When I was a college student, the Messiah of Israel found me, though most believers like to say we found Him.  I really was “minding my own business” when He began to draw me into His magnificent kingdom, the Kingdom of God, on the same day the Yom Kippur War began in 1973.  Five weeks later I received Him–I was alone when the Ruach HaKodesh, the Spirit of God, revealed the truth and love of Messiah, my need for forgiveness, and His provision of atonement.  After I prayed, I literally felt unseen chains break off.  I was free.

I learned there were 400 believers on our campus of 15,000.  There I met a fellow believer named Mike B.

Fast forward thirty years. My husband and I moved to another state.  A neighbor across the street invited us to his fellowship.

While looking at the announcements in the bulletin I noticed that the speaker for the evening was a man named Mike B.  Same name.  Could it be the same person? I didn’t remember Mike as being the “type” to be serving in some far off place.

We returned early that evening to see if it was Mike.  Sure enough, twenty eight years after having last seen him, there he was.  He had served the LORD in Africa and was now in Eastern Europe.

Mike had a hard time recognizing me in my salt and pepper hair!  But we hugged and rejoiced at the miracle that had just taken place.  Neither of us had ever been in that fellowship before, as I had moved to that state the week before, and he had been living in Africa and then Eastern Europe over the past twenty five years.  He had just gotten back to the States  a week or so before, and this was a speaking engagement that had been arranged for him.

We marveled at the encouragement the LORD us–that He has directed every step of our lives, and knows the times and the seasons of our lives.

I met his dynamic wife, Kathy, and asked her to tell me about the transition to Eastern Europe…to the same country and city where my grandmother was from!

“The ground is really hard there.  It’s a predominantly Catholic country.”

She spoke of the profound hardness of heart that she and Mike encountered there to spiritual things.  This is not difficult to understand.  World War II ravaged the entire continent.  The suffering was unspeakable. Volumes have been written on the subject.

I had a thought…should I tell Kathy why there might possibly be hard hearts or resistance to spiritual things?  Or, would it be interpreted as self serving?

I knew I had to speak.  “You know, Kathy, during the war, a large majority of the people of that country strongly participated in helping the Nazis destroy its Jewish population.  There is a covenant in Scripture, the Abrahamic Covenant. (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 17)  Here, the LORD promised the Patriarch Abraham three things:  Land, seed, and blessing.  He also stated that “I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you.”  This covenant and promise was reaffirmed to Isaac in Genesis 26; to Jacob in Genesis chapter 28:13-15; 35:9-12; 48:3-4.  Numbers chapter 24:1-9 is very clear:  “Blessed is everyone who blesses you (Israel), and cursed is everyone who curses you (Israel).”

“I am wondering, Kathy, if the way to have softened ground in the country where you are laboring is to join the other believers in confessing the very serious sin of anti-Semitism that led to hundreds of thousands of Jewish deaths.  Innocent blood has been shed in that land…the innocent blood of God’s covenant people is on the soil and on the hands of their ancestors.  Perhaps there is a curse on the land spoken of in Genesis 12.  In addition, the sin of hatred that generations of people in that country have participated in has opened a big door to the enemy of their souls:  Satan.  The people are indeed in bondage.

Kathy listened.  Kathy agreed.  She left to join her husband.

Then it was time for Mike to give the message.  I was amazed.  He had changed the talk he had planned to give, to one that would address what I had shared with Kathy.  He requested prayer for the nation where he was serving…for a spirit of repentance to be granted for the sins that nation committed against the Jews during WWII.

Reader, does it sound strange that the sins of ancestors can have such an impact a generation or two later?

It is not strange, for the Scripture speaks of the principle of curses going to the third and fourth generation (Deuteronomy 5:9), and the blessing of lovingkindness going to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 5:10) to those who love Yahweh (The LORD) and keep His commandments.

One of His commandments is to bless, and not curse Israel!

So, what can we get from this true encounter?

1. The Living God, the God of Israel, is in the business of doing wondrous things.  He literally directs steps/paths of those who seek Him.  It is thrilling to be led by the LORD.
2. When hearts are closed to spiritual things we can’t prejudge and just say, “Oh, they’re not open to Biblical truth.” Such people need us to be the intercessors to help “break up fallow ground” (Hosea 10:12), confessing the sins of a nation or city or people group, so other prayers can be heard on high.  Please note that Daniel, Nehemiah, Ezra, Isaiah all cried unto God, saying, “I have sinned, and my fathers/people have sinned.”  No one exists alone spiritually.  Sin in our lives affects others, including a nation’s destiny.
3. Anti-Semitism is not just a current topic with political implications.  The spiritual ramifications for hating the Jewish people are borne out in history–in nations, as well as, in individual lives.

Dare I ask if you come from a heritage of hate, a heritage of specifically hating the Jewish people?  If so, confess the sins of your ancestors and any residual anti-Semitism that may exist in your heart.  This may be a key to possible breakthrough in your own life.

Shalom!

Back in the 1970’s Phil Keaggy had a beautiful song on his Love Broke Through album–”Disappointment– His Appointment”.  The song was actually a poem put to music. The citation was ‘author unknown’.

I loved the words so much that I typed them up and gave them out as I met people who needed encouragement.

I have to admit that poetry is not my favorite subject.  But, you know there is something amazing about a great poem–that your heart sentiments can be expressed so aptly, so artistically–someone has had your experience or feelings!

Thirty years later, and fifteen hundred miles away from where I first heard the song, someone we had recently met was clearing out old religious books.  He offered them to us.  Weeks later, while looking through my new books I saw The Best-Loved Religious Poems by James Gilchrist Lawson.  (It was published in 1933 by Fleming Revell Company.)

Sure enough, there it was on page 97–”Disappointment–His Appointment”.  It evidently was based on the passage from Job 23:14—”He performeth the thing that is appointed for me.”

The author was Edith Lillian Young.

Here are the words:

“Disappointment–His appointment,”
Change one letter, then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God’s better choice for me.
His appointment must be blessing,
Tho’ it may come in disguise
For the end from the beginning
Open to His wisdom lies.

“Disappointment — His appointment,”
Whose?  The Lord, who loves me best,
Understands and knows me fully,
Who my faith and love would test;

For, like loving earthly parent,
He rejoices when He knows
That  His child accepts, unquestioned,
All that from his wisdom flows.

“Disappointment –His appointment,”
“No good thing will He withhold,”
From denials oft we gather
Treasures of His love untold.
Well He knows each broken purpose
Leads to fuller, deeper trust,
And the end of all His dealings
Proves our God is wise and just.

“Disappointment–His appointment,”
Lord, I take it, then, as such.
Like the clay in hands of potter,
Yielding wholly to Thy touch.
All my life’s plan is Thy moulding,
Not one single choice be mine;
Let me answer, unrepining–
Father, “Not my will, but Thine.”

After finding and reviewing the original poem on which the song, “Disappointment– His Appointment”, was based, I now offer this insight.  Understand, the poem is not Scripture.  It’s not perfect.  I strongly disagree with, “Not one single choice be mine.” That is frankly bad theology.  Why?  Because we were divinely designed to make choices–our Creator gave us free will.  More importantly, we are told in Hebrews chapter 5 verse 14, “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”  We practice by making choices.  It takes spiritual, emotional and intellectual exercise to learn how to choose between good and evil.  We are NOT to be passive as believers.

Also Ms. Young puts forth, “He rejoices when He knows that His child accepts, unquestioned, all that from His wisdom flows.”  Are all of our disappointments His appointments?

Were all Job’s appointments, including his grievous loss of children, possessions, wealth and health, God’s appointments?  We know from the text, in Job chapter 2, that after Satan insinuated to the LORD that, if afflicted,  Job would curse the LORD to His face, that “… the LORD said to Satan, ‘Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life’ ” (Job 2:6 italics mine).   Thus, it would appear that the afflictions Job subsequently bore were not the LORD’s appointments, but Satan’s.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 18,  Paul said he wanted to go to the Thessalonians, but “Satan hindered us.”

