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2008 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR
RELIABLE WITNESS
When someone is being prosecuted in Court, legal representation, an alibi, and reliable eye-witnesses are employed to establish the accused's innocence. Until proven 'beyond reasonable doubt' people are often sceptical or unbelieving, especially if circumstancial evidence seem to be against the accused.
In this age, there are many sceptics, agnostics and atheists who, looking at the world and the events taking place in modern society, allege that there is no God, and it would seem that even God need witnesses to prove that He Is and that He is who He claims to be!
This may sound strange indeed, but we find that the Word of God actually appoints us to act as His witnesses!
“You are my witnesses,” says the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?” Isaiah 43:10 – 13.
How then can we know that He is God?
Truly, I think that we have seen a few of God's works, aptly called “acts of God” by all, believers and unbelievers, during the past few days, which no one can reverse, the extent of which no one could have predicted or forestalled! Deeds that no human could have accomplished or copied! Deeds that required and displayed supernatural power.
However, God not only displays supernatural power in a destructive way, but often in a gentle, quiet, unobtrusive manner and, then again, at times in spectacular ways for the benefit of those who call on His name.
Think about the parting of the Red Sea; the provision of manna in the desert; Daniel in the lion's den, the feeding of the 5000, the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead, and much more recently, in our own country, the peaceful transition from apartheid during the 1994 elections, and even more recently, the 60000 South African men congregating for prayer in Kwa-Zulu Natal! Miracles, quietly displaying supernatural power if we can but recognise it as such with our spiritually blinded eyes!
“You are my witnesses...”
Yet, to me, the biggest miracle of all is seeing the wholistic transformation in the life of a sinful, lost person turning to God and allowing the His Spirit to take control of his or her life.
In Daniel chapter 2, we read the account of how King Nebuchadnezar demanded the impossible from the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans. Not only were they to tell him the interpretation of the dream that he had, but also the dream itself, failing which, they would all be killed!
Daniel, known to the king to be serving the one true God, received the dream and the interpretation from the Lord and stood as the one and only reliable witness of the Lord's supernatural power before the king, thereby not only saving the lives of his three friends as well his own, but seeing the king's praising Almighty God. Why did God reveal the secret to Daniel? Because Daniel prayer-fully remained His witness in dire circumstances!
Today, we face many dire situations, when unreasonable demands are facing us, even in our own country... living behing security fences, not feeling safe because of the terribly high crime rate... people expected to eke out a living somehow in the face of the very high food prices...the high unemployment rate.
What does God expect from us in these traumatic circumstances when we face these unrealistic demands? What are we to do?
"Be My witnesses..."
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying : “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the “Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt.28 : 18 – 20.
Go, be my witnesses...
Thank you Lord God, that You are still “I AM”, that all authority still belong to You, Jesus, and that You are still with us always, even to the end of the age; that, even as we prayerfully witness for You, Your will shall always be done on earth as it is always done in heaven.
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8
Thank you that we will have a reliable Eye-witness before the throne of God, to testify that the price for our salvation has, indeed been paid.
Elizabeth Blaauw
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