CHAPTER 8. JEW & GENTILE.

CHAPTER EIGHT 

JEWS AND GENTILES.

Is there any weightier topic in the scriptures than Jews and gentiles, barring very God Himself and all that He is in the revelation of Himself to mankind? This topic of Jew and gentile demands our attention now more so than ever. By the definition of Jew and gentile, I mean those gentiles who have repented and turned from their wilful ways and are become the people of God by faith in the Messiah. The Jews, i.e. Israel, have always been the people of God, a truth so very much forgotten by gentile believers, albeit, Jews need to repent also and receive their Messiah.  The gentiles who have come to repentance are the people of God by virtue of their being in relationship with Israel’s Messiah, thus forming the people of God. The entity commonly known as the church, which comprises of Jew and gentile is not an entity unto itself but is a part of the whole people of God. One of the representations in scripture of gentile believers is that of a wild olive branch being engrafted into the natural olive tree which is Israel.

 The Greek word ekklesia that is translated into our English language as church actually means an assembly or gathering of citizens or people for any purpose be it customary, social, political or religious reasons. In the spiritual sense it has reference to the gathering or assembling of all God’s people, either globally or locally to worship the one true God of heaven and earth. There is only One Way to the Father and that through His only begotten Son for Jew and gentile alike, no exceptions whatsoever.

Much injustice has been done regarding Israel and their relationship with the church by the church and vice a versa. Both entities are a nation to God in their own peculiar way by the sovereign choice of God. Israel is a nation unto God even as the church is a nation unto God, a people peculiarly His own. His divine intent is that the two become one, so being one nation unto Him, a nation of priestly people to bless all the nations of the earth, this being the divine intention from the very foundation of the world.

There is a unity implied and expected from the relationship of Israel and the church that has long been a stumbling block to both. I am persuaded to believe that the enemy of both for reasons we must know threw this stumbling block there. If the church and Israel were to walk in this unity, it would cause principalities and powers to crumble and be shaken out of their place. The church and Israel are both part of the same structure that is being fashioned and formed together for a habitation, a fixed abode for God in His fullness. See Eph. 2: 11 - 22

In dealing with this matter of Israel and the church, we will look at the unity implied and expected between the two. Two books that are an essential reference point for our understanding are the book of Ephesians, where the relationship between the two is expounded in depth; and the book of Romans where we understand that unbelieving Jews, i.e. those Jews who refuse to trust in the Messiah are replaced by the believing gentile and by the same token God is not finished with the Jew.

Let us start with Paul’s letter to the saints at Ephesus.

“Before the foundation of the world, God chose us to be in the Messiah to be separated and blameless in love. To be His own children through the Messiah Yeshua according to His own will and purpose”. (Ephesians 1 verses 4 – 5)

Paul goes straight to the issue of us. Who is the ‘us’ he is referring to? Reading the whole context of this issue, he is referring to Jews and gentiles who are chosen to be the people of God in the Messiah and shows the timing of His purpose, before the foundation of the world, which purpose is a mystery that has now been unveiled and is recorded for us who believe. It must come however, as a revelation or else we will read it and not perceive it, it will remain as an unveiled mystery to us. Remember that the divisions of chapters and verses are not in the original text; it is one continuous discourse.

“He has made known to us the mystery of His purpose according to His own good pleasure which God purposed in the Messiah being this, that He would gather together all things in heaven and earth into the Messiah when the time was ripe for it”.  (Ephesians 1 verses 9 – 10)

Can you not sense the eternal weight of God’s glorious purpose here revealed and penned by the apostle Paul? This gathering together of all things is inclusive of Jew and gentile into the Messiah where God’s purposes are realised. This is foundational truth, i.e. apostolic and prophetic truth we are reading even from the foundation of the world.

“Therefore, remember your former state: you gentiles by birth, called uncircumcision by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called circumcision, at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Israel. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God. But now, you (the gentiles) who were once far off have been brought near through the shedding of Messiah’s blood. For He Himself is our peace, He has made us both one and has broken down the wall that divided us by destroying in His own body the enmity occasioned by the law, with its commands set forth in the form of ordinances. He did this in order to create in Himself one new man out of Jew and gentile thus making peace. Also to reconcile to God both Jew and gentile in one body by being put to death on the cross as a criminal, thus destroying the enmity thereby. Also, when He came, He proclaimed as good news, peace to you who were afar off and peace to those who were nearby. The news was that through the Messiah both Jew and gentile have access by one Spirit to the Father. So then, you gentiles are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow – citizens with the Jews as God’s people and members of God’s family. You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets; the Messiah Himself is the cornerstone of the building. In union with Him, the whole building of Jew and gentile is held together and is growing up into a holy temple, yes in union with Him you yourselves are being built up as a fixed dwelling place for God”. (Ephesians 2 verses 11 – 22)

These passages just quoted and hopefully read by you the reader say it all. The revelation content here, expresses the very heartbeat of God Himself. I have highlighted essential points to bring out the weight of this revelation given to Paul and also to us. When the appointed time was right, God sent forth His Son born of a virgin to redeem the world from sin. In doing thus, He also came to put away the enmity between Jew and gentile and out of the two, make one new man to be a holy habitation of God. This He purposed before the foundation of the world for the praise of His own glory.

Although a Jew, when he repents and acknowledges the Messiah is made a member of the body of believers commonly known as the church, it is more so the case of a gentile when he repents and acknowledges the Messiah that he is made a partaker of the national life of Israel. He is born into the family of God, which already exists. It is the nature of the case that a gentile when he believes in the Messiah, he is made a partaker of the covenants and promises of Israel. A straight forward reading of Ephesians openly declares this to be so.

Dead in trespasses and sins, in the world without God, without hope, under the sway and control of the ruler of the power of the air and destined for the wrath of God. These are descriptions that apply to gentile unbelievers and for non-believing Jews for that matter. Yet, when one is convicted by the Holy Spirit of God and repents, turning from his/her wicked ways they are translated out of darkness into light. They become sharers of the covenants and promises of the national life of Israel by virtue of the shed blood of the Messiah.

