Can our beliefs blind us to what God is doing

In John 9, Jesus heals a man who was born blind. This healing took place on the Sabbath. the Pharisees were so steeped in their beliefs regarding the Sabbath that it caused them to miss what God was doing through His Son.

To the Pharisees, the man who was responsible for this healing could not be from God because the healing took place on the Sabbath. Because it did not line up with their belief, they missed what God was doing.

Even good beliefs can cause us to miss God as we put all our marbles in our belief bag. As we build on them, our beliefs themselves become our God. Do you think you could have convinced the Pharisees that they did not know God; yet that is exactly what Jesus accused them of. Had they known God, they would known He was from God. But they didn't. Instead they knew their beliefs about Him. So when He came through their town, and what He did did not line up with what they believed, they missed Him.

Their beliefs were so important to them that people were afraid to disagree with them for fear of being put out of the synagogue.

Because this new man in town didn't line up with their beliefs, they bashed Him and looked for reasons to accuse Him. 'We know God spoke to and through Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He came from.' 'Now that is remarkable. You don't know where He came from, yet He did this for me, and none can do these things if they weren't from God.'

What Christ did was proof of where He came from; proof of the source of all He did. But the beliefs the Pharisees had built their life on, caused them to miss it.

MJones wrote:

What Christ did was proof of where He came from; proof of the source of all He did. But the beliefs the Pharisees had built their life on, caused them to miss it.

Are there more than two sources of all that we do and believe? Either what we believe and do is from God or it is from satan.

What the Pharisees believed seemed to be from God, but in reality it wasn't. Had it been, they would have recognized God when He stood before them. A belief that may have started with God had been twisted. Who would have been the source of that twisting.

By twisting this and the importance of obeying all the laws, and as that became their focus, they actually missed God. Not only did they miss Him, but then mislead many others and made it impossible for them to find Him.

So, who else would be the source of that? Satan does not only tempt us to do wrong, but he will also tempt us to do so much good that we put our faith in all the good we do and believe and in so doing, we miss God. He's been doing it a long time. He's very good at it.

In light of what we believe and do, how do we know if what we believe and do is right and pleasing to God? Does His wonders accompany what we believe and do? That is really the only physical evidence to verify that we are on the right track.

In Acts 14 there is the account of Paul and Barnabus speaking in the synagogue. Many Jews and Gentiles believed. Those who didn't 'stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabus spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, [b]who confirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.[/b] The people of the city were divided.'

Wonders as small as these associated with Paul and Barnabus to one's as small as one expressed by 'HeartSong' in her thread called 'Contentment':

Recently the Lord provided me with a certain book that I had been having trouble finding. Not only did He provide one in perfect condition, but it came with five other books that I have been wanting to read - all in perfect condition.

Now when I see my little pile of books, I lift up thanks unto Him - for His gift - more than I asked for, and certainly more than I deserve. He always provides exceedingly and abundantly. My cup runneth over.

Wonders are God's confirmation of His grace to us. If we are not experiencing His wonders, we are missing God. We have been sidetracked somehow by a different source.

Oh yes

Thanks for sharing this MJones.

I often think about what brought about the institution of the Pharisees. It all started with Ezra. The Jews believed that the reason they went into captivity was because they did not keep the Law. But history proves this is not true [i]technically[/i]. They did not abandon the Law they abandoned [u]God[/u] and there is a tremendous difference.

Between Ezra and Yavneh (Jamnia) the Jews suffered through 400 years of prophetic silence and when the prophet John and then Christ came, though they were putting fences around laws with traditions, they did not have [i]or want[/i] the finger of God among them. They took the law and created a religion and in turn rejected God. Religion has been called, "Worship in the absence of God."

That truth is staggering. The Jews created the institution of the scribes and also the Sanhedrin. They devised a system of Halakah that sought to keep the law current to the times. All of these things were [u]substitutes[/u] for the prophetic voice of God. Man took God's law and made himself the judge.

The worst result of those phenomena is the brutal lack of love that is fostered. The law was used to manufacture devils that were worse then their instructors. This became so bad that by this time they had crucified Jesus and afterwards that they had produced a Saul of Tarsus that left the church with no rest in his ZEAL to snuff out the Church. They could not see the truth through the system of religion they created. They zealously believed they were right, but were blinded by their own ambitions at the same time. God turned Saul and then the religious crowd continued in this vein finding another willing participant. All this time they were of their father the devil. They were mouthing all the same types of things as the true Jews, but they had no sense of God or His authority. The lacked love and compassion to the place that they would rather see a person suffer than to break their tradition.

In time the Pharisees let their true colors show. [u]NOT[/u] all Pharisees were bad. I'm speaking now of the ones that refused to repent and continued on in religious rebellion. They eventually declared that THEY were the authority and stripped God from His rightful place in their gatherings. It became a expository type godless teaching that pretended to teach the word because it was expositional, but really sought to teach the life of a Pharisee. It was dishonest and hypocritical. They were not pointing people to God they were pointing people to the religion they had created that they were so proud of. God refused to authenticate what they had created. When He refused, they simply shut Him out and He has been out for near 2000 years now.

Awesome thread Mike, it almost like this thread is Preaching to the choir, hopefully the choir is listening. :-)

In time the Pharisees let their true colors show. NOT all Pharisees were bad. I'm speaking now of the ones that refused to repent and continued on in religious rebellion. They eventually declared that THEY were the authority and stripped God from His rightful place in their gatherings. It became a expository type godless teaching that pretended to teach the word because it was expositional, but really sought to teach the life of a Pharisee. It was dishonest and hypocritical. They were not pointing people to God they were pointing people to the religion they had created that they were so proud of. God refused to authenticate what they had created. When He refused, they simply shut Him out and He has been out for near 2000 years now.

Thanks for this Robert. I did not realize that the Pharisees had lauded expositional teaching/preaching to such a high degree. Very insightful.

All of this reminds me of the debates that currently engage many to this day. Each side (the Calvinists, Arminians, and the “middle-grounders”) is convinced they are right and views drawing people to their “enlighten” understanding as the correct, Christian, and Godly thing to do.

ALL sides have been guilty of this.

Thanks for posting what you have.

Religion kills.

I did not realize that the Pharisees had lauded expositional teaching/preaching to such a high degree.

I have read sources that stated that the Pharisees memorized the Torah and had to be able to prove a false doctrine from scripture. When I refer to expository preaching I am really saying just a systematic approach to the scriptures [i]apart[/i] from a sense in which the minister is trying to convey what God is saying at the moment. They spent years afterwards building commentaries (Talmudic writings, etc.) that gave Rabbi's commentary on situations and from those they try to find direction and answers to their circumstances. Missing is the word of God's grace.

RobertW wrote:
When I refer to expository preaching I am really saying just a systematic approach to the scriptures [i]apart[/i] from a sense in which the minister is trying to convey what God is saying at the moment. They spent years afterwards building commentaries (Talmudic writings, etc.) that gave Rabbi's commentary on situations and from those they try to find direction and answers to their circumstances.

I like the way you put that. What God is saying at the moment will never contradict what He has said in the past but He has said a lot of different things at different times in different situations. We can build anything we want from some of these different things that are found in scripture. I think we can seek to build and fortify what we believe by searching the scripture, but somehow it must match up with what God is doing today. It is a fine line and requires much time with Him to help make sure we haven't crossed it to either side - holding to a particular scripture so tight that we miss what He is doing or forsaking scripture for the sake of what we think He is doing.

I hope that comes out and across right.

It is a fine line and requires much time with Him to help make sure we haven't crossed it to either side - holding to a particular scripture so tight that we miss what He is doing or forsaking scripture for the sake of what we think He is doing.

My pastor always says that the Spirit and the Word agree. I think this is very true.

It seems to me that the problem arises when we begin to mistake [i]our application[/i] of our understanding of God's word with God's word itself or what God may be saying about a situation presently. This is why exegesis can only take us so far. We simply cannot give lip service to the operation of the Holy Spirit in our studies, it has to be real and unrestrained. We can't approach the Bible with guidelines and presuppositions and expect to find truth.

What the Pharisees believed seemed to be from God, but in reality it wasn't. Had it been, they would have recognized God when He stood before them. A belief that may have started with God had been twisted. Who would have been the source of that twisting.

The sacred writings were from God but in their self-seeking, they twisted the Scriptures. Some of the Pharisees did, in fact, know Jesus when He appeared (from the Scriptures), but they were too few in number.

There are probably a hundred reasons why they didn't believe. They are also our examples of what not to do! They [b]received not[/b] the love of the truth that they might be saved is what it boils down to. Why didn't they want to receive the love of the truth and be saved??

Their whole belief system was invested in self, their twisted version of the Scriptures. It cost them too much to walk down the road and NOT be recognized and given their proper due as a Pharisee. Through their self-seeking ways they invested in themselves instead of God. And that is exactly how they missed God.

We still do that today in many different areas of our lives. Some hang on to their denomination's teaching tooth and nail. They never ask why does this world have 15 million denominations but only one Holy Word!! Hmmm, I wonder who's right?

And some of us are so arrogant that we actually believe that if God does send us truth, God will wrap in something "WE" agree with!! LOL It will come from a stream that we believe only truth flows in. God would never send us truth from anywhere else. (Agast!!) He makes it so easy for us!! HA!

Examples: [i](NOTE: these are just examples to get some of your attentions! Not to start another thread!) God bless you all![/i]
1. A prosperity person hearing truth from someone not in their circle of prosperity teaching. Will they hear the truth or will they denounce the truth?

2. A woman preacher/teacher speaks a word of truth into a man's life. Will he hear it or say, "That's not God. He knows how I believe."

3. Or a pentecostal woman having to hear truth from a Baptist preacher. Will she hear the truth or denounce it?

4. Here's a good one (after the big discussions)! What if God sent a divorced person to speak some sort of truth into your life? Would you or even could you hear the truth or would you denounce it?

What is it that you absolutely disagree with? I am asking myself this as I ask each of you this; what is it that we totally certain of? What if God was trying to use that self-same-type of person to speak truth into our life? Would we hear it or denounce it? THAT is indeed the question for us today. Because I believe the Pharisees are our example to avoid!!

We all have our reasons for believing exactly what we do. And those reasons will came out when we stand before Him, especially when they have kept us from hearing the truth. Me included.

They received not the love of the truth that they might be saved...

It is challenging to consider how many different ways God can work to bring His word to our heart. I recall in the Old Testament Baalim was rebuked by a donkey. Also from II Chronicles 35:

[color=000066]After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.

22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded..[/color]

One of the great questions of my life is, why do otherwise good and godly men rebel against God at times just because they have their minds made up. It's as if they will do what they have determined to do even if it hare-lips the devil.

RobertW wrote:
One of the great questions of my life is, why do otherwise good and godly men rebel against God at times just because they have their minds made up. It's as if they will do what they have determined to do even if it hare-lips the devil.

And when each one of us step into that gully, we do indeed try to hair lip the devil by having it our way.

Looks like I'm not the only one snowed/iced in today. This has been enjoyable as I catch up on paperwork. Good comments by both Robert & Lysa. I think it was Robert who mentioned the aspect of the Holy Spirit in all this. There is definitely a spirit that guides us all. The question in all cases - which one?

The question in all cases - which one?

Surely that [u]is[/u] the question. ;-)

Wow, it's like looking at my thoughts up on the screen. All I want is to obey God and do what is right in HIS eyes. Don't get me wrong, some things He wants me to do, I bet I STILL don't do, but I sincerely want to please God.

In the past 3 years, and especially since October, my idea of Christianity and in fact God Himself has completely unraveled. One thing emerges from all this: my mind hasn't been renewed enough to discern what God wants...I can even look at scripture with an un-renewed mind and see what I want to see. That's what I endure every Sunday, what is described here. We brag, "we're not them", implying (and being deceived) that we are better. All I know is more and more I see my own guilt and KNOW that I've misunderstood and misapplied scripture in the past. But most people don't think they are ever wrong. Lately, my wrong is so apparent, and so I see God's grace WAY more than I used to.

TracyInMD wrote:
Wow, it's like looking at my thoughts up on the screen. All I want is to obey God and do what is right in HIS eyes. Don't get me wrong, some things He wants me to do, I bet I STILL don't do, but I sincerely want to please God.

In the past 3 years, and especially since October, my idea of Christianity and in fact God Himself has completely unraveled. One thing emerges from all this: my mind hasn't been renewed enough to discern what God wants...I can even look at scripture with an un-renewed mind and see what I want to see. That's what I endure every Sunday, what is described here. We brag, "we're not them", implying (and being deceived) that we are better. All I know is more and more I see my own guilt and KNOW that I've misunderstood and misapplied scripture in the past. But most people don't think they are ever wrong. Lately, my wrong is so apparent, and so I see God's grace WAY more than I used to.

Back at you on your humble admission. I too see myself in your words. I'm on my way to work but I HAD to stop and say, "Amen" to what you wrote. You are not alone.

I cringe everytime the Lord allows me to remember another of my UNhumblest statements. (Is that a word? ha) But all I can do is confess and repent.

YOu wrote: [i]In the past 3 years, and especially since October, my idea of Christianity and in fact God Himself has completely unraveled.[/i] AND: [i]Lately, my wrong is so apparent, and so I see God's grace WAY more than I used to.[/i]

As I go about my day, thank you for giving me something to chew on!

God bless,

TracyInMD,

Your thoughts are too 'at the core' of all this not to reply. A thought came to mind as I read them and I hope I can express it clearly.

It is not about seeking scripture, it is about seeking God. For years I sought God in scripture, and there is definitely room for that, but I think I stopped short of finding God. Instead I found things about God that I tried to cling to. They became substitutes for God.

But a few years back I grew very weary of it all. I knew there was more and began to seek God as I never had. Something stirred me, and I could not not seek Him.

Before my life was filled with demands. Demands to not do and demands to do. I couldn't not do enough nor could I do enough to please God. I found it was satan making all the demands not God.

The closest thing I have found in scripture that explains the transition that has taken place in my life is what Paul prayed for the Ephesians at the end of chapter 3.

'I pray out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, [b]being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.[/b]

I have discovered this love that Christ has for us. I have discovered that He is not the source of all the demands. It is satan demanding that we live a life we are incapable of living and then turns it as if it is God doing the demanding. It is just like Him to twist the truth into a lie. God loves us and desires that we know the love He has for us - that we know Him in His fullness. Satan, in his usual form, does all to prevent us from seeing it.

MJones,

It is satan demanding that we live a life we are incapable of living and then turns it as if it is God doing the demanding. It is just like Him to twist the truth into a lie.

YES! I've come to think this too! Crazy thought, but lately I found John 6:28-29...these are the works, that you believe in the one whom the Father sent. I myself was like as you describe, going on demands, somewhat more than love.

It is not about seeking scripture, it is about seeking God. For years I sought God in scripture, and there is definitely room for that, but I think I stopped short of finding God. Instead I found things about God that I tried to cling to. They became substitutes for God.

I can relate to that. Look at this! John 5:39-40, NASB. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

I want to print/study this whole thread and read it thoroughly.

TracyInMD wrote:

MJones wrote

It is not about seeking scripture, it is about seeking God. For years I sought God in scripture, and there is definitely room for that, but I think I stopped short of finding God. Instead I found things about God that I tried to cling to. They became substitutes for God.

I can relate to that. Look at this! John 5:39-40, NASB. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

I really like that. It is God's way of confirming to me, what I had come to believe. That is the good potential of this site at it's best.

Thanks for sharing.