Post by Les Brewer on Aug 20, 2020 15:36:35 GMT
HIS MERCY THEN HIS GRACE:
God knows the heart and God knows the whole truth about us: God can touch the most despicable heart and change it forever! If you’ve never strayed from the path: cast the first stone; but if you know you’ve strayed from the path and repented; give the first hug! God is a God of Restoration: he restores everything that you lost when you repent wholeheartedly.
God in his wisdom will bring about situations and circumstances to a backsliding people which will cause them to take seriously their sin and rebellion; then bring them to a place of repentance; because he is a God of mercy. The seventh chapter of Micah shows us this dynamic concerning the children of Israel: the scenario is speaking first the Prophet confessing the sins of the nation. He is explaining the truth of a wayward people who have become comfortable in their sins; a people who feel there is no price to pay for their sins. But then changes the narrative and speaks of the judgment the sinner and the resulting perplexity and breakdown of relationships because of that rebellious attitude. God infinite wisdom and action brings about the reality of rebellions course to their own demise; and abandon that sin to acquire God’s mercy.
(9) I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Micah 7:9 KJV
Humility is again acquired and exercised and total trust in the Lord is restored. The people were not merely remorseful but repent-full; they weren’t for suffering for their sins but sorry they had hurt God in the process of sinning. God knows the difference and responds to the penitent heart. When we are truly penitent about our sins we are willing to receive the correction or the judgment of God for those sins. We have an advocate with the Father who ever lives to intercede for our sins when repent of those sins. He beseeches the Father to pardon us when we come to him in humility and repentance.
Sin breaks down relationships and gives room for the devil; once he succeeds in breaking down those relationships then all manner of sin is able to subdue and overtake the people who are not by all means walking in the flesh; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy anything that is good and godly in our lives if he can entrap us through the carnality of the old man. A breakdown in family dynamics that turns into family dysfunction or malfunction in relationship to one another: Micah says our staunch enemies will those of our household. But God!
(7) Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 KJV
When we realize that we’ve been in rebellion we have recourse; we can look to the Lord who saves, heals, and delivers us; and in that moment of reality and honesty he will hear us and beacon to pleads of repentance and mercy. As we wait upon him through prayer and meditation.
(18) Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
(19) He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
(20) Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. Micah 7:18-20 KJV
Brethren we are living in times of perplexity and times of delusion! Many in the body of Christ have forsaken holiness to live in blatant sin and rebellion; we need the kind of revelation the book of Micah brings to bear in the seventh chapter. I am struck by the words of the Prophet Micah and the revelation of grace in the Old Testament. In modern speech verse eighteen would read somewhat like this: Who is a God like our God; he pardons iniquity, he overlooks transgression for the remnant of his inheritance; he doesn’t stay mad forever and he delights to extend mercy to his repentant children. Brethren; then he cast all those sins into the depths of the sea! If you cast a stone into the sea it sinks to be seen no more: in other words he doesn’t remember those sins against us anymore! Then he will perform the truth to us or make it apparent again because sin blinds us and deceives us. He will wash away our sins through the blood of Jesus and give us mercy instead of just deserts. God is not a man or the son of man that he should lie; what he promises he shall surely bring to pass. Selah
D. Ray Ritchie
God knows the heart and God knows the whole truth about us: God can touch the most despicable heart and change it forever! If you’ve never strayed from the path: cast the first stone; but if you know you’ve strayed from the path and repented; give the first hug! God is a God of Restoration: he restores everything that you lost when you repent wholeheartedly.
God in his wisdom will bring about situations and circumstances to a backsliding people which will cause them to take seriously their sin and rebellion; then bring them to a place of repentance; because he is a God of mercy. The seventh chapter of Micah shows us this dynamic concerning the children of Israel: the scenario is speaking first the Prophet confessing the sins of the nation. He is explaining the truth of a wayward people who have become comfortable in their sins; a people who feel there is no price to pay for their sins. But then changes the narrative and speaks of the judgment the sinner and the resulting perplexity and breakdown of relationships because of that rebellious attitude. God infinite wisdom and action brings about the reality of rebellions course to their own demise; and abandon that sin to acquire God’s mercy.
(9) I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Micah 7:9 KJV
Humility is again acquired and exercised and total trust in the Lord is restored. The people were not merely remorseful but repent-full; they weren’t for suffering for their sins but sorry they had hurt God in the process of sinning. God knows the difference and responds to the penitent heart. When we are truly penitent about our sins we are willing to receive the correction or the judgment of God for those sins. We have an advocate with the Father who ever lives to intercede for our sins when repent of those sins. He beseeches the Father to pardon us when we come to him in humility and repentance.
Sin breaks down relationships and gives room for the devil; once he succeeds in breaking down those relationships then all manner of sin is able to subdue and overtake the people who are not by all means walking in the flesh; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy anything that is good and godly in our lives if he can entrap us through the carnality of the old man. A breakdown in family dynamics that turns into family dysfunction or malfunction in relationship to one another: Micah says our staunch enemies will those of our household. But God!
(7) Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Micah 7:7 KJV
When we realize that we’ve been in rebellion we have recourse; we can look to the Lord who saves, heals, and delivers us; and in that moment of reality and honesty he will hear us and beacon to pleads of repentance and mercy. As we wait upon him through prayer and meditation.
(18) Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
(19) He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
(20) Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. Micah 7:18-20 KJV
Brethren we are living in times of perplexity and times of delusion! Many in the body of Christ have forsaken holiness to live in blatant sin and rebellion; we need the kind of revelation the book of Micah brings to bear in the seventh chapter. I am struck by the words of the Prophet Micah and the revelation of grace in the Old Testament. In modern speech verse eighteen would read somewhat like this: Who is a God like our God; he pardons iniquity, he overlooks transgression for the remnant of his inheritance; he doesn’t stay mad forever and he delights to extend mercy to his repentant children. Brethren; then he cast all those sins into the depths of the sea! If you cast a stone into the sea it sinks to be seen no more: in other words he doesn’t remember those sins against us anymore! Then he will perform the truth to us or make it apparent again because sin blinds us and deceives us. He will wash away our sins through the blood of Jesus and give us mercy instead of just deserts. God is not a man or the son of man that he should lie; what he promises he shall surely bring to pass. Selah
D. Ray Ritchie
