To Believe Or Not To Believe, That Is The Question

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To Believe, Or Not To Believe?

That Is The Question

By Malcolm B Heap, Midnight Ministries

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I don’t waste my time browsing the internet or reading web pages of endless debate between atheists and theists. It holds little merit. But a friend recently sent me a short discourse, thinking I would be interested in what the avowed atheist said.

I wasn’t, but since he sent it, I gave it my time.

It was an interview with Christopher Hitchens, whose latest book is entitled God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.

The title is poison, but I agree with some of what Hitchens says. He "attacks every belief system that rejects science or seeks to control its followers".

He may be an atheist, but he is right in that approach, because God does not approve of any belief system that rejects true science. Nor does God want us to submit to men who spiritually control.

We live in a world steeped in superstition. The theory of evolution is an example. It’s not science, but science fiction – an uproven hypothesis that cannot be proven. True science has no controversy with Genesis, when you properly understand Genesis.

God can be proven – to a mind that is willing. He cannot be weighed in scientific, empirical terms, but you can come to know and experience Him just as you can know and experience things that science can measure – IF you are desperate enough. Most atheists have a belief system they are content with. They want to believe there is no God. And God lets them. HE doesn’t control you. Satan does that.

So, the religion which Hitchens decries – rightly so – is false religion. It is religion which tries to control and subjugate minds, for devious and suspect ends. Karl Marx said, "religion is the opiate of the people", and it is – FALSE religion, that is!

True religion, however, is nothing like we see all around. Truth liberates. It doesn’t repress or control – like the sign seen above a tent promoting eastern religion: "Shoes and minds must be left at the gate."

God wants us to worship Him with all our mind (and other faculties) (see Mark 12:30), not surrender it to some man who claims to represent Him. He wants you to question and think (Eph 4:14; 5:6,10,17), lest you be led astray by demonic spirits (1 Jn 4:1), or by false ministers (Matt 7:15-20; 2 Cor 11:13-15).

How come it takes an atheist to see what is so extensively wrong with most believers? It’s a shame! Deception in the Church is so rife that the majority follow mutely instead of being discerning and wise. As a result, non-believers think that religion is for dummies. Most of what they see is false religion, and a wrong approach in believers who act like puppets.

True belief is not mindless, but based on fact and reality. All three go together. True faith brings you understanding of what is real, although you may not see it in the physical. And acceptance of spiritual fact and reality enhances true faith.

Jesus gave us many promises that are fact, and become reality to you, when you believe them. Here are a few:

Have [the] faith of God; for verily I say to you, that whoever may say to this mount, ‘Be taken up, and be cast into the sea,’ and may not doubt in his heart, but may believe that the things that he saith do come to pass, it shall be to him whatever he may say. Because of this, I say to you, all whatever – praying – ye do ask, believe that ye receive, and it shall be to you (Mark 11:22-24, Young’s Literal Translation).

This is madness to an unbeliever, but to a true believer it is life and truth.

We had a mountain of debt blocking our way in this ministry some years ago. I didn’t even say to the mountain "Remove!" I just believed it would. And it did. Why? Because there is a God who is intimately aware of all we need, and who provides for those who are sincerely promoting Him to others.

On Pentecost, one of the prophetic ‘words’ we received was: "Do not doubt; only believe; and you will see."

Of course, you can’t do as many charismatics try to do, muster up faith to believe for what you want. It’s not your faith we’re talking about. Jesus said (Mk 11:22) that it’s the faith of God. You cannot believe and receive anything YOU want. But, with the faith of God, you can believe and receive what HE wants.

That faith comes into you, as you DO what He commands. Jesus lives in you by His Spirit, if you love Him and keep His commandments (Jn 15:10).

...that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you (Jn 15:16).

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (Jn 15:7).

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38).

Belief is not just a head thing. It’s a heart thing. It’s a matter of motive. When your heart is right, the belief of God enters and begins to direct your life. That is evidenced in your fruit – your actions.

...faith, by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (Jas 2:17).

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (Jas 2:19-20.)

There are many dead Christians, who think they’re alive. They are deceived by their own head knowledge, which they think is belief. It’s not real belief. Real, enduring, powerful belief resides inside, deeper down, in your spirit. You find out whether you’ve got it by seeing how you react to various situations in life.

A lot of Christians have faith in the church they belong to, or faith in their minister(s). They are deceived that that is faith in God, and the faith OF God. It isn’t! When the Spirit challenges them to move on, and follow Jesus without such compromise, they can’t do it. They are trapped inside the walls that their church has erected around them psychologically.

When you do what Paul said in Romans 12 and the latter half of Romans 13, you’re giving in a measure that Jesus outlined above in Luke 6:38.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets... (Matt 5:10-12).

This is a promise that many believers would rather forget. But, when you are persecuted, falsely accused, imprisoned, abused, misunderstood and slandered, the kingdom of heaven enters. Jesus comes in much more to give you support and comfort.

When you stand up for what is right, even at great personal risk or loss, God comes into you with an inner strength to enable you to bear it.

Always remember: God is the Great Enabler. He enables you to do what you cannot by yourself.

Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men (Matt 4:19).

When He calls, do you immediately leave your net to follow Him, or are the things of your own life and ambitions more important to you than Him?

Do you believe Him? Do you believe that He WILL help you to ‘fish’ people? Do you share Him with others? Or can’t you do that because He’s not yet in you?

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other (Matt 6:24a).

Believers who are loyal to their mentor(s) or friends do not have the full love and loyalty for Jesus.

You cannot serve God and mammon (Matt 6:24b). Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life... [about the physical things you need] (6:25). ...O you of little faith (6:30). Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matt 6:31-33).

Believers who are too concerned about the physical cannot have true belief for the spiritual. So many evangelists are concerned about where their provision will come from! They appeal to people instead of to God, because they have little faith.

Why? Because they are more concerned about themselves than about the God who owns all.

Self is a massive faith killer!

I will come and heal him (Matt 8:7).

Ah, yes, but will you let Him in?! Too many want only what they want, not what Jesus wants. He wants to heal your spirit before He heals your body.

I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 8:11,12).

To those who have faith, He says:

Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you (Matt 8:13).

...whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full (Jn 16:23,24).

Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you ‘ (Matt 9:29).

Let Him touch your eyes, so that you can see. Malcolm B Heap

Bible quotations are from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise stated

Further Reading:

Faith: Raising Our Level of Expectation (F)

Faith and Healing (FH) The Bible Speaks, Vol 5 (TBS5)

Our Sabbath Rest (£3) The Controversy Concerning Law and Grace (£2)

Wielding The Divine Axe (Axe) The Faith Once Delivered To The Saints (FOD)

Revelations From God About The Judgement Of Britain (Jud)

Why Britain Will Fall Soon (B)

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