STUBBORN JOY!

 

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

 

STUBBORN JOY!

 

Hab 3:17-18

17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

 

Here we have a prophet, having just delivered the horrible news of the invasion of the Chaldeans and the devastation of Israel, yet stubbornly declaring his faith in Jehovah. All the evidence would have excused despair and complaining but the prophet does neither. Instead, he actually uses the word JOY to describe his condition.

 

Stubborn JOY discounts the obvious!

 

Habakkuk carefully and painfully paints the desolate landscape of after-war. Vineyards had been trampled by the hooves of horses and the feet of men until it looked like newly plowed ground watered with blood. The fig blooms had fallen and there would be no fruit. Anything of any good had been consumed by the invaders including most of the flocks and herds. The cruelty of the enemy refused to replace or to rebuild.

 

But stubborn joy discounts all this because it is part of the decree of God. It is part of his plan, and his plan is always best. We may not understand it, but we stubbornly cling to this hope because of God’s nature and the history of his mercy. We know, deep inside, that God will provide.

 

Stubborn JOY stands upon faith!

 

The prophet concludes his letter with verse 19 which says: “The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” Have you ever seen mountain goats climb what seemed like impossible ridges? They seem to need no more than a pebble for their footing and they do not seem afraid in the least. They are equipped for these lofty places by their Maker, and it is in their Creator – not their footing – they put their trust! Note carefully that he does NOT say that his joy is in his circumstances but in the God of his salvation.

 

And so, we remember that good old hymn: “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

 

Lam 3:25-26

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.

 

Dear Lord, I will both hope and STUBBORNLY wait until you rescue me. AMEN

 

TWO IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGES!

 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

 

TWO IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGES!

 

Mark 8:23-26

23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

 

CHALLENGE #1 – THE UNSEEING EYES

 

The Old Testament prophesied that when Messiah came He would restore sight to the blind. John the Baptist, imprisoned and discouraged wondered about the man he had baptized and promoted as the anointed one. He mused in his dungeon as to whether Jesus was really that one. He sent messengers to Jesus for confirmation and Jesus responded by pointing out fulfilled prophecy.

 

Matt 11:4-5

4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

 

Much has been made by some of the spittle of Jesus upon the eyes of the blind saying that the act was nasty or even humorous but no eye salve could have done what was done on that day. Personally I think it was an act of re-creation. Jesus made fresh eyes for the man!

 

The man had come from no sight at all to incomplete sight. He said, “I see men as trees walking!” Can you imagine the mixture of excitement and disappointment that must have been his? It is hard to miss the spiritual application of this as well. We move from spiritual blindness to salvation and then on to spiritual maturity with all the emotional complications of that journey. After Jesus’ second touch the man saw all things clearly. Oh, how we long for that day. Paul told the Corinthians that we now see through a glass, darkly, but one day we will see face to face. May that day soon come!

 

CHALLENGE #2 – DON’T TELL ANYONE ABOUT THIS!

 

Mark 8:26

26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

 

In verse 23 Jesus led the man out of “the town.” Now, in verse 26 Jesus tells the exuberant man neither to go into “the town” nor to tell this to any in “the town.” I wonder what the problem was with this particular town. No matter, they would soon hear the good news from this one who had received his sight! When Jesus touched his eyes He also loosened his lips.

 

Ps 63:3-4

3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

 

Dear Lord, you have touched my eyes and made me see now open my mouth that I may tell the good news to others that sit in darkness. AMEN

 

OUR INADEQUACY IS HIS SUFFICIENCY!

 

Monday, March 4, 2024

 

OUR INADEQUACY IS HIS SUFFICIENCY!

 

2 Cor 3:5

5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

 

Phil 3:3

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

 

Phil 4:13

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

1. OUR INADEQUACY

 

During His earthly ministry, and throughout the New Testament, Jesus tries to clarify for us our inadequacy. The bottom line is that things that are impossible with man are yet possible with God! We did not become inadequate through some fault or lack. It did not come upon us gradually. It is inherent in our very nature. Adam fell but we are fallen. David lamented “in sin did my mother conceive me.”

 

Our inadequacy is so comprehensive that we cannot expect anything godly or good to spring from our own resources. We do not have any resources that can save a soul, transform a life, or cause the church to be encouraged.

 

Ps 146:3

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

 

2. GOD’S ADEQUACY

 

The second thing God keeps trying to teach us is His adequacy. He is infinitely capable beyond all that we ask or think. This is not to shame us further by contrast but to encourage us to trust in Him. Oh, how foolish is the man who trusts only in his own resources!

 

2 Cor 9:8

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

 

Lord, teach me to hope in you for everything I need for godly living. In Jesus name, Amen.