obedience Archives – Sonshine's Journal

February 5, 2019

God is a God of Order

Numbers 1 to 3 ‘God is a God of Order’ 1cor 14 33

The theme of Leviticus is holiness; the theme of Numbers is obedience. The study note in the NET Bible study tool says: “It provides a record of the experience of the Israelites during the wilderness wanderings, and records the laws for the camp as they traveled from place to place. The book focuses on the difficulties of the Israelites due to their lack of faith, rebellion, and apostasy. It also records God’s protection of his people from opposition from without. The book makes a fitting contribution to the collection of holy writings as it shows the spiritual and physical progression of the company of the redeemed toward the promised land.” And so we begin our journey with them today.

These first three chapters guide us to see the order that God required of the infant nation of Israel because they had just come from servitude in Egypt. Therefore, God instructed Moses to do such and such. The end of each chapter reads: They did all that God commanded Moses; that is what they did.

As Paul wrote to the Corinthians he told them: These things…were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.[ 1Co 10:11] And again he wrote: for God is not characterized by disorder but by peace [1Co 14:33]

The God who is not the author of confusion wants to be your God as well. He wants to guide you and bless you. Do you know Him?

Thanks to Pinterest for this photo.

April 2, 2014

“Forgiven and Healed”

We are all so familiar with the story of the paralytic that we often fail to see all of the dynamics and the underlying truth which is: we are all in need of both forgiveness of our sins and healing from our natural human “paralysis.”

Thus Mark included this story at the beginning of this chapter to show us how we often jump to conclusions which are irrelevant or misguided because we have not been taught the basic doctrines of scripture. The rabbi’s had a saying “there is no sick man healed of his sickness until ALL of his sins had been forgiven”— yet they also said and affirmed that only God can forgive sins. How then does one know if “ALL” their sins were forgiven?

Enter Jesus who will shatter their perceptions. He asked: “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walk’? “ Thus by doing the harder first—that is forgiving of the man’s sin, which is invisible to the naked eye He proved that He was Forgiver of sins and the long awaited Messiah, the very Son of God. From that Jesus then vindicated his power by doing the easier which was healing of his paralysis which was visible and tangible. Now the scholars had a dilemma before them. They had asked: ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?” and Jesus answered their thoughts with a threefold action: “rise” which tested the man’s faith, “take up your bed” which tested the man’s ability, “go home” which tested the man’s obedience. Thus Jesus answered the scholars question with the evidence: “the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

Barclay wrote: “The experts in the law were hoist with their own petard. On their own stated beliefs the man could not be cured, unless he was forgiven. He was cured, therefore he was forgiven. Therefore Jesus’ claim to forgive sin must be true.” This is the “aha moment” and when we are brought to the same point and see the evidence we have to ask: will I now take the step of belief that Jesus is who he said he was, the Son of God. From that moment we can then come to Him and not only be forgiven but healed of our human paralysis.

February 10, 2014

Acts 7 “I Surrender All”

The hymn “I Surrender All” is a testimony of one, who in obedience to the Holy Spirit, discovered that when we yield, God opens the fount of blessing that had been hidden in the cleft of the rock but shielded from view by our faltering steps. When God calls you to His side, one of the first things he does is ask you to step out in obedience to Him and then provides a test to see if we are worthy to be called his disciple. He calls you just as he did Abraham, Joseph, and Moses which was the text of Stephen’s message before the religious council. All of these biblical heroes of the faith stepped out in faith and yet each was tested that they might be found pure and holy in His sight. Where is God testing you at this moment in time? In what area has he called you to be a part of his work and you have yet to totally surrender?

The fruit does not fall far from the tree is an old saying that reflects the truth that even though we deny it, we more often than not are mimicking the examples of our forefathers and this was true of the religious leaders. Three false charges leads to one message: you are unbelieving rejecting Israelites just as of old. These religious leaders had the Promised Messiah in their very midst “Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know –“ [Acts]. With great power and miracles before their eyes still the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus and asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He rightly answered “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”

After the death of Jesus, three times now these religious leaders have had the extended hand of mercy from God as they have witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of which they had not received, through the healing of the lame man and the power of the Word in Peter and John and now in Stephen. This will be God’s extended hand of mercy yet again as anointed Stephen revealed their true uncircumcised heart and ears as they continued to resist the Holy Spirit just as their ancestors did.

Beloved, when God presents opportunities to be His witness are we as anointed, prepared and courageous as Stephen? Are we ready to be a martyr for Jesus? But even more importantly, when and if we are called to stand for Christ are we not only willing but able to say: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”?

Beloved, are you totally surrendered to Jesus?