THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 222

Redemption, as previously discussed, was the buying back from one owner to another at an agreeable price. In this case, we are not talking about dollars and cents for the price of man's redemption was more costly than silver or gold. For, as the scriptures point out, we were not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver or gold. Instead, we were redeemed with the precious blood of a Lamb (God Himself as a Son) slain in God’s plan even before the foundation of the earth.

Now we must ask ourselves this question. “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counsellor?” Surely His ways are not our ways and likewise, His thoughts not our thoughts. God reveals Himself in His timeframe.

Conversely, fallen Satan deceived man, being now instructed only by the wisdom of the world obtained from the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is for this reason that they know not God. Man’s head wisdom was rearranged immediately upon eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden. And what a tumble it was.

Man who God set over the very works of His hands was now cast out or separated from the presence of God. Man's endless possibilities were dashed. Instead, opportunity was replaced with beating out a living in a weed infested earth. At the same time, Eve determined that women from that time forward would bring forth their offspring in pain. All of this and more, life examples that were previously unknown to them are now the norm.

As a consequence, the sin of disobedience opened the door to evil. Those unknown doors led to a world that was up until this time previously unknown. A world that begins with choosing evil over good. A world that quickly deteriorates. Remember the sayings, A little leaven soon leavens the whole, or, if the salt has lost its savour wherewith shall it be renewed? The same situation was happening to the human race. Society as God intended was spiralling toward ruin.

The Bible makes it clear. Man cannot save himself. Adam literally sold his soul for a morsel of bread. And like Judas in the New Testament, he similarly stepped over the threshold for a few pieces of silver.

While admittedly, we are all aware of good and evil, we really desire to do good. But Satan is the enemy of good and as man's master manipulator, he does everything in his power to take us down the wrong path. Often, it appears that the further we travel in time, the more sin is more acceptably tolerated. That is, until we have little tolerance for the victims of sin. Like unborn babies discarded into garbage cans. The mind is exalted over the heart. Indeed, there are numerous examples within society that we can draw upon. Plus an inexhaustible amount of yet to come dark Satanic ways projecting Satan’s ways as if they were light.

But there is a better way. Within this world of turmoil and strife, God knew that we would need redemption. In this context, God is not slack concerning His promises. Even though God's original plan concerning man got waylaid, at least from our human perspective, nothing is hid from God’s eyes.

God already knew that you and I should have never known sin or the depth of sin. He also knew that because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we do know sin. Still, it isn't every man's desire to participate in a sin-consumed society. Some jump ship in the hope of finding a city which has solid foundations, and whose builder and maker is God. Admittedly, there are others that just sink deeper and deeper into the brief pleasures of Satanic sin - that is until Satan's ultimate purpose - to destroy them - is achieved.

But God made a way of salvation so that neither group would be lost. Yes Jesus loves you. It is your decision - your choice whether you accept God into your heart. What I can tell you, in encouraging you to consider God's offer, is that you won't be disappointed. Just like God had a plan for the human race as a collective, He has a plan of salvation for your individual life too!