Safetypinlove

Human cleverness cannot out smart Divine wisdom. (Job 5:13) All our wise thoughts are futile in the eyes of God…for He knows every thought…and every secret notion hidden away in our hearts. Psalm 94:11 compares God’s omniscience to our very limited human understanding, showing there’s no comparison between human wisdom and Divine wisdom…one is the duplicity & deception of the age, or the flesh…the other is the wisdom which comes from the Spirit. So it would seem then that it would do us only good to seek after God’s wisdom in our lives.

This passage in Hebrews, (Hebrews 10:1-4) shows us that there was no lasting solution in the daily and annual sacrifices under the Law. For if these sacrifices truly cleansed, they would have been sufficient to purify. But instead, they stood more as a guilty reminder of sin. It was only Christ’s sacrifice that was perfect and final…eliminating the need for repeated sacrifices and highlighting the total inadequacy of man to achieve sinlessness on his own. Psalm 40:6-8 shows us that Christ’s sacrifice was once for all, and thus we can be sanctified and made holy by His offering on the Cross. (Hebrews 10:10)

The story of the Prodigal son, (Luke 15:11-32) shows the profound willingness of the father to forgive and restore their broken relationship. After squandering everything, the wayward son had come to his senses and headed back home…fully admitting his sinfulness. “I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired men.” But instead, the father fully restored his son back into the household. First, his dignity was restored by being given clean clothes…next, the family’s signet ring was placed on his finger, reinstating his place in the household. Finally, sandals were put on his feet…a visible distinction between slaves and free men. The word in this verse that sticks out to me is “Quick!” There was no chastisement, lecture, or probationary period for the son…forgiveness was immediate. Which is just like our Heavenly Father’s forgiveness…it’s just as prompt when we turn from our sin and ask for forgiveness

Tell me if this has ever happened to you…I asked my Heavenly Father to lead me though the storm, but then I had to courageously stepped out of the way. God wants to shepherd His sheep, and we know that He is faithful, fair, and just…so why is it so hard to get out of His way? It’s not that we don’t want to take the path of safety…but it’s also the difficult path of obedience to God’s Will, not ours. So in the end, it takes fearless bravery on our part to whisper, “Not my will, but Yours, Lord.” and then get out of His way.

In Matthew, Jesus taught about the value of man to God. In this verse as well as Matthew 6:26, He compared man’s costliness to the birds of the air. (It is estimated that the global bird population is around 50 Billion, which equates to roughly six birds for every human on the planet) And in Matthew 12:12, Jesus compares the value of man to sheep. So what can we learn from this? First, God orders everything…down to the fall of a single sparrow in the wild, so why wouldn’t He know exactly what you’re going through right now? Then, Jesus taught us about anxious worry…just look at the birds. They don’t stress about the future, for God takes care of them. So take a tip from the birds of the air…worry changes nothing and only shows lack of trust in God.

We praise God because He is the Kingly Creator. We bless God because He blesses us. We praise God because He has empowered us to live an abundant life in His Presence. In Job 40:10 we read, “Adorn Yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe Yourself in honor and majesty.” God’s power and sovereignty is incomprehensible to the feeble human brain…but the one thing we can do correctly is praise Him for Who He is and what He’s done in our life.

The passage in Zechariah 8:1-23 is called the Coming Peace and Prosperity of Zion, with the ultimate state of the Kingdom of God and His conventual blessings resting on Jerusalem. It conveys God’s passionate and unwavering love for Zion, promising restoration, peace, prosperity, and the inclusion of all nations. At this time Judah will be exalted among the nations and made holy. (Isaiah 2:2-3) God then reveals that He will be regathering His people world-wide and reidentifying with them. In turn, His people are be become obedient and deal honestly with one another. And at the end of this passage, all nations will take notice and be drawn to seek the Lord in Jerusalem…and therefore, being a Jew at that time will bring honor and not reproach.

Israel is waiting for the God of salvation. The word darkness here is likened to sitting in a dungeon without any light, and is filled with misery, and suffering. But the one thing the prophet Micah had was hope. He wasn’t looking at the present dire circumstances around him but rather focusing on God’s blessings…as seen in II Samuel 22:29, “You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” So today, if you’re waiting in the darkness…know that there is hope in the future, and the light of the Lord will bring clarity, order, and understanding.

Our assurance of the future can be assessed in the light of the present…thus, we can have confidence that God benevolently orchestrates all events in our life. Consequently, our faith can move forward even when there’s so many unanswered questions. It also means trusting God when everything is uncertain, and believing that what we can’t yet see is still being worked out by God for our benefit. Therefore, we can cling to that assurance that because of God’s great love for us, “all things will work out for our good.”

Paul and Barnabas had traveled to Antioch, and on the Sabbath the synagogue leaders had invited Paul to speak a word of encouragement. “We tell you the Good News.” He proclaims to them. (Acts 13:32) And then goes on to declare the Gospel Message to the people…that salvation and justification come by faith in Jesus Christ and not through the Mosaic Law. And that they can be forgiven if they will but turn from their sin and trust in the life, death, and resurrection of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ.