What Do YOU Think, GOD?
““When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You,
(The Psalms 27: 8 NASB)
“Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”
A sweet brother-in-Christ called me this morning, to check on me after my surgery. This is the same sweet man who purchased a Bible study commentary for me when his class gave him too much money one Christmas.
Brother Fred is a wealth of biblical knowledge, and in his role as the hospital chaplain, he prays with those who have health concerns. Oftentimes, he tells me these prayer-times lead to question-answer times.
EVERYONE HAS AN INNATE DESIRE TO KNOW GOD!
We know this to be truth because, well, the Bible speaks it so, and since God is the author of the Bible and the narrative is HIS-STORY, then we cannot help but realize this to be truth!
While Fred and I were on the phone this morning, we enjoyed a conversation about the wisdom of God.
Think about those words: The Wisdom of God.
- What do we think God does not know that we need to know?
NOTHING! GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS & HE SHARES HIS WISDOM WITH HIS CHILDREN!
- What do we think we need to walk through alone because God is too busy with ‘bigger’ things?
NOTHING! GOD CARES ABOUT EVERYTHING ABOUT US & IN HIS IMMENSE LOVE FOR US, WE ARE NEVER ALONE!
- What do You think, God—that we need to know about You?
EVERYTHING! GOD DESIRES AN INTIMACY WITH EACH ONE OF US, A RELATIONSHIP THAT RIVALS NO OTHER RELATIONSHIP!
- What do You think, God—that we need to understand about You?
EVERYTHING WE CAN—WHILE WE CAN—AS WE HAVE THE NECESSARY TIME TO READ & COMPREHEND—BEFORE HE ALLOWS OUR LAST BREATH TO BE TAKEN FROM US!
Earlier today (before my talk with Fred), I found myself reading Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth. Now, as I understand biblical history, this city had a Greek influence, and so idol worship became abundant.
Imagine a person, flesh and blood, just like us, living a full life worshiping a multitude of gods for good luck, for good fortune, for good health, and for every good thing possible in life.
Then imagine that same person coming to faith in Christ Jesus.
This new convert knows that there is a Father God, a Son of God, and a Holy Spirit, but therein lies the rub.
- How does an adult who has lived a certain way, maybe experiencing prosperity because of his life actions—suddenly give up all the ritualistic idol worship?
- How does an adult who has lived a full life, one that has served him well for decades, now—only worship the ONE TRUE GOD?
The apostle Paul addresses this struggle in his first letter to these Christians. Please read with me to see the point made when answering the question: What Do YOU Think, GOD?
“Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature;
a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery,
the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;
the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood;
for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; . . . “
[Isn’t that the TRUTH!]
“For to us God revealed them through the Spirit;
for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
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.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit who is from God,
so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”
[Please pause to allow that last statement to sink deep within you]
“which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but
in those taught by the Spirit, [of God] combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
[Pause to consider what proceeds out of our mouths each time we allow them to open.]
- Are spiritual words taught by the Spirit of God being proclaimed?
- Are our thoughts pure, as spiritual thoughts taught by the Spirit of God?
“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM?
But we have the mind of Christ.”
(The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 2: 6-8 & 10-13 & 16 NASB)
We were given “the mind of Christ” when God Himself placed His sacred pledge, His Promise of eternal life—His Holy Spirit—within us at the moment of our salvation!
- What do You think, God, that we need to know about You?
EVERYTHING!
GOD DESIRES AN INTIMACY WITH EACH ONE OF US THAT RIVALS NO OTHER RELATIONSHIP!
- What do You think, God, that we need to understand about You?
EVERYTHING WE CAN—WHILE WE CAN—AS WE CAN—BEFORE OUR BREATH IS TAKEN FROM US & WE ARE TRANSPORTED FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN!