Author: kezha1

Job was suffering, yet he looked at the wicked prospering, healthy, and happy and was confused. For like the Psalmist, he couldn’t understand how God would allow the wicked to flourish while he floundered. “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:3) It’s hard when we look at the opulence of the wicked in the world…especially when they callously scorn and shun God, and their attitude is, “Why do I need God? I’m happy and have everything I could ever want.” So in this verse Job may for a moment have questioned if it was really worth serving God…but he also knew that in the end, God’s justice would prevail over the lawless… but in the meantime, he would not lower himself into the depths of envy and covetousness.

Earlier in this Chapter we read, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will these people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?’ ” From the very start, the Israelites had grumbled, complained, whined, and tested God at every turn of their journey out of Egypt, and His anger and frustration had finally reached a boiling point. So God’s judgment came down and the wilderness wandering for 40 years began. Wanton unbelief costing a entire generation the blessing of crossing over into the Promised Land. And as it slowly sunk in, they sadly recognized the true nature and power of His opposition, became painfully aware of His justice and truth, and personally tasted doom in their lives.

I hadn’t been a Christian very long when I had a conversation with another Believer…a delightful lady who had just turned 100 years of age. I asked if she knew she was going to heaven when she died, and she answered, “I hope so.” Her reply surprised me and even made me question my own tiny mustard-seed faith as a brand-new Christian. If she was unsure of her eternal fate, should I be? But more importantly, how could I know, that I know, that I know I was going to heaven? These answers lie within this Book of I John. First, we are to believe in the Name of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. (I John 3:23) and when we put our faith and trust in the character, authority, and power of Jesus, with each encounter, there is opportunity for progressive experience and growth. And from that comes new understanding, and a deepening faith. For “God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son.” (I John 5:11)

In I Samuel 14:27 it tells us that when a very hungry Jonathon took a bite of honeycomb his eyes brightened and he renewed his strength. Anyone whose ever been hypoglycemic, with the shaky, sweaty, lethargic feelings, knows they need to eat something right now! The words we speak to one another are to be just as sweet to the soul of our brother or sister…The good news of the Lord giving health to the bones. For, “God’s Words are sweet to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Psalm 119:103)

Anytime you choose to forgive rather than take offense, you are refusing to take the bait of Satan. Think about it, it’s not like we don’t know his tactics of taking advantage of and exploiting raw human emotions…especially when we feel we’ve been disrespected, insulted, or attacked verbally by someone else. Satan wants us to react in the moment, and the more undignified and louder the better he likes it. Satan then smiles, for he has sifted us like grain in a sieve, (Amos 9:9) and outwitted us one more time. And for us…we’re left needing to repent once again.

The Psalmist David understood fully the frailty of humans and our need for protection when he wrote, “I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” (Psalm 55:8) But this safe haven and place of security he was speaking of wasn’t a physical place at all but rather him seeking refuge in the Lord. Sadly, for many, their living environment is a ongoing war-zone…filled with emotionally draining landmines and rage filled booby-traps hidden everywhere and ready to go off. That’s why seeking solace in God is the only reliable stronghold where we can find shelter from affliction…for He is our hiding place.

In these verses the “subjects of the Kingdom” may refer to unbelieving Jews who thought that their ancestry automatically entitled them entrance into the Kingdom of God. And because they were called God’s “chosen people” they truly believed that they were assured special favor by God. But there was no faith involved…and certainly no acceptance of Jesus Christ as their coming Messiah. Their puffed-up confidence and pride came only from their genealogy and lineage and was manifested in the taking on of a false religious appearance. They had put all their hope in being Children of Abraham, and “family” ties…not Children of God, and becoming part of the “family” of faith.

The priests were using their revered positions to enhance their own power and wealth by oppressing the poor and showing biased partiality in matters of the Law, (especially if their palms were crossed with gold first). They had been called to be Messengers of the Lord, but they had turned from the Way and by their false teaching had caused many to stumble. (Malachi 2:7-9) This was evident in their allowing clean and unclean things to co-mingle as well as turning a blind eye to activities being done by the people on the Sabbath. This defilement of the Sabbath…the covenantal sign of God’s authority… was set apart to be a time of rest, reflection, and refreshment, but it had become like any other day.

Jesus was explaining to His disciples here…and to all Believers, that the world hates us. He made it plain that , “If they persecuted Me, they’ll persecute you also.” (John 15:21) Not only will the world denounce the Gospel Message you share and find fault, it will refuse to accept it as the truth. But the real antithesis of this verse comes from John 16:2, when Jesus warned His disciples, “A time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.” In other words, a time when crazy, contrary thinking of the world will consider good to be evil, righteousness actually wickedness, and deceit superior to the truth. At this time in a true twist of deception, Believers will be cast out of society…indefinitely banished and viewed as the real wicked ones.

Sooner or later it happens to everyone. The Doctor delivers a life-changing diagnosis…a precious loved one suddenly dies…adversaries rise up to discredit our name and reputation…or our own old and weakened body betrays us. That’s when others start to murmur, “The crisis is too severe, their rescue seems impossible, we can’t imagine how God can help them.” But that’s the time when our righteous, true, and holy God is there for us to give us victory over the impossible. Or as Psalm 121:1-2 tells us, “I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.” If you are going through tough times right now, I would encourage you to read the entire Chapter of Psalm 121, and in addition, Psalm 91 to gain our covenant-keeping God’s perspective on your troubles.