Chapter three of Ephesians continues thus,

“Because of this very thing, I, Paul am a prisoner on behalf of you the gentiles. I believe you have heard of the grace of God given to me for the work to be done for your benefit and that it was by revelation that this mystery was made known to me. I have written about this already briefly and after reading what I have written, you will grasp how I understand the mystery concerning the Messiah. The Spirit is now revealing this to the apostles and prophets unlike past generations when it was not known, that in union with the Messiah by the good news, the gentiles are to be made joint heirs in one body being joint sharers with the Jews in what God had promised. I became a servant of this very good news by the grace of God, which He empowered me with by His power. To me then who am the least important of all God’s holy people was this honour given of announcing to the gentiles, the good news of the Messiah’s unfathomable riches and how this mystery was going to be worked out. This plan that was kept hidden for ages by God creator of everything is in order that now to principalities and powers in heavenly places, the church (i.e. those who are called out of the world Jew and gentile alike) might demonstrate the wisdom of God. This is in accordance with the age old purpose of God that is accomplished in the Messiah Yeshua our Lord”. (Ephesians 3 verses 1 – 11)

Because of this very thing as Paul writes, is the revelation of the mystery of Jew and gentile being formed into one body in the Messiah. This revelation did not bode well with the many in Paul’s day and ironically nor has it for generations after, even until now. Who do you think might be responsible for the enmity that has arisen amongst the two? If only we knew the depths of this eternal purpose of God in the Messiah, we would also know that our archenemy has sort to destroy this knowledge by perversions and lies. The Greek word ekklesia, where we derive our English word church, as primary meaning in a Christian sense is reference to a body of people called out of something unto God and encompasses Jew and gentile alike. The term church often conjures up thoughts of gentile believers only, which is a serious detraction from the actual truth. Once again, Jews are the people of God even as believing gentiles are also and there is only one appointed medium by which either can enter the kingdom of God, which is Yeshua the Messiah. This mystery came to Paul by divine revelation and will remain a mystery only to those who do not have eyes to see or ears to hear. It is the will of God that we, the whole body of believers, perceive by revelation this same mystery. Whether that revelation comes by reading the scriptures, being the most likely case, or by direct impartation is irrelevant, but it needs to come. And unless it comes we will continue in a measure of blindness that will keep us from the eternal purposes of God in the Messiah.

There is a relationship that presently exists between Jew and gentile that if the veil were taken off our hearts, it would revolutionise our whole thought process and manner of life. I say if the veil were taken off our hearts for two reasons: 1) In a very real sense we are in darkness because the Holy One of Israel has allowed it to be so because of our, Jew and gentile hardness of heart and as an open reading of the book of Romans so declares, particularly chapters nine to eleven.

2) The enemy has blinded our eyes that we may not see the truth of relationship revealed by the Holy Spirit of God in the scriptures. 

I believe that soon the veil will be removed, yet to a small degree it is already being drawn back and the revelation of this relationship is being seen for what it is. The depth of true understanding will come into effect, “what God has joined together, let no man separate”. There are types and foreshadowings in scripture that convey a deeper meaning than we have anticipated, because our understanding is limited. The mystery of relationship that is alluded to by Paul in Ephesians between husband and wife is a conveying of spiritual truth to describe in human terms the relationship between the church i.e. the people of God, that is, Jew and gentile and their Head, namely the Messiah of God. Paul’s prayer to the Ephesian believers being granted a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the intimate knowledge of God needs to be our prayer. See Ephesians 1 verse 17.

We need to see as God sees, that is true seeing. Jew and gentile are to be fashioned into one single body for His own glory and honour. The fact that God first chose the Hebrews through Abraham and through them chose for Himself a number of gentiles who would believe in Him through His Son, was His divine and sovereign prerogative. Who are we to question that? O, the depths, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

We turn now to the book of Romans, reading chapters nine to eleven. The written revelation of God concerning the relationship between Jew and gentile is well noted here. Space does not allow us here to quote all three chapters. I would like to make a comment before going into these chapters. There are certain sectors of gentile believers that teach God has done away with the Jews (Israel) in favour of the gentile church, commonly known as replacement theology. These proponents of this teaching spiritualize direct references to Israel for the church because they believe the church has replaced Israel in the purposes of God. While it is true that God rejected Israel because of their continued rebellion and rejection of Him, His rejection of Israel was not to be forever. There would come a time that God would once again turn to His people Israel and they would return to Him and of the whole, only a remnant would be saved. How much longer the gentile world has before their allocation of those to be redeemed from it is completed; only God knows, yet it is soon, then salvation will return to the Jews. After all, salvation is of and from the Jews. See John 4 verse 22.

This is not to say that Jews do not get saved before the full ingathering of the gentiles has come in. If any Jew repents, as is the requirement of God through His Son, Yeshua, he shall be saved indeed. I do believe that it will become apparent to Jews that their need for the Messiah of God will become greater in these last days, until that day in which en masse they will repent bitterly, in acknowledgement at the sight of Him with Whom we have to do. Not all of Israel will be saved; the One who calls them knows only a remnant and the number of them.

“The Lord is not slack concerning the thing He promises as some consider slackness, but is long - suffering towards us not wanting anybody to perish, but that all will come to repentance”.  (2 Peter 3 verse 9)

The sad state of affairs is, as we all know that this is not the case. Men reject God’s free gift of salvation willingly, choosing rather to live a life of sin than live a life of righteousness by His Son Yeshua. As equally as God is not willing that any perish, even so those who refuse to trust in Him for life will incur His everlasting wrath in the fires of hell. Is it any wonder then that we are exhorted not to refuse Him who speaks from heaven, as the writer of the book of Hebrews declares?

“So see to it that you do not reject Him or refuse to listen to and heed Him Who is speaking to you now. For if they (the Israelites) did not escape when they refused to listen and heed Him Who warned and divinely instructed them here on earth – revealing with heavenly warnings His will – how much less shall we escape if we reject and turn our backs on Him Who cautions and admonishes us from heaven”?  (Heb. 12 verse 25)

There will be no room for excuses from either Jew or gentile in that day, none whatsoever. The Most High God will require of all men, women and children irrespective of colour or creed why they have conducted themselves in the manner they have and judgement will be meted out accordingly.

