Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 108
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a
BLOG, called Living Life With a Capital “C”. Why a blog? So that many can receive the weekly thoughts
I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.
Faith and asking questions…interesting insight in
today’s writing that should alert some believers to a startling issue in their
life.
DAY 74
Do Not Ask
Who
knows whether He will {not} turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him. --Joel 2:14
For who among men knows the {thoughts} of a
man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the {thoughts} of God
no one knows except the Spirit of God. --I Corinthians 2:11
I have
often thought that theology is a course of study for the unbelieving believer,
a man with an I.Q. of 150 attempting to understand a God with an immeasurably
infinite I.Q. In the West
we have developed an unhealthy fascination with questioning and understanding
God. Unbelief can be
measured in direct proportion to the number of our questions. Where did
God come from? Is every action predestined? Why does God allow suffering? What
kind of a God lets people be abused? Why does God not stop evil? If God knows
all, why did He create Satan? Why would God create men, give them the ability
to choose evil, and then send them to hell for so choosing? Is God passively
active or just passive in the affairs of man?
Of course, I could ask the unbelieving
believer equally pertinent questions that also cannot be answered. Why did you not die as a child? Why did your parents stay married
when others have not? Why did God spare you in the snowstorm when there were so
many other driving fatalities? Why did you not get cancer after smoking for
twenty years? Why have you been able to make a house payment all these years?
With two parents who were alcoholic, why did you not become one? Why has your
life been so good?
Faith consumes itself not with
questions but with a person, and that person is Jesus. Simply put, we
are asking too many questions that would never be issues were we in His
presence. All fear of the future would leave my young children's faces
when they were in my lap. Climb
into His lap and rest in faith. We know very little of what God is doing or
will do. We only know that what He is doing will work together for the good.
If the above questions
were important, they would have been emphasized in the New Testament. They were
not; therefore, if they
become the emphases, the real intent and purpose of life and faith will elude
us, and in the end we will be depleted, still asking questions. I
appreciated my father at my mother's funeral. He refused to verbalize any
questions, choosing rather to state what he believed: “God is working it all
out for good.” Amen!
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
Michael gives us three outstanding truths that show we must be acutely
aware of how easy it is to question and they show a spiritual deficiency in us,
in constant concern of our propensity to backslide, and eagerly enthusiastic to
embrace and be consumed with the person of the Lord.
Acutely aware: that we ask
too many questions that would never be issues were we in the presence of the
Lord Jesus Christ. That is a bold
statement Michael makes that “unbelief can be measured in direct proportion to
the number of our questions.” I guess a
valid question for every Christian is this: with the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit, how is it we would ever not be aware of His presence?
Constant concern: that we
acknowledge and recognize that all our questioning (like the questions Michael
mentions) is a sign that unbelief has crept into our life. I guess a valid question for every Christian
is this: does this startling revelation bring a quick self-analysis of what
questions I am asking, if any…and why?
Eagerly enthusiastic: about being
consumed with the person of Jesus.
Thinking of Him, recognizing Him, communing with Him…a constant
embracing of His presence. I guess a
valid question for every Christian is this: how consumed am I with the person
of Jesus versus all the other entities and activities of Christianity?
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…there’s just something about that Name. Yes, and there’s something about Him (His
person) that is worth our being consumed to know and fellowship with Him. Well, amen.
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