Thursday, December 03, 2009

Doubting what God says or I’ll believe what I want

About 10 years ago, I was preaching in a small rural church from Isaiah 47. In verse 13 it says this: “All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you.”

I did not dwell on the astrology; it was not the center point of the sermon. After the service a young woman in her 20’s said this to me, “I don’t care what you said about astrology, I’m still going to read my horoscope.”

God shows us astrology is of no use. The young lady was not going to listen to God’s word or Jerry’s. Notice, she said, “I don’t care what YOU said.” I may have said it but it was and is God’s word whether we like it or not.

I have wondered over the years, is God offended by my unwillingness to trust or believe what He says?

Sometimes we can become arrogant, little pipsqueaks, thinking we know better; think we are smarter than God Himself. (i.e. I’m going to believe in astrology whether God likes it or not.) God has cared enough to preserve this word for His honor and glory and for our benefit. Much blood has been shed so that we have God’s words in our own language, holding it in our own hands. How stupid can we be! I mean like God would purposely mislead us! Why should we doubt Him? That is not His character and surely not His plan. I may not understand everything in His word and I don’t understand everything but God’s Word is His word and I should not doubt what He says.

Romans 1:21-25 says this: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

Left to ourselves, our thinking will become futile, our hearts will be darkened. Praise be to God He has NOT left us to ourselves. In Romans 11:33-36 is says: "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

In spite of my sometimes doubting nature, God remembers that I am but dust yet He forgives me and even forgets my sin. Oh what a Lord; what a Savior! His Word is truth. Enough said!

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