Many today allow themselves to be shackled to the problems of this world. They won't study God's Word in order to learn how to be free. Rather, they allow themselves to become prisoners to the ways of the world.
Psalm 102:16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
Do you feel destitute? Do you ever feel like your problems are overwhelming? God hears your prayers. You can be shackled to your problems, or you can ask for God's help. The choice is yours.
Psalm 102:18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. 19 For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
God sees what is happening on earth. Don't ever feel alone. If you serve Him, Father knows where you are and what you are doing at any given moment.
Psalm 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
We are all appointed to death in the flesh. The death of the soul is much more important. God can set you free of spiritual death into eternal life, if you believe.
Psalm 102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem; 22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD. 23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
This goes back to verse three where the people were moaning and groaning about their days being consumed like smoke. Don't allow yourself to get in that frame of mind. You have God with you. He that created the universe isn't handicapped, when it comes to helping you. Anytime you want those shackles removed, talk to your Father. He is able to loose the shackles of this world. Turn with me to Psalm 146.
Psalm 146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: 6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
Man will lie to you. God won't. You can trust Him. Your Father will lead you and guide you, if you are willing to follow His lead.
Psalm 146:7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
We are coming into perilous times, beloved. If you think it is rough now, just stick around awhile. It is going to get much rougher. Why would anyone want to face those times shackled to all kinds of problems? Trust your Father. He is able to break the shackles and set you free.
Psalm 146:8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
We all fall short from time to time; however, God loves those who try to do what is right. When you are down, He will pick you up. He gives you eyes to see.
Psalm 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
God is going to turn the wicked upside down. The next time He is not going to shake only the earth, He is going to shake heaven and earth (Hebrews 12:26).
Psalm 146:10 The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
That includes this generation. Yes, your Father hears you when you cry out from oppression. Yes, He loosens the shackles of the problems of this world, and God sets you free. Let's continue in the great Book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Teachers of God's Word shouldn't sugarcoat anything to make the Bible more palatable. Truth is truth. Don't make what is right wrong, and that which is wrong right in order to be politically correct.
Isaiah 58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
Unfortunately, then as today, all to any of God's children like to play church. All to often, their religion is self-serving. Their religion must be convenient.
Isaiah 58:3 "Wherefore have we fasted," say they, "and Thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?" Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
They want God to take notice of how they suffer for Him. They want God to see how much they endure for Him. They take pleasure in grieving others while playing church.
Isaiah 58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
Do you think God is happy with those who are such sad sacks, crying and whimpering all the time? But you don't understand Pastor Murray, "things are really tough". Stand up and act like a man, woman or child of the Living God! Handle the problems! God has set you free from the shackles of the world. You should be able to handle anything. Again, things are going to get a lot rougher in the near future.
Isaiah 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
Unfortunately, all to many today fast from the Word of God. The famine of the end times is not for bread, but for hearing the Word of God (Amos 8:11). Feed on the Word of God. Fast from the ways of the world.
Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Do not allow men to places shackles on you. That is not God's plan. Stand up and allow God to use you and to help others. He can't utilize you, if you are Satan's sad sack "whipping boy".
Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Feed the hungry the Word of God. Teach the naked about the Gospel armor of Ephesian 6, so they can stand against the fiery darts of Satan.
Isaiah 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
Rereward is you rear guard. God has your back. You have nothing to worry about.
Isaiah 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, "Here I am." If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
If you will stay clear of the traditions of men and focus on God's Word, your Father will say, "Here I am, what can I do for you?". That is a promise from God. he wants to help you, if you are shackled by the traditions of men. This doesn't mean we won't ever have problems; however, as a warrior of God, Father will make sure you have what you need to be victorious. He will give you the authority and the power to handle anything that might come your way, including Satan. We have the victory.
Isaiah 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
Feed those that are hungry with the Word of God, and you will never be in darkness. You are a child of light. Christ is that Light, and He shines through you.
Isaiah 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Don't overlook this verse. Do you want the Lord to guide you continually? While others are suffering famine and drought, think spiritually, you lack nothing. God makes sure that you are well fed and watered through His Word. Have your shackles been loosed, or are you all tangled up?
Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
The antichrist is coming soon. The repair work has already begun. The repair work is growing magnificently with God's blessings. How precious it is that that we are allowed to be a part of that. Father has chosen His elect to cut loose the bounds of falsehoods and deception. You can't do that if you allow yourself to become shackled to the ways of the world. Let's turn to the Book of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image, and he insisted that everyone worship that image. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused. They are a type of God's elect in this generation. You will not worship anyone other than the Lord, either.
Daniel 3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Even if you are forcibly bound, there is Someone Who can loose your shackles.
Daniel 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king." 25 He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
The fourth man looked like the Son of God, because He was the Son of God. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were loose from the shackles of this world. They where loose from worshipping false gods. They were bound, but the Son of God loosed them. He is able to loose you from the shackles of this world, if you love and serve Him, as well. It is important for your faith to be strong, especially in this generation. Let's turn to Mark. The disciples are discussing who was going to serve who in the kingdom of God.
Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, "Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
If I asked you, "Who is the greatest of all?", I know that you would answer, "The Lord Jesus Christ".
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."
The word "ransom" is "lutron" (loo'-tron) in the Greek language. It means "something to loosen with". Jesus gave His life to loosen your shackles, if you believe on Him. The price has been paid for your freedom. Don't be shackled.
In His service,
Arnold Murray