Greetings again my Brethren. Okay now the fireworks are over let us continue to look at ways we feel God has visited us His people. I do not know about you my friend, but it is a reassuring thought to think the God of the universe, the God who created us, the God who created the heavens, ” . . . and He created the stars also” (Genesis 1:16) in only five words has visited us on earth. The God of all creation has not forgotten His creation. So many Christians and some Believers I know ask the question; in all of this hate, in all of this senseless murder and death we see playing out in the world, where is God? Well, God is where He always has been in Heaven (and in some hearts) upholding His truth and holiness while allowing man to make ungodly decisions and choices that bring death and destruction to His creation. That one thought is amazing. As much as God loves man and what He has created He still gives man the option to walk away from His truth (and ways) and even destroy His handy works. Now if I was God I would not put up with this foolishness. I would make man do the right thing every time, and God could do this, but no, God is a man of His word (unlike most Christians and some Believers I know) giving us the choice, the option to love Him or turn our back on Him in words and deeds. This is a part of His holiness very few people come to understand. So God comes to us, He visits. All throughout the Scriptures we can find time after times, in good times, and bad time God comes and intervenes in the affairs of man. We all have seen the movies on TV, we all have seen the movie the Ten Commandments by Ceil B. DeMille when the Children of Israel’s backs were up again the wall, Pharaoh and 600 chariots had caught up with them and before them was the Red Sea, nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, only sudden death before them, but God shows up for one of His visits. Moses tells the folks to stand still and see the deliverance of the LORD, raises his staff and the waters of the Red Sea open wide to allow the Children of Israel to cross on dry land and then the sea closes trapping Pharaoh and his 600 chariots as they pursues to their death. You can read this amazing true story in Exodus 14:21-31. But this is not the only supernatural deliverance when God showed up to deliver His people. In Luke we read, “And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” (Luke 7:15-16) Here in Luke God shows up in the person of Jesus Christ. Here Jesus raised a child from the dead for two reasons, one to bring life back into the boy for the mother’s sake, but more import as written in verse 16, “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” What another great deliverance, even though the people got it wrong. They said, “That a great prophet is risen up among us;” Well, Jesus was not a great prophet He was the Son of God, but what they did get right was, “That God hath visited his people.” As I said all though out the Scriptures God have it be by an Angel, Jesus, or Himself God has supernaturally showed up to deliver His people and some people who were not His people. After all Jesus said it “rains on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45). In the beginning of Luke 7: 16 we get a better understanding of why God supernaturally delivers His people, “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God.” My friend it is never about us, no never, it is always about what God is doing in us and what could be done for Him through us. In all things it is always about God! In both examples that I used to document from the Scriptures God showing up to deliver people God was glorified and through this deliverance they were developed. You know nowhere in the Scriptures did God deliver anyone who went on to become someone used in ministry to touch lives for God’s glory. We already talked about Moses, but how about Daniel was he delivered from the lion’s dens? Were the three Hebrew Children delivered from the fiery furnace? Was Jesus delivered from the cross? No, no, and no. In all three examples: Daniel went into the lion’s den, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went into the fiery furnace, and yes even Jesus (God’s son) was not delivered from the cross so that God could be glorified and the person at the heart of the test could be delivered through development. So too in our lives my friend. God has no intention of just delivering us for deliverance sake, oh no, if He has to deliver us from a given situation or circumstances He knows the plan He has for our lives is in jeopardy of being lost. God’s intention for our lives is to go through the test, the situation, the circumstance and as He brings us though (what we would call our deliverance) we are developed not for our sake, but “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God.”
Next month we will conclude looking at the ways we can say the LORD has visited us. Do you see Him draw near? Please know God is near to them who are near to Him. Do you feel His presence? Do you see His hand in your life? He is waiting on us to make our first move. Written by David Stahl
