Chapter 23 - From darkness to 'the light'

Freedom from Captivity

Chapter 23

From darkness to ‘The Light’

As we continue our study this topic of ‘Freedom from Captivity’ we recognize that it is indeed the will of God that His people should be liberated from every sin and bondage. In this chapter we will study the metaphor of light and darkness, which is widely used in the Bible to explain this concept of freedom from sin and bondage to sin.

In Genesis chapter 1, as we read the creation narrative, one of the first things God said was “Let there be light.’ We infer that this was so, because God’s desire was that mankind should enjoy being in the light and not stumble in the darkness. It is the same for our spiritual life too, that in areas of our lives where there is darkness, the Lord aspires to shed His light, which alone can expel all the darkness of sin and bondage.

We read in Isaiah 9:2, “the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them light hath shone.” (Darby)

The Prophet Isaiah in the above verse, prophesied about a light that shines upon two groups of people; the ones who walked in darkness and those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death. This prophesy that was prophesied by Isaiah, was fulfilled almost 700 later, when Jesus came down to the earth.

We read in Matthew 4:14,“This was done to make come true what the prophet Isaiah had said,” (GNB) and in Matthew 4:16 “The people who live in darkness will see a great light. On those who live in the dark land of death the light will shine." (GNB)

When Jesus commenced his earthly ministry, this prophesy of Isaiah was actually fulfilled.  In John 12:35,“Jesus answered, for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.”

One sure way to identify those who walk in the light from those who walk in darkness, is the former know where they are going, while the latter do not, as they are still groping in the dark. There are also those who assume that they are in walking the light, but are in reality still floundering in darkness.

We will consider the lives of three people in the Bible, who were once in darkness and came into the light, to lead lives that were totally transformed.

Zacchaeus received ‘The Light’

We read in Luke 19:2,“There was a chief tax collector there named Zacchaeus, who was rich.”(GNT)

This passage in Luke 19 describes the encounter that a man named Zacchaeus had with Jesus. Zacchaeus was the chief of the tax collectors and a rich man. Here was a man who must have had a strong will power, for two reasons; one the fact that he had achieved the position of chief of the tax collectors in his town, and the other, that when he decided to see Jesus, he did not allow his height or the great crowd that gathered there to hinder him, but climbed up a tree to have a glimpse of Jesus. He was one who when he desired to have something, would go all out to attain it. He was also a wealthy man and making loads of money seemed to have been Zacchaeus’ main goal in life. Zacchaeus walked in darkness, not knowing where he was going, until the day he met Jesus.

There are many who are confident of their own strength and will power, believing that with these two components, they can accomplish anything they want. Such people who strive to succeed with their own strength, will sadly at some point in their lives, where they will encounter discouragement and dissatisfaction. There are those like Zacchaeus, who believe that one can accomplish anything in life if they have lots of money, which prompts them to chase after money. Some have a wrong understanding that the lack of money is the reason for various problems, and that the abundance of money is the only solution.

There is a story told of a man who was so obsessed with money, that as he hoarded more and more and he did not even care about his wife or children. He made his wife promise him that when he died, she would place all of the money he possessed in his coffin, as he wished to take it with him. His wife was perplexed, that she could not benefit from the money while her husband lived and now she had to part with all of it after he was gone. One day the man died and the relatives of the family who came to attend the funeral were extremely sympathetic of the wife, who had to part with all of the money.  When they enquired of her as to how she had the heart to place all the money in the coffin, she replied ‘that was simple, I deposited all the money in the bank, wrote out a cheque for the entire amount and placed the cheque in the coffin. I have kept my promise and my husband can now encash it when he gets to the other side.’ Though this may sound hilarious, it is pathetic that many people who are consumed by the love for money, do not realize that we can take nothing with us when we leave this world.

We read in Luke 19:8-9,“Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Listen, sir! I will give half my belongings to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times as much. Jesus said to him, "Salvation has come to this house today" (GNB)

The day Jesus went to meet with Zacchaeus, there was a major transformation that took place.  From being a man who was captivated with money, he had a complete change of heart and was willing to give away all the money he had wrongly gained to those whom he had defrauded. He was converted from being a selfish man, to one who was willing to give away all that he possessed to bless others, and be content with what remained. That is when Jesus said, ‘Salvation has come to this house today’. Until that day Zacchaeus’ house had money but they missed out on the salvation that the Lord offered. The day Zacchaeus met Jesus, he was brought from darkness into the light, got a clear understanding of what’s important in life and was now sure as to where he was heading.

A good check for us, to recognize if we are walking in the light or groping in the darkness is the way we handle our finances. We all need money but if our heart is seduced by it, then we can be certain that we are still in darkness. When the Lord truly blesses us, we will be those who lend and not those who borrow.  Therefore to those in debt, it is a reminder to ask God to help us be good stewards of all that God blesses us with, and be a blessing to others and we will find our situations will change. Let us expel the darkness of the love of money, and walk in the light knowing that we are all journeying towards our eternal home in heaven, where money will be of no value whatsoever. Instead if we can bless those around us who are poor and needy, we will be storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven that will last for all eternity. Let us pray and desire of the Lord to make our hands, those that give to others and not be those that keep on receiving from others.

