Now here comes the hard question, "How does this affect the Believer who is aspiring toward righteousness?" Now, I am talking about the choices we make with and without God in this equation. We are all guilty of this and we have all suffered because of it! Many of us want to forget about those difficult times as if there is some shame attached to human loss or suffering. On the contrary, I submit to you that you should embrace it. Own it! It is yours for a reason! Your pain and suffering is NOT FOR YOU! What? You cannot be serious! Oh yes...dead serious.
.jpg)
Once you cross the "threshold of faith" your adversity is now a part of the public domain. It is available for any man or woman to partake of in their quest to be healed or delivered from some unknown affliction or internal struggle. The situation I am describing is a "race to faith"; it is not a sprint but it is a marathon. The high cost associated with "son ship" terrifies many of us:
"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
(Hebrews 12:5-6)
The hard truth in the above scripture is a profound revelation that the overwhelming majority of the "trouble" that comes upon us is orchestrated and allowed by the Lord God...NOT the devil! I know this might be a shock to most Christians to hear that 95% of you will NEVER encounter the devil himself. A lot of bad teaching and poor study habits leave many Christians ignorant to the true source of the adversity in their lives.
This chapter in Hebrews clearly outlines to the reader that it is also SIN and not solely FEAR that is the adversary of FAITH. That's right plain ole SIN. It is the Discipline of God (His testing, trails and probation) that "qualifies" us for Kingdom Citizenship.He gives us the example of Jesus who endured unthinkable hostility from sinners unto death at Calvary and further exhorts us not to become weary or discouraged during our personal trials.
My brothers and sisters, you are giving the devil way too much credit. The majority of you will go your entire lifetime and NEVER encounter him. You have been duped into thinking that you are in the midst of doing something so great in the earth that the devil himself would actually leave the presence of the Trinity in eternity and forfeit his role of accuser to come to your living room on Fulton Street in Brooklyn, NY at midnight just to tempt you with a porno movie. C'mon man, get real!
Since the devil is not omniscient (all knowing); omnipresent (can't be in more than one place at a time) or omnipotent (all-powerful), how can he be accusing you before God in heaven and also be in your living room supposedly "tempting" you at the same time?
No, I say it is the Lord God who takes us through the fire. It is our "choices" (the calamity of free will) that snares us! You see my friend, there are two things about SIN that reign true: 1) we ENJOY IT! and 2) the "FLESH" never forgets! You have not paid the price that Christ paid; in fact, none of have to! We failed miserably in the "I don't need God" area of our lives. Just take a look around. Take a hard look in the mirror. You don't have to travel to Syria or the Congo to see the failure of the human condition.
The Word of God emphatically states that it is the Lord God who chastens, rebukes and scourges us because He loves us in order that He might receive us as SONS!
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
No comments:
Post a Comment