I trust that you have read the book of Romans and in particular chapters nine to twelve, if not then do so now before continuing as it will be essential and central to our understanding of the relationship between Jew and gentile. In the first three verses of chapter nine, Paul speaks about the anguish of heart he experienced over his natural kinsmen, in fact his bitter grief, wishing that he would be cut off instead of them from their Messiah. He goes on to say,

“To them belong the adoption, the Shekinah (glorious presence) is theirs, the covenants were made with them and the Torah (law) was given to them. The temple service and worship and God’s own promises are all theirs. To them belong the patriarchs and as far as His natural descent is concerned came the Messiah who is over all. Praised be God forever”.  (Romans 9 verse 4)

What has God not given to Israel? They have inherited all of God’s goodness, which is covenant indeed. Even the very Messiah of God Himself is theirs, what more could they ask for. Yet they rebelled time and again, playing the harlot, finding refuge in other nations running after false gods instead of God Himself. How would we fare if we were in the Sovereign Lord’s position? Perhaps we would zap them or wipe out the whole nation of miserable, rebellious Jews. Indeed there were occasions that God’s anger was kindled against His people in fierceness and many were destroyed but His mercy was still upon them.

“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then His mercy does not depend on human will but on God who has mercy”.  (Romans 9 verses 15 – 16)

If He has mercy on whoever he wills, then He also hardens whosoever He wills, as verse 18 declares,

“So then He has mercy on whomever he wills and he hardens, makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of whomever He wills”.

Verse 14 says,

“What shall we conclude then? Is there injustice upon God’s part? Certainly not!

Verse 20 – 21 says,

“Who are you a mere man, that criticises and answers back to God? Will the thing that is formed say to him that formed it, why have you made me like this? Has not the potter any right over the clay, to make out of the one mass, a vessel for honourable use and another for dishonourable use”?

If God has hardened the hearts of the Jews so that gentiles might be saved and made partakers of the covenants and promises of Israel, then the gentiles should rejoice at the mercy of God and not be jealous when God turns again to Israel that some of them might be saved and grafted back in. God’s turning from Israel to the gentiles is not indicative of His eternal rejection of the Jew. It was a momentary lapse in standing. The time frame when God turned away from Israel to the gentiles and turns once again to Israel, to us may be a long time, yet not in God’s sight; it is but a fleeting moment. That moment is most certainly nearer than many of us realise. The Holy One of Israel will once again turn to show mercy to the nation of Israel by the instrument of His own choosing, namely believing gentiles, who will demonstrate the mercy of God toward them.

“So I ask, have they (the Jews) stumbled and fallen to their own ruin? Absolutely not! Through their false step, salvation has come to the gentiles, so as to stir up Israel, showing them what they have missed in order to make them jealous. Now if their stumbling has enriched the world and their failure means riches for the gentiles, then what will be their (the Jews) reinstatement”?  (Romans 11 verses 11 – 12)

To stir up Israel to jealousy is going to take more than a bear hug or a declaration that we love you. It will require the very laying down of our lives and a being one with them in their persecution. They will have to see the very Life of God being demonstrated by a people who were not His people but now are because of God’s mercy. They will have to see what they have missed in order to be made jealous. This will by no means be a casual demonstration on the part of believing gentiles, the church.

“I ask then, has God totally rejected and disowned His people? Of course not”…   (Romans 11 verse 1a)

“No, God has not rejected and disowned His people whose destiny He marked out and appointed from the beginning”…  (Romans 11 verse 2a)

“What then shall we conclude? Israel failed to obtain what it sought, only the elect obtained it, while the rest of them became indifferent and were blinded. As it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, that has continued right down to this very day. David says, let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and retribution upon them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see and make them bend their back forever”.  (Romans 11 verses 7 – 10)

Why is Paul speaking thus? He wants us to perceive the same revelation of the mystery that was given to him from the Lord Himself. It must be a revelation to us also; else we will not see the glorious intent of God concerning Jew and gentile. When we consider gentile believers, we see them in context with Jewish believers and visa versa, they are not separate from each other, they are made one in the Messiah and that one will bless all the nations of the earth.

“In the hope of making my fellow Jews jealous to stir them up, thus managing to save some of them. For if their rejection from the benefits of salvation were overruled for the reconciliation of the world to God, what would their acceptance mean? Nothing short of life from the dead”!  (Romans 11 verses 14 – 15)

To stir up the Jews to jealousy is going to be an ominous task, one which gentile believers as a whole, are ill prepared for. What kind of requirement is it going to take on our part to do such a thing as that? It will take nothing less than a profound demonstration of love and mercy shown by gentile believers even to the point of laying down their own lives. Herein is the mercy and kindness of God revealed; Israel hardened their heart at the choosing of God, salvation has now come to the gentiles, a people who were not seeking Him were found by Him having accepted the free gift offered to them by Him who in turn makes Israel jealous by the mercy shown to them by the same believing gentiles. What great mercy is this? What wisdom, which wisdom transcends anything that man may offer, God in His foreknowledge chose at an appointed time to reveal the mystery that was hidden but now is made known. Halleluyah!! Gentile believers are made one with Jewish believers in the Messiah Yeshua to manifest His glory in the earth.

“Now if the handful of dough offered as the first fruits is holy, so is the whole mass and if the root is holy so are the branches”.  (Romans 11 verse 16)

This transcends anything imaginable, what glorious intent from the council of God. One can only conclude even as is written,

“O the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and how untraceable are His ways”. (Romans 11 verse 33)

The need to grasp by revelation this mystery of Jew and gentile being formed into one body must be received by us from the Spirit of Truth, who is the revealer of Truth knowing that the God of Truth, is willing to reveal it. Are we willing to receive it?

“But if some of the branches were broken off, while you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share the richness of the root of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches and pride yourself at their expense. If you do boast, remember it is not you who support the root but the root that supports you”.  (Romans 11 verses 17 – 18)

A guard against any form of pride in our hearts for those who may feel superior to the natural branches, is to humble ourselves in acknowledgement of the plan of God. This says what it means and means what it says. It is the root that supports you, not you the root.

“You will say then, branches were broken off that I might be grafted in! That is true. But they were broken off because of their unbelief and you stand fast because you do believe. So do not become proud or conceited, but rather stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches because of unbelief, neither will He spare you if you are guilty of the same offence. Then note and appreciate the gracious kindness and severity of God; severity towards those who have fallen, but God’s gracious kindness to you, that is provided you continue in His grace; otherwise you too will be cut off. And even those others, if they do not persist in their unbelief will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and against nature grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much easier will it be to graft these natural branches back on their own olive tree. Lest you be self – opinionated, I do not want you to miss this hidden truth and mystery brethren: a hardening has temporarily befallen a part of Israel to last until the full number of the ingathering of the gentiles has come in and so shall all Israel be saved…”   (Romans 11 verse 19)

I have had the privilege of seeing a wild olive tree that has been grafted in onto a natural olive tree and all I can tell you is, I was moved deeply beyond myself to see that relationship in the Spirit, of Jew and gentile, the intensity of the moment has left an indelible print in my understanding that will remain forever. At the expense of sounding repetitive, we must grasp this relationship as the Holy Spirit of God reveals it. If it were left to us, would we have penned this as pointedly as Paul did? No mincing words here, if unbelief is found in our hearts, we are in danger of being cut off even as those who refused to continue in trust towards the Lord. What is it about unbelief that offends the heart of God so, that He would allow His servant to speak thus?

“But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”.  (Heb.11 verse 6)

“But the just shall live by faith and if he draws back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him”.  (Heb. 10 verse 38)

Our entire relationship with God is based upon faith; we believe that He is. Have any of us seen God at any time? God is Spirit, yet He invites us to believe in Him and follow after Him just believing that He is. This whole mystery of Jew and gentile needs to be grasped by faith, without which we cannot please God. Believing gentiles need to be careful not to become arrogant in that they feel superior to the Jews, because God’s purpose for the remnant of the Jews to be saved will come to pass, they will be grafted back in and so fulfil the eternal purposes of God. He will have a people, Jew and gentile formed into one body, who will demonstrate the very Life and Wisdom of God as witness in this earth to principalities and powers. It shall be so.

The fullness of the ingathering of the gentiles.

When something is full, it means no more can be added. There are an allocated number of gentiles who would come to believe in the Messiah of God and then God would turn once again to Israel and so a remnant will be saved. Can gentiles who have come to believe begin to acknowledge the mercy and kindness of God, in that they are made partakers of the blessings of the natural olive tree, they are engrafted into it by virtue of His mercy? There is no room for boasting as is the case amongst quite a number of believing gentiles. The time of the full number of the ingathering of the gentiles is just about on us.

“Lest you be self opinionated – wise in your own conceits – I do not want you to miss this hidden truth and mystery brethren, a hardening, insensibility has temporarily befallen a part of Israel to last until the full number of the ingathering of the gentiles has come in”.

(Romans 11 verse 25)

Just how great is the mercy of God toward all men; we who are gentiles have obtained mercy through their (Israel’s) disobedience and so are made partakers of the kingdom of God. His calling upon Israel to be a priestly nation to bless all the nations of the earth remains as part of His glorious intention. Gentiles who have come to believe in the Messiah are joined with Israel in one body to fulfil the same calling. No other nation on the face of this earth has been chosen to fulfil this save these two being fashioned into one. To Him be glory both now and ever more.

CHAPTER 7. GREAT DECEPTION.

CHAPTER SEVEN 

GREAT DECEPTION. 

The days we are living in are days that are marked with great deception in the world and even more pointedly so, amongst the corporate body of believers. That is not to say that deception is only prevalent now and never then, but that it is on the increase in greater measure now than before. The closing of this present age is inundated with seduction to deception of the most devious kind and many will there be who will be caught up in it. Why? Because they have not loved the Truth or the love of the Truth is not in them, because they have allowed their hearts to grow cold, because they have not been watching and praying.

“Be careful that no one misleads you – deceiving you and leading you into error. For many will come in my name saying, I am the Messiah and will lead many astray”.  (Matthew 24 verses 4 – 5)

Many have been led astray and many will continue to be so.The nature or essence of deception is like this, the element of light is involved. To be led astray implies that, you have had at some point in time believed some measure of truth and light to which you adhered to. The devil is not shaken in any degree about our feeble attempts to study the scriptures and ‘know the truth’, if we are never arriving at the truth. When we come to know the truth, in truth, we are set free from the snares of the father of lies and he trembles. The devil is the master deceiver, trickery and lies are his ballpark, and he calls the shots when we play his game. The same purity that was in the Lord here on earth needs to be in us.

“I will not talk with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming and he has nothing in Me that belongs to him”.  (John 14 verse 30)

One of the chief reasons we are deceived is because there are hidden areas of rebellion in our hearts that we refuse to let go of and submit them to the Lord. The enemy recognises this and works against our commitment to the Lord with lies and deceit until we have opened wide the door to his activity of destruction in our lives. For this very reason we need to be on our guard, watching, being aware of the onslaughts of the enemy. It cannot be stressed enough, we are living at the time of the end; the culmination of all things is at hand. Satan’s strategic attempts at increased deception are having great effect. Many believers are being duped into his lies. The level of deception will increase and we will see deception like no other time in the history of mankind. Let us look at varying scriptures to aid us with this reality.

“The coming of the lawless one is through the working of satan, being attended by great power with all kinds of deceptive miracles, themselves being deceitful. Those who have no desire for the Truth so as to be saved will be deceived and perish along with the rest. This is so because God sends delusion upon them to believe the false thing, in order that they may all be judged who refused to believe the Truth but instead chose wickedness”.  (2 Thessalonians 2 verses 9 – 12)

This in itself speaks volumes. If we are not seeking Truth as it is found in Christ, then just what are we seeking? Are we to seek Truth and not arrive at it? That is to say, we must walk in it and appropriate it as part of our lives. How do we keep satan from getting the advantage over us? By not being ignorant of his intentions and schemes.  See second Corinthians 2 verse 11.

