I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me

I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me

Scripture: But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.       Micah 7:7-8

Observation: In Micah 7, the first 6 verses paint a terrible picture of the condition of Israel. Farmers go their vineyards to gather fruit but find none. Rulers and judges demand bribes. Everyone lies in wait to take advantage of each other. There is no one anyone can trust. Even family members – father and son, daughter and mother-in-law become enemies. In spite of this dreary backdrop, we see a glimpse of great hope in the words of Micah, which he speaks even on behalf of Israel.

Consider the words “But as for me”. This shows a contrast between the attitude of Micah and the rest of Israel. The people in Israel have lost faith and hope. They take matters into their own hands in a dog eat dog world. It is everyone for himself, and survival of the fittest. But Micah does not turn to evil or selfishness for survival. In this passage, we can learn three powerful things about the actions of Micah.  

Firstly, Micah watches in hope for the Lord. Watching is a powerful word. It speaks of vision. Though there is nothing Micah can see with his physical eyes, he continues to watch in faith that the Lord will come and deliver. In watching, there is an expectancy of salvation and deliverance. As the Scripture tells us, faith is the substance of things not seen yet hoped for. Paul exhorts us to fix our eyes not on things which are seen which is temporary but things which are unseen, which is eternal.

Secondly, Micah waits for God his Savior. Waiting speaks of patience and perseverance. He further exclaims “my God will hear me” which shows us that Micah is waiting as he prays. The discipline of waiting and prayer is not an easy one but yields great rewards. In the garden of Gethsemane, the Lord exhorted his disciples to watch and pray so that they would not fall into temptation, and was disappointed that they fell asleep.

Finally, Micah did not let circumstances discourage him but continued to hope in the future. Though he had fallen, he saw himself rising. Though he was in darkness, he continued to believe that the Lord would become his light.   

Application: Like Micah who watched in hope for the Lord, we too must learn to watch likewise. Sometimes we may lose our vision, and we may need to close our eyes and see with our spiritual eyes, putting our hope in our Lord in Heaven even if we do not see him physically here on earth.

Also, we would do well to cultivate a discipline of waiting and prayer. In this we need great patience and perseverance, but as we do this, our faith will grow stronger, and our confidence that “my God will hear me”.

Finally, we may be facing difficult circumstances and feel like we have fallen into a hole and can only see darkness. Do not lose hope but believe in the Lord – that He will become our light, that He will lift us up in due time.

Prayer: Father Lord, open my eyes that I might see You. Let me not look only at temporary things, but let me learn to look beyond at the things unseen, the eternal things that are of true value. Give me strength and discipline O Lord to learn to spend time in waiting and prayer with You. O Lord, You are my strength, even when I fall. You are my light, even when I walk in darkness. My hope will be in You forever. In Jesus name, Amen.

Remember

Remember

Scripture: “Listen to what the LORD says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. Hear, you mountains, the LORD’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel. “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD Micah 6:1-5

Observation: In this portion of Scripture we are given an interesting picture of a heavenly courtroom. The LORD is the aggrieved party, taking up a case against His people Israel. The witnesses or perhaps the jury are said to be the mountains, the hills and the everlasting foundations of the earth. The prosecuting lawyer is the prophet Micah. What is the charge? It is basically forsaking the Lord and His ways.

The Lord reminds His people how He brought them out from Egypt and redeemed them from the land of slavery. He reminds them of Moses, Aaron and Miriam, the legendary heroes in Israel’s history who led Israel out of Egypt together. He also reminds them in particular of how He turned Balaam’s curses into great blessings when Balak plotted against them. Next, the Lord reminds them of their journey from Shittim, where they fell into sexual immorality with Moabite women to Gilgal, where the new generation of Israel circumcised themselves before entering and conquering the promised land in Canaan.

