HEAVENSREEF

I think you will agree with me that the world is such a mess right now.  Our law and order is breaking down, systems of justice are all one sided and the news every day is just plain awful.  More than once I have found myself throwing up my hands in frustration saying “oh it all is such a mess!”

Circumstances around us feel so shaky that you find yourself asking, LORD, what is going on?  I encourage you today to find that quiet place with GOD.  HIS promises for us are quite different than what we are hearing or seeing these days.

GOD WON’T LEAVE US IN THIS MESS.

PSALM 18: 3 “I CALL UPON THE LORD, WHO IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED, AND I AM SAVED FROM MY ENEMIES.”

David spoke quite often in the Book of Psalms of being delivered from his enemies in the present tense!  He knew at that very moment, as he prayed that he was delivered.  So how does this apply to us?  We can ask the LORD right at this very moment to deliver us, yes, deliver us from all of this mess and take comfort in knowing that HE already has!

LET THE ONE WHO BELIEVES, KNOW THAT GOD CAN DELIVER US FROM ALL IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS. 

We might not understand the why or how, but HE will deliver!

In 2 Chronicles 32, Hezekiah humbled himself before the LORD for GOD had given him an abundance of blessings and possessions and Hezekiah prospered.  In verse 31 it says this……

2 CHRONICLES 32: 31  “…..GOD LEFT HIM TO HIMSELF, IN ORDER TO TEST HIM AND TO KNOW ALL THAT WAS IN HIS HEART.”

And the next verse says this……

2 CHRONICLES 32: 32  “AS FOR THE REST OF THE EVENTS OF HEZEKIAH’S REIGN AND HIS DEEDS OF FAITHFUL LOVE, NOTE THAT THEY ARE WRITTEN IN THE VISIONS OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH SON OF AMOZ, AND IN THE BOOK OF THE KINDS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL.”

In the midst of the strife and mess, GOD looked at Hezekiah’s heart.  And in the midst of the mess, Hezekiah was able to fortify his city and he trusted GOD and glorified HIM.  GOD delivered him.

GOD sees into our hearts too, in our current situation and sees whether we are growing angry or more compassionate.  Are we keeping a loving and faithful heart towards GOD and others or are we placing blame and growing bitter?

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE IN THE MESS?

GOD will be remembered for the order HE brings to the chaos and for the light HE brings to the darkness.  HIS deeds of faithful love will shine to others struggling with the mess we are in.

LET US DEPEND ON GOD BECAUSE HE ALONE WILL DELIVER US.

HE is working on our character and our very souls right now, into something beautiful, because HE wants us to be more Holy rather than happy.  Maybe another message in the mess is this too:  that we need the Holy ONE more than any kind of order that will likely make us happy.  Let’s remember that CHRIST died for us and gave HIS life for us, when we didn’t deserve a thing…….but our desire now and what we long for is to be more like HIM, more CHRISTLIKE above all else!  Is this mess making you more like CHRIST or less like HIM?

 

2 CORINTHIANS 7:1  “SINCE WE HAVE THESE PROMISES, BELOVED, LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM EVERY DEFILEMENT OF BODY AND SPIRIT, BRINGING HOLINESS TO COMPLETION IN THE FEAR OF GOD.”

GOD WILL…….DELIVER US…….WE HAVE HIS PROMISES!  Daily, let’s remind ourselves of this.  Our uncertain futures become secondary to a certain and secure future that only faith in CHRIST can give us!  Let us choose this path, a path of Holiness and thankfulness and praise.  GOD doesn’t say any of this life is easy, but HE does tell us very clearly in HIS promises that HE will deliver us…….embrace this promise!  And when we do, we will shine a little brighter to the rest of this messy world.

HEBREWS 11: 6  “……FOR WHOEVER WOULD DRAW NEAR TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.”