Many people think that most Followers of Christ Jesus are these mindless zombies that believe anything, fall for what ever we hear a so called man of God says. Non believers think we just sit back and just wait on our "invisible father" to do everything for us. Some people think of *Jim Jones, David Koresh when they think of Christians but this is so far from a true believer of God. One thing God stresses day in and day out is to read His word, get to know Him, challenge other fellow Christians from time to time because as one wise Christian used to say to me over and over, "You got to know Him for yourself." As you read His word your mind does not turn to mush but the opposite. You begin to see the world for what it is, you begin to see and understand why people do somethings. When learning and trusting God's word I have stop asking "Why?" and begin asking, "What do I need to do now?" meaning what do I need to do to please You and what do I need to better myself.
When you begin to read His word, pray and have intimate conversations with God you learn that you cannot just sit back and let Him do all the work. You get into a covenant with Him and you soon learn to lean on "His understanding" not your own. God teaches you that it's only our job to share His gospel, to plant the seed. When reading today's devotion it lets you know that being a skeptic is not the same as not believing at all. We are all skeptics until we do research, take our time in finding the facts about one thing or another. This is the awesome thing about God. He tells a person, "read my words, spend time with me, research me." It's okay to have questions for God, it's okay to become angry from time to time because He created you and I.
I just realized just this year that when Job was questioning He(God) never answered Job but turned around and began questioning Job. I am learning that when I set my mind to "okay God, I do not like what I'm going through so what are you trying to teach me?" or "I don't understand but You have and always will give me the wisdom to figure this out." my Lord comes through each and every time. What I am learning day in and day out is that I will never know answers to certain questions. I'm learning that sometimes it's best just to trust in Him because He knows from beginning to end and sometimes the journey is not smooth but when I reach the end what wisdom and knowledge I learn from God.
It's funny, the more I look toward God the more I learn about myself and people around me. God teaches me every day that people will let you down, they will betray, they are selfish at times but He also lets me know that this is in our nature and you can forgive but at the same same not become a doormat for these type of people. God also shows me that they are people that are kind, considerate, would go out of their way to respect you. When you are a Follower of Christ you tend to gravitate to strong positive people and likewise. God gives you the understanding that you are not better than anyone because we once a complainer, a gossip, a cheat and once leave that lifestyle behind we become a light to guide others without being judgmental of the person, only their ways because we as Christians can slide back into our lifestyle if we become "to high and mighty". I love what the prophet says in proverbs 30...
"Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?"
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God."
~Proverbs 30:7-9 (New American Standard Bible)
I can't get too low on myself because He has brought me so high and I cannot get too high on myself because I know how low he can take me.
Be Blessed, Be Safe and have a Wonderful Weekend.
