we see in the rest of the chapter. The Pharisees’ rejection of Christ Jesus is shown to be completely unfounded.

    Even one of their own, Nicodemus, thinks they are being unfair. Despite all the evidence, they refuse to believe simply because they don’t want to believe. Their unbelief is not based on reason but rebellion. They want to live life their own way.

    And this is true for our world today. You could see Christ Jesus every day of your life and still not believe in Him. The Pharisees didn’t. His own brothers didn’t. The real reason why people don’t believe in Christ Jesus is that they don’t want to.

    HEARING IS BELIEVING!
    So, if seeing is not believing, how can I believe in God?

    One of the wonderful things about God is that He never leaves us in the dark. He doesn’t just tell us where to go but also how to get there. And the same is true for faith. Consistently throughout the Bible, God teaches us that seeing is not believing: But Hearing is believing. This is what Paul says:

    Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ Jesus .(Romans 10:17 emphasis mine).

    You could not get a more unambiguous verse about how to believe in God. God tells us plainly: Faith comes from hearing!
    Amen!
    IN A WORLD DARKENED BY LUST,SIN AND EVENTUAL DEATH![JAS.1:15] πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡ WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, GOD DOES EXIST, AND YOU WILL STAND BEFORE HIM ONE DAY... YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS! (JN.20:25) πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯ THE WORD *COINCIDENCE* DOESN'T EXIST WHERE BOTH GOD AND HIS DIVINE WORD ARE CONCERNED. Yes,*coincidence* is a manipulative tool from the devil's arsenal. This is why compassionate and desiring/aspiring Christlike believers are obligated to keep telling you the truth,even in the face of all kinds of adversity, mockery,scorn,denials, trials and afflictions, including persecutions. BUT OF COURSE, YOU'RE EQUALLY OBLIGATED NOT TO BELIEVE THE TRUTH... HOWEVER, YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE,WHEN IT COMES TO THE CERTAINTY OF YOUR MEETING YOUR CREATOR...YOU *MUST* HIM ONE DAY, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, EITHER AS YOUR SAVIOUR OR AS YOUR JUDGE! Like Thomas in the Bible, we tend to think that seeing is believing. Thomas insists, “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.” (John 20:25). We are often the same,if not much more. We live in a sceptical and cynical age. Few people tell the truth and even fewer people expect the truth to be told. Facebook is Fake News. Politicians lie. Everyone has an agenda. TRUTH SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER. And so, we are both sceptical and cynical. It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face. And in a culture like this... HOW COULD I POSSIBLY BELIEVE IN A GOD I CAN'T SEE? He just sounds made up. It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face. Our worldview doesn’t help, either. Most of us have grown up with materialism: the belief that nothing exists beyond the material world; that we live in a closed universe; that all reality is found within the four walls of the material realm and that anything outside of it is simply make-believe or mere COINCIDENCE ! This is the air we breathe. So how can we believe in an invisible God who is Spirit? We can’t see Him...how can He be real? We think seeing is believing...just like Thomas. But we’re also very different to Thomas. Because Thomas did get to see. He saw Christ Jesus’ HANDS and FEET. He touched Christ Jesus’ SIDE. He believed because he saw. It's the reason that much isn't heart of him after that incident, except church history,listing him as the disciple that took the Gospel to India. (a terrific task then,I believe) But we can’t do that. None of us get to see Christ Jesus physically today. I’m happy for Thomas that he believes when he sees...but how does that help me? How can I believe when I can’t see? The apostle John was well aware of this dilemma when he wrote his gospel. He was writing to believers who never got to see what he saw. He was asking his first readers to do what we must do today...to believe without seeing. It sounds impossible. And so, John includes what Christ Jesus says to Thomas after he believes: Because you have seen me, you have believed; BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED. (John 20:29) WHAT AND INCREDIBLE STATEMENT? NOT ONLY DOES CHRIST JESUS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING, BUT THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BLESSED BY IT, IF YOU DO! This seems so foreign from our expectations and experience and yet Christ Jesus says that it’s true. Christ Jesus promises us that we can believe without seeing. And He’s right. Here is why; πŸ‘‰ SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING! First, we need to dispel the myth that seeing is believing. It isn’t and it never has been. The evidence for this is found in the people who did see Christ Jesus. Many people have said, *If I could just see Christ Jesus,I would believe in him.