2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Today, the Lord leads me to continue discussing citations which reveal Him as Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. It is often difficult for humans to grasp the extent and nature of God’s divine sovereignty over us. People who don’t know God very well have been known to say that if God has that much power over us, we are puppets on a string. Those of us who know God better than that know that while God knows the contents of our hearts, we are hardly that. The missing factor in these two ways of looking at our relationship with God is our free agency, something God has granted us out of His most excellent grace. God presents in the Scriptures everything one needs to know about why we should come to faith, but it is up to the individual to decide if he will take God at His word and act on that. To make that decision, God softens an enemy’s heart and the enemy about to repent and confess faith understands that God never exercises His power unrighteously. I used the word “enemy” here, because we were all enemies of God before coming to faith. That is the curse brought about by the original sin of Adam. Christ’s death on the cross is the cure for that curse, the valiant way that God endured the sacrifice of His Son so that we could be saved [RO 5: 10-11]. Our Lord, Jehovah Shammah, is there for us!
The story of Paul and Silas in prison at Philippi from AC 16: 16-40 is worth revisiting, so that we can see a significant demonstration of how Jehovah Shammah was there for them and is for us. Again we will see the conflict between a man-centered and a God-centered belief system, so often depicted in the Scriptures and experienced in our everyday lives. A slave woman possessed by an evil spirit that enabled her to predict the future and earn money by telling fortunes encountered Paul and Silas at a place of prayer in Philippi. She followed them shouting that they were servants of the Most High God who could announce to you how you can be saved for many days. Paul finally said to the evil spirit in her, “In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her!” At that very moment, it did (18). When the people who owned this women realized they could no longer make money from her activity, they seized Paul and Silas, dragged them to the authorities, and had them beaten and arrested. They were thrown into the inner cell of the prison with their feet fastened between heavy blocks of wood (19-24). A jailer was assigned to see to it that they and the other prisoners didn’t get away.
AC 16: 25-26, “About midnight, Paul and Silas were prying and singing hymns to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, there was a violent earthquake, which shook the prison to its foundations. All at once the doors opened, and the chains fell of all the prisoners.” The jailer was beside himself, worrying that his charges would escape and was about to commit suicide with his sword over this when Paul stopped him. “We are all here!” Paul said in the darkness. Then, the jailer asked Paul, “What do I have to do to be saved?” (27-29). AC 16: 31, “They (Paul and Silas) answered, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved-you and your family.’ That very night the jailer and his family were all baptized and broke bread in their home with Paul and Silas (32-34). The next morning, the Roman authorities ordered Paul and Silas officially released.
There are some wonderful lessons that we can learn about God’s presence in our lives, His always-righteous exercise of His sovereignty, and how our lives are blessed with real freedom and peace when we respond to Him with trust and obedience are examples. Because Paul and Silas had the discernment that their faith in Christ gave them, they were able to recognize the adversary at work in the woman possessed with an evil spirit. Their faith was deep enough to allow them to fly in the face of sure danger when coming against that spirit in Christ’s name. The question arises: How strong is our own faith? Are we willing to trust God enough to fly in the face of danger to act on righteousness as Paul and Silas did?
We can really see God at work here. I’m sure Paul and Silas were not happy to be beaten and incarcerated this way. But, their demeanor has a kind of peace and even joy about it that can only come from God. Remember PHIL 4: 7, 13? They are worth repeating here. “And God’s peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus…I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.” It is always useful to ask: What is God’s will in any situation or Scripture story we encounter. Clearly, it is bringing the jailer and other prisoners to faith. Because, Paul and Silas didn’t spent their time in prison grumbling, complaining, and putting up angry opposition to their predicament, God’s work was done. Was God there? Of course, He was. It was God Who brought about the earthquake, one with enough power to break their manacles, douse the torches which lit the prison, and swing open its doors. Yet, the quake wasn’t so strong that it killed all the denizens of that prison. God was not only there, but He was using His power in a measured way with characteristic compassion and righteousness. That is the way He always acts for the blessing and protection of those (including us) who love Him and are faithful. Meditate on that today and know there Jehovah Shammah is eager for our faithfulness, so that he can bless us.
PRAYER: O Lord, when we pay attention to Your presence in our lives, we open the way to learn so many wonderful things about You. You have not made us puppets on a string. Instead, You wanted to know if we would make the decision to become obedient and trusting of You or if we would reject You. It took great unselfishness on Your part to sacrifice Your Son on the cross, knowing He would suffer as no one had till then or has since. Your patience and compassion in dealing with human frailty is more than remarkable. You stand by eagerly awaiting the time when we come to You in prayer, so that You can offer Your guidance, love, protection, and provision. We are undeserving of this grace, yet You freely offer it to us. Just as You rewarded Paul and Silas with freedom and peace for their faith, You reward us with the truth which makes us free for ours. There is not room enough here to list all the reasons why we must offer You thanksgiving for the blessings You shower upon us every day of our lives. We approach You in humility to acknowledge Your presence, righteousness, and sovereignty over our lives. We joyfully offer You our adoration, worship, honor, trust, obedience, loyalty, glory, thanks, and praise. In Christ’s name, amen.
There are more citations for me to share on Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. That continues to be the subject of tomorrow’s message. Our Lord is with us every minute of the day. I find real comfort in that and hope you do too. He encourages us to converse with Him in prayer. When we do, let him speak first. The blessings of an active prayer life will soon become apparent and abundant. God love each of us, and by that we are richly blessed. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn