FRIDAY, APRIL 5
Scripture: Joel 2:23-25

We might ask ourselves how the Scribes and Pharisees got to be compromised to the point of no return? I believe there is an answer for that in Joel 2. Joel 2:23-25 states, “Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you— The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” God sent an army of adversity to His people. The army He sent was an army of locusts that chewed up everything that was of self. God sent an army of adversity after the mixed-seed of self in each of His people. He did it then and He does it today. The degree to which we are willing to submit to God’s adversity is the degree to which we get delivered from self. Those who refuse easily gravitate to the compromised position of the Scribes and Pharisees. Those who obey and yield find that God’s army of locusts, chew up every hindrance to discernment so that they can easily embrace God’s purpose, His plan and His Spirit. And this enables them to be true ministers of the new covenant. We trust this group will prevail.