The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God“. But the Bible tells us otherwise: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handy work” (Psalm 19:1)—Image via Photo Pincher
Photo via http://www.photopincher.wordpress.com
Photo via http://www.photopincher.wordpress.com
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;
and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord (Isaiah 54:17).
Maybe you have lost your job, your house is being foreclose, your credit cards are maxed out, the bills are piling up, and there is no end in sight. Regardless of your troubles hold on to God’s unchanging hand. Your current situation might be a test from God.
The Bible tells us about a man in the Land of Uz, named Job. (Read Job 1:1) Job was a man of substance, who was perfect and upright. He was a righteous man who feared God. He never did anything wrong, yet he suffered. Job lost everything he possessed, including his ten children. Further, he was stricken with a skin disease. His wife and some of his friends were adamant that his suffering was punishment from God. They encouraged him to curse God and die.
But Job was not a wishy-washy man of God. His faith was unshakable. The Bible says, in all his suffering, Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly. Job knew his earthly possession, including his family were gifts from God. After the death of his sons, he remarked, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
Job did not know his suffering was a test from God. However, he was confident he had not offended God. Therefore, he was certain that one day God would vindicate him when he stands before the Judgement Seat. Hence, he declared: “For I know that my redeemer lives and that he shall stand at the latter-day upon the earth” (Job 19:2 5).
In the end, God vindicated Job. His health returned, God blessed him with much more wealth than he ever had. His wife gave birth to ten more kids, and he lived for one hundred forty years afterwards. God rewarded Job for his faithfulness, and he will do the same for you and I.
Psalm 51 is a prayer of repentance. David prayed this prayer when the prophet Nathan went to him, after he had gone into Bathsheba.
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your loving-kindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
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