Does God Change The Rules?
May 5, 2024 3:36 AM
That sinking feeling of being misled is one we've all experienced at some point. Maybe it was a board game situation like the one described. Or maybe it was a bigger life circumstance where you realized too late that there were unspoken rules or expectations you hadn't been informed of.
Fortunately, the God of the universe isn't playing that kind of game with us. He lays His rules and promises out from the start through His Word. He doesn't bait-and-switch or keep us in the dark so He can pull a fast one later. As the transcript says, "When coming to Christ, what I appreciate about the God of the scriptures is that he gives himself to us time and time again he gives us promises he fulfills those promises."
The Book of Hebrews celebrates this reliability and faithfulness of God by highlighting heroes of faith from the Old Testament. People like Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, and Daniel who took God at His word and staked their lives on His promises, even when circumstances looked bleak.
Their response is contrasted with a mindset of "anxious care" - being so driven by a need for control that we become manipulative, closed off from God and others, imprisoned by fear and insecurity. The faithful heroes of old couldn't control their circumstances, but they chose to trust God's bigger picture instead. That bigger picture was the promise of an eternal city, a new creation where everything is made right.
Too often, we get stuck making moves based on short-sighted, pessimistic conclusions we've pre-written for our lives. But the Biblical examples summon us to a different way - lives of courageous perseverance grounded in God's infinite, eternal vision.
Like the analogy of people trying to traverse a winding road toward a glorious city, we all get wearied, beaten down, and tempted to stop at times. Shiny distractions and temporary comforts lure us off the path. People may even mock or persecute us for staying on the road. During those inevitable trials, we can be renewed by fixing our eyes on the cross that lights the way, drawing strength from Christ's own sacrificial endurance.
The author is saying that following Jesus is like playing by the rules of an infinite, eternal game. There are no winners and losers. Just people pressing on together toward a perfect future, led by our pioneer - Jesus - who blazed the trail through His death and resurrection. In this game, the objective isn't to compete but to identify with Him and His promises, no matter what circumstances arise.
Living this way means embracing a paradigm shift in how we approach life. Instead of making choices from a mindset of scarcity, self-preservation and control, we can live with open hands, secure in God's abundance and sovereignty. Instead of being enslaved by fear of what may come, we're liberated to take courageous steps based on Christ's eternal victory.
The heroes didn't have full clarity on exactly how the story would unfold. But their imperfect faith put them in position to play their role in the grand, redemptive narrative. Hebrews pictures them receiving the fulfillment of the promises only because of Christ, whose work secured access to the promised Eternal City.
In the same way, our hope isn't anchored in our own wisdom, strength or rule-following ability. It's rooted in the reliable one who became our forerunner into God's perfect new creation. The transcript paints an inspiring picture of endurance, humility, and clarity of vision - moving forward because our lives are secured in Jesus Christ.
So if you've been feeling battered by life's circumstances or disillusioned by broken promises from others, take heart. You're not playing by limited human rules or timeframes, but an infinite game oriented around eternity. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. His cross assures you that the story isn't over. His Spirit empowers you to keep going, resting in His lead.
Our world so desperately needs people marked by this posture. Too often, Christians project arrogance, selfishness and hypocrisy that repels people from the Gospel, not attracts them. But when we embrace the humble path of enduring faith, it creates a powerful invitation for others to seek its Source.
Imagine being so secure in God's goodness that you radiate unwavering peace, even in chaos. So convinced of His love that you can absorb mistreatment with grace, not retaliation. So hopeful about His promises that your joy transcends temporary losses. That's the kind of human who points people to the reality of Christ. Lives renewed by the eternal game become beacons beckoning others to join.
The heroes of Hebrews 11 aren't the only cloud of witnesses cheering us on in this marathon of faith. We're surrounded by modern examples too - people who put their hands to the plow of the Kingdom and never looked back, no matter how difficult things became. Missionaries, families who adopted seemingly hopeless causes, reformers, caregivers, peacemakers, all propelled by the confidence that God's story would ultimately prevail.
Like them, may we become people marked by a hope-inspired resilience. Not because we have it all figured out, but because we've been gripped by the eternal life secured through Christ. May our lives testify that we don't have to be captive to anxiety, control, or perpetual defeat. There is an endless supply of grace to keep following the God who is faithful to complete the story He started writing in us.
As the transcript so powerfully reminds - we can move forward without fear, assured that the story isn't over. This is the game we've been invited into: an eternal, Living game that continues reshaping the world according to God's vision of restoration. So let's play on with courage and perseverance, for His glory and the blessing of many who long to find the Source of our resilient hope.
The following blog is a summary of a teaching on May 5 given by Pastor Kyle Davies in a series called Benefites Package.
Have you ever played a game where someone only tells you half the rules? It's incredibly frustrating. You think you have a solid grasp of how to play, only to find out later that there were key rules you didn't know about. The game you thought you were playing turns out to be something entirely different.That sinking feeling of being misled is one we've all experienced at some point. Maybe it was a board game situation like the one described. Or maybe it was a bigger life circumstance where you realized too late that there were unspoken rules or expectations you hadn't been informed of.
Fortunately, the God of the universe isn't playing that kind of game with us. He lays His rules and promises out from the start through His Word. He doesn't bait-and-switch or keep us in the dark so He can pull a fast one later. As the transcript says, "When coming to Christ, what I appreciate about the God of the scriptures is that he gives himself to us time and time again he gives us promises he fulfills those promises."
The Book of Hebrews celebrates this reliability and faithfulness of God by highlighting heroes of faith from the Old Testament. People like Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, and Daniel who took God at His word and staked their lives on His promises, even when circumstances looked bleak.
Their response is contrasted with a mindset of "anxious care" - being so driven by a need for control that we become manipulative, closed off from God and others, imprisoned by fear and insecurity. The faithful heroes of old couldn't control their circumstances, but they chose to trust God's bigger picture instead. That bigger picture was the promise of an eternal city, a new creation where everything is made right.
Too often, we get stuck making moves based on short-sighted, pessimistic conclusions we've pre-written for our lives. But the Biblical examples summon us to a different way - lives of courageous perseverance grounded in God's infinite, eternal vision.
Like the analogy of people trying to traverse a winding road toward a glorious city, we all get wearied, beaten down, and tempted to stop at times. Shiny distractions and temporary comforts lure us off the path. People may even mock or persecute us for staying on the road. During those inevitable trials, we can be renewed by fixing our eyes on the cross that lights the way, drawing strength from Christ's own sacrificial endurance.
The author is saying that following Jesus is like playing by the rules of an infinite, eternal game. There are no winners and losers. Just people pressing on together toward a perfect future, led by our pioneer - Jesus - who blazed the trail through His death and resurrection. In this game, the objective isn't to compete but to identify with Him and His promises, no matter what circumstances arise.
Living this way means embracing a paradigm shift in how we approach life. Instead of making choices from a mindset of scarcity, self-preservation and control, we can live with open hands, secure in God's abundance and sovereignty. Instead of being enslaved by fear of what may come, we're liberated to take courageous steps based on Christ's eternal victory.
The heroes didn't have full clarity on exactly how the story would unfold. But their imperfect faith put them in position to play their role in the grand, redemptive narrative. Hebrews pictures them receiving the fulfillment of the promises only because of Christ, whose work secured access to the promised Eternal City.
In the same way, our hope isn't anchored in our own wisdom, strength or rule-following ability. It's rooted in the reliable one who became our forerunner into God's perfect new creation. The transcript paints an inspiring picture of endurance, humility, and clarity of vision - moving forward because our lives are secured in Jesus Christ.
So if you've been feeling battered by life's circumstances or disillusioned by broken promises from others, take heart. You're not playing by limited human rules or timeframes, but an infinite game oriented around eternity. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. His cross assures you that the story isn't over. His Spirit empowers you to keep going, resting in His lead.
Our world so desperately needs people marked by this posture. Too often, Christians project arrogance, selfishness and hypocrisy that repels people from the Gospel, not attracts them. But when we embrace the humble path of enduring faith, it creates a powerful invitation for others to seek its Source.
Imagine being so secure in God's goodness that you radiate unwavering peace, even in chaos. So convinced of His love that you can absorb mistreatment with grace, not retaliation. So hopeful about His promises that your joy transcends temporary losses. That's the kind of human who points people to the reality of Christ. Lives renewed by the eternal game become beacons beckoning others to join.
The heroes of Hebrews 11 aren't the only cloud of witnesses cheering us on in this marathon of faith. We're surrounded by modern examples too - people who put their hands to the plow of the Kingdom and never looked back, no matter how difficult things became. Missionaries, families who adopted seemingly hopeless causes, reformers, caregivers, peacemakers, all propelled by the confidence that God's story would ultimately prevail.
Like them, may we become people marked by a hope-inspired resilience. Not because we have it all figured out, but because we've been gripped by the eternal life secured through Christ. May our lives testify that we don't have to be captive to anxiety, control, or perpetual defeat. There is an endless supply of grace to keep following the God who is faithful to complete the story He started writing in us.
As the transcript so powerfully reminds - we can move forward without fear, assured that the story isn't over. This is the game we've been invited into: an eternal, Living game that continues reshaping the world according to God's vision of restoration. So let's play on with courage and perseverance, for His glory and the blessing of many who long to find the Source of our resilient hope.