Tag Archives: waiting for God

Spiritual Maturity

Practicing Watchfulness: Be Vigilant

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Be Vigilant

Watchfulness and vigilance

In 1 Corinthians 16:13, Paul gives us his view of what watchfulness looks like in our daily life.  The Amplified version reads:

Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound].  Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong.   

This reads more like a recruitment post for the armed services.  However, we as believers, must always remember that we are in a spiritual battle.  We are required to be prepared and alert, as we learned in Jesus’ parable of the 10 Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). We are also required to be vigilant!

Vigilance defined

Vigilance is synonymous with watchfulness in that it deals with being prepared and keeping careful watch for possible danger and difficulties.

In our earlier lessons on watchfulness (Be aware and Be prepared), we focused on our preparation for the Lord’s return. We used the parable of the 10 virgins to better understand the first area of watchfulness in our personal Christian walk.  “We are to prepare for the imminent return of Christ.”

Our text today deals with the second watchfulness emphasis in the New Testament: “Being on guard against temptation.”    Temptation occurs when we identify with this fallen world and are drawn away from God: away from His service, His purpose, and His plans.

Vigilance and temptation

Vigilant watchfulness for the Lord’s return enabled the disciples to battle temptation. The synoptic gospels picture Jesus struggled in Gethsemane is similar to what the church would struggle with during end times.  Jesus serves as a model of how to stand against temptation as illustrated in Matthew 4:1-11 in His battle in the wilderness.  The petition in the Lord’s prayer to be able to stand against temptation points not only to end times in the future but to the daily enablement needed by believers.[1]

In today’s scripture, the apostle Paul is giving us both a command and an imperative. There are 4 imperatives in this one verse: (1) watch, (2) stand fast in the faith, (3) be courageous, and finally, (4) be strong.

To be vigilant means keeping an eye on the world around us. More importantly, it’s paying attention to our spiritual condition and our spiritual life. Vigilance requires us to stand fast in the faith, persevering, and committed to our beliefs. It requires that we daily engage in activities that renew our mind, strengthen our spirit, and boldly proclaim our faith.

Paul’s view

In 1 Corinthians 16:13, Paul gives this general advice on watchfulness and vigilance.

  • Christians are always in danger, and therefore should always be on the watch (1 Peter 5:8). Danger is greater at some times and under certain circumstances.  The Corinthians were in manifest danger.  Arguments ran high, with major differences of opinion.  There were deceivers among them who endeavor to corrupt the faith. For a Christian to be secure, we must be vigilant and on guard.
  • We are to stand fast in our faith. We do that by adhering to God’s Word and through the revelations shared with us through His Holy Spirit.  As Christians, we are to be fixed on the faith of the gospel, and never desert nor renounce it.  It is by this faith alone that we will be able to stand our ground during moments of temptation. By stand firm in the faith of the gospel, we can overcome the world (1 John 5:4).
  • Paul advises us to act like men and be strong. Christians should be firm when challenged by our enemies, defending our faith, and maintaining our integrity. We can, confidently, point to the One in whom we place our faith: Jesus the Christ (2 Tim. 1:14).
What does it mean to us?
  1. What are the areas of our life which hold the greatest danger to our faith walk?
  2. Do we need to draw closer to the revelation of God: the Bible and the Holy Spirit?
  3. Where are we drawing our influence and wisdom from?
  4. Are we comfortable defending our faith?

[1] Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Elwell.

Advent/Christmas

Advent Revisited: God, Time, and Waiting

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God, Time, and Waiting

A Time of Waiting

Advent season is a time of waiting.  Waiting by its very definition is challenging.  It is defined as the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens.

How well we wait lies not only in what we are waiting for but also who we trust to provide our desired outcome.   That trust is based on the provider’s ability to deliver the outcome.  That’s why as believers, it is important to remember that Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith is worth waiting for.

Godly Waiting

Waiting is a spiritual discipline.  “Godly” waiting is a spiritual discipline that we must cultivate.  As with any discipline, practice makes “progress” (perfection is not always the goal).  Advent is a time in which we should make every effort to expand our capacity to wait.  That increased capacity will strengthen us for the days ahead.

