A Heavy Heart Day 7

I post today with both a heart that is troubled and joy in my spirit.

How can these two opposing "emotions" be taking up residence at the same time?
It is because they are not really emotions, as we have come to know them.

I have a troubling in my spirit, I was up most of the night last night praying, battling and laboring in The Spirit. Some things happened today that caused my heart to be troubled for The Church and The Oppressed in The World.

However, there is joy in my spirit. The joy that comes from knowing, not guessing, not assuming, but knowing we have been blessed to be given the great responsibility of partnering with The Lord of Creation to bring His Will to pass on The Earth, and His Will Shall Be Done.

I encourage you, if you are following along with this journey, to go back and start with the Post: He Will Finish Strong, and read up to this again.

Today, I cry out a prayer using Scripture:

May we arise and be ready for The Glory and The Tribulation ahead.



Psalm 4


Answer me when I call to you,
O God who declares me innocent.

Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
How long will you people ruin my reputation?
How long will you make groundless accusations?
How long will you continue your lies? Interlude

You can be sure of this:

The LORD set apart the godly for himself.
The LORD will answer when I call to him.

Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude
Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,
and trust the LORD.

Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
Let your face smile on us, LORD.

You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
For you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe

       



Psalm 10


O LORD, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble?

The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.

For they brag about their evil desires;
they praise the greedy and curse the LORD.

The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.

Yet they succeed in everything they do.
They do not see your punishment awaiting them.

They sneer at all their enemies.
They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!

We will be free of trouble forever!”
Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.[a]

Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
They lurk in ambush in the villages,
waiting to murder innocent people.

They are always searching for helpless victims.
Like lions crouched in hiding,
they wait to pounce on the helpless.

Like hunters they capture the helpless
and drag them away in nets.

Their helpless victims are crushed;
they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.

The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”

Arise, O LORD!
Punish the wicked, O God!
Do not ignore the helpless!

Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
They think, “God will never call us to account.”

But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.

The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.

Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
Go after them until the last one is destroyed.

The LORD is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.

LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.

You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them.





Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

God presides over heaven’s court;
he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings:

“How long will you hand down unjust decisions
by favoring the wicked? Interlude

“Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.

Rescue the poor and helpless;
deliver them from the grasp of evil people.

But these oppressors know nothing;
they are so ignorant!

They wander about in darkness,
while the whole world is shaken to the core.

I say, ‘You are gods;
you are all children of the Most High.

But you will die like mere mortals
and fall like every other ruler.’”

Rise up, O God, and judge the earth,
for all the nations belong to you!



Isaiah 58


“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.
Shout aloud! Don’t be timid.
Tell my people Israel[a] of their sins!

Yet they act so pious!
They come to the Temple every day
and seem delighted to learn all about me.

They act like a righteous nation
that would never abandon the laws of its God.

They ask me to take action on their behalf,
pretending they want to be near me.

‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.
‘Why aren’t you impressed?
We have been very hard on ourselves,
and you don’t even notice it!’

“I will tell you why!” I respond.
“It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.

Even while you fast,
you keep oppressing your workers.

What good is fasting
when you keep on fighting and quarreling?

This kind of fasting
will never get you anywhere with me.

You humble yourselves
by going through the motions of penance,
bowing your heads
like reeds bending in the wind.

You dress in burlap
and cover yourselves with ashes.

Is this what you call fasting?
Do you really think this will please the Lord?

“No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.

Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.

Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.

Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

“Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.

Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.

Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!

Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.

Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.

You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.

Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
and a restorer of homes.

“Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath
and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.

Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,
and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.

Then the Lord will be your delight.
I will give you great honor
and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.

I, the Lord, have spoken!”