The first thing I want to say, is that I do understand that this world is not easy to be in right now, I’m sympathetic. If you’re feeling these things that was me too. Seeking God and your Bible can cost a lot, especially at first, I’ve suffered a lot at the behest of the world’s dysfunction and I know and spend time with people under a heavy burden.
I’m writing this to encourage you. God is faithful, your problems are not too big for God to handle, He is in complete control of everything, if you put yourself in His hands, He will not leave you. He hasn’t forgotten about you, He knows everything that is going on in your life and He cares about both it and you.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
1:17 Colossians (KJV 2016)
And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
But perhaps you’re wondering, how can this be? With all the difficulties happening, how can God be sitting on the sidelines letting this happen? Where are the apostles like we read about in Paul’s letters? Where are the true prophets telling us what God is saying? Where are the signs, miracles and the power of God?
And I agree, that there isn’t very much of that happening right now, at least not in the publicly demonstrated ways our Bible talks about. I’ve heard groups saying that the miracles are not for our time and that it’s impractical to seek for them, we can’t engage in spiritual warfare (or that it’s not happening). A mentality of “hey we need to be practical around here.” But I don’t think that’s what God describes to us.
Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
I can tell you as I progressed in my seeking of the Word of God, I started to encounter strange health problems, people acting oddly towards me and lots of hard to prove spiritual encounters that almost no one seemed open to talking about (or even annoyed if I would try and bring it up).
The reality is, in real day-to-day life most of our brothers and sisters in the body of Jesus (יהושוע) are not comfortable with more intense spiritual things. They may try to avoid it, or not talk about it even if they do understand they are real.
For me, the end result was that it was nearly impossible to get any type of knowledgeable support when I needed it most.
This shouldn’t be how the body of Jesus (יהושוע) thinks, but from what I have seen, it is the default. And if this is affecting you, I’m extremely sorry you haven’t received the help you need.
I am open to talking about these things if you think I can help.
The Situation of Believers
Romans 8:6
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
What is God doing and why? What is the context of the group of people seeking the Bible, God, Jesus (יהושוע).
Overall, faith in the body of Jesus (יהושוע) is very low right now. Faith is belief, belief that your Bible is real and true, belief that God is faithful and that God has power and God will act according to His Word.
And I believe the Bible shows, that we have been judged according to God’s judgment due to our lacking faith and obedience.
Revelation 2:1-5
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
My investigation says, this church at Ephesus, no longer stands both physially or spiritually (giving light). And it’s important to note that this church was doing a lot of very good things, things that Jesus (יהושוע) confirms, but as He clearly states, this is not sufficient.
But don’t lose heart, I’m not saying this is something far off or hard to attain, but near and dear to us.
More Help is Available
Ephesians 6:10-11, 13
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Please don’t shy away from this because you think your life is messy, or you don’t have time, or aren’t intelligent or whatever barrier you think is in the way, you absolutely can do it. It’s a promise of God.
Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Eph 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But, this is very important. God is speaking to us. I think He is letting the structure of the world, the evil (which Hebraically is just dysfunction) that we are seeing show us that we really do need His Salvation, his Law, his Torah. I think it’s true that God is further away from us than what we read in our Bibles but that’s not because He left us, it’s because we left Him.
And while that might be sad at first, it’s also great news. We can turn back to Him and He will heal us.
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Repent
Come back to God with your whole heart. Stop desiring, going after the worldly things, and spending your time and resources on the things of this world and do the things of God. Repentance is you taking action to turn yourself towards Jesus (יהושוע) and seeking and doing the things you understand from the Bible.
If you have a problem, the solution is God, praying to God for what you need. Whatever the problems you are facing, God can and DOES help with them. He is not far off, He is right here.
How God Taught Me to Pray
For several years, I suffered from not sleeping well. My whole life I had slept 7-8 hours a night usually a fulfilling rest, but about 6 months into my studying the Bible my average night had dropped to 4-5 hours and it was not at all fulfilling sleep. This went on for over 4 years.
And it got to the point, where I had progressed in my walk with Jesus (יהושוע) and the problem hadn’t improved but I just started to wonder “why won’t God let me rest fully?” I had tried a variety of things of course, but my lack of sleep was always right there even when things improved for a while.
Then one day, I just decided every time I couldn’t sleep I would get out of bed, get on my knees in the middle of the night and pray. No matter how tired I was, no matter how terrible it felt. And that was it. My sleep problems, from that day forward have essentially been solved.
One notably terrible night, I had to do this 5 times, dragging myself out of bed, forcing myself to do it. Absolutely exhausted. But I woke up refreshed, happy, ready to serve God.
I learned in that day, I hadn’t been praying with the diligence that the Bible teaches us, that God wanted from me. I wouldn’t at all say I ignored prayer but I didn’t really understand it. It was a part of my daily task list, and I had seen my prayers happen but for whatever reason I had just never really internalized that prayer is bringing my requests to God.
Luke 18:1-8
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.
Until I finally started thinking about my terrible sleep problem as spiritual and not physical, my suffering was fruitful before God (I am truly grateful for it, praise Jesus aka יהושוע). In that I could learn, so that I wouldn’t just continue on thinking everything was good.
My physical problem, caused me to stop (eventually) and think about my habits, my actions and my faith. In my experience, Jesus (יהושוע) does this constantly. To me it seems nearly all of us struggle to hear God when He is speaking to us at first.
Romans 8:7-9
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
A Higher Calling
God has a higher purpose for you and me, higher than we have for ourselves. He wants us to have eternal life, salvation, completeness, to know the true love of God and to help many other people. Perhaps you think that of course you are saved, you have been a believer for many years and know your Bible front to back.
The only promise I see of salvation in my Bible is that of dedication. When you forsake everything besides God. Not 50%, 80% or even 99% but all of it. Hold nothing back in your service to God.
Matthew 13:45-46
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
When we value our eternal life, when we want to love God the way He teaches us, I think it becomes natural to give it your all. Why would you hold anything back? He’s the all powerful God, He will take care of you.
And that’s it, there’s genuinely no reason to, and I promise you it’s better a way than whatever you have planned. God knows what we need, not us.
Proverbs 3:5-8
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
You don’t need the time on Netflix, social media, the retirement account or whatever it is that has your attention besides God because He has power over everything. He will provide for you and your loved ones.
That is the promise that we have. Give God your all, and He covers you completely, not a chance of failure.
Believe Him. God is faithful.
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
His Mercy
And that is why we can spend so long suffering, because He’s merciful, He’s not giving us over to our worldly sins, He’s treating us like a genuine child of God and correcting us in our unbelief.
(Very important, not all suffering is unbelief, you can also suffer for doing good Acts 5:40-41).
1 Corinthians 11:29-31
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
I know it might seem like you just can’t do it, and in a way, you are actually correct. It is not possible for us to willpower our way into serving God. It is only through faith, that God gives us the Holy Spirit, that we can obey His Word instead of sin.
Jhn 8:34-36
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
And so, this is the good news, the true gospel. You have been set free from sin, to serve God as a bond servant (and friend, and child). It will be a joy, and not a burden. It is the gift of God.
It is a promise that you can and will be able to do it. Not by your own power, but by the Holy Spirit that God makes available freely to all, for God is Jesus (יהושוע) the Messiah of the whole world, and the includes little ole you and little ole me!
Matthew 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light
He’s right there, ready to take your heavy burden. He let you have this heavy burden so that you would know where you stand with Him, He didn’t leave you ill-prepared for your eternal judgment that is coming, He loves you and wants you to love Him with your whole heart.
Messengers of God
Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The intent is for you to be a messenger of God, you should be seeing the amazing promises of the Bible happen in your life, so you can live in the joy of the Holy Spirit and show it to others. It’s very possible you may not have met anyone else who was actually doing this, even if you were in church, raised with a Bible in your hand.
Dedication to God is exceptionally rare in our world, but you’re here, and I testify to you, as a messenger of God, it is all real and it is all true. And you can have it too.
Amen.