murder Archives – Sonshine's Journal

January 30, 2023January 30, 2023

Encountering God in the Wilderness

Exodus 1-3 Moses shares his journey from unbelief to belief through the chronicles of those who knew him best. One particular trait stands out: The fear of man is a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” [Prov 29:25]

Now a new Pharaoh arose, and his racial bias surfaced. He was fearful of the increasing number of Israelites. Instead of thanking God for them, he shrewdly plans to destroy the next generation but keep this generation for his own purposes. Hitler, Stalin, and others like him tried the same tactic, but ultimately they all failed because of this truth: “For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it?” [Is 14:27] The truth of Joseph’s words comes again: you thought to do harm, but God intended it for good. [Gen 50:20]

In contrast are the two midwives. Did they help Jochabed birth Moses? Hmm, I wonder. One thing is clear; they didn’t lie, but because they feared God, they chose to shrewdly respond about how quickly the Hebrew women birthed their children. Then there is Moses’ murder of the Egyptian. Fearing reprisal led him to escape to the wilderness. God uses all of these experiences to teach Moses and us about Himself because it is in the wilderness that we encounter God.

We can be fearful of men, or we can be fearful of God. One leads to snares, and one leads to blessing. Which will we choose?

Which kind of fear do I have? Which kind of fear leads me to the wilderness where I can have an encounter with God?

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021

Pride goeth before the fall…

2 Sam 16-18 “God is the Avenger, not us….”

2 Sam 16-18 “God is the Avenger, not us….” In Proverbs 20:11 we read: “Even a young man is known by his actions, whether his activity is pure and whether it is right,” and the contrast is also true. Everyone knew about Absalom—it seems, except his father. David failed as a parent and did not raise him to have a godly heart. David lived by this principle: I will not touch the Lord’s anointed. But, given the opportunity, Absalom sought to shame David. He planned his demise and the takeover of his kingdom through pride, rape, and murder of his brother Amnon. A child left to himself will never find peace.

Absalom gloated in his long hair, but in the end, it was that very prideful thing that brought him to his death. In all of this, David never cursed his wicked son nor gave anyone permission to take his life because he knew “the life of the flesh is in the blood…” [Lev 17:11] No matter what a man has done, only God has the right to take the life of a man. To do so is murder, and had he followed the advice of others, he would be like a man laden with the guilt of human blood… [Prov 28:17]

God had pronounced consequences for David’s sin, one of which was to be shamed publicly. In the end and Absalom fulfilled that prophecy. Yet, David mourned for Absalom, and we should do as well. There is no glory in the death of anyone, anywhere, anytime. Remember this truth: God is the avenger, not us.

May 28, 2016

Psalm 51 “Sin, Forgiveness and Grace”

psalm 51 forgiveness2 Had King David remembered: “sin is crouching at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must master it” he would not have experienced an adulterous affair with Bathsheba nor committed murder to cover it up. Yet David concealed his sin and why God sent Nathan the prophet to him. As David realized this, a profound thought came to him as he confessed before a Holy God. “Against You, You only, I have sinned.”

No matter who the persons are involved, the sin is in reality against God and Christ who saved us and washed us from our sin. Like David, we think our sin is concealed or it does not impact anyone other than ourselves but this is a lie out of the pit of hell. Galatians reminds us that God will not be mocked and we reap what we sow. God told David, “ Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.[ 2Sa 12:10]

When David repented he heard Nathan the prophet say, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” Reflecting on this, David entered the house of the Lord and experienced God’s greatest gift and mystery called forgiveness. All we have to do is to ask God to “Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin!” Open hearts are ready to receive God’s grace and lovingkindness and understand more clearly God’s grace.

How do we know that transaction of forgiveness has taken place? Like David, we will experience peace and joy even as we face the consequences that follow.

July 18, 2013

What Rule Book Are You Following…OUCH!

In any sport there are rules which are listed in a play book. Players need to memorize them and abide by them. The Pharisees had their rule book and to be a “righteous” Pharisee one studied it religiously! In Matthew 12 it seems that the Pharisees and their religiosity or legalism surfaces more clearly than ever before. It is almost as if they ripped out the verse from Isaiah 28:10 “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” As they followed Jesus through the grain field they reminded him that we must be doing things in such and such a way. They whipped out their “rule book” to discipline the disciples, but failed to discipline themselves. They may have carried their rule book around with them as judgmental sticks but failed to see the context of Isaiah’s words. Their critical spirit is abundantly clear, in fact more so than ever before in the book of Matthew and our author has captured their critical eye as well as their vociferousness. According to their “rule book,” one may only walk 2000 paces on the Sabbath which leaves us to wonder—what they were doing in the middle of the grain field on the Sabbath?

But, moving on, the crux of this chapter is heard in our Master’s words: If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. From the grain field to the synagogue they follow our Lord. It is here, once again, that we see the lack of mercy all because Jesus spoke a word of healing…note that!!! Jesus spoke not touched the man with the withered hand…but again….*sigh* it was after all the Sabbath. Jesus asked them, where are your priorities? Is your mercy greater for an animal that has no soul but you are unwilling to show mercy to a man so in need that he can work and take care of his family? Matthew leaves no doubt in our minds as to what the Pharisees were truly seeking. They really did not care about this man, they wanted a way to assassinate the Lord of the Sabbath. They were unwilling to care for a man who thus would no longer be a burden to society but were willing to assassinate/murder Jesus. They refused to show mercy but were willing to murder. This leaves us again to wondering why? Jesus has the answer: they are blind and they are leading the blind…both will fall into the pit. Their hearts are governed by the rule book rather than the love of God.

After both of these incidents Jesus pointed to the real reason for their hatred and rejection. It lay in their heart. Jesus used the illustration of a fruit tree to capture this to the listening audience. He said: One could know one’s fruit by observing and listening to their words; For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. And then he added this warning: you will give an account for every worthless word and by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

Out of this chapter there are several applications but one comes to mind that are applicable even now. It is my “ouch.” How often do I fail to show mercy just because it is inconvenient, it does not meet my time schedule? How often do I take verses out of context to show my reason why something should be thus and so? I have been called a “rule oriented” person! :-(Today may I demonstrate the Fruit of the Holy Spirit in showing God’s mercy and justice rather than a myriad of sacrifices, line upon line, precept upon precept, rules upon rules which are piling up on my altar thinking this is what God wants.

Thanking God for His mercies! They are new every morning…great is His faithfulness!