07/01/2022
THE PROBLEM OF GOD’S PEOPLE: WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Welcome to the New Year 2022. It is by the grace of God that we have reached this far. Looking at the current situations, this is a great time to radiate the glory. I am convicted of radiating the Glory of Lord God through our lives. I continually ask myself this questions, what actually stops our blessings and God ordained prophesies from manifesting in our lives? Why do we always write down and pray for New Year Resolutions in vain? I found the reason in Isaiah 59: 1-4. SIN stops us from achieving what we desire in life. Where is the place of sin in these blessing and things that are prophesied to be happening in our lives?
Let’s read Isaiah 59:1-4
“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”
I want to focus on the two verses, but you can read the whole chapter. I want to stress on Sin, Confession and Redemption. The problem of God’s people: what is the cause?
First, the word says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God”: The problem is not with God’s power, His knowledge, or His interest. The problem is with our iniquities. Sin has separated you and me from our God.
In what way does sin separate us from God?
a. Sin does not necessarily separate us from the presence of God, because God is present everywhere (Psalm 139:7) and even Satan can have an audience with God (Job 1:6). Sin does not separate us from the love of God, because God loves sinners (Romans 5:8). But sin still does separate.
b. Sin separates us from fellowship with God, because at least at the point of our sin, we no longer think alike with God.
c. Sin separates us from the blessing of God, because at least at the point of our sin, we are not trusting God and relying on Him.
d. Sin separates us from some of the benefits of God’s love, even as the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) was still loved by the father but didn’t enjoy the benefits of his love when he was in sin.
e. Sin separates us, in some way, from the protection of God, because He will allow trials to come our way to correct us.
How easy it is for us to blame our problems on everything except our iniquities! We will even blame God before seeing that the problem is with us! We will deny who God is before seeing that the problem is with us.
Secondly, the word says, “and your sins have hidden His face from you”: This explains why God’s people no longer felt the face of the LORD shining on them (Numbers 6:25). It was their sins, not the inability of God to hear, or His lack of interest in hearing.
This helps us understand – at least in a small way – the cry of Jesus from the cross, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:46). As Jesus stood in the place of guilty sinners, there was some way in which the face of God the Father was hidden from Him. Not in an ultimate, absolute sense; but in some way. But that was for our sins, not His own.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is calling us out of sin and back to the His righteousness and truth of our true Christian Faith. God is calling us back to the basics of Christianity so that we can radiate His glory. As we start this year, may we repent of our sins because if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us, then we will radiate the glory of God.
Understand, as humans we do not have the ability, what it takes to defeat sin entirely and Christ have conquered it for us. So we need His power of resurrection and Holy Spirit to help us live a faithful and righteous life.
Many of the things we have asked for, God desires to give to us. 1. God wants to save you.
2. God delights to answer your prayers.
We must all receive Jesus Christ as savior and Lord through faith: then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.
“But for all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God.” John 1:12. Jesus Christ is calling. “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him…” Receiving Christ means turning to God from self, i.e. repenting. We trust Christ to come into our lives and to forgive our sins and we let Him make us what He wants us to be. Ask Him to come into your life. Trust Him to do what He has promised. He is more concerned with what you mean in your heart than in the words you say.
Pray this prayer and Christ will come into your heart
“Lord Jesus, I need you. I have been controlling my own life and have sinned against you. Thank you for forgiving my sins. Come into my life. I believe that you are Lord and God raised you from the dead. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen!’”