* I boldly answer yo, *No you wouldn’t...if you saw Christ Jesus, you would kill Him!* Because that’s what many people who saw Him did. Thousands of people witnessed Christ Jesus performed miracles impossible to man. And yet it was those same crowds that cried out for his crucifixion. Seeing is not believing: just look at those who saw Christ Jesus and did not believe. Christ Jesus demonstrates this Himself in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man descends into hell and pleads with Father Abraham to let him go back and warn his brothers, so that they will not end up there, Abraham replied, *They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.* ‘No, father Abraham,* he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.* Abraham said to him, *If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.* Remember also that this is ONE VERY IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE IN WHICH OUR LORD HIMSELF VERIFIED THE REALITY OF HELL...even though,some unbelieving theologians write it off as mere illustration. Every parable Christ Jesus told in the Bible was from things that were real...not folk stories. I'd to digress a little because HELL is a big issue. (Luke 16:29-31) In this parable, Christ Jesus makes it clear that someone could witness the resurrection and still not believe. Why? BECAUSE SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING. πŸ‘‰ THE REAL REASON ! But this raises a question. IF SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING... THEN WHAT IS THE REAL REASON WHY PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD? And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe. In John 7, Christ Jesus’ brothers urge him to *show Himself to the world*. They thought that if people just saw Christ Jesus...and in particular His miracles...they would believe and follow Him. DO YOU KNOW THAT JUDE WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF JUDE, WAS AN EARTHLY SIBLING OF CHRIST JESUS, BUT HE ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM, AFTER HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION...I'VE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY (SIBLINGS) , ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM AFTER HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. (THEY,WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE PRIME BENEFICIARIES OF HIS PRESENCE! WE ARE LIKE THEM... DON'T BLAME THEM). This is what we often think as well. But Christ Jesus rebukes them: *the world cannot hate you, but it hates ME because I testify that its works are evil.* (John 7:7) What is the real reason why people don’t believe in God? And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe. Christ Jesus knows that the world will not accept Him and He knows that it has nothing to do with whether they see Him and His miracles or not. THE REAL REASON THAT THE WORLD WILL NOT BELIEVE IN CHRIST JESUS IS THAT IT HATES CHRIST JESUS. If Christ Jesus were to sing to the world’s tune, it would believe in Him in a second. But because He testifies that their works are evil, they hate Him. And that is the real reason why they don’t believe in Him. They don’t want to. Their evil consciences couldn't cope with His righteous rebukes. Later in the same chapter Christ Jesus challenges the religious leaders with this truth: My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (John 7:16-17) The person who wants to do God’s will believes in Christ Jesus. The person who wants to live their own way won’t. And this is exactly what we see in the rest of the chapter. The Pharisees’ rejection of Christ Jesus is shown to be completely unfounded. Even one of their own, Nicodemus, thinks they are being unfair. Despite all the evidence, they refuse to believe simply because they don’t want to believe. Their unbelief is not based on reason but rebellion. They want to live life their own way. And this is true for our world today. You could see Christ Jesus every day of your life and still not believe in Him. The Pharisees didn’t. His own brothers didn’t. The real reason why people don’t believe in Christ Jesus is that they don’t want to. πŸ‘‰ HEARING IS BELIEVING! So, if seeing is not believing, how can I believe in God? One of the wonderful things about God is that He never leaves us in the dark. He doesn’t just tell us where to go but also how to get there. And the same is true for faith. Consistently throughout the Bible, God teaches us that seeing is not believing: But Hearing is believing. This is what Paul says: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ Jesus .(Romans 10:17 emphasis mine). You could not get a more unambiguous verse about how to believe in God. God tells us plainly: Faith comes from hearing! AmenπŸ™‡πŸ™!
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  • IN A WORLD DARKENED BY LUST,SIN AND EVENTUAL DEATH![JAS.1:15]

    WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, GOD DOES EXIST, AND YOU WILL STAND BEFORE HIM ONE DAY... YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS! (JN.20:25)

    THE WORD *COINCIDENCE* DOESN'T EXIST WHERE BOTH GOD AND HIS DIVINE WORD ARE CONCERNED.

    Yes,*coincidence* is a manipulative tool from the devil's arsenal.

    This is why compassionate and desiring/aspiring Christlike believers are obligated to keep telling you the truth,even in the face of all kinds of adversity, mockery,scorn,denials, trials and afflictions, including persecutions.

    BUT OF COURSE, YOU'RE EQUALLY OBLIGATED NOT TO BELIEVE THE TRUTH... HOWEVER, YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE,WHEN IT COMES TO THE CERTAINTY OF YOUR MEETING YOUR CREATOR...YOU *MUST* HIM ONE DAY, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, EITHER AS YOUR SAVIOUR OR AS YOUR JUDGE!

    Like Thomas in the Bible, we tend to think that seeing is believing. Thomas insists, “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.” (John 20:25). We are often the same,if not much more.

    We live in a sceptical and cynical age. Few people tell the truth and even fewer people expect the truth to be told.
    Facebook is Fake News. Politicians lie. Everyone has an agenda. TRUTH SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER. And so, we are both sceptical and cynical.

    It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face. And in a culture like this... HOW COULD I POSSIBLY BELIEVE IN A GOD I CAN'T SEE? He just sounds made up.
    It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face.

    Our worldview doesn’t help, either.
    Most of us have grown up with materialism: the belief that nothing exists beyond the material world; that we live in a closed universe; that all reality is found within the four walls of the material realm and that anything outside of it is simply make-believe or mere COINCIDENCE !

    This is the air we breathe. So how can we believe in an invisible God who is Spirit? We can’t see Him...how can He be real?

    We think seeing is believing...just like Thomas.
    But we’re also very different to Thomas.
    Because Thomas did get to see. He saw Christ Jesus’ HANDS and FEET. He touched Christ Jesus’ SIDE. He believed because he saw. It's the reason that much isn't heart of him after that incident, except church history,listing him as the disciple that took the Gospel to India.
    (a terrific task then,I believe)

    But we can’t do that. None of us get to see Christ Jesus physically today. I’m happy for Thomas that he believes when he sees...but how does that help me? How can I believe when I can’t see?

    The apostle John was well aware of this dilemma when he wrote his gospel. He was writing to believers who never got to see what he saw. He was asking his first readers to do what we must do today...to believe without seeing. It sounds impossible. And so, John includes what Christ Jesus says to Thomas after he believes:
    Because you have seen me, you have believed; BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.
    (John 20:29)

    WHAT AND INCREDIBLE STATEMENT?
    NOT ONLY DOES CHRIST JESUS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING, BUT THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BLESSED BY IT, IF YOU DO!

    This seems so foreign from our expectations and experience and yet Christ Jesus says that it’s true. Christ Jesus promises us that we can believe without seeing. And He’s right. Here is why;

    SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING!

    First, we need to dispel the myth that seeing is believing. It isn’t and it never has been. The evidence for this is found in the people who did see Christ Jesus. Many people have said, *If I could just see Christ Jesus,I would believe in him.* I boldly answer yo, *No you wouldn’t...if you saw Christ Jesus, you would kill Him!* Because that’s what many people who saw Him did.
    Thousands of people witnessed Christ Jesus performed miracles impossible to man. And yet it was those same crowds that cried out for his crucifixion. Seeing is not believing: just look at those who saw Christ Jesus and did not believe.

    Christ Jesus demonstrates this Himself in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man descends into hell and pleads with Father Abraham to let him go back and warn his brothers, so that they will not end up there,

    Abraham replied, *They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.*
    ‘No, father Abraham,* he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.*
    Abraham said to him, *If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.*

    Remember also that this is ONE VERY IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE IN WHICH OUR LORD HIMSELF VERIFIED THE REALITY OF HELL...even though,some unbelieving theologians write it off as mere illustration. Every parable Christ Jesus told in the Bible was from things that were real...not folk stories. I'd to digress a little because HELL is a big issue.
    (Luke 16:29-31)

    In this parable, Christ Jesus makes it clear that someone could witness the resurrection and still not believe. Why? BECAUSE SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING.

    THE REAL REASON !

    But this raises a question. IF SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING... THEN WHAT IS THE REAL REASON WHY PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD?

    And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe.

    In John 7, Christ Jesus’ brothers urge him to *show Himself to the world*. They thought that if people just saw Christ Jesus...and in particular His miracles...they would believe and follow Him.

    DO YOU KNOW THAT JUDE WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF JUDE, WAS AN EARTHLY SIBLING OF CHRIST JESUS, BUT HE ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM, AFTER HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION...I'VE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY (SIBLINGS) , ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM AFTER HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION.
    (THEY,WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE PRIME BENEFICIARIES OF HIS PRESENCE! WE ARE LIKE THEM... DON'T BLAME THEM).

    This is what we often think as well. But Christ Jesus rebukes them: *the world cannot hate you, but it hates ME because I testify that its works are evil.* (John 7:7)

    What is the real reason why people don’t believe in God? And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe.

    Christ Jesus knows that the world will not accept Him and He knows that it has nothing to do with whether they see Him and His miracles or not. THE REAL REASON THAT THE WORLD WILL NOT BELIEVE IN CHRIST JESUS IS THAT IT HATES CHRIST JESUS.

    If Christ Jesus were to sing to the world’s tune, it would believe in Him in a second. But because He testifies that their works are evil, they hate Him. And that is the real reason why they don’t believe in Him. They don’t want to. Their evil consciences couldn't cope with His righteous rebukes.

    Later in the same chapter Christ Jesus challenges the religious leaders with this truth:

    My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (John 7:16-17)

    The person who wants to do God’s will believes in Christ Jesus. The person who wants to live their own way won’t. And this is exactly what we see in the rest of the chapter. The Pharisees’ rejection of Christ Jesus is shown to be completely unfounded.

    Even one of their own, Nicodemus, thinks they are being unfair. Despite all the evidence, they refuse to believe simply because they don’t want to believe. Their unbelief is not based on reason but rebellion. They want to live life their own way.

    And this is true for our world today. You could see Christ Jesus every day of your life and still not believe in Him. The Pharisees didn’t. His own brothers didn’t. The real reason why people don’t believe in Christ Jesus is that they don’t want to.

    HEARING IS BELIEVING!
    So, if seeing is not believing, how can I believe in God?

    One of the wonderful things about God is that He never leaves us in the dark. He doesn’t just tell us where to go but also how to get there. And the same is true for faith. Consistently throughout the Bible, God teaches us that seeing is not believing: But Hearing is believing. This is what Paul says:

    Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ Jesus .(Romans 10:17 emphasis mine).

