The further we drift into sin, the more we will try to remove reminders of that sin. The text sats “King Ahaz removed during his reign when he acted unfaithfully.”
Ahaz removed the sacred articles when he was being unfaithful to God, yet this serves as a duly needed reminder for us today. When a society embraces more and more sin and wickedness, the more and more they try to remove anything that would serve to testify to the sins they so love.
Why do you think people want things like the ten commandments monument removed from government buildings? Or “In God we trust” removed from the dollar bill. Why are their ears offended by a simple “Merry Christmas” ? Simply because they do not want to be reminded their ways are unfaithful, any more then Ahaz wanted sacred articles to remind him the Lord was not pleased with him
The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the Lord. 2 Chronicles 28:19 –
Ahaz’s evil and sinful leadership created nationwide problems, “The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah”
First people turn a blind eye to evil in name of tolerance, than eventually they no longer tolerate it, but promote it and take pride in it. Then worst of all, they begin to detest and try to make trouble for those who will not join them in promoting sin.
We see when God commanded Gideon to tear down his father’s Baal altar, we see the worshipers and lovers of Baal wanted to kill him
That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering. ” So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” Judges 6:25-30 –
Though modern sense it be unheard of to see most American’s bowing and kissing a statue, but rather they pay tribute to gods of this culture and sins our society no longer has shame over but greatly delights in and parades as “normal”- yet try speaking boldly out about these things in our times, prepared then to have people surround you angrily and call you all sorts of untrue things- accusing you of hate or all kinds of other things
Yet you never love more than trying to turn people from evil path that will end them in God’s angry eternal judgement. Just like the Lord commanded Gideon to attack the altar of Baal, so the true preachers and messengers of God must attack the lies and sins of our age with the Word of God and preaching of the Gospel.
We attack with spiritual weapons- cutting down the gods of this age but taking truth to them. Truth that sin is sin, regardless of what popular opinion or society says. Preaching the hard truth of God’s coming judgement on those who wont repent and turn to Christ.
There is no message other than that that has the explosive power to obliterate the Baal statues many Americans love so much
You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice! Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; milk and honey are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.
Song of Songs 4:9-12 –
Though this woman is not literally his “sister” sees her with both the love of a lover but she is almost like a sister he has known forever- or at least the text seems to suggest
He says “milk and honey are under your tongue.” Yet what comes to my mind when i think of honey is what Solomon said in Proverbs, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14
Perhaps Solomon saw her words to be very wise and full of grace when she spoke. Her words also were compared to milk- yet in the New Testament we see:
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, (1 Peter 2:2)
The Word of God and teachings of Scripture are indeed wise drops of honey and spiritual milk to therefore nourish the soul.
When it says “You are a garden locked up” and “you are a spring enclosed”
I think that could mean, she is not easy to access by anyone. She is not the type of woman who opens her gate to let anyone enter but she protects herself.
Solomon says in the Proverbs also, “Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. (Proverbs 5:15-18)
Who would have keys to a locked up garden? Only the one it belonged to, so its probably reasonable to assume this classy lady valued herself enough to give herself to the right man and save her very best physically and emotionally with just him- not just any man who crossed her path.
We hear all the time people talk about how offended they are by things, yet if God was to speak and say how he felt, I think he would say
I am offended that you think the world revolves around you and I must change my standards to cater to your wishes.
“You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?Isaiah 29:16
I am offended by those of you who lie and wont speak truth
Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Psalm 52:1-3 –
———I am offended by you taking sacred holy thinge things and making them cheap and common things
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4 –
To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Titus 1:15-16 –
I am offended by people who steal and cheat others
“You shall not steal. Deuteronomy 5:19 –
There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away. Hosea 4:2-3 –
I’m offended by those who commit sins and justify their ways yet fault find in everyone else
“But let no one bring a charge, let no one accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest. Hosea 4:4 –
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Romans 2:1-3 –
I’m offended by your greed
“From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. Jeremiah 6:13 –
I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways. Isaiah 57:17 –
I am offended you would rather here lies that make you feel good, rather than hard truth that might force you to change your ways
If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people! Micah 2:11 –
Im offended that when you do hear people who do tell the truth you try to punish them for it
For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!” Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant. It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern.” Isaiah 30:9-14 –
I am offended by your pride and haughtiness
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13 –
I am offended by a generation like this: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 2 Timothy 3:1-4 –
I am offended many of you are proud of your sins and say I am not angry
The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves. Isaiah 3:9 –
you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ Jeremiah 2:35 –
Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 6:15 –
I am offended by those who claim to preach from my Word but twist it for personal gain
and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:5-6 –
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say, “Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.” Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets. Micah 3:11-12 –
I am offended by those who say they know me but live like hell
But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation. ” Psalm 50:16-23 –
I am offended by you who try to change what my Word says to justify what you already decided you want to do
Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. Deuteronomy 4:2 –
Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. Proverbs 30:6 –
I am angry and offended by you who mock and say I wont do anything about it
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing, either good or bad.’ Zephaniah 1:12 –
They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. Psalm 94:7-11 –
I am offended you say I am not real, that I am a fairy tale, yet I will cast you off like a fantasy in due time
till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. Psalm 73:17-20 –
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. Psalm 14:1-4 –
I am offended you want my Heaven, but want nothing to do with my in my earth
For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. Psalm 37:9-15 –
38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:38 –
But most of all, I am offended you have spit on the offer of grace and mercy, I am offended you reject my Son and refuse to be saved
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31 –
I am offended with the wicked everyday
God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. (Psalm 7:11)
What I think God would say is “Repent and be saved” and “Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’ Ezekiel 33:11 –
The world he says: ““Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:22 –
Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully. Proverbs 28:5 –
Scripture says those who do evil do not know what right is. We hear terms like social justice or all kinds other words and phrases thrown around carelessly. We hear people in the world throw out word like “love” or “hate” and this that and the other. Truth is justice is justice, regardless of who it is, people don’t for most part even know what love or hate is either.
