{"id":33066,"date":"2025-07-30T18:35:29","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T22:35:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=33066"},"modified":"2025-07-30T18:44:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T22:44:15","slug":"worship-wednesday-unbelief-believe-by-blessing-offor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=33066","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Unbelief? – “Believe!” by Blessing Offor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo Credit: Knowing-Jesus<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.<\/em> – Jeremiah 7:24<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.\u201d \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>Ephesians 4:18<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. <\/em>– Hebrews 2:1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBlessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.\u201d \u2013<\/strong><\/em> Proverbs 28:14<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unbelief is a dangerous state of being. Rather than take a disturbing or confusing situation, and dig into prayer, Bible study, and reasoning with other believers…we are tempted to take our own counsel. We are drawn to a lesser gospel which “allows” for us to come out on top or to be right and the other is wrong. We want to be comfortable, justified, without sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, we were blessed to be in a long conversation with a young family member who is struggling with a theological matter. He has studied long on this issue and can’t wrap his mind around it. Is that unbelief? I don’t think so. His heart is earnest toward the Lord. He wants to know what is true, and he wants to believe what God is saying. As we grapple over this, continue to study, and pray, I believe<\/strong> God will give him enough understanding that faith will take him the rest of the way…wherever he lands. He wants to believe and God will reveal what He needs to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s scary is those who choose unbelief as their only recourse…their only way forward in our post-Christian culture. Those, even in the church, who refuse to bend to the teaching of Christ…it’s enough to be moral, to be nice, to be ____________ (whatever our culture says is correct).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I knew a man once, a beloved brother, in the church where I grew up. He stopped coming to church after a long season of perceived faithfulness. His reason? He said he felt so burdened by what he had already learned and known about God that he didn’t want to risk being held responsible for any more knowledge of God!!!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tragic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet do we sometimes struggle with that ourselves? Being a part of church but having false beliefs…shutting our ears to what we hope not to have to obey. Or walking away from the church because of the same hardening of heart and refusing to believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“…is true Christianity only to be measured by what I believe, or also by how I live? Functional Christianity<\/em> is when your confession impacts your way of life — you are functioning in accordance with your confession that Jesus is Lord.  If Jesus is the reigning Lord of heaven and earth, then discipleship (true Christianity) is measured not simply by what I believe, but by how I live my life in relation to the rule of Jesus.  In other words, the gospel should impact every area of my life.” – John H. Armstrong, Functional Christianity<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hardened heart has lost its desire to obey the Lord. Oh that we would never allow our hearts to be so far from Him as to not be able to hear His voice. He is always calling us back to Himself. Believe Him…trust Him…and obey. What freedom and beauty we have in this life with Him!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

30 Powerful Bible Verses About Hardening of the Heart<\/em> – Pastor David<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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