IN GOD WE TRUST
Amazing Grace Ministry
Dearly beloved in Christ,
I hope and pray that this email
finds you well. I thank God for granting me another opportunity to write to
you. I acknowledge God's guidance and leading in prompting me to write this
article. As your read this article, may the spirit of the Lord speak to your
hearts and guide you to act accordingly.
Is there any one among you who is afraid, believe or practice in the slightest measure, astrology, black magic, witchcraft or rely on the powers and positions of stars and planets to guide your life. Then let me tell you it is absolutely wrong and against Christian principels. Our life and everything thing that happens in our life is destined by God alone. David, rightly acknowledged this fact by saying "But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand….Psalms ch31v14,15"
I wish to share with you an
interesting incident from the OT, proving the above mentioned fact, and also
through that share a few important lessons with you. The story is bit long. I will
try my best to summarize it, without losing its essence. I request you to
patiently read this message, as there are many lessons to be learned.
The incident happened when Abraham was leading Israel through the wilderness to the destined land. On their way, we read that they faced many hardships, fought many battles and so on. The story begins with Israel pitching their camp in the plains of Moab, beside Jordan. The King of Moab at that time was Balak, who was a Gentile. He has heard and seen, how Israel has triumphed in battles against neighboring cities, and he was sore afraid that he might be the next one. So he seeks the help of a diviner called Balaam, to curse the people of Israel, because he believed that Balaam posses special powers, so much that God blessed whom Balaam blessed, and cursed, whom Balaam cursed. But the Bible has something entirely different to say about Balaam. Balaam did what the Lord asked him to do, and not vice versa. Balaam heard the words of God, knew the knowledge of the most High, and saw the vision of the Almighty (Num24:4)
Now King Balak, summons Balaam to come to Moab and curse the people. Initially God tells Balaam not to go. When King Balak insisted, God allows Balaam to go, under the condition that he will speak only the word of God. Balaam clearly endorses this fact to the King saying, he doesn't have any power to speak on his own, but will say only what God wants him to say (Num ch22v38).
The King takes Balaam to a very high
mountain, so that he could see Israel
and curse them. Balaam has a vision from God, and instead of cursing, he
blesses Israel.
When the King asks why he blessed them. Balaam replies, how can I curse someone
who is blessed by God. But King doesn't lose heart, he again requests Balaam to
try again. This time, instead of cursing, Balaam blesses Israel. This
happens for 3 times, and every time Israel was blessed. Finally we read
that King realizes his folly and abandons this attempt.
After some time (The Bible doesn't
exactly say how much time has passed, but I believe some months should have
passed by now), we read that the Israel
people committed adultery with the woman of Moab (Gentiles). Not only that,
they joined the Moabites in sacrificing and bowing to their Gods! Our God being
a zealous God, whose first and foremost commandment to Israel people, was not to have
other Gods. When He saw that the people forsook his commandment, "his anger was
kindled against Israel
– Num ch25v3". And a plague was sent against them and 24,000 people died. More would
have died, if not for God's grace, who withdraw the plague.
Our story ends here. Now for the
lessons:
1) Satan is continuously trying to overcome us. The Bible says in 1 Peter ch5v8 "Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour".
2) But, if we trust in the Lord and abide by HIS rules, God will never allow anything to harm us. No evil power (witchcraft, black magic…) in the world can harm us. We just read, how God protected the Israelites. Every time the enemy intended harm, God turned it into blessings.
3) The enemy (Satan), never loses heart. In one way or the other, he will try to destroy us. Satan knows very well that when we are under God's protection, we cannot be touched. So he provokes or misleads us to sin, thereby lose the fellowship with God, so that he can destroy us. In the above story we read how the Israelites we entrapped or lured by the Moabites woman in committing sin. I don't know if it was a trick of King Balak, but it was definitely the scheme of Satan.
4) If we (the chosen people) forsake the rules of God, and sin. Then God, who hates sin, will not only be angry against us, but will punish us. In addition to that, when we are outside God's protection or territory, the enemy will have all the power to harm us.
5) Finally, witchcraft, black magic, amulets or anything of that kind, is not going to protect you or harm you, not going to bring you luck or evil.
Let us read and meditate on these scriptures. (Verses taken from KJV)
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield (Psalms ch5:12)
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shall thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (Psalms ch91:4)
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD( Isaiah ch54:17)
I pray that you realize the power of God and surrender your lives to HIM.
God bless you abundantly,
Amazing Grace Ministry
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