Good morning all! Father, as we look out into the world today there’s not much that makes sense to us. We see things that used to be are no longer and what shouldn’t be has become our daily occurrence. We ask Lord that You would reveal your hand and give us the strength and peace to walk it out, Amen.
Micah 7
Mic 7:1 KJV – Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: [there is] no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruit.
I work very hard in the field looking for something to eat but I finding nothing and I feel empty and weak.
Mic 7:2 KJV – The good [man] is perished out of the earth: and [there is] none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
You can’t find a good man in the earth, not one upright person, they all satisfy themselves at the expense of their brother.
Mic 7:3 KJV – That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge [asketh] for a reward; and the great [man], he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
I give it my all and work very hard even though there’s NO value in what I do, everyone is looking for their cut, the one who thinks they’re great will twist and bend the truth to get what they want.
Mic 7:4 KJV – The best of them [is] as a brier: the most upright [is sharper] than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen [and] thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
The best of these men are like a thorns, and those that think they’re Holy cut the worst: but NOW the watchman will see the day for correction is here, and they will be perplexed by it.
Bottom line
Is there anyone that’s not at all perplexed with the environment we live in today? I really think this passage in Micah describes what we’re experiencing today. We can work real hard but if we’re working on the wrong thing it will produce very little results and leave us in a place where we feel empty and weak, it’s the opposite of living uprightly and that’s why God couldn’t find anyone in the land. So, what is God talking about here?
Phl 2:3 NLT – Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Oh boy, not sure I like that translation- Ha! We are to think that others are better than we are? Is that what it means to be a child of God? What does a child of the Devil think?
1Jo 3:10 NLT – So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love others does not belong to God. We are to LIVE righteously and love others, that is the definition of a child of God. Have you ever noticed it’s easier to follow the truth when we put others first, but when we put ourselves first our truth becomes real flexible, that’s the mischievous desire we have so we can wrap it up and take it home. Why the mischief?
Pro 16:30 NLT – With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief. Narrow eyes are selfish eyes, they don’t see others and they plan mischief…me first. This is how Micah opens when I work to find fruit for me it means I won’t find the
fruit in you, and not only am I left hungry but I turn myself into a thorn. This is why I’m perplexed, confused, I’m too busy thinking of myself instead of thinking of others first.
Jhn 5:30 KJV – I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. Jesus Christ never sought His own desires and did NOTHING for Himself, as I HEAR I judge, not what I ask. The upright will hear before they ask, they are led by the voice of faith to put others first. It’s then and only then that we will find the cluster of fruit and be truly satisfied…avoid the thorns.
Point to Ponder
What is the way of the upright? Pro 10:29 KJV – The way of the LORD [is] strength to the upright: but destruction [shall be] to the workers of iniquity. Be strong and love others first before you judge them, destruction is the one who makes others work for their affection…workers of iniquity…love is a gift NOT a paycheck.
Let’s all live upright, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends
