Why I Can Say 'God Did Not 'Take' Rev. David Wilkerson'

Why God Did Not ‘Take’ David Wilkerson
April 29, 2011
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We lost a rare and wonderful treasure this week. Pastor and prophet, Rev. David Wilkerson was lost in a tragic auto accident in Texas. His Wife, Gwen, is in fair condition as I write this.

It is written with the greatest respect for his memory and his family’s mourning. And, his family is vast. His church in New York City, Time Square Church, and his global ministry to the bound and oppressed, Teen Challenge, makes for a vast multitude, too large to be numbered – family.

I was told by a very sincere Christian friend that God ‘took’ (killed) His servant, Rev. David Wilkerson, in the terrible automobile accident that occurred this week because His mercy for America was running out. Though my friend is sincere, their theology is locked into an archaic, Old Testament view of a vindictive God Who is releasing vengeance upon America because of her rebellion, etc., kind of like what happened to Sodom and Gmmorroah.

I do not write this article as a rebuttle, but in the defense of a revelation of Jehovah God that was manifested in the Son, Who went about doing good and healing all who were sick and oppressed of the devil. Jesus said that if you had seen Him, you had seen the Father: a perfect embodiment of Truth, Grace and Love.

To say that the God of all grace has been brought down to espouse human nature, such as becoming angry at New Orleans because they have been rejecting Him and sinking into gross darkness, is not proper doctrine or theology - a true revelation of Who He is and what He is like. The Bible, especially the New Testament, would show us a God Whose heart is broken over the sin, bondage and darkness that any portion of the world is under. You cannot apply the principles of First Corinthians 13 to such scenarios and still come away with a God Who is now sitting in judgment. Remember, He IS on a Throne - the Throne of Grace and Mercy.

Where we can explain some of the things that are happening in light of proper doctrine and theology is in the Church abdicating it's role and position of being salt, light and a penetrating influence of restraint, government and administration. All of creation is 'wondering' where are the Sons of God? Chaos ensues when a kingdom is not prevailing. When the Church refuses to adopt and employ it's delegated authority, the 'powers' and the 'principalities' of darkness will have free reign unaccosted.

It is also crystal clear that there are consequences regarding our treatment of Israel. However, it is NOT that God reacts, but that we, even as a Nation, came further away from the covering of God and, being left exposed, are susceptible to the renegade powers that can afflict and ruin unrestrained. But, that is NOT an issue of Jehovah God getting mad at man's estate or our Nation's condition and finally deciding to show us who is boss. That is an Old Testament, judgmental fire and brimstone that can work, on occasion, but is more fitting for the lukewarm, half-hearted Church rather than those who are lost without Christ.

Keep in mind that God is eternal and has experienced and is experiencing all of time, past, present and future, simultaneously and continually. In other words, long before we arrived, Father God had ‘seen’ and ‘observes’ the very worst of America’s soul and condition continually. Many well-meaning believers are vexed by the same conditions that they are witnessing that Father God has witnessed for eternity and in their vexation they project onto God the very same human aggravation and frustration and cry for vengeance.

The problem with this kind of thinking is that ALL of God’s righteous judgment was completely satisfied through the High Priestly Ministry and Sacrifice of His Son and the shedding of His blood. The ‘Cross’ satisfied the judgment and vengeance of God. Speaking prophetically, the Angels saw a fallen world, caste in darkness, and announced the introduction of a new dispensation and from the Heavens said on the occasions of the Savior’s birth, ‘and on Earth, peace and goodwill toward all men with whom God is now well pleased.’

Now that Christ’s ministry and sacrifice satisfied the heart of God, there is only ONE throne that affects Heaven and Earth and it is called the Throne of Mercy and Grace. The ‘Grace’ of God deals with legal assessments and judgments where a valuation is made and a person’s worthiness is based on the Merits of Christ. If God’s grace should ever be exhausted, and it can’t, then God’s Mercy kicks in. God’s Mercy is connected with His ‘Humanity’ if you will. In other words, because of Christ’s humanity and identification with out sufferings and frailties, if we ever exhaust God’s Grace and Favor, then Jesus identifies with our fallen condition and engages us as Advocate, Intercessor and Mediator.

If my Friend had not been an avid fan of Rev. David Wilkerson, he may have said that God ‘took’ Rev. Wilkerson because of some sin in his life. However, my Friend loves David Wilkerson, just as I do, and yet believes that God ‘took’ David Wilkerson from this Earth – that God Killed this powerful servant. Heres’s why my Friend is so wrong, though very sincere.

