Loving Limitations
December 7, 2009 by Pastor Chris
Filed under Daily Devotional
People condemn Christianity based on their limited and simple understanding of the Bible and say Christians are shallow and closed minded to have faith in the ancient teachings of the Bible. These same people will ask a very complex question about our faith and then complain that our answers are too complicated. They want the “God is love” answer and that’s it. But to say God is love and then end it there is to leave the deeper richer more beautiful part of God’s love undiscovered. God is not quite that simple.
The discovery of all the aspects of God is exactly why the Bible was written; so we could, through the power of the Holy Spirit discover the many dimensions of God and get a better glimpse of the glory to come. The Word of God is God revealed to man in a form he can comprehend. but you must be willing to take the time needed to discover His character.
1 Corinthians 2:10 “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
Deuteronomy 29:29” The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.
C.S. Lewis said people want a child’s prayer to answer deep questions. They ask, “Why is there pain and suffering in the world?” — And then when you try to give them a Biblical answer, they complain “That’s too complicated, I just want a simple answer”
Well guess what folks …. NOTHING ABOUT THE QUESTION YOUR ASKING OF GOD IS SIMPLE!!
- Simple = God is great, God is good
- Complex = God is great and to experience real interaction with the divine is awesome
So don’t ask a complex question and then complain because you receive a complex answer… what did you expect?
Today we are going to ask complex questions and take time to understand the complex answers that follow.
- Why is there a wrong way and a right way?
- Why is the thing that is wrong for me ok for someone else?
- Why are there so called ‘Rules” that we must follow?
- Why would the God of all the Universe set chains around us and give us a moral compass to guide our lives by?
- Why is my relationship with the Holy Spirit so intertwined with my destiny when everyone else can just do whatever they feel like doing?
To uderstand the willingness of devoted Christians to follow the ordinances and commands given by God you must first understand two things. Number 1 - Freewill. Every Christian is given a choice of submission and God will never force anyone to turn to Him or submit to His ways.
Number 2 - Potential. Every Christian walking within the constraints of Christianity has come to understand that thier highest potential will only be achieved within the boundaries set by the Holy Spirit.
What may work for one man may not work for another. The power of God working in each persons life will direct the specific path that believer must follow. This trust in the way of the Lord will lead you to your highest potential and bring you to your desired destiny in Christ. So if you are unwilling to live within those boundaries it will be impossible for you to reach your destination.
Think of a fish out of water. We all know that the water is the environment the fish will thrive in, but that fish can choose to live on the land, and move outside of his natural boundaries, and it will die. So, in effect the water becomes his limitations and his freedom at the same time. The Holy Spirit is the water of the believers life. We can choose to live within or without. And just like a fish out of water, should we decide to live outside the constraints of the Holy Spirit we will die in the world. We are called to be in the world, not of the world.
So next time someone acts like you are oppressed by submitting to a set of “rules” teach them to realize these loving limitations are the very thing that is delivering you to your destiny.
The next time someone ask you why God would give man a set of constraints to live by tell them that it is within these constraints that your true freedom will be realized.
The next time God tells you to move in a direction that seems hard, impossible or too constraining, remind yourself that it is YOUR LORD who is calling you to YOUR PURPOSE and everything He is teaching you is causing you to grow and prepare for THAT PURPOSE!!!
Job 32:18 “For I am full of words;The spirit within me constrains me.
2 Cor 5:14-17 “For the love of Christ constrains us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, all things have become new.