Nicodemus received ‘The Light’

In John 3:1, we read, “There was a Jewish leader named Nicodemus, who belonged to the party of the Pharisees.”(GNT)

Nicodemus was a religious leader, a Pharisee, who was well versed with the scriptures but sadly he did not know the Lord of the scriptures. He came to Jesus at night for fear of being identified by other religious leaders.  The reason he sought after Jesus was because though he knew much about the scriptures, he was not sure if he would enter heaven. That is why he asked Jesus ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ In spite of his religiosity, he was in darkness, not sure where he was going.

At the end of the conversation with Jesus, Nicodemus was a changed man. His encounter with Jesus on that dark night, made Nicodemus realize that he had to be born again, born of water and of the Spirit in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus believed that Jesus alone was the way through whom he can enter the Kingdom of heaven. A religious man who walked in darkness, was now brought into God’s glorious light.

Though Nicodemus was a secret believer in Jesus, we read in John 19:39-40,“Nicodemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night, went with Joseph, taking with him about one hundred pounds of spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes. The two men took Jesus' body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial.”(GNB)

After Jesus was crucified, this same Nicodemus, who was once so fearful, came out boldly to take down the body of Jesus for burial. 

There are those who are proficient with the Bible, but do not have a relationship with the Lord of the Bible. If we are content to follow a religion, it will only spell out a whole list of do’s and don’ts, most of which will require us to spend much of our finances on. When confronted with hardships, some people on the advice of others undertake pilgrimages to some auspicious places, hoping that their troubles would end. One man may have the money to go on a pilgrimage, while another may be poor and unable to undertake such a journey; does that mean that God will only answer the request one who undertook the pilgrimage and not answer the one who did not have the means to do so? This is erroneous belief as God is a loving God, who does not show favoritism, and treats everyone alike irrespective of who they are. All we are required to do, is to call on the Lord right where we are, and He is ready to answer.

Jesus’ words to Nicodemus holds true for everyone who wants to believe in Jesus.  It is not only necessary to put our faith in Jesus and believe in all that He has done for us on the cross, it is also important that we declare our faith in Jesus by going down into the waters of baptism. We must enter into a covenant with the Lord Jesus by taking baptism. The Bible does not attest to child baptism but only to baptism as an adult, and Jesus Himself set us an example by doing so. It is only when we repent, believe in Jesus and enter the waters of baptism we will enter the kingdom of God.  Baptism is a symbolism of being buried with Christ in His death and only then will be raised again like Jesus did.

The Samaritan woman received ‘The Light’

In John 4:7, we see, “A Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink of water." (GNB)

It was around 12 noon and Jesus was tired after a long journey and was seated near a well.  A Samaritan woman came to the well, all by herself to draw water from the well.  Jesus requests her for water and as the conversation proceeds we read in John 4:16-18, "Go and call your husband," Jesus told her, "and come back." "I don't have a husband," she answered. Jesus replied, "You are right when you say you don't have a husband. You have been married to five men, and the man you live with now is not really your husband. You have told me the truth."

Here was a woman who led a life with no satisfaction. She was leading a life of immorality, and on meeting with Jesus her life was completely transformed.

Look at what she did in John 4:28,“Then the woman left her water jar, went back to the town, and said to the people there, Joh 4:29  "Come and see the man who told me everything I have ever done. Could he be the Messiah?" (GNB)

A woman who was secluded, afraid and withdrawn from society was suddenly transformed into one who ran to bring her entire town to Jesus.  All her fear and shame vanished when she encountered Jesus, and spoke boldly about him to everyone in her town.  She left her pot, forgot even the purpose of why she came, and ran to share the good news with everyone. A woman who lived in darkness was now was brought into the light, and led many others to the light.

If we have encountered the living Lord Jesus in our lives, it is imperative that there must be a definite transformation in our lives. Just like the Samaritan woman who dropped her earthen pot, and ran to share the good news with others, the Lord is calling us to give up all those earthly things that encumber us, so we can be His witnesses and share the good news with those around us. Instead of wasting all our time with worldly things, let us use all our strength and all we have to serve the Lord. 

When Zacchaeus, Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman met Jesus, their lives were revolutionized. Let us also like them decide to give up everything that hinders our walking in the light, choosing daily to live in obedience to the Lord and His word. May God help us expel all darkness in our lives and live in His light, for as Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.Whoever, follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (ESV) It is only when we walk in His light, will we know where we are going, and stay on the narrow path that leads to heaven.

Prayer:

Our dear and loving heavenly Father, thank You for teaching about the transformation in the lives of Zacchaeus, Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman.  Though poles apart they all came to the light when they encountered You Lord Jesus and their transformation was so remarkable.  Kindly help me to walk in Your light, so that I will continue to stay on the narrow path that leads to heaven.  

