LAMENTATIONS 4:1 - 5:22 DISGRACED BECAUSE OF UNREPENTED SIN: The city (Jerusalem) has fallen into such horror and cruelty, no one would have thought it possible. This was one of the most terrible sieges of all time. Jeremiah is looking right at all those dead bodies now. There is no more denying the judgment against sin. Israel had forced God's hand. The destruction was so terrible, that even the foundations were burned! Prophets, priests and kings were primarily to blame, and they bore the brunt of the punishment. They had utterly failed to discharge their ministry. It is an unpleasant event when God has to discipline His own. The believer and God are both disgraced when it happens.
HOPE: "Your punishment will end." (Lam 4:22) And God will still avenge us on our enemies. We cannot turn to God without His help, and so we cry, "Restore us to Thyself, O Lord, that we may be restored." (Lam 5:21) Even though we are thoroughly disgraced because of our sin, God restores. Chapter five details the utter despair and deep distress when we are being disciplined by the Lord. But again, in a flash of insight, "But Thou, O Lord, reign forever; Thy throne endures to all generations." We may die of sorrow, but God endures and remains faithful. Even if we DIE in the midst of our grief, we came that far with God and find Him to be enough. Whatever we are going through today, is in preparation for tomorrow. After what we have been through with God, it is tougher to touch us, overthrow us, trouble us, upset us. It is important to face sorrow, disappointment, devastation, and catastrophe with the grip of Jeremiah. This will strengthen us in the face of what lies ahead of us. God never does anything without a purpose.
RESPONSE: Things to remember when I am in trouble: (1)God loves me too much to allow me to continue in my sin and uncleanness. (2) I can come easy or I can come hard, but I MUST obey God or die. (3) God is righteous and I may not sit in judgment of God. (4) If I cry out to God in repentance, He will hear me. (5) God is faithful and does all that He says He will do, regardless of appearances to the contrary. (6) God is my portion; everything else is temporary. (7) My hope rests on the character of God, who is just, righteous, merciful, eternal, sovereign. (8) His mercies are new every morning, and never get used up. (9) The purpose of discipline is RESTORATION, not DESTRUCTION. (10) When I don't know how to pray, or what to say to God, I had best sit down and shut up. (11) Everything on my plate - - God put it there. (12) If it weren't for God's mercy, things would be much, much worse. (13) God's discipline does not last forever. (14) When I can't help myself, God takes up my cause. (15) When everything is gone, God says, "Fear not". (16) Life is hard - God is good. (17) As horrible as Lamentations is, the word "steadfast love" or "pity" is used 32 times in five chapters. (18) God never holds the past against us, once we repent. (19) My best option is always to REPENT, which Jeremiah defines as "turning" away from my substitutes and toward God. (20) If Jeremiah can weep and sing at the same time, so can I.
HEBREWS 2:1-18 "THE HEAVENLY CALLING"
Please see yesterday's background material on the Book of Hebrews.
Chapter 2: OUR "GREAT SALVATION" IS THE PROVISION FOR US TO BE LED BY CAPTAIN" JESUS. Joshua 5:14 shows us Jesus meeting us at the border of "the Land" (Heb 3-4 The Land is symbolic of "God's Rest"), and He is called "Captain of the Lord's army". As Captain, Jesus goes first, opening the way and setting the pattern for the rest of us. Jesus does not ask us to do anything that He Himself has not already done and made provision for! Jesus is there to get us past the GIANTS who guard "the Land". The FIRST WARNING in Heb 2:3 is against this first giant: apathy, carelessness, and indifference on our part. Let me explain: Yesterday when I woke up and got out of bed, instead of my usual early morning prayer with the Lord, I "skipped it" - I had too much on my mind (carelessness and indifference). I had a list of things to do and all of them were urgent. My attitude was that "I'm going to heaven some day and that's enuf. I can manage this by myself." That ruined my day! I was not happy, not content, and so I whined and complained all morning about how busy I was. I snapped at people and everyone knew something was wrong with me. I had neglected my "great salvation" and did not have rest. I didn't "escape" either! (escape into the Life of God) I believe that this warning is put first because it is the most likely to happen. In today's world it is easy to get too busy, too tired, too distracted - and grow careless about involving God with all of our life.
Jesus is with us, sword in hand, to lead us thru "suffering" and into "perfection", which Hebrews defines as "obedience". The suffering is in the crucifixion or denying of our flesh. We cannot protect and preserve our own flesh, our own opinions, our own agendas, our own feelings, etc. and still be conformed to the image of God's Son, Jesus. This is what Jesus' sword is for! I must not be apathetic about my walk with God - I don't just "miss the mark"; I miss the Kingdom Life!