Application: The Scripture tells us that the life of the Israelites and the events of the Old Testament occurred as an example for us who are under the new covenant. Just like God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and redeemed them from the land of slavery, God redeemed us from our life of slavery to sin through the sacrifice of His precious Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Why did God save us? He saved us to be set apart for Himself as His people, belonging to Him through Jesus Christ. Many of us, like the Israelites, despite being saved, could have fallen back to old, sinful ways again. We may go to church on Sunday to worship God, and may even serve Him in Cell and various ministries. However, if we do not practice justice, mercy and faithfulness, it is like making sacrifices without living righteous lives that does not please the Lord. In remaining faithful to the Lord, a key word is “Remember”. We need to remember how Jesus died on the cross for us and provided the way for us to be saved. That’s why Holy Communion is so important. It brings us back to our initial point of salvation, when we remember our forgiveness of sins through His great sacrifice and the eternal life He has prepared for us.

The writer of Hebrews warns us gravely that for those who deliberate keep on sinning, there is no sacrifice of sins left. We should not take our salvation for granted, but remember the first generation of Israelites who although saved from Egypt, were not thankful and not faithful to the Lord and perished in the desert, never reaching the promised land.

Prayer:  Father Lord, I thank You and praise You for Your great love to us. Lord Jesus, You have redeemed us from sin and given us eternal life. Let me never take You for granted O Lord, but truly value and appreciate Your great salvation every day. Deliver me from evil and keep me on the path everlasting. Keep my heart from sin, and let me ever seek Your justice, mercy and faithfulness in my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

Like dew from the Lord

Like dew from the Lord

Scripture:

Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:1-2

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. Micah 5:4

The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on man. Micah 5:7

Observation:

The first passage is a powerful direct prophecy of the coming Messiah, our Lord Jesus. Born in a manger in the little town of Bethlehem, the Lord Himself, the Ancient of Days, came to earth to become a man, like you and me, that He might be the Savior of the World. He was before all things and only through Him were all things made. Yet, the Lord Jesus suffered tremendously and died for our sins that we might have eternal life. Just as Micah prophesied that they would strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod, this came true as recorded in Matthew 27:30 which told how the Roman soldiers struck Jesus’ head again and again with a staff.

In the second passage, we see the Lord Jesus standing strong as Shepherd over His people in the strength and majesty of the Lord. Under the millennial reign, when the Lord will rule all over the earth, His people will live securely and be at peace. How comforting to think of our Lord as our Shepherd who leads us to green pastures and quiet waters.

In the third passage, the remnant of Jacob is likened to dew from the Lord, showers on the grass that greet the morning. Like the Lord’s mercy and faithfulness, the dew comes every morning. It is the Lord that brings life and sustains, regardless of whatever man does on the earth.

Application:

Praise God for His prophecies, that strengthen our faith. Meditate on our Lord Jesus, who came down to earth as a little infant, born to give His life for the salvation of mankind. Praise and bless Him for His willingness to suffer and die for our sake. May we always appreciate His deep sacrifice for us. Picture our Lord Jesus as our strong Shepherd, watching over us, leading us to green pastures and quiet waters. Praise the Lord for His gentle love. Think of the dew that comes every morning and remember the Lord’s faithfulness, praising Him for giving us life.

Prayer:

Praise You, O Father in Heaven, for Your Word is ever true. Thank You, O Lord for Your prophecy that confirms to us Your righteousness and truth. Bless You, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth for our sake, to die for our sins, that we might receive eternal life. May our hearts always appreciate Your great sacrifice for us. You are our Strong and Gentle Shepherd O Lord. You lead us by quiet waters, by green pastures. You are faithful and just and Your mercies are new every morning. I will ever lift up My soul to You O Lord in praise. In Jesus name, Amen.

The highest of the mountains

The highest of the mountains

Scripture: In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”

The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken.

All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. I will make the lame my remnant, those driven away a strong nation. The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.

Micah 4:1-7

Observation: Micah 4 gives us a marvelous prophecy of the millennial reign spoken about in Revelation, where our Lord Jesus will come down and reign in Jerusalem for 1,000 years.

