Seeing Clearly
1. Sometimes My Eyes Aren’t Focused
2. “We See Through A Glass, Darkly”
3. Redeeming The Time
4. Looking In A Mirror To See Clearly
5. What Our Eyes Haven’t Seen
6. When We Can’t See His Face
7. Having Not Seen, And Yet Believed
8. Invite Them To Come See
9. Moses Turned Aside To See
10. When You See Someone Fail
11. The Blind Man Saw Men As Trees Walking
12. “Taste And See That The Lord Is Good”
13. Faith Is The Evidence Of Things Not Seen
14. How To See Good When Life Looks Bad
15. When He Sees Me
1. Sometimes My Eyes Aren’t Focused
One morning I woke up and looked at my watch, and saw that it was 9:30. I had worked hard the day before and needed the sleep, but I still couldn’t believe that I had slept until 9:30. I asked Michael why he let me sleep so late and then I saw that it was only 8:30. This happens quite often. I wake up and look at my watch and my eyes are not focused. I don’t see the small numbers clearly. Friday morning I woke up at 6:30 and was thinking about how some mornings it takes a few minutes for my eyes to be focused to see clearly. Then, the Lord started showing me several different scriptures that relate to seeing clearly. I didn’t want to forget these thoughts… so here I am… early in the morning… trying to get my thoughts down while they are fresh on my mind. The Apostle Paul explains that we used to see things as a child, but as we grow older we see as an adult. Even still, “we see through a glass, darkly…” I hope we can look into the Word of God at things we need to see more clearly. “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (I Corinthians 13:11-12)
2. “We See Through A Glass, Darkly”
My sister invited us to her granddaughter’s birthday party on Saturday. Since it is a few hours away we took three of our grandchildren and booked a hotel room for Friday night. The kids were enjoying their time playing together on Friday when a thunderstorm came up suddenly. By the time we got to the shelter behind the house Michael and I were drenched. We sat under the carport to eat our dinner and visited a while. We headed to the hotel for the night and about 15 miles up the road we saw lights of fire trucks and an ambulance. Those were the only lights we saw, because that section of town was without power. There were trees down, and limbs and leaves covered the road. I started thanking God for watching over us. While we were enjoying sitting and listening to the rain, the neighboring folks were going through terrible storms. I thought about I Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” Sometimes we may be going through storms, but not realizing how much worse it could be. As I went to bed Friday night I kept thanking my Lord for His goodness in letting the storm pass over us. When storms come our way we need to remember that we are seeing through a glass darkly, and maybe just up the road a little ways God will help us see things more clearly.
3. Redeeming The Time
It’s important that we see the correct time. I was helping my Dad years ago while the kids were at school. There was a clock in the back bedroom that the time had not been changed during daylight savings time and it was actually an hour later than what was showing on the clock. I was late picking my children up from school that day. We need to see the time clearly. Paul told the church to redeem the time through wisdom. “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:5-6) I believe that the hour we are living in is much later than we imagine. “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11)
“15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” (Ephesians 5:15-20)
4. Looking In A Mirror To See Clearly
I remember one day that I was working in the garden and I needed to run to the local hardware store. I jumped in the car and went as I was. When I got back home I looked in the mirror and I thought, "Wow, I went and saw people the way I look!" My hair was clipped up on my head and my clothes were dirty, and the sweat on my face was mixed with the dust and dirt and looked like mud on my cheeks and brow. There have been other times when I walked by a mirror and I asked myself, "Do I really look like that?" Mirrors sometimes show me more than I want to see. God's Word is like a mirror. It helps us see more clearly. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (James 1:22-24) When I get dressed for church I check things in the mirror and try to look my best. If I see that my hair is standing up or that my make-up is smeared, I try to fix it. When we read God's Word, He may reveal things to us that we need to fix. If we don't follow the Word that He shows us, it is like looking in a mirror and seeing problems, but walking away without trying to fix them. When the Lord shows us clearly what we need to do, then we need to listen and do as He instructs us.
