GOD HAS HIDDEN HIS FACE?!
I have remarked regularly that one of the reasons I love the Scripture is because it is real. It tells the truth. The Word of God does not candy coat or paint reality with soft colors and muted scenes. It really does ‘tell it like it is.’ Life is difficult and one often finds him/herself asking the question, “Where is God in all this?! I have prayed and He remains silent and, seemingly, aloof. Does He not care?”
In today’s reading a couple of the texts speak to the harsh realities of life. In Psalm 10 the psalmist asks, “Why do you stand afar off, Lord? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (v. 1) All of us have faced times like this….it is part of our human experience. Life challenges, beats us down and abandons us to seeming defeat. The psalmist says he feels that the wicked prosper and the righteous struggle… the opposite of what he believes should occur. These rebels even boast that they will not face ‘adversity.’ That is contained in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Paul writes in Romans 1, that wicked humanity worships the creature rather than the Creator. People burn with lust for relationships they are commanded to avoid. And these rebels do not seemingly face immediate consequence….but God does ‘give them over.’ God steps back and allows their ‘dreams to come true’ but their ‘dreams’ are, in reality, ‘nightmares’ which will end in awakening to a solitary, Godless, painful, falling in judgment.
While God is ‘kind, tolerant and patient’ (Romans 2:4), He will one day ‘render to each person according to his deeds.’ The day of reckoning is quickly approaching and perfect justice will be experienced on that day. There will be no more enriching the unrighteous or persecuting the pure. Hearts and motives will be exposed and Jesus will be glorified in His people. Do not think that He does not care or is not interested in your lifestyle, your thoughts or your relationships. He is watching and waiting and very much involved….whether you ‘feel Him’ or not.
In today’s reading a couple of the texts speak to the harsh realities of life. In Psalm 10 the psalmist asks, “Why do you stand afar off, Lord? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (v. 1) All of us have faced times like this….it is part of our human experience. Life challenges, beats us down and abandons us to seeming defeat. The psalmist says he feels that the wicked prosper and the righteous struggle… the opposite of what he believes should occur. These rebels even boast that they will not face ‘adversity.’ That is contained in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Paul writes in Romans 1, that wicked humanity worships the creature rather than the Creator. People burn with lust for relationships they are commanded to avoid. And these rebels do not seemingly face immediate consequence….but God does ‘give them over.’ God steps back and allows their ‘dreams to come true’ but their ‘dreams’ are, in reality, ‘nightmares’ which will end in awakening to a solitary, Godless, painful, falling in judgment.
While God is ‘kind, tolerant and patient’ (Romans 2:4), He will one day ‘render to each person according to his deeds.’ The day of reckoning is quickly approaching and perfect justice will be experienced on that day. There will be no more enriching the unrighteous or persecuting the pure. Hearts and motives will be exposed and Jesus will be glorified in His people. Do not think that He does not care or is not interested in your lifestyle, your thoughts or your relationships. He is watching and waiting and very much involved….whether you ‘feel Him’ or not.
by Curt Krohn, Senior Pastor
Posted in Read Through the Bible
Recent
Archive
2024
January
A FRESH STARTPOSTURE OF FAITHHEAVENLY BODIESTHE BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUSI AM WILLINGGOD'S SOVEREIGNTY OVERRULES MAN'S DYSFUNCTIONJESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATHLIVE OUT WELL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUSHOLD IT CLOSEOPEN MY EYESWHO DO PEOPLE SAY WE ARE?NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GODWHAT IS YOUR IDOL?GOD'S CHOOSING
February
March
2023
January
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVILWHAT KIND OF FRUIT DO YOU HAVE?GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SONPEACE IS A FUNCTION OF FOCUSTHE HEALING POWER OF JESUSGOD CALLS YOU BY NAMESMOKE AND MIRRORSBE A LIGHTWISE WORDSEXODUSCHOOSING THE RIGHT PATHGOD SEES AND HEARSWHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM?WARNING AGAINST FOLLY
February
March
HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUTHE PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETYIT'S THE LITTLE THINGSBE ALERTMY GOD IS NOT TOO SMALLWHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN NOT TO SPEAKGOD IS GRACIOUS TO USKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUTSTAND STRONG FOR YOUR FAITHOUR HOPEDO I DO WHAT THE LORD ASKS OF ME?DON'T BE A SCHEMERA TREASURE HUNTLISTEN AND FOLLOWWORDS OF COMFORT OR WARNINGTHE POSSESSOR OCCUPIES AND FILLS THE POSSESSEDUNDIVIDED LOYALTY TO GODONE CONCESSION STAND
April
OUR GOD IS HOLY AND JUSTA CAUSE FOR OBEDIENCETELL THE COMING GENERATIONTHE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOLSHINE YOUR FACE UPON USLISTEN UP!CHECK WITH GOD FIRST - HE KNOWS MORE THAN WE DOPSALM 86THAT IS ENOUGH SAIDDO YOU REMEMBER?TRANSITIONSSERVE ONE ANOTHERPROVERBS“Insignificant Does Not Equal Insignificant” (Judges 6)
May
JESUS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!FINISHING WELLARE YOU THE TEACHER OF ISRAEL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS?FORGETTING GOD IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTHREPENTANCE BRINGS MERCYGOD'S SOVEREIGN TIMING IS ALWAYS RIGHTWHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?A GODLY FATHERJESUS CARES FOR US - HE'S OUR SHEPHERDWHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?CARELESS SPEECHCONTINUE TO SERVE GODUNDIGNIFIED, HUMILIATED, AND GLORIFYING GOD!CLEAR PROMISES
No Comments