Luke 19:44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you. ”NLT
Human tradition and dogma is another reason men miss God and divine encounters.
The best example from scriptures that comes to mind on the issue of tradition and dogma are the Pharisees, Saducees, Scribes and religious Jews.
They were the custodians of the Mosaic law in their days. The length and breadth of the law was in their head. Scholars told us that Pharisees knew all the 613 laws of Moses and have them stored in their memory.
However they missed Jesus because they were too rigid and dogmatic about it. They were legalistic. Legalism made them to miss an encounter with the Lord.
They disregarded the person of Jesus and failed to recognize his ministry as valid. They didn't understand that they were interfacing with the one who created Moses.
To them, Moses was superior and no one could be greater. Jesus was not a conventional Rabbi, they despised his teachings.
Today, there are Pharisaic brethren in the church. They miss divine encounters because they hold on to the tradition of men and church dogmas that are not necessarily biblical.
Several examples abound. I was listening to a preacher on television years back, a brother was with us in the living room.
The message was powerful but this brother didn't even take time to hear what God was saying through this preacher.
All he saw were the ladies that used trinkets in the church but he missed out on that word. How many times have we missed God because of trivial denominational dogma and traditions? You know those dogmas, don't you?
Some can hardly hear or listen to another preacher except their Pastor. They believe the truth can only be found on the lips of their pastor and others are heretic. They are so rigid that they hardly believe God can speak through other people.
Sometimes, God may have tried getting their attention through other people but because their mind is fixed on dogmas, they miss God. Denominationalism falls under this category as well.
That encounter you desire from God may not be in places you expect and it may not be through the traditional method of your church neither must it align with dogmas. During church services, stop trying to predict God.
The only time some feel God speaks during a meeting is during sermon and prayers. Your encounter may not be in the preaching and prayer, it could be during the announcement. Be sensitive at all times, shun human tradition and dogmas.
Father, I receive grace to overcome the tradition of men In Jesus name.