Beyond Belief?

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/spUDn)

“But as it is written, ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love Him’.”

I Corinthians 2:9

The question is, “Do we really believe God means what He says?”

Why is today’s Manna relegated to that which awaits us in Heaven after we die?  Paul had been talking about the power of the Cross and the importance of preaching “Jesus and Him crucified” (1:17-31).  He then went on to stress the importance of our faith “standing not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (2:1-5).



Yet, there is nothing in vv.6-16 that speaks of “that which awaits us” in Glory; instead, Paul continues in his present-tense theme of the “excellency of the Power” (II Cor. 4:4) that comes when the Holy Spirit reveals God’s deep truths to us (I Cor. 2:10-16).  And, his reminding us that we have “the mind of Christ” (v.16b) should help us realize God is wanting to do “exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think according to the Power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20).



Again, the question is “Do we believe Him?”

And, “Are we willing to do what is necessary to position ourselves to be used in ways we can’t even begin to imagine?”



Let’s face it:

We live such substandard or abnormal lives.  What we call the “normal Christian life” is a sad comparison to what God did in and through those saints in the early church.  We’ve been “duped by the devil” into carnal complacency. . .“pious pride” (an oxymoron to be sure). . . where we’ve substituted “a form of godliness for the power thereof” (II Tim. 3:5).



How we need to repent!!

We’re powerless because we’re prayerless!  We’re sad excuses for those who are supposed to be “more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37).  And, what’s worse, our lukewarm condition—and how it makes our Savior sick to His stomach (Rev. 3:15-16)—doesn’t even seem to bother us.



O God, help our unbelief!  Forgive us for such hard hearts, old faith and tearless eyes!

With so many folks dying in darkness and going to hell, how can we say with nary a twinge of conscience, “My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine. . .If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus ‘tis now”?

O God, help our unbelief!!



Forgive us, O Lord, for settling for less than your Best.  Forgive us for being content with pathetic, mediocre lives that more resemble the world than they do your dear Son, Jesus.  Help us not to rest until Your Kingdom comes in our lives and Your Power is unleashed in our generation.  Our finite minds cannot begin to comprehend what You’ve prepared for us; yet, bring us to that place, O God, where we hunger and thirst after You and your Righteousness more than anything else in this world.  “Show us Yourself, O God.”

By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated July 10, 2010