It May Come Back on Your Head

Growing up, you hear things like “You get out what you put in” and “No pain, no gain.” All of it is meant to motivate a person to put the hard work in so that you will get the intended result. There is a flip side to that thinking. If you purposely do something wrong to hurt someone, it will come back on your head. That is what we see today as we look at Obadiah.

‭‭Obadiah‬ ‭1:15‬

“For the day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.”

I love saying the name “Obadiah.” It sounds cool but the meaning of his name in Hebrew is even more incredible. It means “Worshipper of Yahweh.” While we don’t know much about him, there are fifteen mentioned in the Old Testament. He is a prophet that is prophesying judgment on Edom. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, Isaac’s son. Israel wanted to pass through Edom on the way to the Promised land, but they wouldn’t let them. They were a perpetual thorn in Israel’s side and laughed when Israel went through captivity. God sends Obadiah to tell them that their day of judgment is coming and everything they have done will return on them.

The Power of the Holy Spirit

There is a big difference between power tools and hand tools. With a powered drill, you can get the job done in a fraction of time and often cleaner than you can with a manual drill. The same can be said for your Spiritual life. There is a big difference between life under the power of the Holy Spirit and one that operates under its own power.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭8:15-16

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

God started working in others areas of the region besides Jerusalem. Samaria and Antioch were such places. Phillip went to Samaria, and many of them received Jesus. The church in Jerusalem heard about this and sent Peter and John to minister to them. When they got there, they found that the people had received salvation but not the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They prayed for them, and the Spirit fell on them.

Following the Flock

Have you ever sensed God wanting to use you? Maybe it was in your church or to witness to a loved one. Whatever it may be, there is a certain level of fear that comes with stepping out in faith to be used. Amos was a simple man who was busy in his job when God called him to be His voice to Israel. He was following the flock when the call came.

‭‭Amos‬ ‭7:15

But the LORD took me from following the flock and the LORD said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’

Amos was working as a shepherd on the family’s ranch when God called him to be a prophet. He wasn’t from a priestly family or raised in Jerusalem; he tended sheep. Every person can relate to Amos. He was an average person that’s God plucked out of his normal activities. He smelled of sheep, but God wasn’t concerned with his outer appearances. He looked at Amos’ heart. When God calls you, it will serve you well to have to the Amos’ attitude.

Hope for the Humble

It can be pretty discouraging to turn on the TV or browse the internet. All you see are evil acts done by wicked people, and many of them are not getting the punishment they deserve while innocent people are wronged. It was the same during David’s time. King Saul was crazed and had it out for anyone associated with the anointed king. There were moments David questioned what was happening, but he gives hope for the humble.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭10:17

“O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear.”

David writes Psalm 10, wondering where God has gone. He has prayed for deliverance from the oppression and hasn’t heard anything. The wicked seem to be prospering, but God seems so far away from him. This is one of the common prayers of David in the Psalms. How does it seem like the wicked can get away with anything they want while the righteous struggle? Where is the loving God who takes care of His children? David is asking questions that many of us have asked. At the end of the chapter, David gives hope for the humble.

Fearless in the Face of Opposition

Everybody loves a good underdog story. They like when the little guy stands up to the giant and prevails. That was the story of the early church. They were a small group of committed Christians who tirelessly preached the Gospel and stood fearless in the face of opposition. Because of that, they added to their numbers every day.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭6:7

“The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.”

When the Gospel is preached and the power of the Holy Spirit is moving, the church grows exponentially. In a city where the newly found church was vehemently opposed by the Chief Priest and the religious leaders, it defied the odds and kept growing. Even those who were priests and Pharisees were giving their life to Jesus and joining the church. All it took were a committed group of people who were fearless in the face of opposition.

This is Not Our Home

Several years ago, we sold our home and moved to another city close to the school our children would be attending. We moved into a smaller home while waiting to purchase a bigger home and a more desired neighborhood. The housing market exploded, prices went up, and we are still in that small house. It hasn’t been bad, but it is not our final destination. As Christians living in this world, we need to remember this is not our home.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭14:14

“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.”

As you get closer to the end of the book of Revelation, you can see the finish line. The judgments are coming to an end, the time of tribulation is ending, and the Son of God is becoming more evident. The time for Jesus to take His throne in Jerusalem for the millennial reign is getting close. Satan, his demons, and all of mankind that rejected God will soon be judged, and the church will come and rule and reign with Christ. It will be a glorious day when Jesus comes on His white horse and defeats the armies of the world.

Seek the Good

One thing COVID has done is increase the gap between the wealthy and poor. Most of the jobs that were lost were the low-paying ones that the poor often hold. With most of these businesses closed, workers were furloughed, or worse, the business closed, and the job was lost forever. The Bible is clear that…

If It Is of God It Won’t Fail

Have you ever felt defeated when God has led you to do a work, and it faced resistance? Did you give up or push through? It is normal to question what you are called to do when you face any opposition. The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Peter and John, but they backed down because of some wise counsel. If it is of God, it won’t fail.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭5:39

“So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice,”
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In the early days of the church, there was a movement by the Sanhedrin to snuff it out. They went after the leaders, Peter and John. They wanted to kill them until a wise Pharisee named Gamaliel stepped in and provided some counsel, “if this is of man, it will fail, but if it is of God, you won’t be able to stop it.” Fortunately for the Jewish leaders, they listened. They weren’t going to stop the new work that God was doing through the church.

Crowned with Glory

Most people are so focused on what is urgent or in front of them that they never stop to look at the big picture. Seeing things from another perspective can help you see that things are not as bad as you might think. David shows us God’s perspective in today’s passage. He thinks about you and cherishes above everything else. You are crowned with glory.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8:4-5

“What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty!”

David has a great way with poetry. In this passage, he expresses his awe of God. He ponders why God would even think about man, who is so small. God doesn’t only give us a thought, but He cares for us and bestows us with glory and majesty. This is amazing, considering that mankind is below the angels. God cares about us so much that He pours out His blessings on His children. When you think that no one cares, remember this passage. God doesn’t have to give you one bit of notice, but he dotes on you instead.

Shaking the Foundations

If you have ever lived through an earthquake, you know what it is like for the ground to move beneath your feet. I’ve been in tall buildings and lying on a waterbed when an earthquake hit. Both personified the shaking and made it feel worse than it was. The Holy Spirit is in the business of shaking the foundations of our spiritual world. He wants to see us grow and be fruitful.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:31‬

“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”

The Holy Spirit is in the business of shaking things up. He tugs on our hearts to accept Jesus, He convicts us of sin we don’t want to repent of, and He pushes us to serve the Lord in areas we are uncomfortable with. So it should be no surprise when He moves on a group of people and shakes the foundations. That is what He did in the early church as they prayed for boldness to preach the Gospel and strength to stand against persecution. The Spirit wants to move similarly in today’s church, but He is finding very few takers. Most Christians want their ticket into heaven and to be as safe and comfortable as possible.