Virginia Brandt Berg (1898-1968)
God bless you and greetings to each one. Welcome to Meditation Moments and our meditation this morning. I am sure it is going to be a help to some that need it so much, as we were blessed in our own hearts as we read this Scripture from James the first Chapter. And I am reading from the Amplified New Testament.
"Consider it wholly joyful my brethren whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fallen to various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith brings out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
"But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work so that you may be perfectly and fully developed with no defects, lacking in nothing.
If any of you is deficient in wisdom let him ask of the giving God who gives to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly without reproaching or fault-finding, and it will be given him." Now mark this Verse because it is what we will talk to you about:
Only he must ask in faith, it must be in faith that he asks, with no wavering, no hesitating, no doubting." -- Now the Word is saying that you must not doubt when you ask God for something. We continue with this wonderful Scripture in James 1: "For the one who wavers, hesitates, doubts is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.
"For truly let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything he asks from the Lord. For being as he is a man of two minds, hesitating dubious irresolute, he is unstable unreliable and uncertain about everything he decides."
Now this seems rather harsh at first when you think about it. It says for he that hesitates or doubts let not him imagine that he will receive anything that he asks from the Lord: he will not receive anything! I say, that does seem a little hard,
But when a real study of God's Word is made regarding doubts, you will see how serious it is to doubt God's Word! Doubts nearly cost Elijah his life when he fled to the desert in fear when Jezebel swore to kill him. Because of Sarah's doubting Ishmael was born and generations his tribes caused trouble, even to this day! Because of doubts Moses lost the high priesthood, and oh there are so many examples in God's Word!
For forty years the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness and died in the desert because they doubted God's promises regarding the Promised Land. Jacob fled his home and had to spend many years in toil for Laban because he doubted. His mother Rebekah also doubted the promise of God. And because of doubts Hezekiah paid needless tribute to Sennacherib: That wonderful story about the robbing of God's treasury and the temple, and bankrupt the whole realm because of doubt.
And you know the story of Peter so well, how he nearly lost his life by doubting. As I say, there are so many instances, wonderful stories about this very problem, in God's Word. All of these in the end had to throw themselves on the Lord for deliverance and He did deliver them when they repented and when they turned right-about-face from their doubting.
But they all had to pay a severe price for doubting. And yet there are those with all this, who do not see the awful sin and danger of doubting God's eternal Divine Word! There are doubts as to forgiveness of their sins, doubts as to God's love for them. They doubt God's care,
And they are kept in unrest and misery and even uselessness in service because their fellowship with the Lord is broken by their doubts. They don't think about turning really away from the Lord or turning back, but they will doubt His promises and the assertions He has made to His own children!
Many even believe that doubting is inevitable, that is' just part of the Christian fight of faith: It's just a little part of the warfare that we have which has to be borne just as you would bear any other trial. But no! You don't have to doubt! There is perfect victory to be had over all doubts!
Doubts are of the Devil and you don't have to accept them! Mother used to say, "You can't keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair." -- And you can't keep doubts from coming as temptations to you at times, they will present themselves to you, but you don't have to accept them! You don't have to invite them in and mull over them.
You can through Jesus Christ's power have deliverance and be absolutely free of doubting. Maybe we can help in some way by suggesting how one can be rid of doubts. -- But first let me tell you who a doubter is.
Someone has said a doubter is one that wants some more reliable proof that the promises of God are true than the simple Word of God: they want some other reliable proof than God's Word, that is. Another said a doubter is one who is in spiritual rebellion against God.
A doubter is one who doubts the truthfulness of God and thus they really defame God's character. Now here is a proof of this in God's Word. God's Word says, "He that believeth not God hath made God a liar." -- That's pretty serious isn't it? God's Word also says,
"Many entered not in because of their unbelief." Remember again, we have quoted these Scriptures so many times, but it's "Faith is the Victory," "Without faith it is impossible to please God!" "This is the victory that overcomes the World, even your faith." -- With all these admonishings you can see what a sin it is to allow doubts to companion with you.
How then is one to overcome them? Oh, there is so little time for this, you will have to forgive, we can only give just a few suggestions! -- And it has to be an aggressive warfare!
First of all, you can get rid of doubts by a deliberate act of your will to refuse to accept the doubts! Turn from them immediately when they present themselves to you. Don't tarry over them! Don't think them over! Turn from any doubt at once! Make it final. Make it definite!
Second, remember that any doubts as to your standing with God and His Love for you and His care over you, His provision for you, are all attacks of the Devil, the Enemy of God who is trying to discourage and dishearten you and turn you away from God.
Any thought that God is indifferent toward you, that He has forsaken you, comes straight from the Enemy himself. The Word says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." -- And doubts will flee if you will do this. This denial of doubts though, will have to be definite and emphatic or it won't do any good.
Then begin to quote passages of reassuring Scripture, I always so this! Sometimes when I have gotten up in the morning and the life looked rather blue and it was a dark sort of a taste in the mouth, and you know how you've felt sometimes like you sorta didn't want to put your feet to the floor!
I just begin quoting wonderful passages of God's Word, they are so reassuring! I don't have to take time to quote them, you know many of them. Some of them are my favorites: "God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, but will with every temptation make a way of escape that ye may bear it." And Isaiah says,
"Fear not for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." Oh, that's far better than any cup or coffee to get you started in the morning! And how we need it today! I was saying to relatives as we drove along tonight,
"I don't see how the World gets along with all the pressure there is upon hearts and all that's happening: this with Cuba and this with Russia and all the threats and now all of this that is coming to pass so far as the next meeting in the United Nations is concerned.
"I wonder how the World bears it all without the comforting presence of the Lord Jesus Christ?" -- It is so wonderful to be a Christian in this day and hour. And that's a wonderful Verse to be given today, Isaiah 41:10, as he says, "He will uphold thee." And then he says in another place in the 42nd Chapter,
"I will not fail thee, be not discouraged, I will hold thee by the right hand, saying unto thee...," isn't that wonderful? We haven't time to read it all. But so many of these promises you can repeat them over and over.
"Then there are assertions of faith. Just say, "Father you have never failed me, You will not fail me now! There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou art still with me, Lord. you promised never to leave nor forsake me." In this way you lift up a shield of faith against any doubts.
Never argue with your doubts! Don't argue with the Devil! He'll put such an argument to hurt your faith! Like Sophie the scrubwoman said, "Don't let the Devil finish his sentence. Just slam the door in his face even if you have to cut the end of his nose off!"
But most of all dearly beloved, turn all your doubtings over to Jesus! Just as you have handed all else to Him, make an absolute surrender of your doubts to Him. Tell Him all about it and put it in His hands as you take the stand against them. Your stand must be positive though! Say, "I will not doubt again!" Make it a definite transaction!
As you do this, Christ will begin to work in you His will and His good pleasure. Through His power you will find yourself saying, "Lord, I do trust Thee for this and for that. I believe Thy Word. I will not doubt. I trust Thy promises. Thou art my Friend, my Savior and my Deliverer. I put my trust and faith in Thee." How true that Verse of Scripture,
"When the Enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise a standard against him." Commit this battle to the Lord, the Loving Christ, who loves you so, and rely fully on His faithfulness. Remember the battle is His also.
"I will not doubt
Though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken mast and sails.
I will believe the hand which never fails,
From seeming evil, worketh good for me.
And though I weep because the sails are tattered
Still will I cry while my best hopes lie shattered,
'I trust in Thee.'
I will not doubt though all my prayers return unanswered
From the still white realm above.
I will believe it is an All-Wise Love
Which has refused these things for which I yearn.
"And though at times I cannot keep from grieving,
Yet the pure ardor of my fix believing
Undimmed shall burn: I will not doubt.
Oh, God make this my faith
Like some staunch ship that can brave every gale.
So strong its courage that it will not quail
To breast the mighty unknown sea of death.
Oh, may I cry though body parts with spirit
'I do not doubt!'
So listening worlds may hear it with my last breath,
'I will not doubt, I trust in Thee.'"
We thank Thee Father for Thy tender Love and care. We seek now for those that have asked help from Thee, and ask Thy blessing upon them. Keep them, Lord, kindle fresh faith in their hearts for deliverance: have mercy on them.
Grand that they may draw closer to Thee and make our testimony such that it will be a blessing and comfort to them. Through Jesus Christ our Lord we ask. Amen.
