YEAR 2, WEEK 34, Day 7, Sunday, 27 August 2023

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 27 August 2023:

Note: Here is a link to a short video overview of Lamentations: https://youtu.be/p8GDFPdaQZQ

Lamentations 1:2, 19, 21 – Among all her lovers she has none to comfort her….

Many put their hope for comfort, peace, joy, security, etc, in something or someone other than God, though they may not even admit to themselves that they are doing it. However, all substitutes for God will let you down.

Lamentations 1:4-10 – The enemy has stretched out his hands over all her precious things; for she has seen the nations
enter her sanctuary, those whom you forbade to enter your congregation.

When God judges, He puts an end to unacceptable, comprised, half-hearted, self-centered, and misguided worship. When worldliness is allowed to enter the church and syncretism compromises truth and genuine worship, religion is powerless to confront evil.

Lamentations 1:5 — Her foes have become the head; her enemies prosper.

Defeat was God’s method for discipline.

Lamentations 1:5 — The Lord has afflicted her.

Sometimes the Lord has to afflict those He loves in order to bring about the good He wants in them and for them.

Lamentations 1:8, 9 – Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away. Her uncleanness was in her skirts; she took no thought of her future; therefore, her fall is terrible; she has no comforter. “O Lord, behold my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!”

Throughout the Bible, God uses vivid word pictures of a woman caught in adultery or prostitution to describe the sin people commit with substitute “idols” against Him. The Bible picture of sin stands in stark contrast with the world’s approach to sin, even the church’s approach to sin which makes light of sin in the name of “grace.”

Lamentations 1:11-16 – “Look, O LORD, and see, for I am despised.”

When the illusion of idols is stripped away, some people remember God and cry out for His help. Contrary to secular humanist teachings, it is not because people need an imaginary, superstitious hope that they turn to God; they turn to God in need because their imaginary hopes have been revealed and removed and, perhaps for the first time, they see the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ alone.

Lamentations 1:12, 13 – Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger. From on high he sent fire; into my bones he made it descend; he spread a net for my feet; he turned me back; he has left me stunned, faint all the day long.

God’s worse punishment was reserved for His people who knew Him yet continued in sin.

God’s discipline may isolate you and make you feel sorry for yourself until you cry to Him for help.

Lamentations 1:19 – I called to my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city, while they sought food to revive their strength.

Religious leaders sometimes forsake people for the sake of their personal needs.

Lamentations 1:22 – Let all their evildoing come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions; for my groans are many, and my heart is faint.

Judgment against you does not mean that you are the only sinner. God will administer appropriate justice, mercy, and grace to all. You need only be concerned about your relationship with God and can trust Him to deal appropriately with everyone else.

Lamentations 2:2 – The Lord has swallowed up without mercy all the habitations of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor the kingdom and its rulers.

When God’s people take His grace for granted and accept sin, He must punish them to humble them and bring them back to a right appreciation of His holiness, mercy, grace, and love.

Lamentations 2:5 – The Lord has become like an enemy.

In our sin, we can make God like an enemy.

Lamentations 2:6 – He has laid waste his booth like a garden, laid in ruins his meeting place; the Lord has made Zion forget festival and Sabbath, and in his fierce indignation has spurned king and priest.

God has the power to replace earthly leaders whenever and however He wants. God has established all political leaders for His purposes. Often God uses bad leaders as an instrument of discipline.

Lamentations 2:7 – The Lord has scorned his altar, disowned his sanctuary.

The Lord rejects religion practiced by the ungodly and disobedient.

Lamentations 2:9 – Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the Lord.

An ungodly nation is filled with misguided politicians and powerless spiritual leaders who no longer truly hear from God, although they continue to claim that they do, likely convincing themselves that their fantasies are visions.

