Greetings again my Brethren. This month we will finish up looking at some of the diverse attitudes toward the LORD’s visits. When God really shows up my friend things will happen. Let me say that again, when God really shows up my friend things will happen. And of course most of what happens is far beyond man’s understanding of what the LORD is doing, but that is why He is God and we are not. That too is probably why our attitudes and reactions can be bizarre at times. I mean, after all when the God of the universe show up to intervene in a situation or circumstance, have it be by way of His presence or He sends an Angel, in our lives would you think all would be understood? I cannot think of a single event in the Scriptures where God showed up and there was understanding by the people. So the last and probably the biggest attitude would be misunderstood or not understanding what is going on. Now this attitude usually leads to offense and separation even from God. In John we find a perfect example of what I am talking about. In John 6 Jesus is talking with the disciples so we will pick up with the narration. “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.‘ (John 6:60-66) Here the Lord was enlarging the disciples understanding, taking them deeper into how things really function in the Spiritual realm and yet they had no stomach for the spiritual things of God. They said, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” Well, the answer to this question is the person who wants to understand it. My friend unless us want to know what God wants us to know, He will NEVER be able to open up to us what He has for us. The beginning of wisdom and knowledge is not asking, but wanting. In James we find where James tells church if you lack wisdom just ask the LORD and He will give it to you. We read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all menliberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5) Well, the word “men” was added during translation and I am sure if a women would ask for wisdom God would give it to her, but to be honest I like the verse without the word “men” added. You know the Holy Spirit could have used any word there, instead of wisdom. He could have said, “If any of you lack patience, longsuffering, joy, peace, you name it let them ask of God that giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not.” But in John the disciples did not understand was Jesus was saying, His words were too deep and they got offended. And because of this many of Jesus’ disciples walked no more with Him. I wonder if they were among the 82 mentioned in the Bible? The 12 disciples that were also called apostles, minus one who was identified in these verses as the one (maybe Judas), who would betray Him. But, it says, “them” more than one would betray Him. Maybe they were from the 70 disciples (see Luke 10:1) that Jesus sent out. In Luke 10:17 we see where the seventy returned, “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” (Luke 10:17) Well, if they were from this group I guess the joy of having the devils being subject unto them was not enough to keep them wanting to know more about the LORD and His ways. Usually this is the case. Oh, we like the hyper-spiritualism of casting out demons, divine healings, deliverance and the such, but when the LORD takes us through the wilderness to teach us some things about ourselves and to make us more useful in His services we like the disciples, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” As I said if we do not have the spiritual wherewithal to understand what the LORD is doing we will walk away and can even totally walk away from the LORD and even our salvation. Do not believe the once saved always saved crowd my friend. Yes, we are saved and will always be saved as long as we walk in the ways that God has purposed and planned in His word and in the word of God to us individually. If we get outside His words for our lives then we can “walk no more with him” and that means just what is says.
Next month we will begin to look at some circumstances in which the LORD has visited man as seen in some diverse situations. Do you see Him draw near? Please know God is near to them who are near to Him. Do you feel His presence? Do you see His hand in your life? He is waiting on us to make our first move. Written by David Stahl
