The Price of Vision
by Mike Ratliff
Without a doubt the believer whom God uses will not be understood by most professing believers. The sword of truth divides. It does bring together those who love the truth and seek only their Lord’s will, but it will divide those from them who do not love the truth unconditionally. The visible church is being eaten alive by lies that are believed by people who would prefer to have their own version of the truth instead of the pure unadulterated truth from God’s Word. The person proclaiming these truths will not be popular. Instead, the wrath of our enemy will come against him or her who will use those who appear godly, but who are tools of deceit whom he wields to cause despair and confusion. This person will find out that not every “Christian” wants to hear the truth. Instead they want what tickles the ears and conforms to their own version of it. Those who dedicate themselves to putting God first in all things, even over what they want, will pay a high price, but it is these Believers God will use to soften and harden hearts.
The following devotional by Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest is highly recommended. I pray that by reading and meditating on the truths in it you will be blessed.
The Price of Vision
By Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord . . . -Isaiah 6:1
Our soul’s personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place, and that is when we falter, fail, and become discouraged. Let me think about this personally- when the person died who represented for me all that God was, did I give up on everything in life? Did I become ill or disheartened? Or did I do as Isaiah did and see the Lord?
My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can even be revealed to me. Before I can say, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God’s surgical procedure- His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.
Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, “In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You.”
Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.
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WHY is it that people think there will be no ‘division’ in the body here on earth, and so force this kind of ‘false irenism’ (as Catholics have dubbed it) upon us? What foolishness to think that the one who points out division/the dividing influence is the one who caused it! Thank you for posting this. It’s always a huge encouragement to see that others realize what is going on. But I sure wish there were more in my local community so I could have a very discerning congregation with which to attend worship services!
Amen! I second that comment pj. I love that Mike, God first, God second, and God third…………..YES!
You are welcome PJ. Welcome to the group. We are quite spread out and are few in number I fear, but you are welcome because you do see the truth, therefore, God has opened your eyes. You are in the Light and not in Darkness. Praise Him, Oh Praise Him!
Paul,
He is our all-in-all or we don’t have Him at all do we?
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Mike,
You are so right. God is our everything.
PJ, That is so wonderful that God woke you up. He did the same thing to me. I forgot just how amazing it was when the Lord led me to Mike’s blog and here are others! Praise our wonderful Lord!
Mike, Thank you so much for having a place for us to gather and be with our brothers and sisters. You are so gracious and such a blessing with your simple way’s of teaching us. I have no other place to go either and you all are so encouraging.
I hope I haven’t been a burden today. If so I apologize to all. I pray for truth for all of us.
Blessings and love in Christ
Deborah
PJ: hang in there. The Devil working through his people can cause them to be just as harsh as the society we face every day.
It’s so easy to “Go along to get along”, that our brothers and sisters are afraid to step out on what they might even admit as truth, if it will bring them negative attention.
I think Mike might have something here…which affects the church today, and causes her to be inactiveand withdrawn into herself.
Deborah,
I am blessed and humbled that you would could here to pour your heart out. It isn’t me, it’s God. You have been no burden to me, ever.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Kathy,
I see God is drawing you into the light as well. Welcome my sister!
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Excellent article. I experienced some painful incidents which removed “friends” from my life. There was confusion and judgment and with one friend in particular a complete lack of kindness in the words coming out of her mouth – a “Christian.” It was a most painful time period spanning close to two years when God was pruning my life. But all along, as much as it hurt, I knew deep down it was the Lord’s will, because I submit to Him and I examine myself and I just trust. This chaos and loss forced me to realize, once and for all, that HE is my best friend, He is the only Person I can alway count on. It was a horrible experience at the time, but it yielded the most precious gift. Not only did He remove people from my life that I never would have, but needed removal; He then, after time alone with Him trusting Him like I never had before, brought sincere, godly people into my life and restored my heart.
God is my first, my second, and my third…(although I really have to snap out of my obsession occasionally to care for the needs of my family)!!!
Great food, Mike!
Thank you and Amen Sharon!