GOD of Israel - May 2, 2014

Scripture: Psalms 12-145 

5 The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless,
and I have heard the groans of the poor.
Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.”
6 The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.
7 Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed,
preserving them forever from this lying generation - Psalm 12
5 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. - Psalm 13
7 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When the Lord restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. - Psalm 14

Message:

The Lord hears and acts for the ones that call unto Him! He will not fail on those who seek and trust Him.

Observation/Promise:

The LORD sees, He does not ignore or is not unaware of everything that goes on in the earth. We see violence and injustice all around the world but the presence of Evil does not mean the absence of GOD. He is waiting for the perfect time, to act and be known as the just and righteous GOD. There is assurance and confidence in the word of GOD. Let us trust in Him, let us cling to His word, for perfect peace comes only from knowing who He is and standing firmly in His promises, for HE will never fail. There is no GOD like the GOD of Israel, who comes from Mount Zion to rescue and restore His people, causing them to rejoice and shout with joy!!! 
Application/Command:

If you want to experience the true and living GOD, then you have to seek this GOD of Israel, for He is not only GOD to Israel but the GOD who created everything and loves everyone whom He created. HE is first known to be the GOD of Israel so that there is a distinction between Him and the other false gods. He chose Israel to let Himself be known throughout all the world but He is not an exclusive GOD only to Israel but to all those who believe in Him and seek His face, trusting in His character and strength. 

Trusting GOD in the Dark

19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.21 But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison.23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

- Genesis 39

The Favor of GOD rests in you when you are accused of something that you have not done. How could one feel that they are in GOD's favor when they are being accused of something that they have not done? But it is true in Josephs's life. He was favored by His father Jacob and was loved more than any other sibling. But he was envied by his siblings and didn't know how such envy could result into them selling him as a slave to strangers. He worked his best in Potiphar's house and earned the Potiphar's trust but the Potiphar's wife betrayed him by accusing him of something he had not done and was sent to prison. After all these things, Joseph was still faithful to GOD and that he managed to excel even in the prison cell.

When we remain faithful and humble even when the world has been so hostile to us, we receive GOD's favor. Everytime there is injustice being done in our lives and we trust HIM with it instead of plotting to have revenge, we received GOD's favor and the opportunity for GOD to bless us in the right time. The LORD was merciful to Joseph and understood the hardship he had to go through that GOD gave Joseph strength to be in the worst place on earth - the prison cell. But even in the darkest place in our lives, GOD's light can shine when we chose to trust Him with everything.

GOD of Justice

40 “I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights. 41 Yes, for twenty years I slaved in your house! I worked for fourteen years earning your two daughters, and then six more years for your flock. And you changed my wages ten times! 42 In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side—the God of Abraham and the fearsome God of Isaac[c]—you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen your abuse and my hard work. That is why he appeared to you last night and rebuked you!”

- Genesis 31:40-43

It is normal to see injustice and abuse going on in this world because we live in a foreign world. But those who belong to GOD will be protected by GOD. Jacob was abused by his own Uncle, oppressing him for 20 years even after he became his son in law, Laban did not pay Jacob any wages that would rightfully belong to HIM. But Jacob never stole anything from Laban but remained faithful serving him even though Laban had deceived him many times. Because of this, GOD was on Jacob's side making sure that Jacob would still have something from Laban after all his hard work.

We can see injustice going on around us, we can be mistreated by the ones who are even our relatives, by our own friends whom we trust. But GOD is not blind and unaware of what is going on, and GOD will continue to act faithfully with who HE is. HE is the great judge and whether we believe in HIM or not, whether people belong to HIM or not, HIS justice is always at work and can be seen if we only look through spiritual eyes. Even when we feel we are powerless towards the ones who hold the power upon us, we have to remember that GOD is more powerful than anyone or anything in this world. Let us hold on to the GOD of justice who holds all things in HIS hands.