Micah 6:10 “Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?”
When God speaks to us….He speaks to us in things we can understand.
(Once my husband went with his niece to deal with a woman who had recently become interested in the Lord Jesus. She was not born here, and spoke English somewhat….but he went, and spoke to her about being born again.
He read verses…..but saw that she was having trouble understanding everything.
She understood about sin, she had heard about Jesus….but beyond that it became difficult.
Turning to…
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear My voice and open the door I will come into him and sup with him and he with Me.”
My husband spoke of Jesus standing at her hearts door….and told her to listen.
She bowed her head…and…then, she started to cry.
Then, in her own language….she asked the Lord Jesus to forgive her sins and come into her heart and life.
All this she did, almost as though no one else was there….then she raised her head and said, “Jesus spoke to me in my language….He knew me! And now I know Him!”)
When Israel sinned…..God spoke bluntly about it.
The rich were bringing sacrifices which were purchased by the cheating of their neighbors.
Micah 6:9 “The Lord’s Voice crieth unto the city and the man of wisdom shall see Thy Name: Hear ye the rod, and Who hath appointed it.”
This word for “rod” here, is the same as in Psalm 23:4 “…Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me….”
As Israel’s Shepherd, the Lord spoke to them of what was wrong….then as Shepherd, He would use His rod to correct them….get their attention to do something about the wrong….before He would chastise them.
Is there something in our lives that needs to be seen to?
The scant measure that is abominable. Giving a little less than what the customer paid for. Their weights and measures were wrong.
Are we giving to God our all? Or are our “measures” off a little?
God’s weights are:
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
These are the measures God uses. And this is how He would have HIs people do, as well.
He would have us…..in all our dealings with Him, and all our brothers and sisters in Christ….do this:
To give to each, that full measure of devotion.
As God would have it. To God, first. And to our brothers in Christ.
This is not to the letter of the law….but to His Spirit in the command.
Hear ye the rod and Who hath appointed it. Appointed here means to summon for trial.
There are trials we go through because we belong to Christ….praise God for everyone of them and His presence through them.
There are trials we bring on ourselves by trying to “take short cuts”….or by trying to be at ease, when there is work to do. Then the Lord “appoints” a rod…to awaken us to our duty.
The rod of correction must be accepted…for just what it is. A tap on the shoulder,…a bump in the way,…a panic in the night.
The Lord would have us be His Will….and the “rod” of The Shepherd has that view in mind….always.
The Lord wants “an expected end” for me…..for you….will you have it of Him?
Jeremiah 29:11
“Expected”…this is only time this word is used in the Bible… is a compound word
meaning…a cord…to bind together..a thing to live for, a thing that I long for.
Jesus wants all of us….are we giving Him a scant measure?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 