Are you Dumbfounded or just Dumb?

I still remember taking my three year old son to see a movie that everyone was talking about. The theater was packed, and when the opening scene started to roll, everyone’s mouth seemed to drop open. Even my son was captivated. As the movie continued, and our hearts became entwined with a young boy named Luke, his friend Han, and Chewie and C3P0 and R2D2, we were all filled with such a sense of wonder and awe. We had never seen a movie that was so real and the effects so powerful.

Does anything about being a Christian still amaze you? Are you still amazed that Jesus Christ lives in you? Are you still in Awe of His Power?

Or are you experiencing “Neural Adaptation and/or Habituation” in your Christian Walk. Neural adaptation or sensory adaptation is a change over time in the responsiveness of the sensory system to a constant stimulus. It is usually experienced as a change in the stimulus. For example, if one rests one's hand on a table, one immediately feels the table's surface on one's skin. Within a few seconds, however, one ceases to feel the table's surface. The sensory neurons stimulated by the table's surface respond immediately, but then respond less and less until they may not respond at all; this is neural adaptation.

Habituation - In psychology, habituation is an example of non-associative learning in which there is a progressive diminution of behavioral response probability with repetition of a stimulus. It is another form of integration. An animal first responds to a stimulus, but if it is neither rewarding nor harmful the animal reduces subsequent responses. One example of this can be seen in small song birds - if a stuffed owl (or similar predator) is put into the cage, the birds initially react to it as though it were a real predator. Soon the birds react less, showing habituationHabituation need not be conscious - for example, a short time after we get dressed, the stimulus clothing creates disappears from our nervous systems and we become unaware of it. In this way, habituation is used to ignore any continual stimulus,

Acts 3:10 (NKJV) Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder (thambano – astonished, flabbergasted, stupefied, thunderstruck, dumbfounded – as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise) and amazement at what had happened to him. [ekstasis—An ecstasy in which the mind is for a time carried, as it were, out of or beyond itself and lost. Great astonishment, amazement]

When was the last time you were speechless at something God did in your life? When was the last time you were “thunderstruck”. I personally think that the Christian life is meant to be amazing. God loves it when we are dumbfounded by His Glory. Most of the time we are just plain ole “dumb”. We rush around never noticing or appreciating how much He does for us.

Are you Dumbfounded or just Dumb?

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed (ekthambos—utterly astounded).

Just because you know what God says about Jesus, doesn’t guarantee that you will be amazed when you see Him. In fact, it is often the ones who think they know it all who are the most bored with Jesus, the most unexcited when it comes to the reality of Jesus.

So this crowd gathered. They had no clue that they were dead men walking. They thought they had life all figured out. They were Jews, sons of the favored one, Abraham. They thought their afterlife was secure, their blessings promised by El Elyon, God Most High. El Shaddai, the sufficient one, had promised Abraham in the power of His might.

'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"(Matt 21:16)

How is your Praise of Jesus this morning? Are you honoring Him as Savior with your words and life? Are you still amazed at Christ in your life?

Today, in what begins the Passion Week of Christ, you are in a position to make decisions about this prophet that will impact your life and your eternity. You must examine your hearts, just as these Jews in Solomon’s porch, and decide who you will honor with your life! Who amazes and captures your heart? I don’t care when you became a Christian. It could be 1 year ago. It could be 40 years ago. What matters is TODAY! What matters is the IMPACT Jesus has on your heart TODAY!

The babes who honored and praised Jesus upon His entry into Jerusalem and here in the Temple, did so from simple faith, fulfilling centuries old prophecy.

The self-righteous and hardened priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that Jesus did, and still they despised Him. They and a multitude of others crucified the Son of God, because they chose not to honor Him as the Son of God. We need to see as babies today, we need to be “oohed and aahed” by the Son of God. We need to let Him touch our hearts anew. Will you allow your heart to be amazed once again?

Do You Speak "Right" of God?

We have such a “media” view of God!

We see God as this caring, loving merciful God who loves us in spite of our failings (or suings).

I am sure that is not the God of the Bible. One experience bears this out. In Job’s experience is a lesson for all of us ‘Evangelical’ Christians.

As most of us know Job had experienced more loss, more pain and suffering than most of us could imagine. The amazing thing about Job is that even God called him an “upright” man. Still, in a classic game of Heavenly chess, God offered up Job as a pawn to the wily Satan. Satan did everything he could to get Job to turn away from God. He stripped him of his wealth and his beloved family. He sent painful boils to cover his body so that he would be in constant pain and torment. All those people that used to envy and admire Job suddenly abandoned him as “cursed”. God old Satan left him his
bitter wife to torment him with “Why don’t you just curse God and die!” He also left him with three of the worst friends a man could have. Instead of their Bible names I think we should rename them to Doubter, Downer and Drowner. With friends like these we would all commit suicide.

