Are You An Answer Waiting for a Question!

Today in service I heard the Lord say, “You are an answer in search of a question.”  I was reading Ezekiel 37 where God was talking about the dry bones.  One verse answered a question I had asked recently and I considered that I had read this passage several times and it never stood out as much as it did when I needed it to.  God said, “This passage is an answer to your question just as YOU are an answer to many questions that have come and will continue to come. 

In John chapter 1 we see priests and Levites travel from Jerusalem to meet John the Baptist in the wilderness.  They asked if he was Elijah or some prophet and he said no.  Their next question jumped out at me.  “Who are you so we might GIVE AN ANSWER to those who sent us.  John’s presence had created a question.  They were sent by the priests and Levites to find the answer.  The answer was a quote from Isaiah, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord.”  This quote was confirmed in Malachi 3:1 as well, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.”

In spite of this they still missed the coming Messiah.

Later we see in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” 

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Have you ever failed to answer a question about your faith because you were embarrassed by your lack of knowledge?  Occasionally you might not have an answer because you have not studied, but you might not have an answer because you have never considered the question before.  We know the Holy Spirit brings all things to our remembrance (John 14:26), but you must study and read your Bible and you must study your Bible prayerfully.  God knows which answers you have need of for a day’s questions.  He is always leading and directing you into all knowledge.  As we spend time in prayer before studying His Word, He is better able to direct our educational efforts.

This is an important point.  No matter how many times you have studied a particular passage, the Holy Spirit may not reveal knowledge you have no need of.  Occasionally He will direct you to study certain things and they will answer all the next day or week’s questions.  In other cases, you will be forced to tell the person who asks, “I will look into this and get back to you.”  Nevertheless, as long as you walk this Christian walk and stand before the Lord of the universe you will be an answer looking for questions.

As it says in the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared.” 

Sometimes, You Just Can’t Lose

Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Why is it we lose our minds so much over thoughts, actions and the world around us. Don’t get me wrong, I am as guilty of occasional mind losing as the next guy. There was a movie called Dick and Jane where Dick ran out of their bedroom screaming, “I’m going to jail!!!!?” His wife cocked her head listening as he bounced from room to room screaming, until she heard the front door slam and he was gone. That’s how we seem to act when life’s little problems (or big ones) hit us.

I used to feel like my chest was being squeezed by King Kong during those times. Once, it got so bad I had my wife drive me to the clinic because I thought I was having a heart attack. After being plastered with electrodes and using up several feet of EKG paper, the doctor came in and asked, “Sir, are you worried about something?” That’s right, I was having a panic attack. I’d managed to lose a lot of money and was having a mental hissy fit.

The thing is, I read the news where someone has lost their job and committed suicide, or worse, took their entire family with them. The Bible talks about this in Luke 21:26 where people’s hearts fail them for fear.

In my case, I lost money and had no job. Okay, it was a lot of money, did I say that? Still, it wasn’t the end of the world and I know that because bill collectors kept calling. I began to worry about money, house payments, bills, food and five mouths to feed. Yes, all these things will wear on you if you don’t keep your mind stayed on the word of God; but if you do, He will show you the way out and up.

All crime, fear, sin, suicide and panic stem from one source. We don’t trust God. I’m talking about a God who has placed so many layers of proof to His existence and His willingness to keep His Word, that once you begin to research and understand just how forceful His promises are, you can’t help but raise your hands and say, “My Lord and my God!” It isn’t that God doesn’t exist or can’t even be proven, but that He has hidden many of these proofs from those who do not want to believe. You might think, “God wouldn’t do that!” Yes He would. He expects us to obey and when we take a step in faith, he reveals a little bit more to us. When He sees we are backsliding, he covers things back up until we begin to exercise our faith again. Some have taken the challenge and run after the promises time and time again, against all odds. They are the ones who ultimately do great things.

Some just take a 9-5 job so the bills get paid and never step fully into the promises God has made them. If God has called you to a secular job, that’s fine; but even secular employees are the hand of God in their office. Be what God has called you to be at all times. I promise it will be uncomfortable from time to time.

Many years ago, our pastor used to say, “Build up your faith now in the easy times so it can sustain you in the difficult.” Jeremiah 12:5 says, “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” We tend to wait until our world is falling around us to come to God. We need to STIR up our faith and our gifts NOW when things are merely normal, leaning toward difficult, not wait until they appear hopeless (Jude 1:20, 1 Timothy 1:6, 1 Peter 1:13; 3:1-4).

After 9/11, churches were filled. After the first bombing of the World Trade Center, churches were filled. A year after these events, attendance was back to normal. Lately, there has been a trend toward running to Islam to stay safe. It is exactly this move that got Israel into trouble. They accepted the gods of the heathen nations around them to prevent war and stimulate commerce. All they succeeded in doing, was to anger God and speed their own downfall.

I am not tempted to run to Allah because I know Yahweh is the one and only true God and Jesus is not some made up sacrifice that does a work and gets discarded. Jesus is God. He is the Word of God, covered in flesh. He is eternal in the heavenlies and has no less authority than the Father or the Holy Spirit. They are one. Remember the born again Rabbi saying that it wasn’t 1+1+1=3 but 1x1x1=1 when he described the trinity of God. I rather think of God as one who has many attributes, but remains unified. He said in Genesis, “Let US make man in OUR image (Genesis 1:26).” He has it together.

I tend to think of the old man who was talking to his friend, “You know, if my knees would stop hurting and my shoulder would quit acting up, and my feet would quit tripping over things, I’d be just great.” We know his knees, shoulder and feet are all part of his one single body, yet we often speak of them as if they are separate. We are one. God is one. His Word is one, and because of our sin, was made flesh, died and rose again so we might be saved. We are the righteousness of God because that is what Christ’s sacrifice did for us. There is no other way, to stand in peace, before the eternal being who created this universe by speaking a word, than to accept Jesus, the Christ, as your sacrifice (John 3:17). None.

Okay, back on track. If you have Jesus, you have life (1 John 5:12). If you have life in Christ, you have more abundant life (John 10:10). Without Jesus, there is no life or hope (Ephesians 2:12). God has promised to take care of us. He said that hope maketh not ashamed (Romans 5:5).

What does that mean to us? It means this:  No matter how dark it seems, God will make a way. No matter who comes to call you a fool or comes against you for Christ’s sake, you will overcome in EVERYTHING. If you lose everything but your life, God has merely cleared out the dross so He might rebuild your life stronger and purer. If you lose your life, you have only lost some animated dirt. Christ is the resurrection and the life. You, the only part of you to matter, cannot die.

Earlier I wrote about falling on the rock, or the rock falling on you (Matthew 21:44). When you are willing to be broken for God, he truly will make your enemies your friends. When you choose to struggle against His word because it doesn’t fit your lifestyle or opinion of how He ought to do things, He will fall on you, grind you to powder, and start over. Personally, I would rather he build me up, line upon line, precept upon precept until He decides I am fit for His use. Much less painful in the long run.

Don’t be wise in your own eyes. It’s enough that we win when we do it His way. We are MORE THAN CONQUERORS!!! Glory to God!! Galatians 3 tells us that God’s promises are sure.

In other words, we just can’t lose!

Father, forgive me for doubting you. Help me to overcome and destroy fear in my life. You said in Your Word, “Perfect love casteth out fear.” Perfect me in love Father. I want to do your will just the way you said to do it, without adding to or subtracting from it. You are my king of kings and Lord of Lords. Nothing can prevent me from being a great success. I will obey Lord, because you are my ever present help in time of trouble.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.