Proverbs 3:33 “the Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous”
When I moved up to Glenfinnan as a young man, it was in hindsight God-ordained. I had been living fourteen floors up in and rundown commission housing block on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The apartment next door was burnt out and boarded up. The lifts never worked, and it was seriously dangerous, even for me, to go out after dark. Heroin was more widely available than groceries.
Here I was, transplanted to the fresh, green, beautiful highlands, staying with an amazing couple who wanted me to have a new start in life. I was a rough diamond for sure, and I wonder if they knew what they were letting themselves in for over the next few years.
I could not sleep for the first few nights as it was so quiet. I was used to the building trembling as trucks roared past, sirens in the distance, and the closer lonely clack of late-night trains.
Here I was, being given a fresh start, a great job, amazing friends and adventures aplenty. I look back on those years now with such pleasure (and some shame for some of my behaviour). This move would eventually lead to my conversion to Christianity, the saving of my soul, the repurposing of my life and the redemption of my mind from the years of drugs and alcohol.
I am so grateful to the couple who saw something, took the risk, and did the hard yards with me. They are authentic.
Remind me to tell you the story about “bat out of hell” sometime……….
KNOWLEDGE
Here we catch a sense of the power and unchangeability of the law. There is a demarcation, two clear groups of people. Those who work actively against God, who have solely their own interests at heart with no care of the outcomes to others. And those who want to do their very best each day to live under the guidance of God’s laws and statutes. The first group find themselves in a place of no escape, they may well live in a palace, but that’s not their destiny, when God has a curse on them it is irrevocable and the outcome is certain. The second group find themselves equally in a place of no escape, it’s not just themselves that are blessed, but even the place they live in is adored and protected.
Oh my goodness……..then we come to the New Testament.
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13, NIV).
The curse is no longer inevitable – Grace has stepped in and taken the full weight of the law on His shoulders, on His frame. We are no longer to be held to the standard of our behaviour, actions and interactions. Now as we enter into a deep friendship with Jesus, we have all our sins (past, present and future) paid for. The gratitude welling up in our hearts propels us to live from our own free will, and to the best of our strength, fully to please the King of Kings. We do not have a licence to live recklessly, we do have a licence to live righteously. Gratitude is the fuel for our hearts, we stay thankful, we live close, we listen carefully, we choose wisely, we decide well, and we love fully.
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
The word for “dwelling” in Hebrew is pronounced “naweh” and appears 32 times in the Old Testament. In the ESV it is translated into, pasture; dwelling; habitation; and, fold. Here in verse 33, we can pick up on the idea of pasture, with an emphasis on a place of peace and rest.
WISDOM: How much time do you spend each day living from a place of thankfulness?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Restorative desires to see things working well, to deal with the root causes. You will ask the hard questions of yourself and others. Don’t become overly focused on problems.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – [the God who wants to enter into a covenant relationship with you, built on His promises, predicts a very dire future for you and your family, here on earth and into eternity, this future will impact everything about you and your life and you will recognise with your wickedness that you are deserving of punishment in the end. The same covenant-keeping God kneels down to congratulate and praise, and to bring rest and peace over everything to do with those who keep His commandments willingly.]
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Please help my heart to stay open, willing and hungry for you and your ways each day. Thank you.
Thank you Ps Allan.
Thank you Jesus for your grace.
I can’t wait to hear the story of the bat out of hell.
I love this strength thought – Restorative desires to see things working well, to deal with the root causes. You will ask the hard questions of yourself and others. Don’t become overly focused on problems.
Allan, my first thought reading this was they there is a thind group b people – people who are unconsciously working against God, but who are fully convinced they are working FOR God’s purposes and are hearing from Him. But I guess there are only the two options – you are doing God’s will, oryou’re opposing it, and our constant prayer must be for God to . reveal Himself to usand expose or heat desires to us.
Amen – I want to stay hungry for Him and His ways each day and do my best each day to live under the guidance of God’s laws.
Thank you for the reminder of gratitude.
Thank you, Pastor Allan, for this beautiful message. I thank God for the many blessings I continue to receive each day.
I pray that I will be a blessing to lighten someone else’s load each day, even in a small way, by word or deed.
Waiting anxiously to read the story of the “ bat from hell”.
Thank you Allan looking forward to ‘bat out of hell’
Thanks Allan for beautiful Words to start the day. I always love Allan’s Unauthorised Version! Ties it all up beautifully. What a wonderful God we serve
So beautiful.
“ Gratitude is the fuel for our hearts”, this spoke to my heart today. Every day we can start by being grateful for the cross.
I love today’s prayer, heart open, willing and hungry for the lord and His ways.
Thank you
Great reading your stories and the scriptures, Jesus the author and perfect of our faith.
Ask The hard questions ?
His Grace
Restoration and Devine healing
Freedom !
Obedience is better than sacrifice. It’s been a busy few days but in the midst of it, He has been there all the way. Jesus endured so much in obedience to the Father all so I could enter His freedom and salvation. Obedience is something we all need to nurture as its reward is beautiful!
My little grandson ha been sick this week and the whole COVID thing makes it all the worse with having to be tested before seeing a doctor. Watching him journey through the lessons of obedience in regards to taking his medicine when he really doesn’t want to is a lesson In itself.
I’m thankful to my God for his grace towards me .
I’m so aware of my sinful nature.but grateful that God is transforming me everyday to be a better version of my self.
I’m thankful for every season and every moment of my life, knowing that His grace saved me and gave me hope for a new hope a new life .
Yes come to His gates with thanks giving. This pandemic has made me realise that we are all in the same boat. I know the only way I can survive it is to continue to give thanks and praise for the only thing that truely matters. God in my life who sustains me and helps to endure the mask wearing at work and not being able to enjoy the freedom to congregate at church. The ability to enjoy going to the beach. Social distancing and families not being able to visit the elderly. God helps me to endure and I do hope and pray for things to return to normal. This lockdown is creating more problems because God seems to be out of the equation for decision makers. Fear of the unknown is not what God wants for us.
Great word Allan. The description you gave unpacking the verse really did paint the picture of people in the world we are familiar with . And also the blessed !
Grace God’s Grace Redeemed from the curse because of Jesus ! There is much to be thankful for. And Jesus made the way !
Thank you Pastor Allan. Your stories are unbelievable. How do you remember them so well? Thank you for sharing and yes we should be thankful for everything! Especially, for our redemption through Christ.
Cursed or blessed- we choose.
Another interesting chapter of your life Pastor Allan which proved to be a positive turning point!!
God’s grace & love for me is beyond my understanding. To know my Saviour King is enough but there is always over & above blessings if I remain humble & obedient to His Word. In that undeserved righteousness I pray I may come each day with a heart full of praise thanksgiving & gratefulness for His amazing grace towards me .
Amen! Thank you Pastor Allan for sharing.
While we were sinners, Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins. He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
The curse is no longer inevitable. Grace has stepped in and taken the full weight of the law on His shoulders — on His frame . Thank you LORD JESUS !🙏
It is so so beautiful story, insight and reminder….Wow it is really the Lord bless you with the talent of revealing His words, wisdom, love, teaching and way of life. Gratitude is fuel of our heart…this is so true and powerful ps. Allan. Thank you and thank you.
I witnessed it myself in my life for two great example of being always grateful and be a great disciple of the Lord. I had my grandmother and great grand mother who were both at the same time surrendered their life to Jesus in around my junior school high years. My grandmother who was blind due to having so many children (she got blinded totally when she had her youngest daughter, in total she had six children). With her limited conditions and ability, she never being burden to other but always helped others, she humble herself and let herself to be able to have open hand to help. In her late 70 years old, she provide herself as a carer to unexpected baby in the family because her mother of this baby was still very young and have to work hard to make a living.
In her passing in early December 2009 the Lord truly wonderfully be with her. She was about preparing herself to go to church on that Sunday early morning, She was waiting to be picked up by the church Van. She finished her ritual of having wash, pretty dress and face and never forget to put lollies in her pocket to give away in church. So amazing way, she opened her locked bedroom and went back to wait and passed away. She was in her 89 years of age. At that time I was 600 km away from her place and I was about to go back to Sydney. I was so grateful to the Lord to be able to fly back to my hometown to be with her in her last moment on earth. Praise God, praise the Lord. This story occupy my heart and be always the example to live to please the Lord until the end day of my life. Amen
God gives us s all a choice on how we can live our lives, in Dueteronomy 30, 19, he says I call heaven n earth as a witness against you today, that I set before you life and death, the blessing and the Curse, so choose life in order that you may live, you and your children, I like how he gives us that choice of free will, what a God we serve who’s hand is there to Guide us, we have that choose yor the blessings or the Curse, may we all close that right path today👏🏽
When I walk into a room ( regardless of whether anyone can see it) I am a daughter of the most high GOD. Shoulders back, eyes up – move forward into all HE has for me 🙂 The opposite of who I was before HE called me.
How does one properly say thank you for that ?