God Hurls!

Hurl - to throw or fling with force or violence, to cast down, to overthrow.



Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?

You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
                   Micah 7:18-19

Notes:

1. The prophet's name, Micah, actually means "Who is like Yahweh?" Here, in chapter 7, verses 18-19, he asks the question rhetorically: Who is like our God?  There is no one like our LORD - no other god, no other religion is like ours - the religion of grace and forgiveness!

2. He delights to show mercy. Not grudgingly, not hesitantly, not in response to our begging and pleading. It is in response to His very nature - He delights to show mercy.

He is not a reluctant forgiver. He is eager to apply the sacrifice of His Son to our lives. He is joyous in His forgiveness.

3. He hurls our sins away! This word picture shows us a God who
vigorously throws our sins out of sight - he doesn't just drop them over the side or even pitch them out to sea - He HURLS them - like something to be rid of and forgotten forever.

Corrie ten Boom once said about this passage, "And then God put up a sign saying, 'No fishing allowed!'"

She said this because she knew we have a tendency to 'go fishing' in that vast sea of forgiveness, attempting to drag up some past sin and renew its guilt in our lives.

We are not as serious about appropriating God's forgiveness as He is in extending it!

Instead of living in the sunshine of God's love and forgiveness, we too often live under the shadow of guilt.

That's a sign of unbelief - and unbelief is a sin that especially saddens the heart of God.

After all He has done to give us peace with Him - TODAY - focus on His forgiveness -- repeat the gospel to yourself all day! (After all, it is the good news!).

Get serious TODAY about receiving God's gift.

YES.... TODAY....RIGHT NOW.....


    And remember, "No Fishing Allowed"!

Blessednesses

My favorite verse today!  It's the answer for everything!

  "Blessed are those who have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted near a stream with roots that reach deep into the water. They are not bothered by heat or drought. Their leaves stay green and they never stop producing fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

 Perfect, right?

The first word is 'blessed.' It means 'supremely happy and fulfilled.' In Hebrew the word is actually plural -- there is no singular form. It describes a multiplicity of blessings or an intensification of them.

It is also the first word of Psalm 1, and so opens the entire Psalter. (Certainly fitting for the readers!) That verse could have been, correctly, translated, 'Oh the blessednesses of the man whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night.' (Psalm 1:1)

And it's in His Word, His law, that we find our 'hope and confidence.'

What are we compared to? A 'tree planted' -- purposefully, intentionally situated by the Master Gardener! We are not wild bushes that sprang up after a spring rain for a short life of painfully seeking moisture and nutrients. We have all we need to thrive and produce abundant fruit!

And that's not all. Look at Isaiah 61:3. He plants us, not as solo trees, but with others and so 'They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor!'

He has purposefully planted us where we are -- for our good and His glory! To 'display His splendor!'

Where are you planted? Look around you -- we are right where He planted us -- for our good and His glory! To display His splendor!

(Reminds me of the old phrase: 'Bloom where you are planted!')

I can't think of a better way to start the day!

Being Transformed and Renewed

                                                          

                                                      Being Transformed and Renewed

"Be transformed, by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2)

When the Spirit renews our minds, all of life  becomes an act of worship.

That's because the Spirit not only opens our eyes to see who Christ really is, but also breaks our hearts to see who we really are.

And rather than this being some deathly experience of unending humiliation, seeing ourselves as broken and in need of a Savior actually liberates us.

It frees us from self-absorption and throws us on the mercy of God with joyous gratitude and love.

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not by works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own  mercy, by the washing and regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior." (Titus 3:5)

                                                                   *****                                     

Now all of life has become an act of worship - every moment - every day --

The Revival in Wales

 

I am doing some research on a famous revival -- the revival in Wales 1904-5 -- dozens of books written about it, seminary classes devoted to teaching about it -- church history texts with many chapters written about it --  probably the most famous revival since Pentecost!

Likely started in a youth group -- over one hundred thousand people came to salvation in Christ in less than a year and peoples' lives dramatically changed forever!

As a result? Almost-empty bars were closed for lack of business!  Judges and attorneys reported that many courts were closed because of lack of law suits -- jails were emptied...general lack of criminal activity....and miners had to re-train their mules! 

Seriously! It was reported that most mules had been trained to respond to vulgar  commands and cursing! Repentant miners didn't want to use that language anymore and so the mules had  to be re-trained. Articles in newspapers gave helpful hints on how to re-train those 'stubborn" animals - really! The mules, and mulers, had to learn a new vocabulary!

We could probably use some new vocabulary these days! Let's pray for revival, but not just for the mulers!

We used to sing this revival hymn -- "I will pour water on him who is thirsty.  I will pour floods upon the dry ground - open your heart for the gift I am bringing -- While you are seeking Me I will be found!"

We are certainly dry and thirsty for Truth and Goodness these days!

We need a revival!

A prayer for revival today: "Lord, please pour out Your living water upon us and through us. Let us be fountains everywhere we go. May Your light and joy that shines within us overflow and slip over into everyone we have contact with today! Revive us, O Lord!"

What Did Jonah Know?

What Did Jonah Know?

When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, O LORD, and my prayer rose to You, in Your holy temple.

Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

But I, with a voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

Salvation comes from the LORD.  Jonah 2:7-9

                  "With a voice of thanksgiving..."

What did Jonah have to be thankful about?

Here he was in the belly of a great fish, in the midst of a great ocean, facing certain death.

Jonah was not thankful because God had delivered him from his dire circumstances, because God had not yet delivered him.

He didn't even know that God was going to deliver him.

What Jonah was thankful for was that God had turned him from rebellion and had caused him to return to Himself  - to call on His Name once again.

He was thankful for salvation and for the abiding presence of God.

Jonah had recognized his sin, had repented, and turned back to God.


He 'did not forfeit the grace that could be his'....

In the first part of his prayer he had said, "In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry"  (Jonah 2:2).

Jonah had re-discovered grace in the midst of his terrifying circumstances.

"I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple," he says (verse 4).

It is at this point that great miracles are performed.

Not just when something catastrophic happens and history is altered and redirected. Not just when bodies are brought back to life or when plagues are averted.

The greatest miracles occur when a person comes to the knowledge, and acknowledges, his sin and confesses it to God, and when, God, in response, restores that person to His Creator-creature, covenant relationship.

"Salvation comes from the LORD," Jonah confidently cried, knowing that no matter what the outcome he would see the salvation of the Lord.

The story of Jonah is well-known. It is the story of a man who was sent on a special mission by His God and King, and he disobeyed, received punishment and re-direction, and then became obedient.

Read his entire (short) prayer from the belly of the fish in the Old Testament, the book of Jonah, chapter 2.

It's also my prayer, and perhaps yours, too.

Don't 'forfeit the grace that could be yours'.....