Daily Bread 4-20-18

Psalms 80:7-11

7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

9 Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like goodly cedars.

11 She sent out her boughs, unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

ref. - Jer 2:21 - Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Ex 23:31 - And I will set thy sounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.

In this day the people of God were facing perilous times. It almost seemed as if they had been left alone by God. They still knew that he created all and knew all but they were begging him to shine his light upon them again. He had performed what he had promised but they weren't seeing the blessing, only turmoil and trial. The world had gone dark for them and they were desperately seeking for God's intervention. In this chapter, they were in repentance. they finally realized that God was doing his part, but they were not doing theirs. They had not yet had their understanding taken away and some were acknowledging that they were actually doing wrong. There were some that realized that their only way out was God. he was the creator of heaven and earth and had control over even the wind and the sky. Today, we can take many important things from this scripture but one stands out clear and plain; Never stop acknowledging the power of God. Even in the Sermon on the mount when Jesus was teaching us how to pray, the first thing that he did was give reverence to God and acknowledge his power and might. Even though we may have gone astray and have ourselves in a deep rut we must always know that he still is in control of all things. Today, we are taught also that if we ask, in Jesus' name, in faith, that God will hear our prayers. So, rather than heading for the downfall of God's chosen, the Israelites, and refusing to accept grace in Jesus Christ, let us forge further than they. Not to win a battle or a contest but because that is what has been given to us. We must exceed the faith of the scribes and pharisees.(Matthew 5:20). We have been given a chance to be made part of the vine in that he says we are the branches(John 15:5). It also says that without him, we can do nothing. So, today, if we want Gods favor and his protection to fall upon us, we must first repent and admit that we have followed the wrong path or have gone astray. We must then ask him to forgive us. ( This is no matter how long we have been serving him or not, if we have made a mistake we have made a mistake.) In Jesus' name, if we ask forgiveness, believing, we will be forgiven. And when his light begins to shine on us let us never forget when the lights was far away. Let us never forget how dark and fearful it was to be outside of God's will. And let us always give God the honor and the glory for it is through his Son Jesus Christ, and only his Son Jesus Christ, that we will be saved! Have a great day!!!