Unbelief Makes God a Liar - for thirty-eight long years Israel forgot God’s word and dismissed his miracles. God was saying, “These people make a lie out of everything I have done for them. When will they ever trust and rest in me?” Think about all the things God has done for you: He has kept you, answered prayers, met you in crises, brought you through trials, taken care of you in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. We worry and fret because we don’t see him immediately do what we think he should do for us. When God’s Word does not anchor our souls, when we hear wonderful promises then act as if we have been abandoned, we make God out to be a liar. When we live in unbelief, we rob ourselves of His blessings and favor

“He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of his Son” - (1 John 5:10, NKJV).

Consider all the ugly sins listed against Israel in the wilderness: complaining, idolatry, rebellion, sensuality and more. 

It’s a long list, yet none of these provoked God’s anger. 

It was their unbelief that angered God.

“And the Lord said to Moses: 

"‘How long will these people reject me? 

"'And how long will they not believe me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?’” - (Numbers 14:11). 

God was saying, “These people make a lie out of everything I have done for them. When will they ever trust and rest in me?”

For thirty-eight long years Israel forgot God’s word and dismissed his miracles. 

Finally, because they kept falling back into murmuring and unbelief, God said, “I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them” - (Numbers 14:12). 

He told Moses, “I am giving up on my people because they won’t trust me.”

When Israel was on the victorious side of Jordan, Moses solemnly declared, “Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it ... 

"Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. 

"The Lord your God, who goes before you, he will fight for you ...

"Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God ...

"And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers’” -  (Deuteronomy 1:21, 29-30, 32, 34-35).

Think about all the things God has done for you: He has kept you, answered prayers, met you in crises, brought you through trials, taken care of you in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. 

Nevertheless, we worry and fret because we don’t see him immediately do what we think he should do for us.

When God’s Word does not anchor our souls, when we hear wonderful promises then act as if we have been abandoned, we make God out to be a liar. 

When we live in unbelief, we rob ourselves of His blessings and favor.

By David Wilkerson

World Challenge Daily Devotions 

David Wilkerson was called to New York City in 1958 to minister to gang members and drug addicts, as told in the best-selling book The Cross and the Switchblade. He went on to create Teen Challenge and World Challenge, Inc. to minister to people’s spiritual and physical needs. In 1987, he established Times Square Church. As its founding pastor, he faithfully led this congregation, delivering powerful biblical messages that encourage righteous living and complete reliance on God. David Wilkerson also had a strong burden to encourage his fellow pastors. He founded the Summit International School of Ministry; and from 1999 to 2008, he held international conferences to strengthen church leaders. His passion to support believers, build up leaders and care for the poor is still at the heart of World Challenge’s ministries to this day.

worldchallenge.org

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When People Love Darkness - people come up with excuses as to why they don’t come into a relationship with Jesus Christ. They call them reasons and might even classify them as questions but they are nothing more than excuses. There is only one reason that people aren’t putting their faith in Christ - they love darkness and don’t want to change. The worst sin a person can commit is unbelief. Unbelief is a choice. If they continue in a pattern of rejecting Jesus Christ, they can go beyond that point

The Unpardonable Sin - the unpardonable sin was the sin of the nation of Israel which rejected Christ in the face of much contrary evidence. It can only be committed today by unbelievers - they are abandoned to their own fate and must bear the full weight of their unbelief. We must urge all to trust Christ as Savior. God stands ready to forgive those who confess their sins. He also cleanses us, spiritually speaking, so that we feel free. Forgiveness is available for those who desire it

The Sin That Leads to Death - Jesus told the religious leaders that they were in danger of committing the unpardonable sin because they were accusing Jesus of using satanic powers to perform miracles. To blaspheme the Holy Spirit by attributing the miracles of Jesus to Satan is unforgiveable. They are “guilty of an eternal sin.” There is only one sin today that God will not forgive - rejecting Jesus Christ. There is no sin which God will not forgive except failing to trust in Christ

Day of Fire - the Lord promises to make a new earth where those who humbled themselves to receive His righteousness can live without fear of evil. To do that, He will first rid this fading world of those who are bent on wrongdoing. The Lord will judge Earth with fire. The very foundations of the mountains will burn. Those who reject these warnings will be caught willfully unaware when the day arrives. Whoever will accept this message can prepare for this day of fire

“For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.” - (Deuteronomy 32:22)

The Bible clearly teaches that the Lord will judge Earth with fire. 

