Unseen Before The Seen

1. God’s assurance

A Christian who is trusting God for the healing of his cancer was reflecting on his condition. He was discouraged by the apparent lack of progress in his healing. Then the Holy Spirit brought to his mind the Exodus story (Exodus 14:1-31) –  of how God led the Israelites out of Egypt. As he recalled  the story, he heard within his spirit the words, “I WILL part the Red Sea for you”. Immediately, he knew that it was God’s assurance to him that the Lord was going to do a mighty work in his life. He was moved to tears.

2. Going around in circles & reaching a dead end

He thought to himself, “The Lord led the Israelites by a longer route even though there was a shorter route to their destination. God made them walk around in circles and finally led them to a place where they had the army of pharaoh on one side & the Red Sea on the other – a dead end.

He sensed the Lord saying to him that what happened to the Israelites was what was happening to him. After all the effort by his doctors and the difficulties he had to go through, he had come to a “dead end”. But when he heard within himself the words, “I WILL part the Red Sea”, he realized that God had placed a column of smoke and  fire between him and the things that will harm him. He sensed God telling him, “Do not be afraid, stand firm and you will see the deliverance I will bring you today.”

3. His healing comes from God alone

Although his doctor broke the news to him that he could no longer administer the treatment for his cancer, the Christian received the news with peace because he somehow knew that such a day would come. He knew his healing was not going to come from doctors, though God may choose to use them. The Christian believed that his healing was going to come from God alone. The news was just a sign that he had entered into the next phase in his journey of faith with God.

4. God strengthens us at our time of need

We thank the Lord for always strengthening a believer in his time of need. The Christian sensed a peace that transcended all understanding when his doctor gave him  the news because Jesus,who is the Prince of Peace, lives in him (Philippians 4:7)

5. No dead ends

The Christian had the Spirit’s assurance –  ” I WILL part the Red Sea”. Indeed as God’s son, we never face dead ends; only what seemed like one. We agree that the paths which God lead us may appear at times hard where there seems to be an easier way. Yet in His wisdom, it is during those hard times that God forges within us an indestructible trust in Him which is beyond human comprehension.

There is fear before faith. And God knows our hearts. His grace for us does not require us to be fearless but to be faithful. We choose to be a good and faithful servant of God. We trust in Him even if it is unpleasant. He is more interested in building our our character than in our comfort. God will part the Red Sea before us because it is in His nature to help those who trust in Him foe deliverence.

6. Focus on the unseen

We know that the unseen always comes before the seen. God spoke His unseen words before the seen world was created. Jesus told Martha that when she believed the unseen, she would see the glory of God (John 11:40). The Spirit who wrote 2 Cor.4:18 asked us to fix our eyes on the unseen because what is seen is only temporary but what is unseen is eternal. We have the aforementioned eternal testimonies of the Holy Trinity. We have eternal life overflowing from us because we know The Only True God and His Son Jesus Christ (John 17:3). We can never lose because we are God’s beloved; we are more than  conquerors (Romans 8:37).

Your Performance Or Jesus’ Performance

1. Do you have a religion or a relationship with God?

Is God mad at you? Is He angry because you call yourself a Christian but do not attend church regularly or fail to read His word diligently? Is God pleased only when you do Christian activities? Many Christians think that if they don’t perform as a Christian should, then their God is upset with them and that’s why they are experiencing set backs in their lives because God is punishing them for their under performance. If that’s you then what you think is not Biblical. You have religion. You don’t have a relationship with God. A religious person does Christian activities so as to keep God happy. They perform so that God will bless them.

2. Intimate relationship with the Father

Many Christians see God as a God of law (Old Covenant) than as a God of grace (New Covenant). That’s why Jesus came to introduce a new name for God and that is “Father”. Jesus called Him “Father” (Matthew 5:16) because their relationship is based on an intimate relationship and not intense performance. During His time, Jesus had a relationship with God while His enemies, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Teachers of the Law had religion. Therefore, we should follow Jesus’ example and relate to God in an intimate way instead of in a religious way. As such, when we attend Church, pray, read the Bible etc we do them not to get right with God. We do them because we have a relationship with God and want to know Him and Jesus better.

3. Performance culture

Our Singapore culture is one of performance and we grow up stressing performance (getting what we deserve) rather than grace (getting what we don’t deserve). Religion is about performance – getting what we deserve –  do good and God will be happy with you; do bad and He will be mad at you. You deserve what you get.

