EXPOSURE!
DFO1537
28/5/83
1. I WAS JUST ASKING THE LORD ABOUT OUR MWM & MCV SHOWS & THINKING HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT THEIR SOURCE BE SELAH & that the World or the authorities or our enemies not know that they're really our broadcasts. And I was asking the Lord, "Lord, how could You let Deborah expose us like this & endanger the whole work of our broadcast ministry?" And just as clear as it ever came to me, He said, "For the same reason I allowed your enemies to publicise your name: I want them to know who it is & I want to give you credit for it!"
2. THE SHOW HAS BECOME EXTREMELY POPULAR & AMAZINGLY WELL-RECEIVED & THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL! I have never known a Gospel Show to grow so fast & become so popular so quickly, particularly with the youth. So the Lord has really blessed it & used it & caused it to bear tremendous fruit! Perhaps the major harvest has already been reaped, so now the Lord wants them to know who it is!
3. ONCE OUR PEAK OF POPULARITY IS REACHED, THE ENEMY COMES OUT & EXPOSES US & publicises our name & acts as our advertising agent as to who it is, so that we get either the credit or the blame for it. And this brings about the dividing of the sheep from the goats, the separation of the good grain from the tares or weeds, which is then tested with persecution, & only the best survive.
4. IT'S A PART OF GOD'S SIFTING & WINNOWING PROCESS. God Himself allows them to publicise & trumpet our name so that those who follow will have to make a choice. For His true sheep know His voice & they follow Him, & a stranger they will not follow. (Jn.10:4,5) They will not listen & follow the voice of our enemies & their criticisms. These tests have to come to test their faith & their determination & loyalty.
5. BUT PRAISE GOD! I BELIEVE GOD HAS HAD HIS WAY, & by the time it gets that far, as usual in His process of the "4 P's"--Publication, Popularity, Publicity & Persecution--we have accomplished our task, finished the work, reaped the main harvest & it's usually time to leave the field & the gleaning of the corners to the poor natives who remain behind.
6. SO DON'T BE AFRAID WHEN THE BAD PUBLICITY BEGINS! It's all in God's hands & He knows what He's doing, that's His business. That's God's final blast to make the people make a decision.
7. OUR MAIN JOB IS DONE & the principal harvesting cooperative combine usually moves on to new fields where the harvest is ripe & ready & white unto harvest, leaving behind the gleaners of the corners to clean up whatever good grain may be left on the ground. So don't grieve & lament over it, it's God's way, the best way, & usually the only way He can get you to move on to new fields & reap more harvests.
8. GOD HELP US TO KNOW WHEN THERE'S STILL A GOOD HARVEST TO BE REAPED & WHEN THE HARVEST IS FINISHED! May God help us to know the difference & when to leave, & stop wasting time & energy on a worn-out already-harvested dangerous field.
9. "REJOICE & BE EXCEEDING GLAD, FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN: FOR SO PERSECUTED THEY THE PROPHETS THAT WERE BEFORE YOU!" (Mt.5:12) God bless & keep you fruitful in fruitful fields & spare you from the Enemy by fleeing from persecution to newer, fresher & more fruitful fields in the future! In Jesus' name, amen.
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family