Category: What do you think?

When Doubt Meets Faith: John the Baptist and the Identity of Jesus

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JEFF TURNER

Many people outside the church question who Jesus really is. Secular media and academics often search for the “historical Jesus,” as if the truth isn’t already clear. But one surprising question came from someone you wouldn’t expect—John the Baptist. In Luke 7, while he was in prison, John sent a message to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

This might seem shocking, since John was the one who introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God, the one who would take away the sin of the world. He had seen the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus and heard the voice of God say, “This is my beloved Son.” Still, time passed, and what John expected didn’t happen. Jesus didn’t overthrow Roman rule or establish a visible kingdom. Instead, He travelled from place to place, teaching and healing—but not doing what many thought the Messiah would do. Meanwhile, John sat in a prison cell, facing death. This wasn’t the future he had imagined.

John’s doubt wasn’t rooted in disbelief, but in confusion and suffering. It shows that even strong believers can struggle when God’s plan looks different from their expectations.

The Bible reassures us that God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9). Like John, we may not always see the full picture, but we are still called to trust. Jesus’ answer to John was not a rebuke, but a reminder of the miracles and truth already being shown—a quiet but powerful proof of who He really is.

Is Your Faith as Strong as the Centurion’s?

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JEFF TURNER

In the Gospels, we rarely see Jesus surprised. Yet, there are two times when Jesus is said to be amazed. One of those moments happened when a Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant. In Luke 7, the Bible says Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” This was a strong statement.

At that time, Jesus was travelling through Israel, healing the sick, casting out demons, even raising the dead. Crowds followed Him, but many people only showed shallow interest. They were impressed by His miracles but didn’t truly believe in Him. After Jesus rose from the dead, only 500 believers gathered in Galilee, and just 120 in Judea. This shows how few truly accepted Him.

Then came the centurion—a Gentile, not a Jew. He believed in Jesus’ power so deeply that he didn’t even ask Jesus to come in person. He just trusted that Jesus’ word was enough. This kind of deep, humble faith was rare, even among Jesus’ own people.

As believers today, we should ask ourselves: is our faith like the centurion’s—strong, humble, and trusting? Hebrews 11:6 reminds us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” May our trust in Christ be the kind that moves His heart.

Why Calling Jesus ‘Lord’ Isn’t Enough

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JEFF TURNER

Many people call Jesus “Lord,” but not everyone who says this truly follows Him. In Luke 6:46, Jesus asks why people call Him “Lord” yet do not obey His teachings. He is not just speaking to those outside the faith, but to those who claim to follow Him while ignoring His commands.

This message becomes even clearer in Matthew 7. There, Jesus talks about people who say, “Lord, Lord,” and claim to do many things in His name. But Jesus responds by saying, “Depart from me. I never knew you.” These are not people who lack passion or religion—they are zealous, even emotional in their cries. Yet Jesus sees deeper. Their lives show no true obedience.

Jesus explains that only those who do the will of God will enter the kingdom. Words are not enough. There is a big difference between someone who only claims to believe and someone who lives out that belief. One builds on sand; the other on rock. When trouble comes, only the house on the rock stands.

This message reminds us that real faith means doing what Jesus says. James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” True salvation shows in a life of obedience.

God’s Choice: The Unlikely Disciples of Jesus

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JEFF TURNER

When we look at the twelve disciples Jesus chose, it’s clear they weren’t the kind of men most people would expect to change the world. They weren’t famous, powerful, or educated. Some were fishermen, one was a tax collector, one was known for his extreme political views, and one even turned out to be a traitor. Still, these are the men Jesus selected to carry out his mission.

In Luke 6:13 we see Jesus and the 12 followers he picked to be his apostles. There’s nothing spectacular in the way the choice was made, and the men themselves were quite ordinary. They didn’t have formal religious training. They weren’t leaders in society. They were regular people who worked with their hands—simple and humble.

But isn’t that the point? Their influence can’t be explained by their own abilities. The power that changed the world came from God working through them. It was never about who they were, but about what God did through them. Consider, 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.”

Why did God choose them? We may never fully understand. But we do know this—He often chooses those who seem unimportant in the eyes of the world so that all the glory goes to Him. These men, just like Jesus from Nazareth, were doubted and dismissed. Yet through humble obedience, God used them to do something amazing.

Trusting God’s Wisdom: Overcoming Doubt

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AMY TURNER

When someone needs wisdom, the Bible encourages them to ask God for it. James 1:6 reminds us that when we do ask, we must believe fully, without hesitation. If we doubt, we are compared to a wave in the sea—moved around by the wind, without direction or steadiness.

God is generous and kind. He gives wisdom freely to those who ask. He does not make us feel ashamed or embarrassed for needing help. However, there is a warning: if we question the wisdom God gives, especially just because it doesn’t match what we expect, we become confused and uncertain in all parts of our lives.

This kind of doubt is not about whether God will give us wisdom, but whether we trust the wisdom He provides. When we pray, we should accept God’s answer as the best guidance, even if it doesn’t make complete sense at first.

Proverbs 3:5 supports this truth: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” God’s wisdom is higher than ours, and believing in it leads to a steady and peaceful life.