Tag: Example

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”. 

 

 

 1 John 5:11-13    And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

 John 3:36     Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

 John 5:24    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 John 6:40     For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

 John 6:47    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

 John 8:51    Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

 John 11:26    and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

 Mark 16:16    Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

 1 Peter 1:21   who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

 John 10:27-30   My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

 1 Thessalonians 5:9     For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

 1 John 3:14    We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

 Ephesians 2:5     even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

The second we were born we were given a “death sentence”. Seems harsh, doesn’t it? Some may be born and live 70 to 100 years. Others are much shorter. However, the fact remains that every last one of us will die. We will experience death. Our time on this side of eternity will stop. All of the pleasures, trials, blessings, troubles, love, anger, joy, hate, worry, fear, peace, hope, etc…… on earth will cease for us. We do not know the day or time of our death but it is as sure as the sun rising and setting.  We don’t give much thought to our death, but we sure give much thought to our living. 

We try to prolong life and delay death without giving much thought to death. It seems as though it is something that happens to others and not so much to us, when in fact, it will. We don’t know when our time will be over. And yet it will happen. 

When we don’t give thought to death and what is on the other side of it, our lives become full of only what this world has to offer us. temporal things, things that will decay, things that give us short-lived satisfaction, and they are all left behind when we die. 

There is a spiritual side to every single person born just as there is a fleshly side. We tend to the flesh but give little thought to the spiritual. Think about it, how much of your time any given day is given toward God and eternity compared to things of this world. 

Scripture tells us that though our flesh dies our spirit lives forever. It also reveals that there are two destinations to which our spirit will arrive. Eternal life in heaven with God or eternal total separation from God in hell. How important then is it to give time to thinking about the eternal over what is temporal?  How important is it to give thought to eternal life in heaven and eternal separation in hell? 

Scripture says – Death

 Romans 5:12     Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Hebrews 9:27.  “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”. 

 Job 14:5    Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass,

 Job 30:23     For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.

 Psalms 89:48     What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

 Ecclesiastes 3:20    All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

 Ecclesiastes 9:5     For the living know that they will die

 Ecclesiastes 12:7   and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Scripture says – Judgment

 Ecclesiastes 11:9    Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

 Ecclesiastes 12:14     For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

 Matthew 25:31-34     “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

41  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

 2 Timothy 4:1     I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead

 Romans 2:5   But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

 Romans 14:12   So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

 2 Corinthians 5:10    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

 Jude 1:15    to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Scripture says – Life

Jhn 3:16    “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:15-16    The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

 John 3:36    Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

 John 5:24     Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 John 6:40     For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

 John 20:31    but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

 Romans 5:21     so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Romans 6:23     For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 1 John 5:11-12    And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

36.f. ” But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.””

Genesis 13:13   Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD

 Isaiah 1:9  If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.

 Isaiah 3:9    For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

 Ezekiel 16:46-50   And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters.  Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.  As I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done.  Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.  They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.

 Matthew 11:23-24    And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

 Romans 1:27    and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

 2 Peter 2:6-8    if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;  and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked  (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);

 2 Peter 2:10   and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

 Jude 1:7    just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Lot’s history teaches what comes of setting the world first, and God’s kingdom second. For one thing, the association with it is sure to get closer. Lot began with choosing the plain; then he crept a little nearer, and pitched his tent ‘towards’ Sodom; next time we hear of him, he is living in the city, and mixed up inextricably with its people. The first false step leads on to connections unforeseen, from which the man would have shrunk in horror, if he had been told that he would make them. Once on the incline, time and gravity will settle how far down we go. We shall see, in subsequent sections, how far Lot’s own moral character suffered from his choice. But we may so far anticipate the future narrative as to point out that it affords a plain instance of the great truth that the sure way to lose the world as well as our own souls, is to make it our first object. He would have been safe if he had stopped up among the hills. The shadowy Eastern kings who swooped down on the plain would never have ventured up there. But when we choose the world for our portion, we lay ourselves open to the full weight of all the blows which change and fortune can inflict, and come voluntarily down from an impregnable fastness to the undefended open. Nor is this all; but at the last, when the fiery rain bursts on the doomed city, Lot has to leave all the wealth for which he has sacrificed conscience and peace, and escapes with bare life; he suffers loss even if he himself is ‘saved as dragged through the fire.’ The world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. The riches which wax not old, and need not to be left when we leave all things besides, are surely the treasures which the calmest reason dictates should be our chief aim. God is the true portion of the soul; if we have Him, we have all. So, let us seek Him first, and, with Him, all else is ours. (MacLaren)

