It seems people who read the Bible are among the slowest to believe all that is written therein. That’s why there is so much division in the Body of Christ. If we would all simply BELIEVE what is written, and act upon it, most of this world would already be won to the LORD, but no, we pick and choose what we want to believe. One believes in salvation, but not healing, another believes in healing, but not speaking in tongues, another believes they don’t know WHAT to believe. And it’s a mess, and it’s been going on quite a while.
Take the first disciples, for example. Jesus told them He would rise again after the third day, and we can pick that up in Luke 24:1-11, but what happened?
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
8 And they remembered his words,
9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

 

They went to the temple to hear the scriptures taught every Sabbath, and yet we find Jesus rebuked them for unbelief after He was risen. Let’s have a look at Luke 24:12-26;
12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Over in Mark 16:9-14 we pick up another view of this event:
9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Now, if His own followers didn’t believe He was risen, it’s easy to understand how WE, who were not there with Him at the time, suffer from unbelief. BUT, we have their account of all that happened, and that should settle it for us. We SAY we believe, in order to make ourselves and others feel good, but the truth is, “the proof is in our actions”.
Jesus said, just before ascending to heaven, in Mark 16:15-18,

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

I don’t see anything written there where Jesus said, “HEY GUYS, JUST KIDDING! No, He said what He meant, and meant what He said. So why are we slow to believe? We could be turning the world upside down, just like the first disciples did, once they got rid of their unbelief, and were filled with the Holy Spirit.

There are only two scenarios: either we change the world, or the world will change us. Which is it? You can’t be popular with the world, and do the will of God. The LORD once told me, “Jerry, you can be popular, or you can help people make it to My Kingdom, which do you want?” I didn’t have to even think about it: I told Him I want to help people make it to His Kingdom. He said, “Then sometimes you’re going to have to tell them things they don’t want to hear.”

Recently I’ve been studying in Jeremiah, and see exactly what He meant. They didn’t want to believe Him then, and they don’t want to believe Him now, either. A FEW do, but not nearly enough. But look at what God did with TWELVE who DID believe! It could happen all over now if a few of YOU believed with me: we could turn this world right-side up with the help of the Holy Spirit, just like they did 2000 years ago.

Don’t be slow to believe and miss out on all of God’s best. Look at history and learn from it, and don’t repeat their mistakes. God is looking for a few BELIEVERS, not doubters. He is looking for those who will literally take Him at His Word. Are YOU one of them?