Its a sin to be violent or do wrong and there is no excuse for it regardless of skin color, how you look- what position you hold or any external thing- if you do wrong and are violent than Bible says your evil and need to repent.
This society here has made almost everything about “skin color” or other political things, and it’s irrelevant to even bring that into anything. You do wrong- you steal and do evil- as it is said, “As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 1 Samuel 24:13 –
The Scripture never evaluates a person by how they look externally, that is not important in God’s sight but rather God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7) and “The Lord weighs the heart” (Proverbs 21:2)
“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Leviticus 19:15 –
The Bible is clear that the person’s position whether poor or rich should not be a factor at all either, that is true justice- external things not even having any weight at all.
We also see another problem in our times, people flatter all the time- we look no further than when some company, group, or politician just say whatever they think is most popular
I will show no partiality, nor will I flatter anyone; for if I were skilled in flattery, my Maker would soon take me away. Job 32:21-22 –
Flattery can come in different forms but saying what just everyone wants to hear, whether or not its right, true or good- people now days are more afraid of people than they are of God or offending Him with their ways. People say what they think it takes for their businesses to get more popularity – with hopes to boost profits (The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 1 Timothy 6:10)
We see companies large name often seem to gladly come out saying “We stand for this, or that” or boast about how much they donated to this or that.
But it makes me wonder myself, when have businesses and large corporations really cared about anything but the profits and money they gain? After all you go into business to make money. People are after often just what makes them most money, bottom line. If they can flatter a certain audience to generate more sales, trust me they will.
Politicians too, will say what they think will get them elected. Simply put, they will say what they feel is popular and going to get them most votes. Its not rocket science or calculus, its just simple facts people overlook for so long. Mankind is by nature corrupt and self centered, worship the god of self.
Yet true integrity and just life is based on the fundamental- “Is it right” “Is it best”
Not, “is it popular” not “will it help me get more money in my pocket?”
Love for money can cause more sin in this wicked world than any other thing almost
“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent. Exodus 23:8 –
The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice. Proverbs 17:23 –
No one reading this article can probably deny this fact, greed is a source of great evil. The problems we face as a nation are not political and politicians or elected leaders are not the real solution. The only solution in our nation or any nation involve people repenting of their sins and giving up their own sins they commit that add to the shared stock in a culture’s sin problem.
You can get all sorts of ideas or suggestions whether from news or this group or that what America’s real problem or number one issue is- yet the news cannot tell you. They have an opinion but God’s Word says sin is the problem
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people. Proverbs 14:34 –
Scripture says simply “Sin” not just one type or kind, but all of it. If you truly want a prosperous culture or society; it never comes by planting evil.
The Gospel is what this people needs, not more politics or ideas. We need to be bold and courageous and share the only message that can truly cure a sinful heart bent toward evil. Telling the truth that the Lord will eventually judge sin, but is giving time for some to respond and find mercy- newness of life through Jesus Christ.
There once was a wise farmer. He had two daughters who were both in their teenage years. They both were upset their father was so protective of the young men he let them see. Aware of this he called his daughters to the table.
He said, “My dears, I could just tell you I am your father and you ought to just trust me and do what I say. Yet I had a better idea. You see that apple orchard out yonder? It’s been in our family many years, my father cared for it, so did his father. You know my dears how protective of them apple trees I am. Now my daughters, would I just let some stranger come onto our land and start taking apples from them apple trees? Yet my dears, I am more protective of you girls than them trees I my grandad planted himself and watched grow: He put so much hard work into those trees and they were dear investment to him, just like you girls are to me. See when you both were born you were like the sprouts that I cared for, watered and watched bloom into what you now are today.” The man paused for a moment as his daughters intently listened. Then he said after brief pause.
