WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE CONFUSED!

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE CONFUSED!

1 Cor 14:33

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Acts 9:22

22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Two words beg for deeper exploration this morning. The first is the word confusion which we find in our first verse. It is the Greek word akatastasia and is pronounced (ak-at-as-tah-see'-ah). When pronounced it sounds like the noise of a machine gun and it means instability or disorder. The verse goes on to say that God does not “author” instability and disorder.

The other word is confounded in the book of Acts which means “to throw into disorder or to perplex the mind.” Paul, in preaching that Jesus was indeed the Christ, threw the Jewish system into disorder. He challenged long held prejudices and perplexed their mind. They sought to kill him.

What do we, as believers, when we are thrown into disorder and perplexed? If confusion is a state of disorder and if we want “peace” instead, what should we do?

STOP! Back away for a moment. If what you are doing is confusing and confounding you perhaps it shouldn’t be done. Maybe there is a better way.

ASSESS! Evaluate and analyze the situation. Is there something you are overlooking? Have you tried everything?

REST! I know this can be a frustrating suggestion when there is so much confusion and so much to do but it was the suggestion of Jesus to His disciples when things became chaotic.

Mark 6:31

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

PRAY! Hey now, there is an idea! Why not ask God what to do?

Ps 120:1

In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

Dear Lord, in the confusion of this day help me to trust in Thee. AMEN

CONVERSION!

CONVERSION!

Acts 26:18

18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

          Paul testified before Agrippa that Christ had commissioned him to a lifelong effort to convert men. Certain specific changes would define conversion. First, there would be a change of view. Their eyes would be opened so that they might clearly see things as they really are. Next, they would be changed from darkness (“shadiness”) to light. The power (“mastery”) of Satan would be broken and men would then be at liberty to serve God. Sins would be forgiven and a new life of not sinning would begin.

Former atheist, Lee Stroble, tells that his young daughter told her mother: “Mom, I want what God has done to daddy!” This is the observable change that takes place when men are converted. Specifically, conversion is a change in the thoughts, desires, dispositions and behavior of a sinner. He changes his mind about right and wrong. His appetite changes and he begins to crave good and right things instead of wicked and damaging habits. The Bible refers to him as a “new man” (Eph. 2:15; 4:24).

In my desire to discover a reason or a pattern for conversion, I often miss miracles. As I ask what caused the change, I miss the blessing of the change itself. True conversion is due to the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart and mind of an individual. It is personal and therefore defies being pressed into a formula. The specific circumstances needed to bring one to conversion will not necessarily be needed for another. When it happens it is mysterious and marvelous.

Mark 5:15

15 And they come to Jesus, and see (saw) him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

Dear Lord, let your Holy Spirit apply the pressures and circumstances necessary to bring conversion. AMEN

UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU!

UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU!

Heb 1:1-3

1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

          The word translated “express image” is the Greek character which actually refers to a graver, one who does engraving or the tool of the engraver. It means “an exact copy of the original.” Jesus was and is God! He had not only the image but the character, the moral attributes, of his father.

Gal 4:19-20

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

          Paul fretted over the people of the church at Galatia because they had a desire to be back under the law. They were about to abandon grace! Paul said he had his doubts about them and their condition. He had called them “foolish Galatians” (3:1) and considered them to have been “bewitched.”

          Paul, who had done the labor to give them spiritual birth, now felt that he was once again suffering the pains of birth for them. Such is the tender mercies of his ministry to them that he was ready to begin again to secure their salvation. So it is in our modern day that so many who make professions of Christ do not easily develop His character, or moral attributes. Should not the love of God make his subjects more loving? Shouldn’t we be more merciful because we have received his mercy? Shouldn’t we be holy because He is holy? Shouldn’t we cooperate until the ministry of the Holy Spirit forms Christ in us?

Eph 4:11-13

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

          Such is the purpose of pastors and teachers. We are to aid in the development of the fullness of Christ in each one under our care. In many ways this ministry requires much more exertion and diligence than evangelism. Giving birth is hard but parenting is more so.

Dear Lord, help me to cooperate with you and your ministers until Christ is formed in me. AMEN