    You could not get a more unambiguous verse about how to believe in God. God tells us plainly: Faith comes from hearing!
    Amen!
    IN A WORLD DARKENED BY LUST,SIN AND EVENTUAL DEATH![JAS.1:15] πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡πŸ™‡ WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, GOD DOES EXIST, AND YOU WILL STAND BEFORE HIM ONE DAY... YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS! (JN.20:25) πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯πŸš₯ THE WORD *COINCIDENCE* DOESN'T EXIST WHERE BOTH GOD AND HIS DIVINE WORD ARE CONCERNED. Yes,*coincidence* is a manipulative tool from the devil's arsenal. This is why compassionate and desiring/aspiring Christlike believers are obligated to keep telling you the truth,even in the face of all kinds of adversity, mockery,scorn,denials, trials and afflictions, including persecutions. BUT OF COURSE, YOU'RE EQUALLY OBLIGATED NOT TO BELIEVE THE TRUTH... HOWEVER, YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE,WHEN IT COMES TO THE CERTAINTY OF YOUR MEETING YOUR CREATOR...YOU *MUST* HIM ONE DAY, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, EITHER AS YOUR SAVIOUR OR AS YOUR JUDGE! Like Thomas in the Bible, we tend to think that seeing is believing. Thomas insists, “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.” (John 20:25). We are often the same,if not much more. We live in a sceptical and cynical age. Few people tell the truth and even fewer people expect the truth to be told. Facebook is Fake News. Politicians lie. Everyone has an agenda. TRUTH SIMPLY DOESN'T MATTER. And so, we are both sceptical and cynical. It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face. And in a culture like this... HOW COULD I POSSIBLY BELIEVE IN A GOD I CAN'T SEE? He just sounds made up. It’s hard to believe anything unless it’s staring us straight in the face. Our worldview doesn’t help, either. Most of us have grown up with materialism: the belief that nothing exists beyond the material world; that we live in a closed universe; that all reality is found within the four walls of the material realm and that anything outside of it is simply make-believe or mere COINCIDENCE ! This is the air we breathe. So how can we believe in an invisible God who is Spirit? We can’t see Him...how can He be real? We think seeing is believing...just like Thomas. But we’re also very different to Thomas. Because Thomas did get to see. He saw Christ Jesus’ HANDS and FEET. He touched Christ Jesus’ SIDE. He believed because he saw. It's the reason that much isn't heart of him after that incident, except church history,listing him as the disciple that took the Gospel to India. (a terrific task then,I believe) But we can’t do that. None of us get to see Christ Jesus physically today. I’m happy for Thomas that he believes when he sees...but how does that help me? How can I believe when I can’t see? The apostle John was well aware of this dilemma when he wrote his gospel. He was writing to believers who never got to see what he saw. He was asking his first readers to do what we must do today...to believe without seeing. It sounds impossible. And so, John includes what Christ Jesus says to Thomas after he believes: Because you have seen me, you have believed; BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED. (John 20:29) WHAT AND INCREDIBLE STATEMENT? NOT ONLY DOES CHRIST JESUS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING, BUT THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BLESSED BY IT, IF YOU DO! This seems so foreign from our expectations and experience and yet Christ Jesus says that it’s true. Christ Jesus promises us that we can believe without seeing. And He’s right. Here is why; πŸ‘‰ SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING! First, we need to dispel the myth that seeing is believing. It isn’t and it never has been. The evidence for this is found in the people who did see Christ Jesus. Many people have said, *If I could just see Christ Jesus,I would believe in him.* I boldly answer yo, *No you wouldn’t...if you saw Christ Jesus, you would kill Him!* Because that’s what many people who saw Him did. Thousands of people witnessed Christ Jesus performed miracles impossible to man. And yet it was those same crowds that cried out for his crucifixion. Seeing is not believing: just look at those who saw Christ Jesus and did not believe. Christ Jesus demonstrates this Himself in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man descends into hell and pleads with Father Abraham to let him go back and warn his brothers, so that they will not end up there, Abraham replied, *They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.* ‘No, father Abraham,* he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.* Abraham said to him, *If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.* Remember also that this is ONE VERY IMPORTANT SCRIPTURE IN WHICH OUR LORD HIMSELF VERIFIED THE REALITY OF HELL...even though,some unbelieving theologians write it off as mere illustration. Every parable Christ Jesus told in the Bible was from things that were real...not folk stories. I'd to digress a little because HELL is a big issue. (Luke 16:29-31) In this parable, Christ Jesus makes it clear that someone could witness the resurrection and still not believe. Why? BECAUSE SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING. πŸ‘‰ THE REAL REASON ! But this raises a question. IF SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING... THEN WHAT IS THE REAL REASON WHY PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD? And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe. In John 7, Christ Jesus’ brothers urge him to *show Himself to the world*. They thought that if people just saw Christ Jesus...and in particular His miracles...they would believe and follow Him. DO YOU KNOW THAT JUDE WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF JUDE, WAS AN EARTHLY SIBLING OF CHRIST JESUS, BUT HE ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM, AFTER HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION...I'VE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY (SIBLINGS) , ONLY BELIEVED IN HIM AFTER HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. (THEY,WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE PRIME BENEFICIARIES OF HIS PRESENCE! WE ARE LIKE THEM... DON'T BLAME THEM). This is what we often think as well. But Christ Jesus rebukes them: *the world cannot hate you, but it hates ME because I testify that its works are evil.* (John 7:7) What is the real reason why people don’t believe in God? And Christ Jesus tells us: people don’t believe because they simply don’t want to believe. Christ Jesus knows that the world will not accept Him and He knows that it has nothing to do with whether they see Him and His miracles or not. THE REAL REASON THAT THE WORLD WILL NOT BELIEVE IN CHRIST JESUS IS THAT IT HATES CHRIST JESUS. If Christ Jesus were to sing to the world’s tune, it would believe in Him in a second. But because He testifies that their works are evil, they hate Him. And that is the real reason why they don’t believe in Him. They don’t want to. Their evil consciences couldn't cope with His righteous rebukes. Later in the same chapter Christ Jesus challenges the religious leaders with this truth: My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. (John 7:16-17) The person who wants to do God’s will believes in Christ Jesus. The person who wants to live their own way won’t. And this is exactly what we see in the rest of the chapter. The Pharisees’ rejection of Christ Jesus is shown to be completely unfounded. Even one of their own, Nicodemus, thinks they are being unfair. Despite all the evidence, they refuse to believe simply because they don’t want to believe. Their unbelief is not based on reason but rebellion. They want to live life their own way. And this is true for our world today. You could see Christ Jesus every day of your life and still not believe in Him. The Pharisees didn’t. His own brothers didn’t. The real reason why people don’t believe in Christ Jesus is that they don’t want to. πŸ‘‰ HEARING IS BELIEVING! So, if seeing is not believing, how can I believe in God? One of the wonderful things about God is that He never leaves us in the dark. He doesn’t just tell us where to go but also how to get there. And the same is true for faith. Consistently throughout the Bible, God teaches us that seeing is not believing: But Hearing is believing. This is what Paul says: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ Jesus .(Romans 10:17 emphasis mine). You could not get a more unambiguous verse about how to believe in God. God tells us plainly: Faith comes from hearing! AmenπŸ™‡πŸ™!
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  • Market Performance