“Dears, should I let strangers come on our land just to pick apples anytime they want?”
His daughters replied, “No that is stealing”
He replied “Yes it is my dears. The only one who has right to that fruit is the owner- and if someone gives me an offer to buy and I accept, than he would have right to that fruit. Yet, dear daughters, why should I not be even more protective of my own daughters than my trees, only when I am convinced the men who pursue you are willing to pay the price to make you each their own for life will I have peace about them enjoying the fruit of that. Yet dears, I do not want any man around you who will try take from you physically if he is not committed to you enough to pay that price to have you as his own.”
“Dears, listen, I am protective of my trees yes but even more over you, my baby girls I watched grow from being little babies into the young adults you are today.”
If We Are Not Careful- We Train And Enable People To Disrespect Boundaries
Part of the reason people have used the “Im offended line” so often is cause it has so often worked. Human nature will often keep trying the same tactic that helped it get it’s way to begin with. Like a child who throws a tantrum and his mom gives in time and time. She gives in, reinforces that bad behavior. Adults are the same way too. They will keep doing what they think is going to work. Trust me people are often not nearly as offended by all the things they say they are- some are but most do it cause they know it works on people who will eventually cave in and do or say what they want to hear. Trust me, the moment they know they cannot get anywhere with manipulation they will often get tired trying after a time
You got to understand human nature. People often love power and control. Most of time they are not as “hurt” or offended as they portray- they just want power and control.
Imagine being in a toxic relationship with a narcissist. That kind of person will make you feel bad for expressing your frustrations in the relationship or if you suspect something is off and question them about it, they may say “Im so hurt you would ever think that about me! How could you distrust me like that?!”
When in reality the person is using that as a bluff to take the pressure off themselves, trying to make the person questioning them for any reasonable doubts of their character look like the bad guy. As warped and deranged as these people are they do exist.
Sometimes all you have to do. “be firm with boundaries” – so they know they wont get anywhere with trying to violate those boundaries.
For example: You have a view or opinion they do not like? If you respectfully say what you want to and share your opinion on this or that, they then get angry and want to tell you how “Deeply hurtful and offensive your views are”
Don’t apologize Don’t show weakness Don’t give up your right to have an opinion that is different than theirs.
All you got to say is, “Well, you have a right to be offended just as I have a right to have my different views. We just don’t see eye to eye on this and that’s fine if you have a different view, but I also have a right to see things as I do. If you do not like that, you are free to leave this conversation anytime- we can go our separate ways.”
Yet if you give in and start apologizing for what they say are “offensive views” then you tell that person that they can control you. No one should be bullied into anything they do not want. We both got to respect other people’s right to not agree with us as well as stand our ground and teach other people to respect us too.
We enable and teach people to be disrespectful of us by not setting boundaries, not enforcing boundaries or showing them we are too “weak willed” to enforce personal boundaries and space we have every right to defend.
Imagine another scenario- man tries to pressure a woman into something she does not feel comfortable. If she stands her ground and the man knows he is not going to get what he is after- he will get tired of trying and look for someone else to make trouble for.
Yet a woman does well I think to upfront say to a man who may be trying something- listen, these are my boundaries- try to cross them and I wont talk to you. There is in that case some threat or consequences for disrespect. If in that case the man has decent intentions and just wants to get to know her- he will be fine with that and respect those because he does not want to lose her as a friend. Yet best way to tell if someone wants you or just something from you is laying down clear boundaries. If they disapear never to be seen or heard from after you laid down those boundaries they did not want friendship or relationship at all but left cause they knew they would get no where trying to get something out of you
As I say, “Set boundaries, speak your mind, be firm, and watch the trash take itself to the curb”
Unfortunately boundary issues are not uncommon. Boundary issues are most perpetrated by selfish people who although they know your boundaries- just dont care.
Like a mooch or leach that you let borrow money once, if they dont repay- yet keep coming back asking for more. Well eventually you going to have to say “enough, no more borrowing money.” – if they really are a real friend they will accept that and show respect but if not they will likely realize your not going to give in and they will go find someone else to do it too.
Around here we are advised not to leave food out for raccoons or wild animals. Why? Same reason, they will keep coming back hoping for more.
The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored. Proverbs 27:18 –
Protects their master- in the basic sense, a guard who stood by his king and protected his life fron threats would receive indeed honor, just as Mordecai received honor for exposing the plot of two would be assassins that would have killed the king.
Yet there be it, another application. We guard our King, The Lord, though he need not any help from us, it is said: “Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. Psalm 110:3 –
Are you a willing troop of your Lord the King, or are you they that shrink back when the world scoffs and mocks him. Will you let the name of your God be dishonored among heathen people’s because you shrink back like a shameful coward? Beware if you do, Jesus said “If anyone is ashamed of me before people, I will be ashamed of them before my Father and his holy angels”
Rather we ought not be sniveling cowards that are embarrassed of their Lord among supposed “friends” – we can afford to lose anyone else as friend, but we cannot afford to offend Him
So let it be said by us: “Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?
Psalm 94:16 –
Indeed we must be bold as lions charging through lines of cackling hyenas. Bold among the snarling of this world who bare their teeth at the Word of God and His Way. Fierce lions scoff even at hyenas that outnumber them 5 to one.
Are you a lion for your Great King? Or dare you run so often with hyenas or wildogs you scarcely fit in with lions at all.
Bear in mind that the Lion of Judah will not be intimidated by the snarls of worldly people who rage and scoff at him
This is what the Lord says to me: “As a lion growls, a great lion over its prey— and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor — so the Lord Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. Isaiah 31:4 –
A strong and powerful lion is not in the least threatened by the presence of a group of shouting men. Beware you who scoff and shake your fist at God, for he is not at all intimidated by your ignorant arguments against him or your empty protests. Laugh all you want, for when he does decide to roar and charge you- you will be torn to pieces in great judgement if you refuse to repent as he patiently gives you time.
Well was at the elevator yesterday after seeing two friends. I pushed the button to go down to the first floor there after. As I sat there waiting for the door to open I was getting kind of antsy and impatient. Then all sudden I felt like the Lord was showing me something. It seemed as though the impression I got in my mind was “You push that button and are getting restless because the elevator door delayed opening a few extra moments- yet how often is prayer like that- we push the button and present our requests to God in prayer. Then it may delay we think the door wont open. What do you do if the elevator button is pushed and it takes a few extra seconds or minutes? You just sit there and patiently wait for it to open, you don’t throw up your hands and roll off saying “I guess the buttons busted”
Well prayer is like that. Delays or just cause answers and solutions dont come right away does not mean the “button is broken” but we are often impatient.
When our requests are not things clearly outside God’s revealed will, we ought to keep praying and be prepared to sit quietly till the right door opens or the right time comes
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Hebrews 6:12
I was once at a cross walk, I remember many years ago and this was before I realized how crosswalks worked. But I said to self, “I pushed the button and this thing must nor be working so I decided to just roll across the street and a police officer happened to see it.”
He pulls me over and looked kind of upset and indignant and says, “Do you not know how to use the cross walk” and I should of said “No, not really, Im kind of clueless.” Yet I told him “Yes I do.” He replies, “I could write you a ticket but I wont. Next time use the cross walk”
And at an intersection you first push the button and if you ever used one, you have to wait some amount of time for the light to display a light up man walking icon- then you know you can walk safely across the street. Yet we also should apply that same principle in our prayer life, not just rush things when it comes to prayer. It’s not that God has necessarily denied our requests but takes time to unfold what He is trying to do.
The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails —given by one shepherd. Ecclesiastes 12:11 –
Wise words are like goads, goads were these pointed spikes that would serve to inflict pain on an ox or another animal that would kick or resist yet, to those living in a way they should not, the truth of God is going to feel like ox goads in their hearing
In the days of Jeremiah his own people and even his friends got offended and upset over his pointed goaded messages
They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.” Jeremiah 18:18 –
Basically they were saying “he offends us with his preaching and wise words, hey here is an idea, lets attack him and slander him so no one pays attention to anything he says!”
Listen to me, Lord; hear what my accusers are saying! Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you and spoke in their behalf to turn your wrath away from them. So give their children over to famine; hand them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives be made childless and widows; let their men be put to death, their young men slain by the sword in battle. Let a cry be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet. But you, Lord, know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their crimes or blot out their sins from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger. Jeremiah 18:19-23 –
Many today will kick and protest too at the Teaching of God’s Word, yet Jesus in the vision confronted Saul of Tarsus saying he was only hurting himself by trying to hurt the Lord’s people
We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. Acts 26:14-15 –
But that day changed his life, he received thr grace of God. Many too today persecute the people of God because of this reason, the pointed goads reminding them of their sin are before them forcing them to come to grips with the sin they do not want to part with
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, though he cannot bear to let it go and lets it linger in his mouth, yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him. He will spit out the riches he swallowed; God will make his stomach vomit them up. He will suck the poison of serpents; the fangs of an adder will kill him. Job 20:12-16
Eventually if we live in that sinful condition long enough we will destroy ourselves by the very thing God wants to free us from for our own good
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 –
And whether they listen or fail to listen —for they are a rebellious people —they will know that a prophet has been among them. Ezekiel 2:5 –
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:2-5 –
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