Lot looked to the goodness of the land; therefore he doubted not that in such a fruitful soil he should certainly thrive. But what came of it? Those who, in choosing relations, callings, dwellings, or settlements, are guided and governed by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life, cannot expect God’s presence or blessing. They are commonly disappointed even in that which they principally aim at. In all our choices this principle should rule, That is best for us, which is best for our souls. Lot little considered the badness of the inhabitants. The men of Sodom were impudent, daring sinners. This was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness, Eze 16:49. God often gives great plenty to great sinners. It has often been the vexatious lot of good men to live among wicked neighbours; and it must be the more grievous, if, as Lot here, they have brought it upon themselves by a wrong choice. (Henry)

Lot, who was either careless in his inquiry into the dispositions and manners of those among whom he intended to fix his abode, which for many reasons he should have searched out; or he was willing to expose himself to all the hazards which he might incur by their neighbourhood and familiarity, for the sweetness and fertility of the soil; an error which is frequently committed by men in the choice of their habitations, and which oft costs them dear, as it did Lot in the following story. (Poole)

Given “free will” to choose, let us be mindful of what is guiding our choice(s). Let our “free will” choose to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do. Things of this world will grow strangely dim when our purpose is for only Him.

28.m. “An example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity”

Philippians 3:17  Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

 1 Timothy 4:12   Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

 1 Peter 5:3    not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

 Romans 16:17    I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

 While it is wrong to put our trust in any man, it is hypocritical for any Christian to say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” We are not sinless or are we perfect examples, but we can be good examples.  This is where many fall short.  They think they are defeated, not perfect, and because of this, they hide their faith, hope, and love. The hardest and easiest person to forgive is ourselves.  When we sin or fall back into a sinful act we can deny it and shrug it off and in doing so we grieve the Holy Spirit. We can also confess it and move on in faith that God has forgiven it. We can learn from it and what it is that has triggered us to so easily fall into this sin.  We might see that we have neglected time in His Word, or become complacent in seeking and desiring His Will in our lives.  We might see that at that moment just before committing to that sin we heard a quiet whisper from the Holy Spirit and we intentionally chose to close our heart and mind to its warning and leading.  So we either shrug it off and say “I am weak” and carry this thought around in defeat day after day until we forget about it.  We don’t realize that the weight of these unconfessed burdens robs us of our witness and victory in Christ.  We no longer see ourselves as a person to imitate.  In fact, we may go so far as to just blend in both with the world and our Christian brothers/sisters so that no one can call us out as being a hypocrite.  Satan will use every defeat to beat you into a lukewarm non-committed intimidated unrecognized Christian, when we should be confessing, trusting, relying on, obeying, and living victoriously in Jesus Christ.  Are we sinless? No. Are we perfect? No. Should we allow this to keep us from being a living example of what it means to rely on, trust in, believing in, hoping in, following after, and obeying Jesus Christ? No. If we start living every moment of every day with an earnest desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ our lives will be an example of victorious living in the power of the Holy Spirit with acts of love, grace, mercy, joy, hope, faith, purity, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, patience, endurance, and courage and thereby an example to be imitated.

22.l. “I urge you, then, be imitators of me”

 

 

1 Corinthians 11:1  Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

 Philippians 3:17     Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

 2 Thessalonians 3:9   but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

 Hebrews 6:12    so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 1 Corinthians 4:16    I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

Paul knew he followed Jesus, so he did not hesitate to tell the Corinthian Christians to imitate his walk with the Lord. He knew the Corinthian Christians needed examples, and he was willing to be such an example. Paul simply told Timothy what to do: Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity..  How few today are willing to say what Paul said! Instead, because of compromise and ungodliness, we are quick to say, “Don’t look at me, look at Jesus.” While it is true we must all ultimately look to Jesus, every one of us should be an example of those who look to Jesus.  How many times do we actually want people to follow our example?  We might be quick to say “follow me when I am following Christ but, don’t follow my example when I am not.”  We choose to follow Jesus Christ.  We choose to think, do, and act so that He will be honored and glorified.  Yet, the question we all should ask is “Am I?”  If we commit to being an example of what it means to live so that Jesus Christ is honored and glorified, it is highly possible that people would see the light of Jesus Christ in our example.

