GOD, PARADOXES AND HIS EXPECTATIONS OF US
Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. Isaiah8:13
My late daddy taught his kids this song:
“Moti m’ona iye yi na. Rara ko yipada. Jesu l’ona iye na, t’olo sile ogo!”
It is great error, danger and sin to convert PERCEPTION into REALITIES. Perceptions, no matter how they appear, should not be taken as realities or sure evidences to act upon, react to, pass to others as ‘information’.
PARADOXES:
Gen 39:13-18 Joseph & the ‘Evidence’;
Sometimes I find understanding God a bit difficult.
# Why would Joseph go to prison for ‘seducing’ Potiphar’s wife when actually he didn’t? But everyone thought he did & was rightly punished, reaping what he sowed.
I will strive to clear every unclear issue in my mind about my relationship, my place or impression with anyone near me. It is great error, danger and sin to convert PERCEPTION into REALITIES. Perceptions, no matter how they appear, should not be taken as sure evidences to act upon, react to, pass to others as ‘information’. [Just because Mrs Portiphar was able to produce Joseph’s garment is not sufficient EVIDENCE that Joseph was guilty of seduction, not even attempted rape that he went to prison for].
1Sam 1:12-14 Hannah, Eli & the ‘Evidence’;
UNDERSTANDING GOD – sometimes difficult (part2): Case Hannah
1Sam 1:12-14 A whole Eli, the priest, wrongfully adjudged Hannah to be ‘a drunk’! A drunk? Adding salt to injury? Can the priest be wrong in discernment and still be anointed by the Holy Spirit at the same time? Yes! So can be deduced here in this account!
Hannah’s response: verses 15 & 16. “No my lord, I am …”.
How did Hannah pass this tough test? Why didn’t she ‘give it back’ to the priest? When did pouring your heart before God (or His priest) amount to drunkenness?
Nevertheless, o Lord, let thy own find grace in thy sight to survive this again. May this grace bring about ‘Samuel’s’ conception and birth, amen.
Then it can be said “its worth it all”.
Romans 3:7&3 Paul, the Apostles & the ‘Evidence’;
# Why did Paul suffer such reproach of being an apostate, even among fellow apostles? Recall Rom 3 vrs 7 & 8 “… why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come?” Just because he preached GRACE?
Job 2:11 Job, his 3 Friends & the ‘Evidence’;
Case Job
How can one be correct and still be wrong at the same time? Its in the Bible!
Check out Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar! These men (of wisdom) were correct in their doctrine respectively but were TOTALLY off the mark in addressing Job’s issue.
They, each, repeatedly spoke SOUND doctrinal words to Job, yes o; but the words were not RHEMA to Job’s situation! Totally improper & inappropriate! Why? B’cos they were based on inaccurate discernment.
Job 19: 2, 3: “how long will ye vex my soul and break me in pieces with words? These ten times have ye reproached me: ye …”
Job 42: 7: “the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right,..”
So what is the purpose of all these? Perhaps just to break Job in pieces and re-mould?
He, the Lord God, is KABIYESI!
1Sam 25:9-11 David & the ‘Evidences’ (2 Sam 20:1-2, 2Sam 16:5-6).
# Why would David be serially accused of disloyalty & betrayal of his boss – King Saul. Recall Nabal of Abigail, Shimei d son of Gera & Sheba son of Bichri? Recall Joab’s disloyalty as well? Why make David carry such stigma wen he never did any such thing?
Spiritual Response:
“Victory is not found in the ease of our circumstances nor in d strength of our resources but in d MIGHTINESS of God’s presence with & within us. God’s PRESENCE will silence all opposition, open all gates, burst wide doors locked against us and abide with us to make all crooked paths straight. He does these not only for our lifting up but in addition, to live purpose-driven lives to God’s glory and praise”. Amen. What shall I say any longer to these things? Nothing.
EXPECTATIONS:
What does God expect now?
