How To Overcome Confusion Part 2

The third way in which we overcome confusion is by eliminating superficiality from our daily lives.

The world is full of superficial people, people who are shallow and artificial, phony and insincere. Tragically, the church is likewise full of superficial people, who possess no substance, who refuse to take a stand even on the most fundamental issues of the faith, people who are battered to and fro by every wind, by every newfangled teaching, by every heresy, by every compromise, and dare I say, by every betrayal of the Christ and the cross.

‘Yes, I see the world’s point, it turns people off talking about Jesus all the time, it turns people off telling them they’re hell bound sinners, we should approach them with tolerance, and love and acceptance. Yes, it does seem unfair that only those who believe Jesus and have Him as King and Lord of their lives would make it to heaven, maybe the emergent church is right after all, and we all get to heaven no matter what god we worship.’

And so, the superficial majority of today’s church is embraced by the world for their feigned tolerance and love, while those who still insist upon the truth of scripture, those who still possess the backbone and wherewithal to call sin, sin are marginalized and ridiculed and mocked for their medieval concepts of who God is. Never mind the fact that God outlined His nature in His word, never mind the fact that God revealed the means by which we could be reconciled unto Him in the Bible, never mind the fact that though heaven and earth will pass away His words will never pass away, it was a different time, and God just didn’t understand all the benefits of being seeker sensitive, and all inclusive.

A superficial believer will compromise at the drop of the hat, and betray the very essence of the faith at the mere threat of reprisal. Just being called a name is enough for many to shut their mouths and refuse to speak the truth, just being called a name is enough for many to deny Christ before men, somehow dismissing the reality that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father in heaven.

A sure way to eliminate superficiality in our lives is to have a teachable spirit, to be humble enough to admit that we haven’t arrived, that we don’t know it all, that there is still much to learn concerning our spiritual journey through this life.

John 6:45, “It is written in the prophets, ‘and they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”

These were the words of Jesus reminding His hearers of something that had been written in the Old Testament, that those who belong to God will all be taught by God. There are no quantifiers in this proclamation, it doesn’t say that those with no life experience will be taught, or that those whose level of education is limited to elementary school will be taught, but all shall be taught by God. It is dangerous to presuppose that because we have a piece of paper hanging on our wall signifying that we graduated some prestigious and elite theological seminary, or because we’ve lived a full life with many teachable moments, we are somehow exempted from further learning. All will be taught by God, and we as His servants must be humble enough to allow Him to teach us whether we’re eighteen or eighty.

The fourth way in which we overcome confusion is by simply making time not only to read the Word of God, which is of paramount importance, but also to fellowship with Him.

Spend time with God! It will be the most productive thirty minutes or hour of your entire day, of this I am certain. When I speak of spending time with God however, I do not mean it in an infrequent manner, once in a while, whenever the mood strikes us, or when we have nothing else to do. Let your time of fellowship with God be consistent, make it a priority that each day you allot as much time as you are able just to be in His presence, commune and communicate with Him, fellowship with Him and let Him speak to your heart.

Be forewarned, that each time you try to spend a little time with God, something will always come up. There will always be a distraction, there will always be an inopportune phone call, there will always be something that will pop up at the forefront of your mind, whether needing to buy milk, or pick up the dry cleaning, something will always try to intrude, to distract, and attempt to cause you to put off your fellowship with the Father for another time, or another day. Do not let yourself be distracted, do not let yourself be steered away from spending time with God. Make it a priority, everything else can wait, and just bend your knee and talk to God.

One of the most often heard complaints I get from people whenever I preach or teach, is that God is no longer speaking to them as often as He once used to. Each time I hear this, my first reaction, and the question I most often ask is, ‘how long as it been since you’ve listened? How long has it been since you set some time aside to talk to God, and had the patience to wait until He answered?’

It is essential that we make time for the things of God that we might grow in Him. Just as one would dedicate their time toward diligent study in their chosen field that they might become more proficient, we must likewise dedicate our time toward the things of God that we might become more proficient in the knowledge of Him. There is always more of God to discover, and if we go to the source, if we humble ourselves and go to Him, that which He teaches us will by no means cause confusion, but rather bring clarity to both the heart and the mind.

Jesus commanded us to learn from Him, and as wise servants it is what we must do.

Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.