LIFE’S PRETENDERS/& DECEIVERS

I was on my way home one Monday afternoon while returning from a routine trip to Berekum. As soon as I arrived on Yonko Paa Street, my residence, I saw an enormous blanket of large flies covering my path. Apparently, I was in the throes of a supernatural premonition. I knew exactly what it meant. I was about to do something extremely foolish. Someone that I knew was plotting to weaponize my lofty Christian idealism and magnanimity to rob me. I was in danger of succumbing to his trick because of who I am. I didn’t have to wait long to understand the whole meaning of this revelation. While passing through the gates of my domicile, I saw a stranger on my porch attaching an electrical wire to the outlet stationed there. “What’s going on?” I inquired. A gentleman that I knew approached me from behind. Coming from a house in front of my home that was under construction. “Brother James,” he commenced, “I was trying to call you, unsuccessfully. All I’m trying to do is get a little power to do a small amount of work in the house over there.” How long will this take,” I inquired. “Oh, only a few minutes,” was his reply. Although I heard his words, the warning I had received from The Holy Spirit was paramount in my mind.

Over the years, I have learned that people never reveal the full ramifications of their intended mischief. I had also learned to listen without question to orders issued by The Holy Ghost. Accordingly, I got on the phone and called a trusted electrician. “Sir, do you remember me?” I asked. “Yes, of course,” was his reply. “How can I help you?” he continued. “I need you to come to my house as soon as possible to disable an electrical receptacle on my front porch,” I explained. “O.K., I will be there by 7:00 A.M. tomorrow morning,” he replied. I thanked him and discontinued the call. As promised, he was at my house on time the following morning. He promptly deactivated the outlet, I paid him fifty cedis (US$3.00), and he left. As I had feared, those two people were back at my house that same afternoon. They intended to repeat the same trick that they pulled the previous day. I saw someone on my porch attempting to make the same connections, but that outlet had no power. I heard my phone ringing, and I didn’t answer it. Such is life. Unscrupulous people always try to take shortcuts at the expense of others. That’s one of the reasons that The Master warned, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16 (NKJV). 

The fact that Almighty God faithfully provides for and blesses those who love and obey Him in a world of sin is no carefully guarded secret. Nor is it nuclear science that Satan’s followers prey upon God’s servants to be beneficiaries of such divine beneficence. This fact has been unfolding before us since ancient times.

“Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them. Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah. And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” Then he went up from there to Beersheba. And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.” So he built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.” Genesis 26:17-25 (NKJV)

This record in scripture reveals God’s constant protection and care over His servants and an indirect extension of such mercy and compassion to those who are servants of the arch-deceiver. The Philistines became recipients of the same blessings extended to God’s servants by the very presence of His children. Therefore, it is paramount that God’s servants become great exemplars of godliness and virtue. Not only because of the blessing that will be poured upon them when they glorify God by virtuous lives. But also because of the multiplying effect on the children of darkness. The pagans amongst whom he lived and raised his livestock knew that Isaac received divine provision and protection. Because his servants could find water where the Philistines hadn’t been able to find any. Accordingly, they decided it was in their best interest to live peaceably with him and cultivate his goodwill and friendship.

“Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and Phichol the commander of his army. And Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?” But they said, “We have certainly seen that the Lord is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing to you but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.’ ” So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. Then they arose early in the morning and swore an oath with one another; and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. It came to pass the same day that Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.” So he called it Shebah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.” Genesis 26:26-32 (NKJV)

(TO BE CONTINUED)