5. What Our Eyes Haven’t Seen
We see the earthly things of God’s creation. The views we have from the mountains, to the call of the ocean, it’s all amazing to see. We see the beauty of the flowers and plants. We enjoy the beautiful colors of the sky at different times of the day. We can feel the soft, cuddly animals God has given us to enjoy. We taste the wonderful fruits and vegetables He provides. There are just so many things in His creation that we see. When we think about all the goodness God provides, and it comes to us in a sin cursed world, we can’t even imagine the goodness and beauty of heaven. We have seen a small pearl from an oyster, and a golden ring, but we haven’t seen the pearly gates, or street of gold. Isaiah 64:4 tells us, “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” The Apostle Paul liked this verse so much that he repeated to the early church. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (I Corinthians 2:9-10) If something in this world begins to look a little dim, just think about all the things of God that you haven’t seen. It’s got to be amazing!
6. When We Can’t See His Face
Today I want to share some of my favorite verses. They speak to me when I am overwhelmed. So many things in this world can seem to be against us. We have been so busy with life, and all the things that seem so important to do, that I sat and made a list Wednesday so I could get as much done as possible before church. I did the most pressing things, and only made it halfway through the list. The rest will have to wait until another day. Obligations are not the only things that can overwhelm us. Sickness, or even just being tired, can slow us down or even stop us from getting the things done that seem important at the moment. Financial struggles can keep us from doing things that we enjoy. Sometimes we put the needs of others before our own needs, and it doesn’t take long to get way behind on the things we need to do. Anyway, you get the idea. When Moses was on Mount Sinai with God, the people sinned and made a golden calf to worship. I’m sure Moses was outraged, as he threw the tablets to the ground. Afterwards, he was discouraged, and he had a conversation with God. In the middle of this conversation Moses said, “I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” When we are feeling low, and there’s no where we can turn, and we just can’t face our problems any longer, we can go to the Lord and cry out to Him, “Show me thy glory.” The Lord answered Moses, “Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock…” Aren’t you glad that the Lord has promised us a place by Him! He has placed us on a Rock, and even though we can’t see His face, we can see His glory!
“12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:12-23)
7. Having Not Seen, And Yet Believed
Pastor Rick Byerly preached Wednesday evening on “Discouragement And Doubt”. The disciples had seen Jesus taken and crucified. They had believed that He was the Messiah that would redeem them. This was painful for them and they were discouraged. Jesus appeared to the disciples after His death and resurrection, but Thomas wasn’t with them. He didn’t believe that Jesus had appeared to them and he was doubtful. He said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) Jesus came to give them peace, and He came to them again when Thomas was there. In verses 19, 21, and 26, Jesus said, “Peace be unto you.” When we believe on Jesus and trust in Him to be our Savior, then He gives us peace. Thomas had to see to believe. “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) I am glad that the Holy Spirit spoke to me and I believed on Jesus, even though I have not seen Him. If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please believe on Him today and He will give you peace and joy unspeakable. “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” (I Peter 1:8)
“19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (Verses from John 20)
8. Invite Them To Come See
It is hard for me to believe that we are almost halfway through another year. Someone told me that Hobby Lobby is moving from spring and summer, and putting fall stuff out. It won’t be long until they start putting Christmas décor on the shelves. It is early to start thinking about decorating for Christmas, but it is never the wrong time to read the Christmas story from Luke 2. My thoughts are about the shepherds. They heard the good news from the angels, and they went to see the Christ Child. When they left they told others. Let’s tell others about our Savior, Jesus Christ. Maybe those who hear the good news will come to church to see. Today you can take a little break from the high temperatures, and see the Christmas story.
“8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” (Luke 2:8-20)
9. Moses Turned Aside To See
We saw yesterday that when God got the attention of the shepherds, they went to Bethlehem to see the Christ Child. Today we are looking at a man in the Bible who did great things for God, after God got his attention, and he turned aside to see. Moses was 40 years old when he tried to help the Hebrews, and killed an Egyptian. He fled from Egypt and went to Midian. Moses got married and kept sheep for his father-in-law. I wonder how many times he tried to explain his intentions to God. He was trying to do what he could to help his people. After 40 years, when Moses was 80 years old, God got his attention. As you read the scriptures notice in verse 3, “And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight,…” In verse 4 we see that after, yes, after, Moses turned aside to see, “God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look upon God. For the next 40 years Moses will walk and talk with God and be mighty in the eyes of Pharaoh when the Lord performs great miracles through him. He will lead the Israelites out of Egypt. And it all began when God got his attention and he turned aside to see. Is the Lord trying to get your attention? Why not turn to the Lord and see what the Lord has for you?
