November 2005

“PROVIDENCE”

Part Two

            Tomorrow’s uncertainty makes the carnal mind obsess on “planning ahead.” The present, global unrest heightens men’s awareness of the fragility of their humanity. God says, “All creation waits and longs expectantly for the manifestation of God’s son! For creation was made subject to frailty and futility, condemned to frustration, not willingly, but by God’s Will Who so subjected it; but in the hope that all creation will be delivered from its bondage to corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God! We know all creation groans and painfully labors together till now; but not only they, for we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, also groan within ourselves, as we await our adoption, that is, the redemption of our body.” (Ro 8:19-23)
             Even unbelievers are feeling, and reeling from the global disasters, pestilences, plagues and incidents of violence which are caused, at least in part, by the transformation of the sons of God that is taking place in secret around the world! The unsaved don’t realize the Holy Spirit is directing all this cosmic chaos, thus they stagger with each catastrophe, but God’s Manchild is at peace knowing it is his “birthing” that makes this upheaval necessary.
             Fear of the unknown has caused a frenzy for prosperity; and this making-money mania has lured wives and mothers away from the family home, and into the work-a-day world, to compete in business and industry with their male counterparts to become the “breadwinners”. This, in turn, has produced generations of abandoned children; most of whom are the angry, greedy, and immoral adults of today! As the “hand that rocked the cradle” left for a career to “rock the world”, there was fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, “Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness its people!!” But this timely oracle goes on to encourage God’s emerging Manchild:

“Arise, shine, for your light is come! The glory of the Lord is risen upon you...and when the Lord arises in your hearts, His Glory will be seen upon you! Unbelievers will come to your light; and kings will be drawn to your bright rising! Lift up your eyes; and look around you; see how they gather together to come to you! Your sons are coming from far away, and your daughters will be carried to you to be nursed in your arms. When this happens, you will all flow together and have the appearance of a radiant stream!! Then your hearts shall thrill and tremble with joy (at your glorious deliverance)! Also your heart will be enlarged by the abundance the seas bring you; and by the treasures the nations give you..and in this, I will glorify the house of My Glory! These will fly as clouds, as doves to their windows...to bring your sons from afar with silver and gold to glorify the Name of the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, and all this is done because He has glorified you! The sons of strangers shall rebuild your broken walls, and kings will minister to you! For though I smote you in My (corrective) anger, I am now shown Mercy to you in My favor! Then your gates will be open continually; they will not close day or night, so men may bring the wealth of the nations to you; and all their kings can be brought to you as willing captives! Any nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish and be laid waste...by this, you will know that I am the Lord, your Savior and Redeemer, the MIghty One of Jacob! Then I will give you gold (deity) and silver (redemption) for your brass (judgment); I shall give you brass (judgment) for your wood (flesh); your stones (hard trials, chastenings) will be turned into iron (strength of character)! I will make Peace your officers and Righteousness your task- masters; and violence will no more be in your borders! Then you will call your walls, Salvation, and your gates, Praise! The sun will not be your daylight, nor the moon your brightness, for I, the Lord, will be your Eternal Light!! God will be your Glory! Your mourning will be ended; your righteous people will inherit the land, the Branch of My planting, and the Works of My hands. and in all this, I shall be glorified!”

             Beloveds, these are not things that could happen; or might take place in the sweet by and by; they shall come to pass, and soon! Time is irrelevant in God’s Existence so we predict no dates; but the hearts of God’s sons are trembling with anticipation as our faith is being stretched like straining fibrous strands. Our wearied eyes are fixed on the eastern horizon till the DAYSTAR ARISES IN OUR HEARTS! We are poised for our thoughts to be irreversibly caught up in the Mind of Christ! We are desperate to no more “Walk in the counsel of the ungodly; or stand in the way of sinners; or sit in the seat of scorners! We want to forever “Delight in the Lord’s Royal Law of Love; and meditate on it day and night! We desire to be a tree planted by rivers of water, producing its Fruit (of the Spirit) in season. Our leaf will not wither, and everything we do shall prosper!” (Ps 1:1-3) What could be more glorious than this?
             God is still calling out some from organized religion’s dark hour of apostasy, to teach them Kingdom Truths! Those who remain must continue to languish in confusion with devilish doctrines about “Another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel.” (2 Cor 11:4) As they have temporarily lost their true Compass of Christ, our feet are led onward in the Path of Righteousness, In His time God will open a way of escape for our brethren, to steer their course back to The Truth! Meanwhile He makes this promise to them- and us, “No test will come to you that is not common to man; and God is faithful not to let us be tested by more than we can bear (with Christ Who strengthens us); for with each testing, He has made the way of escape so we can bear it! And so, dearly beloved, flee from all idolatry!” (1 Co 10:13-14) Note here that God associates idolatry with apostasy since both words relate to faith!

Apostasy is a falling away from faith- that is, losing one’s belief in God’s
omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence!! Because of this, they have totally
disavowed Christ as the Sovereign Savior of the world!

Idolatry is placing faith in a false god- that is, putting one’s trust in things
or in people of this world, instead of having all trust in the living God, alone.

             Both of these positions miss the mark. All men on the earth are worshipers of something or someone, as one of the facets of the human spirit is the “desire to worship.” [The other two are conscience and discernment.] The problem arises when we worship God’s creation instead of God our Creator! The object of man’s first traitorous act of worship was his own “self-will” as he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (seeking to rule his own life through human wisdom); instead of eating from the Tree of Life (seeking Christ to rule his life with Divine Wisdom)!
             The carnal mind tempts us to serve the “work of our own hands.” when God declares to us, “You are My workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, foreordained to walk in His Good Works!” (Eph 2:10) One way is imperfect and leads to death; the other is perfect and leads to Eternal Life!
             Worship is a triune act of faith, hope, and love. Besides his self-will, man idolizes money! He puts faith in money’s precarious power; and he sets his hope on money’s illusive potential; and he lavishes his love on money’s transient security. In man’s world, money is the “bottom line”, thus, when money disappears, the bottom falls out of his world! But Christians have been called to a higher standard! We are taught that one of the “marks of the beast” is the “love of money,” since God calls it the “Root of ALL evil!” (1 Ti 6:10) Many minimize the importance of this truth since it strikes close to their unbelieving hearts; but Jesus says, “No man can serve two masters! He will either hate one, and love the other; or hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money!” (Mt 6:24) The word, cannot, means that something is impossible! This hearkens to the first Commandment, “I am the Lord, your God...so you shall have no other gods before me!” (Ex 20:2-3) Jesus amended this saying, “This is the first and great commandment, You shall LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your mind!” (Mt 22:38) “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible!” (Lk 18:27)
             True believers seek GOD, ALONE, as their Source and Supplier of all things! We may say we trust in God, and not in money; but God does not let it go at that; rather, He tests our testimony by touching our money! He sends sudden trials like car repairs, medical emergencies, or job losses to see if we still say, “I trust in God, not in money!” This reveals what master we serve! Hard tests? Indeed! But necessary and profitable tests? Absolutely! The prayer Jesus taught His brethren says: “Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” (Mt 5:6) If God’s Will is the supreme authority in heaven, then when His Kingdom comes to earth, His Will must also be the supreme authority on earth. As earth-beings in whom God’s Kingdom is come, (Lu 17:21) only His Will must be done in our lives, now and forevermore! May we all say Amen to this!

[TO BE CONTINUED]