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

www.goodnewsfriends.net

Chapter 22 - Lose Anything but Gain Heaven

Freedom from Captivity

Chapter 22

Lose Anything but Gain Heaven

We read in Mark 9:43-47, "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, [where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.]"If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, [where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] "If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, (NASB)

At the outset the above mentioned verses may seem hard and frightful to read. However, we must pay close attention to these words as these are the words of Jesus Himself. There are two destinations mentioned in Mark 9:43-47, which we can end up in after we die; one where the presence of God is, which is the kingdom of God or heaven, and the other is hell, where the worms never die and the fire is never quenched, a place actually meant for the devil and his angels. A majority of people don’t want to believe in hell, as this would mean that they would have to alter the way they live. There are others, who comfort themselves with the thought that since God is a loving God, He will never cast anyone into hell, both of which are erroneous and contradictory to what Jesus taught.

Jesus’ admonition in the above mentioned verses is that if someone’s eyes, hands or legs causes them to stumble, it would be better for that person to sever that part while here on earth, rather than have their whole body thrown into a place of eternal torment. It is not that Jesus is commanding us to literally sever all those limbs that cause us to sin, but is an exhortation to deal severely with those sins that cause us to stumble and fall.

It is for certain that the Lord has finished everything for us on the cross of Calvary with regards to our salvation and redemption, but the things that could still hinder us from entering the kingdom of God could be our own eyes, hands or feet. There is a misguided teaching that since Jesus has paid for all of our sins on the cross, a person who is saved is saved forever and is assured of entry into heaven irrespective of what they do or how they live. It is true that Jesus has completed His work to redeem us from our sins, but there are still obligations on our part that we must fulfill. This is explained vividly in the parable of the wedding banquet mentioned in Matthew 22. Many were invited to the wedding, but when the king came to inspect the guests and found one man not dressed in appropriate wedding clothes, he commanded that he be bound and cast away in to outer darkness. We are therefore cautioned that is not only important to accept the Lord’s invitation to be His children, but equally important to walk in holiness and obedience to His word.

The Lord Jesus did not come to the earth to grant us material blessing only as some think, but He came to forgive our sins and save our souls from hell. Jesus came to change the course of the direction of our lives, from heading towards destruction, to steer us towards an eternal life in heaven,to live with Him forever.

For those who may be confused as to what are the things we can sever, here are a few examples. When the television set in our house becomes a nuisance and a constant source of distraction, it could mean cutting off the cable connection. If we were to explain it the way Jesus did, it would go like this; it is far better to cut off the cable connection than to go to hell with the cable connection. Another example, is if we find our mobile phones a source of diversion, tempting us to view things that are detestable to God, it would be far better to discard our phones than to end up in hell.

The Lord does not desire that we live a holy life on Sunday and then go out to live any way we want to for the rest of the week. Our attendance at church, bible reading, prayers and offerings don’t qualify us to go to heaven. It is Jesus alone who can do that, and we must be willing to give up those things that deter us from being all that He wants us to be. The thing that Jesus rebuked in the Pharisees and the Sadducees was their dichotomy and hypocrisy. Our testimony should be such that everyone who knows us, our spouse, our children, our neighbors, our relatives or colleagues will testify that we are children of God. It is only when we have such a testimony, that many will turn to the Lord.

The point that Jesus emphasized in Mark 9:43 -47 was that, losing a limb was nothing when compared to missing out on heaven. The reason Jesus went through all the pain, shame and agony on the cross was that we too could be in heaven with Him forever. Everything that hinders us, be they worldly things or any human relationship, it is better to dissociate from them, rather than allow them to become stumbling blocks in our lives.

When God called Abraham, He could have blessed him right where he was. But the Lord commanded him to leave the place where he was, leave behind all of his family and walk by faith in obedience to God, so he could receive God’s blessings in his life. Abraham had to separate himself in order to be the recipient of God’s favor and blessings.

Jesus said John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.”(ERV)

Jesus re-iterated most clearly that He alone was the ‘only way’ to the Father. Therefore, for those of us who have decided to follow Jesus, there is no way we can drag along with us all those unnecessary things and relationships that the Lord is not pleased with. We are called to look to Jesus, walk with Jesus, follow Him only and throw off everything that hinders us, to attain the eternal life that Jesus promised.

Often times we seek to please people more than we please God. When we do so we will be misled by people, sometimes those very close to us, and begin to lead a life of compromise. Paul said it this way in Galatians 1:10, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” (NLT) Paul was very categorical that he was called to please God and not people. We must keep in mind that pleasing men will eventually result in futility.

