GOD OF CONTRAST 3

GOD OF THE CONTRAST 3

"Enjoy prosperity whenever you can (I.e. Be joyful in thy days of prosperity) and when hard times strikes, realize that God gives one as well as the other - so that everyone will realize that nothing is certain in this life." [Eccl 7:14]

In the last two episodes of the article on this subject, we outlined the acts of the God of Contrast and how these contrasts works in alignment with Divine purpose for our lives. No one of these extreme experience is meant to be permanent. Just as God permits one of the extremes of the contrast so also does He ordains the other extreme for the balance and maturity of man.

In the scriptures quoted above, we saw the reactions that is expected of man in responding to any of these two extremes of life. The wise preacher said that when we are on the mountain of prosperity and plenty, we should rejoice and enjoy its season maximally. To rejoice and enjoy one's self in times of prosperity is not difficult; it's so natural to rejoice and be glad when things are working out fine for us. It seems so natural and spontaneous for anyone who has what he needs per time to be glad.

However the instruction did not stop there. He proceeded by the inspiration of the Almighty God to say that our season of adversity, scarcity and hardship should not become seasons of murmuring and complaints but should be season of contemplation, consideration, retrospection and introspection. Elder James in his epistles came so strong on this issue in His opening chapter when he said that we should "Consider it great joy whenever we experience various trials." [James 1:2]

While the instructions seems so simple but it takes an understanding mind to respond accordingly. He didn't just say that we should count it a joy but that we should count it great joy when we are faced with various trials and not just one trial. This response demands serious meditation that will bring us into the light of divine perspective and purpose.

Many of us waste away our season of trials and tribulations because we are not so calm to wait on God to receive the understanding the purpose of same. God is a God of order and gives to each of us what we deserve per time for us to learn and grow into maturity as our faith is being tested.

The preacher noted that God sends both happiness and trouble (Eccl 7:14 GNB) I.e. they happen to us by His permission or approval. He noted also that God made one extreme side by side with the other (Eccl 7:14 AMP) and no one has the right to determine which of the extremes he will experience per time. He however opened our eyes to know that God does all for us to know that no one of these extremes is permanent in life. (Eccl 7:14 LB).

Our hope in times of challenges and hardship should come from the understanding that neither good times nor bad times are meant to last forever. They were meant to pass away and not to stay forever. God only permitted them in time to test and train us and also to strengthen our endurance. The fact that we experience bad times does not necessarily means we have sinned (while that may be the case) but it just means that God reckons with us as individuals.

When we get to the level of carefully considering the acts of God in our hard times, we will definitely end up with revelations that will give us joy and the joy that comes from God to us will strengthen us to navigate through and endure the rough and tough season without offending God with our murmuring or complaints. We will be so sure that God is still God in all situations.

To be continued!!!

GOD OF THE CONTRAST 2

GOD OF THE CONTRAST 2

When God declared that His ways are not our ways, little did I understand the gravity of those words until light began to dawn on me from the scriptures by the Holy Spirit. Often, our definitions, views and perspectives on several issues in life are far different from God's. This we must always be conscious of so as to remain humble before Him to be able to receive His Grace.

The scriptures reveals that the path of the just is a progressively shinning light till the perfect day. However, most of us do not understand God's view of progress and setbacks. At times, waiting on God with no obvious forward movement is heaven's best definition of progress. God has designed that all things will work for the good of His beloved be it darkness or light, night or day or even the valley or the mount.

The God who created the mountain is also He that created the valley and He uses both for the good of His people. Life is in cycles of ups and downs, highs and lows, valleys and mountains. Reality reveals these Contrast as instability but faith defines them as progress. God uses both the valley and the mountains to make us into who He created us to be. More often than not, the valley is the place of hiding, fasting and making while the mountains is the place of manifestation, feasting and testing.

When we are on the mountain, we often talk of our faith and the result of our faith. Talk comes so easy on the mountain when life is at its best. That is when we have all the advice to give to those who seems to be struggling around us. Those are times when we are tempted to think that we are better than those who are in the plain or in the valley, we feel like if they know and apply the principles that we used they would also have made it and we forget that life is about times and seasons. However, God is just that He would not allow us to remain permanently having the mountaintop transfiguration experience just like Peter without having a taste of the valley.

The valley is where our faith is being tested just like with Jesus in the wilderness. It's a place of trials and temptation. Oftentimes, it is a place of loneliness. Friends surrounds you on the mountain when all seems to be going on well but friends desert you in the valley. Yet all these lessons are meant for our good and balanced Christian living on this earth.

Know that often great adversity is the womb of great prosperity. Great trials, tests and tribulations are wombs of great triumph, testimonies and jubilation. The lower the depth of the valley and the challenges therein, the higher the value of trophy to be won. One extreme seems to give birth to another extreme. Problems give birth to progress and vice versa. (Job 2:10, 30:26)

However, in all these, count them all joy for we are more than conqueror. The experiences are temporal and are meant for our good but the rewards are eternal (Romans 8:17-18). Always remember that the God on the mountains is still God in the valley!!!

To be continued!!!

Solarin Temilola David

Facebook: David Solarin
Twitter: bishopdave111
Phone: 08030796789
E-mail: bishopdave111@yahoo.com, solarindavid@gmail.com

GOD OF THE CONTRAST

GOD OF THE CONTRAST

The power authority and efficacy of the Most High God cannot be put to question for it has been tested and trusted over the years from eternity past till now. He is the ultimate and greatest authority who dwells in the heaven and doeth that which pleases Him. However, with all His powers and authority, I saw Him make a decree which seems to be violated. I was so shocked when I noted that after that God declared light on the earth (Gen 1:3), there was still darkness thereon.

In my own little mind, I thought that immediately God made a decree of light on the earth, there should not be any iota of darkness on the earth again. However I still saw that darkness remained. While meditating on this, I realized that God later reckoned with the darkness (Gen 1:5). This was when I realized that even though God is Light and the Father of lights (James 1:17), He still has plans and purposes for darkness.

I observed later in the scriptures that God promised Cyrus the King "the hidden treasures of the dark places" ( Isaiah 45:3). He also spoke to the elders of Israel from the midst of darkness (Deut 5:23). Also, I saw that God made darkness as coverings and canopies around Himself (2Sam 22:11).

In view of all these, I realized that God in His infinite wisdom purposely left darkness on the earth to serve His own purpose to the honor of His Name and for the good of mankind. Alas, it is painful that man has greatly misconstrued the place and purpose of darkness and has made darkness synonymous with evil. The same God who is Light is also God over darkness. If there was no need of it, He would have in His omnipotence removed it completely but in His love and mercy has left it on earth for the welfare of man.

Looking inwards and around, I see us, especially Christians, complain and murmur in dark times of life when all seems not to be making sense and confusion seems to reign because we cannot see How a loving God will use darkness to serve His own purpose for our good. Darkness to man symbolizes evil and confusion, yet with God both light and darkness appears brightly and plain. It takes a man of meditation and understanding to learn and know that for a Christian, good times and bad times are either ordained or permitted by God for His own purpose in man and on earth. He would not permit a seeming tough time for His own if there is no purpose for it and benefit in it.

Always know that the God who created the mountain is He who created the valley, He who created the day also created the night, He who created the rain also created the sun and all these are to serve His purpose all for your good. God is still God in all these situations and circumstances. He is Love and His love nature permeates His creatures.

Oh the God of the Contrast!!!!

To be continued!!!