March 8, 2015 SEEING THE INVISIBLE
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 “…while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
We tend to focus on and be greatly influenced by the “here and now”-the temporal. Although it may seem natural to focus on the here and now, the consequences have a negative impact on our lives. We do live in a natural world and we have to deal with the day to day issues of life and the scriptures are full of instructions on how we are to live in the present. The real issue is the focus of our heart and the source of our confidence and hope-or the reason we live like we do. If our hope is based on our circumstances, then our hope will rise and fall with the circumstances. The reality is that we cannot guarantee pleasant circumstances as much of what happens around us is beyond our control. Americans tend to be “practical-minded” by nature and thus may have some difficulty with the idea of looking at “the things that are not seen.” However, the verses above present a basic truth that is foundational to our spiritual well-being and if we miss this truth, we will live a life of up’s and down’s with no sure foundation. It does take faith to believe that the things not seen are the eternal things-things that will not pass away. Everything we see will pass away. I think that mankind knows intuitively that there is something “out there”-something greater than life. Throughout history man has worshiped something or someone. The true God, the only God, has revealed Himself through Jesus and His written word and He has awakened us to the spiritual world that is more real that the world we see with our eyes. God allowed the Apostle Paul to see into the spiritual world and what Paul saw was so great and so awesome that words could not describe it and whatever he saw, changed his life forever. Even in a cold prison, even while being beaten, shipwrecked, left alone-Paul never lost the hope that was within him because he knew that whatever he was going through, it was temporal and he understood that what was taking place was “bigger” than the temporal. God has enabled us through the scriptures and the Holy Spirit in us, to see the invisible! Those that do not know God are limited to the temporal. The kingdom of God is eternal and yet, as believers, can live in and experience the kingdom of God even in this natural world in which we live!! The ways of the Kingdom of God are unlike the ways of this world and this is what makes the lives’ of believers different from the unbelieving. Seeing the invisible affects how we live in the temporal-and that’s the main point. If we have tasted, if we know of the things that God has for us; then we will not be defeated or disillusioned by the adversity that comes our way. As it was with Paul, we too can even rejoice in our trials because we know that God has a purpose for the trial and we will be rewarded. To rejoice in the midst of a trial, we have to be able to see the invisible-the eternal. The Kingdom of God is more real than this earthly kingdom, and even though we cannot see the Kingdom of God with the eyes, we can see the impact-or the fruit-of God’s Kingdom. We can see one rejoicing in the trial; we can see love in action; we can see changes that God brings about in someone; we can see forgiveness being extended; we can see the hope that one has in the midst of adverse circumstances. We can’t see the wind, but we can see the results of the wind; and so it is with the Kingdom of God on earth. May the lives we live be anchored in the unseen, the eternal; and may our hope abound no matter what is taking place around us.
Hebrews 11:3: “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”
2 Corinthians 5:7: “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Colossians 1:13: “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 “…while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
We tend to focus on and be greatly influenced by the “here and now”-the temporal. Although it may seem natural to focus on the here and now, the consequences have a negative impact on our lives. We do live in a natural world and we have to deal with the day to day issues of life and the scriptures are full of instructions on how we are to live in the present. The real issue is the focus of our heart and the source of our confidence and hope-or the reason we live like we do. If our hope is based on our circumstances, then our hope will rise and fall with the circumstances. The reality is that we cannot guarantee pleasant circumstances as much of what happens around us is beyond our control. Americans tend to be “practical-minded” by nature and thus may have some difficulty with the idea of looking at “the things that are not seen.” However, the verses above present a basic truth that is foundational to our spiritual well-being and if we miss this truth, we will live a life of up’s and down’s with no sure foundation. It does take faith to believe that the things not seen are the eternal things-things that will not pass away. Everything we see will pass away. I think that mankind knows intuitively that there is something “out there”-something greater than life. Throughout history man has worshiped something or someone. The true God, the only God, has revealed Himself through Jesus and His written word and He has awakened us to the spiritual world that is more real that the world we see with our eyes. God allowed the Apostle Paul to see into the spiritual world and what Paul saw was so great and so awesome that words could not describe it and whatever he saw, changed his life forever. Even in a cold prison, even while being beaten, shipwrecked, left alone-Paul never lost the hope that was within him because he knew that whatever he was going through, it was temporal and he understood that what was taking place was “bigger” than the temporal. God has enabled us through the scriptures and the Holy Spirit in us, to see the invisible! Those that do not know God are limited to the temporal. The kingdom of God is eternal and yet, as believers, can live in and experience the kingdom of God even in this natural world in which we live!! The ways of the Kingdom of God are unlike the ways of this world and this is what makes the lives’ of believers different from the unbelieving. Seeing the invisible affects how we live in the temporal-and that’s the main point. If we have tasted, if we know of the things that God has for us; then we will not be defeated or disillusioned by the adversity that comes our way. As it was with Paul, we too can even rejoice in our trials because we know that God has a purpose for the trial and we will be rewarded. To rejoice in the midst of a trial, we have to be able to see the invisible-the eternal. The Kingdom of God is more real than this earthly kingdom, and even though we cannot see the Kingdom of God with the eyes, we can see the impact-or the fruit-of God’s Kingdom. We can see one rejoicing in the trial; we can see love in action; we can see changes that God brings about in someone; we can see forgiveness being extended; we can see the hope that one has in the midst of adverse circumstances. We can’t see the wind, but we can see the results of the wind; and so it is with the Kingdom of God on earth. May the lives we live be anchored in the unseen, the eternal; and may our hope abound no matter what is taking place around us.
Hebrews 11:3: “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”
2 Corinthians 5:7: “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Colossians 1:13: “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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