29/09/2021 - MUCH COMPLAINING CONCERNING HIM

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And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.”   John 7.12

We have to be patient with people who don’t understand God’s work and speak ill of us; this happened with Jesus. Although Christ did good to everyone, there were those who didn’t like Him. We will always find irresponsible individuals ready to bear witness to a lie, saying that someone has heard some untruth from another. They pass it on, as if it were real, and others complain!

Many are not answered by God through our prayers of faith, because these require faith on the part of the one who wants to be blessed. Therefore, not all are healed. But instead of asking us to teach them how to acquire faith, they rather accuse us of deceiving people. When someone mentions cases in which people have been healed, even among those who knew they had ailments, because they weren´t healed, there are people fabricating stories – making sure it’s true.

The Savior said that no one can come to Him – if the Father doesn’t lead him: No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6.44). Just as the Father brings people to be saved, the devil also brings those who will not and cannot bow before Christ, because they have not been led by the Lord. We will not save all the lost, only those who come through the Father and believe in Him!

We can state without fear of getting it wrong: those who have been saved didn’t come to Jesus by chance; they were sent by the Father himself. Unfortunately, there are some who have come out of the kingdom of evil, but because they have not remained in Christ, they don’t even know what salvation is. Some prefer not to convert, because they love sin; others think that piety is a motive to profit and have their ears aggravated for Jesus. These are stains that defile the Christian faith!

No wonder they foment persecution against faith in Jesus, as it happened to the apostle Paul while evangelizing the proconsul Sergius Paulus on the island of Paphos, in Cyprus. A false prophet, named Bar-Jesus, was trying to lead him away from the Christian faith. However, Paul said: “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? (Acts 13.10).

The apostle continued: And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand (Acts 13.11). So, upon seeing this, the proconsul made the following decision: Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord (Acts 13.12). Signs convince!

It is good for Christians to try to live closer to Christ. This is not mysticism or fanaticism, but perseverance in the faith. In time, fighting every temptation, Christians will grow in faith and become powerful before God. There will be times when the same act that Paul did will have to be done, but notice that he did it only once!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares