Let me share some of the things that He has been impressing upon me.
I will be judged on the basis of the command to ‘love my neighbour whom I can see’. I, Pravin know that I cannot love—it is not in me. So I sought God, ‘God, how do You equip people to love?’
His answer was, ‘I provide the enabling to love. But those who would seek Me for ‘love for man’, must first seek Me for ‘love of truth’’
Those who want to be saved must first receive the love of truth.
“With all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” 2 Thessalonians 2:10
Those who do not receive this will perish.
So, what does this mean operationally? His answer was that I need to seek three sets of truth
What is it that He wants to do—what is the heart and mind of God—what is the end-time scenario, what will the kingdom of God on earth look like, what is the ‘Z’?
What is the situation that prevails today—what is the ‘A’?
How does one move from ‘A’ to ‘Z’—what are the ‘ways of God’, the ways in which He works?
(‘Z’ is where God is headed for. Unless I know where He is going, and unless I know the ways in which He walks, how can I walk with Him?)
Let me first however make a digression. Let me first talk a bit about the consequences of failing to seek the truth.
Deception
I am placing below some truths about deception
To not know (walk in) the truth is, by definition to be (walk) in deception.
Deception is defined as ‘I don’t know that I don’t know’. ‘I think that I am walking right, but in reality I am off-track’.
Truth sets free Jn 8:32. Deception blinds and binds.
Can a person who does not love truth claim to love Truth (Jesus)?
Can a person who does not deliberately set out to seek truth ever uncover the deceptions he may be in, specially the deceptions of his heart Jer 19:7?
The degree to which I, in my work/ministry choose to overlook truth, to that degree I am building on deception.
Will such work survive, or will it be burnt up 1 Cor 3:15?
What is it that brings glory to God, ‘fruit that dies’ or ‘fruit that remains’?
Revival
I am placing below some truths about revivals
Every revival movement so far has died—often sooner than later. All the major denominations came out as a result of revival. But the fires soon grew cold. The longest single revival that I am aware of is the Moravian revival—that lasted 100 years. So also local churches. They start well, they start as relational churches, but soon become program oriented. (The Church continues to grow, but specific revivals and local churches die.)
- This has always been the case. Five of the seven churches of the Book of Revelation, e.g., entered into deception within the first or second generation (depending how Revelation is dated). The church in Sardis that was once alive died—and they did not even know that they were dead Rev 3:1. (Many of us do not believe that it is possible to lose salvation—that names can be cut off from the Book of Life.) "I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life" Revelation 3:5
If they had believed, they would have continued to work out their salvation in fear and trembling Phil 2:12. (The churches in Ephesus and Laodecia were not yet dead, but in danger of dying. But they did not know the danger they were in—they were under deception.)
Jesus warned (prophesied) that many will be deceived, and their love will grow cold Mt 24:11-12. He said that many believers walk the broad path, while only a few walk the narrow path Mt 7:13-14. (We know that the Sermon on the Mount is addressed to born again persons—those who call God ‘Father’)
‘A’ and ‘Z’
I am placing below one-word descriptions of ‘Z’, the end God has in mind. (This can be elaborated, but for now this will suffice.)
The ‘A’ is described in some detail—in terms of ‘heart attitudes’ of the individual. The symptoms of the heart-attitude of the individual can be seen at the church level. I am not even mentioning the many things that are wrong at the nation level, even in the so-called Christian nations.
| | Z | A |
| Individual | Christlikeness | Love for blessings; rejoicing in biblical truths that are ‘convenient’ rather than ‘all truth’; preference for activity over relationships; seeking quick returns rather than laying foundations for work that will survive; walk by sight (e.g., blessings, results) rather than faith |
| The church | Unity | Preference to ‘me and my ministry’ rather than ‘do unto others what I would have them do for me’ and ‘bearing the burdens of others’; focus on evangelism rather than discipling (unlike Jesus); playing the numbers game; where ever there is self-seeking our wisdom is ‘demonic’ Jas 3:14-16 |
| The nation | Righteousness | |
Ways of God
The question is how to go from ‘A’ to ‘Z’?
This involves first change of heart—receiving from God a heart that is contrite and trembles at the word. Then (to a degree, concurrently) receiving from Him His strategies or ‘ways’
I won’t talk about how to change the heart. This is a major subject in itself. The Lord has begun to work this in me. (He has begun to show me how vile is my heart.) I cannot teach how to change the heart till I myself undergo at least a degree of change.
Some of the basics however are:
A decision to ‘seek God and God alone’ 1 Chron 16:11 (not blessings, not ministry, nothing else)
A decision to claim only one promise: ‘Behold, I come quickly’ Rev 22:7
A decision to know nothing except (which means: become like) the crucified Christ 1 Cor 2:2
A decision to search out every jot and tittle of the law—so that He may teach me all things, guide me into all truth, thoroughly equip me for every good work Jn 14:26, 16:13, 2 Tim 3:16-17
Practice stilling the heart, that I may know God Ps 46:10
Judge myself against the law, that I may not be judged 1 Cor 11:31
Learn to wait upon the Lord so that He may not only teach me His ways, but also His timing Ecc 3:1, 11
Again, I can go on and on. But I will stop
Pravin Moudgill
Where am I? At what stage am I in my walk with God?
I am full of talk (I know a lot of theory); but not able to walk the talk. Which means I am a hypocrite. Which means that I do not have the ‘wisdom that is from above’ Jas 3:17
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