WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN.....

To My Daughters,


I was reading Micah 7 today and thought it expressed how I sometimes feel when I read the news and go through the many trials that life brings me.  It is a beautiful chapter filled with comfort that depicts not only God's justice but His mercy as well.  

Micah 7

Sorrow for Israel’s Sins

 ¹ Woe is me!
      For I am like those who gather summer fruits,
      Like those who glean vintage grapes;
      There is no cluster to eat
      Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires.
       ² The faithful man has perished from the earth,
      And there is no one upright among men.
      They all lie in wait for blood;
      Every man hunts his brother with a net.
       ³ That they may successfully do evil with both hands—
      The prince asks for gifts,
      The judge seeks a bribe,
      And the great man utters his evil desire;
      So they scheme together.
       ⁴ The best of them is like a brier;
      The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge;
      The day of your watchman and your punishment comes;
      Now shall be their perplexity.
       ⁵ Do not trust in a friend;
      Do not put your confidence in a companion;
      Guard the doors of your mouth
      From her who lies in your bosom.
       ⁶ For son dishonors father,
      Daughter rises against her mother,
      Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
      A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
       ⁷ Therefore I will look to the LORD;
      I will wait for the God of my salvation;
      My God will hear me. 


What do you do when all around you is falling apart.  When the government is full of corruption and has gone awry.  When the faithful man has perished from the earth and there is no one upright among men...when you can't trust your own family?  What do you do?? I love what Micah does.  It is why I love God.  He never changes.  He is always with me and He always desires my best. Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Here is what Micah does:


Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. 


Perfect.


Read on...


Israel’s Confession and Comfort


    ⁸ Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
      When I fall, I will arise;
      When I sit in darkness,
      The LORD will be a light to me.
       ⁹ I will bear the indignation of the LORD,
      Because I have sinned against Him,
      Until He pleads my case
      And executes justice for me.
      He will bring me forth to the light;
      I will see His righteousness.
       ¹⁰ Then she who is my enemy will see,
      And shame will cover her who said to me,

      “ Where is the LORD your God?”
      My eyes will see her;
      Now she will be trampled down
      Like mud in the streets.
       ¹¹ In the day when your walls are to be built,
      In that day the decree shall go far and wide.^{[a]
       12} In that day they^[b] shall come to you
      From Assyria and the fortified cities,^[c]
      From the fortress^[d] to the River,^[e]
      From sea to sea,
      And mountain to mountain.
       ¹³ Yet the land shall be desolate
      Because of those who dwell in it,
      And for the fruit of their deeds. 

Even in time of trial and judgment...when the prophet sits in darkness, His God will be a light to him. When I am in darkness, my God is a light to me.  I love this verse from Psalm 139 that speaks to the same thing.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;
 

Micah's hope is in God who will bring him forth to the light.  Micah will see God's righteousness and His perfect justice on his enemies.  Read on...pay special attention to verses 18-20. 

God Will Forgive Israel

    ¹⁴ Shepherd Your people with Your staff,
      The flock of Your heritage,
      Who dwell solitarily in a woodland,
      In the midst of Carmel;
      Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
      As in days of old.
       ¹⁵ “ As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
      I will show them^[f] wonders.”
       ¹⁶ The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might;
      They shall put their hand over their mouth;
      Their ears shall be deaf.
       ¹⁷ They shall lick the dust like a serpent;
      They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth.
      They shall be afraid of the LORD our God,
      And shall fear because of You.
       ¹⁸ Who is a God like You,
      Pardoning iniquity
      And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

      He does not retain His anger forever,
      Because He delights in mercy.
       ¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us,
      And will subdue our iniquities.

      You will cast all our^[g] sins
      Into the depths of the sea.
       ²⁰ You will give truth to Jacob
      And mercy to Abraham,
      Which You have sworn to our fathers
      From days of old.

WHO IS LIKE GOD!!!!  The pagan gods in the nations around were not nice. They were full of vengeance, cared only for themselves and were impossible to approach.  God on the other hand is perfect and without sin.  He pardons our sin and passes over our transgressions.  He does not stay angry forever.  Our God has compassion and remembers mercy...in fact He delights in mercy!  He will remove our sin and  cast them into the depths of the sea.  My God died so that I could live.  Truly who is like our God!

Love

Mom

LIGHTS, LAMPS AND TRUTH.

To My Daughters:

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.

Those of us who believe are God's lights to a dying world. Our light is not to be hidden, but it is to be set on a lampstand where all who enter may see it. Truth is meant to be revealed. God's promise here is that it will be. 

As believers then, we are responsible to expose the truth of the word of God. Our lamp has been lit and we are to go into all the world with it. Our lives are to be lights to others. We are to bring the truth to others in any way that God gives us occasion and are to "publish" it by our word, by our deed and by our life. Bring others to where they can hear the truth or tell them yourself. Pray to God for the opportunity to share. Pray that He will make those opportunities plain. There are people who are sick and dying all around us...they have no hope. We, however, have the cure. Our job is to share it with them.

"Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

Take heed how you hear. Whether an unbeliever or believer you are accountable when you hear the truth of God's word. If you hear rightly and do rightly with what you hear more light and truth will be given. If you do not, even what you seem to have will be taken. For an unbeliever this means the more you hear the good news of the gospel and reject it the harder your heart will become. towards it. As time goes on your willingness to hear and turn and be saved will be diminished greatly. Behold, today is the day of salvation. Today if you hear his word, harden not your heart.

As a believer this is also true. James tells us to receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. Allow the word to penetrate your heart and change it from the inside out. Feed your Spirit and your spirit will strengthen. Feed your flesh and your flesh will strengthen and your heart will begin to develop a crust. Whatever godly habits you have cultivated will be difficult to get back. Your flesh will be bigger and harder to battle. If this is you today, do not lose heart but by faith go to the word and spend time daily in it. Allow your whole self to be washed in the water of the word. Don't be discouraged...the word takes time to grow in your heart and bear fruit. All you need do for this to be accomplished is to abide...sit at His feet. Take heed how you hear. Obey what you hear. Allow the word to work and the fruit will come once again.

Love

Mom