Remember taking a “hard test” in school? This week in “Digging Deeper: Discovery Bible Study” via Zoom Webinar we’ll be “digging deep” in the Bible for “truth for life” from Abraham’s “Test” in Genesis 22. Don’t miss it – Tuesday, 3 p.m. CST (or whenever is convenient… each study is recorded)!!! Register and log on at: https://bibleengagementproject.com/diggingdeeper?fbclid=IwAR0GI4STwPyODUZD_HKUUaI6dYd1lHLMzTGNXl4FJ4lCpgraG0m5JiGWSYU
Are you frightened… concerned… worried about the condition of things – how they will end up? You see disaster and judgment on the horizon and are frankly alarmed.
If you have placed your life in God’s hands – if you are trusting Him and seeking to honor and please Him, let me be a voice for the Lord that whispers in your ear today… There is hope! He is in control! God is not wringing His hands!
I read about it this morning in Zephaniah’s prophecy. In His time, Zephaniah spoke prophetically to both the righteous and unrighteous in Jerusalem! But the truth that he declared applies to us today in our world…
First of all, God warned the unrighteous of coming judgment…
“Woe to the oppressors rebellious and defiled. They obey no one, they accept no correction. They do not trust in the Lord – they do not draw near to God… officials, rulers, prophets and priests! The whole world will be consumed by the fire of My jealous anger!”
But Zephaniah affirmed… “The Lord is righteous! He does no wrong. Morning by morning He dispenses justice! Every new day He does not fail!”
Then Zephaniah spoke God’s word of hope to the “righteous remnant” of his time…
“I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord! Those who are left shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue…None shall make them afraid.
“Sing aloud…Rejoice and exult with all your heart! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies.! The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil! On that day it shall be said: ‘Fear not! Let not your hands grow weak! The Lord your God is in your midst, the Mighty One who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with singing!’”
This was a reliable word in Zephaniah’s time… It can be depended upon for our time as well! There is hope! God is still in control! Take heart!
(Taken from Zephaniah 3)
My ol’ German dad had a standard saying about several “medicinal” products… (and in an attempt to reproduce his accent here goes)… He’d say, “Goot fer vat ailes ya!”
One of those products was Absorbine Horse Liniment” … Now we bought it to treat minor ailments for animals on the farm, but Dad also used it to treat minor ailments in the HOME!… and believe me, it was used all the way from a pulled muscle, mosquito bite, to internal issues (sweetened with sugar, of course)
“Good for what ails you!” – I read a passage this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord (and supported by another passage) that makes the same point about prayer – James 5:13-16! Here it is…
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
So…
– If you’re suffering – PRAY!
– If you’re happy – Praise in your PRAYER!
– If you’re sick – call godly people and get them to PRAY for you!
– If you’ve sinned – acknowledge your sin and get a fellow Christian to PRAY for you!
Oh, and if I missed anything, here’s the other verse…
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand! His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (From Philippians 4:6–7 NLT)
PRAYER… “Good for what ails you!”
Coffee With The Lord 