Faithful Creator

Leviticus 24
Acts 22

Food for Life:

Leviticus 24
Wow - an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth law...remember the grace of God through Jesus Christ and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to thwart the plans of the evil one. The Lord says that vengeance is His (Hebrews 10:30)... so whenever thoughts of pay-back, retaliation, revenge, or 'putting someone in his/her place' come to mind - call on the Name of Jesus, ask for the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit to enter in...and depend on God to pour out Himself in the place of all that...and trust the Lord of the universe to do what is right.
"....[Continue] to entrust yourself to a faithful Creator in doing what is right' (1 Peter 4:19).
"Help us Lord to look to you in all things. When we have been wronged, help us to seek Your Face, depending on You to 'take care of the situation'...help us to pray for those who wrong us, so that Your Glory will be evident. Thank You for Your Grace toward me Lord, when i wrong others. Help me to recognize my wrong/offense, apologize to the one I've wronged, ask forgiveness of her/him and of You, - so that we might all grow up in You, and that You might be glorified. Thank You God."

Acts 22
Wow - I use that exclamation a lot as I read Scripture! Not very original, but expresses my first reaction! Paul describes for those listening, those who want to harm him, what took place in his life that brings him to the point of that day. He goes into his defense - he is honest about 'who he use to be' and what happened, what Jesus did, and as a result 'who he is today.' Now one would hope that by Paul laying everything out on the table, that folks would at least not want to harm him any longer - if not rejoice and say 'what must I do to be saved?!' BUT GOD, that is not the case.

They want to kill him! But aren't we told that telling the truth is always best? Isn't everything suppose to be okay if we tell the truth?....yes. And in the end...everything will be 'okay' if we tell the truth! BUT GOD...in living in this world where sin abounds, where people want their own way (don't you want your way sometimes...I do...), where we combat the three enemies of God - the world, the flesh, the devil - folks don't respond the right way, the God way....

SO, 1 Peter 4:19 comes in to this picture too...Paul continues to entrust himself to the faithful One and continues to speak and 'do the right thing' - trusting that God will see him through - even if through hardship, trial, and in Paul's case, impending death. But remember, Paul is the one who said that his life was nothing compared to the glorious riches in Christ Jesus...

"Oh God, I pray today that we would be a people that would not shy away from what the world, flesh, and devil have to offer, But like Paul, we would be a people that would continue to entrust ourselves to You, The Faithful One, in doing what is right; being convinced that in due time, in the fullness of time, we shall see Your Face - we shall see the recompense of the Lord. Help us to call on You and walk in the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit!"