He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8
Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; A man’s enemies are the men of his own household. Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. Micah 5-7
A great light from heaven shone around me. And heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Acts 22:6-8
Read at – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah%206,7;%20Acts%2022&version=NKJV
Micah 6 “the Lord … will contend” – “O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.” – I redeemed you from the house of bondage; That you may know the righteousness of the Lord.”
Lord God, Maker of the Universe, You are SO Humble!! You are forever nominating Yourself, challenging us to turn to You, the One Who Loves us the Best. You are relentless to me and others, not to let us get more deceived, blind and side tracked away living an Eternal Life with You here and now. 1
The Lord’s voice cries, Hear the rod! Deceitful weights? Spoken lies, Therefore I will also make you sick, making you desolate because of your sins. You shall sow, but not reap. Micah 6
You go through greatest lengths to have me “come to my senses”. Lord Jesus, you don’t quit pursuing, even to bring me to the end of myself to realize You are already there waiting for my surrender with Your open arms!! Luke 15:11-32
Micah 7 Woe is me! The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; … successfully do evil with both hands— The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together. Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
Lord, I am in great turmoil. The person I trusted is not trustworthy. The lies and deceit are severe. The effect on my trusting any person is great. Woe is me. My heart is undone. I cannot approach them because of their wrath and defensive posture for revenge. Only You are the God of my salvation in Whom I place my trust.
Where am I to go when I am betrayed? To You, Lord Jesus Who Never betrays anyone. To my Damascus Road so many years ago and no farther. Great Joy bubbles up by Your Holy Spirit as I consider Your Love and Faithfulness, my LORD. You encountered me that day undeniably Lord Jesus! And You have continued to tangibly affect my life daily since. Oh, “The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy.” Psalm 111:7 2
Father, Your Scriptures are True and Sound; The Sure Rock for my feet, my Reference Point for action, my sole/soul Foundation. “The entirety of Your word is truth”Psalm 119:160
How may I serve one who lies to me? The one who is entrusted into my care, for me to love them in Truth? Lord Jesus, Your Word tells me what to do and how to do it. I will encase myself in Your heart and thoughts to shut out all else. I will love You above all, so that You can bless others without me being a people pleaser. 3
Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. Micah 7
Acts 22 Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid,
Saul said, I “taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, …, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.. And when the blood of martyr Stephen was shed, I was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.” Acts 22 Saul was a Religious Terrorist, a hunter and murderer of people who followed Jesus Christ.
NO SIN, not murder, blasphemy, lying, cheating, adultery, beating, raping, stealing, mocking or worse IS BEYOND the Hope of the sin-removing Atonement Blood of Jesus Christ. No person is beyond the reach of Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ. The only person who can block God from forgiving AND removing sin and evil in my own heart and mind is me. The same is for true for you, dear Reader. 4
If You can save me from the just eternal punishment that I deserve for offending You, Holy God, and also continue the Good work You began in me to bring to completion verse – and fulfill what You have planned for me from the beginning – Then, Lord God please do it for everyone who lies, deceives, and destroys. Dear Reader, please take the step of faith and hope needed for Your life to change and have purpose for eternity with the True Living God. 5
May the one who betrayed me be renewed in mind and repent in their heart to You, my King. May they testify: When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness. Micah 7
Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old. Micah 7
The painful effect of someone’s sin on me is Great, dear Father. I shelter myself in Your Truth and Promises!! Alert me to the pain which my sins cause other people, near and far, so I will not sin. Amen Psalm 51
Bible Insights –
1- Genesis 1; Job 38-42; John 3:15-16; John 4:13-26; Matthew 19:29; John 10:28; John 17:3; Romans 6:23,
2- Psalm 41:9; John 13:21; Luke 22:47-48
3 – Matthew 10:32-39, John 15, Romans12:1-2, Colossians3:23-24
Crystal (PsalmThirty4)
Sixty-six books in a year 