In the first passage, we see that the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of all mountains. In Revelation 6, at the great day of the Lord’s coming, it is written that every mountain will be removed from its place. Somehow, the end result of the end-time powerful tectonic movements would be the mountain of the Lord becoming the highest of all mountains. We are given a further picture of many nations coming up this mountain to learn from God. The principle here is the Lord teaching the nations and the nations walking in His paths. There is a teaching and a doing. For us today, the principle is the same, we learn from God’s Word not just for head knowledge, but for practical application. James reminds us of the importance of looking intently into God’s law and then going away and doing what it says. If we do not, we are likened to a man who looks at himself in a mirror and then goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

In the second passage, we see the law of the Lord, the Word of God going out from Zion. The whole world will be under the Lord’s rule, and strong nations far and wide will come to Him for judgment and settlement of disputes. There will be no more war, but peace in all the nations. The Lord is our Prince of Peace, and He will bring lasting peace upon the earth. Today, as we wait for his coming, our role is to seek peace, as it is written, blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God.

In the final passage, we see a cry by the prophet Micah that he and his people will walk in the name of the Lord forever even if other nations follow other gods. This call is for us too, to be loyal to our Lord Jesus always, even if others turn away and follow other gods. The passage further highlights that the Lord will gather the lame and the driven away, making them a strong nation. In the Beatitudes, the Lord declares that blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Those who are strong and powerful in their own eyes, who think they don’t need God, will not be exalted in this coming kingdom. Instead, it will be the meek, the lowly, the humble, whom God will lift up and establish in His perfect kingdom.

Application: Remember that God teaches us so that we can walk in His ways. We are to be not only hearers of the Word but doers also.  Remember that the Lord is the Prince of Peace. We who follow Him must also love peace, pray for peace and endeavor to bring peace wherever we go in our lives. Be loyal to the Lord always, even when others are not. Remember to be meek and humble before the Lord who detests the proud.

Prayer: Blessed be Your Word O Lord, which teaches us Your ways perfectly. Teach me and give me the strength to walk in Your ways always. Let me not be only a hearer of Your Word but a doer. Praise You, Lord Jesus, for You are the Prince of Peace. Let my heart love peace always, and teach me to be a peacemaker. Let my heart stay ever true to You alone O God, even if others fall, let me never forsake You. Forgive my pride O Lord, teach me humility and meekness in You. May Your name be praised forever. In Jesus name, Amen.

I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord

I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord

Scripture:

Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done. Micah 3:4

This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead my people astray,
they proclaim ‘peace’ if they have something to eat, but prepare to wage war against anyone who refuses to feed them. Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them. Micah 3:5-6

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin. Micah 3:8

Observation:

In the first passage, we are given a picture of the leaders and rulers of Israel crying out to God in vain. There is no answer. The Lord hides his face from them. The reason is clearly stated in the verse – because of the evil they have done. One key verse in the New Testament springs to mind. “Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14. All of us are sinners. All of us have gone astray, as the Psalmist says. However, the Lord has laid on Him (our Lord Jesus), the iniquity of us all. Jesus has become our righteousness. Only in His righteousness can we be saved. Yet, are we free to live carelessly and sinfully because His righteousness saves us? No, “we are to make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14) We must not be deceived. Grace is not a license to sin, but it is our destiny and purpose after we are saved to grow in the Lord from glory to glory, led by the Holy Spirit. If we persist in following evil, taking God’s grace for granted, He will finally hide His face from us. The Lord is holy. Those who persist in sin cannot have fellowship with Him.

In the second passage, the Lord rebukes the prophets who lead God’s people astray by proclaiming peace for the sake of personal benefit. Many preach a gospel of prosperity and extravagant blessing, and masses flock to them. Their focus is on worldly things, on enjoying the things of the world now. In contrast, the Lord Himself exhorted us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Worldly blessings thought not wrong are secondary. The primary purpose is extending God’s kingdom, and seeking righteousness. Seeking righteousness is not trying to be saved by works, it is about learning to live in the way Jesus wants us to, guided by the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist exhorted “produce fruit in keeping with repentance”. Repentance means to turn around, to change one’s mind. When we repent, we turn our hearts and minds from purely doing things our own ways, being focused on our own benefits and instead become focused on what the Lord wants, and how we can best serve Him and extend His kingdom. We turn away from being self-focused to become Jesus-focused. Does your gospel teach you to focus first on your own needs and blessings or to focus on the Lord Jesus and seeking God’s righteousness? 

In the third passage, we see that Micah was filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord. The Holy Spirit who is with us is our source of dynamic power and strength. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit “ says the Lord. The Spirit of God is so powerful that nothing in all creation can ever measure up to Him. The verse further declares that accompanying God’s Spirit is justice and might. Justice and righteousness are hallmarks of God. When we seek justice and righteousness, the Spirit is pleased and is there with us in our work. When we neglect justice and allow corruption and favoritism to come in, it grieves the Spirit. What was the purpose of Micah being filled with power? To declare to Israel her sins and transgressions! The Word of God is like a two-edged sword, dividing through joints and marrow, soul and spirit, judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The Word of God used rightly has great power to expose what is false, and examine the sincerity of each heart. 

Application: Remember that without holiness no one will see the Lord. Therefore, seek to be holy, depending on the Holy Spirit to help us. Beware of those who preach popular messages and say things people like to hear. We are to always seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Know that the Holy Spirit is there with us. He is all-powerful and mighty, enabling us to overcome all things as we hope in Jesus. Seek to always do what is right and just and fair in all our dealings.

Prayer: O Lord, Your Word is true. Without holiness, no one will see You. I am unable to do what is right in my own strength, but let Your Holy Spirit empower me that I might live a righteous and holy life in Your sight. Give me wisdom and discernment to identify and reject false teachings. Bless You O Lord, O  Holy Spirit for Your great power and justice. Live in Me, Holy Spirit. Lead me, that I might live a life worthy of God’s calling. Fill me with Your Power. In Jesus name, Amen.

I will surely gather all of you

I will surely gather all of you

Scripture:

Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance. Micah 2:1-2

If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people! Micah 2:11

“I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people. The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out.
Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.” Micah 2:13

Observation:

In the second chapter of Micah, the Lord begins by admonishing those who plan iniquity and sin in their beds and carry it out the next day, cheating others of their property. When there is no god, it is a dog-eat-dog world, where anything goes in the name of survival. Competition is high and there are no morals when it comes to gaining an advantage at the expense of others. In other cases, politicians and immoral leaders use their positions to obtain ill-gotten gain, squandering the people's money for their own interest. The word of God proclaims “Woe to such as these”.Judgment will be upon them who plan to do evil and then go ahead and fulfill their evil desires. In total opposite, the teaching of Christ instead exhorts us to do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Next, the Lord admonishes the false prophets, who are master at telling people what they want to hear. In this day and age, the prosperity gospel is exactly what the lovers of money want to hear. When someone preaches, “When you have Jesus, get ready to be rich, to get gold and prosperity!”, beware! There are those who are masters at manipulating certain parts of Scripture to tell the masses what they like to hear. The more challenging parts of Scripture are instead considered to be addressed at unbelievers. They even claim that the teachings of Jesus on righteous living are the law not applicable under the covenant of grace” Jesus did not promise following Him would be easy, but that He would always be with us. In this life, until Jesus comes, we will never be completely perfect, but as we walk after Him in obedience, we will grow more and more like Him, as the Holy Spirit helps us.

Finally, at the end of the chapter, the Lord encourages Israel,speaking of a time when He will bring together the remnant, and lead them as their King. The return of Israel onto the world scene in 1948 is the beginning of the fulfilment of this promise, and as prophesied, the Lord will come in the near future to become King not only of Israel but all the earth!

Application: In a world of ruthless competition and selfish opportunism, we differentiate ourselves by seeking to do unto others as we would have others do unto us. We need to guard ourselves not to fall into the thinking of the world that seeks primarily after selfishness without consideration of others. As Jesus warned, there would be many false prophets in the last days. Beware of those who preach a different Jesus, who preach a gospel of effortlessness and blessing without the requirement of obedience. We must be on guard. Even the elect can be deceived. Praise God for the restoration of Israel which He prophesied and has begun to bring to fullness. Remember that the Lord will also come to lead us as a Shepherd leads the sheep.

Prayer: Father God, in a world of selfishness and greed, give me a different spirit, that seeks to follow Your righteousness. Teach me to do unto others as I would have others do unto me. Guard my heart and give me wisdom to resist false teachings. Praise You O Lord for the restoration of Israel which You have begun. Continue to bring Israel's destiny in You to fruition, and always be my Lord and Shepherd too. In Jesus name,Amen.

Hear, you peoples,all of you, listen

Hear, you peoples,all of you, listen

Scripture:
Hear, you peoples, all of you,listen, earth and all who live in it, that the Sovereign LORD may bear witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. Look! The LORD is coming from his dwelling place; he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth. The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, ike wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope. Micah 1:2-4

Because of this I will weep and wail; I will go about barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal
and moan like an owl. For Samaria’s plague is incurable; it has spread to Judah. It has reached the very gate of my people, even to Jerusalem itself. Micah 1:8-9

Observation: Micah means “Who is like Jehovah?” In a time when Israel, Samaria and Judah have become relatively wealthy, a lot of sinful influence has come in, especially idolatry and sexual immorality. As a result, the consequence of sin and wickedness brings judgment from our righteous God and the role of the prophet Micah is to bring a grave warning to the people.
Starting off, Micah speaks to all the people of the earth by focusing their attention on God. He reminds them of the power of the Lord who knows the evil that they do,and he declares that God is coming to judge them because of the evil they have done. The picture given us is the Lord watching all that happens from His holy temple above and then coming down on the mountains, causing it to melt beneath Him and the valleys being split apart like wax before the fire. The imagery reminds us of the power of the volcano with its molten lava streaming down the mountains,destroying everything in its path. The water rushing down a slope also reminds us of the terror of the tsunami,with its rushing waves sweeping everything in its path.
In the second passage, we see Micah in great distress, weeping and wailing in nakedness because of the sin in Samaria and Judah, even in Jerusalem, the city of God. Samaria's sin of idolatry and prostitution is likened to a plague that has spread to Judah and Jerusalem.
There are four main lessons we want to focus on from these two passages. Firstly, God sees everything. The evil that man does, the true intentions of his heart, nothing is hidden from God in Heaven. Secondly, sin and evil will bring the judgment of God. The natural disasters that we see around us in increasing frequency is a sign and warning of God's judgment upon the earth.Thirdly, the heart of God's servant like Micah hurts and grieves when their society lives in sin. What is our attitude towards sin? Are we flippant,or do we grieve like God grieves? Finally, sin is highly contagious. If we live near to highly sinful communities, there is a strong pull towards sinful actions. If you lived in a place like Las Vegas, there would be strong pull towards gambling and immorality. If we find ourselves in such situations, a high level of spiritual hygiene is required, a strong discipline in quiet time and spending time with the Lord, and a strong love and passion for the Word of God. Some are called to minister and save souls in such places. However, it is important to never underestimate the danger of the contagiousness of sin and to take the effort to undergird ourselves with a close relationship with Jesus and much prayer and humility.
Application: Remember that God is all-seeing, all-knowing and that nothing is hidden from Him. As we increasingly see and hear of natural disasters around us, keep praying for God's mercy and provision, knowing that the time of the end is near. Pray for a heart of compassion and to grieve for communities who live in sin before the Lord, like Micah did. Always be alert against the risk of sin contagiousness and undergird ourselves with prayer and close relationship with God.
Prayer: Praise You, O Heavenly Father, that You see all things and know all things in Heaven above. Help me know and remember this, that I might strive to live a righteous life before You as I follow Your Holy Spirit. As I see the disasters around me, let me cry out to You for mercy. Give me a heart of compassion like You, to pray for the salvation of even whole communities who do not know You. Protect me always from the sin that is so prevalent around me, and let me always walk closely with You. Praise You, Lord, Creator of all things. In Jesus name, Amen.