First, we are at the most momentous time the world has ever seen and witnessed where every worker is needed. The Bible tells us that the need for workers is so very great but the number of laborers does not match and are too inadequate in number. I cannot see God taking such a powerful and important prophetic voice out of this world.

Rev. David Wilkerson was a General in God’s army. His anointing, experience, wisdom, resources are needed now as never before. This is not the time for such an important voice to be silenced, silenced by the one who enlisted him into the service to be a prophetic voice in the first place.

Following along with the first point, the Bible tells us that the ‘Gifts’ and ‘Callings’ of God are irrevocable. These gifts, etc. are innate and are in human form, like a Prophet – of which I ascribe to Rev. David Wilkerson. It would go against this very principle of God, foundational to His nature and character, to recall Rev. Wilkerson from the field because He, God, has become fed up with the sins of the world.

Second, God is NOT mad at the sins of the world. God is mad at the sins of the Church. Jesus saw the ‘multitudes’ (representative of the peoples of the world) and was moved with compassion. The hard-line, Old Testament fire and judgment calls for judgment to fall but the Mercy and Grace of this dispensation sees the fallen state of Mankind and remembers the love of the Father that led the Son to shed His precious Blood on the Cross. It wasn’t His will that any should perish then, it is not His will that any should perish now. To those who are sick with and in sin, He remains the Great Physician willing and drawn to heal the darkest stains of sin on an individual life, state or nation.

Third, He is the Chief Shepherd. The Shepherd’s nature and disposition is not one of murdering, taking vengeance or taking a life – especially in such a terrible way. He, Christ, was the Chief Shepherd to one of His choice sheep – Rev. Wilkerson. It goes against everything paternal, maternal, benevolent and gracious to try to figure the Chief Shepherd in this light – ‘taking’ His servant home through a tragic accident such as this.

Imagine going to His wife, Gwen, and saying to Gwen Wilkerson or to his own flock at Times Square Church in New York City and tell them that ‘the Chief Shepherd wanted our dear Brother in Heaven with Him and decided to ‘take’ him.’ Imagine trying to explain that kind of a shepherd to a new born Christian or to a tenured saint. It goes against everything decent and humane not to mention Scriptural.

Fourth, would a parent commit such an act and it be called anything but murder? Parents have ‘taken’ their children, intentioally, in auto accidents, etc. and it was called homicide. How insane it is to try to frame the reputation of Father God with such a matte to put on public display. Friends, that’s not God, which would be a monster.

Fifth, maybe it was simply an accident. Maybe Father God STILL so loves the entire world and America and the most sinful cities in America that He sends His Son with a message of hope for the most hopeless and reprobate. Maybe Father God weeps when a hurricane or tornadoes strike a region and countless suffering sets in. Maybe Father God ‘knew’ in advance how terrible our moral condition would deteriorate yet chose to send His Son and His messengers with a word of hope and salvation where there is no hope or sense of need for salvation.

Lastly, I am so very open and have no problem with America experiencing trials and tribulations because of how we handle Israel. There is a blessing promised for blessing them and there is a curse promised for cursing Israel. However, God does NOT react. He can lift His Hand, withdraw the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit to a degree, but He will not, cannot, get mad and react because the work on Calvary completely satisfied the righteous judgment of God for this dispensation. When Jesus said ‘it is finished,’ it (the righteous demands, vengeance and judgment of God) was complete.

It satisfies our own human nature to preach about the wrath of God but I must say that that message does not spring from the Well of Living Waters but from a soulish area of consternation. The message that is flowing from the Fountain of Living Waters is a message like the one the Woman of Samaria heard at the well in Sychar. The message that gives life is the same message that was given to the woman caught in the act of adultery, ‘go your way and sin no more.’ The message springing from the Fountain of Living Water sees a multitude, even a sin-ladened, corrupt and despicable lot and longs to introduce them to this life-changing Resource with the most compassion and sorrow for suffering humanity a person can have.

The beginning of the New Testament opens with the message of John the Baptist which was ‘repent.’ Repentance is still demanded and needed by each and everyone who comes into understanding of their own sinful condition. Following the work of John and beginning with the ministry of Jesus, THE message became and continues to be the message of the Kingdom of God.

