Walking Circumspectly: Defending the Sovereignty of God for the Blessing and Growth of His people
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The Plucked Chicken
The Plucked Chicken
Lesson of the Plucked Chicken
Lesson of the Plucked Chicken
During those final days of the collapsing Marxist experiment in the Soviet Union, Soviet novelist Chingiz Aitmatov retold the following story, which has been paraphrased here.
On one occasion, so it was narrated, Stalin called for a live chicken and proceeded to use it to make an unforgettable point before some of his henchmen. Forcefully clutching the chicken in one hand, with the other he began to systematically pluck out its feathers. As the chicken struggled in vain to escape, he continued with the painful denuding until the bird was completely stripped. “Now you watch,” Stalin said as he placed the chicken on the floor and walked away with some bread crumbs in his hand. Incredibly, the fear-crazed chicken hobbled toward him and clung to the legs of his trousers. Stalin threw a handful of grain to the bird, and it began to follow him around the room, he turned to his dumbfounded colleagues and said quietly, “This is the way to rule the people. Did you see how that chicken followed me for food, even though I had caused it such torture? People are like that chicken. If you inflict inordinate pain on them they will follow you for food the rest of their lives.”
Ravi Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God, (Word Publ., Dallas: 1994), pp. 26-27
Walking Circumspectly: Thinking
Walking Circumspectly: Thinking
8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:
Christian Education Slide: Learning how to think orderly, and beginning to think discerningly, is the early or beginning stages of our “spiritual” growth. It comes into practice before the maturation of our theology…or… more proper, the order of thought is a first step in theology proper in that all order comes from and points to the Creator God.
:8-
Note: Logic is not “religious rationalism” nor “psychology” which is so prevalent in modern church. While they may all be related, I find throughout history there have been key distinctives even when they do overlap.
Christian Education Slide: Learning to and beginning to think correctly is the early or beginning stages of our “spiritual” growth. It comes into practice before the maturation of our theology…or… more proper, the order of thought is a first step in theology proper in that all order comes from and points to the Creator God.
Here is the difference:
Religious Rationalism is that which is utilized by skeptics and places the reasoning of an individual or “expert” over the Word of God. One would be a skeptic of the word of God if in their estimate it did not seem rational to them and thus, because of that it is not to be trusted. Said another way- the rationalism (or irrationalism) of man determines the truthfulness or reliability of the Word of God. Rationalism says that truth is determined by reason and factual analysis absent from faith (knowledge is God).
Religious Psychology places it’s emphasis on behavior of the mind -it- sets as supreme the patterns or emotional functions of the mind as to the enquiry of reason and truth to an individual experience. Or how an experience effects the rationality of truth to an individual. Psychology says that truth (at least truth to a person) is found in emotion or feeling rooted in that of rational or irrational thought (feeling or experience is God or “the determiner of truth”). Similar to rationalism it places man as the barometer of truth over the Word of God. Rationalism you might think of as more of a scholarly emphasis while psychology may have more of an emotional emphasis.
one could even place here a caution about philosophy.
another thought of caution could be placed in the exercise of “logic” from a view of “religious rationalism” or “religious psychology”
Logic as we have defined is the study of necessary inference or the art of thinking or reasoning justly. If one is to think or reason justly, then there must be a singular just thought or truth from which every other thought ought to be weighed in scale. In this we clarify, that we do not mean logic to be found in the perceived rationalism of man nor the psychological study or experiences of man. If truth is not determined by these then neither can true logic be bound by them.
Logic in this sense is understanding our words and there meaning in order to rightly evaluate the truth of them (our thoughts) in relation to the Word/logos of God (the logic).
Psychology says that truth is found in emotion or feeling rooted in that of rational or irrational thought (feeling is God)
In both religious rationalism and religious psychology - human reason or skepticism seems to trump the Word of God. This ought not to be so. This was the original deception that mans reason could open their eyes too truths beyond or independent of the spoken truths of God.
