John 3:12 “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”

There is certainly such a thing as progressive revelation. Much knowledge and understanding requires a foundation before it can be received. This is true in just about every field. You can’t understand quadratic equations if you can’t do simple arithmetic, for example. Jesus is simply saying that’s true when it comes to faith as well. That’s why Jesus spent so much time talking about money. If we can’t trust God for something as simple as finances, how are we going to trust Him for things involving eternity? There are many people who try to jump ahead in spiritual things, only to find their belief system falling down like a house of cards, because they haven’t laid the foundation properly. That’s why Jesus said so clearly that we have to do what He says to us, and not just think we believe it. (Matthew 7:24-27) It does no good to build a fancy edifice without a secure foundation. This is what James likewise stressed: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22) When we believe and trust God for the basic things of our life, He opens our hearts to know more and more of His heart about all sorts of things, virtually without limit. That’s why Jesus said twice, “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Matthew 13:12, 25:29) It is only when we accept and apply His Word to us that we are able to receive the deeper, higher things He also wants to teach us.

This is an excellent point that I’m not sure I’ve thought about that much. I certainly encounter it as an obstacle in my own witnessing, because I have such a broad background in the Bible that I have trouble “throttling it back” for people who have no such foundation. At the same time, James 1:22 has long been a very important verse for me, because I’ve had too many times of thinking, or at least feeling, that because I know some truth, that’s the same thing as applying it. That foolishness has gotten me into trouble more times than I could count! I want to believe all the “heavenly things” Jesus mentions here, but to do that I’ve got to believe what He has said about my daily life here enough to actually follow through in obedience.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You for all the experiences You’re allowing us to have on this trip. Help us trust You enough to be fully obedient, discerning but not judging those around us, allowing You to use us to touch and bless them. We are certainly seeing that not everyone flows with Your Spirit! Help us to do so, whatever the people around us do or how they respond to us, so that Your purposes may be accomplished as You desire, in us and in them, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!