Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,

In the worldly way wherein (just about) everything or anything is socially acceptable and greed is promoted and the fallacy of a “white lie” permeates, it is difficult for people to grasp the fact that GOD doesn’t play. In other words, that GOD means what He says, and says what He means. For a non-believer, it doesn’t make “sense knowledge” that our ever faithful Abba Father would send Jesus the Anointed One – the image of LOVE who is GOD, to set captives free from the snare of the devil by: healing all manner of sickness, feeding thousands, showing compassion to the broken-hearted, and proclaiming the favor of the LORD in preaching the good news (gospel) of the Kingdom of GOD (Isaiah 61:1-2a). Yet allow His only begotten Son to be despised, rejected, stricken, afflicted, and wounded for nothing He had ever done, in order to obliterate sin which entered the earth by the first man – Adam (Genesis 2:16 & 3:1-6; Romans 5:12, 17).

Perhaps particularly perplexing for those who strictly adhere to “sense knowledge” is the fact that all of the aforementioned – the redemptive work of Christ Jesus was just for or because of love (John 3:16). Of course, the wonder of GOD in regard to His way of doing things isn’t new. As Jesus the Anointed One and His Anointing only spoke and did as He heard of the Father (John 5:19 & 8:26b,28,28 & 12:49-50 & 14:10), some of the 12 Apostles marveled while others were terrified as they pondered: What manner of man is this? For example, when He “rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!” Mark 4:39 (NIV). Most likely a storm sent of Lucifer in a vain attempt to keep the Lord Jesus from reaching the other side, where He cast out more than one evil spirit from a single man that, though deranged, knew enough to “recognize” JESUS and fall on his knees in front of Him (Luke 8:26-39).

Nevertheless, the fact that a significant number of people require “sense knowledge” before they will believe, the Sovereign Lord God Almighty isn’t required to prove anything; just as the Potter isn’t required to explain anything to the clay (Isaiah 64:8; Ro 9:22-23). Rather, a believer’s trust is in GOD; these are they who believe His Word and act on it, then remain with feet firmly planted thereon. The Word of GOD relays far more than clues about His ways and His thoughts: “8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,           declares the LORD.  9 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,  11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  Isaiah 55:8-11 (NIV).

What did The One who is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient say and do at the onset which couldn’t be made void? That man (i.e., male, female) was created in His likeness with dominion over all the earth (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:4-6). Though the first man – Adam committed treason by his use of free-will that turned-over the lease of the earth to the thief who only comes to “steal and kill and destroy” John 10:10a (NIV), the trickery of Lucifer never trumps the Sovereign Lord God Almighty. Therefore, the mystery of GOD’s plan to reconcile man unto Himself began with a blood covenant between GOD and man – Abraham who believed GOD (Genesis 15:1-21) until that time when The Messiah would come. We may know by the Word that YESHUA/JESUS said, “here I am’ (Hebrews 10:5-7). The only begotten Son of LOVE who is GOD agreed to the lonely redemptive work on behalf of mankind just because He too so loves us; this substitutionary work had to involve a man because GOD gave dominion over the earth to man and His Word can’t return void.

Hence, YESHUA/JESUS: Who agreeing to the will of Abba Father was born as man sans sin (Hebrews 4:15); Who walking in perfect obedience to the will of the Father was made sin for us (2Co 5:21, John 1:29); Who offering His sinless life as a sacrifice was dead, buried and resurrected with the keys of death and Hades in His hand (Revelation 1:18); Who being seated at the right hand of the Sovereign LORD GOD is “Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named . . .” Ephesians 1:20-21 (AMP), and has bestowed the Ministry-of-Authority in the Name above all names unto all who believe and confess Him by faith which worketh by divine love (Matthew 28:18, Mark 16:17a, Romans 10:9, Galatians 5:6, 1Jn 3:23-24); Who is our High Priest and Advocate (Hebrews 5:10 & 8:1, 1Jn 2:1); Who is coming again soon (Hebrews 9:28, Revelation 22:7,12a,20).

The Way of GOD is overwhelming for those who cling to “sense knowledge” because the things of GOD manifest by faith that believes even before it sees. Given these times whereof almost anything appears to be socially acceptable, the ways of LORD may seem inflexible but free-will is indeed flexible. There is no darkness in LOVE who is GOD; He can’t lie (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2), and no semblance of sin (not even a “little white lie”) survives in His presence. GOD is not a man that He should change (1 Samuel 15:29, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17); and the One who came in exact representation “is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” Hebrews 13:8 (MEV). GOD who has with free-will set before us “life and death, blessings and curses” desires that we “choose life” Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV). GOD is true (John 7:28); He sent the Living Word who is “the way and the truth and the life” John 14:6 (KJV); and all “in Him” now have the Spirit of Truth to comfort, counsel and remind us of all things JESUS (John 14:16,26). The grace of LOVE who is GOD is as a fountain of blessings for all of like precious faith.

Speak the promise . . . Harriet