“Such are counterfeit apostles, deceitful workers masquerading as true apostles of the Messiah. No wonder, satan himself masquerades as an angel of light, so do not be surprised if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, yet their end will be just what they deserve”.  (2 Corinthians 11 verses 13 – 15)

To masquerade is to put on a disguise, to pretend. It has the idea of wearing a mask so as not to be identified. This is precisely what the enemy does and he does so, so very clandestinely, so as not to be uncovered. If we are not watching or we are nonchalant about deception, we can and will be deceived. The stratagems of the deceiver are not casual by any means, he wants to see us hood winked into believing a lie so that our faith is destroyed and we turn our backs on the living God. There is a real spiritual war going on out there between light and darkness and it is getting more intense as we near the end of this age.

In what ways can the devil get us into bondage? If he were to attack us full on without disguise, then we would probably resist his onslaughts. This is not to give undue glory and power to the prince of darkness. He is the father of lies, the seducer and deceiver of the brethren. The truth is, he comes disguised in ‘christian garb’ even using the correct terminology and so ensnares the unsuspecting believer. Even those who are strong in faith can be overcome by deceit. History shows how even strong leaders have been duped into believing a lie and so fall into sin. 

Herein is a call to close fellowship amongst the body of Messiah, holding fast to our Head. We are believers together in one body and not by ourselves. The church needs each other now more so than ever before. How deeply, the body of the Christ needs to grasp this truth. It is far more necessary now than when we first believed. We, as God’s people are in this together; we are not each other’s enemies though we treat each other like that.

“Hear the word of the Lord church, cast aside your pride and arrogance from amongst yourselves, you are all placed into one body by one Spirit, with one Head over all. The enemy comes against you like a flood and will engulf many if you are not holding fast to your Head in truth thinking more highly of others than yourselves. Give up the mistaken tone of distrust amongst yourselves and serve one another in love and humility”.

“Brethren, take heed, that there is not one amongst you with a heart of unbelief that causes any one to turn away from following the living God. Instead, on a daily basis, as long as it is called today, you should encourage one another, so that none of you become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin”.  (Hebrews 3 verses 12 – 13)

On a daily basis, how many of us would or do baulk at that? We struggle when the meeting goes over an hour. If we think that one or maybe two hours of ‘fellowship’ on a Sunday, with a midweek meeting is going to suffice and keep us from the trouble that lies ahead, think again. Amongst other reasons, the early church endured persecution because they were meeting from house to house daily; they were in constant daily fellowship with each other encouraging one another, they were being strengthened in the faith.

Read the book of Acts dear saints, over and over again. It is not there for mere reading pleasure; it is there that we might learn from what is written. We upon whom the end of the age has come. Our relationships with other members of the body of Messiah need to be developed beyond the superficial and casual thing we are so accustomed to. As members of one body we are going to need each other as never before, our suspicions concerning each other must fall by the way side and we must walk with each other as God intended. 

Leaven and pride.

Leaven in the scriptures at times refers to sin Other times it refers to false teaching. In order to deceive, the devil will present a lie as if it were the truth. Believe it saints, the devil is the master deceiver, liar and trickster, that is who he is. 

“A little leaven (a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers) leavens the whole lump (perverts the whole conception of faith, or misleads the whole church)”.  (Galatians 5 verse 9) 

Just how much is a little? I don’t know, but a little is already too much. A slight inclination to error or a few false teachers will permeate through the whole; it will leaven the whole lump. Once the leaven has been mixed with the dough, the whole lump of dough will rise, that is to say; error will have worked its way through the whole church. There is not one facet of the entire church today that is not free from error, either blatant or inherited. God have mercy on us and expose error for what it is, a lie of the devil to side track us from wholehearted devotion to God.

We need to understand the element of truth in deception; our eyes need to be opened to this. Wolves dressed in sheep's clothing have become so prevalent in the church today. Their dressing up is such that, they have pulled the wool over the eyes of many believers. It has been stated by one brother before that, “95% of the church’s activity would continue were the Holy Spirit taken out of the way”. That does not say much about the church’s activity does it? How many false teachers and false prophets are in the church today; what influence do they have? What about the church’s activity; who has inspired it?

“The Holy Spirit clearly says that in the last times, some will desert the faith because they choose to be deceived by deceitful spirits and listen to teachings taught by demons”.  (1 Timothy 4 verse 1)

Does this not astound and cause alarm in any degree to us? This is talking about believers in the Messiah who desert the faith, choosing to listen to deceiving spirits. What is at the heart of this desertion of the faith? What is the root cause of it?  We all too often deal with the fruit, the symptoms of a problem. It is my own conviction to believe that pride is the root cause. The root of pride is deep seated in the heart and all it takes is something to set it off i.e. a lie of the devil and it grows and brings forth its fruit, which is rebellion. This in turn causes that one to act hypocritically. Pride and rebellion are one side and arrogance and hypocrisy are the other side of the same coin.

What causes a ‘christian’ man or woman to commit adultery? This same root of pride and rebellion and arrogance and hypocrisy! It is not something that just happens. The thought was born and entertained in the heart and mind and left there, until it brought forth its fruit. Pride, in any form, is an abomination to God. 

“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall”.  (Proverbs 16 verse 18)

What is false?

What is a false prophet or false teacher or any false thing for that matter? What constitutes that one to falsehood? Let us look at a dictionary definition. False – not right, true or real. Act wrongly, based on wrong ideas. It means to be deceptive or to lie, not genuine, a sham, artificial, to cheat or betray.

