Tuesday 11 February 2014

Why did God let this happen to me?

Psalm 3

Psalms 3:1-3
1)  LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
2)  Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
3)  But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Have you ever been in serious trouble? Have you ever thought things just could not get any worse? At the same time all around you would have to agree, they may even say, 'why does God not do anything?', 'Maybe you have been judged and God will not help you!' This was the situation David found himself in when writing this psalm. His own son had seized the throne and was hunting him down!

For many unbelievers when things go right they say that they have done well, when things go wrong it is God's fault, or God does not exist, or he would have stopped this happening. They never stop to think what they did to cause the problem. As believers we fall into a similar trap. In bad times we cry out, God where are you? In good times we forget to praise him. How different is David's attitude. He was in the darkest days of his life. He could not see the hand of God at work, and all appeared to have deserted him, yet he knew that God is invincible and praised him regardless of his circumstance.

As you approach situations how do you react? We should do as David does in this psalm, look back at what God has already done. He has given you salvation, and has done all we read in the Bible. He rose from the dead defeating sin. No matter what you are facing today God is bigger, and his strength will never fail. Joseph spent thirty years in exile, in slavery and in jail before he saw that God was using him to provide for his family. God thinks long term. What about you?

Tuesday 4 February 2014

The last laugh

Psalm 2

Psalms 2:2-4
2)  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3)  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4)  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

How come our leaders in government are so corrupt, how come they even get into power when the Bible tells us that God sets those in authority? It is not so noticeable in our country, but in some places you would be justified in thinking the devil himself has sat down on the throne of power! And why, despite all our efforts are the laws of the land slowly changing against the word of God?

At every turn we see things getting worse. Petty politicians maneuvering to create their own little kingdoms of power and influence, new laws that are almost deliberately written to go against the word of God, and so on. The Bible tells us that this will happen, and will get worse until the end. We live in a country where it is now law that you cannot freely witness in the workplace, and where the Biblical pattern of marriage and family is the exception rather than the norm. You want to re-enact the lifestyle of Sodom and Gomorrah? The only thing stopping you is yourself.

God just laughs. Every politician thinking they have got in power by their own strength was placed there by God for his purposes. Every law and idea of man will fail, for it is God who has already triumphed. When he comes in judgement it is these same vain men who will be destroyed. Therefore, the time to repent is now. Forget the ways of the land, the ways of God are more important. Do not waste any opportunities to share the gospel, regardless of what people may say. On the last day they will thank you and praise God.