He that dwelleth in the
secret place of the most High
shall abide under
the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalms 91:1
secret place of the most High
shall abide under
the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalms 91:1
We all have trusted people in our lives we'd share anything with. From personal information, to our past to our future plans, we'd spill our guts. While at the same time there are others we wouldn't give our numbers to, even though it's right there in the phone book.
Is God like that? Does he purposely share mysteries with some but not with others? You bet he does! He has the answer to every why, how, and when of our lives, but he will not share hidden secrets with just anyone.
In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds who came to hear him. Later, his disciples asked him why he spoke to the people in parables. Here's his answer: “...Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”
Jesus purposely withheld important things from people. His reasons back then are the same reasons today...
...because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matthew 13:13-15)
This was not unique to that crowd. Read a portion of Paul's letter to the established church at Corinth many years later...
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
Sharp words for elders and babes alike, and more spiritual meat, understanding, and healing forfeited because the church was carnally minded and couldn't receive it. Ouch!
Are we any different today?
In my travels here and there asking questions and observing, I've discovered a similar reality. In any church gathering in America, roughly eighty percent of the congregation hasn't prayed or read their Bibles at all the previous week or longer. Let me restate that to be clear: on average, only 20% of any church, anywhere, has a regular time of prayer and Bible reading. The vast majority of us Christians regularly feed our hearts and minds a full plate of work with a side of office gossip, television, YouTube, and catchy music. And for dessert we'll opt for the latest bestseller or the 2-hour Hollywood version. We're more fluent in Facebook than God's Book and our affections are located in the mall rather than above this world where Christ sits. If we're wondering why we can't hear God, that's why. Our fleshy nature is sharp as a tack while our spiritual man is going deaf and blind.
Whatever we regularly allow into our lives collects on the walls of our heart till there's no room for anything else. That can be either good or bad, but let's be honest with ourselves about the outcome. Ears dulled by worldly wisdom can't hear what the Spirit is saying. Eyes blinded by sin won't perceive a miracle before them. And a stoney heart laden with the cares of this life cannot beat with understanding. We're kidding ourselves if we think reading a few verses on Sunday is getting us anywhere spiritually.
The last post was really long, so I'll keep this one shorter and leave off with this:
Will God want to share mysteries with me if I'm more in love with the world than I am with him? The answer is no, he won't. The Savior will pass me by and give hidden secrets to the likes of the young girl who knelt down before him on a dusty floor. The one who washed his feet with her tears and dried them off with her hair. Eavesdrop on what her Lord shared with her in Luke 7:36-50...
If this was helpful, please leave a comment and pass this along to someone today!
Is God like that? Does he purposely share mysteries with some but not with others? You bet he does! He has the answer to every why, how, and when of our lives, but he will not share hidden secrets with just anyone.
In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds who came to hear him. Later, his disciples asked him why he spoke to the people in parables. Here's his answer: “...Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”
Jesus purposely withheld important things from people. His reasons back then are the same reasons today...
...because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matthew 13:13-15)
This was not unique to that crowd. Read a portion of Paul's letter to the established church at Corinth many years later...
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
Sharp words for elders and babes alike, and more spiritual meat, understanding, and healing forfeited because the church was carnally minded and couldn't receive it. Ouch!
Are we any different today?
In my travels here and there asking questions and observing, I've discovered a similar reality. In any church gathering in America, roughly eighty percent of the congregation hasn't prayed or read their Bibles at all the previous week or longer. Let me restate that to be clear: on average, only 20% of any church, anywhere, has a regular time of prayer and Bible reading. The vast majority of us Christians regularly feed our hearts and minds a full plate of work with a side of office gossip, television, YouTube, and catchy music. And for dessert we'll opt for the latest bestseller or the 2-hour Hollywood version. We're more fluent in Facebook than God's Book and our affections are located in the mall rather than above this world where Christ sits. If we're wondering why we can't hear God, that's why. Our fleshy nature is sharp as a tack while our spiritual man is going deaf and blind.
Whatever we regularly allow into our lives collects on the walls of our heart till there's no room for anything else. That can be either good or bad, but let's be honest with ourselves about the outcome. Ears dulled by worldly wisdom can't hear what the Spirit is saying. Eyes blinded by sin won't perceive a miracle before them. And a stoney heart laden with the cares of this life cannot beat with understanding. We're kidding ourselves if we think reading a few verses on Sunday is getting us anywhere spiritually.
The last post was really long, so I'll keep this one shorter and leave off with this:
Will God want to share mysteries with me if I'm more in love with the world than I am with him? The answer is no, he won't. The Savior will pass me by and give hidden secrets to the likes of the young girl who knelt down before him on a dusty floor. The one who washed his feet with her tears and dried them off with her hair. Eavesdrop on what her Lord shared with her in Luke 7:36-50...
If this was helpful, please leave a comment and pass this along to someone today!
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