When we say Logic, we are not speaking of a way of determining truth but of understanding truth. We recognize that the determination of truth does not rest in us, but the freedom of seeking it and discerning it rightly is ours. Logic places emphasis of origination on word over thought. An idea or proposition of one is explained or expressed by a collection of words…wether it be a book, paragraph or sentence; those collections of words are made up of single words. Each word has a meaning that is critical in forming together the entire thought and communicating it successfully. The task then begins by seeking what was communicated or inferred necessarily by what was said.
A key difference in approach is the thought of rationalizing truth within self verse seeking an understanding of truth. The axiom of logic is God Himself. It is The Word of God. Our thinking is balanced or held up to the word of God. Have we used the right words to communicate our thought? Is the conclusion that our premise reach a valid conclusion? Is it true (does it hold up to the Word of God?).
I also emphasize here a decrement in what I am stating. Logic does hold up to reason and rational thought in many regards. The difference is rationalist hold science and reason over the Word of God, while the Christian ought to see that proper order and thought is not absent from God but truly only found in Him. Thus all proper thought acts as a light dividing truth from lie. In other words, our faith, which leads us to study and give reverence to the Word of God, through the Word of God opens our understanding to the good and perfect will of God, that is the blessed logic, reason, or Word of God that has been birthed in God and will be accomplished by God. Faith, founded in the axiom of truth (the Word of God) proves to be the most rational thought of all in the end. Or…allow me to offer, the true faith of God will be proven to be the most rational in reason and psychologically the most blessed of all when the promise of God is complete and faith becomes sight.
Thus, because God is a God of order, and because God has chosen Word to express his order, we ought to recognize and take care to guard the proper handling of His Word.
Sovereignty
Sovereignty
2 I know that thou canst do every thing,
And that no thought can be withholden from thee.
The Question:
3 If the foundations be destroyed,
What can the righteous do?
The foundation that has been being destroyed within the church and thus within society is “the sovereignty of God”
What is meant by that statement (lets define our terms)
Sovereignty refers to Supremacy, Kingship, Godhood. The highest authority. Predominant.
The scope of that sovereignty when referring to God is over all things. In short, it is to say that God is God.
Listen to what Daniel records of Nebuchadnezzar’s confession of God’s soverignty:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Listen to how what the Holy Spirit records from David
Psalm 115:3
3 But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.
or
28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s:
And he is the governor among the nations.
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Here is the confession: Men don’t like to hear this truth that, “God is Sovereign”
People are ok with God being the creator and setting things in place
People are ok with God being upon His throne to receive worship
People are ok with God saving us from “bad things”
But when one expounds the necessary inference of the Sovereignty of God from the axiom of scripture (the Word of God), and reveals God as a God who does as He wills, only as He wills, and always as He wills, and is answerable to no one, then that becomes a hard pill to swallow for many, because it means that we are answerable to Him and not the other way around. It means that our thinking is not built around what we think God should do, but around understanding who God says He is, what God has done, and what He will do.
6 If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?
If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it?
6 If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble?
If a calamity occurs in a city has not the Lord done it?
7 Surely the Lord God does nothing
Unless He reveals His secret counsel
To His servants the prophets.
God does not cause or participate in evil - what He ordains is good, even if it be calamity or the using of it or something that seems as though crushing or bad or COVID-19, or your coming down with COVID-19, then God and His plans remain good. Also, if God ordains that you come down with COVID-19, then no amount of social distancing will prevent it.
God does not cause evil - what He ordains, even if it be calamity or something that seems as though crushing or bad or COVID-19, or your coming down with COVID-19, then God and His plans remain good. Also, if God ordains that you come down with COVID-19, then no amount of social distancing will prevent it.
27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
Simply put: your fate is not in the hands of a virus nor in the hands of a pharmacy, news medias reporting or governments ability to control or attempt to regulate a virus. The virus itself is at the command and service of God.
5 “Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.
As baffling as that may be to grasp... God as the controller of our life has a freeing beauty in the order that it brings, rather than a confining frustration that many assume. God is the Sovereign, and the most wonderful part of this doctrine is that it is not dependent upon our belief to be true.
As baffling as that may be to grasp... God as the controller of our life has a freeing beauty in the order that it brings, rather than a confining frustration that many assume. God is the Sovereign, and the most wonderful part of this doctrine is that it is not dependent upon our belief to be true.
This sovereignty of God is also what demands us to dive deeper in understanding lifes order while the world fears chaos.
The world sees a disease of which they are not familiar, which introduces a fate they are uncertain of, and a fear of something seemingly beyond their control…but the Christian looks to God and finds sactuary, trust, peace and dare I say true health...
13 Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself;
And let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary;
But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel,
For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken,
And be snared, and be taken.
3 When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
4 Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The recompense of God will come,
But He will save you.”
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
Now, for those who say…context, context…so many of those are Old Testament…Yes..but God is the same towards His people and He has never…never regarded it as pleasing, acceptable or proper for His own to fear anyone nor anything but Him…such fear, dread or anxiety is not of His Spirit -
50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
Creator
Creator
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
I intentionally have 2 Timothy last…some versions replace discipline with “sound-mind” I guess fearing discipline to be too harsh of a word. But discipline is correct in the sense that it is correction of the mind or deliverance of the mind from fear. The greek word is sophronismos, it is from sophron, lit. ‘saving the mind’…that is saos (contracted to) or Sos (safe)…or “to save” and phren (the mind). The mind being the seat of reflective consciousness, the faculties of perception, understanding, feeling, judging or determining. God has not in His Word/logic which He has revealed to us, given us a mind when operating properly produces a spirit of fear.
Thus a martyr is made able, but the discipline of the mind…that is the renewing of the mind to be transformed from a most dreadful of human circumstance to a testimony of praise. On the other hand, a civilization absent of the Word/logic of God, trusting in the “experts” is constantly within a thread of hysteria.
However - fearing God alone…somehow (and I can tell you how) by the great revelation of His love - drives away fear and creates within the Divine order of God a sanctuary of peace.
Creator
Creator
Looking at the sovereignty of God moves us to study the history of God or the History that God has given us of Himself. Let us move to the very beginning to help understand why there is a Sovereign.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
In the beginning was the Logos - the word from which we get logic. For man logic is the inquisition after truth or the science of necessary inference. It is the art of understanding the whole of the truth of what is being not simply stated but actually inferred in what has been stated - the meaning of what has been said.
In God logic is the revelation, order or display of that truth which we inquire after. It is the reason or the order of reason, the art, skill, or system of rules of thinking rightly or just. In the beginning was the reason - the order of all things and that reason and order is found with God for it is God, from the very beginning forward, there is nothing that has come nor that comes into being apart from God, apart from His reason, apart from His order, apart from His purpose.
From the very beginning this has been and it shall forever be.
This order, this reason, this will - this logic - this supremacy that is God is where life and the light of men dwells. (vs4)
Now hear this, because this can be missed in your english translation.
The Light (that which the all of light dwells - the order and purpose) shined into the darkness, and the darkness did not katalambano it.
Many of the english renders are “comprehend”. A more accurate word would be “apprehend” or “to lay hold of” as in to posses as ones own or too appropriate. Let me offer to you this rendering:
“and the darkness did not overpower it.”
Now listen:
In the beginning was the reason, the purpose, the will, the logos of God - with God - is God. The illumination of that just thinking, that righteous reason and purpose was not overtaken - it remained in place just as it was in the beginning. This should begin to impact how you read the first three chapters of Genesis.
Now we know that the light was not overtaken, because the light came into the world and dwelt amongst us. That is to say that an enlightenment took place. Though the world did not know Him and His own did not receive Him - He gave to them (as many as there are that do receive) the right to raise up, grow, exist as the children of God. Who are those who receive? It is those who believe. Who are those who believe? It is believers. Every lost sheep who has been recorded in the purposes of God from the beginning who are identified now by their belief in the Sovereignty of God, the light of God, the Word of God, has the right, the leave or permission to grow up, exercise life as the children of God.
So we have now gone from the Sovereignty of God, to the divine unaltered order of God in all things, to the jurisdictional right of all believers to live as the children of God. That is to say, the right of every believer to live with God as their Sovereign. That is a liberating right.
There can only be one sovereign. If its not God then you must ask who is it? Is it the federal government? Is it a king or queen? Is it the health system? Is it your boss?
When we recognize the Sovereign as God, then we go to the creator to find the order and the jurisdictional purposes for all creation. When we recognize the one true Sovereign as God then we are guarded against the tyranny of evil men. But when we forget the sovereignty of God, then our own jurisdictional freedom, our own right to grow as the children of God, our own right to be the lord of our own bodies is surrendered to the unjust will of another.
It is with this foundation that I offer to you that God has given the church community the wisdom of how to deal with illness.
It is with this foundation that I offer to you that God has called the church not to forsake the gathering and that now government power for whatever purpose has the right nor should they have the arrogance to call the church to do such. We have the right to live as the children of God not the chains to live as fearful of man.
21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Listen…with the stress that is happening right now all around us and as the day draws near, and all around you congregations are moving away from gathering, I remind you that the word of God says to gather all the more or even more greatly as in the encouragement of the brethren is going to be even more greatly needed to bring calmness to your soul.
This isn’t saying that you live ignorant of illness. It is saying that you recognize who is Sovereign over every circumstance and situation. This isn’t saying that we be foolish and try to get sick…nor is it saying that the well live as though they are sick.
Are you sick and thus unable to make it to the gathering?
14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
James 5:
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
I want you to notice something - the world is pushing us towards isolation and fear, but God in His divine order calls us to help carry each others burdens to speak the faithfulness of Christ to one another, the covering of Christ over the sins of the believer and the sovereignty of God over all illness. The world says fear and danger in illness, God says comfort and peace.
(Did you know that one of the worst things for your health is stress, anxiety, fear…it has devastating physical ramifications)
I want you to notice something - the world is pushing us towards isolation, but God in His divine order calls us to help carry each others burdens.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
And what of the well? Does the God who is the reason for all, the creator of the order of all, who calls His children to gather give order to their gathering? What ought to be the instrument utilized to raise up the children of God? Is it the innovations of society? Is it the motivational speaches, self-help, light shows and musical preformances? What about wise strategies of a church council or new online abilities? What about charitable endevors to rally everyone?
(I’m not attacking these things - i’m just asking who defines the church gathering, who has authority to call it off and what is used in it to grow up the children of God?)…we have to be willing to logically reason through this given God is Soveriegn and He has instructed us through His Word and the wisdom of man cannot know the things of God but that God reveals it to man.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Not only this, but I wonder how much the disreguard of the Soverignty of God in all of life and its recognition in the lives of the believers is connected to the lockdown, issolation, fear and sickness that we are battleing today. Whatever may be the case, know this:
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
3 John 1:204
No, we do not live foolishly and put the Lord our God to a test, but we do live circumspectly and in Sovereignty of God find our rest.
Let me close with this that we learn from observing the life and work of Christ our Lord...
As we walk by the will of the Father,
We need not dread the fear of another.
Whether war, disease or famine,
Turn your eyes to His Word and examine...
In the divine will of the Father -
You in Christ have overcome the wilderness - the pain of isolation, hunger and the snare of the devil,
with only the earth for your bed...
You in Christ have walked amongst the lepers contagion and healed the human un-kown,
You in Christ have fed the thousands with far too few supplies
and survived the rejection of the masses
stood your ground against the powerful
spoken truth boldly when needed and stood confident in silence.
You have overcome death in Christ, leaving nothing further to fear
You have arisen in His resurrection - now indwelt by His Spirit - to the Father you boldly draw near!
Love not fear is your proclamation
Life not death is your destination
So arise my brethren - Awake dear children - trace back your salvation - know your certain redemption
The darkness of a season cannot cover the light of God’s reason
Jesus Christ our Lord - the remedy of every season.