Standing Firm Part 2: Know What You Believe

Do you know what you believe?
If your life depended on the answer you gave, could you verbalize your beliefs?

As my faith has grown, as my walk with the Lord as strengthened I have had what I call "ah-ha!" moments. When the Lord wants me to pay attention to something, well, to Him, He makes sure I "hear" the same thing over and over - honestly, by the third time I usually get it. And my latest realization started yesterday morning.

We had a guest teacher, and as I posted yesterday, we studied the Book of Haggai. When we were discussing Haggai v , 1v5, Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways., Melissa said something about needing to know what you believe. She had discussed with my normal teacher what we had been discussing the previous weeks, which for us has been the end times. Melissa shared that with time running short you are going to need to know what you believe. Your life will show what you believe.

Then last night our Assistant Pastor returned to the pulpit. Four weeks ago he passed a kidney stone that revealed a tumor. Last night he shared his experience and what God did with him in that time. His message was about God being our very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1-3). And during his message and testimony he made the comment about, "knowing what you believe." (So time #2 for me to hear that message). So I spent some time looking into the Word and seeing what it says about knowing what you believe:

• 2 Timothy 3:14New King James Version (NKJV)But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
• 2 Timothy 2:15New King James Version (NKJV)Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• 1 John 5:13New King James Version (NKJV)These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
• 2 Timothy 4:3-4New King James Version (NKJV) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;  and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
• James 1:22-25New King James Version (NKJV)But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

The third "ah-ha" for me was in my morning reading/prayer time as I shared this morning:

So I found my book of 1 minute prayers for busy moms. Very fitting for this morning. The verse I read (actually the 3rd) is this:
Therefore, my dear bothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58

The commentary attached to it states this, "You call me to stand firm in my belief, my understanding of truth. Please help me when I hedge slightly left or right of honesty, integrity, and love."

 

 

So what I gather from my experiences the past 48 hours or so is that I need to know what I believe, and just as importantly, why. Here is what I believe & why:

1. I believe that the Bible is God inspired, that every word is from God.
1. 2 Timothy 3:16 New King James Version (NKJV)All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
2. I believe that trust in Jesus is the only way to salvation.
1. Matthew 19:25-26 New King James Version (NKJV)When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
2. Hebrews 7:25 New King James Version (NKJV)
   Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
3. John 14:6 New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
3. I believe that Jesus is returning, and that the time draws near. (KJV)
1. Matthew 24:36 - But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
2. Revelation 11:19 - And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:52 - In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
4. Revelation 20:4 - And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5. Matthew 24:27 - For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
6. Matthew 25:13 - Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Is this all that I believe? I pray not. But I do know that this is a good core foundation, and that I am going to be giving much thought, time, and pray to what it is I believe. My heart tells me that the time is coming and that I need to have an answer ready.

 

So what do you believe? Why do you believe what you believe? Share with me the verses that back up your beliefs. I would love hear from you.