by David Brenneman
"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13.
"And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." Matthew 13:10-17.
Do you ever have the notion, the thought, the idea, to ask questions about life with Jesus? Ever considered that?
Many meme's have been seen of someone sitting on a bench or someplace with someone supposedly being Jesus having a conversation.
What if that were you?
For the Believer...this is, and has been, your open invitation since coming to Christ for salvation.
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5.
Ever notice that when you have a really earnest heart to know an answer, you tend to shut out all the noise of life?
Jesus wants us to come to Him in earnest. To be eager to know what is true, to accept His definitions of truth, and to share that with others.
Do you notice that when you're reading something so seriously important to you to know that you CAN block out everything else?
We have the ability to be better followers of Christ Jesus than we often stop to realize. God's given us abilities to obey...we need the willingness to do so.
The world's ways are always going to truthfully be contrary to the Word of God.
We do not need legalism within the Church. Do not need what amounts to someone who's realistically a self proclaimed holy dictator either. People who are are under such people often are constantly trying to convince themselves that being under them is the right thing to do. You know this because they keep explaining why they haven't moved on from them...over and over again. What's this to do with a life with eyes open? We need to be under men of God who proclaim the word as the Spirit intended. Those who set up rules that are not of the Bible really should be avoided.
We need to be willing to ask of God in situations where the wisdom of men is failing...to ask...to intentionally listen...and to follow through with obedience.
We who are in Christ are to be lights in this world. Representatives of God Most High. To share the truths of God's word with any who are willing to listen.
We are also to grow in Christ through the Spirit as the Spirit sees fit for each of us to learn in the ways that work best for us all.
I don't learn like you do. You don't learn like I do. I don't listen like you do. You don't hear what I do.
This is why legalism doesn't work. Church isn't any one individual's idea of what Church is to be. It's the Church of Jesus Christ. It's His Church.
It begins with each of us coming to Christ. He who begins His good work in us will continue it until the day of Christ Jesus. Learning from Godly men is essential, but, as the Berean Church pointed out correctly, check what they say with the Word of God. There's no specifically sanctioned version of the Bible endorsed by the Spirit of God. It's whatever version He uses that works best with your heart to transform you into the likeness of your Savior. Legalism tends to dictate things like this.
The Scriptures say to trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Trust in the Lord. Not necessarily in who's standing in front of us. Choosing between fallible man and infallible Jesus, I'm taking Jesus.
Jesus wants us to have eyes that see.
Jesus wants us to have ears that hear.
Jesus wants hearts to turn to Him to be healed.
Jesus has more than said in enough times and ways...this is personal between us and Himself.
People in this world are a reference in regards to the understanding of the Word of God...for each of us...go to the Author to get the real understanding of what it means.
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39.
A life with eyes opened will see life differently than the world. The world, apart from the Spirit, can only grope around in darkness.
Being a growing Christian does require His water, His soil, and His sunshine.
My hope for all is that we learn it's ok to question. Jesus loved it when people would ask. It is the real beginning of a relationship, the exchanges of questions.
What might you ask of Jesus? Why don't you ask Him yourself? Ask Him if you are attending a good Church or should move on. Ask Him if the relationship you're in or are considering is right with Him. Ask Him of even things of this universe that perplex you.
My greatest complaint, and I take it as a compliment, against me in my school years was that I asked too many questions. Well I can tell you that my Teacher, my Lord, my Savior, never tires of my asking questions. Even when the answer isn't popular.
Being in a life that's where it's supposed to be in Christ is the right place to be.
Jesus taught of asking, seeking, knocking...would you try this today?
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