Oppressed But Not Forgotten

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, June 09, 2016
Chapters: Psalms 10-17
Message: Oppressed But Not Forgotten

Hello My Friend,

Reading the Psalms is kind of like when you read the Book of Acts, you forget that there are some good verses in there to help you no matter what you are dealing with. I admit that, like everyone else, some days I soak in every word I read, others, I cannot remember how I got to the end of the chapters. There truly is something to be said about comforting words from the Word of God when life seems to be falling apart. “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” - Psalms 10:17,18.

Oppress, To overload or overburden. No matter what you do in life, we all get overloaded and burdened with our duties. Life is the same way, we all have had times when our load is heavy, maybe even now, and it seems like there is no relief. We read the Scriptures, no relief, we pray, no relief, we talk to people, no relief. What do we do? We keep going to God until He answers us. We somehow get it in our heads that we are never to ask God questions, He wants us to ask questions. When He seems to be no where around ask Him where He is. “Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land. LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” - Psalms 10:1-3,16-18.

“the heathen are perished out of his land.” Heathen, a pagan, one who worships idols, or is unacquainted with the true God. You know, when you look up the definition of a heathen it also says, a Gentile, all nations except the Jews or Israelites, as they were all strangers to the true religion, and all addicted to idolatry. Let me tell you, just because they are Jews that does not mean they are not strangers of the true God. We were all heathens at one time, none of us were acquainted with the true God until we came to know Christ. And even then that did not qualify you as being a true worshiper of God unless you accepted Him as your Saviour. Many saved “Christians” might as well be called heathens because they too are strangers to the true God. There is not much hope for the heathen, they will die in their sin, but all who humble themselves to the King and worship only Him will be oppressed no more. “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” - Matthew 25:34.

Yes, when we are oppressed it can feel like God has forgotten all about us. The Psalms are a great way to cry out to God when we are lost for words. David wrote this Psalm when he was being chased by Saul. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.” - Psalms 13:1-4.

“O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes,” I am making a point to show who wrote the Psalm, God thought is so important that He even made the font bold for us to notice. No matter how strong our faith in God, we all get weary, we all feel the effects of oppression. David was so discouraged that he too felt God had forgotten him, but just like the rest of us who cry out to God and He answers them almost immediately, at least that He is still with us, David did too. He came to his senses, although this Psalm was written after he was king. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.” - Psalms 14:1-4.

“The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men,” Here is where a lot of people get confused, God looked down on the children of men. There are only two kinds of people in the world, the sons of God, those who believe and seek God, and the sons of man, those who reject and turn away from God. A great example of this is Cain and Able, Cain’s pride and joy was his crops, he did not care to give God his very best. Able love God and made sure he gave Him the best of his herd. God was not pleased with Cain, gave him a chance to reconcile, but he did not and killed his brother instead. Many Christians have died in the hands of those who reject God, there is hope for them, but not for those who do not call upon the LORD. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:9-13.

When we calm down, stop and think about our situation and all that God had blessed us with prior to our problems we see that He has always been with us. One of my favorite poems is Footprints, when it seems as though God is no where to be found through our trials, that is when He is actually carrying us. Jesus is always with those who call upon Him, never to be moved from His care, He is our strength, our hope, our direction. “I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” - Psalms 16:7-11.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today, Jesus is revealed through the Holy One (16:10). This foretells the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:25-27; 13:35-39) who did not see corruption. When Jesus spoke His Revelation to John, He declared He has the keys to death and hell. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” - Revelation 1:18.

Today's Prayer: (Psalms 17:6-9) God, I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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