Lamentations 2:11-13 – My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out to the ground because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because infants and babies faint in the streets of the city. They cry to their mothers, ‘Where is bread and wine?’ as they faint like a wounded man in the streets of the city, as their life is poured out on their mothers’ bosom. What can I say for you, to what compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your ruin is vast as the sea; who can heal you?

Reflective people weep and are troubled by God’s judgement.

Lamentations 2:14 — Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.

One of the factors that led to the destruction of Israel was that the religious leaders did not expose sin but rather told the people what they wanted to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3 has this to say: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” The introductory chapter of John reveals that John the Baptist, who eventually lost his head for exposing sin, had a far different approach than the prophets condemned in Lamentations. John the Baptist, was “a voice crying in the wilderness,” telling everyone to “Make straight the way for the Lord.”

Recognizing that most would reject the Lord, he still cried out to his community in hopes that “all men might believe.” As 1 Corinthians 13 says, “Love… always hopes.” John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance (Matt 3:11) – exposing sin, pointing to our need for a Savior, calling the sinner to seek God’s mercy and grace through the Messiah. Matthew 3:8-11 records that the first words of Jesus’ ministry were: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near,” and then “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Less and less are churches and individual Christians “expos[ing]… sin to ward off… captivity.” The word sin is hardly ever used anymore, much less repentance and surrender. Christians are often caught flat footed when you ask them, “From what have you been saved?” Answer: The wrath of God due to our sin.

Lamentations 2:20 – Should women eat the fruit of their womb, the children of their tender care? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?

How bad does it have to get before people lament and repent?

Lamentations 2:22 – You summoned as if to a festival day my terrors on every side, and on the day of the anger of the Lord no one escaped or survived; those whom I held and raised my enemy destroyed.

God’s plan affects all people.

Psalm 99:1 — The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

When was the last time God’s Holy Sovereignty caused you to tremble and quake? In the Book of James, the Bible says that even the demons believe in Jesus and “shudder.” Many Christians do not even display a demon level of faith. Knowledge of Jesus should overwhelm you with His holiness and drive you to your knees in powerful worship – knowledge of Jesus is life changing and causes you to see everyone and everything completely differently. Pray for this level of knowledge of Jesus.

Psalm 99:4 — The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Today the Bible reminds us of what God loves – justice. This verse provides context to the remainder of Psalm 99 where God’s relationship with His servants is described: “They called to the Lord, and he answered them…. they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them. O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!” (Psalm 99:7-9) They called to the Lord with humble and repentant hearts, and God answered them. But then it describes God’s expectation of obedience while His servants walked in grace.

With forgiveness also came punishment and discipline because God is not only a merciful God, He remains a just God. The phrase “but an avenger of their wrongdoings” is translated in other versions as “though you punished their misdeeds.” Modern Christianity often describes a mercy/grace-only God who cares little about sin, which is downplayed as merely the natural human response to victimization or chemical imbalances – “God understands and doesn’t judge us for our sins,” they say. But the Bible calls sin, “sin” and says that God punishes His children for it, though in a merciful way.

See for yourself if this message does not come through loud and clear in the Bible, though not so loudly in churches anymore. Just today we read that “the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: ‘My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.’” And in Proverbs we read, “will he not repay man according to his work?” Of course some will argue that these are Old Testament verses and that they no longer apply to us, but the New Testament reconfirms time and time again that God still loves justice and punishes even His forgiven children for their transgressions, though not eternally — “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world…. My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it…. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” (1 Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:5-11; Revelation 3:19)

1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” This verse seems to apply that God’s love takes away all punishment, but you have to consider this verse in context to John’s whole message: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3) To be “perfected in love” is to be perfectly obedient in love, a condition that removes any fear of punishment. Until that state, “do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.” Also, “do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof.” (Proverbs 3:11)

The end of Psalm 99 gives us our most important reminder: “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!” The main problem with the church in America today is that we have forgotten that, first and foremost, “God is holy!” We make light of sin because we make light of the holiness of God – His only attribute that is repeated three times in the Bible for highest emphasis – “Holy, Holy, Holy”! (Revelation 4:8) One of the only other words repeated three times in the Bible for emphasis is, “woe, woe, woe,” for those who don’t honor the holiness of God, repent, and put their faith in Jesus. (Revelation 8:13) To appeal to the world, we have downplayed the Holiness of God and the sinfulness of man; as a result, complacency has crept into the church. When we make light of sin, which demands the wrath of God and eternal damnation, we marginalize the urgent demand for salvation through Jesus Christ. The Good News is good news in context to the bad news – all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the wages of this sin is eternal death.

Imagine just one day on earth where there was no justice at all – it would be hell on earth. Christians, as preservative salt on earth who seek justice, not just by proclaiming God’s just position on every issue but primarily by bringing others to a relationship with Jesus where they can understand and appreciate justice as well as mercy and grace. The Bible says that justice comes only from God, not from men. The only hope for justice on earth is corporate repentance and revival.

Proverbs 27:1 – Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Make the most of each day, one day at a time. Success being faithful with each day. We cannot do anything about the past and cannot control the future. Today is where we make a difference.

Make the most of today, and don’t put off till tomorrow what God has called you to do right now. Delayed obedience is disobedience. We cannot do anything about yesterday, and tomorrow is no guarantee. Today is what we can influence. So much of life is being faithful to God one day at a time, making the most of every opportunity, and it’s all about relationships. Make today a ministry masterpiece!

Proverbs 27:2 – Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

Stop talking about yourself.

Proverbs 27:4 – Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

Jealousy is more powerful than even anger. Jealousy drove the religious leaders of the New Testament to seek the execution of Jesus. Watch out for jealousy.

Proverbs 27:5, 6 — Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

Only a true friend will tell you what you need to hear. Others tell you what you want to hear for their selfish purposes — they want to avoid conflict for their own comfort. Though many justify flattery by telling themselves that they don’t want to hurt feelings, they are really setting someone up for more pain later. Most of the time the truth is hard on the messenger too. True love tells the truth in love.

True love speaks out against sin and points the sinner to the only hope, Jesus Christ. Those who accept sin or make light of sin are the enemies of both God and the sinner. Those who offer any solution other than Jesus Christ are the enemies of both God and the sinner. Our message is simple – “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…. (Acts 2:38) The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30, 31) Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him…. (John 14:6) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Don’t try to soften the message, make it more sophisticated, improve upon it, or modernize it; just proclaim the Truth in its simplicity and let God work on the hearts who will receive the message. Those who are being convicted by the Spirit will respond to the rebuke and the call to repentance, and they will humble themselves before the Lord; those whose hearts remain hard, cannot come to the Lord through their human intellect. In their eyes, you will be a fool – “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) Remember what Jesus said to Pilate: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:37)

- 2 Corinthians 7:10 -- For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

- Revelation 2:16 -- Therefore repent.  If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

- Revelation 3:19 -- Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

From Henry T. Blackaby: Jesus never gave relief to people who were under conviction. When Zaccheus, in remorse for his sin, shared his generous plans for restitution, Jesus did not say, “Now Zaccheus, the important thing is that you feel sorry for what you did.” Jesus brought no comfort to him as he dealt with his sin (Luke 19:1-10). Neither did Jesus excuse disbelief. We never find Jesus saying, “Well, that’s all right. I know I’m asking you to believe a lot, and that’s not easy.” On the contrary, Jesus was quick to chastise His disciples when they failed to believe Him. Jesus loved His friends too much to condone or comfort them in their sin.

It is possible to be too gentle with your friends. When a friend is under deep conviction by the Holy Spirit, do you try to give comfort? Don’t ever try to ease the discomfort of someone whom the Holy Spirit is making uncomfortable! Be careful not to communicate to your friends that you find their lack of faith acceptable. You are not acting in true friendship if you condone disobedience or even if you look the other way. Kisses are far more pleasant than wounds, yet they can be even more devastating if they lull your friend into being comfortable with sin.

In our attempt to appease our friends and our reluctance to share a word from God, we can actually cause great harm. If we see our friends in danger and do not warn them, God will hold us accountable for our silence (Ezek. 33:6). Are you a friend of such integrity that you would risk wounding your friends in order to deter them from their sin?

Proverbs 27:7, 8 — One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet. Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.

A person starving for love is more susceptible to sin.

People compromise when they are not satisfied with what they already have. God may keep you a bit hungry so you don’t take what you have for granted and grow complacent. I have seen that an easy life can ruin a person.

Proverbs 27:9 – Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

Friends journey through life together in pursuit of a greater loving relationship with God. A true friend earnestly desires to tell you how you can improve your walk with God. A true friend is also eager to listen to godly advice and recommendations. A loving relationship can handle constructive critique without letting pride get in the way. Good relationships require humility and trust from both parties.

Proverbs 27:10 – Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.

God expects fellow Christians to unite together in Christ as family and to strengthen and support one another as family.

Proverbs 27:11 — Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.

Children bring either bring good credit or bad credit upon the family name. What do people think about your Father in Heaven when you say you are a Christian and they see how you act?

Proverbs 27:6, 12, 13 – Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy…. The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it. Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.

God wants you to intervene to protect others from their own sinful actions. Again, this is an act of love.

God expects us to care about people enough to tell them the truth, but He also expects us to do what we can to protect people from themselves.

Proverbs 27:14 – Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning….

Ministry must take into account the specific needs and attitudes of the person receiving it. You cannot approach different people the same way, and you cannot approach people the same way under different circumstances. Approaching someone with an impersonal, cookie-cutter approach is only perceived as phony and condescending.

Proverbs 27:17 – Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Friends should strengthen one another and support one another in pursuit of godliness. God expects us to make each other better followers of Jesus. Is that the what you do with your friends?

From Henry T. Blackaby — The Christian life is a pilgrimage. At times the road is difficult, and we get lonely. Sometimes we may become discouraged and consider abandoning the journey. It is at such times that God will place a friend alongside us. One of God’s most precious gifts to us is friends who encourage us and lovingly challenge us to “keep going.” According to Scripture, a friend is one who challenges you to become all that God intends. Jonathan could have succeeded his father to become the next king of Israel. But he loved his friend David, and he encouraged him to follow God’s will, even though it meant Jonathan would forfeit his own claim to the throne (1 Sam. 19:1-7). The mark of biblical friends is that their friendship draws you closer to Christ. They “sharpen” you and motivate you to do what is right. True friends tell you the truth and even risk hurting your feelings because they love you and have your best interests at heart (Prov. 27:6). Be careful in your choice of friends! Jesus chose His closest friends wisely. He did not look for perfect friends, but friends whose hearts were set to follow God. It is equally important to examine the kind of friend you are to others. As a friend, it is your duty to put the needs of others first (Prov. 17:17). Strive to find godly friends who will challenge you to become the person God desires. When you have found them, be receptive to the way God uses them to help you become spiritually mature. Strive also to be the kind of friend that helps others become more like Christ.

Proverbs 27:18 – Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who guards his master will be honored.

You should seek to improve your boss and protect him/her from their own bad decisions.

Proverbs 27:19 – As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.

What is in your heart is who you really are, not what others say about you or even what you say about yourself.

Proverbs 27:23-27 – Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations? When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field. There will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls.

While others are focused on obtaining wealth, comfort, and pleasure in the here and now, focus on building wealth generating capacity for the long haul. Don’t be satisfied with produce, seek what produces the produce, seek production capacity.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 27 August 2023: Pray for an ever-increasing and life-changing relationship with the person of Jesus for yourselves and for others. Seek as your top priority today to draw closer to Jesus and to draw others closer to Jesus. (See the notes above)