What is the "great salvation"? This is confirmed with "gifts of the Holy Spirit" - so we know this is more than being saved from hell. Salvation from hell and death is attested to by Jesus' Blood and His Resurrection. The "great salvation" in Hebrews is talking about the baptism in the Holy Ghost! When we don't rely on His Spirit in us, when we don't both to pray in the Spirit, when we deny the strength and power of God, we don't escape our misery!
How does our "great salvation"get closer to God? We must grow up and follow our "Captain", because God intends for us to rule the earth, to put everything under subjection: every idea, every opinion, every thought, every motive, all of it . . . beginning with ourselves. We have been crowned with "glory and honor"! This means we can realize potential to the fullest, if we obey God and do like Jesus did. Our "Captain" - which word in Greek means "to go first so as to open the way". And how does He bring "many sons to glory"? THRU SUFFERING! Hebrews 5:8 says that this suffering was because He "learned obedience". We must deny our flesh to obey God. All self-preservation must be crucified out of us, or we will find an occasion to deny Christ. But we need not fear: Jesus defeated fear when He took away the power of death from the devil. This is because all phobias find their power in the fear of death. SO NOW WE GO FORWARD BOLDLY (Joshua chap 1 & 5).
RESPONSE: God is interested in character-formation. Hebrews is all about growing up, taking responsibility for our spiritual health, and pressing forward toward God. Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters - God's family of sons - - - when we have been "sanctified". That is, set-apart solely for God's use, living to give God pleasure, living to please God. I used to think that it was impossible to live that way all the time! I had habitual behaviors that did not please God, that I thought were just part of me. I didn't know that "sanctification" is really just a series of NEW habits! We don't break old bad habits; we form new habits that replace the old ones (Rom 12:21). "Captain" Jesus has opened up a way to do that! He gave me the Holy Spirit to empower me for it and to remind me to do it. Now God orchestrates my circumstances to give me opportunities to deny my flesh and submit to God to please Him. I don't have to be afraid of what will happen to me when I do that, because Jesus removed the fear when He conquered death and took it OUT of the devil's control. Now I don't have to defend myself or insist on my "rights" - because Jesus does that for me if it is necessary. My part is to submit to God, please Him thru obedience. If I am EVER going to realize my full potential in God, this is basic.
PSALM 103:1-22
IMPORTANT: Please refer back to the background information of Psalm 90-106: the "Numbers" Psalms - "Labouring" to enter in to God's Rest."
Psalm 103: Laboring to enter God's Rest, the life of faith, has benefits (bountiful rewards). Overcoming apathy or indifference to God is worth it. Overcoming our own selfishness and obsession with ourselves is worth it. Overcoming what other people think of us is worth it. There are benefits to staying connected to God (John calls it "abiding"). As we practice staying in His Presence, it is uncomfortable at first, and even difficult - but keep at it: the benefits are worth it! "The Land" is symbolic for "God's Rest" we learn in Hebrews 3 and 4. "God's Rest" is where we trust God for outcomes.
Sometimes when my heart needs to be FORCED into God's Presence because I feel too busy, too hurt, too tired, too hurried, etc......I repeat this list of BENEFITS:
(v.1) Everything about me is meant to submit itself to God.
(v.2) "benefits" means "bountiful bestowments", "abundant rewards". God has been GOOD to me and there is plenty more where that came from!
(v.3) Two of those benefits: He forgives All MY iniquities (when I know better and do it anyway) and heals all my diseases.
(v.4) He redeemed my life from the pit and crowns me with grace and mercy (made me truly happy).
(v.5) He fully and completely satisfies my heart and soul, and fills me with new life and joy.
(v.6) God is in charge of justice and rightness, and I can trust Him fully.
(v.8) God is never severe with me, but always ready to forgive. It is His nature to have compassion on me, and His mercy is plentiful, therefore He is slow to anger.
(v.9) He will correct and fight us when we refuse to repent, but even that comes to an end.
(v.10) He has not dealt with us according to our crimes of revolt and forfeiture, nor our wrong deeds.
(v.11) Keeping the fear of God protects me - as long as I am accountable to God for my Life, He shows mercy toward me when I screw it up.
(v.12) Even when I don't obey, when I repent, God does not hold that against me!
(v.13) "Pity" is the Hebrew word, "racham" which is actually from the word for "womb." It is the action of the mother's womb on the fetus to cherish, nourish and protect it. God regards me with lavish affection and gets joy out of watching me.
(v.14-18) He knows what I am made of, and that my time on earth is short, but He is with me forever and ever, showing mercy and justice.
(v.19-22) When I live to please God, there are even angels assigned to obey the "voice of God's word" where I am concerned.
To sum it up, God supplies, rewards, forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies, renews, loves, protects, avenges, fills, lavishes.
PROVERBS 26:23
Lips that speak of love and fidelity, but are actually covering up a wicked, hateful heart are like a clay pot painted with glossy silver. It's still ugly underneath.
No comments:
Post a Comment