“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.  For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:14-19.

Unbelief – what many Christians say and what they do oppose one another.  It is easy to say we believe God until the rubber meets the road and we have to believe.  “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.” Exodus 32:26.  Those who were not on the Lord’s side perished that day due to unbelief.

The problem I see is that many Christians misunderstand the term “unbelief” in regards to God.  We believe IN God but sometimes we don’t “trust” God or in other words, we may not believe God.  All we can see is the storm and the sinking boat and never recognize the boat has yet to sink.  The Israelites unbelief was because Moses had been gone too long on Mount Sinai, they no longer believed God – they believe IN Him but did not believe Him.

Far too many times we do not believe God’s Word will perform what It says and because of OUR unbelief, we are provoked, at which point we blame God for provoking us.   All of the while, we are provoking God because of our unbelief in Him, in His ways and His abilities. God’s mercy and longsuffering is not realized until we realize our unbelief in God’s plan…not God but His plan for our Salvation and our sanctification which requires faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for us on Calvary’s Cross.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” James 2:19.

We all need to do a heart check…we believe IN God (as do demons) but do we BELIEVE God?  Do we believe He is able to do all His Word says It will do?  If we do believe the power of God is in the Cross of Jesus (1 Cor. 1:18), why are we placing our trust anywhere other than what Jesus has done (40 days, 100 ways, etc.)? Do we not believe the Lord will deliver us?  Who is on the Lord’s side?  – Donna Clark Warren