September 9, 2023
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deut. 30:19).
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
As I was meditating on the things of God I pictured a dividing line – a fence, like one that would divide between two properties, or in our case two kingdoms. The Word of God is our Standard that divides between good and evil, life and death. I call it our Standard because the line it establishes has been under attack. The enemy has been working diligently to erase the lines God gives us, and they have begun to be blurred for many people who allow for them to be blurred. The Apostle Paul said it like this: “For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2Ti 3:6-7). Now, don’t get tripped up with the phrase “gullible women” thinking men are superior so this couldn’t happen to them. [I’m hearing this in my heart so strongly right now!] We are at a time of deception like never before and it is vital to be alert, taking heed to these things lest we become deceived ourselves and drift away from them! Paul wrote to the Corinthian church: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1Co 10:12). I read that as a warning that if we’re not careful (watchful) we can fall into the very same deceptions everybody around us are falling prey to.
We have precious people who are questioning their sex identification because of the darkness that’s getting shoved down their throats! Isaiah prophesied about this day, saying: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!” (Isa 5:20-21). That’s pretty plain! SELAH! Do you see why I call The Word of God our Standard? Paul said: “I would not have known sin except through the law [the Word]. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet’” (Romans 7:7). In other words, we truly do not have any way of knowing what is evil or good, what is darkness (of the realm of darkness) and light without The Word of God spelling it out for us. So, it’s our Standard for understanding everything about life.
What does the devil do? He mingles his ‘interpretation’ of Scripture to blur the lines so that we become confused to the meaning of Scripture and start embracing compromise. Our church services reflect nightclub atmospheres so they’ll be more ‘inviting’ to the world. The biggest problem with that is the Holy Spirit doesn’t find that inviting to Him – and without His Presence nobody receives healing for their bodies, for their marriages, for their finances, the list could go on. While we’re in this vein, I’ll mention: The Holy Spirit is the ONLY individual qualified to interpret Scripture! He’s the Author of it, and He’s been given to us to teach it to us!
I called this teaching “God’s Side” because, according to the Word of God, there are only two sides to life (existence) – Light / darkness, Good / evil, God / Satan. Colossians 1:13 tells us: “He [God, the Father] has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” The Word of God provides a line for us that indicates which ‘kingdom’ has what activities (or, properties) going on in them. Jesus said the devil “steals kills and destroys” but He came “to give us life and that more abundantly” (John 10:10). That’s a line – an indicator that points out which kingdom has what activity going on in it. The book of James says: “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (Jas 1:16-17). We could say it this way: if it’s a good and perfect gift, if it ministers (imparts) life, it came from God.
Let me ask you this question: is Cancer a good gift? How about the loss of a job, the death of a child, or even divorce? Then one could conclude they didn’t come from God. Now, don’t get into the debate of God teaching you something, etc. Scripture (which is our Standard by which we come to know the activity of God, or the devil) teaches: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man (or woman) of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2Ti 3:16-17, parenthesis and underline mine for emphasis). The Word of God, The Holy Scriptures, The Bible is our ONLY Standard by which we come to understand and know the things (and ways) of God – PERIOD!
The Kingdom of God looks and feels the way God depicts it in His Word – that’s God’s side. Death, destruction, confusion, hatred, hurting (the list could go on, but I think you get the picture), that’s all the kingdom of Satan (which steals kills and destroys)! Once we get on God’s side of things then we need to stay on His side. We had an instructor at RHEMA once tell us to “Stay on God’s side.” In other words when you read a Scripture you don’t quite understand, don’t judge God as being evil and unmerciful. The Bible doesn’t always give us all sides of the scenario. For instance, sometimes something happened and the Word doesn’t tell us why right off. We might not see the reason for something that happens until many chapters later (perhaps books later). The Scripture repeatedly tells us God is abundant in mercy – it endures FOREVER! Stick with that (stay on that side).
Deuteronomy 29:29 says: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Meaning, there are some things that simply aren’t our business to know (it’s between them and God). Remember this: everything in life has a reaction to it – sowing and reaping for instance. We set laws in motion every day by the activity we allow (whether words we speak, or the way we treat others). Something happening in someone’s life could be the result of something they did before. Another Scripture in Numbers says: “be sure your sin will find you out” (32:23b). None of us (mankind) ever ‘gets away’ with anything! It might not come in this lifetime, but it will come – UNLESS we repent and receive forgiveness and cleansing of our sin (1John 1:9)! Thank You God for Jesus and His shed Blood!
Another illustration we could use to drive this point home is that of two tables. One table is adorned (filled) with good things that come from God – bodily healing, soundness of mind, answers to perplexing questions, peace; these come to us through the promises of God (which allows for us to partake of His Divine Nature [2Peter 1: 2-4]). David speaks of this table in his 23rd Psalm. The other table is set with destruction, disease, hatred, wars, confusion – all things that steal, kill and destroy. Because we have free-will we can approach and partake of the contents of either table. One is on (in) the devil’s side; the other is God’s side. Colossians 3:1-2 says: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (underline mine). Romans 8:5 contrasts it this way: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Do you see the two ‘sides’ here? God’s side is seated above the circumstances of life; the devil’s side is to wallow through the muck and mire of this life – sick, broke, busted and disgusted! Living life ‘in the flesh’ is to constantly ‘feed off’ of what’s going on in the world (the junk the devil is orchestrating and propagating), allowing it to affect ones thinking and activity (lifestyle). Living life “after the Spirit” is to feed on the Scripture (primarily the New Testament), allowing for it to guide our thoughts and actions.
Don’t get me wrong, the choices others around us make can affect our quality of life – just ask Joshua and Caleb. They had to wander around in the wilderness because of the choices those around them made. But, they were the only two from that original group of people that came out of Egypt that made it into the Promised Land. Why? Because they stayed on God’s side! The Lord spoke this word to my heart the summer of 1995: “Tell my people they live in Goshen.” I knew exactly what He meant [usually when the Lord speaks a word to me like that, its initial interpretation comes with it as a ‘knowing’ (something we just know without literal words spoken)]. The Children of Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen during the time all sorts of bad stuff was going on all around them in Egypt (which is a type of the world) – yet, they were shielded from it (read the account in the book of Exodus chapters 8 and 9). Jehovah made a distinction between His covenant people and those who were not.
The Promises of God are given to us to live – in this life! – like the days of Heaven on the earth. They are a Shield about us! When everybody else is getting sick, we can live in health; when others are losing their jobs, we have our needs met according to God’s riches in glory! If a tornado threatens to form, we can talk to it and it dissipates (no weapon…)! These examples are all living life on God’s side. The choice is ours to partake, or to do without! Just because they are available doesn’t mean they just fall on us – NO! We have to: 1) make a decision – choose to renew our minds to it; 2) act on what we learn: “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work (Word), this one will be blessed in what he does” (Jas 1:25). 3) “[For] we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb 6:11-12 brackets and underline mine). For: “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6).
What is the ‘reward’? God shows everyone around us that He makes a difference between us and them! “But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere” (2Co 2:14, AMPC). Do you see it? When we live our lives on God’s side we proclaim His goodness everywhere we go; our lives being evidence of God’s existence and involvement in them!! Scripture teaches that the goodness of God leads men (mankind) to repentance (see Romans 2:4). The Father is waiting for the precious fruit of the earth; for He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Peter indicates we can hasten (speed-up) the coming of the Lord. I believe the substance of this teaching will enable that ‘hastening’ and we will see our Lord face to face! Let’s get on – and stay on! – God’s side (of everything)!