“Provoking Christian Insights” series

Part 27

“Smarter than a 5^th Grader … smarter than God?

“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

The other day a man was talking about his life and his opinion of the Bible. To him God was real but the Bible was a book that contained errors, at least from his point of view. I could tell from this successful businessman’s observations of the Bible that whatever argued with his lifestyle was a little skewed.

I couldn’t believe that an intelligent man could lead himself to believe what the Bible clearly condemns. Is he smarter than God? Come to think of it, I’ve met several people like this over time. A nice person who attends church regularly but outside the church minimizes the power of our mighty God in his life. The Ten Commandments could just as easily be the Ten Suggestions.

I watched all three of my children go through college. They each were challenged by secular thought but the one who attended a Christian college never had issues with who was smarter, her peers or God. The other two who went to our state school were well aware that God didn’t run the place. My oldest daughter was involved in a strong church while on campus and made it through will all her God given traits in place. My son, who didn’t like Sunday School (partly because I was the teacher), became attached to a Greek house and fraternity and found they worshipped, or at least it seemed they worshipped “Beer.” I feared that his Christian teaching would be diluted. It concerned me a lot and he knew it.

My wife and I went down, and with our son, cleaned up the beer cans, donated a sweeper and prayed our son wouldn’t be taken in by all the secular stuff on campus. Somehow our son found time to attend church occasionally and somehow, by the Grace of God I’m sure, made it through. Our prayer was that God would put Christians in his path everywhere he went, including his job as server-bar tender at the airport.

I am now a firm believer in “training them up in the way that they should go, that when they grow old they will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). At one time I wouldn’t make my son go to Sunday School because I was made to go when I was a boy. I don’t think I’d do that again if I had it to do over. I’d make him go. I guess his laying in the pew looking at the ceiling wasn’t all he was doing. God’s Word, flowing through the sanctuary must have sunk in.

Another plus was the fact that a lot of people were praying for him, especially his mother and his sisters. God is good.

Believe the Bible first

We have a Sunday night Bible class taught by pastor Lee, who believes that no matter what kind of paper, book, or teaching you have that interprets the Bible, what the Bible says comes first. He pointed out that most of the cults accept the Bible to some extent on face, but really don’t accept the deity of Christ. When studying the most popular cults he found that they all had another book or “writings” that altered or added to God’s Word. “The Bible warns against this,” the wise pastor teaches. He added, “When reading commentaries, read the Bible placing your faith in its teachings.”

The same applies to public schools, colleges, universities, and secular education in general. Their “Sgt. Friday” approach of “Just the facts,” reduces the belief in the creation story and other supernatural events.

found in the Bible. As a Christian in college, you have to anticipate paying a price because of your “faith.”

Nicodemus was afraid to be seen with Jesus. He had a troubled heart. Deep down he longed for answers to life’s important questions. He had ears to hear. He listened, he paid attention, he pondered Jesus words, and his life was forever changed!

If you desire to go after God, shake the pride, lose the intellect and get rid of the attitude. Come to Jesus empty enough for Him to have room to fill you. Don’t allow the devil to use some person “smarter than God” to sidetrack you. You are the personal object of the Creator of the universe! Let nothing stand in your way. Your time with God in the comfort of the Holy Spirit will be sweet. Let no one dissuade you with “common sense” talk. Nothing is impossible with God. He said so in His Word.

Soak yourself in prayer

The Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship is known for its “Soaking Services,” where prayer is paramount. Millions of people have passed through that ministry with the lives changed forever because the “soaked” themselves in prayer.

Scottish-born John Welch was a man devoted to prayer, and quite intimate with God. His ministry changed the eternal destiny of many. However, such meetings as he preached eventually became outlawed. Continuing to preach, refusing to submit to any other authority over the Church than Chris, Welch was soon incarcerated and exiled. Condemned of high treason for spreading the gospel, he wrote:

“Who am I that He should first have called me and then constitute me as a minister of the glad tidings of the gospel of salvation these years already, and now last of all, to be a sufferer for his cause and kingdom?”

In Welch’s day, the government was attempting to control every aspect of the Church. Welch lived and was willing to die convinced of two things:

“First, that Christ is the head of His church. Secondly, that she is free in her government from all other jurisdiction except Christ’s. These two points are the special cause of our imprisonment.”

Welch was losing his life over these two points. How many uf us today are willing to lay down our lives with such a focused heart?

Evangelist Stephen Hill wrote: “Friend, hold fast to what you believe and do not be swayed by the opinions of others, for as Jesus said, “He that loses his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

INSPIRATION: “All kinds of trials … have come so that you faith … may be proved genuine (1Peter 1:6-7).   

Write: croneis@embarqmail.com