The way Gehazi got enticed

In 2 Kings 5:15, “Then he (Naaman) went back to the man of God (Elisha), with all his train, and, taking his place before him, said, Now I am certain that there is no God in all the earth, but only in Israel: now then, take an offering from me.” (BBE)

In 2 Kings 5:16, we read, “But he said, by the life of the Lord whose servant I am, I will take nothing from you. And he did his best to make him take it but he would not.” (BBE)

We read in 2 Kings 5:18, “But may your servant have the Lord's forgiveness for this one thing: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon for worship there, supported on my arm, and my head is bent in the house of Rimmon; when his head is bent in the house of Rimmon, may your servant have the Lord's forgiveness for this thing.” (BBE)

Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army, but he was afflicted with leprosy. A young Israelite slave girl who worked in Naaman’s house, introduced him to the prophet Elisha. Having heeded the girl’s validation of Elisha, Naaman headed to prophet’s house. Elisha sent his servant with the message to Naaman to go and wash himself seven times in the river Jordan. Though Naaman was initially annoyed by the prophet’s command, he obeyed and was completely cleansed of his leprosy, his body restored like that of a little child.To express his heartfelt gratitude, Naaman offered Elisha a huge gift, which Elisha refused to accept.

Probably, the reason Elisha refused to accept the offering from Naaman was the fact that though Naaman acknowledged that only Yahweh, the God was Israel, who healed him of his leprosy, was the true and living God, he was unwilling to let go of all that he had back home in Syria. As Naaman’s position and job were of much importance to him, inspite of having received the miraculous healing from God, he asked Elisha to pardon him for the times he would have to visit the temple of Rimmon, along with the King of Syria whom he served. Naaman requested Elisha to seek God’s reprieve, for whenever Naaman accompanied the King of Syria to the temple of Rimmon for worship, he too would have to bow down in worship as the king would lean on Naaman’s hand. Elisha did not desire or think it appropriate to take an offering from Naaman, for whom his position and status were far greater importance, than the Lord who healed him of his leprosy.

The same was true of Cain and Abel too. Both of them presented their offerings to the Lord, but the Lord delighted and accepted Abel’s offering while he rejected Cain’s.

When the Lord answers a prayer request, there are those who like Naaman, are content with bestowing an offering to the Lord and don’t remember the Lord until another need arises. It’s a good reminder that one can’t live any way they want, and expect the Lord to accept or approve of their tithes and offerings.

Elijah was a mighty prophet of God and Elisha was his servant. He followed Elijah every step of the way and when Elijah was taken up into heaven, the mantle of Elijah fell of Elisha. Elisha was blessed doubly because he associated with the right person. On the other hand, Elisha had a servant Gehazi whose eyes were fixed on the wrong things. When he saw the enormous gifts that Naaman offered Elisha, he as filled with greed. Like Elisha, Gehazi had the opportunity to be the next prophet but unfortunately Gehazi lost the blessing, because his eyes were focused on the wrong things.

If we are not in association with the right people, we too like Gehazi will lose out on God’s blessings.

In 2 Kings 5:21 we read, “So Gehazi went after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from his carriage and went back to him and said, Is all well?” (BBE)

As Gehazi’s eyes coveted the gifts that Naaman brought, his legs that walked behind Elisha, now ran after Naaman. Gehazi lied to Naaman and received in his hands the money and clothes, which he hid in his house. We see the process of how Gehazi used his eyes, feet and hands to sin, and also hid it from his master Elisha.

We read in 2 Kings 5:27, “Because of what you have done, the disease of Naaman the leper will take you in its grip.” (BBE)

When Gehazi went back to Elisha, the prophet was fully aware of all that Gehazi had done. The consequence was severe; the leprosy that left Naaman clung on to Gehazi and his descendants forever. Naaman came to Elisha unclean but he got cleansed, and Gehazi who was clean became defiled.

Like Gehazi a major temptation to so many, are those pertaining to the lust of the eyes. If one wonders as to where it started, it was way back in the Garden of Eden, where Satan tempted Eve with what she saw. This is the enemy’s clever scheme, that we must be aware of and overcome every day.

In recent times, we are bombarded with loads of visuals on our cell phones, newspapers, television, and magazines etc. that are an abomination to the Lord. Smith Wigglesworth said it this way, ‘If I read the newspaper, I come our dirtier than I went in. If I read my Bible, I come out cleaner than I went in, and I like being clean.’ The newspapers today are filled with news on murder, rape, theft, fraud etc., and instead of filling our minds with all these evils, we should discipline ourselves to spend more time with the word of God, which alone can refresh us and cleanse us.

Irrespective of whether man looks at us or not, we must desire to be holy and pleasing to God and make holiness our lifestyle. There is nothing that is hidden from God who knows our every thought, motive, desire and word even before it proceeds from our mouth. Many young people conceal crucial matters pertaining to their lives and eventually land up in loads of trouble, not realizing that it is far safer to be open about the issues they face, especially with their parents.

The way Judas Iscariot got enticed

Judas Iscariot went down a similar path of allurement. When Mary, the sister of Lazarus anointed the feet of Jesus with an expensive ointment, as a mark of gratitude to Jesus, Judas Iscariot was counting the cost and grumbling. The reason was because Judas’ eyes craved for money, which prompted his feet go and conspire with the high priest, to betray Jesus for a measly thirty pieces of silver. He took the money that was offered in his hands, but sadly his end was pitiable and pathetic.

