Rather than being the first person that God couldn't use,
we are just another one of the many, many people that He wouldn't use,
because we won't let Him.
If you'd like to know why that's the case -
please -
read on.
"But deep down inside, we know that something’s not going according to plan.
Why?
Because what we say we believe and what we actually experience in our lives are out of balance and simply don’t line up."
from "Waking Up: To Who You Really Are (If You Dare)" by Ted Dekker
Do you ever feel this way?
I do.
I used to think it was because I couldn't figure out what God wanted for me.
Of course, that was after I stopped wondering why God was doing things to me.
More and more - as you hopefully can see from what I've been writing -
I have been coming to believe that the real problem with my plans and His plans - is me.
Every Christian probably (hopefully) knows of this event -
The Healing of a Boy With an Evil Spirit
9:14-28; 30-32 pp — Mt 17:14-19; 22, 23; Lk 9:37-45
Mk 9:14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
Mk 9:16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
Mk 9:17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
Mk 9:19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
Mk 9:20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
Mk 9:21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
Mk 9:23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Mk 9:24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Let's take out the "background" info and get down the the key points for what I'm talking abut -
- A man in the crowd answered, “ ... I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
- “O unbelieving generation,”
- " ... if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
- “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Now - let's translate those items into something more descriptive of us - today's people - you and me.
- Someone reaches out the to the person (people?) who taught us how to be Christians - because they had asked us for help, but we were unable to do anything to solve the problem.
- Our teacher isn't to pleased. He / She is wondering if we'll ever get it.
- The person now asks our teacher(s) if they will be able to help him with his problem.
- Now our teacher isn't happy at all. "IF I CAN?" Of course the teacher can - because he / she believes.
It all looks pretty good - right up to item #4
When we get to #4 - the whole translation falls apart.
Because our teacher is a human being. But not Jesus.
Where did we go wrong?
For some time now - I've felt like we're - or more properly, at least I - am going wrong with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit should be our teacher
Let's look at when the people really had Jesus as their teacher - for instance -
The Wise and Foolish Builders
7:24-27 pp — Lk 6:47-49
Mt 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
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