Today's teaching involves a song called Eternal! Immortal! Invisible God. It came to me on April 20, 2015. The story of the song is pretty straightforward and proving to hit close to home in a deeply personal way for me now that I am almost 16 years down the road from the day I received it. You’ll understand why as I share the brief story behind the song.
So much had happened in my life in the three years preceding 2015. I had been asked to step down from the board of directors of a world-wide ministry due to my public statements regarding then-president Obama’s stance on same sex marriage. After that incident, I felt very abandoned and wounded, finding it difficult to want to be seen in public. The invitations to share my story began drying up and it felt like the world, spurred on by the lies of the enemy, had effectively quieted and discredited my voice. Looking back, I now realize I was being ‘cancelled’. At least now I know what to call it!
As I always try to do, I took my eyes off of myself and turned them to Jesus. In the process of doing this, it became apparent to me that the enemy was still speaking lies to my mind, saying things like, “If God is real, why can’t you see Him?” and “If God is ‘for you’ then why has He abandoned you?”
My faith was being tested greatly so I did what I knew to do. I began to worship. As I worshiped God, I could not help but remember all the countless times He had revealed Himself to me through the years. Times of
physical protection. Times of financial provision. Times of encouragement from His Word and by His Spirit and by His body. Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning. Even though I may not have ever seen God physically, I had seen so many incidents of the evidence of His reality and many times when I had felt the weight of His presence. This song was born as a result of reminding myself of the evidence of His existence and His love in my life.
Now faith is [the] certainty of [things] hoped for, a proof of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 NASB
Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 NASB
On The Dennis Jernigan Podcast version of this teaching I know you can tell from my voice that I am dealing with the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. As I listen back to myself it is quite evident and apparent to me that the effects of the disease are taking a toll on my voice. That being said, I will not allow it to silence me nor will I allow it to dictate my love for God or dampen my faith in him and his goodness.
You may be asking yourself, “If God is so good, why did he allow you to get Parkinson’s?" My answer is simple. Mankind brought sin into the world when we first disobeyed God and listened to the voice of the deceiver in the garden of Eden. What makes our God so good is that he is the Redeemer, He is our Healer, and He is so mighty that he is able to take something as dreadful as Parkinson's and somehow use it for my good and for his glory. I do not blame God for the bad things that occur in my life. I blame Satan, the deceiver, and my own moments of turning my back on God and wallowing in sin.
God loves me right where I am no matter where that may be, but he loves me enough to not leave me there. He is walking through this life with me and wants nothing but what is best for me. He causes all things to work together for my good and, besides, I read the end of the book and guess what I found? We win!
Dennis Jernigan
Listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast version of this week’s teaching. As you listen, allow the holy Spirit to show you the vastness of eternity and your place in that eternity with Him. Listen to the free podcast at https://www.patreon.com/posts/eternal-immortal-85874792
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