“1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:1-6)
10. When You See Someone Fail
Michael taught Sunday School Sunday on Joshua and how God prepared him to lead the Israelites after the death of Moses. One of his points was that Joshua saw Moses fail. As he was talking about Joshua being with Moses on Mount Sinai when God gave him the Ten Commandments, I started thinking about that situation. The Bible doesn’t tell us much about Joshua being with him, but we do know that Joshua was the servant of Moses. “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.” (Exodus 33:11) And we do know that Joshua went up the mount with Moses. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. 13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.” (Exodus 24:12-13) Here is where I started thinking about Moses and Joshua. Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights. We sometimes forget that Joshua was with him. I think they started down the mountain and Joshua may have told Moses that, as his servant, he would carry the tables of stone. Maybe Moses explained how they were written by the finger of God, so he would carry them. Joshua may have reminded Moses that he was much younger than Moses, and it would be easier for him to carry them, but maybe Moses told him that God had given them to him, and it was his responsibility to carry them. These verses also tell us that Joshua was his minister and that tells us that Joshua took care of the needs of Moses. So, it would have been alright, and maybe even proper, for Joshua to take the weight off of Moses, but we see that Moses was the one who carried the stone tablets.
“15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.” (Exodus 32:15-19)
Can you imagine how Joshua felt when he saw Moses throw the Ten Commandments to the ground? These stones that were written by the finger of God, that were so important Moses could not bear to take a chance of something happening to them, and he was so angry he threw them to the ground. Joshua saw that day that even the best leaders, and children of God, can make mistakes and fail. Not only Moses, but he also saw that Aaron, the brother of Moses and priest, broke the first commandment and made a golden calf to worship. Aaron had been left in charge and he led the people in a bad direction. We see people fail and it may make us not trust them. People that we look up to can fall. We may see our family members fall. Sometimes the leaders in our churches can fail, but don’t lose your faith and trust in the Lord. He will never fail you!
11. The Blind Man Saw Men As Trees Walking
I asked Michael to write this devotional for us.
Halfway through the Gospel of Mark, we find the unusual account of Jesus healing a blind man near Bethsaida. This is the only “two-step” healing found in the Bible. Jesus spits on the man’s eyes, touches his eyes with His hands, and then asks him if he can see. The man replies, “I see men as trees, walking.” Jesus then touches the man’s eyes again and the man can see clearly. There was not a shortage of power that caused Jesus to be unable to heal the blindness with the Lord’s first touch. I believe Jesus is trying to show us something about how the people saw Jesus. Look back at how people saw Jesus in the early chapters of the book. In Mark 3:22 the scribes say Jesus is demon possessed. In Mark 3:31-35 the family of Jesus is somewhat concerned and worried about Him. They try to call Him away from the crowd to whom He was ministering. In Mark 4:35-41 Jesus calms the storm with His voice. What is the reaction of His own disciples?
“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41)
The disciples are terrified, and wonder what kind of man Jesus is. In Mark 6:1-3 Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth.
“1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.” (Mark 6:1-3)
So His own neighbors are offended by Him and refuse to believe in Him. In Mark 7:1-4 the Pharisees criticize Him for not washing His hands before eating, a tradition the Pharisees held dear. In fact, if you study the first eight chapters of Mark, only one group knows who Jesus really is, and surprisingly enough it is the demons. Over and over when Jesus casts out demons, they cry out to Him and say that they know Him. “And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” (Mark 1:23-24) The demon in Gadara went even farther—he ran and worshipped Jesus. “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” (Mark 5:6-7)
So I believe that Jesus is showing in His healing of the blind man that people saw Jesus, but they did not see Him clearly. The same is true today. Many will say that Jesus was a great teacher, or that Jesus was a good man. Many believe that Jesus is a good example. But the majority of people do not see Jesus clearly. As the demon at Gadara stated, Jesus is the Son of the most high God. He is God Himself. He does not just show us a way to live—“He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Immediately after the blind man was healed, Jesus put His disciples on the spot. “Whom do men say that I am?” He received several different answers. But then Jesus asked, “But whom say ye that I am?” That is the most important question you will ever answer! So do you see “men as trees walking?” Is your view of who Jesus is fuzzy or cloudy? Or can you say with Simon Peter, “Thou art the Christ.” If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, you may stumble the rest of your life with no clear vision of who Jesus is. As it happened with the blind man, I hope you see Christ clearly!