While waiting, we exercise our patience “muscles” and bolster our endurance until we receive what we are waiting for (Heb.10:36).  In our waiting, faith is activated and strengthened.  It is in the waiting that our hope becomes an expectation.  While waiting, our belief and trust become rooted and grounded in the Lord (Ps. 27:13-14).

As we continue our journey through “Advent past”, we will look at waiting from a different perspective:  God’s perspective.

“GOD, TIME, AND WAITING”

Victorious Living

With Eternity in Mind: What do I think?

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Where are my thoughts?

When was the last time you thought about eternity?  Better yet, do you even believe in eternity?  If you do not believe in “life after death”, you may be extremely depressed with the thought of someday leaving behind your prize possessions (your favorite stuff) and relationships (your favorite people).

Even for those of us who do believe in eternity, there is a reluctance to place much time or attention on this topic unless we are forced to do so, usually as a result of losing a family member or friend.

That’s why we are going to spend time in our next few WordBytes exploring the wonders of eternity; how we can live victoriously today with eternity in mind?

Why aren’t we talking more?

Why don’t we talk more about eternity—the place where we will live out the remainder of our existence?  I can understand nonbeliever’s aversion to this topic; for them, eternity doesn’t exist.  Therefore, there is nothing to look forward to.

However, for we believers there should be more to draw our attention to eternity than helpless resolve or fear. Eternity should be the place we joyfully anticipate.

Why should we be joyful?

To whet your appetite for eternity, I’ll share a “short list” of why eternity is a place of joy.

  • Eternity is a place which Jesus Christ has prepared for us to be together. “I go to prepare a place for you…that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3) We will be in the presence of God, our Creator and Christ, our Savior. In His presence is fullness of joy and peace forevermore. (Ps. 16:11)
  • There will be no sickness and no more tears (Rev.21:4). With The Fall (Gen. 3) sin was introduced into God’s perfect world.  On its heels followed pain, sickness, and death.  As much as man tries, he can never reverse these affects.  But in Christ—in His death, burial, and resurrection from the dead, sin lost its power.  Christ replaced it with eternal life which will be fully realized in eternity.  (Rom. 5:21)

And the “short list” continues…

  • We will have glorified bodies to house our eternal spirit. Ever wonder why you don’t mentally feel your physical age? It’s because our soul doesn’t age.  If our bodies didn’t “breakdown” with disease and age, we would keep right on “ticking.”  We will have bodies built for eternity. (1 Cor. 15:54)
  • Eternity is where we will receive our reward for service done on earth. While we do not work for our salvation (Eph. 2:8), God has promised to reward us for our contribution to kingdom building and acting as His ambassadors here on earth. (Rev. 11:18; 22:12)

So, I ask you again, why don’t we have a loving eye on eternity?  Why isn’t there greater excitement at the possibility of life eternal with the Lord?  What stands in the way of our desire for eternity?  Next week, we’ll continue with our study on eternity.

Advent/Christmas

The Discipline of Waiting: Advent 2022

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The Discipline of Waiting

Waiting

Advent season is a time of waiting.  Waiting by its very definition is challenging.  Waiting is the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens.   

How well we wait lies not only in what we are waiting for but also who we trust to provide our desired outcome.   That trust is based on the provider’s ability to deliver the outcome.  That why as believers, it is important to remember that Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith is worth waiting for.

Advent and Waiting

The first Advent was a time of waiting.  Israel waited with hope for the promised redeemer who would deliver them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire.  The Three Wise Men (Magi) waited for a sign (the star) that would lead them to the King of the Jews.

Those who studied the law and the prophets, such as Simeon and Anna, daily waited for the arrival of the Promised Savior.  “There was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon:  and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon Him.” (Luke 2:25).

Waiting is a spiritual discipline  

Godly waiting is a spiritual discipline that we should cultivate.  As with any discipline, practice makes “progress” (perfection is not always the goal).  Advent is a time in which we should make every effort to expand our capacity to wait.  That increased capacity will strengthen us for the days ahead.

While waiting, we exercise our patience “muscles” and bolster our endurance until we receive what we are waiting for (Heb.10:36).  In our waiting, faith is activated and strengthened.  It is in the waiting that our hope becomes an expectation.  While waiting, our belief and trust become rooted and grounded in the Lord (Ps. 27:13-14).

What are you waiting for?  Provision, healing, or deliverance?  The believer who waits on the Lord will not be disappointed!  (Is. 40:31)

Learning to wait in 2022

2022 has taught us to wait.  What have you learned about waiting this year? We learn from our experiences to the extent we are willing to be shaped by them (Heb. 12:11).  This includes our experiences with waiting.

Waiting is an important discipline for us to learn.  As I stated earlier, how well we wait is based on who we trust to provide our desired outcome.  We are more willing to wait when we trust the one who can and will deliver the outcome we need.

As believers our response to waiting is different because we know Who can deliver everything we may be waiting for.  It is the Creator and Sustainer of all things—seen and unseen; past, present, and future; Alpha and Omega.  It is Eternal God (Jer. 10:10, 12).

The Gift in Waiting

We have been given great and precious promises (2 Pet. 1:4) as well as spiritual gifts (Eph. 1:3-17) that enable us to live victoriously.  These also enable us to wait patiently and hopefully on the Lord.

As we live in this period between Jesus’ first arrival (as Savior) and His second return (as Judge), let us remain faithful to that which God has given us to do (Titus 2:14).  Use this time of waiting to experience the fullness of God and to serve Him until His return.

Advent/Christmas

The Expectancy of Advent

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The Expectancy of Advent

Prophecy:  good news/bad news

The first arrival of Jesus Christ was foretold by many of the Old Testament prophets.

The earliest prophecy of Jesus Christ’s birth occurred about 4000 B.C. and is recorded in Genesis 3:15. The most significant prediction is found in Daniel 9:25-26. It was written somewhere around 538 B.C. and gives the exact year, A.D. 33, in which Jesus Christ would die. From that prophecy one can estimate the earliest year in which Jesus could have been born. That prophecy and six other prophecies are given about His birth.[1]

While Jesus Christ’s birth was good news, sometimes the prophets were chosen by God to deliver difficult messages.  Prophets were not fortune tellers (as many people mistakenly believe) but “forth tellers”.  Forth tellers proclaimed what “thus says the LORD God”.  Their prophecies outline what we can expect from God in the future.

During the final days of Israel and Judah, God communicated through the prophets a message of judgment.  The divided kingdoms were to be sent into captivity in Assyria and in Babylon for 70 years.  Why?  Because of their disobedience and their divided allegiance to Yahweh.  Put more simply, they were under God’s judgment because of their sins.   There is always a natural consequence of sin.  In this case, the consequence was captivity (1 Kings 14:15).

Expecting something better

The prophets were not only responsible for proclaiming a message of judgment.  With that judgment message God also included a message of restoration.  God in always merciful and faithful.  Even in our faithlessness He remains faithful (2 Tim. 2:13).

Israel’s story would not end in captivity in a distant land.  They would ultimately return to the land that God promised to the Patriarchs (Gen. 17:8).  God would sovereignly orchestrate Israel’s physical return to Jerusalem.

God would also sovereignly send His Son Jesus to arrange Israel’s spiritual return to Himself.  God sent His Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14).  The promise of a savior would create an “expectancy” of something better for their future.

“I’ll be back”

While Christ’s first arrival marked the offering of salvation and deliverance to all mankind, His second coming will be ”very different” (Rev.19:11-16).   The child that we celebrate at Christmas will return as the “Righteous Judge” (2Tim. 4:8).

Jesus spoke openly about the certainty of His return (Matt. 24:27-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28).   The disciples pressed Jesus for the “day and hour” (Matt. 24:36).  Instead Jesus emphasized expectancy.  Expectancy requires that we be both faithful and watchful until He returns.

Our expectancy allows us to anticipate and plan for events that could potentially impact our life. We rise early to watch the morning traffic report and weather forecast for the day. Why? Because we want to be prepared–no surprises!

Expectancy influences preparation

Christ is coming again. He will first return for His Church at a time called the Rapture and take us back to heaven to be with Him (1Thess. 4:13-18).  Nonbelievers, however, will be “left behind” to enter a seven-year period of trouble and desolation known as The Great Tribulation.  At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will return to the earth to judge mankind for their unbelief and their sins (Rev. 20: 11-15).

We expect Jesus Christ to return.  It is a certainty (Acts 1:11). With His arrival the world, as we know it today, will change forever. That being the case, should we not give special attention to prepare for His return?

It is important that we fully expect and embrace the reality of Christ’s Second Coming. It is equally important that we prepare for it!  For nonbelievers, the reality of Christ’s return is an invitation to repent and turn to Him TODAY. For believers, it reinforces our need to share the Good News of Jesus Christ EVERYDAY to EVERYONE God places in our path.

Just as we prepare for Christmas morning, we would be wise to expect and prepare for Jesus Christ’s return.  The prophets were 100% accurate with their prophecies of Jesus’ first arrival.  You can be sure, they’re also correct about His second return.

[1] NeverThirsty.org

 

Spiritual Discipline

Rethinking Waiting

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Rethinking Waiting

Living is about waiting

Everybody is waiting for something!  Whether it’s a new job, a favorable outcome, or a different significant other.  We all are waiting.

There are different ways to wait.  Many of us pray.  Some of us worry.  And still others, attempt to lessen the wait time by “helping” move it forward more quickly.  Have you ever been in “standstill” traffic and the person behind you continues to beat on their horn?

21st century waiting

Americans spend roughly 37 billion hours each year waiting in line. The dominant cost of waiting is an emotional one: stress, boredom, that nagging sensation that one’s life is slipping away.

I think it’s comical that this century, that was to be man’s crowning achievement of knowledge and technology, has done little to reduce waiting time.  Of course the pandemic, global warming, and other challenges of this decade have had a major impact on waiting.

Businesses and institutions will continue to make financial decisions that, in most cases, personally increase our wait time for their product.  When are you sending your Christmas cards out this year?

Waiting extends to every area of our life.  Whether it’s service at our favorite restaurant or scheduling a critical appointment with our physician.  This is a season of waiting.

Resistance to waiting

There are many reasons we may have a problem with waiting.  Our resistance often stems from our “flesh-based” needs:  impatience, pride, independence, and stubbornness.

With impatience, “we want what we want now”.  It reflects our inability to control our desire for action (Numbers 20:10-12).  Pride operates with an inflated opinion of what’s the best answer or solution to our problem or situation.  It is the conceited sense of one’s superiority (Hosea 7:8-10).  

Independence cries out, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”  It stems from our need to control our affairs apart from outside influences, even God (Luke 15:12-16).  What can we say about stubbornness?  Who can talk a fool out of his folly? Stubbornness is characterized by our being difficult to handle or overcome (Proverbs 26:3-5).

God and time

If we are waiting for God’s intervention or direction, we will need to reset our watches.  God does not exist in the confines of human time but in eternity where there is no time (Is. 57:15).

Time expresses “duration”.  Our earthly time pieces mark change in duration that indicate the passage of time.  Eternity, in contrast, expresses the concept of something that has no end nor beginning.  God has no beginning or end. He is outside the realm of our time (2 Pet. 3:8).

Reasons for waiting

From a Christian perspective, why should we embrace waiting?

Waiting embraces God’s sovereignty. (Acts 17:28).   God’s sovereignty is defined as His preeminent power and authority.  It is a natural consequence of His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.  While God has given man “free-will”, it is critical for believers to “choose God” and trust Him unconditionally.

Waiting strengthens our spiritual muscles.  (1 Peter 1:13-15).  Believers in Christ must be able to remain faithful during this postmodern era.  We can expect that our tenets of faith will continue to be under attack.  We must be patient as we listen for God’s instructions on where we are to serve.

Waiting transforms our lives. (1 John 3:3).  While waiting we draw near to God and listen for His voice through prayer and reading His Word.  We taste the wonders of His transforming power and His future rewards.  Therefore, we are willing to accept delays and interruptions rather than demand “instant gratification” based on fleshly lusts and worldly influence.

