April 10, 2020
Dear friend,
I miss you so much. My heart aches to worship with you again. I dearly miss the choir of praise, the fellowship and the strength we bring to one another just by simply being together. I can’t WAIT to be with you again.
The Lord gave me some encouragement lately in our Bible reading plan. Deuteronomy chapter 8 finds the Lord telling Israel to remember everything that he has done for them over the past 40 years while walking in the wilderness.
“And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years.” Deut. 8:2-4
Here we see how God has purposefully brought them through trials to make them stronger and to test their faith. We see how he has fed them with food which at one point is referred to as “angels food.” They literally ate what angels do for breakfast! He reminds them how he has provided encouragement and clothing and the ability to walk through the long season of desert that they had been in. He is showing them “I’ve looked after you!“. Not only have they been molded and strengthened, but God himself has proved his faithfulness. He’s proved himself as an encourager and a provider and a protector. He has equipped them, directed them, watered them and sheltered them.
And much like the Israelites, he has been molding us. He has been using hard times to showcase his faithfulness. He has proved himself to us over and over and over… remember that? These weeks, months and years you’ve walked with him?
Think about it.
Take a moment.
Think on those things.
Many of you can testify of great deliverances by the hand of God. Some of you know of supernatural healing. Some of you no longer have to take drugs to help with depression, some of you are free from life altering addictions, or some of you would be dead today but for our merciful, loving God.
Praise Jesus! I mean it literally, praise him! Take a moment to ponder all the things he has done for you, thank him out loud right there where you are. Remember what the Lord has done: the salvation, the provision, the healing, the deliverance from drugs, mental instability, nightmares and agony, the encouragement, the defense, the guidance, and the shelter.
God goes on to describe the abundant place that he is bringing Israel to and renews his promise. “For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.” Deut. 8:7-10
The whole time they were in the wilderness, God spoke of his promises.
He reminded them of his will, of his calling and of his faithfulness to bring them there. Then in the next chapter he repeated his plan again and gave them the go ahead.
Deut. 9:1 “Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan TODAY….” TODAY dear friend, tonight, this morning, whatever time this finds you, you have the “go ahead”. “…to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven,a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ ”
God knew what was before them. He knew it was big, and he knew it was scary. He knew the complexities of what they would face, the hardships and the battles. In fact he stated quite clearly that they were “greater and mightier than you”, but God didn’t stop there, and he never does. Deu 9:3 “Know therefore TODAY…” ((Know therefore right now where YOU are))
“…that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the LORD your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has promised you.”
He who goes before YOU dear friend, is the Lord God, a consuming fire! He who goes before you is mighty He’s creator.
He’s deliverer.
He’s conqueror.
He’s provider.
He defeated the enemy.
He removed every accusation against you.
God didn’t bring Israel to this place of “mightier than you” enemies and say “oh…. this is awkward… this isn’t what was in the wilderness…” He didn’t take them to the very edge of the promise and then grow weak and lose his sovereignty. NO! He said “HELLO?!? LOOK AT ME! Do you see who I am? Remember everything I’ve brought you through?!” God doesn’t belittle this battle. He doesn’t make light of the fear, he just says, LOOK AT ME! God is faithful, and he is true and he is not surprised by this next step. He sees this world and it’s crumbling economy. He comprehends every effect this has on every person in every way. He is God! He is a consuming fire!
And did he bring us to Corona 2020 to say “oh no! The world is falling apart! Oh no you’re being restricted, you’re being restrained. What if there’s persecution? What if there’s this, what if there’s that…?” Did he bring us to this place as a church, as a family, as an individual, for naught? NO! He said I go before you! This is your moment friend. When the world is at its darkest, this is your time to shine!
Yes YOU vessel, yes YOU piece of clay, “YOU are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but ON A STAND, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matt 5:14-16
Let it shine friends, in every avenue you have, in this dark and unprecedented time, put your light ON A STAND by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Ghost.
They’re so fearful out there. They don’t know what’s going to happen, or for how long… but YOU have the Lord your God, YOU have a consuming fire, YOU have the Holy Spirit, YOU have the grace of God, the Provider, the Defender, the Stronghold, that table of feasts of abundant goodness and blessing.
That’s what YOU have.
In the midst of this darkness, let God SHOW OFF in you. Let them see the goodness of God in your life. Glorify him! Don’t spread this disease of fear, don’t consume yourself with News and enter into conversations over and over and over of what’s going on. Talk of Jesus! Talk of HIM over and over, talk of his blessings over and over, talk of His provision, His goodness, His salvation, what He delivered you from! He is ready to defend you, He goes before you!
He planned every single day of your life. He knit you in the womb for “SUCH A TIME AS THIS” For 2020.
For Corona.
For his kingdom and for his glory.
He MADE YOU.
It’s not a surprise, he knew it was coming.
LET HIM SHINE IN YOU!
Leah Wilkes