4. Grace & love

Whereas a relationship with God is about grace. It’s about getting what you don’t deserve. It’s about God’s unconditional love for us. He loves us not because of us. He loves us because He is love (1John 4:8). His entire genetic make up if I can use such a term , is love. His entire essence is love. He can’t help but love.

That’s why He sent Jesus to die on our behalf to satisfy the requirements of God’s justice as sin needs to be punished. Therefore He punished our sins by laying them all (past, present & future) on Jesus. After Jesus had absorbed all our sins into His body, He died on the cross and all our sins died with Him. Jesus’ death sets us free from the condemnation of sin. Jesus’ sacrifice satisfies God’s justice. Now God is free to love us unconditionally and sees us righteous (right standing with God) not because we perform but because Jesus had performed what we can never do.

You are now righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21) because of the divine exchange at the cross. Even if you later sin in thought, word and deed, you are a ‘righteous’ sinner whose sins are forgiven. Simply agree with God (confess) that what you did was wrong. Don’t condemn yourself. Trust that God forgives you (1John 1:9). You don’t confess to be forgiven. You’re forgiven, therefore you confess. Move on with your life. God has forgiven you and remember your sins no more (Hebrews 8:12)

Jesus last words on the cross were, ” It is finished.” (John 19:30). His death on the cross completely satisfied God. There’s nothing you can do that can ever improve upon what Jesus did. His work of dying on the cross on your behalf  to remove all your sins is finished. You only need to trust in His finished work to save you from all your sins.

5. How does God’s grace work?

God’s grace works in your life when you believe in the finished work of Jesus. Because Jesus died on your behalf, God delights in you. God’s grace means that the good you do will never impress Him. Similarly, the bad you do will never shock Him because it’s not about you. It’s all about God who loves you even when you let Him down. He may feel sad when you willfully disobey Him. But your willful disobedience will never make Him disown you as you are His child and no one can snatch you out of His hand (John 10:29) unless of course, you choose to leave Him. Rest in the assurance of His love for you. He delights in you because He delights in Christ and you are in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Generational Curse

1.God is bigger than our mistakes.

Those of you who are subscribers of my blog would have seen a blog with this same title, “Generational Curse” yesterday but can’t find it soon after. The reason is that the blog was still in a draft form when I accidentally pressed the ‘Publish ‘ button instead of the ‘Save Draft’ button. As such, the draft got posted. Although I immediately deleted it within 30 seconds, it was sent to all subscribers.

Even though I pressed the wrong button, my mistake was used by God  to assure a subscriber that she was not the victim of a generational curse. God timed it so well that as I accidentally published the draft blog, it reached the subscriber at the precise  time when she was confused about the issue of generational curse. That is how our God works. He is bigger than our mistakes and can use them to achieve His purposes. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

 

2. Generational curse is Old Covenant thinking

Now that my draft has been used by God to speak to a subscriber, I shall write a more complete version of the topic. This issue of generational curse arose from an Old Covenant thinking mentioned in Exodus 34:7 which states, “he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.” The thinking in the Old Covenant was that if the forefathers had messed up, the subsequent generations would suffer.

Because of such thinking, some Christians (who belong to the New Covenant) think that since their forefathers had sinned by say, dabbling in the occult, they therefore now bear the consequences of this earlier sin even though they have accepted Jesus (who had saved them from their sins). Based on such wrong thinking, they conclude that since they now live a defeated life, it can only be due to the sins of  their forefathers. Some also think that since their parents had divorced, they too will be inclined to divorce and therefore it is better not to get into a serious relationship. Some also think that if their parents had a history of cancer, then they too will have cancer. With the fear of cancer occupying their minds, they have no inner peace and joy in the Lord. Such Old Covenant thinking is misplaced thinking for us New Covenant Christians. We are not responsible for what our forefathers did or did not do.

 

3. New Covenant thinking believes all curses removed by Jesus’ death on the cross

In fact, in the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah already denounced such wrong thinking and spoke of the difference the New Covenant will make in the new believer’s life. In the verses from Jeremiah 31:29 -30, we read that in the New Covenant, each is responsible for his own sin – “In those days people will no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes–his own teeth will be set on edge.”  These verses show the New Covenant emphasises  individual responsibility regarding sin. Therefore , one does not suffer for the sins of the previous generation.

The Bible states that under the New Covenant, Jesus removed all our sins –  past, present and future (Hebrews 10:12) when we accepted Him as our Saviour. Furthermore, Galatians 3:13-14 reminds us that Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from any generational curse which was what they believed in during the Old Testament times:-

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Therefore, we can rest assured that when we accepted Jesus as Saviour, He removed all generational curses from our lives and we can live a guilt free life in Christ.

Some people also said that generational curse comes upon people who curse their forefathers. I don’t think that is generational curse at all. If one curses one’s forefathers, it is no different from a sin which involves cursing one’s enemies. If one has done that, one merely agrees with God that one has sinned and reaffirms that God has forgiven that sin in Jesus‘ death on the cross. That sin has always been forgiven and there is no effect on subsequent generations.

 

4. You are free from generational curse

I pray that you will not be worried about what your ancestors had (physical diseases) or had done (sinful actions). Their health and actions are outside your control. When you accepted Jesus, He gives you new life, continues to forgive all your sins and cleanse you from any form of unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) – whether caused by your ancestors or by you. When Jesus, the Son Of God sets you free; you are truly free indeed (John 8:36).

Necessary Endings And New Beginnings

1. We live a “ful” life

As we stand at the brink of a new year, let us remember three Biblical attitudes of our Christian life. Our Christian life is a “ful” life. When we look at our past, be thankful to God for being there with us through the ups and downs. When we look at the present, be joyful as our security does not depend on our happenings but on our God who holds us securely. When we look forward, be hopeful as we have a God who always goes before us and will be with us; He will never leave us nor forsake us. We are not afraid; we are not discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8). In the Bible, hope means “a confident expectation of good”. We can expect good because our God is good and what He does is good (Psalm 119:68).

2. New Year’s resolutions

Some of us may have made new year resolutions for 2012.  We bid the end of 2011 and welcome  the beginning of 2012 hoping that we can leave the unpleasant events of the past year and have a fresh start . Despite our best of intentions, we often find that we make new year’s resolutions only to soon break them. But that does not mean we don’t need necessary endings and new beginnings. Each year gives us a chance for new beginnings. But if we break our resolutions, does it mean we need to wait till 1 January 2013 to start again? Let me tell you the good news. Each week can be a new beginning. Every Sunday can be a new beginning since it is the day we remember Christ rose from the dead to give us a new beginning. Better still, every day is a new beginning. Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us that God’s mercies are new every morning.

That’s why we don’t wait for new year’s eve to end something and start a new thing on new year’s day. Instead, we learn to trust God daily. We put an end to what hurts us and which holds us back from becoming what God wants us to be. We forget the past and reach out for what God has for us in the future (Philippians 3:13)

3. Share your reflections and bless us

Since we are starting a new year, I  decided that instead of  sharing my thoughts with you, it will be more helpful if you did some reflection on your own and share your reflections with all our readers. You can use the ‘ Comments ‘ section of my blog to share your thoughts. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). So  feel free to share with us to bless us.

4. What is your Egypt?

For a start, reflect on the theme, “Necessary Endings & New Beginnings” .  Please read Exodus chapters 14, 15 & 16.  As you  read chapter 14, reflect on what God said in the last sentence of Exodus 14:13. In these words He taught His chosen people about what they needed to end in their minds. They needed to get Egypt out of their minds.  As you apply this truth to your life, ask yourself this question, “What is the Egypt I need to get rid of in my mind?”

5. Who do you trust?

Then as Exodus 14 ends, God taught them to have a new beginning which is to live a life based on trusting God alone ( Exodus 14:31). God showed them that in this fallen world, there will be troubles. But if they trust Him in their troubles, they will discover that He will come through for them. That was why God allowed them to go through the ‘ bitter waters experience’  in Exodus 15:22-27 so that they can learn to trust Him in every situation. Although they started with bitter waters , they would end on a sweet note. Are you wading in bitter waters? God is your healer and will turn your bitterness into sweetness.

In Exodus 16, God taught them that they needed to trust Him daily to provide for them. They are not to depend on human abilities but to rely on God’s ability to provide for them. They need not fear that they won’t have enough because they were not competent enough. God showed them that those who gathered much did not have too much, and those who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed (Exodus 16:18). God is your best equaliser when the odds are against you.

 

6. Your reflections

 

Reflect on the following questions based on Exodus chapters 14 to 16 :-

 

·         Why do we need necessary endings and new beginnings?

 

·         Do necessary endings have to be bitter and new beginnings sweet?

 

·         Throughout the 3 chapters, what does God want the Israelites to learn about their relationship with Him as they end their stay in Egypt and start a new beginning in the Promised Land of Israel? What does God want you to learn about your relationship with Him. What is your necessary ending? What is your new beginning?

 

 

Please share your thoughts in the Comments section of this blog. I look forward to reading your reflections.