IT'S ALL ABOUT GOD

A couple of months ago, I came across a preaching by John Bevere about the Fear of the Lord on YouTube. I’ve heard about him through a friend but I’ve never actually seen or listened him talk. So I went ahead and watched it. Sadly, I just had to stop after a couple of minutes. I felt uneasy about it. Something he said didn’t quite sit well with who I believe God is.

Here’s a direct quote of Bevere’s introduction quoting James 4:8:

“…and James basically says this: Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you...So who draws first? We do. There is something that we do, we initiate, that will literally call …the one who put the stars in the universe with his fingers, and call every one of them by name; who wade the pacific in the palm of his hand to come near me. Now I don’t know about you, but that really excites me! So what James is basically saying here is simply this: “You, NOT GOD, are the one that determines the level of your relationship with Him. Do I need to say that again? We are the ones, you are the one that determines how close you would be with God, NOT GOD. That is amazing!”

My spirit has been quite restless after this and even asked my best friend what she thought about it. But somehow I didn’t find the answer that I’ve been searching for. Since then, I’ve been pressing onto God for discernment.

Yesterday, I was listening to a sermon about regeneration. God has answered my prayer for discernment. Here is why I wasn’t at peace with what Bevere has taught. What he said was like God saying: “Okay, Katrina. You’re a Christian now. But you got free will. Look, I’m raising my hands, see? You call the shots. I really, really, really want to draw near to you. But, I can only get as near as you allow me to. So please, please, let me draw nearer to you? Pretty please?”

Can’t anyone else see that problem there? The Holy, Powerful, Magnificent, Sovereign GOD, who created the universe out of nothing, CANNOT draw near to me unless I allow Him to? I find that absolutely absurd!

Let’s take a quick look at the book of James. The letter he wrote was addressed to the “twelve tribes” – Jewish believers scattered abroad (James 1:1, NLT). In other words, James was talking to “Christians” whose hearts were being regenerated by God. He was addressing “Christians” who are defined by Galatians 2:20: “…My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” I see the book of James wherein we, as Christians, get to examine ourselves if we are truly Christians. Are our lives being changed by God?

James chapter 4, where Bevere quoted his introductory text, actually shows a war between friendship with God and friendship with the world. Here’s a fact (if you’d study the book of Romans): even though we are already Christians, because we are still in the flesh, we are still susceptible to sin. But because we have been “born-again” and our hearts are being renewed by God, we cannot tolerate sin anymore. The Holy Spirit convicts us. It breaks our hearts to sin against God. It has become so distasteful to us that when we sin, we come to repentance.

James 4:4 says: “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God.” In other words, as professing Christians, we cannot be godly and carnal at the same time. That’s why James was calling us to repent (v. 7-9) “…humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” That is what James meant when he said “draw near to God.” Run to God in repentance for He is a merciful God. Like King David once said (Ps. 51:17) “You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

From the books of Exodus to Leviticus, where Moses was leading the nation of Israel through the wilderness heading to the Promised Land, there’s a statement that was stuck in my mind: I AM THE LORD WHO MAKES YOU HOLY. It reflects God’s sovereign power and authority. I love what God said in Ezekiel 36:25-27, “…I will sprinkle clean water on you, and YOU WILL BE CLEAN. Your filth will be washed away, and YOU WILL NO LONGER worship idols. I WILL give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.”

Wait, let’s not forget Philippians 1:6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Now that’s what excites me! It’s like God was saying: “Katrina, you belong to me! I will set you apart. I will sanctify you and you will be sanctified. I will make you holy because I am holy.” It has nothing to do with me. He loves me, yes, but on top of that, He will make me holy for His own glory!

My brothers and sisters in faith, please know that everything we are as Christians is all God’s doing. He initiates everything and He will complete what work He began in us. We love God and we love the church because HE LOVED US FIRST (1 John 4:19). He’s the one working in us through the Holy Spirit. It’s all about His love and grace, it’s all about who He is, so that NO MAN COULD BOAST!

IT IS ALL ABOUT GOD. HALLELUJAH!

---------------------------------------------------

P.S. I don’t know Pastor Bevere. I don’t know about his life or his ministry. What I wrote was simply a response to a particular sermon of his. But, just like what James said in Chapter 3:1, those who teach will be judged more strictly. In my earlier years of writing devotionals, I’ve been guilty of picking verses to support my topic. But now, as I mature as a Christian, I tremble with fear and disgust at the thought that I might have led my readers into falsehood. But God has been gracious to me and guided me to learn the how to study the Bible. So friends, before we read our Bibles, let’s always ask God for wisdom to see His truth in its proper context. God bless us all!

@attic_kat