To be a false prophet does not merely mean that you prophesy and it does not come to pass; that element is involved but it is more than that. Can you imagine if the requirements of God upon false prophets were still relevant today? We would have a lot of stoned to death prophets, wouldn’t you say! In the book of Deuteronomy chapter thirteen it records this to be so. Deuteronomy eighteen has a slightly different angle although death is still involved,

“ The prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, how shall we know which words the Lord has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or prove to be true, then that is the word which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him”.  (Deuteronomy 18 verses 20 – 22)

The prophet Jeremiah says similar things.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They teach you vanity and fill you with vain hopes; they speak a vision of their own minds, and not from the mouth of the Lord”. “I did not send these prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied”.  (Jeremiah 23 verses 16 and 21)

The prophet who speaks and continues to speak his own dreams, visions and words as if it were the Lord’s, is well on the way to becoming a false prophet. To be false has the idea of acting or being different to what one really is, to behave contrary to principles believed in. To be a false prophet or false leader or even a false believer would be well defined within those lines. To be false can be two fold. You can be false from the start or you can be true from the start but become false as time goes on. It is this second option that is of greater concern here.

Is there a pattern to look for in becoming false from this viewpoint? It looks something like this. From the very beginning the root of pride is there, deep seated in the heart. As time goes on, thoughts arise due to things we have seen or heard, said and done. If not confessed and repented of, they begin to grow from the seed stage and if still not dealt with even by promptings from the Holy Spirit to confess and turn away from; they bring forth fruit that becomes evident to all. We need to continuously search, scrutinise and examine our own hearts and minds to see if we are abiding in the faith. (See 2 Corinthians 13 verse 5)

The prophet Ezekiel has strong words to say also. See Ezekiel 13. " Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their OWN mind and heart, hear the word of the Lord". ( verse 1) Not only were there false prophets in those days, but, very much so in our day. Perhaps, even more so today. 

The scriptures speak of a great falling away from the faith, known as apostasy. An apostate is one who believed in God but now no longer does and remains in a state of unbelief. Many will desert from the one true faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons that are taught by the instrumentality of humans.in the last days. There will be a great increase in lawlessness and deception that results in the love of many growing cold.

“There were false prophets amongst the people before, even so there will be false teachers amongst you now. They will secretly introduce dangerous heresies and even deny the Lord that bought them; they will bring destruction upon themselves. Even so many will follow after their immoral ways, because of their account the way of truth will be maligned”.

(2 Peter 2 verses 1 – 2)

The Lord Jesus says things as a matter of fact and identifies how we can distinguish those of a false nature. Fruit is the product of a tree that brings forth after the same kind of seed that has been planted. In other words, the root produces the fruit be it good or bad. If the root of your heart is righteous then good fruit will be produced, if the root is wicked so shall be the fruit of your heart. If you plant a seed today, it will require some time for the fruit to be seen. This we need to understand because in the interim of growth, the false one may seem to be real until his fruit is manifested. This is where the discerning of spirits is required. Generally, you have a sense of witness about others who may or may not be fellow saints with you in the corporate body of believers.

“You will know them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorn trees, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad trees bear bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore you will know them by their fruit”.  (Matthew 7 verses 16 – 20)

In closing this chapter, I present to you the reader, three things the Lord spoke to me at the beginning of 1995 that would come to pass based upon the scriptures.

1.   THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH WILL LEAD INTO ALL TRUTH THOSE WHO DESIRE THE TRUTH. The inference being, where there is no desire for the truth you will be lead into error. Read John 16:13 and Psalm 51:6. 2 Thessalonians 2 verses 10 – 12.

2.   THE ERA OF THOSE WHO CALL LORD, LORD IS NOW INTENSIFIED. NOT ALL WHO CALL LORD, LORD WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT ONLY THEY WHO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. The comment on, 95% of the church’s activity continuing if the Holy Spirit were taken out the way, says a lot towards this. There is coming soon a falling away from the faith, the love of many growing cold because of the great lawlessness that is on the increase. Many will fall away from the faith in great numbers. Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. Read Matt.7: 21 and 2 Thess.2: 3.

3.  THE SEED THAT HAS BEEN PLANTED IN THE HEARTS OF MEN IS NOW BEGINNING TO BEAR FRUIT AND IT IS BY THAT FRUIT THAT WE WILL KNOW THOSE WHO ARE BORN OF GOD AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT. All of us have had a seed planted in our hearts. That seed has been growing and the stage is now ready for the fruit to bear, either good or bad. Read Matt.7: 20 and John 15:8.

CHAPTER 5. TRIBULATION OR NOT!!

CHAPTER FIVE 

TRIBULATION OR NOT! 

Whether the church goes through tribulation or not has been an emotive issue to say the least. Much debate has occurred and close relationships have been divided over this matter. After all, is whether we go through tribulation or not, a salvation issue? Probably not, but it is imperative we believe correctly lest we find ourselves unprepared and caught off guard. There are differing opinions on whether the church goes through ‘the tribulation’ or not. Some say no, they are raptured before ‘the tribulation’ starts, others say the church gets raptured in the middle of ‘the tribulation’. Still others say, only the overcomer company does not go through ‘the tribulation’, the rest, being those who did not overcome prior to ‘the tribulation’ have to struggle through to the end. Then there are those who hold to the whole body of God’s people going through ‘the tribulation’.

We have four differing interpretations from one bible, each with an array apparently so, of scripture to back up that particular viewpoint. Just what is ‘the tribulation’? How many times does the Lord come? Do the scriptures speak of a secret coming of the Lord? When does Yeshua actually return? One could continue posing questions of which there is a degree of validity. The answers that are forthcoming are altogether quite different; differing mindsets and interpretations produce their own followings as believers agree or disagree with various interpretations. Are we afforded any choice of the aforementioned viewpoints we choose, surely we can believe what we want, within reason of course. So with this in mind, which view is the correct one, because as far as God is concerned there is only one correct view of which He is the author, any other is speculation and assumption. He will certainly not send His Son according to all four viewpoints to accommodate their theories, His Son will return for a second time only. He has come once and will come a second time, therefore, if that is the case, then can we be certain about what we commonly call the rapture and the timing of it? The answer must be yes.

Scripture needs to interpret scripture for there is no contradiction therein. If the language of scripture is straight forward without allegory or hidden meaning then we need to take at face value what has been said. It has been said, “When the plain sense of scripture makes common sense seek no other sense”. The scriptural principal of everything being established in the mouth of two or three witnesses is settled when we realize that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bear witness with each other. This applies in this matter of tribulation. Allow the Messiah Himself to speak,

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed her light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and beat their breasts and lament in anguish, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, even from one end of the universe to the other”.   (Matthew 24 verses 24 – 27)

This is not poetry, this is an actual event that will take place at the time the Lord said it would. His coming for the second time is synonymous with our being gathered together to meet Him. There is no secret or invisible coming of the Lord. All the peoples of the earth will see Him descending from the heavens; most will beat their breasts and mourn in anguish.

“But in those days after (the affliction and oppression and distress of) that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. And the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds. And then He will send out the angels and will gather together His elect from the four corners of the earth”.   (Mark 13 verses 24 – 27)

In the book of Luke it is recorded this way,

“And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity (that is, without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn) at the roaring of the tossing of the sea; men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the very powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. And then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift your heads, because your redemption is drawing near”.   (Luke 21 verses 25 – 28)

Yeshua meant what He said and said what He meant; there is no mistaking His words. The idea that these passages apply to the Jews being the elect and those who become believers during ‘the tribulation’ known amongst many circles as ‘tribulation saints’ after the church has been raptured away is nothing but conjecture and inference. All who have believed in the Messiah and the work accomplished by Him here and now are the elect and chosen of God whether Jew or gentile. The whole body of the people of God will be here during tribulation for reasons we will come to. As a point of interest, the article ‘the’ before great tribulation occurs in one instance and that is found in the book of Revelation.

“I replied, sir, you know. And he said to me, these are they who have come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”.

(Revelation 7 verse 14)

Other references looked at already speak about a time of tribulation not governed by a specific time period i.e. a 7-year period. Tribulation here mentioned is not a single identifiable event but rather a continued period from the time that Messiah said it would start and would continue until He returns the second and final time. Certainly, tribulation will increase and become more intense towards the very end because of unparallelled clashes of light and darkness, because the devil knows he has but a short time left.

“Therefore be glad, O heavens and you that dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in fierce anger, because he knows that he has only a short time left”.  (Revelation 12 verse 12)

This final period of tribulation which is the great one, is 42 months or 1260 days or 31/2 years, will be a time of the devil’s wrath or anger in which he will seek to destroy all that is of God. We who believe will be here during this time of the devil’s wrath. He will seek to put to death those born of God and bear witness to the Lamb of God. It will also be a time of God’s judgements, yet His judgements will not be poured out on His own, as they will be sealed from them. Have you never read how the God of Israel kept His people in the midst of His judgements upon the Egyptians? God’s judgements will be poured out on all those who are rebellious and disobedient. Many saints will perish for their faith, not wanting to deny the Lord and Master who bought them; many will reject their faith not wanting to die for the sake of the Messiah. This will also be a time of not being able to buy or sell unless you receive the mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Ponder on that for a moment. Not being able to buy or sell or conduct ones daily affairs or do business. How shall we survive? This time period will not just be ‘we’ against ‘them’, our very lives will be at the risk of death. See Revelation chapter 13 verses 15 – 17.

O, the tragedy of the people of God who have no need to be concerned about that time, for they assume they shall not be here but will be eating pie in the sky after being raptured away to some distant location in heaven away from it all. Neither can you think to receive the mark and still be loyal to the Lord; you will bow your knee to the beast and serve him. This receiving of the mark although physical will have a spiritual impartation also. Those who receive the mark, whatever it may be, set themselves in direct opposition to the Lord. It will require of us, the people of God to trust Him and rely upon Him to provide supernaturally for us during this time. The people of God need to prepare for this time; in fact, we should be already in the state of preparedness. I do not believe for one brief moment that the church of today as it stands, if the Lord were to return right at this moment, would be held guiltless. Never in the history of the church as now have we had teaching after teaching, word after word, prophecy after prophecy and we are still undone. What excuses have we to offer that would bare any degree of weight before the Lord of our wilful lack? We choose to remain obstinate in spite of the fact that God, time and again has called us to seek His face and we make every excuse why we should not obey. The depths of God are calling to our own depths and we need to respond in faith to Him who is calling.

There are various legitimate types in scripture that reveal last day’s events, the life of the prophet Elijah being one. Elijah being pursued by the wicked Jezebel as he was journeying through the wilderness had to be sustained by the Angel of the Lord twice in one place. Elijah was feeling dejected, he was enough, he wanted to roll over and die.

“The Angel of the Lord came the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you”.  (1 Kings 19 verses 4 – 8)

The journey is too great for you, make no mistake, the journey ahead of us is going to be too great for us, unless the Angel of the Lord i.e. the Lord Himself, sustains us. And He will, if we trust Him to. God is well able to prepare a place for us in the wilderness in the presence of our enemies. Read the scriptures saints, for in them are made known events that will take place on this earth. Our very own complacency and the trickery of our enemy have caused a stupor to come upon the church in such a way that we are blind to the events that are unfolding before our very eyes. Listen again, be on your guard, watch and pray, be ready at all times, prepare for the days that lie ahead and don’t make excuses for the fleshly nature that seeks to rise up and take the forefront. We need to be ruthless with all those things that cause us to be complacent and cold toward the Lord God.

“But the end and culmination of all things has now come near; keep sound – minded and self – restrained therefore for the practice of prayer”.  (1 Peter 4 verse 7)

If the end as described by Peter was as near as he said then, how much nearer the end are we now? Every available moment we have afforded us, let us pursue prayer; in fact we need to be in a perpetual state of prayer. We do this by being conscious of God, by being in unbroken fellowship with Him, knowing that we have the freedom of access to abide in His presence and even to remain there. We are living in evil days, hence we need to make the most of the time we have. The fellowship of the saints is an integral part of our being strengthened, even on a daily basis.

“Therefore beware, brethren; take care lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart which refuses to cleave to, trust in and rely on Him – leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God. But instead warn (admonish, urge and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened into settled rebellion by the deceitfulness of sin – that is, by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamour of his sin may play on him”.  (Hebrews 3 verses 12 – 13)

Now is the time to draw near to God as a priority, and then in fellowship with other believers. We need now to be in fellowship as often as possible with one – another and our fellowship needs to be of a qualitative kind, going beyond the merely casual, superficial thing we have been accustomed to. The deceitfulness of sin is here and it will overcome any believer who is nonchalant about his or her relationship with God. The devil does not care for you in the slightest, he will chew you up and spit you out without any thought of your feelings whatsoever, and if he gets you at a point of vulnerability, then be assured he is going to play havoc with your life.

Know this about your arch – enemy, there is not one iota, not one fraction of an ounce of love in him for anything or anybody, save himself, so do not give him an opportunity to get a foothold in your life. We will be here during the time of the devil’s wrath. As it was in the days on Noah, so shall it be in the days when the Son of Man returns. Noah was not raptured away to some remote place away from God’s judgement on the wicked. He was right there in the midst of God’s judgement, however; he and his family were kept safe in the ark. Or we have Lot as a type, in the midst of all the iniquity and perversion right up to the very day when God poured out His judgement on those wicked cities; then He removed Lot and family out of the way, thus they were kept safe from His judgements. Either way, we must remember that God’s judgements are poured out on all the unrighteousness and wickedness of this world, not on those who have the seal of God upon them.

CHAPTER 4. IS THERE HOPE?

CHAPTER FOUR 

IS THERE HOPE? 

In the light of what has been mentioned, one wonders if it is too much of a bother to continue on walking with the Lord. It sounds all so depressing. Is there then any hope for us in this time? The resounding and absolute answer is yes! Our hope rests only in the Lord, there is none other that we can turn to in order to be kept safe from the pressure and tribulation that is and will be. If you have got this far reading, stay with it. We must hear and know what lies ahead so as to be prepared.

The Holy Spirit of God spoke to me in 1984 with an authority that is uniquely His. The sound of the words reverberated in the depths of my inner man, this is what He said, ‘you need to draw closer each and every one in order to be kept safe in the day of trouble’. This drawing closer is obviously to the Lord and in Him is the only place of safety; the you was meant in the plural sense. The day of trouble could be near or remote.

If we are focusing on the circumstances that surround us, we will be distracted from Him who is our refuge. God is our hope. If we are looking to find refuge in our own plans and resources, they and we will fail. God is our hope. If we are looking for security in our professions and pension schemes, they too will fail. God is our only hope. What does the scripture say concerning us?

“So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, the Lord is my helper, I will not be seized with alarm – I will not fear or dread or be terrified. What can man do to me”? (Heb. 13 verse 6)

Again in Romans we read,

“What then shall we say to all this? If God be for us, who can be against us? – Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?  (Romans 8 verse 6)

What this all boils down to is, do we believe that God is able to sustain us and keep us from the evil one who is against us. If we have trouble believing that, then we are in a sad state of affairs. God is well able to sustain us, He is the God of covenant and all of His heart is purposed to do good for us. What if He chooses to remain quiet and seemingly do nothing even in the face of adversity? Will He still be our hope?

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome”.  (Jeremiah 29 verse 11)

God has covenanted with us through the shed blood of His Son.  If we walk in His ways and do His will, then He will keep us and sustain us in His bountiful grace. If we refuse to obey Him and are rebellious then we expose ourselves to the exploitations of the enemy who is unmerciful. Know this and know it well, the devil is a hard taskmaster and an unmerciful dictator; he has no concern for you or me in the slightest. He is totally contrary to our Father who is in heaven. Do we suppose that God is like some revengeful puppeteer who wants to see pain and suffering inflicted upon His creation because He has nothing better to do? No, no, no. The heart of God is as a deep well that is immeasurable, full of love and compassion with unfailing mercy and grace toward us. Did He not show us His great love in that while we were still sinners, He gave His Son for us? In Him is our hope.

It might be the case that He disciplines us with the rod of His chastisement, that is to say, He chooses the instrumentation by which He will deal with our heart and soul attitudes. He corrects us for our own sakes. Discipline and chastisement are all part of our walk with the Lord, He allows times and seasons of testing and trials to come our way to mature our otherwise shaky faith. When we are first born from above, we have to undergo growth experiences that mature our faith, that bring us to a place of quiet trust and settled peace in the Lord. Testing and trials are there not to weaken us but to make us strong in order that we can endure when hardships of a persecutory kind come our way and they will come if they have not already. The peaceable fruit of righteousness is the result of having been trained by the discipline of the Lord and certainly the process is painful but we need to learn to be submitted to Him in these times.

“And have you completely forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. You must submit to and endure correction for discipline. God is dealing with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not thus train and correct and discipline? Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all of God’s children share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons at all. Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded to them for training us. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so truly live? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them, but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness. For the time being no discipline brings joy but seems grievous and painful, but afterwards it yields peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands, and strengthen your feeble and palsied knees, and cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet – so that the lame and halting limbs may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured”. (Hebrews 12 verses 5 – 13)

If we fix our whole modus vivendi, our whole way of living, upon Him so that we live and move and have our being in Him then we have hope. The Lord God is our sure foundation, refuge and strength in Him and in unbroken fellowship with Him there is safety. You can be in the most volatile region on the face of this earth and be untouched if you are dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. An open reading of Psalm 91 declares the sure word of God, the state of being of one who is in covenant with the Most High God. If God is not in control of the events of these last days or at any time past, present or future then He cannot be God. If God for a brief moment lost control of the entire universe in the most miniscule way then He would at that point no longer be the all-powerful creator of heaven and earth to whom all things submit. Then our faith would be in vain. The fact is, and we can derive assurance from this, that God is who He says He is. Our hearts and minds need to be settled in this. He yearns over us with a love that transcends anything we have or ever will imagine. He is and always will be our hope unmovable and steadfast.