No, God did NOT ‘take’ Rev. David Wilkerson. It was an accident.
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Pastor Freddie Steel – Life Church of Chicagoland – 6600 W 127th Street – Palos Heights, IL 60463 – revfts@usa.net

'Grace is Free - But it Sure is Expensive'

Grace is Free, But It Sure Is Expensive.
by Freddie Steel on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 5:10pm

Grace does NOT make sense. Neither does faith. Forgiveness doesn't make sense. That is why they are supernatural and so powerful.

If grace does not make 'sense,' then I can't lean on my own understanding to dispense grace. I have to commit to living grace and offering grace intentionally rather than emotionally.

I'm pretty convinced that grace is not shared and released more liberally by more of us because far too many do not know grace personally. We live in a culture where we receive everything by way of performance. Grades in school come via academic performance. Salaries and compensation come via performance. Too often, husbands and wives relate and offer love to one another via performance. But grace sees people through 'rose-colored' glasses. Grace doesn't close its eyes to faults, failures and shortcomings, it just helps you to see them through God's 'rose-colored' glasses.

The best way to get our 'rose-colored' glasses (a personal understanding and encounter with grace), is through failing (God's Word is the foremost means). Failure is how God teaches us that He has been blessing 'everyone' of us on credit. Here is a glimpse of grace.

'God makes it rain on the just and the unjust.' Everyone seems to know how to quote this as a verse of judgment. However, rain is a blessing and shows the benevolence of God. So, Jesus is saying that the Father releases His goodness of life on the 'deserving' and the 'undeserving.' He loves ALL of mankind impartially. He is not prejudiced or secterian. God so loved the 'world' that He gave His Son - liberally and freely.

Since we really do reap what we sow, I try to sow grace every single day, and especially when it doesn't make sense. In doing so, in those moments, we are more like Jesus than at any other time. His grace is free, but it is also very expensive - it cost Him His life.

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"Thankstaking Dinner" and the Look of Gratitude

“Thankstaking Dinner”
- The Look of Gratitude and Generosity –

Bishop Freddie Steel

We are closing in on one of the main holidays celebrated in America. Thanksgiving is a special time. We get off from work early, meet with family and friends, eat ‘till we can’t eat any more, and get up bright and early to catch those special deals at our favorite retailer. Ah, the joys of Thanksgiving!

Pastoring a church helps one to keep life in perspective: we see the best and the worst of things. So, I do greet Thanksgiving as I explained it above and at the same time I recall the images of an elderly gentleman, lady, or couple who can barely get by even with the best of their efforts and looking forward to a Thanksgiving as I just described just won’t happen.

My mind moves to the images of a single mother who is working the best she can to meet her family’s needs and, despite her best efforts, also barely gets by. She will have a hard time explaining to her children why they won’t be having a ‘regular’ Thanksgiving like the other families that may be portrayed on TV.

All of the blessings and benefits that I explained above are to be enjoyed. However, what might be the norm and regular Thanksgiving for many, one that includes all of the fixings and trimmings, to others is a far away dream or even an extravagance that they cannot imagine being privileged enough to receive. For those who see the bountiful spread as routine may very well enjoy the lavish supply as only a temporary fulfillment at best because it has never been compared and evaluated alongside great want and need. But, when the comparison can be made, I have found that the blessings are received with greater gratitude, deeper joy, little or no criticism, and with great satisfaction. You find yourself being thrilled with the Cranberry sauce, the stuffing, the meal, service, and feel very privileged to be able to enjoy the bounty freely.

It is very possible that many American have not defined what ‘enough’ looks like, or when is it that ‘enough’ brings satisfaction and contentment?

Let me share this illustration to help explain what I mean.

Blessings From Above -

The Jordan River begins, it is birthed, near the summit of the nine thousand foot plus Mount Hermon near the Syria – Lebanon borders. The name ‘Hermon’ means the ‘mountain of the Chief’ and has three definite peaks, the middle one being the highest. Personally, it is a perfect picture of Heaven and the Trinity. The snow that covers its peaks year round speaks of the lofty heights of Heaven from which all of our blessings proceed, and the three peaks with the middle one being the most prominent reminds me of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The snow line of Mount Hermon is where the Jordan River begins. ‘Jordan’ means ‘and it comes down abundantly.’ As the condensation increases, the water of the Jordan River makes its way to the valley below and it gives birth to the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee is teeming with life and blessings that affects the entire region and selflessly releases and passes along everything it receives from above.

What is quite interesting to me is that the same water (representing the blessings of God) that originates from above and gives life and releases blessings below is the same water that births the Dead Sea. How can the life-giving water give life to the Sea of Galilee and then produce no life in the Dead Sea? The secret is this.

