TWC – The Word Connects: Connecting you to God and to one another …
Friday 22 February 2013
God loves to do new things not because He loves novelty but because He has a plan for us and He is working to fulfill His plan, building one thing upon another, one foundation upon another. However, we tend to be slow to recognize that. Every time God visited His people in the past, as seen in many revival accounts, there were many who were touched and transformed by the Lord. But at the same time, there were those who criticized the revivals. When the 1972 ACS Clock Tower Revival took place, the church was not ready for it and tried to shut it down. But God prevailed and a good number of young men and women had divine encounters that changed their lives permanently. Inherent in Isa.43:18-19 is the fact that the people of God in Isaiah’s day did not perceive the new thing God was doing amongst them. That is why the Lord said, “do you not perceive it?” We are all human and we have our carnal inclinations, even relationally, we tend to hold on to past hurts and not let go of them. It surfaces every now and again and it only brings hurt and pain to ourselves and those whom we love. We do not realize that God wants to do a new thing in our lives and our relationships too. He wants us to have new perspectives, new ways to relate that would demonstrate love, peace and forgiveness. I know because I am guilty of holding on to the past too. And whenever I allow yesterday’s feelings to rule today’s situations, people I love get hurt. But we must never allow our past (old things), our carnal nature, our finite human wisdom to dictate matters of life, love and faith. The just shall live by faith and that simply means there are some things we may never be able to rationalize, so instead of trying to understand, instead of applying our own wisdom, we should just learn to embrace them by faith and learn to trust one another. As you begin your walk with God today, walk by faith and not by sight. Why not pray this inspiring prayer by B. J. Hoff, “Lord, lift me above my own narrow horizon that I might fulfill Your true vision for me.” Have a great day!
Today’s Bible text: “18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isa.43:18-19)
Pastor Barnabas Chong
Email us at twc@cairnhillchurch.com
Today’s recommended video: O God, You search me and You know me … Click here for YouTube link
Good sharing!