Day 6/26 – False Impressions

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Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man by Walter A Henrichsen (“Walt”)
False Impressions
Day One Hundred Seventy-seven

“Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”‘ Matthew 26:31

If, prior to the betrayal of our Lord, the disciples had discussed how they could most completely misunderstand the events surrounding Jesus arrest, trial, and crucifixion, they could not have done a better job. What they perceived and what happened were exact opposites. They looked at the unfolding events as a tragedy of the first magnitude; dashed hopes, unfulfilled expectations, the destruction of their dreams. In reality, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ provided the basis for their hope of heaven and a life of purpose here on earth.

This illustrates how wrong your perception of events can be. If you are like I am, you can look back on your life and see things that happened to you that you thought were counter productive to your best interest, if not a tragedy. Later you discover that it proved a blessing in disguise, as illustrated by the person who was angry because he missed his flight, only to find out later that the plane crashed. Conversely, you remember things that you initially thought were pure blessing, only to later discover were just the opposite, as illustrated by people who felt blessed that their spouse agreed to marry them, only to discover that they had entered into an unfortunate alliance.

Pray that God will deliver you from bad decisions and circumstances, and then give Him thanks when events unfold in a way that make you feel frustrated, hurt or abandoned. God determines circumstances and consequences; circumstances and consequences do not define God. Learn from the disciples; things may not be as they first appear.

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Job 5-7 Acts 8:1-25 (New King James Version)

Job 5-7
Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God
5
“Call out now;
Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
2
For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one.
3
I have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
4
His sons are far from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And there is no deliverer.
5
Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
[a]Taking it even from the thorns,
[b]And a snare snatches their [c]substance.
6
For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
7
Yet man is born to [d]trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.
8
“But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
9
Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10
He gives rain on the earth,
And sends waters on the fields.
11
He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12
He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13
He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14
They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night.
15
But He saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the mighty,
And from their hand.
16
So the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.
17
“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18
For He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19
He shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
20
In famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the [e]power of the sword.
21
You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22
You shall laugh at destruction and famine,
And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23
For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24
You shall know that your tent is in peace;
You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25
You shall also know that your descendants shall be many,
And your offspring like the grass of the earth.
26
You shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27
Behold, this we have searched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”
Job: My Complaint Is Just
6 Then Job answered and said:
2
“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
3
For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
4
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
The terrors of God are arrayed against me.
5
Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
6
Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7
My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.
8
“Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9
That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!
10
Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
11
“What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12
Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
13
Is my help not within me?
And is success driven from me?
14
“To him who is [f]afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15
My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
Like the streams of the brooks that pass away,
16
Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
17
When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18
The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
19
The caravans of Tema look,
The travelers of Sheba hope for them.
20
They are disappointed[g] because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
21
For now you are nothing,
You see terror and are afraid.
22
Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’?
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23
Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?
24
“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25
How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26
Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
27
Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you undermine your friend.
28
Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
29
Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my righteousness [h]still stands!
30
Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my [i]taste discern the unsavory?
Job: My Suffering Is Comfortless
7
“Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
2
Like a servant who [j]earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
3
So I have been allotted months of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
4
When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
5
My flesh is caked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.
6
“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
7
Oh, remember that my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8
The eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
9
As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So he who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10
He shall never return to his house,
Nor shall his place know him anymore.
11
“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12
Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13
When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14
Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15
So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than [k]my body.
16
I loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
Let me alone,
For my days are but [l]a breath.
17
“What is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18
That You should [m]visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
19
How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
20
Have I sinned?
What have I done to You, O watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden [n]to myself?
21
Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.”
Footnotes:
• Job 5:5 LXX They shall not be taken from evil men; Vg. And the armed man shall take him by violence
• Job 5:5 LXX The might shall draw them off; Vg. And the thirsty shall drink up their riches
• Job 5:5 wealth
• Job 5:7 labor
• Job 5:20 Lit. hand
• Job 6:14 Or despairing
• Job 6:20 Lit. ashamed
• Job 6:29 Lit. is in it
• Job 6:30 palate
• Job 7:2 Lit. pants for
• Job 7:15 Lit. my bones
• Job 7:16 Without substance, futile
• Job 7:18 attend to
• Job 7:20 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Jewish tradition to You

Acts 8:1-25
Saul Persecutes the Church
8 Now Saul was consenting to his death.
At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
Christ Is Preached in Samaria
4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to [a]the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith
9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced [b]sorcery in the city and astonished the [c]people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his [d]sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
The Sorcerer’s Sin
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
Footnotes:
• Acts 8:5 Or a
• Acts 8:9 magic
• Acts 8:9 Or nation
• Acts 8:11 magic arts