March 21, 2021
A New Beginning
In the text of Exodus Chapter l2 above, God prepares His people to go through a storm and come out on the other side. It was the time when a plague went through the land and God delivered His people from the enemy. He instructed Israel to use this time as a symbol of the beginning of their year because this event would be a new beginning for them. We know that not all that left Egypt went into Canaan Land but God was faithful to the Abrahamic Promise. This biblical time is known as the beginning of the deliverance where God brought the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.
You might wonder what that has to do with us today. Remarkably, we symbolically are at the same period of time in Mach when God spoke those words to the people of Israel. We are also coming out of a pandemic or plague that God sent to chasten the land. We are also approaching Spring time, when everything becomes fresh, new and hopeful again. It is a new beginning. If we are not careful though, we may fail to remember what we just came through and its significance. There were changes initiated and lessons we should have learned. People usually tire of winter and rush into the joyfulness of spring and summer wanting to forget the harshness of winter, but winter occurred for a reason. In the wintertime you rest more, plants and trees winterize or die as do terrorizing insects, butterflies are being formed, some things die and some things are renewed. It is the order of God’s word and His seasons. God wants us to take note that He brought us through the darkness of the winter (Deu 5:15). We cannot afford to forget the lessons God intended for us to learn from the past harsh season, lest we have to repeat that time. If we mark the transition and remember the lessons learned, it can be a time when we reminisce in the future on the time God saved us alive.
Lessons from the Past
Israel had spent several hundred years in Egyptian bondage and 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land and a new beginning. Such memorable events in Israel’s journey are marked as important dates in their history and fulfillment of prophecy. God wants us to mark these times and remember His faithfulness in rescuing us.
If we are not careful we can ignore the mercy and miracle of this time and begin to think of it as just another day, similar to the controversy over the occurrence of Holocaust. Remember once Israel left Egypt and saw that they would not have their daily portion of usual foods; they were ready to turn around and go back to Egypt for the leeks and onions. To help our nation remember the mistaken path of the past, I want to unveil to you what we actually just experienced and what God delivered us from. Some people only saw what was going on in the natural but let me pull the cover back and show you what was really going on in the spirit realm and what we narrowly survived.
Revelation of What We Experienced
As I mentioned previously, whatever God has claimed, the devil will seek to take over or destroy to discredit Jehovah God. Our nation was proclaimed by the founders as “One Nation Under God.” America set itself aside as a nation that would serve God and one that recognized Jesus as God Incarnate. Many religions and churches recognized and celebrated this fact as well. The Holy Spirit manifested Himself in the nation about 40 years ago to reveal more truth about Jesus. Spiritual gifts were exercised as the Holy Spirit became accepted, taught and manifested in the midst of believers. Many churches ran with this new revelation of the Holy Spirit’s gifts and started great movements to educate people in the new revelation and to celebrate Jesus the Christ. However, according to Mark Chapter 4, a seed cannot grow beyond the capacity or the depth of its root from which it sprang. Many churches got a little word and tried to build great towers upon it, but fell because of insufficient root or sound foundation. Some of the churches that grew the quickest were followed by many people because of exuberance (Mar 4:5-6). When those that have insufficient root are tempted or ensnared by the devil, they have to choose between enduring the persecution (Mar 4:17) or go forward into error where they may become a vessel of the enemy.
We saw confusion in the land because some of those we formerly thought were vessels of God flipped the script and became instruments of the enemy while they continued to proclaim their allegiance to Christ. While preaching in churches to people who were in search of God, they taught people to pursue wealth instead of Christ (1Ti 6:10). God had clearly told the church that the root of all evil is the love of money but some people followed this teaching to seek gold rather than holiness. Because these teachers and churches were so prosperous and well received, even some of the most devoted churches began to adapt their message and followed suit.
We are a nation of interactive people and it is difficult to be excluded from the commonwealth and favor of our community; but those that love God are a separated people unto Him. One of the first things that the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness with was for needs because He was tired and hungry. When that temptation came, Jesus refused Satan’s temptation and depended on God. The angels later came to minister unto Him in those needs after the test. Jesus was able to continue with His mission. We have to resist the temptations to compromise with Satan but go on to fulfill the purposes of God. Those that continue through their trials and follow God are able to be His true servants. We saw Abraham in his journey make a mistake and give his wife to the King to save his own neck but God was faithful to him and restored his wife. Abraham was weak in faith during that test but he did not forsake his God. It is important that our heart remains faithful to God.
Whom Shall We Follow
What we saw in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections were multitudes of religious people elevating a worldly leader to the significance of a God-appointed spiritual leader over the people. They endorsed a questionable candidate who was politically incompetent, immoral, a questionable businessman, religiously immature, a hater of ethnic citizens and a blatant liar. All of these characteristics should have been red flags for any Christian, but the spiritual elite of our churches highly endorsed him as electable though he proved them wrong every day. With the approval of religious, business and political leaders he was able to use his executive privileges to move on to authoritarian rule, overthrow regulations, commit crimes, protect criminals, cozy up to dictators, change American policies and misuse government influence and finances. Because he was supported by the nation’s top leaders, there was no check on his power as he ran through all the normal presidential procedures to do his own will. Even in his most deplorable actions, of which there were many, he still received the endorsement of the most influential religious leaders. Avid bible readers should have immediately recognized his character as he was being called lawless, proud, arrogant, a hypocritical Christian, a friend of the lawless, an authoritarian, foul-mouthed, persecutor of children and immigrants, disrespectful of women, a world leader with dictatorial inclinations, and one who showed favor to Israel. All the foregoing characteristics describe the personality of an anti-Christ that the bible declared would come on the scene (1Ti 1:9; 2Th 2:3; Dan 7:25; Rev 18:8). John spoke a truth in his day that is even truer today:
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 1Jn 2:18
The church was entrusted by the Lord to teach believers to beware of these signs coming on the scene as proof of the last day approaching. However, with so many popular ministries approving this candidate for office, the believer and public were led astray by those entrusted to protect them. The people have a right to choose whom they want to serve. God did foresee these things and did not only send His word, warnings and a Savior; but He also sent the Holy Spirit to alert mankind and to indwell each individual believer with the truth. False teachings by false ministries contended for the minds of many people and persuaded to their side far too many people. The truth contended against the lie that was in the public arena and the truth prevailed to overthrow the political character that forged the lie, but look at how close we came to falling into Satan’s trap to overthrow our democracy and our Christian faith.
At the core of the deception was the lie of white supremacy as a motivator to make white people fear losing power and a majority rule in America. Christ came to deliver man from fear, so fear should never have been allowed to lead a religious people who professed Christ. Fear does not come from God, but from Satan. Choosing to reign over our brother rather than brotherly love is an error that comes straight out of Genesis between Cain and Able. It is certainly not God’s will for us. Satan fed Eve a lie about God to tempt and lead her astray. All of these spiritual lessons were alerts overlooked by many of the most noted religious teachers. They should have alerted even the general public after the lie was revealed that these were the wrong leaders, direction and doctrine to follow. Even some of the most conservative Christian ministers believed and supported the wrong way because of the lure of money. Paul taught “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world (1Co 11:31-32). America must learn from these mistakes, mark those that led the nation astray, and determine not to fall into this error again.
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Php 3:17-19
Choose to Follow Christ
Those that rebel or resist following Christ place themselves in the dangerous position of being enticed and ensnared by those that oppose Christ (false leaders) or the devil himself. The children of Israel in Egypt had two choices, to follow the voice of God or die. Our choice is the same today. There is no other alternative that provides life and that more abundantly other than Christ. The smoke and mirrors of deception always give away eventually to the truth because God is omnipotent (all powerful) and Omniscient (all knowing). Now that the nation has made the mistake of following man, religion and wealth into the trenches of destruction; now is the time to learn the lesson of following Christ, our only hope. In this season of Spring and remembrance of the crucifixion of Christ, this is the time when God specified as a new beginning in the year. It was man who changed the calendar. This is the time to accept the mercy and intervention of God to start again the right way. It is a shame that some of our religious leaders did not forewarn the church of the past days before they occurred but let’s take the opportunity God has given us now to repent and make the right choice. We must use the examples of Israel’s journey to our advantage and make the decision now to individually choose to receive and follow Christ. We have His Word and His power available to lead us individually to the truth. Remember Jesus came to save us as individual souls but we come together in a group to fellowship and worship. Our life with Christ is a progressive journey where we go from glory to glory until we reach our destiny in God. Let’s not go backward but continue the journey in His truth.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. Joh 16:13
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Joh 6:37
Truth and Life Ministries of Christ with Apostle Joyce Reba Payne 