Being Honest

I have written much in the past about having faith in the promises of God, but today I am writing about some things that "life" has taught me. I know I must be careful how I word what I am going to say or it might be mistaken for a lack of faith on my part.

Over the past 46 years of married life, my wife and I have faced some things that caused us to … if not question what we believe … at least review and confirm our faith and trust in God and His Word.

First of all, I must affirm to you that we never question if God is real. We believe in a creator and that means we believe in God. The Apostle John said His name was Jesus, the Word of God made flesh. John said he handled Him, ate with Him, no doubt laughed with Him, saw Him die on the cross, and most likely helped bury Him. But he saw one more thing … John saw the resurrected, glorified Jesus and heard Him say … "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." That's good enough for me.

I also believe the Word of God is true … well, most of it anyway … depending on which version you're looking at. Some are better translations than others. I'm being honest with you.

Being honest … may I say that "life" and what I have seen has taught me to question … not God … but how we perceive the promises in the Bible. I say that, knowing we are not supposed to form our beliefs on what we have experienced. But we do … we can't help it. Come on, be honest with me. You do the same thing.

If you have prayed and trusted God to heal a loved one, let's say of cancer … and God didn't … they died anyway; and then later you hear of one person after another dying of cancer … what does that do to your faith when you are asked to pray one more time for someone else who has cancer?

Oh, you can confess all the scripture you want about healing, including what Jesus said about it … but in your heart, do you really believe He will? I'm still being honest with you. Things in "life" affect us. We shouldn't let them, but they do.

One of my favorite promises in the Bible is from the lips of Jesus. He said it, so if anything is true, this should be … right? It's found in …

John 14:13-14 … "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."

This is scripture … but is it a promise? May I be honest with you again? I'm not sure that it is a promise. If it is then should I declare with it … "Only if it be God's will?"

But that doesn't seem right does it? There must be some promises in the Word that work every time, in every situation; but I can't say I know of any. Operating with faith is not like solving a simple math problem; two plus two is always four. But when dealing in the faith realm the answer isn't always the same … sometimes it's three, then again it might come up five.

I do know this … we should have enough confidence in God to believe that all His dealings with us are ordered from a heart of love regardless of the answer. Oh, and by the way … if God says it's five, not two … it's five.

I believe in God's providential care, which includes tests and trials for our good which come or are sent according to His design, purpose, counsel, and "will" for our lives. I'm not saying He ever will, but what if He takes away our possessions, and visits us with pain; will we lose all our confidence in Him? He did that with Job.

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon placed life itself on trial; whereas I have just observed life, but I have come to almost the same conclusion. The conclusion of Solomon's trial of life is to … "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

My conclusion is that all of man's efforts in seeking happiness in this life are wasted without complete submission and obedience to God. Even then, we are not really in control of our lives. God is the one who gives the blessings to us as He pleases, and He will be the one who disposes of our life when He is done with us.

But even so … it is this world that is brought into question … not God.

Life, as I have observed it, has in all honesty shaped my doctrine of faith or lack of it. I'll give you an example which has something to do with my understanding of … "the fairness of God." Perhaps I should say my misunderstanding of that fairness.

Several years ago a fifteen year old girl was kidnapped by a vile, evil satanic madman. This precious beautiful young girl was raped and then dumped naked along the side of a highway to bleed to death after this monster chopped off both of her arms below her elbows with an ax he had in his van. She only survived because she stopped the bleeding by sticking the stubs of her arms into the dirt of a plowed field along the side of the road.

I don't have an answer for this except … something called free will. The "fairness of God" question … includes giving these monsters like this madman the free will to mutilate and destroy lives. I have to accept this fact, all free will must be this way … totally free to choose good or evil … but I don't have to like it.

Let me go on with being honest. Find me a scripture or promise in the Word of God to stand on … or find me someone with enough faith in God to pray for this girl … and have God restore her arms and make her whole again.

She doesn't need healed … she needs new arms to grow back.

But as far as I have ever studied or researched … there has never been an amputee who has had a limb grow back or a limb restored by God. Why is that? He has the power.

Brutal honesty.

Sorry … but I'm tired of playing games about the truth that's not found in the Word of God.

The truth is … God heals. The truth also is … not every time. But it is true just the same. God doesn't heal every time in every situation. Our loved ones die. Dreams die. We will die. Now that's the honest truth.

The Word of God teaches the truth. Life also teaches the truth. But life's lessons usually hurt more. I believe what I've written is the truth … at least as I see it. As with all of my opinions … well, they're just mine.

So as you chew on this … spit out the bones … I'm sure you'll find some in it.

The truth has no agenda. It just is.


Comments welcome.