REALITIES AND REVELATION

1. John, the Baptist’s birth was foretold by an ANGEL, saying:  “And he shall GO BEFORE HIM in the SPIRIT and POWER of ELIAS, to turn the HEARTS of the FATHERS to the CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to MAKE READY A PEOPLE FOR THE LORD” [Luke 1:17] The “HIM” is Jesus Christ and John, the CAPSTONE PROPHET, to who it was given to reveal the MYSTERY of all ages to Israel; how God should be manifest in FLESH, “And without controversy great is the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” [1Timothy 3:16] All the Prophets before John, from Adam down through the ages had glimpses of the REVELATION of Jesus Christ through the VEIL, John had unfettered REVELATION and made Him known, as it is written: “The next day JOHN SEETH JESUS coming unto him, and saith, BEHOLD, the LAMB OF GOD, which TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD” [John 1:29] Listen closely,  the same John when the REALITIES of his day conflicted with REVELATION relapsed into CONFUSION, “And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, ART THOU HE THAT SHOULD COME? or LOOK WE FOR ANOTHER?” [Luke 7:19]

2. REVELATION of Jesus Christ is the LIGHT of TRUTH in a world engulfed in REALITIES of DARKNESS [John 1:5] The REALITIES of the DARKNESS of this world are the consequences of satanic dominion, occasioned by SIN; unfulfilled wants, sickness, wars, famine, terror and diverse instabilities. We are not exempt, “… OURSELVES ALSO, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the REDEMPTION of our body” [Romans 8:22-23] Afflictions encountered in this BODY shift our focus from REVELATION of excellency of Christ in us to painful REALITIES of the age, but we resist by FAITH, “For which cause WE FAINT NOT; but though our OUTWARD MAN perish, yet the INWARD MAN IS RENEWED day by day. For our light AFFLICTION, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY” [2 Corinthians 4:16-17] If we must neither FAINT nor FAIL, let us avoid needless CONTROVERSIES incited by REALITIES of the day. We have a lot to learn from John; he spent all his life separated from the LAW to announce REVELATION of SALVATION through GRACE to Israel but finished the race embroiled in social commentary and wrangling of the LAW, for which Jesus chided him, “… tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And BLESSED IS HE, WHOSOEVER SHALL NOT BE OFFENDED IN ME” [Luke 7:22-23]

3. Brethren are we not as John, inflamed by REALITIES of the day to swerve from REVELATION and entangled in the “AFFAIRS of this LIFE? [2 Timothy 2:4] It is true we are pressed beyond measure by unprecedented DISTRESS; global instability, pestilence, incessant wars, economic downturn, social dislocations and climatic upheavals, among others, so were the Apostles “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our TROUBLE which came to us in Asia, that we were PRESSED OUT OF MEASURE, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that WE SHOULD NOT TRUST IN OURSELVES, BUT IN GOD which raiseth the dead” [2 Corinthians 1:8-9] Every time we take our eyes away from the excellency of Christ’s POWER in us, we relapse into REALITIES of FEAR and HELPLESSNESS, as foretold: “MEN’S HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR, and for LOOKING AFTER THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE COMING on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” [Luke 21:26] If we know the PROPHECIES pertaining the LAST DAYS and we do, why do we loathe to see them fulfilled? We STRIFE and CONTEND to change a world which God has weighed in the balance and condemned to destruction. In CONFUSION, we find adversaries where there are none and are as men chasing shadows. Listen closely, there is nothing worth a FIGHT in this world, “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” [John 18:26]

4. Brethren, we have in us the TREASURE of ETERNAL LIFE, the “EARNEST” of our inheritance in a world overtaken by REALITIES of DARKNESS, “For God, who commanded the LIGHT to SHINE out of DARKNESS, hath SHINED IN OUR HEARTS, to give the LIGHT OF THE GLORY OF GOD in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS, that the excellency of the POWER may be of God, and not of us” [2 Corinthians 4:6-7] The choice is yours and mine to keep our EARTHEN VESSELS undefiled by REALITIES of DARKNESS until the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ, “Looking diligently lest any man FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD; lest any ROOT OF BITTERNESS springing up trouble you, and thereby MANY BE DEFILED” [Hebrews 12:15] As we look forward to that glorious DAY, let us be careful not to be DISTRACTED by false reports, partisan politics, greed, sexual sin and sundry fleshly passions, that engender BITTERNESS, “For yourselves know perfectly that the DAY OF THE LORD COMETH AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT” [1 Thessalonians 5:2] The “NIGHT” is here and the DAY is so close. Fully assured everything God said concerning this age must surely come to pass, let us TRUST Him to the end and we shall have His PEACE, “Thou wilt KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: because he TRUSTETH IN THEE” [Isaiah 26:3] 

Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, amen