Believed not Explained

"One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed"

I came across this quote from Leonard Ravenhill not long ago and it simply will not leave me. He goes on, "We have adopted the convenient theory that the Bible is to be explained, whereas first and foremost it is a book to be believed (and after that obeyed)."

As a believer ever find yourself trying to explain the Word of God, hoping you could make people understand, only to finish feeling frustrated??? How often do we approach our class, or small group or teaching forgetting that it is not the head we are trying to reach but the heart of our listeners. Christianity is a message to be believed not dissected. The power of Christianity is not found in sharp intellect or quick whit but rather a burning heart.

Touch the heart of your listener and their mind will follow. Touch only the mind and you may never have their heart. So often we start with the head (endless attempts at explanation and convincing) and it never moves to the heart (faith and belief), therefore it doesn't manifest into obedience in their life. We live for Christ from our heart. Perhaps this is why Jesus told us that so often our barrier to receiving from him is our need to become like children. Children live from their heart (belief). So often as adults we try to live from our head (knowledge).

The ability to quote scripture, teach without error, move in religious motion does not mean their is BELIEF. You can believe without fully understanding but you can understand and not believe! There are many things I still do not fully understand about God but believe - such as His grace in my life, the work of the Holy Spirit, His sovereignty, the list is endless!!! If I can only believe what I can explain I won't have faith for most of what God wants to do in my life!

I don't think the woman with the issue of blood understood how God would heal her but she believed. I don't think Peter really understood how Christ would turn him from a fisher of fish to a fisher of men but he believed. I don't think the thief on the cross understood how he would see Jesus in paradise that day but he believed.

On the other hand, the religious of the day claim to understand everything yet believed nothing. Be careful, your head can get in the way of your heart! Quite honestly my greatest belief has often come with the least knowledge. My "knowledge" can get in the way!

BEWARE: Try to explain to long to others what God has put in your heart and your faith will shrink - snuffed out by human logic! Sabotaged by the head.

Don't misunderstand me we have a logic, we have a knowledge, but it is not from our head, but rather birthed from the Spirit of God in us (I Cor 2)

Are you ministering from your head or your heart? I encourage you...let open your heart. Let people see your passion, feel your love, sense your belief. This is the great need in church today. Let's dare to simply BELIEVE God's Word, and if we are in need let us join with the apostles in asking, "Lord, increase our faith!" (not our knowledge)

Have a great day!

Blessings,

Darren & Toyie