By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
SABBATH
THEME: CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S INTERVENTION”
SCRIPTURE: Psalms 140:12-13
“[12]I know that the Lord will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor. [13]Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.”
REFLECTIONS
Daily, life gets worse, terrible, challenging, unpleasant, distasteful, and gloomy because of evil-doers’ works. Those who have sold their conscience to the enemy of God persist in their wickedness and make life unbearable for others without being conscious that they mess up their lives as well. Often, those who seek righteousness become the enemy’s target and suffer from the evil actions of the ungodly. Were it not for God, the wicked one would brutalize us mercilessly. But the Lord is constantly there for the weak, despondent, lonely, betrayed, and maltreated who maintain their belief and trust in Him.
You have the comfort of God any time of the day if you have put your trust in Him. Unless our situations get terrible, we may not appreciate the power of God that backs us. In every dire situation, God’s power would be manifested. We always have testimonies because of God’s interventions and actions. Psalms 140, a psalm of David, is a prayer for deliverance from wicked men. When evildoers assailed his path, he was confident that God would keep him safe from them. He would rescue him to prove that God is our refuge. Evil has become so common that you hardly find anyone to trust except the Almighty God.
David’s prayer in Psalms 140:1, “Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men,” resonates with many who trust God. He petitions God: “[4]Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble. [5]The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me.” – verses 4-5. If your hope is in the Lord, the threats of the enemy and the challenges you face will not break or destroy your trust in Him; they will strengthen and affirm your faith. David records in verse 6, “I said to the Lord: “You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.” Can you, in your current predicament, trust God this way?
Without a doubt, David acknowledged in verse 7, “O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.” Such confidence is what God uses to discomfit the enemy. Why would you allow life’s threats to weaken and deflate your trust in God? Many believers have become endeared to the psalms because they identify with the writers’ experiences. David’s resolution to any demonic and evil machinations and attacks was: “[12]I know that the Lord will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor. [13]Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence” – verses 12-13. In the face of affliction, your faith and trust in God would be His weapons to defend your cause. How tenable and solid is your trust in God?
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 510 – “If You But Trust in God to Guide You”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for your victories, His defense, and unfailing promises; pray to put your confidence in Him;
– Pray for all who face attacks from the enemy and family and friends whose faith is sorely tested; pray for families who have recently been bereaved;
– Pray for children without parental care and guidance and children who live in slums; pray for hardworking single parents and God-fearing parents, guardians, and wards;
– Pray for leaders and the challenges they face; pray for specific individuals you want Christ to save; pray for those tormented with evil spirits, the terminally ill, and a chronic disease patient.
