ignorance of God’s will

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Let me ask you a few questions. Are you safe? Do you feel safe? Are you under attack? Does you life feel under attack in some area? Are you in trouble? Do you believe that God wants to protect you? Should you believe that? Whatever your answers are to any of these questions, know this as a truth: You desire to be safe. You want to be protected. You desire for God to protect you. How can I say that? It’s easy! God has put that desire within each of us. It is a heart instinct. It is a heart instinct of every normal parent to protect their children. And it is also the heart’s desire of every normal person.

Because we instinctively desire to be safe, we make normal instinctive efforts to be so on a regular basis. But, our own ability to protect ourself is like using a bullet proof vest—better than nothing but still too much exposure. There are a multitude of scriptures revolving around man’s desire for protection and God’s willingness to be our protection, refuge, and help in times of trouble. God is the only one, and I mean thee only one who can fulfill that desire. And, the desire of God protecting us can only be fulfilled through the realm of faith and unwavering trust in Him.

People hear of tragedies of some kind every day. They are saddened or brokenhearted for those who experience it. They’re hurting if it’s happened to someone they personally know and love. They hate it and they don’t want to be a victim of it. If you have experienced it recently, you know what I am talking about.

Seeing tragedy often stirs the embers and stokes the fire of praying for God to protect us. You may have recently prayed for His protection over you or your children, or perhaps over your travels. In praying for His protection, is it possible that you may have prayed a wishbone prayer? Do you know what a wishbone prayer is? It’s a prayer requesting something but having no real faith that God will do it. It is a prayer that isn’t really rooted in knowing what God wants for you. It’s a prayer not rooted in faith. It’s rooted in the equivalent of the expectation you would have for a wish to come true when you break a wishbone or carry a good luck charm. It’s really a prayer of unbelief.

Unbelief hinders God from answering prayers. Jesus could do few miracles within His own home town because of the unbelief of the people there. They knew Him as the guy they grew up with. They could not see Him as the Messiah in their midst. We read this in Mark 6:5-6 NLT “And because of their unbelief, Jesus couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief.”

God’s Word is full of precious promises to those who know and love Him. They are truths and covenant promises that the world thinks are just words, fables, myths, or whatever—anything but truth. The Apostle Paul along with others, were helping those who believed in Jesus understand the promises of God—“So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:1 (NIV) It isn’t that God wants His ways to be secret. He wants to reveal them! But, He won’t reveal His truths to those that would mock and trample them in unbelief and scorn. As Jesus said, “Don’t give what is holy to unholy people. Don’t give pearls to swine! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” (Matthew 7:6 NLT)

People desiring protection isn’t new. God’s people constantly cried out to Him for it. God brought help through the person of Moses. God promised to deliver them from trouble, prosper them, and protect them if they’d have faith and trust Him. We read this in Deuteronomy 6:22-25 NLT. “Before our eyes the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders… But He brought us out from there (their place of trouble,) to bring us in and give us the land that He promised on oath to our forefathers. The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear (reverence) the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive (protected,) as is the case today…”

God promises that if we obey Him in our life style and have faith and trust in Him, then our faith in what He promises us, will protect us. We see these promises over and over in God’s Word. Psalm 9:9-10 NKJV says, “The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who searches for You.” We see this again in Psalm 37:39 NIV “The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.” And again in Psalm 34:7 (TLB) “For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence him.”

The promises are for those who’ve given their life to Jesus. And they are that! His promise! As Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are being destroyed for a lack of knowledge…” The Bible tells us that God is not a respecter of persons. That means His promises are available to us all. Faith pleases God! Your confident faith is the bridge to all promises and miracles of God. What a powerful secret to learn! This is what brings God’s life-changing power, faith, and peace into our lives. It not only changes our circumstances, it changes us! It changes our way of thinking and our character. It transforms us into people who truly trust God and have sincere faith and confidence in Him! He wants us to learn and know His will so that promises of protection and blessing can be ours through faith! Hope is not faith. Hope helps you see and desire faith. Grow in faith and experience His protection in your life!

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT2) “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

If Fresh Manna is a blessing to you, I’d love to know. Click here: FreshMannaFeedback

If your heart has been touched by God’s love through Fresh Manna, would you like to help Pastor Tim reach others also? Please prayerfully consider donating. No gift is too small.