Part Five - Chapters Four and Five
 

"Surely you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands. Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees; but now it comes upon you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled. Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?" 4.3-6
God wants us to persevere in trouble. If we revere and trust Him in the integrity of His word we have hope. The sooner we allow the working of God’s character in us--the sooner the trial will pass.

"Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of His anger they are consumed." 4.8-9

We all reap what we sow. This is a spiritual law. The wicked perish, but the believer should grow in wisdom, character, and the fruit of the spirit. Embrace God’s dealings and grow in wisdom and stature. Do not resist God! The more we understand God's ways the more humbling the experience.

“Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.” 4.12

God will speak to us in dreams to correct us or warn us to go a different way. God speaks to us in our dreams and this is a gift that can be developed if we seek the Lord for understanding. Do you have such a desire? Ask the Lord to help you develop it.

Chapter Five...“Call out now; is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?” 5.1

There is only one person we pray to: The Lord. We don’t pray to anyone or anything else. We know who the captain of our salvation is. Get in your closet and get to work!

Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward. “But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.” 5.7

The handbook makes it clear: we will have troubles, and to Yeshua we are to look for help.

“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; he wounds, but His hands make whole.” 5.17-18

No child likes to be chastised--nor do adults. The Lord lovingly chastises us and we are told to be happy. He cares that much. He is working His character into us. Yield to God and He will lift you up. Chastisement is not a bad thing! Job is made an extreme example for our benefit!

He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine He shall redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. You shall laugh at destruction and famine, and you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth…You shall know that your tent is in peace; you shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss. 5.19-24

What an incredible promise! God will deliver and preserve us in troublous times. When the world is in chaos we will have peace in our tents. This is shelter in the shadow of His wings. We are the tent  the Lord dwells in. If we have permitted God to chastise and work His character into our hearts we will have that peace that passes understanding when all around us is shaking. If we have refused to allow the Lord access we will be shaken! Our handbook is clear about this. Yield to God and He will lift you up. He is our salvation. One other interesting point: He will preserve you in six troubles, in seven no evil shall touch you. Did you catch the millennial hint. Six days the Lord worked and on the seventh day He rested. We too will rest in the seventh millennial day!


Tomorrow: Part Six - The Final Five Chapters and Summary