This speaks to the spiritual impact the Second Coming of Christ will have on the Jewish people. And as one who witnessed Jesus’ death, and resurrection, John quoted Zechariah about this future event when he said, ” They will look upon the One they have pierced.” (John 19:34-37) For as they behold Jesus with unveiled eyes, the stark and devastating reality will sink in, and they will be filled with weeping as if grieving for a dearly beloved only child. But if it wasn’t for the Spirit of God pouring out His mercy and kindness, they would all drowned in utter despair and hopelessness. But because of His grace poured out, they are led towards repentance (Romans 2:4), and Godly sorrow which leads to salvation. (II Corinthians 7:10)
Month: August 2021
Job 23:11-12 ” My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.”
When I think of a Old Testament figure that experienced unspeakable grief and anguish by no fault of his own…I always think of Job. In the blink of an eye, everything Job knew and loved was taken from him…leaving him devastated, confused, and overwhelmed. But one thing Job never lost was his faith. When we are sinned against by someone, our first reaction is usually how we can retaliate. But in these verses, we see Job earnestly seeking after God…cherishing and holding tightly to His words and placing his confidence in Him alone. So focused on God was Job that he said in Job 6:10, “Then I would still have this consolation – my joy in unrelenting pain – that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.” People will hurt, lie, and sin against us, but it’s not our responsibility to get even. Our responsibility is to steadfastly keep our eyes on God and the truth of His word…or as Jeremiah 11:20 tells us, “But, O Lord, Almighty, You who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.”
Mark 12:13-14 ” Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch Him in His words. They came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, we know You are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because You pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.’ “
Both these groups were already plotting on how they could kill Jesus. Both had ulterior motives for wanting to “catch Jesus in His words.” But they all couldn’t deny certain things they had observed about Him. He was authentic, honest, and sincere…and they recognized this and hated Him even more. So how does the world see you? Are there things the world can’t deny about you? Does it see integrity…with a daily reality of things that show a true and intimate relationship with God…or does the world just see another person getting by?
Proverbs 19:18 ” Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.”
When we read this verse I know most will automatically think it means corporal punishment…but many of the Proverbs that address disciplining children are actually talking about oral correction not physical. In fact in verse 1 of this Proverb it does just that, “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction.” (The words discipline and instruction coming from the same Hebrew word here.) But what’s the most important part of this verse isn’t the form of correction we use on our children but are we are willing to discipline them at all. A hands off, let them grow up by themselves attitude only shows a very unloving parental approach, with no regard for their soul, spirit, and life. The bottom line is, discipline is meant to instruct and change bad behavior…”and save their soul from death.” (Proverbs 23:14)
Revelation 4:1 ” After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven.”
For a moment, think about a door. It can be locked up, or open wide… welcoming you in. A door can bar you entrance, or allow you in. Finally, it can give you means for access and/or participation, or forbid you from going any farther. Jesus speaks of the door to our hearts when He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door…” (Revelation 3:20) If we open that door and welcome Him in, it opens up countless doors to His many blessings…but the biggest one being what John experienced here in Revelation 4:1…seeing the door to heaven standing wide open, bidding him to come in.
Psalm 40:4 ” Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”
It all boils down to this one question – Where do you place your trust? That’s because, if you’re relying on any other type of security in this world other than the Lord, you’re standing on very shaky ground. Why? Because you’re basing your hope on the world’s lies, falsehoods, and deception rather than the Truth of the Bible. There is nothing as firm or solid as the unwavering and unchanging Word of God…and placing your trust in Him alone is the only answer to all the craziness in the world today.
Isaiah 26:10 ” Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord.”
Do any of us – Believer or nonbeliever- really understand the full scope of God’s kindness, grace, and mercy? Or as I Samuel 12:24 reflects, “Consider what great things He has done for you.” A interesting thing about this verse in II Samuel and the one above in Isaiah is that the Hebrew word for ‘regard’ and ‘consider’ is the same. So whether Believer or nonbeliever, we are all needing to discover, appreciate, and experience God’s majesty and loving-kindness. For it tells us, “He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45) That just goes to show the kind of tolerance, patience, and love God has for us all.
Hebrews 11:13 ” All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.”
The people spoken of here were the patriarchs and devout persons of the Old Testament who looked forward in faith and hope to the blessings of the Gospel…but still perished without actually obtaining it first. In verse 39 of this Chapter it goes on to explain, “They were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” And exactly what had been promised? Namely the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. For in Matthew 13:17 Jesus speaks of these people to His disciples when He says, “For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Or in other words, “Guys, think about it, you are witnesses to all the things your forefathers longed to be part of…but never were. But even then, their faith never faltered.”
Galatians 3:22 ” But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.”
Psalm 14:3 says it the most bluntly, “All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” First, this shows the universality of sin…we are all sinners living in a evil and broken world. Our desires are for ourselves only, our focus on what we can get out of any situation, and our intentions usually dishonorable if we can get away with it. Like it says here, the world is held prisoner by sin…like a fish caught in a net or a bird in a snare, we’re all under the curse of sin and death. But God has made a way out…and His Name is Jesus Christ! For by placing our trust in Jesus we too can have that promise written about here…the promise of forgiveness for our sins and the hope of eternal life.
Proverbs 21:30 ” There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.”
To paraphrase II Chronicles 13:12, Don’t fight against the Lord for you won’t succeed. So why do humans still think they can outwit, outmaneuver, and destroy the works of God? It just won’t happen. Or as the Lord speaking through Isaiah said, “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:10) Simon Peter was right when he conceded his total lack of ability to go against God’s plan when he said in Acts 11:17, “Who was I to think I could oppose God?” None of us have the capability to stop God…and it’s just plain foolishness to think we could successfully come against the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of the Universe. It just won’t happen.
Safetypinlove 