During His earthly ministry, there were many different reactions to Christ and His claims. Some were convinced, some contrary, some confused, and others hostile. Not much has changed today.
Where are you and what is your attitude toward Him? Do you say you believe without trusting Him personally or without putting “feet” to your faith? Do questions about other religions or science confuse you? Or are you convinced He is who He said He was and live your life accordingly?
Even as professing believers, we can fall into some of these attitudes. We can trust in Christ for our salvation, but be contrary about obedience in certain areas or refuse to trust the Bible wholeheartedly. Or we can be confused because He isn’t working in our lives the way we want. We can believe He isn’t answering our prayers. Could it be that we have a wrong understanding of God and how He works in our lives? I hope you’ll read today’s post and evaluate where you are.
Where is God when you’re mistreated or attacked unfairly? Why would He allow one of His children to be treated that way? What can we learn from David’s response to unfair attacks and His understanding of the sovereignty of God that can help us when we face those situations?
Do you have genuine saving faith? Do you have confidence that if you should die tonight, you would spend eternity with God? Jesus and the Apostles warned us that there are those who may come to church, listen to the Word preached, and even make some moral changes in their lives, but who do not have saving faith and have not had the kind of internal heart change that we call conversion. They have not been born-again by the Spirit of God.
Also, as David’s story continues to unfold in 2 Samuel, we see the foolishness of thinking we can sin in secret and that our sins won’t affect anyone but us. David had set in motion laws of sowing and reaping and the sad results were happening before his eyes in the lives of his own children. This should drive us to our knees to pray for God’s wisdom in our own parenting.
God’s restraining grace is something we often take for granted. It’s even present to some degree in the lives of unbelievers. The Puritans called it common grace. It’s seen in the work of the conscience and in society’s acceptance of certain basics of right and wrong. But is it possible to lose God’s restraining grace?
There is no sin in our lives that is too big or for which God won’t forgive us if we are truly repentant. But knowing that doesn’t mean we can sin with impunity like children with our fingers crossed behind our backs. The person who thinks he or she can do whatever and ask for forgiveness later is in rebellion against God.
One of the consequences of willful sin can be the removal of God’s restraining grace where He steps back and allows us to do what our sinful heart desires. Without that restraining grace, we find that the sin we thought we could control is now controlling us. As someone once said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”
Bait-and-switch schemes, we have all heard of them and no one wants to be a victim of one. But could following Jesus ever come across as one more bait-and-switch scheme?
Recently, I heard of someone who said he was willing to come to church to “see what God has to offer him.” While that sounds self-serving, it’s understandable for an unbeliever, especially in this day of consumerism. But are there preachers whose messages feed that very idea? Could they be replacing the true gospel with a false one that keeps people from seeing their genuine need for Christ?
Many people today are looking for answers to life’s toughest questions: Why am I here? Is this all there is? What’s my purpose in life? When I die, then what? If that’s you, are you looking in the right place? Could the answers be closer than you think?
These are important questions. Finding the right answers can mean the difference between peace and joy or anxiety and unrest and sometimes have life or death consequences.
Who is Jesus? A good teacher? A prophet? A good man? Is He really the Son of God? Or is He something else? Even the disciples struggled to understand these questions. What about you? Have you answered those questions for yourself? If so, who is Jesus to you?
And if you have settled those questions in your own heart, could you explain your answers to a friend?
I counsel many people who struggle because of words that were spoken to them as children. Certainly, God can use that for good as He helps them find their identity in Him, but how sad when our kids must overcome our parenting, and not remember it with gratitude. How about you? Do you spend most of your time criticizing and correcting your children or do you remember to give encouragement, as well? Your kids will be grown before you know it. How will they remember you? Even if they know you love them, do they believe you like them?
What’s wrong with living together? Many people today argue that a marriage license is “just a piece of paper.” Others claim that marriage was an institution designed by society or governments and is no longer necessary or useful.
And in fact, our government seems to be perfectly accepting of cohabitation as an alternative. Many businesses consider domestic partners, as they are sometimes referred to, eligible for benefits. Society, as a whole, no longer gives it much thought. So, is marriage an outdated concept? Is living together the practical, logical, even necessary, thing to do in many circumstances?
Also, why do we need to be willing to speak the truth about the LGBTQ+ array of issues? Why must we refuse to be silent?
David was at his wits’ end. Even his own men had turned against him. Yet he wasn’t at his faith’s end. Instead, David strengthened himself in the Lord.
What can we learn from David about how to strengthen ourselves in the Lord? What should we remember about God’s sovereignty, goodness, justice, and mercy? And how might God be using our challenges for good so that, as Romans 8.29 says, we can become more like Christ?
