will
send in my name, will teach you all things
and
will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14:26
I have a friend whom I have
known for many years who is not a believer. I have talked with him numerous
times about Jesus, explaining that eternal life comes through personal belief
in Jesus. I have encouraged him to read scripture. I have given him books
written by people of faith. I well remember his comment after reading one book.
He said, “This book has holes.” I asked him to explain his statement, and he
responded that he could not connect some of the ideas stated in the book. In
summary, the book did not make sense to him.
I was not surprised to hear
about his lack of understanding. Paul speaks of a ‘secret wisdom’ that is
revealed to us by the Spirit of God. No
one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God…The man without the
Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they
are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually
discerned (I Corinthians 2:11,14). Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit,
man cannot understand the things of God. He even considers the things of God to
be foolishness.
All of us have some things
in the Bible that we don’t fully understand. Yet, through the work of the Holy
Spirit, as we believers read scripture, God opens our understanding to those
things we need to understand right now. As we continue to seek God, He gives us
more understanding.
Yet, the Bible says this
about those who are not believers: The
god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). Do you
know someone who cannot understand scripture or someone who considers scripture
foolishness? Then pray for them, asking
God to open their eyes to see Jesus for Who He truly is. Ask God to open their
minds to understand His truth.
Thank You, God, for the Holy Spirit, who gives us
light and understanding.
Jan Burkhart
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