January 2, 2009

Blessings Folk!!

Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why?” Bible consist of pages 10-14, Genesis 5-8.

Seek the Lord and He will give you the revelation, illumination, insight, wisdom and enlightenment that He desires for you today!!

He is our source of life!!

Hear the word of a man that had a difficult time…

Lam 3:1-19
1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
KJV

We all have experienced portions of this lament.

Times of:
affliction
darkness
feeling as if the Lord has turned from us
aging
brokenness
heavy chains
bondage
thinking our prayers have been shut out
derision
bitterness
“broken my teeth with gravel stones”
our soul removed far from peace
prosperity forgotten
strength and hope perished

Yet, read on!!!

Lam 3:20-41
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
KJV

The writer still remembers these things in his soul. Yet look what happens.

He is humbled.

Why?

Because He decided to call something to mind.

There is hope outside of circumstance.
There is hope outside of feeling.
There is hope outside of what we see in the natural.

First, it is only by the mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed at this moment. It is only by God’s compassion, grace and mercy that He did not/does not eradicate us. The Word is clear that we were all sinners. The Word is also clear that those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.


1 Cor 6:9-11
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

KJV

Second, the compassions of the Lord fail not. We never err in trusting in the compassion of the Lord. I am not speaking of presuming upon the Lord. That is sin. We can know that, though we may not understand, the compassion of the Lord will never fail toward those who trust in Him.

Third, the mercies of the Lord are new every morning. The Lord never “runs out” of mercy. That doesn’t mean that He turns away His eye from sin. No. But, if we call upon the Lord we will find His mercy to be inexhaustible.

Fourth, the Lord is faithful. His faithfulness is actually describe as great. Is there anything about the Lord that is less than “great”? LOL

Therefore, what is our response.

We see from the Lamenter.

Acknowledge that…
the Lord is my portion...declare it verbally today...now...without ceasing
I will hope in the Lord!
the Lord is good unto them that wait...therefore, I will aggressively wait upon the Lord
I will seek the Lord
it is good to hope and wait quietly (without complaint, bitterness, resentment, etc. ) upon the Lord

Finally…
Let us search and try our ways!!
Let us turn again to the Lord!
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens!!

Search!
Turn!
Worship!

The Lord will pour forth the joy of the Spirit over the spirit of heaviness!!


Isa 61:3
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that he might be glorified.

KJV

Rejoice in the Lord and the new mercies He gives every morning.

Blessings!!