Yes? Do you believe this? Do you believe this for yourself?! Have you experienced this in your life? Have you ever been disappointed? What did you do? Blame God? Lose your trust in the word? in Him? How did you feel? act? A lot of questions but these are only some of the ones you always need to ask yourself when you begin doubting or questioning the essential issues of life. This is especially true when it is something, like a scripture, you’ve believed and now begin to wonder.
Have you bothered to read what is written prior to and after the scripture you are placing your belief in? Is there a context? … or are you taking the scripture out of context? Is there a ‘condition, requirement’ for the scripture to manifest? I believe we all tend to find words of comfort in scripture and then hang onto them without consciously reading and understanding them. Possible?
Taking Romans 8 as an example… Paul is teaching some extremely important concepts for a Christian. There’s a great deal of ‘meat’ and less ‘milk’. He starts in v.1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” and we often stop there and rejoice because it’s worth rejoicing! But, there is a condition/requirement – “…who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Before reading v.2 and shouting again, look at what we do, need to do – walk according to the Spirit. Do you understand what this means? What you need to be and do? Again… a growing understanding in our walk with the Lord. There isn’t condemnation in us but we need to intentionally guard who we are and how we act in order to maintain this state.
Romans 8:28 –
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
We may read through the first comma or stop at the word ‘good’. Point being that there is a condition – love God. Notta problem? Of course not. But then you read the end of the verse and see the words, ‘called’ and ‘His purpose’. Puts a context on the entire sentence. And I haven’t indicated what preceded and comes after this verse. What do you discover? How does this affect how you live your life?
Final thought… definitely use scripture on which to base your beliefs and actions. But also know WHY you believe as you do. What is The Father showing you about you, about His Word, and how you can be His Ambassador? Read the whole because it really is more than just the phrase.