The Lord promises to make a new earth where those who humbled themselves to receive His righteousness can live without fear of evil. 

To do that, He will first rid this fading world of those who are bent on wrongdoing. 

“The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” - (2 Peter 3:10). 

This is not mere metaphor. 

The very foundations of the mountains will burn.

Mountains are rooted in continental crust, which reaches far below the earth’s surface toward the deep mantle.

Such depths are already broiling, as lava reveals, but its temperature will intensify, according to Scripture.

Isaiah did not mince words, warning repeatedly of fire to come. 

“And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day” - (Isaiah 10:17). 

“Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire” - (Isaiah 29:6).

Those who reject these warnings will be caught willfully unaware when the day arrives “when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” - (Romans 2:16). 

Whoever will accept this message can prepare for this day of fire. 

For those who seek salvation, “ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire” but “to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” - (Hebrews 12:18, 24).

BY BRIAN THOMAS, PH.D. 

Days of Praise

the Institute for Creation Research

icr.org

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The Judgment Seat of Christ - believers are secure in Christ, but they still must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. It will be a time of examination and a time of reward. The “fire” of God’s scrutiny will reveal the quality of our works. Rewards are distributed to those whose works withstand the test. The judgment seat of Christ is different from the Great White Throne Judgment. That will be the final judgment of the wicked prior to their being cast into the lake of fire

The Lake Of Fire - billions of people believe in false religions. Many are "good" people. Nevertheless, they are all lost and bound for hell. Most fail to act on whatever light they may have and God says they are "without excuse." God has made our salvation possible and easily available through the incarnation, substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, and glorious victory over death in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. What we could never earn by good works, He has provided as a free gift

Crowns a Believer can Receive in Heaven - the Bible mentions five different crowns a person can receive in heaven. These include an imperishable crown, the crown of righteousness, the crown of life, the crown of rejoicing, and the crown of glory. There is no reason to doubt God would use actual crowns in heaven. Those who serve well as leaders in the church, according to God's standards and qualifications, will receive an eternal crown of glory

Korah's Dispute - Israel had rejected the report of Joshua and Caleb on God’s promise about Canaan - God was really angry with them. God does not tolerate rejection of His message

“Woe unto them! for they have...perished in the gainsaying of Core.” - (Jude 1:11)

Jude describes the Levite Korah’s rebellion against Moses (Numbers 16) as an antilogia (to speak against, dispute, contradict). 

During that time, Moses and Aaron were the spokespersons for the Lord, with authority and direct instructions from God.

The Scriptures take that place today.

Korah and 250 other “princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown” (Numbers 16:2) had decided that they were just as “holy” as Moses and were demanding some share of the leadership (and presumably some of the control). 

This was far more than a mere leadership struggle.

Israel had just come through several major miracles (Red Sea parting, manna, water from the rock, etc.), had been given the Ten Commandments, and had built the tabernacle. 

They had rejected the report of Joshua and Caleb on God’s promise about Canaan and were in the middle of trying to choose a captain to “return into Egypt” (Numbers 14:4). 

God was really angry with them!

Korah led this “gainsaying” in an attempt to thwart God’s direction through Moses. 

Today, that would be equivalent to insisting that science (or philosophy or theology) is just as holy as the text of Scripture. 

God’s method of testing this antilogia was simple: each leader was to prepare his own censer and incense (equivalent to his interpretation of God’s Word) and see how God responded to him.

They perished in a most spectacular display of ruin—“the ground clave asunder that was under them” and they “went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation” (Numbers 16:31, 33). 

God does not tolerate rejection of His message, “for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psalm 138:2).

BY HENRY M. MORRIS III, D.MIN.  

Days of Praise

Institute for Creation Research 

icr.org

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Be strong and courageous! - courage based on faith is the universal attitude for saints in all situations - it's faith that inspires courage, for our God is an awesome God

Wilderness Places - we must press beyond merely believing in God, and reach out to discover that He is our provider as well

Walking in the Wilderness - there are times when we go astray, and God must bring us back - but there are other times when He desires to grow us up and strengthen our faith