As believers we must realize that this world is only our temporary residence, and heaven is our eternal abode. Jesus has paved the way for us to get to heaven but it is a fact that nothing unholy or defiled can enter heaven, where the presence of God is. It is true that it is becoming more and more difficult for us to lead holy lives, but it is certainly possible if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and walk with Him every day, that we will lead lives that are holy and victorious.

May we surrender our bodies, every part of it to the Lord, so He will control our minds, our mouth, our eyes, our hands and our feet. Let us decide to deal with the sin and temptation harshly, no matter how insignificant it may seem. May God grant us His grace and strength to overcome every sin, so that no earthly thing or relationship will hinder us from entering heaven. May we be willing to forfeit everything in our lives, for the sake of entering the Kingdom of God.

Prayer:

Our loving Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord for preparing heaven for us. We know that this life is temporary and we are so often tempted to do let our eyes drift away to the world. Give us the strength and courage to submit to Your Lordship and cut off everything that comes to lure us away from the Kingdom of God. We ask You to be the Lord over our soul, spirit and body. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

www.goodnewsfriends.net

Chapter 21 - Life's only purpose

Freedom from Captivity

Chapter 21

Life’s Only Purpose

We read in Romans 12:1, “For this reason I make request to you, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you will give your bodies as a living offering, holy, pleasing to God, which is the worship it is right for you to give him.” (BBE)

In Romans 12: 1, when Paul exhorts the believers with the words ‘for this reason’ it is obvious that he had mentioned something earlier and on the basis of that word of admonition, he requested them to present their bodies as a living sacrifice unto the Lord. This reason is elucidated by Paul in Romans 11:36, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory forever. So be it.” (BBE)

There are three realities explained in Romans 11:36 that we are called to pay close attention to. Firstly, all things come‘from God’, secondly all things come ‘through God’ and finally all things are made ‘for God’. When the word mentions ‘all things’ we are reminded that it includes all created things and the whole of mankind.

If we were to translate this to our day to day living it would mean that every part of us, our lives, our families, our work, our society, all of it originates and ends with God, who alone is worthy of all the glory and honor. There are many who are not sure of the purpose for which they live here on earth. It is only when we comprehend this fact that our life here on earth is a gift from God, through God and for God, then we will most assuredly glorify Him in everything we do, and there will be no room for any sort of sin or bondage.

For instance there are some people who are so obsessed with food that ‘they don’t eat to live, but live to eat’ which is also a form of bondage. No wonder then that Paul exhorts the church in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (NLT)

The psalmist often prayed in the Psalms, ‘not to us Lord but to your name alone be all the glory’which if we were to analyze are in complete contrast to our prayers, most of which are self-centered and self-seeking. We must learn to pray in submission to God’s will, so that He alone is glorified in and through us.

If the intentions for our prayers to God are good and in accordance to His will, with the true motive to glorify the Lord, then most assuredly the Lord will be delighted to answer our prayers. Our ambition in life must be to glorify God in every aspect of our lives; our walk, our talk, our worship, at work, in our travels and in every single thing we do. If we sincerely seek that God’s kingdom come, His will be done on earth, right here where we are as it is in heaven, then we will experience a complete change all around us. When the glory of the Lord is all that we long for, everything we put our hands to will prosper and all that we desire will surely be fulfilled.

We read in the Bible at the very outset in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (KJV) and if we read the last verse in the Bible in Revelation 22:21, it reads, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (KJV). The first and the last verse in the Bible emphasize the truth that it all began with God and will also end with God. Therefore, it is imperative that God and God alone, should be the recipient of all our glory and honor. If this is so, we will find the Lord’s hand of blessing resting on all that we do, and we will have no need to fear disfavor or dishonor at the hands of men.

Noah, a righteous man among ungodly people

In the Book of Genesis, the Bible records an incident of God’s destruction of all mankind and all of creation, except Noah and his family with floods. The reason for God’s wrath and judgement in those days, was that mankind had forgotten the primary purpose and were in oblivion as to why God created them.

Recollecting the days of Noah, these are the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:37-38, "When the Son of Man comes again, it will be exactly like the days of Noah. In the days before the flood, people were eating, drinking, and getting married until the day that Noah went into the ship.” (GW)

It is not that the Lord was against the people eating, drinking or marrying, but it grieved the Lord that people were so engaged with the mundane, that they forgot their primary purpose for living. The people during the time of Noah had become so insensitive to the voice of God, become engrossed with the temporal and had no concept of right and wrong.

