Have Mercy O God!

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. Micah 6:1-4 NIV
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Listen! The LORD is calling to the city— and to fear your name is wisdom— “Heed the rod and the One who appointed it. Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house, and the short ephah, which is accursed? Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights? Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully. Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins. Micah 6:6-13 NIV

While many people do not believe what the prophets of old said are relevant to this day, I beg to differ. If we read--with understanding--and carefully consider how our lives today are parallel to the times when God used the prophets, we see the similarities--but will we hear and obey?

The biggest difference in what was done then and now is--God spoke through specific people warning the people--those willing to hear and speak what He said. Today, all who desire to know--have access to His Word and Holy Spirit--we have the means to hear without a middleman--if we choose to hear. When we choose to ignore God and all He has done for us--we reap the consequences of our actions and if we're completely honest with ourselves, we can hear Him asking us the same questions.

What does He require of us--to treat others with love, mercy and justice--and to walk humbly--showing humility in all we do--not boastful or bragging about what we've done or said and certainly, knowing how to be empathetic and compassionate. Are we doing it?

Are those who are dishonest and cheat others going to be receive anything from God? Yes, they will receive the appropriate consequence for their actions because God sees everything we have ever done and knows everything we will ever do.

Are the rich violent--either in action themselves or provoking others to act violently towards others?  Are we lying--just to get what we want or do we know how to speak truth? Are we allowing out tongues to rule us deceitfully, hoping others will not expose the deceit? While no one has to answer these questions asked on this blog, God is waiting--for us to respond to Him with answers that are truthful and without any attempt to conceal the reality of what we do. Are we ready to answer Him?

When we attempt to conceal our lies and deceptions--they are ultimately exposed for all the world to see (or at least in front of those we were trying to deceive) and we stand naked--with nothing to cover us, nothing to shield us from the onslaught of criticism that is bound to come. So why lie and deceive? The enemy has discovered the flaws in our nature and has used them against us so he won't be alone--in the lake of fire for all eternity. Don't be caught with defenses down! The enemy's job is to kill--we see the result of his influence, daily; to steal--the joy of everyone who loves; to destroy--any hope that others have for a better day; he is the father of liars--so he influences others to lie and the master of deception--always masquerading as something good until he gets close enough or has influenced enough people--to do the most horrific things we can imagine.

What can we do? Pray, pray, and pray. We pray for ourselves to hear God and then act in obedience to what He tells us and we pray for mercy--His forgiveness for our foolishness so we'll have opportunity to get things right before Him.

Have mercy upon us, O God!

When God Has Spoken!

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”  For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 1:16-20 NIV

Pigs love wallowing in the mud, getting dirty and actually cooling themselves off. But many of us thinks pigs are the most disgusting animals since they'll eat virtually anything and yet--how many love bacon?

When people wallow in filth and come up smelling rotten and disgusting, we tend to judge their appearance the odor emitting from them, not realizing that sometimes our superficial judgments are way off. It is simply a matter of having to give a person a chance to clean themselves up before we make any final decisions. But then--there are some people--who love to live in the muck and the mire--not for any purpose other than that's where they choose to reside--and some people--appear to love those who dwell in the muck and smell to high heaven.

Through the prophet Isaiah, we see that God sees and knows exactly what we're doing and why, but He's giving us a chance to clean up our acts. We can be ceremonially (physically) clean, symbolically clean, and spiritually clean--and it's all up to us. Are we willing to wash and be clean? Soap and water will clean us ceremonially and physically, but they have no effect on our moral compass.  We can be symbolically by committing certain acts of--cleansing--using elements other than soap and water or we can be spiritually clean, by washing ourselves in the water of The Word.

Oh--that The Word would shower us, removing everything that is not like God from our souls and minds so we would see the benefit of obeying God! 

God is not blind or deaf and He warns us to take the evil deeds out of His sight and to stop doing wrong. We are to learn to do right--from a humanitarian perspective as well as a spiritual one. We are to seek justice--for all--the rich and the poor, the black and the white, every human being, without bias. We are to defend those who cannot defend themselves, the vulnerable who have lost hope--especially in our society where many things appear to be hopeless.

If we are willing to do what is required of us--no matter what others may say--and are obedient to God's Word--that we love one another as ourselves--then we shall have hope and access to all the good in the land.

What is required of us? Repentance and a determination to live according to God's Word. Constant communication with Him who is all we need for guidance and direction in every area of our lives. Submission to His Will and not our own--we must do things His way--if we're to receive His benefits. We must not see ourselves superior to other human beings, but accept the fact that we are made in His image, bleed red, and have the same needs--security, food, and shelter. And since we do not live in isolation, we must learn to live in harmony and peace with one another.

When God speaks to our hearts through His Word are we listening? Or have we become so hard-hearted that nothing He says to us, matters?

For the benefit of all mankind regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or belief--God has spoken and if we want to see a change in our society--across the land, we must be wiling to hear and obey.

Speak, Lord--for Your true servants are listening, willing and ready to obey!