RUSSELL SANDERS

9-5-2025

SEEING BY FAITH

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In Isaiah 44:6b, God said, “I am the first, and I am the last. And beside me there is no God.”

God’s claim here is that He is the one and only God. People may claim there are other gods, but there is no other. However, people make other gods to suit themselves, but these gods are only the idols of their imaginations. Satan gladly supplies them with the notions.

When all these other gods of man’s imaginations fade away, the one and only true god remains. How do we see Him as being real? It is by faith.

Jesus appeared after his resurrection to the ten disciples without Thomas. [Judas was dead after hanging himself.] Later, he appeared again with Thomas being present. He then said in John 20:29b, “…Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

The common saying, “seeing is believing” does not apply to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That statement is a clear statement of great doubt. There is no faith in it, and it is only by faith that we are saved.

Those who must “see to believe” are deceived. Pray for them that the Holy Spirit will open their spiritual eyes of understanding so that they may be saved and not be lost for eternity in hell.

Faith is believing in what you cannot physically see, yet you know it is true. Without faith, you will never see God.

HELEN SANDERS

9-5-2025

THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

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When we look at the lives of the twelve apostles, originally called the twelve disciples, we see so many different personalities. The thing they all had in common was they were looking for Messiah. Yes, Judas betrayed him. Peter did too but repented.

If you were to study history, you would learn that each of the disciples died a martyr’s death except for John. But John went through terrible things. History tells us he survived being boiled. He was exiled on an island that in this day holds the insane. Yet during this time, the greatest Revelation of Jesus Christ was given to him.

Jesus never said that our lives would be easy. In fact, he told the twelve in Matthew 24 that we would be hated, deceived, offended, betrayed, afflicted, and killed. It does not sound like much fun, does it? There were no mansions on earth, but poverty, sickness, and loneliness, and death were part of the walk of the early church.

The present-day church has come so far from what the early church saints knew. We get upset if the air conditioner does not work for church service. The early church met in the woods and often lived in caves for fear of their lives. They were thrown into lion’s dens and also many were crucified.

What is the cost of discipleship? It is surrendering your will to God’s will. It means laying everything, including yourself at his feet knowing that His plan may be difficult, but He will be with you. 

Great chaos is coming soon to the world as we know it. Many will lose their faith because they have not been taught the “suffering side” of Christianity. What about you? Are you willing to stand with Jesus no matter what comes, or will you betray him also?

 I can guarantee you that standing with him may cost you your life here on earth, but you will be with him for eternity. Revelation 7:14 gives us hope as we go through the hard days ahead. It says, “…These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb.”

This is our blessed hope because we remain faithful as Jesus’ disciples.