As his friends rattled on and on about what Job should do, someone was listening, someone whom they had no knowledge of, even though they presumed to know Him. After Job makes his astonishing confession which I’ll mention in a moment, God breaks forth with this astonishing warning:

After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. (Job 42:7-9 ESV)

All the while as they were prattling on and on about God and what Job should do to re-gain His favor, God’s wrath was building and simmering until it was about to reach the boiling point. He warned them that He was about to reward them according to their folly and advised them to offer sacrifices and have Job pray for them. The reason?-They had not spoken RIGHT of God! Why would God accept Job’s prayer and not theirs?-Because Job HAD SPOKEN RIGHT of GOD!

What did Job say that was so ‘right’ of God?

I believe that what Job said immediately before God’s pronouncement was the thing that pleased God’s ears:

Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6 ESV)

Job revealed a couple things that we need to heed and embrace if we are to speak “RIGHT” of God.

First, we should not seek relief from our problems, but should seek to See God through them!

In this fast-paced world the spoils go to the victor. The weak get trampled upon. So most of us want immediate relief from our problems, lest we get left behind. We never want to appear weak. We try to hide our disease, our past. We want immediate medical attention, we want a fast cure, a pill that will fix everything. But God has a different plan. His will is supreme. His work is supreme. He desires that we not just talk about Him, but that WE SEE HIM!

These problems that we face are not opportunities to grow strong or prove how great we are at overcoming obstacles. They should be first and foremost opportunities to SEE GOD! Problems, sickness, disease, loss are NEVER about us, but totally about God! His desire and delight is for us to SEE HIM and therefore KNOW HIM as He really is! We don’t learn about God through TV or Movies. We Don’t even learn about God even through dramatic presentations or wonderful musical presentations. We learn who God is through our PROBLEMS!

Second, When Job Saw God through His problems, He saw a Correct View of Himself!

Job confessed that he had HEARD OF GOD before, but now He SAW God! And when he saw God, he despised himself and all that he was, and repented in dust and ashes. This was righteous Job, the one God boasted of, the one whom no one would think needed to repent. The truth is that when we see God as He really is, not framed by media, we will see ourselves as we really are. Only when we see ourselves as we really are can we speak RIGHTLY of GOD! It doesn’t matter who we think we are. When we really SEE God, we will know what we are. We are nothing compared to Him. We are everything He is not – unrighteous, unholy, unloving. And when we see who we really are…

Third, When We Learn to See God through our Problems, we can speak RIGHT of Him!

Job saw God. Not a media version of a kind, loving deity. He saw Him as totally Holy, Just and Rightoues in all that He does. Even when it brings disaster, loss and pain.“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”[Quoting God's very words (Job 42:3-4), Job humbled himself before the Lord and acknowledged His power and justice in executing His plans (v. 2). Then Job admitted that his words had been wrong and that he had spoken about things he didn't understand (v. 3). Job withdrew his accusations that God was unjust and not treating him fairly. He realized that whatever God does is right and man must accept it by faith.

Job told God, "I can't answer Your questions! All I can do is confess my pride, humble myself, and repent." Until now, Job's knowledge of God had been indirect and impersonal; but that was changed. Job had met God personally and seen himself to be but "dust and ashes" (Job 42:6, Job 2:8,12, Gen 18:27) "The door of repentance opens into the hall of joy," said Charles Spurgeon; and it was true for Job.] (From Bible Exposition Commentary)

Fourth, When we speak RIGHT of God, Our Prayers for Others are Accepted!

One amazing revelation from the testing of Job is the Power of Intercessory Prayer.

Intercessory Prayer is when we take up the burden or plight of another and plead before God for that person. It is what Doubter, Downer and Drowner SHOULD have been doing for Job. It would have been a waste of time, because God would not have accepted their prayers. They had not learned to speak RIGHT of God! And if we can not speak RIGHT of God, how can we speak to God? That is why God told them to hurry up and request Job to pray for them. And the amazing truth revealed is that Intercessory Prayer frees us to be provided for by God.

"And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job 42:10 ESV)

When life has you beat and things look disastrous, Look to God, See Him, and then Look around at the needs of others. Present them before God, stand in the gap. Be as one who takes their needs into your bosom and carry them before this awesome yet loving God. Plead on their behalf. God will hear your prayers and mete out His justice. At the same time, you will find your needs provided for. In fact, you will be blessed beyond every conceivable imagination. When you have seen the Lord in your problems, you will see His Glory. In fact, the Bible promises “His Glory will be upon you!”

And now dear friends of mine. I beg you not to be unduly alarmed at the fiery ordeals which come to test your faith, as though this were some abnormal experience. You should be glad, because it means that you are called to share Christ's sufferings. One day, when he shows himself in full splendor to men, you will be filled with the most tremendous joy. If you are reproached for being Christ's followers, that is a great privilege, for you can be sure that God's Spirit of glory is resting upon you. But take care that none of your number suffers as a murderer, or a thief, a rogue or a spy! If he suffers as a Christian he has nothing to be ashamed of and may glorify God in Christ's name. (1 Peter 4:12-15 Phillips)