PERSONAL NEWSLETTER. DECEMBER 2021.
MY HEART – A SANCTUARY WHERE GOD DWELLS.
We are at the end of 2021. For the past two years we (both believers and unbelievers) are going through the valley of the shadow of death. We have different reactions. Fear, unbelief, anger, anxiety, heartache, brokenness, pain, doubt, indifference, apathy, couldn’t-care-less, but also faith, trust, prayer, compassion, supplication, thanksgiving, courage and, especially, hope in God’s promises. God’s promise in the valley of the shadow of death is that He will be with us. His rod and His staff will protect us. The promise waiting on the other side of the valley, is a table spread in the presence of the enemy, a fresh anointing with oil, the cup that runs over, the goodness and mercy that will follow us all the days of our lives.
God never wastes our going through the valley of the shadow of death. He always allows suffering for a reason. There are two things that He is definitely doing: He is preparing the Bride of Christ to be spotless and pure at His return, and this is why she has to go through suffering and persecution to refine her and to test her faith. He watches over the world as it prepares for the final revelation of the lawless one, the anti-Christ. He watches over people to give them opportunity to repent and accept the good news of the gospel of Christ before it is too late.
The past month Peter was speaking to me from his first letter. In his letter we see how he applied the command Jesus gave him: He strengthens his brothers (believers) and he shows us how to be sheep of the Chief Shepherd. Here are a few things that gripped my heart:
THE TEST OF OUR FAITH
Our faith is tested in trials, “so that the genuineness our faith, that is more precious than gold, can be tested in the fire, to be found to praise, honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1Pet.1:6-7). Peter knows what he is talking about when he speaks about trials and persecution. He also knows what it is to lose faith and to be reinstated in his faith by Jesus Himself. When we are in the trial, we sometimes have more doubt and unbelief than faith, but God is faithful. He watches over our trial. He takes us through the shadow of death. He allows it because He has a reason. He wants us to say like Peter writes in 1:8 – Jesus Christ whom you love even though you have not seen Him. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the outcome of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
SANCTIFY JESUS IN YOUR HEART – HE IS PRECIOUS.
The second thing that gripped my heart was Peter’s mentioning of the Precious Blood of Christ that sanctifies us, and the Precious Cornerstone on which we, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual home for God. He writes in 1Pet.2:7 – to you who believe, He is precious. He must be so precious to us that everything in our lives, even our circumstances, will be an offering unto Him. We must not stumble over the trial we are going through. We must not be offended by God. We need to sanctify Jesus in our hearts! In the valley of the shadow of death, our hearts must be a sanctuary. Impatience, anger, disgust at new restrictions, political corruption, global threats, defile our hearts and make it unfit to be a sanctuary. Jesus must be precious to us, and must cherish the fact that he wants to dwell in our hearts.
OUR FAITHFUL CREATOR
The third thing that challenged me was Peter’s words in 1Pet5:6 – Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. This valley of the shadow of death is humbling the church. We like to put God on display, especially by healing gifts. Now so many people are dying but the church doors were locked. The virus causes fear and humbling, even for believers that were hospitalised. Fear of death. What is our attitude. Do we allow ourselves to be humbled under the hand of God? Peter said that judgment begins in the house of God. God has to test us by fire of trails to deliver us from all self-confidence, presumption, arrogance, false teaching, and sometimes misunderstanding God and how He works. It is not only our bodies that become sick, our souls are very sick. Our souls are more important than our bodies. Our thoughts, emotions and will need to be healed from sin. When Peter wrote about the judgment that begins in the house of God, he gave this advice in 1Pet.4:12-19. Therefore let those who suffer (in body and soul) according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
THE ROARING LION
In 1Pet.5:8-10, Peter linked suffering and persecution to the devil who walks around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. The devil prowls around in the valley of the shadow of death. He attacks both believers and unbelievers. The church has become so divided about this virus and the vaccine. There is not a clear word from God, but He gives us His grace. We can entrust ourselves with or without the vaccine to our Creator. He created our DNA. He gave us immunity. We did not have immunity to the virus, and it seems as if we do not have immunity against Satan’s attacks. We need to get to a different place in the spirit. A place where we do not attack and resist each other. We have a wonderful opportunity as the household of faith from around the world to trust God together, to go through the suffering together, to have compassion for one another, and to pray for each other. God will exalt us at the right time and give us victory. For some it may be on the other side of the grave. But we can trust that He will lift his hand against the pandemic and its effects. But how will we look when it is all over? Will we still passionately love one another? Will Christ be honoured by our relationships with one another and our attitude to the world and world leaders? Are our hearts a sanctuary? Do we sanctify God in our hearts?
Soon we celebrate the incarnation of Jesus. He came to reveal the God of Love, the God of Peace, the God who forgives, the God of grace. God revealed that Jesus Christ is our Shepherd, the One who watches over the sheep. Peter called Him the Chief Shepherd. Let us thank Him:
Father, we thank You for guiding us through the valley of the shadow of death by our Good Shepherd, your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for our precious Cornerstone, to Whom we can cling. Thank You for your Holy Spirit Who dwells in us. Thank You for salvation and forgiveness of sins. Thank You for the blood of Jesus. Thank You that we can live. Thank You that You will dry all tears and comfort us in our pain and loss. Thank You for caring for us. Thank You that You are in control of everything happening in the world. Thank You for refining Your church by letting us go through the fiery trials. Thank You for preparing us for the return of Jesus. Thank You that we can trust You and lean on You, our faithful Creator. We entrust our own lives and the lives of our loved ones to You as we leave 2021 and enter 2022. We cannot live without You. You are our Life. You are our God. We sanctify You in our hearts. Make us a spiritual home. Come and make your dwelling in us. We love You and want to show it by our obedience, especially to the new commandment: Love one another. Take our hand and lead us into the new year. We look forward with expectancy to what You are going to do. We trust You.