Tag Archive | oppression

Decisions

May19

Warning: this is a long one.

Testimony:
I know you have been there, where you are faced with a circumstance you don’t know how to handle. In your carnal (fleshly) mind you think of a quick, rash decision. But . . . God.

Recently I was faced with a circumstance that made me angry. It brought me to tears. I cried out to the Lord for help. The next few events happened without my really being aware until I looked back over my day and saw the trail of guidance my Lord left for me.

I received a phone call asking for assistance if I could. I did. This godly, prayer warrior woman, without her even knowing, revealed that I needed to persevere. I needed to continue to pray, pray, pray. I needed to trust the Lord.

Before and after this encounter I had received a few texts from another friend regarding scripture references from a Bible Study she attended. It is here where God moved in a miraculous way and I can admit I am so glad that I am human and in the hands of my Lord.

I was given Psalm 53:7-12
This is not what I looked up and read, but this is:

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:7‭-‬12 NASB

Not Psalm but Isaiah. My Lord Jesus faced life oppressed and afflicted and didn’t open His mouth. He had a mission to fulfill no matter the cost. Who am I to expect a perfect life when the perfect One suffered?

Oops, or was it really? It wasn’t Psalm 53, but 52:7-12 and again I was looking in Isaiah.

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, They shout joyfully together; For they will see with their own eyes When the Lord restores Zion. Break forth, shout joyfully together, You waste places of Jerusalem; For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God. Depart, depart, go out from there, Touch nothing unclean; Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves, You who carry the vessels of the Lord. But you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Isaiah 52:7‭-‬12 NASB

God has made a way! He reigns! He will comfort! I am redeemed! Salvation is mine! Victory is coming!!

Again, another change. God at work. Psalm 51:10-12 but I read, again, Isaiah.

Was it not You who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; Who made the depths of the sea a pathway For the redeemed to cross over? So the ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away. “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the son of man who is made like grass, That you have forgotten the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth, That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor?
Isaiah 51:10‭-‬13 NASB

Praise God, I have something to look forward to, hope. My God is mightier than any circumstance so I will persevere until His return or He takes me home.

God’s word is so amazing and I would not want to neglect the Psalms that were sent to me. God is an amazing, wonderful, loving, caring God who is always a prayer away.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Psalms 51:10‭-‬12 NASB

🌹“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire.” But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. Psalms 52:7‭-‬9 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

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Perseverance Has It’s Reward

Sep12

These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.” — Genesis 31:41-42

20 years Jacob put up with Laban’s oppression and scheming ways. I believe he did it for the love of his family. He wanted them well taken care of. He was looking out for their welfare.

How long would you endure with a self-seeking, oppressive, unfair boss just to ensure the well-being of your family? Sometimes we are quick to run, give up when treated unfairly.

God blessed Jacob with a large family and great wealth to care for that family. When God said it was time to return to the land of his father he went.

Perseverance has it’s reward. Thank God that Jesus persevered on the cross for us. Thank God that we are well taken care of by the blood of the Lamb and that one day we will reunited in the homeland of our Father.

Persevere to the end because perseverance has it’s reward.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

 

Be Still, Cease Striving

Jun18

“Cease (let go, relax) striving and know that I am God; — Psalm 46:10 NASB
“Be still, and know that I am God! — Psalm 46:10 NLT

As I enter into a new season of life, transitioning from a caretaker of my parents to being back home with my husband after 21 months, I find myself in limbo. I know that God has a plan for me but in the meantime what do I do with myself? I have always worked outside the home so do I go and look for a job? Is that what God wants me to do? Where do I even begin to look for a job? I have things that will keep me busy at home as I return my home back to a feminine touch from the bachelor pad it has become. My heart is ministry and would love to do that full time although I know that I can still work and minister. So many thoughts and ideas going through my head. Then there is the mourning of leaving behind the friendships I made over the past two years, not to mention my Mother who has been left in the hands of my brothers. Often guilt arises and questions as to whether I’ve done the right thing. Questions, confusion, lost, distress. Where do I turn? Where do I go from here?

Be still, my child. Cease striving. Relax. Let go.

Let go of the struggles, the to-do list, feelings of oppression, inadequacies, sin, failures, turmoil, trials, and others allowing God to do His work in you. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.* This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.^

Wait patiently. That is hard to do. It has been my experience that God leads where He wants me to go. I wait on Him and divine appointments happen that open doors to employment, places to live, provisions, etc. It is not the norm for most people. They tend to believe you need to pursue, which is done without the counsel or guidance of God. I seek Him first then by the guidance of the Lord I pursue where He leads. I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.+ Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;< My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.~>

I can relax in the presence of the Lord and be restored. Waiting in His silence I am strengthened by the hope that is found in Him. When I surrender all to Him he blesses me beyond all I can imagine, meeting my every need, directing my every step. He becomes my direction, my strength, my hope, my all. That is where I want to be. I am renewed.

“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; — Luke 2:29

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

*Matthew 11:28-29
^Isaiah 30:15
+Psalm 40:1
~Psalm 62:5