It Does Not Make Sense

It Does Not Make Sense

John 6: ²² On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— ²³ however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— ²⁴ when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. ²⁵ And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

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Embarrassed to say my true background, I mustered up the courage to do so anyway. The room was full of people who had stronger credentials than me and I had barely got in wherever I applied. I stated I grew up with not much money and barely graduated from a university. Somehow I was selected to lead a group in a large corporation.

• Looking back on my path I say it does not make sense to where I got to.
• Looking back on my path I would have given up, because I never  would have thought I would be able to reach where I got.
• Looking back on the number of things that have miraculously happened to me, I would never have thought these things would happen to me.

The people tried to understand what happened though human lenses. They “saw” that there was no boat or disciples. They also “saw” JESUS did not leave with them but was gone. They crossed the sea and “saw: JESUS there. It did not make sense. BUT to GOD it made perfect sense.

• GOD says to me “I AM limitless in MY power.”
• GOD says to me “I AM all-knowing and all seeing.”
• GOD says to me “I AM.”

The great I AM can do anything at any time. Since this is a confusing concept, I try to make sense out of GOD by what I can “see.” When I do not like what I “see”, I question HIS power or intent. I mean I told HIM what I wanted in “my” prayer, why didn’t HE just do what “I” said?

GOD does answer my prayers, but HIS purpose for saying “no” or “wait” or “yes” has to include other people that will be blessed in the process. JESUS demonstrated HIS will cannot be stopped, even by a large body of water. HE loved me so much and never stopped HIS mission to rescue me. I am glad HE is all powerful.

• Do you doubt GOD?
• Are you looking at GOD by what you can see?
• Will you stop trying to make GOD small and allow HIS unseen works to speak louder to you to grow your faith?

Illogical Belief

Luke 9: ³⁷ Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. ³⁸ Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. ⁴⁰ So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”

⁴¹ Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”⁴² And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

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Praying wasn’t uncommon for me, but this time it was more serious. Someone very close to me was very ill with a life threatening disease. Prompted to pray, I kneeled down and cried out. “Please!”

• There have been many times when life was overwhelming to me.
• There have been many times when things around me seemed to get out of hand.
• There have been many times when I felt helpless and felt I had nowhere to turn.

A father came to JESUS begging HIM to heal his son from a demonic hold. The disciples tried to rid the boy of the evil spirit, but could not. JESUS simply spoke and the boy was healed.

• GOD says to me “MY power is greater than any unclean power.”
• GOD says to me “Do not be afraid, for I AM with you.”
• GOD says to me “Have faith and believe and you will see and do great things.”

Believing that GOD will take care of physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual matters sometimes seems like too much to bear. I mean it is illogical to believe in demons causing physical problems that obvious research and science can explain away. BUT GOD says “believe.”

JESUS created everything, yet we as humans believe humans are the center of existence. GOD wants me to have faith in the spiritual realm and credit everything to HIM rather than random chance or an unlucky “universe.” HE is my healer and I am forever grateful to GOD.

• Are you facing something difficult that is thoroughly out of your hands?
• Do you feel like giving up?
• Will you stop trying to be logical and allow GOD to fill you with HIS SPIRIT today?
• Will you be healed by GOD by allowing HIM to penetrate your heart?

GOD knows science

1 Kings 4:²⁹ God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. ³⁰ Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 

³¹ He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. ³² He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. ³³ He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. ³⁴ From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.

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Staring at the test, my mind raced. “Should I answer the question with my belief?” was my quandary. The question was steeped in evolution and, while I had not been in church, I was taught that GOD created everything. I answered the question the way I was supposed to and received a good grade, but felt a sense of loss, kinda like I betrayed GOD.

• I have strived to be “smart” but I was pointed in the wrong direction.
• I wanted to gain “knowledge” but it didn’t carry faith.
• I desired to “understand” but at the end of each road I was left with more questions.

In my opinion, belief in GOD isn’t as popular as it used to be. Scientific discoveries mixed with the endless possibility of money seem to drown out the message of GOD. It’s easy for me to blend in rather than stand out, BUT GOD wants recognition.

• GOD is the source of wisdom so I must credit HIM with all I know.
• GOD is the source of knowledge for it is HE who made everything.
• GOD is the source of understanding because HE sent HIS HOLY SPIRIT to live inside of me to lead and guide me in HIS ways.

Scholars, business people and those who are highly respected would scoff at my beliefs, approaches and practices. Instead of relying on the world, GOD wants me to ask HIM for direction first. HE even sends unlikely people my way and says “here is your person.” EVERY time I have listened to GOD’s strange ways, I came out on top!

• Are you seeking to be “smart” or “wise?”
• Is the knowledge you are seeking on GOD’s path?
• What will you do with the knowledge you acquire?
• Won’t you ask GOD for wisdom, knowledge and understanding so HE can use your talents for HIS purposes?

I’d rather be foolish

1 Corinthians 1: ¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

   “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

   the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

 ²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

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Technology is a difficult field to field to preach the gospel to.  I mean exact sciences look for answers in exact locations and GOD just hasn’t been in the places scientists look. I started to question GOD’s existence. I mean why the invisibility? Why the silence? Why the lack of aroma or taste? And most of all why hasn’t HE touched me?

• GOD is visible in all of creation so if I open my eyes I could see HIM every day.
• GOD speaks to me daily through HIS Bible, people and circumstances so if I open my ears I could hear HIM.
• GOD spreads the smell of sacrifice throughout the earth so if I would take a whiff I could smell danger to dodge, fear to fight and success that saves.
• GOD gives HIS message freely so if I would speak about HIS SON I could taste the sweetness of HIS love.
• GOD reaches out to me daily so if I would reach out and hug that person who is in despair, give to someone in need or pick up the person who has fallen I would feel HIM.

My five senses have been cursed to deteriorate. My spiritual senses need to grow in order to relate to GOD in the way HE wants me to.  My senses will play tricks on me causing me to lose faith, BUT GOD wants me to simply believe without seeing. HE wants my faith to be based on more than faulty senses. HE wants me to believe in HIM alone.

• Are you trying to rationalize GOD out of your life?
• Are you trying to figure GOD out so you can manipulate HIM?
• Won’t you open your eyes and ears to GOD today and watch HIM do HIS wonders?
• Can’t you believe GOD is everywhere, knows everything, and is all powerful?

Am I missing something?

John 17: ¹ After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

  

 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

 

² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

 

⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

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After reading this, I could not find a situation in my life that would do these words justice. All I know is that there must be something really big that I am missing. A flood of questions came to mind.

• You mean to tell me GOD is greater than science or the human will?
• Can’t I just be good? Yes I sin but compared to “those” people over there I’m doing pretty good. 
• Why can’t GOD just accept the way I want to worship HIM and make everything good the way I want it?

 

Then I realized, all of my questions are coming from a sinful position. With my questions, I am trying to make GOD bow down to me while attempting to justify my ways. It’s a difficult thing to say “I need you to save me LORD” if I think nothing is wrong with me.

 

• What I am missing is a full understanding of what sin is.
• What I am missing is why I have to go through a sometimes difficult life to get to a place I have never seen or touched.
• What I am missing is why I have to be the one who serves or sacrifices my money or gives in to arguments to keep peace.

 

I mean science says life was created by two mega planets colliding, so what if I’m wrong about this “GOD” thing?

 

Faith was the one word that came to mind as I asked “what am I missing?”

 

• It’s actually harder for me to reject the “fact” that GOD always existed rather than two objects always existing.
• It’s harder to believe I can ever be good enough to deserve GOD’s love rather than GOD showing “pure” love by dying for me.
• It’s harder for me to believe everything will be fine on earth when I have seen it deteriorating rather than believing JESUS is building a perfect eternal spot just for me!

 

Do you believe?

 

Do I believe a little or a lot?

John 12: ⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. ⁴⁵ The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

   ⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

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Being a follower of GOD is tough sometimes. The occurrences of JESUS happened over two thousand years ago and while well documented, take faith to truly believe all of the things HE did. Over the years my broken faith has led me to ponder GOD and HIS relationship with me.

Wrong or right for testing HIM, I did check to see if HE was there and I concluded with a resounding YES!

• I looked at science who says my creation came from a large collision and the fragments on this planet were just right to start the chain of evolution.
• I looked at groups who don’t quite believe in science, but they somewhat believe in a higher being, and they somewhat believe in their field of study.
• I looked at “religion” and there were so many conflicting views over what a deity truly is.

These tests were done with filtered thinking because my parents had taught me the ways of CHRIST, but I had to see for myself. Here is what I found.

• It’s easier to believe GOD was always here rather than gasses and minerals colliding by happenstance.
• It’s easier to believe GOD created humans in HIS image with love embedded in them than cells evolving to the point where love happened to appear.
• It’s easier to believe GOD’s rules are so pure that only HE could save me from the consequences.

The more I read the Bible, the more it makes sense. No science, self-help or coincidence can explain what is truly going on. It boils down to this, I am a sinner and I need GOD not only to save me eternally but to guide me through this murky thing called life. HE even knows my faith is faulty, yet HE loves me!

• Do you believe in science more than GOD?
• Is your comfort zone in your field of study or can you step out on faith and add GOD to your thoughts?
• Do you believe in some things about GOD or all things GOD says?
• Is JESUS just a myth to you or is HE GOD who became a human to die for you?
• Are you avoiding learning more about GOD because you don’t want to change?