Questioning Our Answers

During our Bible Study last night I asked the question: “What do you believe that causes you to be unsure about the nature/character of God?” It generated quite the discussion. I wrote down each item, gave a short version of an answer, and promised to return in the coming weeks to address these matters. The point of this approach is simple. If we cannot question our answers then we will always have questions.

Would you agree that answers should bring some type of resolve? Would you agree that having an answer, even if it’s not the one you are looking for, should help bring closure to an issue? Most of us like having the answers. However, what I’m discovering in the lives of many believers, some of their “answers” are doing more harm than good.

Having questions about what you believe is a normal part of life. This is especially true if what you believe is not producing peace. If what we believe about the Lord causes us to shrink back, carry fear, and keeps you from moving forward; then it needs to be addressed immediately. The agenda for the next few weeks in our Bible Study will be to address what the Scripture says about these particular issues. We will look into the original language because there are times that the English doesn’t do the word justice. This is an attempt to establish our hearts in the goodness of God. It’s going to be a fun time.

What I refuse to do, is to simply come in with a generic answer. In other words, this isn’t about me simply sharing what I believe or passing on what has generally been taught. It will be a time to look at both sides of the coin. To present various understandings of troubling passages and simply ask: Which way of looking at this creates peace in your heart? Which of these views builds you up? Which of these understandings causes you to draw closer to the Father heart of God?

Jesus’ confidence in His Father is something that we tend to admire. The question is, how many times do we try to emulate it? Do we believe we can possess the same type of intimacy? Will there come a time in our lives where we can say that we only do what we see our Father doing or we only speak what we hear our Father saying? I believe it is possible. The challenge, of course, is working through the landmines of our own thinking. The trouble spots in our own beliefs about God & His nature. Only by addressing our answers can we help rid ourselves of questions.

Think about the tension we carry concerning the nature of God. We hear it all the time in the preaching/teaching of the church. One moment we are talking about a God who loves completely and the other minute we are talking about a God who is vengeful, angry, & ready to judge. Like I shared yesterday, we find ourselves crippled between two opinions. We have not learned how to rest in the love of God. We struggle to accept the Good News that Jesus came & did everything that needed to be done. We flounder under the idea that God simply wants us to believe in His goodness for us.

While I have no doubt that the next few weeks will be challenging, I also understand that this undertaking is not about what I carry into the meetings. I have purposefully set the stage for the Holy Spirit to teach, to guide us into all truth, and to comfort our hearts concerning the nature of the Father. That’s the beauty of challenging truth. It doesn’t matter how many questions you hurl at it, TRUTH will always stand & the Spirit is determined to guide you into it. Why? Because you’re experience of the TRUTH is what will set you free.

According to the Apostle Paul, the grace of God is designed to establish our hearts in the mystery of the Gospel. This understanding of grace should create stability, security, and soundness in our lives. Rather than being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, we will find ourselves anchored to the love of God. We will discover a confidence in His nature that we have yet to experience. However, we do not take this challenge lightly. We realize that some of these understandings have been passed on from generation to generation. So we move on with respect for the past and purpose for the future. Recognizing that what we carry, we carry on into the lives of the next generation.

Allow me to conclude with this statement: If what you believe about God does not create peace in your heart, then you have a right to question it.
Jesus assured His disciples that they could possess His peace, His joy, & His life. We are promised nothing less in our experience of the Father. Therefore, we enter into the faith challenge, and encourage others to be challenged as well. There will be no fanfare for this challenge. We will not be doing videos of people having junk dumped on their heads. We will not be raising money for a good cause. This endeavor is meant for those who are hungry & thirsty for righteousness. It’s meant for those who are simply pursuing God. They are ready to be established. They are ready to carry the full meaning of His peace in their lives. They are ready to rise up as sons of God in the Earth, confident in the nature of their Heavenly Father. These are exciting days!!!