6 Cycles Of Rebellion And Blessing

Psalm 107

This psalm gives 6 cycles of different kinds of troubles people have faced: And called to God for help, and how He rescued them: Causing them to thank and praise the Lord. Then the last verses give the conclusion.

1-4 -- (Introduction.) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good: His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this--those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from East and West, from North and South.

(1) 4-9 -- Those who wandered in desert wastelands who were hungry and thirsty.Then they cried out to the Lord and He delivered them for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things, so they gave thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.

(2) 10-16 -- Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So He subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled and there was no one to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

(3) 17-22 -- Afflictions resulting from rebellious dietary choices; they cried out to the Lord and were rescued from death by being healed and then they praised Him.

(4) 23-32 -- They took to ships and faced storms and tempests; they cried out to the Lord and He calmed the storm and provided a safe haven, and they praised Him.

(5) 33-38 -- He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into a thirsty ground and fruitful land into a salt waste because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

Then He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; There He brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; He blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and He did not let their herds diminish.

(6) 39-41 -- Then their numbers decreased and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow: He who pours contempt on nobles [The Lord, because of their pride] made them wander in a trackless waste.

But He lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks.

42-43 -- (Conclusion.) The upright see and rejoice in praising God, but all the wicked shut their mouths [they have nothing to say]. Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.

God's love is the foundation of everything that is. God created, and He loves what He made. He fashioned this Earth for us to live here, and formed us from it. Then He gave us all the guidelines so we could know how to live here, how to take care of the Earth and relate to one another: which is to love, as He loves. God loves us, and wants us to love Him back. And He designed our world and us to love one another, and take care of all He has given us as we use this Earth for our benefit and take care of one another in it. When we follow His instructions, then everything works the way He designed it; but when we think we know better, or in other ways rebel against His rules, then we suffer the consequences of our poor choices. 

We cannot blame God for unfavorable circumstances in our lives when we don't follow (obey) His commandments and statutes. God has clearly given us the consequences of the kinds of decisions we choose to make, for our good or not. When we choose to live according to His ways, then we benefit and He gets the credit, the glory. When we choose to rebel against His ways in ignoring Him and deciding that we know better, then we reap the fruits of disease, of despair, of death, of everything that is against us. 

Let us get to know this God who made us, and learn of His ways, and choose to live our lives according to His revealed will for us to love Him and one another.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Daniel's Trust In God

Daniel 6:10

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Daniel's habit of seeking God on a regular schedule kept him close to God and steadfast in His ways. Even when he heard about this decree and that it was in effect, he didn't alter or change his schedule. He knew what the consequences would be, but still trusted that God could rescue him. He had the same view that his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah had when faced with the fiery furnace: "The God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not . . ." (3:17-18). They all trusted God's power and care, but still left it up to God whether He will. They were ready to die.

I wonder how many Christians today would have that same strong confidence that Daniel and his friends had, that we would continue to have our quiet time, or continue to talk to others about Jesus, or continue to be bold about why we live the moral and honorable lives we live, if we knew that if it was known it could mean our own persecution or martyrdom.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Faith, Hope And Love

I Corinthians 13:8-10, 13

Where there are prophesies, they will cease; -- When all that has been predicted comes true.

Where there are tongues, they will be stilled; -- All the languages we speak will most likely be unnecessary when we are living on the New Earth.

Where there is knowledge, it will pass away. -- All the knowledge that we have learned about how this world functions and how the Earth fits into this Universe will be superseded by the realities of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -- "Faith:" We will always trust fully in God. "Hope:" We will forever know that we are still growing, maturing, and healing from our brokenness, ever more being molded into God's image. "Love:" The caring that is the framework that everything hangs on and the overcoat that ties everything together; the whole reason for everything.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

God Is A Refuge

Nahum 1:7

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.

The 3 chapters of Nahum's prophesy are all about the destruction of that wicked city Nineveh. This is the same city-state that God had sent Jonah to, 100 years earlier. The repentance they had as a result of Jonah's preaching did not last, and new generations were born who went back to the same evil, violent and cruel lifestyle of their forebears. So now Nahum is pronouncing their downfall; Babylon will conquer Nineveh and wipe them from the face of the Earth, and it will disappear. We know that God later then destroyed Babylon, too. Then the Israelis will rejoice, the Jews will be freed from their chains, and God will restore Israel's bountiful land. This is God's way: To rescue those who call upon Him from the oppressor and punish the wicked who reject the good He offers.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Speaking Boldly

Acts 4:31

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.

Peter and John had healed a man who was crippled and were teaching about the Resurrection when the priests and Sadducees told them not to preach in Jesus' Name, and they replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God" (v. 19). So the priests and Sadducees threatened them again and let them go. They expected that they would intimidate these "unlearned" men. But Peter and John told their group what had happened, then they all prayed together and the place was shaken. Then when the Holy Spirit filled them, the result wasn't speaking in tongues, it was boldness in proclaiming God's Word!

O Father, fill me with Your Holy Spirit to speak boldly and not miss an opportunity.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Making Aliyah

Isaiah 49:12

See, they will come from afar--some from the North [Russia], some from the West [Europe, the Americas], some from the region of Sinim [Hebrew for a distant Oriental region, e.g. the Far East: China, Japan, Korea].

God is calling His children Israel from all the countries of the world back to the land He gave to Israel so long ago. Individuals and families are "making aliyah," returning to the homeland. God will continue to call His people out of every nation to which they have been scattered, dispersed. Never before in the whole history of Mankind has a nation that was conquered and dispersed ever come back, 2000 years (and how many generations) later, to the very land they had before, to be the same Nation they were among the nations of the world! Always before, the conquered nations disappeared, swallowed up by the nations they were carried to. But not Israel! They retained their identity, everywhere they found themselves. God is carrying Jacob back to Israel, just like He said He would!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

"I Will Teach You What To Say"

Exodus 4:10,12

Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent. I am slow of speech and tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Is it not I the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

O my Father, I know that You have not given me to gain any collage degrees or high positions or mighty credits on my resume, yet You have seen fit to allow me to be taught how to study Your Word, how to draw out what You have put there, rather than try to find validation of what I may want to find there. You have also given me Your Spirit to teach me Your Truth, and to see how You have "lined up the dots" so that I can connect them. You have given me to write this blog to share with others what You are teaching me. 

You have shown me what You are doing, to accomplish Your Plan of the Ages, and I have read "the end of the story," and I have begun to understand how You are working in this world, among the Nations and in the lives of Your people and the leaders of this world. Help me, Father, to be Your hands and Your feet and Your voice to do Your work, to share with others how much You love them and have already met all their needs in Your Son Jesus through His death and resurrection. Help me to help to prepare Your people for the trials to come, that are already beginning to manifest even today. 

O Father, You have helped me to speak, and taught me what to say. Now, I pray, please bring those who need to hear to be drawn ever closer to You, Father, and to be strong, courageous and faithful through the times to come.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!