May 2014
Isaiah 26:3 – Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
1. Life is tough. There’s so much going on around us that we feel that we are drowning without a life vest or help. We try to come up for air to take a breath from the struggles of the day, only to be pulled back into the abyss of reality. We fill stuck, trapped, and without hope. We spend our days disappointed, impatient, and frustrated. We want peace and freedom, but they seem to slip through our hands just when we think it’s in our grasp. An endless cycle of chasing peace and freedom, only to be disappointed again and again. However, there is a way to experience a perfect peace.
Isaiah 25:1 – O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
Isaiah makes a personal reference to His God. What he shares is not hearsay or what he learned from another person. Similar to Isaiah, we too can reflect on the wonderful things God has done for you in the past:
Matthew 5:38-42 – Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
1. People hate being mistreated. People want to be treated with respect at all times – to include their time, property, money, and family. They may avoid some people and treat others badly to ensure everybody knows not to mess with them. They will not be taken for a ‘fool’ or be used as anyone’s doormat. They don’t want to be taken advantage of or seem like they’re weak. They want to be strong in the eyes of man, but does that ‘strength’ equate to obedience in God?! No, it doesn’t.
1. We want to run for shelter in times of trials and tribulation. There are times when the storms in our lives are so strong that we want to run for shelter. We board up our lives, cover our hearts, and silently suffer while we hope the storm will pass. Sometimes we run to others around us for help, which can cause our situation to become worse.
Job 16:17-22 – Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high. My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour! When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
As Job assures himself that he hasn’t committed any injustices, he looks for someone who would plead with God on his behalf rather than receive the scorn from his friends.
1. We often speak before pray…or think. Many times when our friends are struggling, in sin, or needing answers or help, we rush to share our opinion. When we rush to help, we can cause greater damage, even when we have the best intentions (Proverbs 19:2, 25:20). Therefore, it’s important that we first hear from the Lord on whether we should say or do anything. Who else better to speak with than God?!
Genesis 9:20-27– And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Ham’s inappropriate actions caused him and his descendants to be cursed and be servants to his brethren (the descendants of Shem and Japheth). Within the line of Ham is Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 10:19), which was destroyed due to its wickedness of the men (Genesis 13:13). Sodom and Gomorrah is used as a symbol of wickedness throughout the Bible (Matthew 11:20-24; 2 Peter 2:1-10; Jude 1:3-8). From Canaan (of Ham’s descendants), their land would be given to the Lord’s chosen, the people of Israel as their Promised Land (Genesis 12:5-7; Exodus 23:23-30).
Job 4:7-9 – Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
Eliphaz believed Job had committed some type of sin for so much to happen to him (Job 1:1-2:13). He couldn’t imagine that Job could be righteous in spite of all that have occurred.
Oftentimes the same occurs today when people associate good news or situations with God’s favor and the opposite as a punishment for sin. (God rains blessings on the just and unjust alike, Matthew 5:44-45). Without foreknowledge from the Lord, we have no idea why someone is experiencing a season of sorrow. Every story sounds true until we hear the other side (Proverbs 18:17).
Be careful not to judge the circumstances of others (Matthew 7:1-2). We may have no idea what the Lord is doing in the life of another (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto.com/DlikeDagmara
Genesis 4:3-8 – And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Though Cain’s offering had nothing to do with his brother’s, he became angry. God provided Cain with an opportunity to provide a respectful offering, he only needed to do well. However, instead of desiring to do well to change how God viewed his next offering, he sought to kill his brother out of his anger.
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