Time to rethink waiting

The thing about waiting for God is that there is no set or agreed upon time when an answer might be forthcoming.  You can move ahead of God, but you risk missing or delaying the desired purpose God has for your life (Eph. 2:10).

Waiting for God is where our faith comes into play.  We must believe and trust that God loves us and will always do what is best for us.  What we see as a delay is really God’s “best timing” for our life.  Waiting for God is always worth the wait (Lam. 3:26).

Advent/Christmas

I Hate to Wait: Advent 2020

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I Hate to Wait-Advent 2020What goes on in our mind while we are waiting?  Why are we so anxious?  Why is waiting so difficult?   What is waiting really about?

Waiting is the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something happens.  It is the act of staying in one place or remaining inactive in expectation for something.

There are many views with regard to our “waiting tolerance.”  Some are unique to specific generational differences while others are common to all people regardless of age, socio-economic factors, or gender.

Much of our anxiety can be eased based on the quality of the item one is waiting for.  However, we still can feel a level of frustration that cannot be eliminated.

Psychology of Waiting

In a paper written by David Maister, The Psychology of Waiting Lines, he provides some insight into the psychology of waiting.  The main point is that the actual time spent waiting may have little to do with how long the wait feels.  What appears common is the whole issue of what to do with the time a person spends while waiting—the “unoccupied time”.

Unoccupied time is the window where the anxiety of waiting is the greatest.  It is the time we spend in the present until the desired outcome occurs. Give people something to occupy their time, and the wait will feel shorter.  How do you spend the unoccupied time while waiting?

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in thee.”

On a spiritual level, when one is waiting for healing, a word from the Lord, or emotional/financial release, the psychology of waiting takes on a distinctive difference.   Our normal perspective on waiting changes in lights of who we’re waiting for (God) and our level of confidence in the final outcome (also God’s).

In today’s text (Ps. 39:7), David is crying out to God in a time of trouble.  His initial frustration in waiting is later transformed into “hope” by declaring his trust in God, who has always shown Himself faithful to his people and His Covenant.   David knows God will continue to do so, even when God’s specific plan for the future might not be fully understood.  Comfort in waiting is based on an overwhelming confidence or hope in God personally.

Hope in the Waiting

While researching the topic of waiting ,  I was re-directed to the word “hope”.  Hope is one of the four principles we explore during Advent season in which we commemorate mankind’s waiting for Emmanuel, the promised Messiah.  Hope focuses attention on both “what awaits us” (Lam. 3:26; Ps. 37:34) and “the object of our wait” (Ps. 130:5-6).

In both the Old and New Testament the connection to hope and waiting is built on both a personal relationship and reliance on God.

Waiting in the secular world often causes frustration and anxiety.  However, when we are anchored to God, waiting is filled with patience, encouragement, and enthusiasm (Acts 1:4).

Those who wait on God have the assurance that their waiting is for a specific purpose, which God is orchestrating.
Why do I hate to wait?

There are many reasons we have a problem with waiting.  Do any of these characteristics impact your waiting on God?

  • Impatience. We want what we want now.  Impatience is the inability to control one’s desire for action (Numbers 20:10-12).
  • Pride. We operate with an inflated opinion of what’s the best answer or solution to our problem or situation.  Pride is the conceited sense of one’s superiority (Hosea 7:8-10)
  • Independence.  “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”  Independence is the need to control one’s affairs apart from outside influences (Luke 15:12-16), even God.
  • Stubbornness. Who can talk a fool out of his folly? Stubbornness entails the trait of being difficult to handle or overcome (Proverbs 26:3-5)
Experiencing God in the Wait

As believers, we are not exempt from suffering and experiencing tragedy, yet we can face the future expectantly, waiting for the movement of God in our life.

We may have to wait a while for the full experience of the good that God intends for is, but be assured, God is fully committed to everyone who makes a faith commitment to him.

“Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you; therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.  For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him”.  Isaiah 30:18 

Advent/Christmas

God, Time, and Waiting

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God, Time, and Waiting

Scripture teaches us that, “a thousand years in God’s sight are but as yesterday” (Ps.90:4, RSV).  Therefore, in waiting for God, we may as well throw our watches away.  It is both frustrating and silly, to try to hold the Creator of the universe to our schedules and timelines. If we want to move “with” God in our life, we must learn to wait.