    Bitcoin (BTC): Over the weekend, Bitcoin surpassed the $87,000 mark. In the past 24 hours, it has fluctuated between $84,174.10 and $87,022.08, with a trading volume of approximately $17.98 billion. Market analysts anticipate sideways trading until April, influenced by broader macroeconomic factors affecting various financial markets.


    Regulatory and Policy Updates

    United Kingdom: Lisa Gordon, Chair of Cavendish, has expressed concern over the UK's increasing interest in cryptocurrency investments, particularly among individuals under 45. She advocates for a financial literacy program and proposes reducing or eliminating the stamp duty on London-listed shares for retail investors. To offset this, she suggests imposing a stamp duty on cryptocurrency transactions, aiming to encourage investment in equities that support economic growth.

    Australia: The Australian government has introduced a comprehensive approach to digital assets, which includes new tax regulations and governance standards for cryptocurrency companies, aligning them with other financial service providers. This framework encompasses licensing requirements, custodial laws, and the regulation of stablecoins with minimum capital standards. Industry leaders have welcomed these measures, viewing them as positive steps toward the sector's development in Australia.


    Legal and Security Incidents

    United States: James Schwab, a 22-year-old from Georgia, has been charged in connection with the kidnapping of a couple in Danbury, Connecticut, in August 2024. The incident is linked to a $230 million cryptocurrency theft involving the victims' son. Schwab is the seventh individual charged in this case and faces a potential life sentence if convicted.

    Cryptocurrency Developer Charges: Roman Storm, a 35-year-old developer, is facing criminal charges for his role in creating Tornado Cash, a blockchain mixer used to obscure digital fund movements. Prosecutors allege that the software facilitated the laundering of over $1 billion by criminal organizations, including North Korea's Lazarus Group. Storm faces charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and sanctions violations, with a maximum sentence of 45 years if convicted.


    Consumer Alerts

    Online Scams: A mother reportedly lost over $400,000 to online scammers who initially contacted her via Facebook. Despite her son's efforts to intervene and seek assistance from authorities, the scammers continued to manipulate her into sending money through untraceable means such as gift cards and cryptocurrency. This case highlights the importance of vigilance against online financial scams and the challenges in combating such fraudulent activities.

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    Market Performance Bitcoin (BTC): Over the weekend, Bitcoin surpassed the $87,000 mark. In the past 24 hours, it has fluctuated between $84,174.10 and $87,022.08, with a trading volume of approximately $17.98 billion. Market analysts anticipate sideways trading until April, influenced by broader macroeconomic factors affecting various financial markets. Regulatory and Policy Updates United Kingdom: Lisa Gordon, Chair of Cavendish, has expressed concern over the UK's increasing interest in cryptocurrency investments, particularly among individuals under 45. She advocates for a financial literacy program and proposes reducing or eliminating the stamp duty on London-listed shares for retail investors. To offset this, she suggests imposing a stamp duty on cryptocurrency transactions, aiming to encourage investment in equities that support economic growth. Australia: The Australian government has introduced a comprehensive approach to digital assets, which includes new tax regulations and governance standards for cryptocurrency companies, aligning them with other financial service providers. This framework encompasses licensing requirements, custodial laws, and the regulation of stablecoins with minimum capital standards. Industry leaders have welcomed these measures, viewing them as positive steps toward the sector's development in Australia. Legal and Security Incidents United States: James Schwab, a 22-year-old from Georgia, has been charged in connection with the kidnapping of a couple in Danbury, Connecticut, in August 2024. The incident is linked to a $230 million cryptocurrency theft involving the victims' son. Schwab is the seventh individual charged in this case and faces a potential life sentence if convicted. Cryptocurrency Developer Charges: Roman Storm, a 35-year-old developer, is facing criminal charges for his role in creating Tornado Cash, a blockchain mixer used to obscure digital fund movements. Prosecutors allege that the software facilitated the laundering of over $1 billion by criminal organizations, including North Korea's Lazarus Group. Storm faces charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and sanctions violations, with a maximum sentence of 45 years if convicted. Consumer Alerts Online Scams: A mother reportedly lost over $400,000 to online scammers who initially contacted her via Facebook. Despite her son's efforts to intervene and seek assistance from authorities, the scammers continued to manipulate her into sending money through untraceable means such as gift cards and cryptocurrency. This case highlights the importance of vigilance against online financial scams and the challenges in combating such fraudulent activities. #Crypto #Bitcoin #Ethereum #Solana #CryptoNews #Blockchain #CryptoMarket #DigitalCurrency #CryptoTrading #NFT #DeFi #CryptoPrices #CryptoInvestment #CryptoTrends #FinancialTechnology
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