I feel like that last 22+ months I have been back in school with the Lord teaching me (John 16:12)…plowing through the Word and revisiting various books in the bible and seeing so many verses again for the first time with more clarity and understanding.
And as I look back over so many of my notes, I can see where much attention has been given to three specific areas of study that I fear is neglected in our modern church world.
Now I don’t want to set myself up as some all knowing expert who has traveled the world and reviewed what churches across the country and world are teaching and not teaching. I guess I have no idea what is being taught out there. Maybe it’s just the Spirit of God prompting me with that idea or intuition. You can bear witness to that after reading my postings. Things I have been sharing…are you hearing this in detail in other places?
This I can tell you for sure…I don’t expect anyone to just read these things and automatically embrace them with some ‘light bulb’ moment of revelation.
I just ask that you refrain from flat out rejecting it simply because it seems ‘new’ or foreign to the way you have always believed. Just study it out for yourself and ask God to confirm if there is truth in here or not. That’s all I can ask. We need not fear…the bible.
Those three specific areas that God has been tutoring me in would center around:
1. The Law.
(Many would be quick to say it is irrelevant since we are ‘not under the law but under grace’ and the law cannot save us’.)
2. Dealing with the ‘old man’ – sinful flesh nature
(Many would agree we need to ‘tame this old man’ but usually laugh it off because most would admit our ‘old man gets the best of us’ regularly and as long as we ‘keep him on a leash’ or ‘in a box/cage’ that ‘God understands’ and when we die and go to heaven we won’t have to deal with him anymore.)
3. Contending with our spiritual enemy: Satan and the powers of darkness.
(This kind of talk generates the most unrest as we are talking about something that deals with a ‘dark spiritual world’ and while we don’t really deny the existence of ‘them’ we do better to just ignore or not think of them other than in ‘broad terms’ like ‘the Devil sure is on the loose in this world today’)
I would submit to you today that our ignorance and/or lack of understanding in these three areas is perhaps the biggest reason why so many people are suffering today…NEEDLESSLY - - as in God’s assessment that ‘My people are DESTROYED for a lack of knowledge –Hosea 4:6. Paul tells us that the ‘god of this world’ has blinded the minds of those who are PERISHING…with a ‘veil’ of sorts to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 2 Cor. 4:3-4 & 3:16)
I would like to challenge you to begin your own study into these three areas searching the scriptures on your own. Use a concordance to sort out and gather what the bible has to say. In the meantime, I will continue focusing on them as well in my daily postings as the Lord leads.
Oh…you don’t have to go to seminary. Jesus was quite clear in stating that God actually ‘hides’ these things from those who consider themselves to be ‘wise and prudent’ and He…reveals them to the ‘babes’…of all things. Imagine that. (Luke 10:21) Just stay humble.
I guess it’s like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. You spend much time just getting the pieces laid out and turned over and separated before you even start putting them together which can be a slow tedious project (one of which I am no fan of when it comes to natural jigsaw puzzles. Just ask my wife)
But before long, you start connecting multiple pieces. Then over time, a ‘picture begins to take shape’. You know the deal.
I have found my studies to be like that. In fact, I posted a blog awhile back and I believe I made reference to how frustrating it would be to construct a puzzle if you did not have the box cover with the picture showing you where you were headed with this project.
I also suggested when you read through the Book of Acts and see what the early church looked like as it grew…and compare it with what is happening in most churches today, you’d think we were talking about two different ‘pictures’. (analogy #1)
But back to these three areas I listed above.
I am sure it will serve as a framework to continue my studies and postings.
I have no hesitation stating that the omission of, or little time given to these three areas in our Christian education, would be similar to building a car and leaving out the transmission and drive shaft.
At best, you would end up with a beautiful edifice of steel that could be sat in, polished and then used to make much noise by revving the engine repeatedly and playing the sound system and honking the horns and flashing the lights. You could even roll windows up and down while adjusting the A/C unit as you flipped open the trunk and slid the ‘moon roof’ open and closed repeatedly. (sound like most modern church services?)
You just wouldn’t go anywhere. And isn’t that the purpose of having a car to begin with? (analogy #2)
And if you will allow me to make use of one more analogy…(#3)
When we built our first home 20 years ago, it was definitely a learning experience. You have these grand visions of what you desire and then find yourself scaling back some because of what you can afford. But we have a beautiful home for which we are so grateful.
As many will attest to, home ownership can be overrated for sure. It’s probably been ten years or so now, that we began to recognize some…’issues’. Texas black-land…need I say more?
Long story short, we ended up bringing in a foundation team to the tune of $35k. It was no small fix, I can assure you. Anyone who has owned or built a home in this area will tell you…if you don’t think you can pay ‘up front’ for what NEEDS to be done with the foundation and ground work, you will pay later. Trust me. It’s true.
I’ve watched a few homes be built over the years and even helped build a few back in the day when I lived in San Antonio. But when you are watching your own home go up that you eagerly want to move in to, do you know what part of the construction is the least appealing to watch and seemingly the slowest part of ‘visible progress’? - The dirt/slab and foundation work.
It can be painstakingly slow at times and so tedious as they work the dirt and dig trenches and lay pipes and rebar and tie it together and it just seems like nothing significant is really happening for the longest time.
We like to see progress and we like to see it sooner than later…well, many of us do.
When you see all the lumber stacked up…you are ready for walls and trusses to be erected…you want windows installed and doors hung and shingles laid down. But that ‘boring’ foundation work…my goodness - will we ever get the slab poured so we can start on the ‘good stuff’?
If we had to do over again…I now what we’d do differently this time with the foundation work.
I believe Jesus used a pretty significant illustration with making sure you have a good foundation when building a home in Matt 7:24-27. ( I sure hope you look up these verses when I give them )
Now I whole-heartedly agree with Paul’s assessment in 1 Cor 3 where he writes “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, sliver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.”
(Make note that the ‘fire will test each one’s work)
ut I can say with confidence…looking back and knowing what I know now, that the three areas of teaching I listed at the start here have been grossly neglected in our Christian education. And the absence of how these three areas affect us in our Christian walk has been detrimental, to say the least.
I know the bible teaches and addresses so many issues and areas pertaining to life and church and ministry and such. But this is the area where God has planted me for now to focus on and share. I’ll call it ‘my part’ to expound on. If you are hoping to hear more ‘fun stuff’ or ‘smooth/pleasant things’, you may need to look elsewhere. Tickling ears produces no fruit.
I’m thankful that there are businesses out there that can address foundation issues on physical homes. I would not want to do that for a living. I’m also quite thankful that God is extending mercy and grace in this time to address other ‘foundation issues’ pertaining to our walk with Him.
If for no other reason, He knows of ‘floods and fires’ that are coming and are already here that will no doubt, test your foundation and mine.
There is a shaking that is coming and here already. Hebrews 12:26-29 – PLEASE go read that now, along with Isa 2:19 and 13:13; Hag 2:6-7 and Luke 21:26 & Luke 6:46-49
See you tomorrow.
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