Where is God? part 1

I was listening to Andrew Peterson's songs (Lord remember me) today and for a moment I wondered what it was like for the disciples of Jesus to watch Him be arrested! Oh my!
Maybe He would do one of His miracles and set Himself free, then it doesn't happen!(Luke 22:47-53)
Oh no, maybe He will do a miracle and be released, instead Barabbas is released! (Luke 23:18-25)
This can't be happening!
Maybe He will vanish before they whip Him and be found elsewhere, but No!!! He is whipped!! (John 19:1)

This is not right! why is Jesus not doing anything? Why is He not calling heavens and showcasing His power.

Then the worst part came and He carried the cross all the way to Golgotha (Luke 23:26), maybe we won't get to the cross. I mean He is God, He should do something, He can't die!!
And then the crucifixion begins and He is nailed to the cross, hanging on the tree nails through His hands and feet, thorns on His head! Body already out of shape from the whipping. (Is 53, Luke 23:33)
The same Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead is not able to save Himself!!

Is God even real! We followed Him all these years, why did He have to die?

Then something strange happens...Darkness covers the earth during the day for 3 hours from noon till 3pm! Jesus gives up His ghost and dies. (Luke 23:44-46) The curtains at the temple tear into 2 from top to bottom! Men who died in the Lord are seen walking on the streets of Jerusalem. (Matt 27:51-53)

One guard confesses, Surely! He was the son of God!! Maybe being in the moment He was making this confession in fear and trembling literally and in awe of God.  (Matt 27:54)

Interestingly, the bible records some of these:

Peter imagined this and rebuked Jesus!
Matt16:21-23
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Judas couldn't take it....
Matt 27:3-5
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

One of the thieves was angry at Jesus for not pulling the superman act at this critical time...
Luke 23:39
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

How do I pray for my country?

Are you far away from home? Are you at home? Do you sometimes wonder how to go about praying for your nation?

Nehemiah 1 is an interesting passage that shows how Nehemiah's heart got broken when he asked his fellow country men how the city of Jerusalem was doing. The city was in ruin.

Nehemiah served as the king's cup bearer but continued to seek the good of his land back home.

Nehemiah’s Prayer
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer to the king.

Asking For the nations

Have you ever failed so much you felt you were at your end? My month of May has been full of surprising failures, then heartbreaking then numb failure then surrender failure.

Just so you understand where I am coming from, I signed up for driving classes and the road was marked with loads of failure. Yes, I failed in driving classes over and over, and paid loads of money, felt frustrated and cried, asked God why He was letting me do this and felt angry at Him for not dealing with such small matters,(you would wonder why I kept failing if it was such a small deal! ha ha now I can laugh), until I surrendered to God and told Him to let His will be in this driving.

God opened my eyes to the selfishness I have being operating at, always asking for me and never for those around me. He then turned my heart to a prayer that I am praying that I want to share with you all.

Psalms 2:8 

Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.

I have started asking for nations, I have started asking for this inheritance of nations for His kingdom, I have stopped making my kingdom (I trust Him to help me here) and I have joined God in getting nations as His inheritance and possession.

Are you struggling and failing in any area of your life? Go to God and partner with Him in His business of making nations His inheritance and kingdoms His possessions. He will deal for you in the areas you are struggling in and are tired of going through the same motions.

God promises this:

Matt 6:33 

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

 

God is just

Hebrews 6:10 

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Hang in there, wait on God

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of[a] Zion,

    we were like those who dreamed.[b]

2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,

    our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations,

    “The Lord has done great things for them.”

3 The Lord has done great things for us,

    and we are filled with joy.

4 Restore our fortunes,[c] Lord,

    like streams in the Negev.

5 Those who sow with tears

    will reap with songs of joy.

6 Those who go out weeping,

    carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy,

    carrying sheaves with them.

Pray for someone today

Are you praying for anyone? Is it possible that there is someone who needs you to uphold them in prayer so that they are saved from sin and its consequences, from trouble of this world, from getting out of God's will?

The story of Moses is one of a kind that reminds us how important it is to pray for each other that God may hear us and answer our prayers.
In Deut 12 from verse 7-21, Moses reminded the Israelites about their turning away from God and making a golden calf that they set as their god when Moses was gone 40 days and nights to receive the ten commandments from God.

At that time God wanted to destroy the Israelites and make for Moses a new nation to lead to the promised land but Moses prayed for them and 40 days and nights he prayed to God to forgive them and God did. He also prayed for Aaron who had listened to the people and made the golden calf image.

Deut 12:18-19
18 Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and so arousing his anger. 19 I feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the Lord listened to me.

This is a shadow of what Christ did for us on the cross. He not only died in our place but continues to intercede for us before the father with such deep love for us. This is grace. We don't deserve anything He does for us but He still does it with all love.

Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[g]
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,[h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.

Today, make a list of family and friends you would love to pray for. It will cost time, money, compassion. Be involved in their situations and see what God will do for them and in you.

We bless God for His amazing love and grace.

A letter of hope

The book of Joel starts with a vivid description of God's punishment on the Children of Israel for their sins. Draught, desolation, terrible days of pain.

Then a prayer is made to God and in His mercy listens in and remembers them and responds from chapter 2 verses 18 and speaks to them words of hope to heal them and replenish them from their experiences.

I encourage you to read the chapters and find hope again in God and trust in the God of our salvation. God is able to minister to our needs and He is trustworthy.

Let us turn to Him in repentance and humility and faith in whatever situations we are in and wait on Him.

Joel 2:18-19
18 Then the Lord was jealous for his land
    and took pity on his people.

19 The Lord replied[a] to them:

“I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil,
    enough to satisfy you fully;
never again will I make you
    an object of scorn to the nations.

God my shield

Psalms 3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,

    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.