|
Confirmation of the Word
by Jerry Ousley There was a time when I shook my fist at God. It happened during my teenage years. I had been raised up in church. I don't remember a time when we weren't involved in church activities, revivals, and really about everything that happened in whatever church we happened to be attending. During my teen years I rebelled against my parents, the church and even God, not unlike most teenagers do. I suppose I was searching for my own identity and that always causes conflict. I had made a commitment to God many times. As a child growing up there weren't many revivals where an altar call was given that I didn't feel the tugging of God at my heart and so I would respond. I don't really know why; I guess I just wanted to make sure. Anyway I had entered my rebellion. I was fed up with church stuff, rules and regulations made not only by the church but also by my parents, and I was just mad at everyone. I distinctly remember standing out in our front yard all by myself, talking to God, complaining about my poor pitiful situation (of course every teenager who rebels feels like things couldn't be worse for them), and out of the blue I declared to God that there must be a higher power than Him. I literally shook my fist at the sky and told God that I was bound and determined to find that power and "show Him." If you think about it, it's kind of funny in a way; here's this skinny barely over a hundred pounds kid shaking his fist at God like he's some kind of tough guy or something. The short of it was that I never found a power higher than God. When I came to myself I realized that God is the ultimate power. I repented of my sin and somehow God knew my heart and He knew that I'd come around. He could have struck me dead on the spot. Rebellion against God can be a dangerous thing. But you know, in my rebellion I never denied the existence of God. In my twisted way of thinking I was searching for a higher power but I knew that God was there. I had felt him in my past and I had witnessed His miraculous power both in my own life and in the lives of others. I just needed to know for myself I suppose. Many would like to believe that God doesn't exist or perhaps like me, that there is a force greater than God. What we're searching for is the proof. We may want to believe but we need to know for sure. Many testimonies exist that confirm how they found God in their lives. They are valid and true in most cases, but that still doesn't bring satisfaction to our individual souls. We want to know. We feel we need personal confirmation. I wish I could give that to you today. However it is something we all need to find for ourselves. It isn't found in church services or activities although I'm not bashing those. They are the results of our confirmation from God, not the actual confirmation. The great Apostle Peter wrote, "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:19). Peter had just finished telling about his own experience along with a few of the other disciples on the mountain where they had witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. They had seen some marvelous things but the one in this instance that stuck in Peter's mind was the voice of God booming from the sky that had confirmed that Jesus was the Christ His Son, and that He was well pleased with Him. It was Peter's confirmation. We have that word of prophecy and it is a sure and certain word. For now we need to simply believe that witness. But as you seek God the day will come when He will confirm Himself to you in your heart, and you will know that He is God. Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |