Wondrous Words
"TEAR TO TEAR"
Lesson 9
OUR FIRST TEAR FELL FROM OUR EYES, the moment we came into this world. We were naked and hungry so we cried for attention and…suddenly a pretty woman appeared. Soon we were drinking warm milk, and someone began patting our back with love. You decided it might not be such a bad place to live after all.
Let’s talk about some things that make us CRY. Sometimes we get "bad news"…as KING HEZEKIAH in the OLD TESTAMENT did--from GOD, through the prophet Isaiah.
"SET THINE HOUSE IN ORDER; FOR THOU SHALT DIE, AND NOT LIVE"
"THEN HE TURNED HIS FACE TO THE WALL, AND PRAYED UNTO THE LORD, SAYING:
"I BESEECH THEE, O LORD, REMEMBER NOW HOW I HAVE WALKED BEFORE THEE IN TRUTH AND WITH A PERFECT HEART, AND HAVE DONE THAT WHICH IS GOOD IN THY SIGHT. AND HEZEKIAH WEPT SORE"
"AND IT CAME TO PASS, BEFORE ISAIAH WAS GONE INTO THE MIDDLE COURT, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO HIM" (2 KINGS 20:1-4)
Notice that Hezekiah appeals to GOD on the basis of his "walk before His creator". We don’t always get a "yes", but Hezekiah did and GOD send ISAIAH THE PROPHET to say…God said, "I HAVE HEARD THY PRAYER, I have SEEN THY TEARS: behold, I will heal thee".
"I will ADD UNTO THY DAYS FIFTEEN YEARS". (READ THE STORY AND WHAT God told him to do). (2 Kings 20:5-6) What joy--to live on, something we all want to do. So PRAYER, our TEARS, and a GOOD LIFE LIVED can make a difference.
"In the day when I cried thou answered me with strength in my…soul" (Psalms 138:3)
"Though the LORD BY HIGH, yet hath HE respect unto the lowly: but…the PROUD HE KNOWETH AFAR OFF" (Psalms 138:6)
"THOUGH I WALK IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE, THOU WILT REVIVE ME: THOU SHALT STRETCH FORTH THINE HAND AGAINST THE WRATH OF MINE ENEMIES, AND THY RIGHT HAND SHALL SAVE ME" (Psalms 138:7).
"THE LORD WILL PERFECT THAT WHICH CONCERNETH ME: THY MERCY, O LORD…ENDURETH FOREVER:… (Psalms 138:8).
This group of passages from GOD’S WORD encourages us mightily--to know whatever bothers me, bothers GOD. We know when our children come home from school in tears we are ready to "take up their case", and see that "justice is done". OUR GOD CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT OUR HURTS AND TEARS BECAUSE HE IS ALL-POWERFUL. If we could picture…GOD standing by when we have problems, we could handle anything or anybody just knowing our HEAVENLY FATHER IS THERE NEARBY. Another reason that brings tears is when GOD has to chasten His children when they sin, but these are "good tears", which can bring about REPENTANCE.
"FOR GODLY SORROW WORKETH REPENTANCE TO SALVATION NOT TO BE REPENTED OF: BUT SORROW OF THE WORLD WORKETH DEATH" (2 Corinthians 7:10).
These are "fruitful tears" if repentance follows them and GOD brings about a closer walk with HIM in correcting His children. One of my favorite scriptures on forgiveness that gives me much comfort is:
"IT IS OF THE LORD’S MERCIES THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, BECAUSE HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT. THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING. GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS" (Lam. 3:22-23).
GOD GRIEVES over the souls of lost men and some who start well as a CHILD of GOD are told:
"TAKE HEED, BRETHREN (Christians), LEST THERE BE IN ANY OF YOU AN EVIL HEART IN DEPARTING FROM THE LIVING GOD" (Heb. 3:12).
CHRISTIANS are told to "exhort one another daily" so they won’t be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13). SATAN tries to win us away from GOD.
"FOR WE ARE MADE PARTAKERS OF CHRIST IF WE HOLD THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONFIDENCE STEDFAST UNTO THE END" (Hebrews 3:14).
BIBLE QUESTIONS Lesson 9
01. Name the King who was going to die and prayer to God gained him 15 more years. __________________ (2 Kings 20:1-7)
02. When God’s people cry unto Him, He answers "with _______________unto my soul" (Psalms 138:3).
03. "Though the LORD BE HIGH, He has respect for the _____________; but the PROUD "He knoweth_____ ________" (Psalms 138:6).
04. When we "walk in the midst of trouble, GOD wilt ______________us" (Psalms 138:7).
05. The BIBLE says, "the LORD will perfect that which _______________me" (Psalms 138:8).
06. "GODLY SORROW (sorrow to God) worketh ________________" (2 Cor. 7:10).
07. GOD FORGIVES, and "It is of the________ ______ THAT WE ARE NOT CONSUMED" (Lam. 3:22).
08. When GOD FORGIVES, HE FORGETS, and "HIS MERCIES ARE NEW __________ _____________" (Lamentations 3:23).
09. "CHRISTIANS" are warned that their HEARTS can BECOME EVIL CAUSING THEM TO "__________ FROM THE LIVING GOD" (Heb. 3:12).
10. "CHRISTIANS" are warned that their HEARTS can become hardened, and if they are to be made partakers Of Christ, it is if…they are __________ unto the_____ (Heb. 3:13-14)--"SIN IN DECEITFUL".
GRADED BY__________GRADE_____