Blind, unthinking acceptance of whatever comes down the pike is dangerous. Sometimes we think the hand dealt to us is from God, when, in reality, it is simply Satan thwarting or harassing us.  In those instances, we cannot be passive.  Passivity, or passive acceptance of situations, is exactly how the enemy is too often allowed to  gain control over our thoughts, lives, bodies, etc.   The believer is told to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12). Why is a list of spiritual armor given in Ephesians chapter 6, if there is no war and we are to simply accept what comes along?

There is a classic text on spiritual warfare called War on the Saints, by Jessie Penn-Lewis (published by Overcomer Literature Trust, 1977  & Christian Literature Crusade, Fort Washington, PA, 1983).  It was originally written in 1912!

She devotes an entire chapter to The Perils of Passivity.  Here are a few excerpts (pgs. 51-68):

“The chief condition for the working of evil spirits in a human being, apart from sin, is passivity, in exact opposition to the condition which God requires for His working.  ...God requires cooperation with His Spirit, and the full use of every faculty of the whole man. In brief, the powers of darkness aim at obtaining a passive slave or captive to their will; whilst God desires a regenerated man, intelligently and actively will–ing and choosing…

The powers of darkness would make a man a machine, a tool, an automaton; the God of holiness and love desires to make him a free, intelligent sovereign in his own sphere–a thinking rational, renewed creation after His own image (Ephesians iv. 24).  Therefore, God never says to any faculty of man, “Be thou idle”.

God does not need, nor demand non-activity in a man, for His working in and through him; but evil spirits demand the utmost non-activity and passivity.

God asks for intelligent action (Rom. xii. 1-2, “Your reasonable service,”) in cooperation with Him.

Passivity must not be confused with quietness, or the “meek and quiet spirit”, which in the sight of God is of great price.  Quietness of spirit, of heart, of mind, of manner, voice and expression, may be co-existent with the most effective activity in the will of God (1 Thess. iv. 11).

There is a PASSIVITY OF THE WILL; …This originates from a wrong conception of what full surrender to God means.  Thinking that a “surrendered will” to God means no use of the will at all, the believer ceases to (1) choose, (2) determine, and (3) act of his own volition. The serious effect of this he is not allowed by the powers of darkness to discover, for at first the consequences are trivial and scarcely noticeable. …

“Suffering directly caused by evil spirits may be discriminated from the true fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, by a complete absence of result, either in fruit, victory, or ripening in spiritual growth.  If carefully observed, it will be seen to be entirely purposeless. On the other hand, God does nothing without a definite object(ive).  He does not delight in causing suffering for the sake of suffering, but the Devil does.”  (Emphasis mine)

It is amazing and comforting to KNOW that, though some of our appointments come from the enemy of our souls, it is TRUE that God is able to make all grace abound to us in those circumstances, since “… we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  (Romans 8:28 NASB)

The key to take away today is:  Don’t just automatically presume that the trials that come into your day, or life, have come from the Father’s hand.  We all need to grow up and discern from whence come the “realities” with which we deal.  We don’t want to get to the other side of this difficult life and find that we should have been more actively pursuing wholeness, and more persistently using our authority in Messiah to rebuke the forces of darkness, rather than passively accepting their lies and ill intended appointments.

Yes, the LORD understands.

Yes, everything lies open before Him–there are no surprises and He is omniscient.

Yes, yield your every moment and thought and plan to the love and wisdom of the Spirit of God.

But, be sure your disappointments ARE in fact, His appointments.  You see, if you buy the lie that every disappointment comes from God’s hand, then you are sure to develop an anger or bitterness toward Him…and frankly develop a divided mind:  You know theologically the Scripture says over and over the LORD is good and His mercy endures forever…but your experience shouts the opposite.

Fight the good fight of faith, fight the right battles, and thank Yahveh that His love for you endures forever!