Scriptures reveal the intricate interplay of God’s power and grace throughout history. Throughout every season, dispensation and time, we witness the hand of God moving intimately over His people rescuing and regenerating them from sin and shame. Each generation receives a unique revelation of God’s Word, as it unfolds across eternity and human time.
Isaiah 48:6-8 (NIV)
You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not admit them?
“From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.
They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today.
So, you cannot say, ‘Yes, I knew of them.’
You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open.
As humanity journeys from the fall in the Garden of Eden towards the anticipated return of Jesus Christ, we witness the unveiling of God’s mysteries and prophecies showcasing His redemptive grace. As Christians, we are privileged to have front row seats to the revelation of God’s Word as we witness the truth hidden in God’s remarkably undisputable and timeless narrative. Amazingly, we find ourselves personally positioned in God’s Word because it is alive and active within us dividing asunder joint from marrow and spirit from soul.
The reality is we are all uniquely crafted pieces in God’s grand puzzle and without our obedience, we find our wills at a crossroad with His perfect will. We do not know how the bigger picture looks when all the pieces are put together but we ought to trust wholeheartedly in the goodness and faithfulness of our God. Those who fail to repent and align with God’s Word, are ultimately batting for the losing team. Hinged to the wrong side of history, the judgment of eternal death looms over their souls.
God continually confounds the wise with the foolish things of this world and as such we must ensure that we have the eyes to see and ears to hear Him. Satan has craftily covered up worldliness in the chocolate coating of “being good”. Just like in the Garden of Eden, Satan’s focus has always been to keep our eyes off the possibility and promise of life by focusing on feeding our appetite with feeling good and being seen as good. Satan blindsides us by perverting our will, mind and emotions and he does this oftentimes by misrepresenting the tenets of God’s love, light, grace and forgiveness.
Let’s delve into two notable instances where Satan has actively promoted an agenda that opposes Christ and undermines God’s benevolent intentions:
1. In Genesis, God promised to never destroy all life on earth again with a flood. He gave us the rainbow to symbolically remind us of this promise. Now this symbol which represents life, mercy and grace has been perverted by the LGBTQ community to represent love and solidarity for free will. While God in His grace gave us a symbol to remind us of His preservation of biological life, Satan has cleverly pushed an agenda under the disguise of love to eradicate the reproduction of human life. It is a known fact that life cannot be reproduced biologically between two men or two women.
2. Currently, spirituality has gained significant popularity, but it often conceals the subtle presence of witchcraft and idolatry within its various New Age practices. People are seeking to be spiritually empowered outside of the confines of the gospel and the gift of salvation. Ultimately, individuals today often reject the notion of submitting to God and His Word, instead seeking a profound connectedness to themselves through a universal force, energy or specified objects.
Throughout history, God has consistently opposed idolatry, not only concerning physical idols made of wood and stone but also the idolatry that arises when individuals turn inward and exalt themselves. God vehemently condemns the practices of self-reflection and self-worship found in some New Age ideologies. These practices encourage the pursuit of personal enlightenment, fostering the belief that individuals are their own gods, in full control of their destinies. They promote the notion of manifesting one’s own light instead of embracing the light of God. Unfortunately, these practices overlook the truth that without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, there is no inherent light within humanity. In the absence of God’s light, darkness prevails. Such rejection of God’s light stems from a refusal to acknowledge the intrinsic darkness within oneself without God’s presence.
It is astonishing to consider that people are actively seeking harmony and a sense of unity without embracing the peace that comes from God. They invest time, effort and resources for the housekeeping of their homes while neglecting the spiritual cleansing required for their souls. While they may perform rituals such as the sage cleansing of their abodes, they fail to acknowledge the need for God to purify their hearts and rid their bodies, which are temples of God, of every unclean spirit.
In this present age, there exists a prevalent belief among many individuals that they do not truly require God in their lives. While they may appreciate the concept of God, they are hesitant to submit themselves to His authority. Our society places great emphasis on personal freedom, often rejecting the notion of submission. Many individuals hold the view that they should be at liberty to pursue their own customized version of spirituality.
While everyone is free to do as he/she wills, we as believers have a profound responsibility to boldly proclaim God’s truth. Our purpose is to guide the lost sheep towards salvation and usher them into Christ’s pasture. Oh! – We ought not to forget how mighty the hand of God is; lest we be judged for our failure to fulfil our role as witnesses and ministers of the gospel truth.
Job 12:10
In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.
1 Chronicles 29:12
Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.
2 Timothy 4:2-5
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
As people of the world clamour for their individual freedoms, let us, as believers, wholeheartedly pursue the one true freedom found in Christ. We are well aware that wherever the Spirit of the Lord dwells, freedom abounds. However, we must remember that this freedom granted to us is not a license to engage in wrongdoing. Rather, it is an opportunity to live as devoted servants of Christ, for He has liberated us from the grip of sin, empowering us to fulfil His purposes, not our own. In that regard, we must be committed to pursuing and completing God’s will because anything outside of His will is an obstruction to His way. God destroys His adversaries because He is the way-maker so it would be in our best interest to not get in the way of what He is trying to accomplish on earth.
As I conclude today’s blog, let us reflect upon a profound statement from Oswald Chambers’ devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest.”
Are you willing to be offered for the work of the faithful – to pour out your lifeblood as a libation on the sacrifice of the faith of others? Or do you say – “I am not going to be offered up just yet, I do not want God to choose my work. I want to choose the scenery of my own sacrifice; I want to have the right kind of people watching and saying ‘Well done.’ ”
