Sometimes it just may seem as if the Lord is not hearing or answering prayer. There are times we so not understand when God seems far away. Yet, I wonder if those are the times when He is closer than we think. First of all, one thing we don't like to consider is that there may be unconfessed sin in our lives that hinder God's presence. If we have never repented of sin and came to Jesus Christ, we cannot expect an answer from God unless it is a prayer of repentance. If we have received Jesus Christ in our lives and it seems as if He is far away, it may be a time of testing to try our faith or it may be something we don't understand at the present time but will understand better later in life or when we see the Lord. There are times, however that we have allowed sin back into our lives and God is trying to wake us up and get us back into fellowship with Him.

Usually God uses the times when we read the word or listen to a message by the local pastor to speak to us about hidden sin but failing to listen to that, it may take something more drastic to get our attention. In some cases the local pastor is not where he ought to be with the Lord and he could not possibly hear anything God wanted him to say to the congregation. Everything that happens is not necessarily God trying to correct something wrong in our lives; sometimes Satan is allowed to tempt us for a season. No matter what the cause of the trouble, it is a time when we must hold onto faith and the word and be steadfast and unmovable. We must exercise faith and not depend on feelings. I believe the feelings will come eventually but we are not to depend on them.  The just shall live by his faith.

I heard a testimony in church just last night where something happened to an individual that I can relate to as a mother of five children. This dear lady went through a divorce with a bitter custody battle concerning 3 children. The lady spent all she had and some that she didn't have but the courts awarded custody to the father. The father had the most money and I'm guessing the courts were thinking of the one that could best support the children. If anything else was involved I do not know. But although her heart was torn into pieces, I see a joy on her face that is beyond anything I have ever witnessed on someone going through such a hard battle. She radiates with the love of God. She testifies of how God is sustaining her through all this pain. I don't know how this will turn out in the future but I do know that if she stays faithful to God, she will fair far greater than the husband if he is not faithful to God. I'm assuming he is not right with God since his reason for divorce was being involved with a younger woman. I am in no position to judge since I've never met the man but if he is the guilty party, the guilt he may suffer later in life will torment his soul if he does not repent. This I've seen happen to people. They do live to regret the pain they cause an innocent person. The whole bible consists of the law of reaping and sowing. The only thing that breaks the consequences of that law is the mercy and grace of God that comes when we turn from sin and accept Jesus Christ as savior. That is the only thing that can cancel the debt for sin that we've done in our lifetime.

This has been the case for thousands of years but there is a day of retribution if the wicked do not repent. God will reward the innocent and those oppressed by the wicked but the wicked shall be turned into Hell and all who do not seek the Lord for forgiveness.

We see this everyday. We see greed, selfishness, covetousness and ungodly living. We see the wicked speaking against those that live righteous while commending those that live wickedly. They call evil good and good evil.

One example of this is the attitude the wicked have toward those that oppose abortion. They esteem the opposition as evil and think them selves as good for upholding the right of a woman to choose.They are only justified in this assumption if the one who opposes of abortion use violence and harm those doing the abortions. We are never justified in taking a life whether unborn or born.

Pride is the ingredient that hinders us to seeing and understanding the ways of God. Pride blocks the door and keeps truth from entering in our hearts. We must lay aside pride and humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and repent of sin. Pride sees self as good, humility sees self as in need of God.

We see the traits of the wicked here:

1. proud
2. mischievous
3. deceitful
4. unfair, grievous judgments
5. curses
6. vain

Here shows those that lie in wait to murder. In other countries this happens almost everyday. We hear in the news constantly about the murder of innocent.

In the United States our laws forbid this from happening at this present time but if it wasn't for the law, there would be those that would murder the innocent and those that stand for righteousness. I will add that the innocent unborn children are murdered in the United States.

How mistaken they are on this matter. God sees and knows all. Except we repent, we shall perish eternally.

As surely as you sit there and read these words, Jesus will return and judge the earth with righteousness. He hears the cries of the innocent, he hears the cry of all that are oppressed and enslaved. He hears all the cries of the innocent that are slain for the word of God. God will judge those that mistreated the innocent, ignored the starving and persecuted His people.  This would include innocent children, believers in Jesus of the natural nation of Israel, the brethren of the Lord. 

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

These things were not written for nothing.  Not one word of God will fail to be fulfilled.  It will all come to pass just as He said it would.  We must not take it lightly or ignore it's warnings.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

What the day of God's judgment comes we see the day of mercy close.  Here are those crying out for God's judgment.

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
 

Beloved, we do not have to face this wrath.  Through Jesus Christ we can be free from sin and inherit eternal life.  We can receive the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever. 

-Dorna

Psalm 11

These articles may be copied and shared with others as long as nothing is changed or altered in any manner.