Happy To Receive, Happy To Give -

Galilee properly handles and stewards the blessings it receives by opening up and sending along all that it has taken in. The ‘secret’ for Galilee is that it is grateful to receive what has been sent down from above, so-much-so that it willingly becomes a channel and conduit for God to use to bless others. The Dead Sea does not pass along its bounty in the same way as Galilee. Consequently, the value and worth of all of the gifts it receives are corrupted and lost: that which was a blessing to Galilee becomes corrupted and spoils and the value and worth are lost. The Dead Sea holds tightly onto all that it receives, being preoccupied with self-interest, and does not offer to send the blessings along as its ‘mother’ did.

Our lives are quite the same. We tend to forget that every good and perfect gift that America receives comes down from the Father above, all of which are to be welcomed and received with deep gratitude and thanksgiving. America’s ingratitude for Father God’s great and wonderful blessings spoils and corrupts their potential for bringing us fulfillment and satisfaction.

I have reached the conclusion that the reason we Americans want more and bigger and better is because we have not identified at what point we reach satisfaction, fulfillment, enough. The blessings that we enjoy in America (but never seem to be satisfied with because of our greed) will never be able to satisfy because in order for there to be ingratitude, one has to find something lacking, something wrong with, some fault with our many blessings and gifts. Ingratitude originates with a critical spirit, a critical outlook on everything in life including employment, people and relationships.

I remember the years that I was critical about things in our marriage and family. On one occasion while praying for my wife and daughter, the Holy Spirit dropped in my heart this thought: ‘I want you to stop praying about your wife and daughter, and I want you to start spending more time in praying ‘for’ your wife and daughter.’ Immediately the acidic spirit of criticism that I had began to be ‘sweetened’ with a new sense of compassion, patience, insights, and gratitude. My life has never been the same since then. What Father God had given to me as a rare and special gift and grace was being spoiled because of the issues of my own heart.

Ingratitude is the sin that made a forty-day journey in the wilderness a forty-year journey for the Israelites. The Israelites found fault with the supernatural manna, the supernatural water, the supernatural deliverance (all of which were foreshadows of and reflected Christ the Savior), and came to believe that their relationship with God centered on and based on His ability and willingness to supply their every need. The thing that was at stake with Israel was their destiny and ingratitude was destiny’s chief enemy. Though God had moved Heaven and Earth to free them and generously care for them, the Israelites could not find it in their heart to render thanksgiving and praise to God for all He had done. Hence, they continued to think like slaves, act like slaves, and treasured the wages of Egyptian slavery more than their God-ordained destiny as being a liberated, blessed peoples and nation. This parallels America today.

Ingratitude overshadows the gifts, grace, and blessings that God daily bestows upon us one and all. I have come to the conclusion that I can complain about sitting in traffic or I can thank God that He has blessed me to have a good car that I can take anywhere anytime I desire: not the case for so many. As a matter of fact, I communicate with ministers and missionaries around the globe who would love to have the opportunity to sit in grid-lock traffic instead of having to walk great distances in terrible or dangerous conditions or ride a bike many, many miles through treacherous terrain to spread the Gospel. No, for the most part, I am quite happy and content to deal with traffic conditions where I can turn on my air conditioning, put my favorite cd in the player, lock the world outside and carry the peace and tranquility of the Kingdom of God with me regardless the conditions outside. Yes, I manage my life with a thermostat rather than reacting to the changing climate like a barometer. Yes, ingratitude can corrupt the fulfillment and satisfaction that we should be enjoying from the vast, everyday blessings Father God sends our way.

I heard someone in a restaurant complaining about the food and the service that I, too, was enjoying but had no problem with. I remarked to those sitting with me how that there would be millions of people in the world who would absolutely love to trade places with me and ‘endure’ the ‘terrible’ food and service that the other patrons were being served. There are multitudes around the globe who cannot imagine what it is like to have someone prepare a meal, bring it to them, and provide service such as what you receive in a restaurant. For the same reason, as well as out of gratitude to Father God, I never leave a poor tip. The quality of the food and service do not matter, within reason, because overshadowing the food and service are many other benevolent issues to be considered like: living in a land where there is plenty; having the money to pay for someone to prepare my meal and serve me; and on and on. No, I don’t ever have a bad meal at a restaurant. Anytime someone serves me my food and meal that I can enjoy in a decent environment are reasons enough to be grateful and be satisfied by these, God’s gifts of grace.

Want To Know A Little Secret?

