He Always Has, He Always Will

 

2 Chronicles 6:12–42; Habakkuk 1; Luke 20; 1 John 5

Music is powerful. Each morning before sitting down to read God’s Word, I sing a few hymns and choruses. This morning, the words of an older piece lifted my spirits in joy. The refrain is easy to personalize: “I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able, to keep that which I’ve committed, unto Him against that day!”

In these days of isolation, lockdown and not being able to spend much time with other Christians, I have not been saying out loud as often what I believe, but that song did wonders to lift my spirits. (I’m not a good singer but thankful that God asks only for a “joyful noise.”) A cure for discouragement is to loudly proclaim what I believe.

Christmas is powerful too. My hubby and I decorated our tree yesterday. I’m planning the food, buying a few gifts, and am thrilled by songs like Silent Night and A Hallelujah Christmas. Jesus came. He is present with me, in heaven interceding for me, and coming again to take me home with Him. This also is joy.

This morning I read and even prayed parts of Solomon’s prayer in 2 Chronicles. He is dedicating the temple and I was dedicating today’s temple of the Holy Spirit, myself and the church of Jesus Christ in whom He dwells. Part of that prayer is my prayer too . . .

“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.” (2 Chronicles 6:28–31)

The people of God suffer these days, as the rest of the world suffers. May God hear those who stretch out their hand to Him, forgiving them and answering them according to their hearts — for God alone knows the hearts of all people. May each one reverence Him and walk in His ways.

Habakkuk tells how God planned to use a wicked nation to judge and chasten His people for their disobedience. Is He doing that now, not with another nation but with a pestilence? I don’t know — yet He could be. Either way, turning from sin is always wise. As the prophet says, our world is in trouble:

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2–4)

Whether Covid-19 is a wake-up call allowed by Almighty God or not, are we in need of a wake-up? When Jesus came, He was the ultimate wake-up call but the religious leaders of His day rejected Him and did everything they could think of to trap Him in His words. Their intent was destruction and eventually they put Him to death. Luke 20 has a few examples. This passage makes me wonder if Jesus came the same way today, would He face the same reception? His name is a curse word for many and His Word is rejected and mocked. Yet those who love Him believe His promises and long for His return.

The last reading repeats the good news; God does keep His promises. Those who love and obey Him are His children and are people who “overcome the world” because of faith in Him. This passage also gives incredible assurance:

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11–13)

APPLY: There is more, but this is the powerful promise of God for these uncertain days. Knowing I have eternal life erases fear. Jesus came — this is an historical fact. Jesus died and rose again — only fools argue otherwise. And Jesus hears my prayers, says yes to all that fits His plan, and He keeps His promises — “I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able, to keep that which I’ve committed, unto Him against that day!” I don’t ‘play in traffic’ regarding a virus or anything else yet no matter how God decides to take me home, I have His sure and certain promise that I will live forever with Him.

 

Genuine conversions . . .

Several years ago, we attended a church that had an outreach program that was like “Evangelism Explosion” (a book) but expanded with a solid explanation of what happens when a person becomes a Christian. This church was determined to prevent any ‘easy believism’ where someone made a profession of faith but without understanding what they were doing.

My husband and I joined this effort. We were put in teams of three, always mixed with a 1-2 ratio in gender. Our assignment was to visit the homes of those who had visited the church and present to them the gospel. It was good training for us and an opportunity to reach people who had never put their faith in Christ.

One evening my team went to the home of a teen. She was by herself and welcomed us, willing to listen. I was with two extremely well-educated fellows who were showing me how to do this. This young woman heard the gospel and readily agreed to accept Christ. However, when she arrived at that decision, my trainers shocked me by talking her out of it.

After we left her, they explained. She was youthful, impressionable, and eager to please adults, so she said yes when the offer was made, but they were certain she was just trying to be nice. Besides that, if her decision had been genuine, no one could have talked her out of it because the inner witness of the Holy Spirit would never allow that. These wise mentors did not want to leave her with a false idea that she was a Christian. Praying the sinner’s prayer does not save anyone. She needed to genuinely be reborn, and when that happens, she would have known that she was a child of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:15–17)

I don’t remember how we ended that interview, but I never forgot that lesson in discerning genuine faith. I also realized the reality of the Holy Spirit’s work of assurance. He speaks to the heart and He makes the will of God known — without a doubt.

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11–13)

After being a Christian for several years, I shared this assurance with a person who was not convinced. He told me that I was arrogant to suppose that I had eternal life. He based salvation on personal goodness and didn’t think anyone could claim that they were good enough. While he missed the truth about the source of salvation, he did not miss the truth about personal goodness . . .

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:21–24)

We all fall short. The only righteousness available to me is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is mine through faith, a gift from God. No one earns or pays for a gift, nor do I deserve it. if eternal life could be earned, no one could have it because we all fall short.

Faith does not include arrogance. Instead, humility is involved. We fall short because we do not want to admit that we fall short. Some even suppose that if they ‘pray that prayer’ they will be okay. They do not understand the depth of a sinner’s need nor the length that God has gone to save us from our sins. Nor do they hear the voice of the Holy Spirit telling them they need Jesus. Any arrogance will prevent salvation, not make it happen!

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, after being a Christian for many years, even decades, I am aware that the sin in me sometimes resists Your Spirit and wants to believe I can be okay on my own. At the same time, You also give me the awareness that my salvation is real and true, that Jesus lives in me, that I have Him and I have life. You are constantly speaking to me regarding both my need and Your supply. Oh what a joy that You don’t give up when I resist You, but keep speaking and persisting until my hard heart finally receives and responds to the wonder of Your grace. What joy, what joy!