The mind of man is so caught up with the worldly affairs, that it seems impossible for him to free himself from all forms of bondage. There are many people who argue that being addicted to certain habits like pornography affects no one, but the fact of the matter is that when a person is enslaved to sin of any kind, it completely hinders him or her from fulfilling God’s divine plan to glorify Him in all we do. This is the bondage that we need to break free from in order to fulfill God’s plans and purposes for our lives. Let us desire to be those who in our every waking moment seek to please the Lord and glorify Him, so that people can see the Lord reflected in and through us. For those who long to live this way, the Lord will stand close by and assure them of victory over every adverse situation.

As God looked down on mankind whom He had created, he was displeased as men and women failed to glorify God as their creator and sustainer, and were instead content with the humdrum of day to day living. It was in this world of total chaos and wickedness that the Lord searched to see if there was anyone who walked uprightly and righteously and God did find Noah to be that one man.

We read in Genesis 6:9, “These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, without defect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” (LEB)

In the midst of this perverse generation, Noah walked with God. Two people can walk together in harmony only when they are of one heart and mind. Noah was in total union with God and walked with God in complete obedience and righteousness.

If we were to examine ourselves, to see how much time we spend in fellowship with God on a daily basis, we will be appalled. A majority of us are so busy with our daily chores that we hardly even have time to think about God. This is also true of those who claim to walk with God and yet are so preoccupied with their phones, their work, entertainment, education, family, relatives and the list goes on. The amount of time we spend in prayer and communion with God is a bare minimum. This is precisely why we fail so often in so many of our endeavors and are unable to experience the victorious life that God intended for us to have. It is only when we prioritize our relationship with God and earnestly yearn to glorify Him, will we become participants of His divine blessings in our lives.

It is in continuation with Romans 11:36, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory forever. So be it.” (BBE) that Paul now admonishes the people of God this way in Romans 12:1, “For this reason I make request to you, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you will give your bodies as a living offering, holy, pleasing to God, which is the worship it is right for you to give him.” (BBE)

The Sacrifice that God desires

In the Old Testament whenever they sacrificed an animal, it meant death for the animal but favor from God for the person who offered it. In the New Testament however, Paul talks about offering our bodies as a living sacrifice; meaning the things we do in this body while we live here on earth are the sacrifices that we offer to God. These include the things we think, the things we see, the things we hear, the words we speak, the deeds we do, all of which must be pleasing to the Lord and bring glory to His name. This is the kind of sacrifice that the Lord truly desires from us.

In the Old Testament, we read in Deuteronomy 15:21, “But if there is anything wrong with the animals, if they are crippled or blind or have any other serious defect, you must not sacrifice them to the LORD your God.” (GNB)

In the Old Testament, the above mentioned verse, details the kind of animals that the Lord expected for the sacrifice. The animal had to be without any defect in order to be accepted by God. So also, our sacrifice of our bodies must be without blemish, holy and acceptable to the Lord. This holiness must be evident in every area of our lives, because we are the temple of the living God and His Holy Spirit lives within us. This is why a person for instance, can’t earn dishonestly, give his offering from that income and expect that the Lord will accept and bless the labor of his hands.

We must be reminded constantly that everything we have, our bodies, our abilities, our families, our possessions, all of it belongs to God and we must be cautious to use it as God intended for us to. Since everything comes from God, for God and through God, it is only when one totally surrenders their body to be holy and pleasing to God, is it considered true and proper worship to God.

Worship is not just singing and playing music, true or reasonable worship is using our bodies to glorify the Lord alone and not misusing it for anything that will displease or dishonor His name. There are some who restrain from smoking or drinking alcohol within the premises of a church building, not realizing that their body is indeed God’s temple. And defilement that happens in the body is just the same as defilement of God’s holy temple.

From time immemorial people are content worshipping a graven image, confined to a room or a building, so that they can visit their God as and when it suits them. But the God of the Holy Bible forbade worship of any graven image, as He desires to reside in us and be the Lord and Master of our lives every moment of the day.

If Paul talks about giving up our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God as a right and reasonable worship, what would unreasonable or improper worship be? Improper worship is when we lead dichotomous lives, one on Sunday when in church and the other one when we are out in the world, both of which are in contradiction.

Let us live each day with the realization that God is the beginning and the end. He alone is the source of everything we are and everything we possess. He is the author, the owner of our body, soul and spirit and we are just stewards. When we present our bodies to God a living sacrifice, daily choosing to walk in holiness, seeking to glorify His name, we will live triumphantly to be rid of every form of sin and bondage. With such lives the Lord is pleased and His hand will bless all that we undertake to do. May the Lord grant us grace to worship Him, the way He alone sees fit and may His name be glorified through our lives.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank that I have understood that the only purpose of my life is to glorify You. When the disciples were taught to pray, You started by saying, Hallowed be Thy name. Yes, Lord from this day onwards let my life bring glory to Your name. Let people be able to see You in me. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Br. A. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

www.goodnewsfriends.net

Chapter 20 - A Conscience that is seared

Freedom from Captivity

Chapter 20

 A Conscience that is seared

In 1 Timothy 4:1-2, we read, “The Spirit says clearly that some people will abandon the faith in later times; they will obey lying spirits and follow the teachings of demons.  Such teachings are spread by deceitful liars, whose consciences are dead, as if burnt with a hot iron.” (GNT)

Our conscience is that precious gift that God has placed inside each one of us, so as to discern right from wrong. The purpose of our conscience is to counsel and sensitize us when we do wrong, and to prompt us to do what is right and pleasing to the Lord while here on earth, as one day we must all stand before the judgement seat of God and give an account for all that we did in our life time.

