When there is no pastor in a community, the devil reigns. So how will people hear the Truth? The Lord showed His glory to Isaiah, before calling him to go into the world to be used by Him (Isaiah 6.1-3). The Father does the same with those He calls to go to the lost and show them how easy it is to enter His presence and participate in His power to save, deliver and heal people from their ills: sin, unbelief and sickness.

           In the distant past, families who didn't know the one true God used idols called teraphim to protect their homes. Without knowing who the Creator was, man invented "little monsters" that were worth nothing or of no help. Over time, this practice became normal, to the point where Jacob's father-in-law had a number of them. However, it was the heir to the promise that made Laban prosper (Genesis 31.30-35). Meditate and pray!

           Zechariah considered the work of the prophets to be a lie, and indeed it was. Every word that doesn’t come from the Lord is deceptive. The idols of the people turn out to be a sham, but the Father really does protect us (Salmo18.2). Whatever Hell sends against the servants of the Most High will not reach them, because God will be at their side to guard them before any evil approaches. God is the Almighty!

           Soothsayers or sorcerers will never speak the truth, because they serve Satan and not Christ; therefore, they have no access to the foreknowledge of the Most High. Those who serve Jesus, the Son of God, are anointed with power to help the afflicted, freeing them from the enemy's superstitions and deception (John 8.44).

           The call to divine work is for the selfless, because it's not easy to work in times of difficulty, when people don't even seek the Lord. However, we face this mission with joy and, like Jacob, we say that the problems are nothing, because we love God and we want to see the lost surrender to Him and have their lives transformed.  Jacob didn't mind having to serve his father-in-law for another seven years, but saw it as proof of his love (Genesis 29.18-27). The sorcerers saw vain dreams, made up by the mind and of no value whatsoever. Only what our God shows us has value.

             The wicked have something in common: they know they are wrong and their end will be painful. Yet they still comfort themselves with vanity. God's deeds are true, but the enemy's commands to the wicked will always be vanity, because they have no weight and have no guidance from heaven. That's why they walk like sheep going to the slaughter, not knowing what will happen to them. We have the Holy Spirit to keep us from falling into evil’s trap.

           The lost are troubled and don't know why, but if they listen to the Lord, their hearts will begin to understand that they were living without a shepherd, without someone God would raise up to give them their rightful place in the Kingdom of Heaven. They just need to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd!

          In Christ, with love,

          R. R. Soares