It is not just the negative things that happen around is in the world that are designed to distract us from attending to our Salvation. The previous word focused upon those “negative things” which in any case are working a far greater weight of glory FOR us. As long as we SEE JESUS and don’t allow these worrying things distract us we will come through it all. And as that word said- This testing of our faith is not pointing out our lack of faith as if we should have some--it is causing us to align ourselves with THE ONE INSIDE US WHO HAS ALL THE FAITH NECESSARY TO GET US THROUGH!!
Picture an automobile with a powerful motor…and you running along the road next to your vehicle–INSTEAD OF BEING SEATED IN IT! The first hill you come to will EXPOSE YOUR LACK OF POWER unless you get into the One(your car)WHO HAS ALL THE POWER NEEDED TO CLIMB THE HILL.
“It is not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord.” Zechariah 3
So it is with us….The trials come to expose our weakness and His strength. We are left stripped of trust in the old man and the old ways….and have gained an appreciation and confidence in Him as our all in all. So we can rejoice in tribulation-pressure-financial or health or children or whatever!! Knowing that the testing of our faith is working in us to cause us to be prepared to inherit the reward which is reserved for us in (the)heaven/s.
But on the flip side to the scary negative things are the positive “good” things that can also DISTRACT US FROM JESUS -our Salvation.
The prosperity gospel popular in the modern churches has set God’s people up for a fall.
I wrote earlier in 2024 about the people crying out for a king to rule over them. I wrote as Samuel did the behaviour of that king and how he would take everything from the people to use for HIS OWN KINGDOM. The people mistakenly think that the king they cried out for will build God’s Kingdom….not the case at all. He is chosen by Satan as well as God. Part of Satan’s plan is to offer riches and ease and comfort to those same people who cried for a righteous King.
Remember what Lucifer offered Jesus of Nazareth who grew up in a small town and was not a rich man by trade as a carpenter?
Matt 4:8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
People think that this was no temptation to Jesus because he knew he already had everything…perhaps…but the word says Matt 4:1 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
I believe the word of God–Jesus WAS TEMPTED!! He was a human man who was not wealthy and here he was being offered great riches and glory for himself if he would do a simple thing and bow before Lucifer.
The Apostle Paul was called to follow in Jesus steps and so he also was put into the wilderness for years and had to overcome this test as well before he would be “used by God”.
Thess:2:3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.
Paul reveals here the strict testing that a person must go through in order to become entrusted with the gospel.
- Doctrine—free from error
- Purity-no uncleanness
- Honesty – -no deceit
- Fearing God – not man pleasers
- Fear of man – not flattering words
- Provision – did not covet others money, riches, stuff
- Glorify God – not seek glory from men
Riches and glory and comfort is what Politicians are always offering. And the King who shouts this the loudest gets the votes. Most people will vote for a person who is promising to make them great again….but this is a test! And so most people already failed that test and have set themselves up to be trapped and snared when the promises start being delivered to them.
I had a dream in 1997 in which the preacher was throwing colourfully wrapped sweets out into the congregation while shouting “Do you want it?!!” A sweet landed in my outstretched hand – I was not trying to catch it, but I was there and I had my palm up and open to receive…a passive receiver. But in that dream I looked down at the sweet and instantly stretched forward my hand to a brother in front of me who had whirled around to see where that sweet had landed. I was instantly exposed as being one who did not want what they all wanted. A Jesus who promises to make you all rich.
Nothing pacifies and neutralises the church more than being lulled to sleep by Delilah as she promises everything a heart and flesh could desire….but her desire was only for self not you and in the end Samson had his eyes put out and was enslaved by those he should have conquered. We make the same mistake with our children too by giving them everything they need instead of allowing them to learn to WORK for what they need.
Deut 8:2 And you shall remember(NOT NEGLECT) that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you,to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. 5 You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you.
The natural man worries all the time about it’s temporal needs- Will I have enough? Will I starve to death? Will I go naked? Will I have to live under a bridge? And Jesus said “Seek First the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you”. Matt 6:25-34
Seeking First the Kingdom is to NOT NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION.
If we do not pay the more earnest heed to the WORDS of our Lord we shall drift away.
Heb 2 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 ….. 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation,
EARNESTLY HEED =
2) hear more in a greater degree
3) more earnestly hear, more exceedingly hear
4) especially, hear above others
“Lest we drift away”
- παραρρέω
- I am lost, perish, drift away
- (lit: I flow past, glide past, hence) I am lost, perish, or merely: I drift away (fall away) from duty.
- παραῤῥυέω
- to flow by, i.e. (figuratively) carelessly pass (miss)
Derivation: from G3844 and the alternate of G4482;KJV Usage: let slip.
G4482 – TO FLOW – USED ONLY ONCE DIRECTLY IN JOHN 7:38
John 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,out of his heart will – G4482- flow — rivers of living water.”
If we neglect hearing Him–we shall NOT FLOW AS A RIVER WITH HIM. Instead we shall FALL AWAY…
This is of course what Satan wants to do to us…to distract us in any way he can….whether with riches or persecution….sickness and scary events. But God would have us pay the more earnest heed to Jesus words in us so that we flow like a river with Him. He will do this in you and give you all the encouragement you need.
Jesus is God’s Salvation–That is what the name literally means.
Jesus name in Hebrew is ye shû‛âh
ישׁוּעה
Behold, God is my salvation – ye shû‛âh ,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation – ye shû‛âh .’ ”
3 Therefore with joy you will draw water
From the wells of salvation -ye shû‛âh . Isaiah 12
4 And in that day you will say:
“Praise the Lord, call upon His name;
Declare His deeds among the peoples,
Make mention that His name is exalted.
5 Sing to the Lord,
For He has done excellent things;
This is known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great is the Holy One of Israel – ye shû‛âh – in your midst!”
The woman at the well in John 4
She gave earnest heed to Jesus word and the water flowed!! The whole city of Samaria believed in ye shû‛âh!!
How is the flow of water in your life?
This year ask Him to help you sit at His feet like Mary did to hear His word. MeditATE upon Him -Eat Him and Drink Yeshua…Your salvation. Do not neglect to feed your spirit. Put away your other ‘food’ and give Him first place this year.
WHAT FOOD SHOULD WE EAT?
Heb 13:9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
Do not be carried about—lest we drift away…lest we slip away…lest we flow away….It is all the same meaning —so let us NOT BE OCCUPIED WITH FOOD WHICH HAS NOT DONE ANY GOOD FOR PEOPLE….food that does not promote grace in our lives or the people around us….but let us be established by grace!!
God bless!
Den Rhodes
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