Endure hardship as discipline…
Summary: Invisible beings are hard to wrap our minds around, yet they exist. The most powerful and wonderful of these beings is the Creator himself. He invites us to become a member of his family and accept him as our own Father.
One problem with having an invisible Father is that we don’t always see the connection between Father’s intent and our situation.
When the Israelites sinned, they did so in a big way. Solomon sinned by setting up altars to foreign gods to appease his wives. It wasn’t bad enough that he did such a thing, but he even did it in the shadow of the Lord’s Temple (1 Kings 11:1-8). Later, Jeroboam turned the heart of Israel away from God and gave them idols to worship (1 Kings 12: 25-33).
From God’s point of view, this is a bit like coming home after vacation and finding out that your own children had trashed the house, stolen your car, and left town.
God spent the next three hundred years trying to get Israel to turn back to him and reject false gods.
Three. Hundred. Years.
During that time, Israel endured hardships. Lots of them. But the nation as a whole continued to reject God. Eventually, God said something to the effect of, “Fine, be that way,” just before he sent them into exile for seventy years (2 Chronicles 36: 15-23).
Things are different now. Jesus has been here. We have seen God’s Son and been introduced to the Father. The Old Covenant has been tossed and Jesus offers us a New Covenant with God our Father (Jeremiah 31:31, Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25).
Under the New Covenant, we become children of God by believing in Jesus. Once we believe, we become family (Matthew 12: 48-50).
Why on earth would anyone believe all this?
The short answer is that it is true. Jesus is real. God is God. Somehow, we figure that much out. Some people attribute this to free will, others believe we are called through the power of the Holy Spirit. In truth, how we get to believe doesn’t really matter. What matters is whether we believe, and then, once we believe, how we respond to the living God.
Those of us who know the Father know he loves us because Jesus tells us so (John 14:21). We also know because Jesus sends us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to communicate directly with us (John 14:26; 15:26).
Sometimes Father tells us “well done” (Matthew 25:21). Other times, we have to deal with one of the many “planks” in our eye (Matthew 7:5). The connection between what we experience here on earth and God’s will is not always a bright line. Sometimes it is hard to see. Sometimes we can’t know and we simply walk by faith.
And what is faith?
The Bible tells us, “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
And so we are back to things we cannot see. Hebrews tells us to endure hardships as discipline. What father doesn’t have to discipline his kids now and then? Good, bad, or indifferent, every father does. Believing in Father means that there is something to be learned if things are not going our way. The only question left is whether we will learn it.
Application: Look for God’s will in every life situation.
Food for Thought: What is the difference between a person who says they believe but doesn’t act like it, and a person who acts like they believe but doesn’t say much?
Oops! The second paragraph has had a couple of corrections made. It was Jeroboam not Rehoboam, and 1 Kings not 2 Kings.
Thank you again Jeff for being a light to help me with wisdom knowledge and understanding about my relationship with God.
What is the difference between a person who says they believe but doesn’t act like it, and a person who acts like they believe but doesn’t say much?
Matthew 21:28-32 tells us about actions along with James 1:27. How actions have power 1 John 3:18, Titus 1:16.
Everyone has heard the saying “Actions speak louder than words”
Mark Twain has is own version as well. He puts it like this: “Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.”
Actions and words can build up the Kingdom or cause you to be thrown out with the gnashing of teeth.
So many thoughts come to mind about how both things can bring glory to God, when done correctly.
Thank you Jeff. I just finished a quiet time and prayer before reading your blog and then going back into my bible. I’m thankful for a great start today.
Tim,
There is nothing better than going to sleep in the arms of the Lord and waking up to His Word! Well done! 🙂
I think T’s reference to Matthew 21: 28 – 32 is spot on. Basically, we have Jesus asking a very similar question through a parable to what you ask here. The answer is that the Father likes obedience. Obedience shows a living faith while cheap talk for appearance’s sake can reveal a false piety.
Thanks Rich!
It comes back to putting God “above all else,” doesn’t it?
Wow Jeff, sounds like you are asking a question with a parable. Or maybe it’s a parable in a question.
I feel there is not much difference.
This morning one of the crew members called in, so there were only the five out of six employees on this Monday morning. One of them asked if I was going to read to them, and another taught me a word in Cherokee Sha-na-hol-a-hay, I have no idea if I spelled it right but the word means family. I felt the will of God tugging at me to read to them, so I did.
I read the second letter to us from John, next week it will be the third letter and so on. Right on through to the other side of Christ’s revelation to John, the disciple they couldn’t kill.
It’s soo cool to hear these guys are seeking His word through me. I am humbled to be reading and discussing God’s word to and with these hungry men. And all I am doing is wetting their appetite for more. Praise God!!
John,
You are someone who believes and acts on that belief. I admire that! Thank you for your example to me and to the men you work with. What you do is important.
10-30-2022, What is the difference between a person who says they believe but doesn’t act like it, and a person who acts like they believe but doesn’t say much?
It could be their level of maturity in Christ. They both need to be loved and encouraged by their brothers and sisters in the church. Peter often wavered in faith, after feeding 5,000, Peter doubted Jesus could feed 4,000, He looked away and began to sink in the storm and at one point denied Christ three times. All the disciples except John ran and hid when Christ was crucified, and then we have doubting Thomas.
In Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, John 12:1-8, we read of a woman ( Mary is only mentioned by name in John) who quietly appeared and anointed Jesus, then she quietly disappears. We know she was willing to spare no cost ( a perfume worth more than a years wages ) honoring Jesus for the final moments of His ministry on earth. Her quiet ministry is so important, God inspired all four writers of the Gospels to record this event.
“It could be their level of maturity in Christ. They both need to be loved and encouraged by their brothers and sisters in the church” thank you Ron we all need to grow none of us are perfect we are all un different stages some like a tree planted near a stream and some still a mustard seed. Ones actions towards another can be the water they need to help them grow or you can be round up vegetation killer.
We must glorify God with our words too. Never hold in a complaint it doesn’t benefit anyone.
Well said Mr. T!
Ron
Ron,
Maturity in Christ is an interesting dynamic. I know that my own journey in faith has taken me from being very quiet and not often acting on faith to being more confident and active in both realms. Along the way I feel like I have become more mature in my faith.
But what about the person who seems stuck in the faith and unconcerned about trying to resolve it? Those are the people I would tend to be concerned about.
I now, we have some in our church that I’m obviously not the one to be ministering to them, so I have stopped trying. Just leave them to God.
Brother,
There is wisdom in that! I know that God’s love has often manifested itself as patience with me while I work things out. Offering this same patience to others honors the patience God has given us.