Have you ever been looked down upon? Perhaps it was because you are a Christian or because you don’t wear the latest fads, or drive a fancy car? You are never misunderstood by God. He understands the whole “looking down” thing. “God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” (Psalm 53: 2)
What He sees is people turning away who have become corrupt. He may see that there are many who do not call on God. He, Himself, is not only looked down upon, He’s not even looked at or up to. Oh, the folly of men!
If you are trusting Him and looking up to Him, He is seeing you and your position. His eyes are always on us. (Shared from Psalm 53, Paraphrased)
Paul certainly knew what being looked down upon meant. He was put in prison and isolated. Yet, he was allowed to live with a soldier to guard him.
Three days after he arrived in Rome, he asks to speak to the leaders to present his case of innocence to them. He begins, “It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” (Acts 28: 20)
The Jewish leaders arrange for him to come and completely present his case, at a larger meeting shortly after. “From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 28: 23)
- Preach where you’ve been planted.
Paul addresses them and makes his final statement: “This people will be ever hearing but never understanding; ever seeing but never perceiving. This people’s hearts have become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. (Acts 28: 26-27)
- We must see with our eyes, hear with our ears, but learn to understand with our heart.
- God wants to bring healing to our hearts and our lives.
Boldly, and without hindrance, Paul preached and taught about Jesus. For two years he shared the gospel under Roman guard.
- There are places right where we are at, that we can share from.
- We don’t need a platform nor a pulpit.
- Start where you are. Look around! (Shared from Acts 28: 17-31, Paraphrased)
Our God was definitely looking down on when the priests were setting up a plan to absolve them from responsibility and blame. What plan did they come up with? They hitched the cows to a new cart, put the ark on the cart, and turned the cows loose. If the cows headed for the Israelites over the border, the Lord would be appeased and wouldn’t send any more plagues.
The cows cross over the border and come to the priestly city where the men were working in the fields. The ark stopped right next to a rock. Instead of covering the ark, like they should have because it wasn’t supposed to be seen by anyone but the high priest.
Some of the people were curious and looked inside the ark and were killed.
- What God calls holy is holy.
- The ark represented the presence of God.
- He delights when we look inside our own hearts, cause that’s where He gets our attention and changes us.
Samuel has come a long way. “He continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life.” ( 1 Samuel 7: 15)
As a leader, Samuel looked up to God. As a child, he looked up to Eli, his mentor. This training taught him how to look up and straight ahead, to focus and serve the Lord.
- God always is looking down on all that happens in our life. Never stop looking up to Him.
“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16: 7) (Shared from 1 Samuel 6-7, Paraphrased)
UNBROKEN LOVE SERIES
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