Man’s Time

What is the socially acceptable time to wait?  In college, if the  professor was delayed, we were instructed to wait for fifteen minutes before leaving.  In most restaurants, you most likely can expect to wait before being seated.  The time wait is generally dependent on time of day, the popularity of the restaurant and the quality of the food. Regardless of “acceptability”, we still, at one time or another, are required to wait.

One of the biggest frustrations for individuals living in the 21st century is waiting.  Americans spend roughly 37 billion hours each year waiting in line. The dominant cost of waiting is an emotional one: stress, boredom, that nagging sensation that one’s life is slipping away.

Generations wait differently

Our willingness to wait varies.  This “waiting tolerance” may be based on generational differences, expectations, and the attraction of the desired outcome.

Baby Boomers, who tend to be more intentional in planning, are fairly comfortable with waiting based on the value of the outcome—waiting is tied to worth.  This is seen in their loyalty to career/employers and investment in relationship building.

For Generation X and Y, waiting is generally acceptable when it is connected to the availability of the desired item, vis-à-vis waiting for the latest IPhone or designer tennis shoe.

For Generation Z, born into a world that screams “instant gratification”, waiting is viewed as a negative—denoting that something is “broken” or “wrong” therefore interfering with receipt of their desired outcome.

All generations hate to wait—the difference lies in “what” or “who” is causing the delay—that even includes God.

Spiritual waiting:  Timeless

What is the “spiritually” acceptable time to wait? Are the rules different?

If we are waiting for God—His intervention or direction—let me answer the second question first.  Yes, the “rules” are different because God is spirit—everlasting, eternal and immortal (John 4:24).

God exists not in the confines of human time but in eternity where there is no time (Is. 57:15).  Time simply put is duration.  Our earthly time pieces mark change in duration that indicate the passage of time.  Eternity, in contrast, expresses the concept of something that has no end and/or no beginning.  God has no beginning or end. He is outside the realm of time (2 Pet. 3:8).

Moses’ simple yet profound analogy (Ps. 90:4) helps us better understand the timelessness of God.  “For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” A second is no different from an eon; a billion years pass like seconds to the eternal God.

Waiting for God

In answer to the second question,“What is the “spiritually” acceptable time to wait?”  My answer is simple—as long as God tells you to wait.  The thing about waiting for God is that there is no set or agreed upon time when an answer might be forthcoming.  You can move ahead of God, but you risk missing or delaying the desired purpose God has for your life (Eph. 2:10).

Waiting for God is where our faith comes into play.  We must believe and trust that God loves us and will always do what is best for us.  What we see as a delay is really God’s “best timing” for our life.

What makes the waiting for God “acceptable” (I struggle for a better word) is that God is always worth the wait (Lam. 3:26).  This Advent pray for more patience and knowledge on how to wait for God.

Spiritual Maturity

The Danger of Unbelief

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John R. W. Stott (1921 – 2011) is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist, author, and theologian. He wrote this about unbelief:

Unbelief is not a misfortune to be pitied; it is a sin to be deplored. Its sinfulness lies in the fact that it contradicts the Word of the one true God and thus attributes falsehood to Him. 

The second warning listed in the Hebrews letter reflects similar passion regarding the danger of unbelief (Heb. 3:7-4:13). Does it begin with drifting (neglect) and ends with doubting (unbelief)?

The writer of Hebrews frequently used Old Testament quotations and images to support their argument for remaining steadfast in the Christian faith.  The author cited historical accounts from the Old Testament to remind the readers of the danger of giving in to outside pressure rather than “holding fast to their faith” (Heb. 10:23).

Unbelief for the Hebrews

In this second warning the author outlines the danger of doubting and disbelieving the Word.  He uses the background of the exodus of Israel from Egypt and their experiences in the wilderness to explain their unbelief.

