My pastor joked yesterday, saying that Pharisees are those who are too far to see ;-). Are you a Pharisee? Anyway, that’s not the topic of this posting. Two weeks ago, my pastor used Genesis 16:1-14, to teach us on the fact that GOD sees. He sees our secrets and our sins, but He also sees our struggles and suffering. And when He sees, He sends someone to speak to us on His behalf. If the message is well received, the matter is sorted and GOD’s power and goodness are shown forth/displayed, to His glory. Around the end of the teaching, I had an open vision after which GOD told me that He sees us, but unfortunately, we do not tend to see Him; and this is why.
Some people do not see GOD because they cannot look beyond the instrument that GOD has chosen for Himself. They only see a (wo) man. Nazareth missed out on the day of her visitation. Jesus hardly performed any miracle there because, for His kinsmen, He was just the son of Mary and the carpenter, the brother of James, Joseph, Simon and Jude (Mat 13:55, Mk 6:3). In spite of all the miracles and unparalleled teachings (Mk 1:21-22), the scribes and the Pharisees, the then-intellectuals, would only see somebody who had not studied (Jn 7:15). Too much familiarity or proximity with certain people can make us miss the fact that they are speaking to us as GOD’s servants. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. (Rev 3:17-18). May GOD open our eyes and cure us of our spiritual blindness.
Then, there are those who hear the prophetic word, but who do not see the LORD because they are looking elsewhere. It is lack of faith; it is unbelief. These people have so fixed their eyes on their limitations and handicap, that, when they say, ‘Amen’, their Amen doesn’t even reach their own spirit. They know that GOD does miracles, but they also know that it won’t be for/through them. Peter heard the LORD asking him to come to Him walking on the waters. Yet, he was so taken by the vision of the raging see around him, that, he just could not hold on to the belief that what Jesus had asked him to do was possible. Likewise, somebody who did not finish college, earns $300 a month and has never seen $5,000 in their life may have a tough time ‘swallowing’ the fact that GOD is about to give them $100,000. They may say ‘Amen’, but they will say so thinking of Brother X who already earns $10,000 a month and drives a big car.
The LORD’s words are spirit and life. They are neither too hard, nor far off. They are very near, in our mouths and hearts, so that we can do what is expected from us (Jn 6:63, Deut 30:11-14). In other words, all we need to know is: “Is it truly GOD speaking to me through So-and-so?” Because, if it is Him, then, there is enough grace and power in what He says for Him to do it and also, to enable us follow His instructions.
The Bible warns: Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God… And it goes on saying that all those who refused to believe what GOD told them through His servant (Moses) did not make it to the Promise Land, the rest that the LORD had promised to them (Heb 3:12-19).
There’s an immense blessing which is attached to GOD’s promises, attached to what GOD says to us, to you. He has seen your situation, your dreams and desires; He has heard your cries and your prayers and He has come down to do you good (Ex 3:7-8). He has taken a human appearance –your pastor, a parent, a friend, a colleague, a sister in Christ- and has come with a message. His words are spirit and life: they carry the spiritual power which is necessary for you to obtain the abundant life and the peace that you need and long for. The Roman centurion understood this well and said to Jesus: “Only speak the word… I don’t need anything else than a word; the word which was with GOD in the beginning and which is GOD and through which all things were created. I know that this word can still create what I need in my life. Only speak the word…” He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet –GOD’s mouthpiece- will receive a prophet's reward. Indeed, to all those who receive the prophetic word, He gives the power to become children of GOD –that is, to live in GOD’s fullness and have a rich and abundant life (Jn 1:12). Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed (2Chr 20.20).
I pray that the LORD gives us a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, and that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened, that we may always see and recognise Him, and therefore, fully enjoy the rich and glorious inheritance that He has in store for us (Eph 1:17-19).
Have a wonderblessed® week!
You may want to read “The One who sees and who hears.” GOD is near those who are suffering, even when, like Hagar, they are directly responsible for their predicament.
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