God is still on the Throne and prayer changes things
Second, remember that any doubts as to your standing with God and His Love for you and His care over you, His provision for you, are all attacks of the Devil, the Enemy of God who is trying to discourage and dishearten you and turn you away from God.
Any thought that God is indifferent toward you, that He has forsaken you, comes straight from the Enemy himself. The Word says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." -- And doubts will flee if you will do this. This denial of doubts though, will have to be definite and emphatic or it won't do any good.
Then begin to quote passages of reassuring Scripture, I always so this! Sometimes when I have gotten up in the morning and the life looked rather blue and it was a dark sort of a taste in the mouth, and you know how you've felt sometimes like you sorta didn't want to put your feet to the floor!
I just begin quoting wonderful passages of God's Word, they are so reassuring! I don't have to take time to quote them, you know many of them. Some of them are my favorites: "God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, but will with every temptation make a way of escape that ye may bear it." And Isaiah says,
"Fear not for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." Oh, that's far better than any cup or coffee to get you started in the morning! And how we need it today! I was saying to relatives as we drove along tonight,
"I don't see how the World gets along with all the pressure there is upon hearts and all that's happening: this with Cuba and this with Russia and all the threats and now all of this that is coming to pass so far as the next meeting in the United Nations is concerned.
"I wonder how the World bears it all without the comforting presence of the Lord Jesus Christ?" -- It is so wonderful to be a Christian in this day and hour. And that's a wonderful Verse to be given today, Isaiah 41:10, as he says, "He will uphold thee." And then he says in another place in the 42nd Chapter,
"I will not fail thee, be not discouraged, I will hold thee by the right hand, saying unto thee...," isn't that wonderful? We haven't time to read it all. But so many of these promises you can repeat them over and over.
"Then there are assertions of faith. Just say, "Father you have never failed me, You will not fail me now! There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou art still with me, Lord. you promised never to leave nor forsake me." In this way you lift up a shield of faith against any doubts.
Never argue with your doubts! Don't argue with the Devil! He'll put such an argument to hurt your faith! Like Sophie the scrubwoman said, "Don't let the Devil finish his sentence. Just slam the door in his face even if you have to cut the end of his nose off!"
But most of all dearly beloved, turn all your doubtings over to Jesus! Just as you have handed all else to Him, make an absolute surrender of your doubts to Him. Tell Him all about it and put it in His hands as you take the stand against them. Your stand must be positive though! Say, "I will not doubt again!" Make it a definite transaction!
As you do this, Christ will begin to work in you His will and His good pleasure. Through His power you will find yourself saying, "Lord, I do trust Thee for this and for that. I believe Thy Word. I will not doubt. I trust Thy promises. Thou art my Friend, my Savior and my Deliverer. I put my trust and faith in Thee." How true that Verse of Scripture,
"When the Enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise a standard against him." Commit this battle to the Lord, the Loving Christ, who loves you so, and rely fully on His faithfulness. Remember the battle is His also.
"I will not doubt
Though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken mast and sails.
I will believe the hand which never fails,
From seeming evil, worketh good for me.
And though I weep because the sails are tattered
Still will I cry while my best hopes lie shattered,
'I trust in Thee.'
I will not doubt though all my prayers return unanswered
From the still white realm above.
I will believe it is an All-Wise Love
Which has refused these things for which I yearn.
"And though at times I cannot keep from grieving,
Yet the pure ardor of my fix believing
Undimmed shall burn: I will not doubt.
Oh, God make this my faith
Like some staunch ship that can brave every gale.
So strong its courage that it will not quail
To breast the mighty unknown sea of death.
Oh, may I cry though body parts with spirit
'I do not doubt!'
So listening worlds may hear it with my last breath,
'I will not doubt, I trust in Thee.'"
We thank Thee Father for Thy tender Love and care. We seek now for those that have asked help from Thee, and ask Thy blessing upon them. Keep them, Lord, kindle fresh faith in their hearts for deliverance: have mercy on them.
Grand that they may draw closer to Thee and make our testimony such that it will be a blessing and comfort to them. Through Jesus Christ our Lord we ask. Amen.
God is still on the Throne and prayer changes things