It was not God’s will that Israel remain either in Egypt or in the wilderness. His desire was that the people enter their glorious inheritance in the land of Canaan. But when Israel got to the border of their inheritance they delayed because they doubted the promise of God.  Therefore, the people went backward in unbelief instead of forward by faith.  They missed their inheritance and died in the wilderness.[1]

The “wilderness” for believers today is this current “season of uncertainty”.  Instead of the Promised Land, we are facing nonstop change and upheaval in our daily lives. This is a result of many factors affecting our nation including the current health pandemic, social inequalities, and civil unrest. The fallout from this season of uncertainty is fear, disruptions, loss, and fatigue.

Let’s be honest! Our personal faith is also being challenged.  We question, “What is God going to do with all these problems?”  We object, “When will God intercede on our behalf?”  Emotionally and spiritually, we are tired and need to see a “light at the end” of this long tunnel.  Can you imagine what it felt like living in the wilderness for 40 years?

21st Century unbelief

What does unbelief among Christians look like today?  Unfortunately, it looks like the Israelites’ unbelief in the wilderness.  It resembles the behaviors that resulted in the hardening of their hearts.

    • Distrust in God’s power.  We murmur and complain.  Although we desire our lives to be trouble free, it just isn’t reality. The reality is this–we live in a fallen world (1John 2:17).  There will be trials and tribulations. However, Jesus encouraged us by telling us He has overcome the world (John 16:33).  We can trust God’s power to handle whatever happens in our lives.
    • Dependence on self and others.  Scripture warns us “not to be wise in our own eyes” (Prov. 3:7).  However, since we distrust God’s power, we tend to seek answers from the world.  We foolishly place our trust in human leaders and political agendas. “Instant” access to information through technology makes us believe all our answers can be found on the Internet.
    • Departure from the “living God”.  God was grieved with Israel during the entire forty years because of their unbelief (Heb. 3:12).  God is saddened today as He sees the same thing happening with His followers.  Their hearts have become hardened.  In addition, the deceitfulness of sin has caused believers to rebel against God.  They desire to return to their “Egypt”.

Unbelief left unchecked

The danger of unbelief is “loss”.  Not the loss of our salvation. The believer in Christ is completely secure (John 10:29; Rom. 8:31-39; Ep. 2:4-10).

However, when we practice unbelief, we miss out on our inheritance today and must suffer the chastening of God (Heb. 3:12-19).

Unbelief is a thief that robs us of the blessings God has promised–promises that are our today (2 Pet. 1: 4).  We lose the peace and joy that can only be found in trusting God (Ps. 16:8-9).

Still the best choice

In our humanity, we might be inclined to depend on our own strength.  Amid our trials, we might be tempted to try some “nouveau” spiritual approach.  The question we must ask ourselves is, “what can be better than Jesus?”

The writer of Hebrews presented the best case for “choosing Jesus” over returning to Judaism.  As we look around at the issues we face, our best option is still Jesus.

Jesus, Son of the Living God, possesses all power on heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18).  Jesus is omniscient–knowing all things (1 John 3:20).  He is omnipotent–unlimited in power and authority (Daniel 4:35). Jesus is omnipresent–in all places at all times (Jer. 23:23-24).

Most importantly, Jesus loves us and has proven His love by dying for us so that we might have eternal life (John 3:16).  He is the Righteous and Just One (Deut. 32:3-4).  Jesus is all this and so much more.  Jesus the Best and Only Choice for all generations

[1]  Hebrews, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary

Knowing God

Is God really in control? Knowing the God who sees

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knowing the God who sees

Knowing God (theology) is central to our faith and our hope of salvation.  It fuels our trust during times of adversity and hardship.  Our view of God provides the framework on which we as believers live our life.  In knowing God we can better understand His sovereignty—His rightful position of supreme authority and power.

Seeing God through His attributes

We learn about God by understanding His attributes.  Attributes are the qualities which characterize God’s nature.   Some believers define these attributes into two (2) general categories:  His goodness and His greatness. 

Others understand God’s nature viewed through:

  • His omnipotence:   God is all powerful. (Ps. 66:5-7)
  • His omniscience:    God knows all things actual and possible.  (Is. 46:9-10)
  • His omnipresence: God is everywhere present.  (Ps. 139:7-10)

In reading these brief samplings of God’s attributes, believers have reason to be encouraged and hopeful knowing that God is more than able to handle any of the problems we face today including health pandemics, social inequities, and racial discord.

