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King James Version
18 Pride goeth before destruction,
and an haughty spirit before a fall.
It seems so, doesn't it?
That GOD shows up at the last minute.
Just when all hope seems gone.
Just when you're on to your last cent.
Just when you're feeling so broken.
Just when you're about to give up.
Just when others have given up on you.
Why do you think GOD helps?
Why do you think He shows up?
Did you pray for Him to do so?
Did you lift up your hands in surrender?
Did you finally acknowledge these:
-- That you needed GOD's help after all?
-- That you can't do it alone?
-- That you realize all your human efforts have failed you?
-- That all your friends have deserted you?
-- That even your family doesn't want to help you anymore?
-- That people are indifferent to your plight?
-- That you're now ready to be helped, saved, and corrected?
Wow, that would be the day.
Well, know this:
The moment you surrender to GOD
is the day He can step in
and help you.
That is the LORD's opportunity to show you something.
And YOUR golden opportunity to LEARN something.
The Bible shows that GOD does TWO things:
1. When people need help, GOD does this.
Ezekiel 20:42
King James Version
42 And ye shall know that I am the Lord,
when I shall bring you into the land of Israel,
into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand
to give it to your fathers.
2. When people are rebellious, GOD does this.
Ezekiel 33:29
King James Version
29 Then shall they know that I am the Lord,
when I have laid the land most desolate
because of all their abominations
which they have committed.
The common denominator?
"And ye shall know
that I am the Lord."
On, and on, GOD reminds us of that.
And on, and on, people forget.
When the going's good, we're gone from GOD's side.
When the going gets tough, we can't wait to be by His side.
The rest of the time, people don't acknowledge GOD's POWER over our lives.
Many are not even by His side at all.
Many don't want to follow.
Many don't want to listen.
GOD is steady.
For ourselves, we teeter constantly in destruction.
All because of that ingratitude, and forgetfulness.
When God allows a situation, He's making a statement.
When God helps, He's making a statement.
When God punishes, He's making a statement.
So we shall KNOW that He is the LORD.
Still, the lessons don't stick.
And few become grateful.
Much less repentant.
Does it really have to be this way?
That we suffer first, before God helps us?
That we are finally humbled from our proud, unfaithful ways?
After all, how many people listen to the Lord?
How many people pay attention to the teachings of JESUS?
What else would it take for us to completely surrender to God?
What else would it take for us to be shame-faced, and repentant, at our foolishness?
It's human nature to be ungrateful, and forgetful.
When all is well, we forget God.
When all goes south, we seek God.
It's only when we've lost all hope, do we remember God.
It's only when we're in near-panic, do we seek God's help.
We must not test the Lord.
Matthew 4:7
King James Version
7 Jesus said unto him,
It is written again,
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
GOD always shows up at the LAST minute, because we ONLY seek Him at the last minute.
That's really the truth of the matter.
The rest of the time, we think we know better.
The rest of the time, people forget Him.
Many don't even know Him.
Only when we've raised our white flags in complete humility, and surrender, does GOD effortlessly steps in.
Once you've become born again, you realize the GRIEF we cause God, the FOLLY we bring upon our own lives, and the FUTILITY of this rebellion against the ONLY POWER there is.
Malachi 3:6
King James Version
6 For I am the Lord,
I change not;
therefore ye sons of Jacob
are not consumed.
And that's when we all become shame-faced.
Time to turn back to GOD now.
That's why JESUS was sent.
That's why SPIRIT teaches us.
That we may remember.
Related material:
Image: Clipart Library
Updated 23 October 2023