22.j. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction”

 

1 Corinthians 10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

The cloud of Shekinah glory overshadowed Israel throughout their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. During the day, the cloud sheltered them from the brutal desert sun, and during the night, it burned as a pillar of fire. It was a constant, ready reminder of God’s glory and presence.

All Israel came through the Red Sea and saw God’s incredible power in holding up the walls of the sea so they could cross over on dry ground. Then they saw God send the water back to drown the Egyptian army. This was not only an amazing demonstration of God’s love and power, but also a picture of baptism – by “passing through water,” all of Israel was identified with Moses, even as by “passing through water,” a Christian is identified with Jesus Christ.

All of Israel was sustained by God’s miraculous provision of food and drink during their time in the wilderness. This was a remarkable display of God’s love and power for Israel.

Israel even had the presence of Jesus Christ with them in the wilderness! Here, in identifying the Rock that followed them, Paul builds on a rabbinical tradition that said Israel was supplied with water by the same rock all through the wilderness, a rock that followed them. Some Bible scholars today debate as to if the rock followed Israel, or if the water followed Israel (as in a stream). The point is the same: Jesus Christ was present with Israel in the wilderness, providing for their needs miraculously. What blessing, what privilege!

Despite all these blessings and spiritual privileges, the Israelites in the wilderness did not please God. In light of all those blessings, gratitude should have made them more pleasing to God, but they were not. “But with most of them, God was not pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Taking part in the blessings of God and then living in the desires and lusts of the flesh and giving no thought to the blessings of the One who gives the blessings will never honor or glorify Jesus Christ.  We will always make choices to honor our own flesh and its desires or to honor Jesus Christ.  Beware of your choices each day.

21.k. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,”

 

 

Romans 15:4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 1 Corinthians 10:11    Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,

 2 Timothy 3:16-17    All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

 2 Peter 1:20-21    knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.  For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

 Hebrews 6:11-12   And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Word of God teaches us that there will be trials, troubles, uncertainties, testings, and things that hurt us physically as well as emotionally.  Why else would scripture tell us that God is our Rock, ever-present in times of trouble, He is our refuge, In Him we find strength, Come to me all who are heavy laden with burdens and I will give you peace, all things work together for good for those called according to His purpose, Stand fast, be strong, etc…..? 

For those who trust in, cling to, and rely on Jesus Christ – faith and hope mature.  When we face trials, troubles, and uncertainties, is when scripture seems to have more meaning and where God’s power, might, strength, control, grace, mercy, and love is more relied upon, and where we find hope, peace, and rest for our souls.  Things do not happen by chance.  God is in control.  And, though we do not know why something has happened or how it will end, we find a peace that passes all understanding.  Faith and hope are what sustain us (those who believe in, rely on, trust in, and cling to Jesus Christ), and give us the courage and endurance.  

We do not have to look very far into our present world to understand the hearts, minds, and souls of those who do not have faith or hope.  In the absence of faith and hope they fall into despair, hopelessness, worry, fear, confusion, anxiousness, hate, etc….. There is no place for God in their lives and in the absence of God in their lives, there is no refuge, hope, peace, joy, assurance, strength, and confidence.  They are left alone and without hope to face the trials and troubles that are experienced by all of mankind.   

There is one God and in Him alone will we find true peace and rest for our hearts, minds, and souls, through faith and hope, in Him alone.

19.n. “Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Romans 6:1  What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

 2 Corinthians 5:17   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 Ephesians 4:17   Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

 Ephesians 4:22-24  to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

 1 John 2:6   whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

 Colossians 1:10-12    so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

 Philippians 3:17-18    Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.  For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

 Romans 13:13-14     Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

“That we too might walk in newness of life.”  “Behold the new has come.” “He is a New Creation.” Renewed in the spirit of your minds.” “Put on the new self.” “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” “Let us walk properly as in the daytime.”  What does it mean to walk properly and in a manner worthy of the Lord?  The easiest way to think about answering this is to know what sin is and to know what is pleasing to God. How do we know what sin is?  Do we know it by instinct?  Do we instinctively know what is good and bad – right and wrong – true and false?  Unfortunately, we do not instinctively know, but through our upbringing and our culture, we determine what is socially acceptable.  If something is socially or culturally acceptable is it good, right, and true? – (Maybe)  If it is socially and culturally acceptable can it still be sin? – (absolutely)  Someone said wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it, and right is right if there is only one doing it.  

