Second Focus

As we come prepared to be taken into our second focus of unmeasured thinking, faith frees us to traverse different, untrodden paths with our Master. May we keep ever at the forefront of our hearts and minds that we have pledged before God to freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to our Lord’s pleasure and disposal. May we be humbled and submissive enough to accept that our Lord’s pleasure and disposal are not our pleasure and disposal. Without faith, we will also become people who see Jesus, the Living Word as our rival.

Our second focus is that when King Herod was told about the birth of the King of the Jews in his own jurisdiction, it came from outsiders. Isn’t this astonishing, unbelievable almost that in the very strict, tight and tyrannical Roman Rule, a King can be born and King Herod’s intelligence groups, his spies, are unable to bring him word of such a happening? They are all ignorant of what has taken place, of the Life that has been born and has been living there.

When the wise men came from the East, Jesus, King of the Jews, was no longer a Baby in arms. We snatch this from the words of the angels, as recorded for us in the King James translation. When the angel brought the Good News to the shepherds, they were told this of Jesus. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. Luke 2: 12. Jesus was definitely a new born Baby here. However, right after the visit of the wise men, Joseph was warned of this evil by God, in a dream. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him. Matthew 2: 13.  Yes, we can wisely believe that King Jesus was now a young Child, when Herod found out about Him.

Who can compete with the wisdom and perfect timing of Omnipotent, Creator God? Can you not see that God kept His Son’s Birth completely hidden from demonic evil? If Herod represents demonic evil and rivalry towards King Jesus, then note clearly, he was not even given an opportunity to do any evil to Jesus in thought even, because he was kept in the dark about Jesus’ Birth. He was utterly ignorant of the New Life that was growing in his jurisdiction.

Evil rules like a tyrant in us. We are slaves to sin and evil, and our lives reflect this. Proverbs 27: 19 places it like this. As in water face reveals face, so a man’s heart reveals the man. Behold, even in the midst of all demonic evils, the planted Seed of God is growing. In our Holy God’s timing, you are made to know what has taken place. It’s now too late to stop the Birth of Jesus, but it is just right to stop the Growth of Jesus.

Who can fathom the humanly incomprehensive wisdom and working of Sovereign, Creator God’s perfect plans? God keeps His Son’s birth a total secret from Herod and as His Son begins to grow, in Herod’s jurisdiction and place of rule, mind you, while still a little Child, God exposes truth to Herod. Have you ever thought of this? God gave Herod the Good News, through the wise men who came looking for the Christ Child King. Where is He who was born King of the Jews?

The Good News was bad news to Herod and all of his subjects. Don’t you see how God is LORD over all evil? God has shown us how He controls evil and is this not something to be rejoicing about? Does it not boost our faith, trust and hope in Father God, when we repeat the prayer God’s Son taught His disciples, as we too pray and ask our Heavenly Father to, deliver us from evil? Evil was exposed to Good and given the permission to be itself to the growing Child in its midst. Yes, evil is always given its day and time by God. God controlled the evil power then and He still does so today. Never doubt this fact, regardless of how things may show the opposite.  

Where are we in this? What are we to see and know of Father God and His Living Word, His Seed, planted in us sinners? As truth, as light has dawned upon you, you become afraid and rise up with evil in your hands to stop the growth of God’s work in you. Just as Herod could not stop King Jesus being born, in his reign, under his nose, so too, you could not stop the Birth of God’s Word of grace in you. Albeit, now that you have been made aware of this fact, by outsiders, if you please, you lash out and want to stop all growth. Sin in you - anger, defiance, stubbornness, self-righteousness and more - come to the forefront in some most destructive, deadly and damaging ways. However, God lets you rant, rave and resign yourself, as you try hard, with as much allied help as you can, to ensure the death of the Living Word in you. Even in your defiance and lashing-out, God’s will is being perfectly carried out, for which evil can snuff out the growth of our Lord’s exposed Word? 

Statement: Just as King Herod, the evil one, was given knowledge of God’s Christ, King Jesus, born and growing in the midst of his place of rule, so too with God’s Living, Growing Word. God’s Growing Word, His Word made Flesh, is given Growth in sinful hearts, in hearts where sin in all its deviousness, possesses hearts and minds. Sin is the sinner’s possessor, commanding and demanding perfect obedience. Here is the Good News of Great Joy. Growth will take place in such a hostile environment, for God is LORD, Sovereign Power over all powers, including sin.