Grace in the first dimension brings us to salvation or brings salvation to us. The same grace now teaches us how to live holy in the sight of God and in the face of all the ungodliness due to the fallen nature and corruption all around us. This is grace in the second dimension. It is the same grace, but has progressive effects in our lives. In order for this dimension of grace to be effective, we need to understand that ungodliness reduces the effect of grace in our lives. Grace is God’s energy in us to accomplish God’s purposes. Anything that reduces the effect of grace in our lives will eventually reduce the workings of God and frustrate the purposes of God in our lives. That inner working of grace is the key to almost everything God wants to get done in our lives. Watch out for the things or relationships that hinder the operation of grace in your life.

A lack of divine order in our lives is a revelation of ungodliness and hence a stopper of the flow of grace in our lives. God does not operate in a haphazard manner, neither does He do things without recognition of due order. The operations of God from His Word reveal divinely orchestrated activities brought about through divine orderliness. Elijah at the confrontation of Baal prophets was said to have set the altar in order before calling on the God who answered by fire to respond. This is called the contest on Mount Carmel and is found in 1 Kings 18: 30-39. To have divine order in our lives we need our priorities to become aligned with God’s way of doing things.

In Genesis 25:26 we see some orderliness in the life of Isaac the son of Abraham. He built an Altar, pitched a tent and then dug a well. This shows some order in his life. The men of old understand the place of divine order and they allowed this to dominate their lives.

THE ALTER: this is place of sacrifice to his God. A place of offering to God that which was due Him represented an altar of meeting with God. The men of Old never conceived of God as one with whom they related without the concept of offering. The very thought of God elicited in them offering something to Him as He is worthy of all that we can offer. You should not think of God without the reverential awe that makes you ponder, “What can I offer to my God?” Today our altars are not physical buildings but places of communion with God. Our hearts’ reverence for God is our altar of sacrifice to God. They put God first, His Kingdom first, His will first. He was their Number One. They dethroned themselves from the altar in their hearts. They allowed the authority of God to hold a prominent place in the scheme of things in their lives. Isaac built an altar, a memorial unto God.

A point of remembrance for the dealings of God in his life was reason for the altar. God is honoured in our lives when His dealings mean something to us. The value he placed on God was reflected in the monument he erected to the Lord in that place. This is true about us too, God wants to take us into heights of His will and pleasure but our value-system has not put such importance to God and His will/Word in our lives. Divine order demands that changes take place in this area.

THE TENT: This represents the place his family takes in the scheme of things. Anything put above God in your life becomes an idol. The man is responsible for his family and their welfare should be his concern. God expects us to be responsible for our families and He actually makes provision for them through us and for us. He is the Father of all Fathers and He believes in Family. He has family in heaven and on earth.

THE WELL: As a shepherd, Isaac needed wells to feed the flock and water the grass for their well-being. This represents his work. There are skills and challenges involved in all of these. The point here is having the right priorities.

At the altar, we meet with God. We get direction, wisdom and a whole lot of Godly input from this meeting point. Every endeavour in life can be enriched at this place. When Mary said to the Angel, “let it be unto me according to your word”, it became her altar as it altered her entire life. The value we place on God and the things of God will determine how we move on with God. When Paul, the apostle said He was not ashamed of the heavenly vision, he allowed God’s Word to be the basis for a turning point in his life. The place you give God’s Word is the place you give God in your life. Build an altar today in your heart made up of God’s Word and worship God in Spirit and truth today!

In Ephesians 5:19-23, we see divine order explained in the home. A man not submitted to God cannot submit to anyone. Without the right foundations for knowing God, many will be unable to build a genuine walk with God. The Word not our feelings or thoughts should the basis of our relationship with God.

Since the fall of man in the garden, all the faculties God put in man/woman are being used to pervert the purposes of God in man and on the earth. Man’s authority has become perverted and woman’s influence has become controlling and manipulative. We all need to return to the Saviour so He teaches us, by His grace, how to respond to the challenges of our times. We were not supposed to dominate one another but love, build and help one another by the gifts in us. Without divine order in our individual lives, we cannot get back to seeing the purposes of God fulfilled. Our hunger for power is an aberration; God has already made us in His image and by putting Him first place, we learn through submission to Him how to function in the power He has given.

Rev. Kola Ewuosho