Where the Lie Begins: Did God Really Say?

I recently heard someone say, "But that can't be what God meant..." in reference to a convicting Bible passage. If you haven't noticed (but who hasn't), the Bible is counter-intuitive. Living by faith is not living by sight. Obedience itself is an act of belief in the unbelievable.

Try these on for size:

• Don't worry about ________ (fill in the blank). (Matthew 6:25)  Really? You've got to be kidding.
• Make God your top priority--above __________ (fill in the blank). (Matthew 6:33) But what about _____? 
• It's a blessing to be persecuted and insulted for Jesus' sake. (Matthew 5:11) Thanks, but no thanks.
• Anger is equal to murder. (Matthew 5:21-22) Then lock me up and throw away the key!
• Lust is equal to adultery. (Matthew 5:28) Pin on the "A" and get it over with....
• Be kind to those who hate you; bless them (i.e. say good things to them), do good things in response to their evil words and actions against you. Pray for them. (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:28, Romans 12:14, 21; 1 Peter 3:9) Umm... No. Not in my lifetime

Here's the rub. If you can't do these things the way God said, you're basically human. Surprise! You actually can't. You're not qualified. You don't have what it takes. Adam and Eve shouldn't have given in to temptation, but on their own, they were limited in their ability to withstand Satan's deception and their own sinful desires. But they tried. And failed.

Each of should read the Bible and, instead of saying (like the boastful Israelites), "“All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” (Exodus 19:8), we should cry with the tax collector, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" (Luke 18:13) Somehow, many of us have come to the conclusion that we can't ask God for help until we take care of the problem ourselves--or deserve His help. That's not what the Bible says, but it's what our society and our hearts often tell us. "God helps those who help themselves" is one of the greatest anti-biblical sayings ever. It has led many to the gates of hell.

Apart from the saving work of Jesus, by faith, we can never obey the Word of God, experience His forgiveness, power or enabling work of His Spirit. If I do not acknowledge my spiritual poverty and desperate need at the feet of His sovereign provision in Christ, I have no ability to live a life that pleases Him. I do not have the righteousness of Christ. I will flounder and fail, falling into despair as I look at my inadequacy and pale effort.

Try these:

• Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." (John 6:35)
• "...the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." (John 6:37)
• “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29)
• “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..." (Acts 16:31)

Believe, yes. Do? On your own? No.

Yes, God has really said ________ (fill in the blank, from the Bible--not someone's twisted interpretation). He is waiting for my cry, for your cry, ready to cleanse, restore, and transform us into the wonderful image of His Son.

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:7-11)

Inspiration

I was convicted this morning that many (if not all) of my blogs are about me and my life (surprise!). Yes, God uses circumstances and people in our lives, but the purpose is to point to Him. David and the psalmists did that eloquently. I've been reading the book of 1 Samuel interjected with psalms and it's obvious that God used what was going on in David's life to make Himself known.

The book of 1 Samuel begins with the story of Hannah and her prayer has been an inspiration. Although she praises God, who ended her infertility, it was spoken as she presented Samuel to Eli as a young boy. As she gave back God's precious gift, she said:

“My heart exults in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

“There is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.

“Boast no more so very proudly,
Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
For the Lord is a God of knowledge,
And with Him actions are weighed.

“The bows of the mighty are shattered,
But the feeble gird on strength.

“Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
Even the barren gives birth to seven,
But she who has many children languishes.

“The Lord kills and makes alive;
He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

“The Lord makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts.

“He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.

“He keeps the feet of His godly ones,
But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a man prevail.

“Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,
And will exalt the horn of His anointed.” (1 Samuel 2:1-10)

Not, "Woe is me!" or "I just can't," but God is... God is. Look again and wonder at the God we serve. The God who calls us to His glory and presence, the God who provides and sustains. Weep. Clap. Dance. Be silent.

Trust. Obey. Praise. Exult.

The Hard Reality

Seeing yourself the way others see you isn't always pretty... Let me speak for myself: seeing myself the way others see me (or, the way I really am) isn't pretty. I think I know who I want to be, the things I try to be, the person I want to be--but that doesn't necessarily match reality. It's like wanting to draw a self-portrait like daVinci and ending up with da preschool. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Sad.

 


Reality is that way. Sometimes life is really, really good. Sometimes life is really, really hard. Sometimes life just...is.

When it's an issue of sin, God's Word tells me to confess and forsake it: selfishness, pride, covetousness, anger, fear, worry. If others are involved, I need to go to them and ask for their forgiveness. God wants me to see it. He will help me change, and He faithfully convicts me of sin because He loves me. If not meeting a desired reality is more about not being liked, however, that in itself is a pride problem. My heart is more concerned with the approval of others than the approval of God. Fear of others has to be addressed before I can move down the road of getting things right.

That's why knowing God and His grace is so necessary. Because God gave His only Son, Jesus, to die for my sin, I have confidence that He is working out everything else in my life for a good purpose--a better purpose than I might see or recognize. And because He is God, He uses hard things, evil things, even my sin, for His glory. I don't know how. I don't get it. I don't even like it. But I can trust Him to do His good work (in spite of me).

Some days, that's what I cling to. Most days, it affects my thoughts, emotions, and actions. God is good. He is sovereign. He is loving, kind, gracious, gentle, patient, and faithful. I am not. Yet. With His help, we're working on it.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:1-3)

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)