The secret for receiving uninterrupted and more robust blessings from above is to learn that the amount of ‘water’ we release will determine the amount of water (blessings) we receive. The pre-occupation with self is a sure and certain recipe for creating dissatisfaction and ingratitude that will corrupt the joy and the full experience of all we have received from God’s generous hand.

In order to be ungrateful with the exquisite measures of grace Father God has given us, one must first become dissatisfied or critical with the blessings by finding some fault with their timing, quality, or quantity. If one feels that Father God’s provisions were late or in any way inadequate, then it becomes all too easy and all too normal to begin finding fault with other things of life. On this course, no one will ever be satisfied with the blessings God sends our way.

When one believes that the purpose of the external rewards of life are given in order to make us happy and satisfied, we have set our course on an ever fluctuating base line that can never serve as a foundation for life, happiness, or contentment. When one believes that the joy and satisfaction of life comes from within, wrapped in humble, reverential gratitude, then one sets their base line to a steady foundation that never compromises regardless the external conditions or circumstances. Additionally, you are able to remain content with God and with others because you have a proper perspective on life and its blessings and you are overwhelmed that Father God has supplied you with enough and then some. With this posture, people are no longer the reason for your discontent. You begin to find that life and God’s blessings do, indeed, make for a richer and fuller life. On the other hand, when the believer’s hearts are free from corruption, the absence of such things can not take our joy or gratitude because they are not built upon the ever-changing things of life. In the state of satisfaction and gratitude, your ‘sea’ is full and you are willing to share freely from life’s overflow.

The Roots Of America’s Complaints And Her Self- Image -

Ingratitude is a terrible thing. Ingratitude, an attitude of the heart, can take (actually receive) the best that is available and find it inadequate, unacceptable, and rob that thing of its potential for enriching and satisfying.
Ingratitude is the lack of appreciation for kindness or especially for a gift received. Ingratitude is the lack or the want of gratitude, being without proper thanks for kindness or favor received. Shak describes ingratitude as the ‘marble-hearted fiend. L ‘Estrange says that ingratitude is abhorred both by God and man.

Gratitude, Grace And God -

There is a double sadness to this topic because our social and faith environments are so greatly affected by gratitude. Gratitude is the essential fuel, the animating breath, for the believer’s praise and worship. Without gratitude being present when we engage Father God in worship, our actions become nothing more than ritual and routine which are offensive to Father God. He cannot receive half-hearted worship because we attempting to worship Him with our lips, but our hearts are far from Him.

Gratitude drives and compels us to worship Father God because we remain overwhelmed by Who He is, and what He has done for us. What He has given to us through His Son has so thoroughly changed our lives that we remain overwhelmed and experience an ongoing awe for Him so-much-so that we can’t stay quiet. Since Father God hates anything that is half-hearted or watered-down and diluted, worship that comes from hearts and lips that are not completely His cannot produce worship or praise that is sanctified, holy, and acceptable to Him. Gratitude remembers the grace of God and the God of grace that drew us to Himself out from death and into the Life shared with Him joyfully.

Gratitude And Trust -

If someone whom you completely know and thoroughly trust made a promise to you concerning an upcoming blessing or a promise of help of some kind, you would be able to wait patiently and continue to speak well of the one who made the promise to you even if all of the evidence in the world is saying something otherwise.

Generally speaking, Americans do not trust God because we have not had to trust God. It would be shameful to think that Americans place more of their trust in the promise of politicians than trust in God. During my thirty-plus years of ministry, I have also observed that American believers also elevate and trust the word of doctors above trusting God and His Word. Many times I have tried to minister faith and the Word of God to people who are in the midst of a medical crisis and it is as though a thick barrier surrounds their understanding so much so that the promises of God’s Word are deflected and repelled somewhat like what you would expect a person to do to repel vile or evil thoughts.

If the American believers have not had to trust God but have trusted in the many wonderful blessings and perks that have been showered on us all, we find that we have become accustomed to leaning to our own resources, ingenuity, and carefully-laid plans. When we place our trust in man above placing our trust in God, the Bible tells us that we open ourselves up to being cursed by making the arm of flesh our refuge, source, and strength.

Another translation of the verse that contains the warning says ‘do not prop yourself up by the things that you trust in.’ Americans have had hungry ears waiting to see which candidate can make us promises that will most effectively address our ills. Unfortunately, putting your trust in the words of any man above and before you put your trust in God’s Word will only result in disappointment. No man has the answers – yet.

I am able to tolerate a lot of things joyfully and with uninterrupted peace because I trust the Father and trust that He is in control. Patience is the by-product of trust that keeps one from running ahead of God and also helps keep our heart fixed on Father God and the integrity of His Word.

Father God Can Be Trusted -

Trust in God helps one to remain peaceful and joy-filled in the midst of congested traffic, incidents of road rage, rude shoppers or retailers. On numerous occasions Father God has proved to me that a delay, a change in my schedule, an untimed event, did not hamper or hinder me but kept me from unseen pitfalls and dangers. After enough of those episodes occurred, I learned to be proactive and begin giving Father God praise when it appeared that things beyond my control were going to adjust and rearrange my schedule and plans.

Trust in God takes the option of vengeance and retaliation off the table and helps to diminish the numbers of people you would otherwise find yourself striving with and in conflict with. Trust in God tells me that I do not have to fear or respond to bad news and threats even though the threats might be legitimate and real. However, the absence of trust does not mean that we should always try to negotiate with and appease those holding the threats, especially if they are evil. When that is the case and there are forces operating one against the other (like the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of this world), appeasement and negotiations are not options. Spiritual warfare is concluded with the Kingdom of God either being advanced or thwarted.

Spiritual Warfare And Trust -

To think that one can reason with evil that seeks to destroy God’s Seed and His people Israel, is a clear statement that the foundational qualities and components of Father God’s Kingdom on the earth have been lost in the mind of many and will be bartered away for the vain and empty promises of man-made prosperity and peace. Prosperity and peace, the two ‘blessings’ that America is pursuing, will come and they will come to pass and they will be fulfilled – the Bible says so. However, they will come through the False Prophet and the anti-Christ and will be hailed by all who believe that the lure of man-made peace and prosperity are to be sought and cherished above or at the expense of the eternal treasures promised in God’s Word.

Prophetically speaking, the time has come when the dividing line has been drawn and you cannot have the best of both worlds without compromises, compromises that, if taken, will cost people their eternal soul.

If a believer does not trust God, like anyone else, they will resort to human efficiencies and, like Abraham and Sarah, create their own ‘son of promise’ that will persecute the legitimate Son of Promise. I do not recall in Scripture where Father God used PAC’s, polls, and volleying in order to gain an upper hand or gain a more advantageous position. As a matter of fact, the example in Kingdom warfare is seen in Christ as He reminded His disciples that His Kingdom was not ‘of this world’ and the establishment of His Kingdom in the Earth would eventually lead Him to trust Father God so completely with His life that He would lay down His life and die on the Cross. That is the very example the believer is to follow: it is what it means to be a Christian, a disciple, a Christ follower.

Where Are The Heroes Of Faith? -

It takes modern-day heroes of faith to lean back and trust Father God especially when there seems to be less and less of a reason to do so. These verses give poignant illustration to how Moses trusted Father God in the midst of political upheaval. These are the heroes of faith who changed the world using a most unconventional means. It also gives a brief biography of your forbears who fought the very same battles then that you face now. The italics are mine.
Hebrews 11: 24-39 - “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to (compromise His faith and God’s Word in order to) be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (which would have absolutely secured him a promising and ‘blessed’ future and life). 25 He chose to (trust Father God and) share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin (Pharaoh, who was not to be viewed as Moses Papa, and Pharaoh’s governmentally-provided perks and programs). 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt (a type and a shadow of this fallen world’s systems and way that are completely contrary to Father God’s), not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on The One who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.
29 It was by faith that (Father God supernaturally supplied all that was needed, and) the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.
33 By faith these people overthrew (not in the sense that one would today) kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them (and because America doesn’t know Father God intimately, American Christianity will not trust God and resorts to methods and means to help themselves out of their straits). They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.
35 Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God (and collaborate with the fallen, evil system) in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
In the days ahead, you can get frustrated and aggravated about the congested highway conditions, or you can choose to be grateful that you have a vehicle that can take you where you want to go, when you want to go unlike countless millions who are either walking, riding bikes and the like to get to church, work, etc. There would be many who would just ‘love’ to have the chance to be in their own vehicle with the means to get around even in tense and congested conditions.
Set out today to find and praise God for the blessings you currently have. They may not be the best, but if you believe Father God is in control and has the best in store for you, start looking for every opportunity to identify and thank God for His grace and gifts.
Freddie Steel - Life Church of Chicagoland - 6600 W 127th Street -
Palos Heights, IL 60463 - revfts@usa.net - 708-824-1501

[i] November 26, 2008