God Lovers Doubters

God loves people who have doubts about Him. Lots of folks who go to church heard about doubting Thomas this past Sunday. The people at West Adrian Community Church heard about him and a few others. We first looked in the Old Testament at some pretty famous men who were doubters to the extreme and yet God loved and used them in some pretty remarkable ways.


Abram, the father of many nations was a big time doubter. But, before we get to the doubting part let's look at his heart towards God. God called Abram to walk hundreds of miles to a country he had never been to. Abram did as he was told. God told Abram to look into the night sky and begin counting the stars. He told Abram that he would be the father of a people who outnumbered the stars in the sky. Abram believed God and had a righteous heart. God revealed his plan for Abram in a vision and Abram believed it. Pretty dedicated man towards God.


A famine hits the land and Abram takes his pretty good looking wife to Egypt. His heart and mind know that God has plans for him and Sarah. He knows that God will be faithful. Funny thing about Abram, he doesn't trust God with his beautiful wife. He tells Sarah to lie to the Egyptians and tell them that she is his sister. They lie and trouble comes.


The apple doesn't fall far from the tree and Isaac, Abraham's son does the same thing. He marries a very beautiful woman. When famine comes he goes to the Philistines for food. Along the way he tells Rebeka, his wife, tell the Philistines that you are my sister. They might desire you and kill me. They lie and trouble comes. Both father and son love God and have witnessed His hand upon their life. Yet, like so many of us, a time came and they doubted that God was involved in the situation.


One last Old Testament character, Gideon. The Midianites were in control of the land are Gideon. The families would thresh their grain out of sight of the Midianites so it would not be confiscated. Gideon was threshing his grain at the olive press, out of sight. God appears to Gideon and tells him that He is going to rescue his people through Gideon. Gideon hems and haws and tells the Lord that he is the least of the clan and the tribe is the least of all the tribes.


Gideon asks the Lord for two separate signs that He would support him. The first sign is a flambeau of beef and broth on a stone. The second being a fleece presented to God. Gideon asked God to give him a sign by having the fleece wet and the ground dry. It was so. Not quite convinced Gideon asks the Lord to reverse the sign, wet ground, dry fleece. It was so. Gideon fought and won and now he passes out bibles in hotel rooms.


Doubting Thomas is no different than his Old Testament ancestors, and us. He doubted and wanted proof. When the proof came Thomas confessed Christ and his life was never the same. You and I are no different. There are times when it is easy and comforting to believe God. But, there are many times when it is not so easy to believe the promises of God.


Many people I know have great burdens for their children, spouses, and other family members. We wonder when God is going to answer the prayers that have gone up for years and years. God will come through. He will prove that He is faithful and the doubts we once had will be transformed into rock hard foundation stones.


Tedd Galloway is a former missionary and is currently the pastor at West Adrian Community Church. His book, A Mother's Heart Moved the Hand of God, is soon to be released through, Morgan James Publishing. You can follow Tedd on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. His website is, www.teddgalloway.com

Words=Senses

Feet near the earth, crowned brow to the skies,

God's arms outstretched, mankind's savior dies.

On the death post, beam,

His precious life blood, does gleam.

Three iron spikes hold in place,

spotless Lamb, now dirty, sacrificial face.

Voice whispering, cracking, groaning,

outpoured life, sinners atoning.

Parched throat, dry lips, mercy please,

Cheap wine on hyssop, Creator they tease.

Deep into heaven does He gaze,

Searching, praying Father, nothing but haze.

Redemption provided, His only cry,

Wounded, bruised head, He bows, He dies.

Cold, hard men, granite like face death,

Watch, remark, Christ of God gasps last breath.

Now, their hearts hard as stone,

Strangely moved, their sin atoned.

For, they have watched countless die,

Limp, lifeless bodies, suspended high.

Men, now close to post, beam,

Ugly truth transformed to beauties gleam

Decisions Made

We make decisions every day. Many are made without a thought. Some decisions lead to routine. How many of us drive to work the exact same way. How many of us go to the same market, same gas station, same fast food place. It happens to all of us, might be part of being human. We make decisions and then continue because we know what the results will be.


Donna and I made a decision almost twenty-five years ago and the results of that decision still amaze and confound me. Yesterday I had the great pleasure and honor of attending Ana's induction into the National Collegiate Leadership Honor Society. In a little over two  months she will receive her Masters Degree in Public Administration specializing in the non-profit sector.


The decision to walk down the adoption road for Ana was an easy decision to make. All it took was a few minutes of holding her and understanding what kind of life she might face, if she survived. The decision might have been easy but the road was at time terrifying, difficult and out of the box. I am not sure the amount of tears could be measured nor the hours of praying recorded as we walked the adoption road.


We believed we knew what was best and we moved forward. We never doubted our commitment and our willingness to pay any price. The price, in effort and faith, was of no consequence. With every set back, and there were many, we kept to our decision and kept going.


That decision did not just effect Donna and myself. Marily and Hilary were such a part of this road that without their love and support the entire dream and desires for their little sister might have fallen apart.


We never know what a decision we make today will eventually lead to. A young boy who payed it forward with a found twenty dollar bill has impacted millions of people. The Sunday School teacher who invited Billy Graham to come to his church has helped usher millions of people into the kingdom of God.


Every time I place my arms around my children I am reminded of how blessed I am and living in the joy of past decisions.


Tedd Galloway is a former missionary and is currently the pastor at West Adrian Community Church. His book, A Mother's Heart Moved the Hand of God, is soon to be released through, Morgan James Publishing. You can follow Tedd on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. His website is, www.teddgalloway.com