In 1 Timothy 4:1-2, Paul explained how in the last days, many people will lead lives wherein their conscience is seared or dead. The searing of our conscience can be compared to using an overheated iron box on a fabric and getting it completely burnt or ruined. Just like a burnt dress will be of no use, no matter how expensive it was when we bought it, so also if we constantly still the voice of our conscience and choose to deliberately keep on sinning, there will come a time when our conscience will become ineffectual to us. This searing of the conscience does not happen all at once, but is gradual process that pulls a person on the downward path, and often the person involved does not even realize where it all began.

Learning from Lot’s life - Lot journeyed with Abraham

In Genesis 12:4 we read, “When Abram was seventy-five years old, he started out from Haran, as the LORD had told him to do; and Lot went with him.” (GNT)

God called Abraham to come out of the land of Haran, to the land that the Lord had promised for Abraham and his descendants to possess, and Lot who was Abraham’s brother’s son accompanied him on this journey, because Lot perceived that God was with Abraham. Both of them started out on this faith journey not knowing what lay ahead of them, but simply trusting the fact that the God who called them was faithful.

We further read in Genesis 13:5 that “Lot also had sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as his own family and servants.” (GNB)

The call and promise of God was to Abraham, but because Lot associated himself with Abraham, he too received God’s abundant blessings. The Lord blessed Lot, just like He did Abraham with sheep, goats and cattle as well as giving him his own family and servants.

When we associate with children of God their blessings will become ours as well, but on the other hand if we cohort with the wrong people, we will miss out on all the blessings that God intended for us to have. If we partner with people of faith, spending time with those who speak words of faith, our faith too will grow and we will be strengthened. 

This also applies to those who are addicted to news channels,which may seem harmless on the surface. The fact of the matter is that most of these channels thrive on broadcasting bad news, and by constant exposure to such information, our minds are invariably filled with fear and anxiety. Therefore, instead of filling our minds with the atrocities that are happening around us, we should learn to discipline ourselves to read and hear words of faith from the word of God, which alone can strengthen our walk of faith.

Proverbs 13:20 says it this way, “Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.” (GNB)

If we desire to have wisdom and act wisely, we must have as our accomplice those who are wise. There are times when we encounter an adverse situation, and the Lord strengthens our faith through the prayer and encouragement of fellow believers. Simultaneously if we are also in close friendship with someone else, who speaks negatively of the same situation, and we give heed to that person, allowing their skepticism to influence us, we will soon find that our faith begins to dwindle. If we are eager for our faith to grow, it is important that we choose to be in the company of those who are walking, and exercising their faith in God every day.

Lot parted ways with Abraham

In Genesis 13:7, we read, “And there was an argument between the keepers of Abram's cattle and the keepers of Lot's cattle.”(BBE)

Lot was blessed greatly by the Lord because of his partnership with Abraham, but as their livestock increased on both sides, there was a dispute that arose between Abraham’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen.  The disputes led to arguments between the two parties, which ultimately lead to their separation.

We read further in Genesis 13:11, “So Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley for himself and moved away toward the east. That is how the two men parted.” (GNB)

Lot chose the Jordan Valley purely based on what he beheld with his physical eyes, but the moment Lot parted from Abraham, he began to lose out on all the blessings that were his earlier, when he remained in fellowship with Abraham.

The dispute among the disciples of Jesus

In Luke 22:24, we read of “An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them should be thought of as the greatest.” (GNB)

There were disputes even among the disciples of Jesus. If we were to study the background to this verse, we find that Jesus had just then celebrated the Passover meal and predicted to his disciples that he was going to suffer and die for the sins of all mankind. The disciples paid no heed to Jesus’ agony, but were busy arguing as to who would be the greatest. The disciples had the best master, teacher and example in Jesus, but even they allowed the enemy to sow seeds of disunity and discord among themselves.

There is so much of division today in families, church and society. Generally when there is a problem in the church, the blame is thrown on the pastor. In many families, husbands and wives are opting out of their marriages over insignificant arguments and misunderstanding. This is only because, they have not realized that separation is totally against God’s will, and plan for families. Divisions are always the clever scheme of Satan, as his ultimate goal is to bring in dissension and disharmony in every relationship.

Many families have stopped going to church, missing out on being in fellowship with other believers, only because they wish to avoid any sort of disagreements and disputes that prevail in a fellowship.  They therefore opt to stay at home, and watch messages and programs that are televised in the comfort of their homes. God’s word exhorts us in Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.”(GNT). There is no church, pastor or group of believers who are perfect, as we all have faults and failings, but the good news is that we are all moving on towards perfection.

