TODAY’S DEVOTION (Sunday 4th October 2020)
“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:12-13 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 276TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF REJOICING
The ultimate vision of God for mankind has been to grant us rest from the days of adversity and from the eternal consequences of the fall. That is one of the major truths that will strike you if you read the Bible with its author by your side.
For instance, you will discover that the nation of Israel functioned in ancient times as God’s prophetic finger to the nations of the earth. The message of the consequence of the fall on the human race and God’s redemptive plan to bring us out, was depicted in the story of their captivity in Egypt and subsequent deliverance.
After bringing them out of Egypt, He struggled with Israel to give them rest from the days of adversity and use them to win the world back to Himself. But their rebellion was not letting things be. But God persisted; you see that happening from the time they settled in the promise land to when they ten tribes were carried away Captive into Babylon, and later wiped away from their land leaving the two tribes.
Yet the two tribes did not turn from their wicked ways. God would still persist, from that time to when they would also be carried away captive.
THE BOOK OF HEBREW PUTS IT THIS WAY;
“Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” Hebrews 4:6-9 NKJV
The scriptures made it clear that rebellion and disobedience prevented Israel from entering into God’s rest. It prevented them under Moses and later under Joshua.
Under Moses they could not withstand the revelation and doctrine that would have given them rest from days of adversity.
Remember what happened at Mount Sinai, when God came down on the mountain to reveal Himself to them. Instead of requesting for grace to hear and see Him, they rejected His glory and requested that Moses alone hear God and speak to them. That was when the idea of a go-between, or the place of an intercessor, was born in GOD’s redemption plan.
It was never God’s original intention for man to speak to another man on His behalf. That is why, speaking to man on God’s behalf will come to an end in the age to come. It will not continue because it was not GOD’s original intent.
God’s plan was to have direct communication with every man.
I have come to discover that the greatest harmony among men is built when all men hear from God directly. There will be so much unity that disagreement will be alien.
The rebellion of Israel and their resistance distorted God’s original communication plan for us. That was why our LORD and saviour Jesus Christ, gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelist, some pastors, and teachers, basically for these chosen men to minister to their fellow men on His behalf.
The root cause of disagreements among us, even believers, is that we are not all hearing from the same source. Many hear from other sources! In simple terms, we are not all hearing from the same GOD. Many hear from other gods.
Come to think of it, if a husband and wife both hear from God directly; they will live in perfect harmony. Oneness will not be something they will struggle with.
THERE WILL BE NO CRISIS IN OUR MARRIAGES.
If a pastor and his members both hear from God directly, the Church will enjoy perfect peace – hearts will be so united that it will be impossible to disagree on anything. God’s perfect plan was for Him to be speaking to each and every one of us individually. Then what He has individually spoken to us will bring us together.
But when Israel saw the glory of GOD that day, and the energy it came with from Heaven, they could not stand. Off course, it’s not easy to stand the glory of a loving GOD, especially when rushing towards us with a great love. It’s like a spouse rushing towards a partner he or she have not seen for a long time.
Do not forget, at that time, GOD had not seen a people like that on the face of the earth for a long time. It had taken Him years to create them. Every other people were idol worshipers. Therefore, as He descended with great glory and love, mount Sinai quaked, Israel could not withstand and it change everything. That was one of the primary reasons why, they could not enter His rest for their lives.
Sometimes it’s better to ask GOD for grace to withstand His presence, even if it is confronting us of our hidden sins, instead of running away.
Also under Joshua, and subsequent spiritual leaders, Israel continued in the same resistance they put under Moses, and ended up losing God’s rest for their lives. They resisted every prophet and judge who attempted to point them to the ways and will of God for their lives, they complained against every instruction and direction from the LORD, and lusted after strange things. They also worshiped other gods, committed sexual immorality, and etc.
Now, the Bible says these things became our example and were written for our admonition. That is why preachers who cut off the Old Testament from their preaching are not helping us at all; they are indeed doing a great work for the devil.
PAUL THE APOSTLE OF GRACE PUT IT THIS WAY;
“Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 NKJV
From the Life of the nation of Israel, we can understand that if you see God rebuking, instructing, chastising, directing, revealing Himself to, or assigning a preacher to a person or people, the vision is to give them rest from the days of adversity, and final deliverance from the consequences of the fall. It is to bring us into His rest for our lives, both in this life and the life to come!
Our devotional text this morning says;
“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
The essence of the Christian life is to cultivate and maintain a walk and talk with God that keeps His commandments and REMAIN TRUE to the faith of our LORD and savior Jesus Christ. That is the patience of the saints. The vision is to give us eternal rest from our labors (sorrows).
That brings us to the revelation of the days of adversity. There are two days of adversity, in the life of a man. There are earthly days of adversity full of earthly sorrows, and there are eternal days of adversity full of eternal sorrows.
GOD WANTS US SAVED FROM BOTH!
However, sometimes He allow us to face earthly days of adversity just to help us escape the eternal days of adversity. That happens when we make up our minds and He gives us the grace to live a life that resists sin, Satan, and the evil systems of this world. And when that happens, you begin to go through a lot in a hostile environment.
Child of God, you cannot live a life that resist sin, Satan, and the evil and corrupt system of this world without spending most or all of your days on earth in adversity. That is why the Bible says;
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:12-14 NKJV
Evil men are the lost among us, while impostors are the false brethren, heretic teachers and false prophets and ministers of the gospel among us. They come like sheep but are inwardly wolves.
Additionally, an evil man is he who twists and perverts the straight ways of the LORD, while an impostor is simply a deceiver. Both classes of men and women have one trait. Some preach a Christ without the cross, and practice a Christianity without the crucified life.
They teach people to escape the pains of saying yes to the Jesus of the Bible, telling them “Jesus suffered for us not to suffer again.” Their doctrine births a Church generation that does not resist sin, Satan, or the evil systems of this world.
Friend, a Child of God who dodges the adversity of staying true to God in this life, has ignorantly accepted the adversity that is reserved for Satan and his angels in the next life. Such a one will consequently lead a Christian life that is in harmony with the will and ways of Sin, Satan, and the evil and corrupt systems of this world.
HE OR SHE WILL SACRIFICE THE ETERNAL ON THE ALTAR OF THE EARTHLY.
A generation that sacrifice the eternal on the altar of the earthly, or seeks the earthly at the expense of the eternal, will never be free from any of the days of adversity outlined in scriptures.
If you know the severity of God, you will realize that it is better to go through any adversity here on earth that will help us to escape the eternal days of adversity in the next life, than to resist it. They that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. That is the message of today’s devotional.
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY;
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV