Even when we Doubt, God is Faithful to Deliver!
HE IS Faithful to Deliver
1. Some of the Angels in Heaven doubted- But God, Delivered the Heavens – through the Faith of Angels who fought
Revelation 12:7-9 (NIV)
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. - Lightening Bolt - Avengers-Hulk Smashes Loki
2. Adam/Eve and generations of men after them doubted- But God, delivered Planet Earth and every living thing in it – through the faith of one man named Noah
Genesis 8:20-22 (NIV)
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." –preservation until consummation (fulfillment) of time. -The existential threat to human existence is Global Warming -Sin
Genesis 9:12-13 (NIV)
And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
3. Again, generations of men Doubted –But God, CONTINUED to Deliver …this time through the faith of Abraham, the Patriarch (Father of Faith), and The Promised “SEED” to all of Mankind
Genesis 22:15-18 (NIV)
The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations (tribe, tongue and nation Wedding Feast) on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
4. Sadly, throughout the Course of Time (Major and Minor Prophets-Story of God’s faithfulness to redeem fallen man) men continued to Doubt – BUT THIS TIME, God doubled down, on Christmas Eve, 2000 years ago and DELIVERED the DECISIVE Verdict – He would come in person by sending his own Son to earth, to be BORN of man (Phil 2 emptied himself taking the form of a bond-servant being made in the likeness of men)– to BEAR THE WEIGHT OF the sins of the World – to SET CAPTIVES free – to LIBERATE every human soul.
John 20:24-29 (NIV)
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."