12. “Taste And See That The LORD Is Good”
Anyone who knows me, knows how much I enjoy my garden. Psalms 34:8 tells us, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Today I want to thank my wonderful Lord for letting me see even the little things of His goodness. I was pulling weeds last week and my hand and leg started stinging. I’m thankful that I could see the tiny ants that were protesting my presence, and I immediately started brushing them away. When I stood up I saw that there was an ant hill just ahead. I was glad I had only a few bites before I got any closer to the hill. This week I saw little bees in the cucumber vines. I was getting discouraged that I hadn’t seen any honey bees this year in the garden, and I thank the Lord for letting me see the honey bees. As I continued pulling weeds I came to a little section of weeds, and as I looked more closely, I saw many, tiny dill plants. They were two to three inches tall and practically hidden by the weeds. I carefully pulled the weeds around them, thinking about how I would be able to can some dill pickles with the cucumbers and dill. All of these little things in my garden remind me of how the Lord lets us taste His goodness. I am enjoying the radishes and squash. It is great that we ask the Lord to bless our food when we sit down to eat. Let us also remember to thank Him for His goodness in all the little ways He blesses us every day. Let’s look at that verse again, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (Psalm 34:8)
13. Faith Is The Evidence Of Things Not Seen
Let’s look at the Faith Chapter in Hebrews. It begins by telling us what faith is.
“1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrews 11:1-3)
One of the examples is Noah. He had never seen rain, but he had faith in God and built the ark. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7) The next example of faith was that of Abraham and Sarah. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10) It is great to read of these faithful men and women who God delivered in their faith. But, towards the end of the chapter we read that many who had faith were not delivered. Does that mean they had less faith? No. Herod beheaded John the Baptist. We could never say that John had less faith than those who were delivered from a martyr’s death. We can read the stories of the faithful, one after another, and be encouraged how God answered their prayers. But, sometimes our prayers are not answered. Sometimes Christians suffer, but that does not mean their faith is weak. Don’t lose hope. Don’t think that God has deserted you or failed you when trials come your way. Our God is faithful! “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;” (Deuteronomy 7:9)
“35 … and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:35-40)
14. How To See Good When Life Looks Bad
During the times of the kings of Israel and Judah the Lord blessed the people when the king followed God, but often during the reign of kings who sinned against God, the people suffered famine, or war, or other hardships. Uzziah, called Amaziah in II Kings 15, was a good king. He began to reign at 16 years old and reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.” (II Chronicles 26:4-5) “Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.” (II Chronicles:22) This tells us that the prophet Isaiah was close to King Uzziah. After reigning 52 years, Uzziah died. Isaiah probably mourned the death of King Uzziah. He did not know if the new king would follow the Lord. I am reading in Isaiah and I have always liked chapter 6. It is an example to us of how to see good, when life looks bad. Instead of looking at the things that are bad, we need to look up and see the Lord sitting on His throne. God showed Isaiah that even though King Uzziah died and was no longer on his throne, God was still on His throne. No matter what comes our way, or how bad things look, we can trust the Lord because He never changes and He is still in control.
“1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” (Isaiah 6:1-8)
15. When He Sees Me
For the last two weeks we have been looking at different scriptures that help us to see more clearly. I want to finish this series on how God sees us. We are sinful. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:… For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ” (Romans 3:10 & 23) “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) To all who do not trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, He says, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23) When we ask Jesus to forgive us and cleanse us from our sin, then we become children of God. He sees us with the righteousness of Jesus. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) Paulette White wrote a song that gives us an idea of how God sees us in her song, “When He Sees Me.”
“When He Sees Me
1. Looking down through the ages God beheld the dying soul,
Sin had brought separation, nevermore could man be whole.
There must come a Lamb, one who's blood alone redeems,
Bringing gifts to the Father of our souls made white and clean.
CHORUS
And when He sees me, He sees the blood of the Lamb.
He sees me as worthy and not as I am.
He views me in garments as white as the snow,
For the Lamb of God is worthy and He washed me, this I know.
2. So He left that holy city, traveling on to the cross.
Just to bridge the gulf to glory and to rescue all the lost.
By His blood He entered into the throne room of our God,
And on the mercy seat He placed it, salvation for us all.”