Ps 51 vrs 16,17.
For You delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; You find no pleasure in burnt offering. 17 My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
To create what? Davidic character see Ps 51 vrs 4
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
Matt 5: 1- 9 (AMP) “Blessed are … “. Commentary.
Gal 5: 22-26 the fruit of the tree of righteousness, the planting of The Lord.
Matthew 5:1-10:
1 SEEING THE crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous— with life- joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
4 Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!
5 Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous— with life- joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long- suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!
6 Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born- again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!
7 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous— with life- joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy!
8 Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous—possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God’s favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!
9 Blessed (enjoying enviable happiness, spiritually prosperous— with life- joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they shall be called the sons of God!
10 Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born- again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
Matthew 5
Verses 3-12 Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people, which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian.
1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them.
2. Those that mourn are happy. That godly sorrow which worketh true repentance, watchfulness, a humble mind, and continual dependence for acceptance on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, with constant seeking the Holy Spirit, to cleanse away the remaining evil, seems here to be intended. Heaven is the joy of our Lord; a mountain of joy, to which our way is through a vale of tears. Such mourners shall be comforted by their God.
3. The meek are happy. The meek are those who quietly submit to God; who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of anything else. These meek ones are happy, even in this world. Meekness promotes wealth, comfort, and safety, even in this world.
4. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are happy. Righteousness is here put for all spiritual blessings. These are purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ, confirmed by the faithfulness of God. Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest. Though all desires for grace are not grace, yet such a desire as this, is a desire of God’s own raising, and he will not forsake the work of his own hands.
5. The merciful are happy. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must do all we can to help those who are in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others, and help them; pity those who are in sin, and seek to snatch them as brands out of the burning.
6. The pure in heart are happy; for they shall see God. Here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together. The heart must be purified by faith, and kept for God. Create in me such a clean heart, O God. None but the pure are capable of seeing God, nor would heaven be happiness to the impure. As God cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity.
7. The peace-makers are happy. They love, and desire, and delight in peace; and study to be quiet. They keep the peace that it be not broken, and recover it when it is broken. If the peace-makers are blessed, woe to the peace-breakers!
8. Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake are happy. This saying is peculiar to Christianity; and it is more largely insisted upon than any of the rest. Yet there is nothing in our sufferings that can merit of God; but God will provide that those who lose for him, though life itself, shall not lose by him in the end.
Blessed Jesus! how different are thy maxims from those of men of this world! They call the proud happy, and admire the gay, the rich, the powerful, and the victorious. May we find mercy from the Lord; may we be owned as his children, and inherit his kingdom. With these enjoyments and hopes, we may cheerfully welcome low or painful circumstances.
I must continue to the best of my abilities to avoid actions, words & attitudes that seem to be displeasing to people around me but not to be have my God-given personal liberties trampled. When I am conscious, I shall desist from things that can lead weak people to ‘perceive’ me to be evil. I will try not to make my ‘friends’ uncomfortable around me.
With these three practised repeatedly, I shall be free of bad conscience towards men.
PRAYERS:
1) That whatever is eroding our level of walk with God in terms of righteousness, peace, joy and holiness be destroyed and whatever has been eroded be restored fully in Jesus Name.
John8:38, Rom6:18, Col1:13,
2) That our core values that has taken us time, effort and years to acquire will not be taken for granted and made to look irrelevant by people around us. Gal 2: 4-7, Jude1:17-20,
3) That there should be a complete re-alignment of our lives to the plans and purposes of God for us and our family.Jer 29:11, Rev4:11
4) That there be a sevenfold restoration of all the enemy has stolen from us.Prov6:31, Neh5:11, Is44:26, 58:12, Jer3:22, 30:17, Joel2:25, Hos14:4, 1John5:4.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE PRAY THESE FOR OURSELVES & OUR FAMILIIES, OUR CHURCHES AND OUR NATION.
God is counting on us & we will finish strong.