If we base our rights, wrongs, and truths on what is culturally acceptable then we can easily fall prey to doing what is sin in God’s eyes.  There is only one place we gain insight into what is good, right, and true.  That is in God’s word.  He is steadfast.  His Word is true. His promises are true.  He is truth. There is no falsehood in Him. If we want to know what is true, right, good, and honorable then we need to not only spend time in His Word but also spend time with Him in prayer.  Jesus said that out of the abundance of our heart our mouth speaks.  If we are only feeding our heart with a token stab at daily devotions then His Word will not abide in us but rather pass through us as if we were empty vessels.  There must be a heart-deep desire connected to our seeking of what is true, good, and right.  There must be a hunger and thirst.  If there is stagnate “life” flowing through your veins and if there is a neglect of God’s Word in your day, and if there is a foggy haze to your understanding of what is good, right, and true in God’s eyes, then repent and turn away from this right now.  You are a new creation that has been born with the newness of life through Jesus Christ.   Jesus did not die for you so that you could keep on sinning but rather so that you would choose to intentionally live to honor and glorify Him alone. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Blessed who remained steadfast

Exodus 2:21   During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Isaiah 19:20    It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them.

Psalms 18:6     In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

Psalms 107:19-20    Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.

James 5:7   Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.  As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

In times of trouble, confusion, distress, anxiousness and hurt waiting seems almost impossible.  Yet it is in the impossible we see the hand of God.  We experience peace above all understanding.  We grow more in our expectant deliverance at the hand of God.  We find firm hope.

Will we always see the end of all Gods intervention?  Sometimes yes and other times – no.  Does this mean He does not or will not act in our behalf – no.  It does mean that His plans and purposes are far above our understanding.  Can we trust that He will always do His best for us – Yes.  In our trial is where trust, faith, and reliance are grown and are one of our ways of glorifying and honoring God.

Note  Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.  If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Note what Jesus said in Luke 22:42  “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

In all things we must leave room for God’s will, purpose, and plans.  His ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.

God is sovereign, all powerful, and steadfast in His love for us.  We can trust that He will work all things together for the good of them called by His name.

Pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease

“Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.”

Genenis 13:1  So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.  Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.  And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,  to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD.  And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,  so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together,  and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.  Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.  Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.”  And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)  So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.  Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.  Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.

Genesis 18:20    Then the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,

  Isaiah 1:9     If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.

  Isaiah 3:9    For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

Ezekiel 16:46-50    And your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters.  Not only did you walk in their ways and do according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.  As I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done.  Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.  They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.

Matthew 11:23-24   And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

2 Peter 2:6-8    if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;  and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked  (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);

The path Lot chose was place he likened to “the garden of the LORD” and why not, well watered and established.  Abraham chose whatever Lot did not.  I imagine, if we are given a choice, we will pick the path that seems more pleasing.

Either path is right but what lies ahead can be a bit deceiving.  Looks, as they say, are deceiving.  Who would think a land of prosperity, abundance of food, and prosperous ease would lead to anyone having pride rather than thankfulness.

I wonder how much our culture resembles the life styles, thoughts, actions of Sodom.  I question the liberal application of morals and adoption of them by many –  How close are we to that of Sodom?  Are we half way there or surpassing?

Oh, God heal our nation, draw us back to where You and Your word are guiding and directing our thoughts.  Place barriers in our paths that might otherwise lead us away from thinking and desiring You.  Light a fire in our soul and fill us with your Spirit, anew.  Open our eyes and ears to see and hear what is right and acceptable in Your sight.  Soften our heart to those in need, fill us with courage to stand up for that which is right in Your eyes.  Teach us to be humble, thankful, generous, king and loving so that our lives honor and glorify You alone.

Reread this last paragraph with “Me” instead of our or us.