You’ve Got to Believe It!

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed.” (John 20:29 NIV)

How often have you heard someone describing a spectacular event say, “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I wouldn’t have believed it!” Recently in a magazine I saw an advertisement for a bed mattress. In order to convey just how luxurious and comfortable the mattress is the caption reads “You’ve got to feel it to believe it.”  Let’s face it, we live in a society where “seeing is believing.”  It just seems to be part of our human nature to want to experience things for ourselves before we are convinced of their validity.  That’s probably because so often we form opinions on things we hear about, and then find our whole perception being changed once we experience it for ourselves.  That’s what happened with Thomas when he first heard that Jesus has risen from the grave and is alive.

He didn’t believe it until he saw Jesus with his own eyes, but Jesus said that those who believe without seeing will also be blessed. In his letter to the Romans the apostle Paul touches on this where he writes that each person must individually turn to God in order to be saved.  But he also says that before anyone can have a personal experience with Jesus Christ they have to hear of Him.  Concerning the gospel, Paul uses words to the effect that, “you’ve got to hear it to believe it,” and he then goes on to say that no one will ever hear the Gospel without someone telling it.  Easter is a time when believers all over the world declare and celebrate the foundational cornerstone of our Christian faith; Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross in exchange for the lives of all who believe in Him, and three days later He came back to life, guaranteeing eternal life for all those who believe.  The mission of The Tide ministry is to help as many people as possible hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ so they may be convinced to come to know Him and experience new life in Christ.  Unless we tell people of God’s love and what Jesus Christ has done for all mankind, they won’t know of the opportunity to experience God’s love for themselves, and won’t be led to believe in Jesus Christ and the hope that He gives us.

And that’s why we need you to partner with us in our worldwide radio ministry.  You can help us tell people throughout the world about an experience which will change their lives forever.  As you reflect on the life and hope you have Christ, consider how you can help others to hear the gospel message so that they too may believe that Jesus died on the cross for them, and lives today with open arms to welcome them into an eternal relationship with Him.

…if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 NIV)

…Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17 NIV)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the life you have given me through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Help me to live in a way that fully expresses my gratitude and inspires others to believe that Jesus is alive and gives new life to all who call on him as their Lord and Savior!

Director Don Shenk

The post You’ve Got to Believe It! appeared first on The Tide.

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