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Ecclesiastes 8:14 - There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. NIV
Solomon has been known as the wisest man that has ever lived and he penned down the words above for us. Righteous men get what the wicked deserve and wicked men get what the righteous deserve. This proves that you don't always reap what you sow. If this world were perfect then we would reap what we sow. The world, however, isn't perfect and therefore we will not always reap what we sow. I remember teaching my children when they were young, Life Lesson 101: Life Isn't Fair and don't expect it to be fair or you will be rudely awakened one day.
A man who never sinned and yet, He was crucified because of evil men. Here is what Peter had to say about Jesus years after His death: "…since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." 1 Peter 2:21-24 Jesus left us an example to follow according to Peter. We will have no deceit in our mouths, we will not revile against those who revile against us and while we are suffering we will not use our mouths to spew out threats or vulgarities. What we will be doing is entrusting ourselves into the hands of God, the righteous judge. The next time we suffer at the hands of unjust men and women we will be in control of our body, mind, and spirit. We will not use our mouths to spew out profanities, slander or condemnations. We will look to the One who judges righteously.
Genesis 50:20 - "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result,…" Sometimes in life, we have to endure the evil done to us by wicked people. In Joseph's situation, it was his own brothers. So in life, if your enemies, co-workers or family members inflict some of life's injustices upon you, look to the One who judges righteously. Think On This: When God allows a burden to be placed upon you, He will put His arms under you to help you carry it. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Josh. 2:11 - “When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained…”
In the text above, Rahab is confessing to the two spies sent into Jericho by Joshua exactly how they felt upon hearing the news that the Israelites were coming. She informs them that their hearts melted and no courage remained in any of them.
Maybe you walked into a doctor’s office and while sitting there he informed you that you had a disease or a loved one you had accompanied into his office had a disease and upon hearing the news your heart melted within you. Maybe you received a call or a police officer knocked on your door and informed you, a loved one died in an accident and your heart melted within and all your courage departed. Or maybe it was the time one of your children was lost at the amusement park and for over an hour you know your heart stopped.
We were talking after the ceremony and he asked if he could come into my office and talk to me. I agreed and he came in next week and shared with me what was going on in his life. David told me that his doctor informed him he had a very aggressive type of cancer and that he didn’t have long to live. Then he went on with his story. He came home and told his wife what the doctor had said. Within days he came home and found a note from his wife that she was leaving him. He said he checked their bedroom closet and all her clothes were gone. He said, “My heart sank.” In Rahab’s day they said, “Hearts melted.” The meaning is the same and that is: what you are about to experience is going to be extremely painful. WOW! What a punch in the gut and a knee to the face. You talk about your heart melting and all courage departing from within you.
She confessed that the Israelites' God was the true God and David did the same thing. When you get knocked off your feet, and you are laying flat on your back, you are in the perfect position to look up and see where your help will come. Your help will come from the One who created the ‘heavens and earth." David’s wife never came back and he lost his battle with cancer but I never met a more courageous man. I truly met one of God’s Special Warriors.
What we have to do is follow in the footsteps of Rahab and David and that is put your faith in God. Here is what the Hebrew writer says about Rahab, “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.” By Faith you and I will not perish along with those who are disobedient.
The trouble with some people is that during trying times, they stop trying. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Matt 27:46-47 - About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" NASU
Moses says, "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." Deut. 31:6 NASU Moses is dead and God speaks to Joshua as the leader of the Israelites. He tells Joshua, "No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you." Joshua 1:5 NASU God also told Jacob and Solomon He would be with them and He would not forsake them either.
"THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" Heb 13:5-6 NASU Christians today have the same promise made to us about God and the promise is He will NOT Ever Desert or Forsake us.
Here is my belief about what Jesus was saying on the cross. First, this is an Old Test. quote and one must return to the original quote and study the context where it is used. Once you do this I believe the answer becomes clear. This quote comes from Psalm 22. Jesus is hanging on the cross when He speaks these words. The only scriptures they had at this time was the Old Testament. The OT was not divided into chapters and verses. Therefore, Jesus couldn't say turn to Psalm 22 and you will find the answer. The first entire Bible in which chapter and verse divisions were used was Robert Stephanus' edition of the Latin Vulgate (A.D. 1555). When Jesus quotes the first words: "My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?" He was telling His disciples to read the Psalm that begins with those words. When you read that Psalm the truth will be revealed: Ps 22:3-5 Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You delivered them. To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed. Ps 22:23-24 You who fear the LORD, praise Him; All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel. For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard. NASU In verses 3-5 the Psalmist is saying, God is holy, and the Israelite fathers trusted in God and were delivered. In verses 23-24 he is saying God has not hidden His face from this person who is suffering. In fact, this person cries out for help and God heard His cry. This Psalm is considered a Messianic one which means it is about the Messiah and I would agree. Therefore, Jesus is NOT saying God has forsaken Him, but the exact opposite. God had heard His cry for help and helped Him.
Think On This: When we do what we can, God will do what we can't. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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