CHAPTER 41
THE INCONVENIENCE OF TEACHING GOD 2026
God tried to teach His ways and share Himself for the entire old testament. Never clearer did he spell it out than in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, not to mention Amos, Micah, and hey, I’m just getting started. Did anybody listen? Not really, not until they were up to their eyeballs in trouble. Israel paid a dear price, more than once. When Jesus got here in the new testament did anybody listen to Jesus? Well, a few did, many didn’t. The point is, it has been quite inconvenient for God to teach mankind anything. However there has been a few rock stars of God starting with a man named Abram.
Genesis 12 (The Call of Abram) The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”[b]
This is what He said to Moses, another rock star for God:
Exodus 34:6-7 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Did anybody listen to those guys? Some did, many did not. Same as today. For me and you, it’s hard to share the gospel with people, nobody wants to hear it, and I feel sometimes like I’m the proverbial homeless guy with a sign that says “Jesus is Coming” standing on the corner of a busy intersection. Hey, dig this, I thought of it the other day. That homeless guy, who is he? It seems the same guy is always there, in any city, anywhere, same guy, same outfit, same sign. I thought to myself, hey, might be Jesus. Yea, I’ll tell you what made me think of that in a few more sentences.
Anyway, it’s a hard thing for God to teach me and I’m sure it’s quite inconvenient to teach the world about hell, heaven, the gospel, the future, the past, all of it from the eyes of God, the breath of God, the mind of God, the heart of God, warning of the consequences of sin and for those who seek the Lord, the Glory of God and an eternity in Heaven. Does anybody listen? Some do, many do not.
Can’t be easy to keep pushing the narrative. The guy on the corner, whether it be Jesus or Bob, can’t be easy or convenient to watch people, one right after the other, laugh, mock, ignore, yea, certainly not convenient. Is it any different for a pastor, throughout a life of teaching, warning, trying to bring the hope of Christ to those who so desperately need it. Who listens, some do, many don’t, some listen for a time and then not so much.
Pride and ignorance seem to be a much more prominent teacher than the Word of God. Next time God is trying to teach, or invite himself into the problems experienced in the world, why not let Him? He know the future, the past, the present, you, me, the universe, the end of the story, the beginning of the story, the middle of the story, your story, my story, His story. The inconvenience of God teaching a world about Himself, a world that chooses destruction over well being has been a drag for God, I would say. It’s a drag for me when my daughter doesn’t believe me, what must it be like for God? Still, He keeps on teaching and warning all of us of the inevitable end and what will come to pass.
Proverbs 29:1 He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
Romans 2:5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Think about it, the homeless guy, standing in the rain, holding a sign with scriptures on the corner of a busy intersection. Now here’s what I thought about the other day. Who wrote the sign that guy is holding? I never thought about that until I did? This beat up old person, with straggly hair, tattered clothing and fried skin is holding a very readable, legible sign on a clean piece of some type of board. Written with a large thick legible marker, excellent penmanship, lettering and spacing. And, may I add, I’ve never seen a homeless woman with the sign, always a man. Could it be Jesus, I thought? I thought more as I watched. Not a single person stops to comfort, share a prayer, or give an amen. Maybe somebody throws money at the guy. Hardly genuine, right? Generally he is chastised, pushed out of the way, ignored or worse. Such is the life of Christ and His followers. Inconvenient. Well, it was, I’m sure, inconvenient to die on the cross so that you and I could be saved? Inconvenient for God to reach down and straighten out your company after somebody sent it down the rabbit hole. I thought to myself, Patrick, read the sign this homeless guy wrote, know the fear of God, treat people accordingly. Make room for God, before it’s too late.
2 Timothy 1:9-10 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
In this life, today, yesterday, tomorrow, there’s just no extra time for prayer, scripture, true fellowship with God or anybody else. Maybe a little here and there, nothing consistent, maybe with a teacher, maybe not, maybe memorize a scripture here or there, maybe not. Suddenly the kids are grown and they too, have no time for God. Leaves room for Jesus. I don’t think there’s any top 40 songs about that? Never heard one, even on the Christian charts. So what, right? I’m a good person, it’s inconvenient, all this stuff. God knows my heart, right? Well, yes He does, do I know my heart? Do you know your heart? Do you truly know the story of God, and what happens in the end? The end? Yes, the end. There is an end and that is the point of teaching God.
Jesus spoke of hell more than anyone else in the Bible. He referred to it as a place of “outer darkness” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12) “the hell of fire” (Matt. 5:22), “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41), “unquenchable fire” (Mark 9:43), “eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46). Does anybody listen? Few. The rest laugh. There are numerous stories in the bible of those who laughed at the Lord. Scripture warns that will not end well and there are quite a few examples of that as well. Maybe you should look a few of them up? Do you have time to teach your children, yourself, how can you teach others if you have not done the work? How can God teach those who won’t listen. Well, He keeps trying, no matter the inconvenience and even those who call themselves believers slip into a comfort zone that doesn’t necessarily require anything for God.
A.W. Tozer has a great quote:
One compromise here, another there and soon enough the so-called christian and the man in the world look the same.
Mark 5:19 & Luke 8:39: Jesus instructs: return home and declare the great things God has done. Psalm 66:16: “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me”.
Matthew 28:17-19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
How do we do any of that? Do I, do you? It is a valid question. I’m sure not a day goes by when God is not knocking at your door. Shouldn’t it be embarrassing to anybody that He has to knock?
We all have doubts, concerns and disappointment. He’s available to talk about it. Very available. Not only available but loving the discussion and having fellowship with you. All of us need God. The most well-known “I am with you” Bible verse is Isaiah 41:10 (NIV): “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Why would I ignore the Lord? He promises me Him and Him created the universe. When is the last time any of us considered this worshipful prayer?
Ephesians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
Try teaching that to your friends or this next one. Actually try teaching this one to the mirror.
James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Really smart people think adversely towards Jesus Christ, the bible, the cross, eternity in hell, Heaven, anything along the lines. Super smart people have decided they’re proven none of it exists. Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s most eminent scientists and an atheist, once said, and I quote: “the concept of heaven is “a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” David Christofferson, returned Hawking’s statement with this and I quote: “the concept of atheism is “a fairy story for people afraid of the light.”
Psalm 22:22 “I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done.”
Psalm 66:16 “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.”
Think about that, I mean really think about it. What do want my ten year old to know when it’s time to pray?
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words that I give you today.
D. L. Moody, an American evangelist is quoted as saying:“If God is your partner, make your plans BIG!”
C. S. Lewis said: “Relying on God has to start all over every day, as if nothing has yet been done.”
Isaiah 40:28-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
It is inconvenient, yes, however rewarding and necessary, when it works. When it doesn’t it is quite sad, however not entirely hopeless. If a person is still breathing, God will keep trying. If you try, will He bless that effort? Even if I’m not very good at it?
John 10:27-29 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
What He has continued, surely inconveniently, in me and you, through his Mercy, Grace, Knowledge, Wisdom and Blood, is huge.
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.
Isaiah 35:8 speaks “a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it…
“Who could make a road over the mountains of our iniquities but Almighty God? None, but the Lord of love would have wished it; none but the God of wisdom could have devised it; none but the God of power could have carried it out.” Charles Spurgeon
Hosea 14:9 Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Chapter 41, The Inconvenience of Teaching God 2026, Remember the message on the corner of many streets in many cities, “God is coming, repent.” Next time you see that homeless man on a busy street, with his very legible sign, perhaps you will see the Lord, not the man. Take a moment to be kind, grateful and helpful, possibly even consider the strength one must have to carry that sign. PS, you may notice the eyes behind that leather face are quite clear. Amen.
