April 14, 2009

• How good G-d is to Isra’el, to those who are pure in heart!

  Psalms 73:1-28  A psalm of Asaf: How good God is to Isra’el, to those who are pure in heart!  (2)  But as for me, I lost my balance, my feet nearly slipped,  (3)  when I grew envious of the arrogant and saw how the wicked prosper.  (4)  For when their death comes, it is painless; and meanwhile, their bodies are healthy;  (5)  they don’t have ordinary people’s troubles, they aren’t plagued like others.  (6)  So for them, pride is a necklace; and violence clothes them like a robe.  (7)  Their eyes peep out through folds of fat; evil thoughts overflow from their hearts.  (8)  They scoff and speak with malice, they loftily utter threats.  (9)  They set their mouths against heaven; their tongues swagger through the earth.  (10)  Therefore his people return here and [thoughtlessly] suck up that whole cup of water.  (11)  Then they ask, “How does God know? Does the Most High really have knowledge?”  (12)  Yes, this is what the wicked are like; those free of misfortune keep increasing their wealth.  (13)  It’s all for nothing that I’ve kept my heart clean and washed my hands, staying free of guilt;  (14)  for all day long I am plagued; my punishment comes every morning.  (15)  If I had said, “I will talk like them,”I would have betrayed a generation of your children.  (16)  When I tried to understand all this, I found it too hard for me -  (17)  until I went into the sanctuaries of God and grasped what their destiny would be.  (18)  Indeed, you place them on a slippery slope and make them fall to their ruin.  (19)  How suddenly they are destroyed, swept away by terrors!  (20)  They are like a dream when one awakens; Adonai, when you rouse yourself, you will despise their phantoms.  (21)  When I had a sour attitude and felt stung by pained emotions,  (22)  I was too stupid to understand; I was like a brute beast with you.  (23)  Nevertheless, I am always with you; you hold my right hand.  (24)  You will guide me with your advice; and afterwards, you will receive me with honor.  (25)  Whom do I have in heaven but you? And with you, I lack nothing on earth.  (26)  My mind and body may fail; but God is the rock for my mind and my portion forever.  (27)  Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who adulterously leave you.  (28)  But for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made Adonai ELOHIM my refuge, so that I can tell of all your works.

  For when their death comes, it is painless; and meanwhile, their bodies are healthy. – This is simply how it looks to the Psalmist. We often make the same mistake thinking this as well, that others don’t have as many problems as we do. The truth is that all men have troubles. Sometimes we get to thinking that everyone else’ troubles seem easier than our own.

  An Example of this would be a story I once heard…
  A young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out he dropped to his knees in prayer. “Lord, I can’t go on,” he said. “I have too heavy a cross to bear.” The Lord replied, “My son, if you can’t bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then open that other door and pick out any cross you wish.” The young man was filled with relief. “Thank you Lord,” he sighed, and he did what he was told. Upon entering the other door, he saw many other crosses, some so large the tops weren’t even visible. Then he spotted a tiny cross leaning against the far wall. “I’d like that one Lord,” he whispered. And the Lord replied, “My son, that is the cross you just brought in.”

  Proverbs 27:20  Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

  They think that Adonai doesn’t see what they’re doing or that Adonai doesn’t care or that He can’t do anything about it, or worse of all, that He condones their actions. Never mistake the long-suffering of Adonai with any of these wrong conclusions.

  If this world is where your treasure is at that is where your heart will also be. You might as well eat, drink and be merry, because this is all there is for you. If your treasure is in Adonai, looking towards eternity, you will not be sorry. I will guarantee you this, all those who have died outside of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah), if they had the chance to do it all over again, they would live for Him, but you only get one chance, and that chance is while you are living, when you are dead there is no second chance.

  When he got back into fellowship with Adonai, into His Word, he saw the whole picture. The wicked are not getting away with anything in the end Adonai will judge them. He is looking at life through the eyes of eternity. Don’t become near-sighted. Look at the whole picture.

  The wicked are living in a type of fantasy. One day we’re all going to die and the fantasy will be over. It is like Disneyland. Disneyland is a wonderful place, but it’s a place filled with fantasy. Cartoon characters walk around and make the children happy, but when it is quitting time they go and take off their costume and go on with their life. The lives of people who are living in wickedness is just a fantasy. They are walking on unstable ground, dangling over the pit of hell without Yeshua. When they die the fantasy will be over. Receive Yeshua as your Messiah. Come out of the fantasy and come back to reality.

  All those who are spiritually unfaithful to Adonai, will perish. But believers need to draw near to Him as we go through trials we need to put our trust in Him. It is out of all that we can then, accurately and faithfully declare to others what Adonai has done in our life.

  Shalom

  • 11:29 am
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