Lot moved towards Sodom

In Genesis 13:12-13, we read, “Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled among the cities in the valley and camped near Sodom, whose people were wicked and sinned against the LORD.”(GNT)

The Bible described Sodom as a land whose people were wicked and who sinned against the Lord, and it was toward this land that Lot moved. As Lot set his camp outside of Sodom, he must have observed the evil and treacherous ways of the people of that city. Lot continued to live in the vicinity of Sodom and over a period of time, he too became complacent and began to move towards becoming a citizen of Sodom.

When King David fell

David was a mighty king, a worshipper of God and a wonderful person. But at the time of war David decided to stay back in his palace.  Lazing around one afternoon, he let his eyes roam and saw a beautiful woman, the wife of Uriah, with whom he committed adultery, and from then on it was a downward spiral for David.  He plotted and killed Uriah and in spite of all his wrong doing he felt no remorse whatsoever, as he had stilled the voice of his conscience and in the bargain seared his conscience. It was only when the prophet Nathan confronted him, did David repent and seek the Lord for mercy and forgiveness as he expressed his grief in Psalm 51.

The searing of one’s conscience does not happen overnight, but gets there as a result of willful disobedience to the voice of God and the word of God. There’s much obscenity that is portrayed both on the television and internet that we need to be cautious about. If one justifies themselves to view these profane images as harmless entertainment, there will come a time when their conscience will be seared, and they will have stilled the voice of God completely in their lives.  It is better to nip these bondages in the bud, rather than let them grow and become a snare to our soul.

Like Lot and David it is possible for any one of us to fall into sin and be in a place where we can still the voice of our conscience.  In matters pertaining to relating to the opposite gender, irrespective of how young or old we are, we must exercise discretion, avoid being together alone, as both men and women are vulnerable to fall into this snare. Sin will never overtake us suddenly but it will over a period of time, if left unchecked, overpower us and enslave us. Today many people have gotten into relationships through social media, and what started off as a casual friendship, has landed many in immorality and adultery. When the conditions are conducive a small seed can grow and become a huge plant, so also a small sin that is left unrestrained can become a tool in Satan’s hand to ensnare and enslave us into bondage.

Lot moved into Sodom

We read in Genesis 14:12, “Lot, Abram's nephew, was living in Sodom, so they took him and all his possessions.” (GNB)

Lot first camped outside Sodom, and later moved into Sodom, for we read in Genesis 14:12 that when Kings from other nations attacked Sodom, they carried away Lot and all his possessions. 

In Genesis 19:1, “When the two angels came to Sodom that evening, Lot was sitting at the city gate.” (GNB)

Later as we read in Genesis 19, Lot was sitting at the gate, probably now an elder in the city of Sodom, because it was the elders who generally sat at the city gate. 

If we observe the sequence of events, we realize how Lot was gradually lured into Sodom, whereby soon his entire family became a part and parcel of this sinful city.

If we yearn to have a good conscience before the Lord, we must be sensitive to the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives, and seek to set right anything that is not pleasing to Him.  If we allow those so called inconsequential sins to grow, we will soon come to a stage where we can no longer hear the voice of our conscience, and will be in danger of being ensnared by the evil one, who will destroy us.

Lot guarded himself but his wife was ensnared

In the midst of all the sin and wickedness of Sodom, Lot was able to protect himself and be a righteous man, but Lot was not alone, he had his wife and children. When the Lord decided to destroy Sodom, He graciously took Lot, his wife and children out of Sodom, but Lot’s wife was so captivated by Sodom, that she looked back and became a pillar of salt. Lot’s daughters had become so used to the immoralities of Sodom, that they did the detestable thing by sleeping with their own father, in order to have offspring, as their conscience also was seared with time from being associated with the wicked and adulterous lifestyle they witnessed while living in the land of Sodom.

Here’s a word of caution to parents. The wrong choices we make in life will have adverse effects on our children, and for the generations to come.  Our children observe us and imitate our actions. If we do not lead virtuous lives, our children will do the same irrespective of how much we tell them or warn them about what is right and wrong. The Lord wants us to be the salt of the earth, but if we live in disobedience to the voice of the Lord and our conscience, we too like Lot’s wife will become a pillar of salt, of no use to anyone. Let us surrender our lives to the Lord, give no room for compromise, be cautious in all our relationships and yearn to have a healthy and good conscience. Daily let us discipline ourselves to give heed to the voice of God, live in obedience to the word of God, and the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Our Heavenly Father, thank you for the precious gift of my conscience.  I know that it can be seared in such a way that I will not be warned by it anymore, if I am not careful about how I deal with my conscience.  I also learnt that its always a slow fade and that I have to be very careful in my relationship with You.  Help me O Lord. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

Br. A.Dixon

www.goodnewsfriends.net

Transcribed by : Ms. Esther Collins

Email : goodnewsfriends.net@gmail.com