God in Action

In the Bible we witness God’s sovereignty through His divine attributes.  God’s attributes are most often seen through nature (Ps. 19:1-3) and through His relationship with man.  One notable relationship was the one He established with Abram.

Abram, like Adam, would play an important role in God’s sovereign plan of salvation (Gen. 12:2).  It was from Abram’s descendants that Jesus, the promised Messiah, would emerge.  Through Jesus Christ, not only would Israel be blessed but the whole world would become beneficiaries of God’s divine grace (Gal. 3:6-9).

The LORD made a covenant with Abram to “give His descendants land” (Gen. 15:18). However, after ten (10) years in Canaan, Abram and his wife, Sarai had “no baby”.  Sarai, thinking she was barren (and that God needed some help), persuaded Abram to take her handmaiden, Hagar, to fulfill the promise God had made to them. (Gen. 16:3).

Did God see what was happening? God not only saw what was happening but He also knew the resulting effect of Sarai’s misguided plan. God in His omnipresence and omniscience saw and knew that there would be impacts from Sarai and Abram’s scheme that would reach even into the 21st century.

The God who knows and sees

The situation that had been engineered by man (or woman, in this case Sarai) was the perfect setting for Jehovah, the God Who sees, to exercise His sovereignty in redirecting the fate of not only Abram, but also the future of an Egyptian slave girl named Hagar.

While Sarai’s plan of offering her maid to Abram to bear him a child was acceptable within the social custom of the day, there were still consequences that Sarai and Abram had not considered.  More importantly, they were working outside the will of God and His plan for their life.

Is this not the case for mankind in the 21st century? God has given us instruction on how we are to live. However, many times we attempt to accomplish God’s purpose through counterfeit and fruitless efforts. We are guilty like Sarai and Abram of accepting society’s customs and values in making life decisions that often lead to disharmony and confusion.

Working outside God’s Sovereignty

After Hagar conceived, the relationship between she and Sarai began to “go south.” Hagar began to despise Sarai (Gen. 16:4, 5).  Sarai began to mistreat Hagar.  So Hagar fled to the desert, headed for her homeland. But the God Who sees had other plans for the runaway. It was here that the Angel of the LORD (the first reference to the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament) began to speak to Hagar, asking two questions that would frame God’s special message for her: “Where have you come from and where are you going?”

Often the God Who sees will ask questions for which He already knows the answers. The God Who sees recognizes our unique circumstance including how we arrived at this place in our life. Whether by mistreatment or reliance on our own efforts, God is there to redirect our path to His perfect purpose.

Knowing God in His Sovereignty

Hagar would have to stay there unless she “returned and submitted” herself again to Sarai. Hagar was “strongly encouraged” by the Angel of the LORD to “put herself back under the affliction” of Sarai (v. 9).

For her obedience, she was given a promised inheritance for her son, whom the Angel of the LORD named Ishmael, “the LORD has heard your affliction”. Hagar then called the name of the LORD Who saw and spoke to her in the desert: “You-Are-the-God Who-Sees” (v. 13).

Sometimes God puts us back at “square one” in order to bless us in His unique way. It may require that we acknowledge our part or culpability in the unfortunate circumstance we’re in, even asking forgiveness for offenses we may have inflicted. Obedience to His instruction is crucial. We trust that the God Who sees always has our best interest in mind, regardless of our perception of the outcome (Jer. 29:11).

Knowing God in all His glory requires that we also know Him in His sovereignty.  Because God is both good and great, we can trust our future with Him.  We have no need to rely on trends and forecast when we know that God is all powerful, that He knows all things actual and possible, and that He is everywhere present.  Such authority cannot be matched by anything or anyone in heaven or on earth.

The sovereign God who created heaven and earth, covenanted with Abram and Sarai, and contented for our salvation, surely sees us.  God sees us—He saw us in the past (Rom. 5:6), He sees us in the present, and we can trust, He will see us in the future (Ps. 31:15).   Now is the time to get to know the God who sees.