Trying to Figure It Out….

In over 10 years of writing online, I have heard from multiplied hundreds of people and have even had the privilege to meet some of them.  Many share from their heart or experience due to something the Lord has “spoken to or stirred in their hearts through my pen of writing…(or computer keystroke). Following is a comment I received from one of these….

“Over the years we believed what we could “figure out” things concerning the Christian life from the Word of God. We memorized many verses of God’s greatness and truth, and yet they never really became activated in our hearts. We had much knowledge of God and His Word but with little to no Power.

“We sat in church services out of duty or believing it was the ‘right thing’  to do and yet seldom were we aware of the Presence of God in the service. (even some leaders in church!) Seldom did we see His Power or Glory displayed. We may have been ‘told’ the Presence of God was there and thought that was what we were looking for, however we just accepted the status quo as the way God worked…today.

“Because of the way we were taught, or the way that we ourselves misunderstood the Bible, we never really matured in our Spiritual lives. Maturing, for many of us, was doing things for God and many got so involved and focused on the “doing”….that we never became the people He died for us to become.  In all this “doing”, rather than “being”….even family was often ignored. We wanted more of God and erroneously thought this was how to get it.”

I responded to this person’s comment:  “Your message summed it up concerning living a life trying to ‘figure it out’ ourselves.  By doing so, we have made the tragic error of remaining in control ourselves and being consumed with ‘religion’ (deceptively and foolishly eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of GOOD and Evil), yet not humbling ourselves and surrendering to JESUS, the Tree of LIFE so we could be “conformed  into His image (Romans 8:29) and go forth in His power!   (Acts 10:38)

But, oh, there are none so blind as those who WILL NOT see!”

Jesus cried out with a broken heart over His city, ancient Jerusalem (seat of religion), saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem (religious Christianity of today), how often I would have gathered you together like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings (for protection and provision)…but YOU WOULD NOT!” Matthew 23:37

Just this morning I was meditating once again on one of my favorite Old Testament verses from Proverbs, 3:5-6  TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding (trying to ‘figure it out’ ourselves); in ALL your ways, acknowledge HIM…and HE SHALL direct your path!”

Trusting HIM and acknowledging (submitting  to) HIM are not actions to be taken lightly and dismissed!  Such things cannot be just “saluted” to.  They must be DONE…APPLIED.

Why is it this way?   Because apart from God….we are NOTHING! !

Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, UNLESS it abides in the vine, neither can you, UNLESS  you abide in Me.  I am the Vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me…you can do NOTHING!” John 15:4-5

The great Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7: “I planted, Apollos watered, BUT GOD gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, BUT GOD who gives the increase!

No wonder the modern church has been “powerless”!!!  As Christ’s followers, we are never to try and “figure it out”…or “lean to our own understanding!” Regardless of all we know…even the many “good” and “religious” things…we know.  We are NOT to lean to them!  We are NOT to be willful and attempt to “work things out” in life for ourselves…apart from God!

The Kingdom is not ours, the power is not ours, the glory is not…OURS!  It ALL belongs to HIM!  And we must be surrendered to HIS ORDER!

He gives…in His time…exactly what is needed for the moment when we look to and draw from HIM!   He longs for us to be in His Kingdom, to allow His Power to flow through us…and to allow HIS GLORY to be seen…through us.  BUT…not in our own timing, nor as a result of our deciding to apply some of the “knowledge” we possess of Him and these things.  It is not to be of our own choosing!

We are to “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…and all these ‘things’(natural AND spiritual)  shall be added to us!” Matt. 6:33.

We are to “Call unto Him, and He will answer us and show us great and mighty things that WE DO NOT KNOW!” Jeremiah 33:3

WE are not God!  All the secrets of “wisdom and knowledge” are hid IN HIM…not in us!  He alone knows WHAT to apply and WHEN…and IF we are to.  Though He longs to be “known” by us…He is still a God, clothed in Mystery; and we have to intentionally seek and go TO HIM, humble ourselves, and wait upon HIS RESPONSE to really and truly “know” WHAT is to be done and WHEN it is to be done!

Because, as a whole…over the centuries, most Christians have not humbled themselves before God, submitted themselves and waited upon HIM to DECLARE and RELEASE, we have run headlong ahead in making our own “decisions” concerning most things, (not waiting upon HIM and HIS REVELATION for the need) and as a result, have been “powerless” locked in our own attempt to “figure things out”!

Oh, God! How grateful that your Mercy is new…every morning and your forgiveness eternal!  We repent and humble ourselves before YOU…turn our faces to YOUR FACE…and seek YOU and YOUR WILL…for the moment…for the hour…for the day!

We must have a “revelation” of what YOU want, O GOD, abiding in YOU!!  And receive and bear it forth to the need…WHEN You give it!  ONLY THEN…will we bear fruit and bring forth LIFE along the path we walk! “IF you ABIDE in ME, and MY WORD abide in you; you can ask what you will…and it SHALL be done!”  John 15:7  How many of us…take the time…to ABIDE and WAIT for HIS WORD upon the situation?

Jesus, when He walked on earth, took time to spend in His Father’s Presence to LISTEN and RECEIVE and KNOW what His Father wanted Him to do. He went out from His Presence equipped and anointed with the direction, understanding, and power to accomplish His Father’s will. How can we think that we can go forth…with any less?

Let us never forget HIM in our busy and futile attempt to ”figure things out” for ourselves! Rather let us take TIME to run “under the shadow of HIS WINGS”, abide there and LISTEN to HIM and receive HIS direction and power before we continue to arrogantly press ahead in the emptiness of “religion”, resting foolishly under the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil!  “Choosing” to do…what WE will.

It was not just that Eve made the wrong CHOICE of Trees…but that when she did it…..SHE was “in control”…and not God!  Don’t get so caught up in trying to “figure things out” yourselves…that you make the SAME mistake!

“JESUS CHRIST is the SAME…yesterday, today, and forever!” Hebrews 13:8

DETERMINATION: Working intently to accomplish goals regardless of the opposition.

“Jesus Christ is the SAME…yesterday, today, and forever!” Hebrews 13:8

Looking unto JESUS,

Sandy

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