Faith that finds God

If  you look across the internet today, you will find just about anything that  you want to find.  We have every opportunity in the world laid out right in front of us.  There is a great responsibility that comes with such an opportunity.  With every opportunity God is going to ask us to give an account for what we did with it.  Jesus told a parable of three men that were each given a talent.  Two of them invested their talent and made some profit from it.  One of the men did not use his talent, but buried it.  God commended the first two men that had invested their talent and told them to enter in.  The one that hid his talent was thrown were there was darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth.   His master called him an unprofitable servant.  Our generation has been given a lot in life.  We will give an account for how we used what God gave to us. 

In the Bible,  the first two children that were born on the earth were each given something in this life.  Their names were Cain and Able, and they were both farmers.  Cain grew crops, and Abel farmed livestock.   These were both really good boys and the time came when the sons of Adam were to present their offerings before God.  Cain grew crops so he took of his garden and offered the best of it up to God.   Able raised livestock and he offered up the best of his flock to God. 

Genesis 4: 3-7

 

3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

6And the LORD said unto Cain, Why are you angry? and why is your countenance fallen?

7If you do well, shall you not be accepted? and if you do not well, sin lies at the door. And you shall be its desire, and you must rule over it.

 

We see in this story that Able brought a sacrifice that God required and was accepted by God.  Cain did what he wanted to do, and expected God to be OK with it. Cain's offering did not please the LORD.  But,  Cain wanted to please God didn't he?  He wouldn't have offered up a sacrifice if he didn't want to please God in some way?   He wanted to please God, but, he wanted to do things his way.  He got angry and sullen when God didn't accept his way. Cain could have dismissed God's disapproval.   Cain could have said, "I didn't do the right thing, but, God knows my heart."  We say this when we disobey God, yet, we want to act like God is OK with it.  God is NOT Ok with our disobedience.  If we are going to come to God, we are going to come God's way, or God is not going to accept our worship.  Able had the kind of faith that finds God, because he obeyed God, instead of coming to God on his OWN terms.

 

Jesus was frustrated with a few people and this is what he said to them:

 

Luke 6:46  And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

 

When we come to God he expects us to come on his terms, not our own terms.  Some people disobey the Bible everyday, while living in sin, making provision for a sinful lifestyle, then throw up a daily prayer to God and then expect God to accept their offering.  Just because you offer something up to God, doesn't mean he is going to accept it.  Do you accept everything that people throw your way.  I don't think any of us accepts everything that people want to throw at us, but we treat God as if he is going to accept any type of service that we give to him.  If we want to please God we are going to do it God's  way.  Jesus summed it up in a new command that he gave.

Mark 12: 29-31 

29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

31And the second is like, namely this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

 

Maybe  you came to God and asked him to help you with an issue in your life, and it just didn't work  out for you.  Maybe you feel like God let you down because things didn't get better after you prayed for help.  Try coming to God on his terms, and not on your terms.  You sought him for an answer to your problem, and didn't find him.  Now seek him as his terms require with your WHOLE heart.   When you come to God on God's terms, you will find him.