GOD Morning! March 19, Unbelief is Deadly Poison

GOD Morning! March 19

Unbelief is Deadly Poison

Mark 16

16 And when the Sabbath was past [that is, after the sun had set], Mary Magdalene, and Mary [the mother] of James, and Salome purchased sweet-smelling spices, so that they might go and anoint [Jesus’ body].

² And very early on the first day of the week they came to the tomb; [by then] the sun had risen.

³ And they said to one another, Who will roll back the stone for us out of [the groove across the floor at] the door of the tomb?

⁴ And when they looked up, they [distinctly] saw that the stone was already rolled back, for it was very large.

⁵ And going into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting [there] on the right [side], clothed in a [long, stately, sweeping] robe of white, and they were utterly amazed and struck with terror.

⁶ And he said to them, Do not be amazed and terrified; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

⁷ But be going; tell the disciples and Peter, He goes before you into Galilee; you will see Him there, [just] as He told you.

⁸ Then they went out [and] fled from the tomb, for trembling and bewilderment and consternation had seized them. And they said nothing about it to anyone, for they were held by alarm and fear.

⁹ Now Jesus, having risen [from death] early on the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.

This woman, Mary, had been delivered of seven demons. She was a walking miracle. The Risen Savior appeared first to her! The Greatest Miracle of all time was standing before her!

¹⁰ She went and reported it to those who had been with Him, as they grieved and wept.

¹¹ And when they heard that He was alive and that she had seen Him, they did not believe it.

What is it with women? Men don’t believe us! Back in ’08, when I told my husband and my Pastor that I was healed of panic attacks, anxiety, and depression, they both had a “wait and see” attitude. =) Come to think of it, others were skeptical as well…

¹² After this, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking [along the way] into the country.

¹³ And they returned [to Jerusalem] and told the others, but they did not believe them either.

Seriously? Why would these ladies lie about Jesus being raised from the dead? Everyone had seen or heard of Jesus raising the widow’ son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17), Jairus’ daughter (Matt. 9:18-26), and Lazarus, after he had been dead four days (John 11: 19-44). Why didn’t they believe that He could raise Himself???

Unbelief is an evil, deadly poison.

[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God. Hebrews 3:12 AMP

We have all been guilty of unbelief at some point in our lives.

¹⁴ Afterward He appeared to the Eleven [apostles themselves] as they reclined at table; and He reproved and reproached them for their unbelief (their lack of faith) and their hardness of heart, because they had refused to believe those who had seen Him and looked at Him attentively after He had risen [from death].

“They refused to believe.” Unbelief can also be stubbornness. You simply can’t change the mind of someone who refuses to believe. I have been in situations where I have tearfully begged and pleaded, but to no avail. Because someone refused to believe.

¹⁵ And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race].

¹⁶ He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned.

There you go. Believing is everything!!! Believing will save us! Unbelief is deadly poison! Satan is not our worst enemy. Unbelief is our worst enemy. Because if we believe the truth, that we have victory over satan, we win! If we don’t believe, we lose!

¹⁷ And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;

¹⁸ They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.

Believing brings power! To drive out demons! Speak in tongues! Believing brings protection from harm! Believing brings healing!

¹⁹ So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God.

²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).

Simply believe.

²³ Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23 NKJV

“Jesus, I want to believe!!! I am in contact with a lot of precious folks who have lost all hope. I don’t want the sin of unbelief to rub off on me!”

“Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Matt. 13:58

“Help me, Jesus. I am human. I see pain and suffering all around me. Please forgive me. In my discouragement, I have harbored unbelief. Help me to lift my eyes above the sorrow. Above the unbelief that is all around me. To You! My Hope! All things are possible! And through my faith in You, I have the power to bring healing and salvation to everyone that I come in contact with! Thank You, Jesus, for believing in ME! AMEN.”