From the beginning of creation, Satan keeps presenting God’s counterfeit: a wicked, half-truth about God and His character. He does not appear immediately as blatantly wicked. He starts his evil by sowing minuscule doubt that soon grows exponentially, causing destruction.
Satan planted the seeds of doubt in Eve, making her uncertain about God’s love for her and Adam. The suspicion that maybe God was “holding back” good from them after all set her contemplating satan’s suggestions. Little did Adam and Eve know that eating from the forbidden fruit would be their downfall, causing their separation from God. It all goes downhill from there.
Today we see this truth all around us. The world assures us that sex outside marriage is good, whereas the New Testament portrays a pure union between God and His church. When we fail our partner and go to another, we’re misrepresenting the very picture of what God says He will come back to do.
Consider the rainbow, a God-given sign and promise to the world that He will never again wipe out the face of the earth by flood, yet the world has chosen the rainbow as a flag to represent an abomination to the Lord (Lev. 18:22, Rom. 1:27).
I believe that one of the most recent things that Satan has plagued the world with is this COVID19 virus, also widely known as Corona.
The word Corona originated from Latin, meaning crown. Scientists say that the virus seen under a microscope has a crown or halo shape; thus, the name emerged.
Satan wants to inform the world that there’s a new king, and it’s called Corona.
But we as children of God know that there is only one King and His name is Jesus. Our King is the King of kings. Nothing and no one can take His place, not even if the world decides to crown Corona as her new king.
Reading through Ezekiel this month, I saw how God wishes for His people to return to Him.
Ezekiel 22:30 says it like this: “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”
Just like in the time of Noah (the rainbow) and just like in the time of Lot (homosexuality), “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Gen. 6:5).
Here we stand today, in a world swarming with wickedness, and God is looking for people who will “build up the walls and stand in the gap.”
We are all called to build walls to keep us safe from the attacks of the devil (2 Tim. 4:18), walls of self-control (Prov. 25:28), walls of prayer to keep our nation safe (Jer. 29:7), walls that raise the old foundations of faith and repair broken relationships and faulty theology (Isa. 58:12).
We all have a role to play, and as partners of 4G3, we have seen how you have stood by 4G3 and its mission to embolden displaced and persecuted Christians in the Middle East to stand firm in their faith.
Even amid uncertain times, you have remained our champions.
Here are a few encouraging numbers to show that even though the world may try to crown a virus, imposing lockdowns and fear throughout the world, that God is still King, and nothing can stop the work that He has set out to do:
Started a six-week online Purpose Driven Life study with over 300 attendants from eight countries (Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Egypt, UK, Spain, USA, and Canada).
20 Discipleship Institute graduates are leading the zoom breakout rooms during the six-week study.
Three zoom groups studying Managing Your Money God’s way. Two groups are in Egypt with 23 participants), one group in Jordan (with 15 participants). Those three groups are in preparation for the launching of Ron Blue Institute curricula in Egypt in May. Ron and Michael Blue will be launching their material in person in Egypt in May. Those groups will prepare facilitators who will be ready to run with the material after the launch.
Rejoice.
Maranatha
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