✝ Daily Encouragement (7/19/23) "Gleanings From Habakkuk" (Part 2) "When Justice Is Perverted"
Published: Wed, 07/19/23
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Wednesday, July 19, 2023
(Click on photo to enlarge. This photo, probably from a drone, is on their website)
"Gleanings From
Habakkuk"
(Part
2)
"When Justice Is
Perverted"
Message
summary:
Let us as God's people continue to reflect and demonstrate the holy character of God in being just in all our
ways.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The
wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted" (Habakkuk 1:4). "This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted" (Habakkuk 1:4).
A friend on our hearts this morning is dealing with what has in reality
become the corrupt system of law in the course of running his business. He is embroiled in what is essentially a nuisance, "hit the jackpot" type lawsuit driven by greed. If I were to share the details of what he recently encountered in a hearing with the plaintiff's attorneys it would demonstrate the foolishness of the world we now live in when justice is perverted. You would have to be a creative writer of satire to match the foolishness of his
story.
Today we hear a lot about justice and certainly all earnest followers of
Christ should be concerned with justice; a fundamental attribute of God is His absolute justness. The justice of God is the absence and impossibility of any moral disorder within Himself. God's justice is thus equivalent to His infinite holiness and perfect goodness. He also calls His people to be just.
The law given by Moses served as the basis for justice in the Israelites' society. But when the law is ignored, rampant injustice follows and the daily verse describes these conditions at the time of Habakkuk. Most Bible scholars believe Habakkuk served God at the time immediately prior to God's judgment and the Babylonian exile. However there was a temporary period of prosperity at this time and it had a lulling effect on all but the most faithful. Times were good; who needs God? Sound familiar? Today's text, although describing that period, in so many ways describes our own age as well: "Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted" (Habakkuk 1:4). It's so uncannily contemporary you may wonder what version words it this way (NIV). However other well known versions are very similar:
"Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for
the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." (KJV)
"Therefore the Law is ignored, And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out confused." (NASB) "So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted." (ESV) These words sure seem to describe our own age. In fact often the word "justice" itself has been perverted and turned around. What is actually justice is called injustice and what is actually an injustice is called justice. The justice system essentially becomes the injustice system! This not only applies to the criminal justice system but to many areas of life. It's related to calling evil good and good evil. Let us, as God's people, continue to reflect and demonstrate the holy character of God in being just. As another Old Testament prophet says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
Be encouraged today, (
Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne
Weber
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A Visit To The Brubaker
Farm
Yesterday the Brubaker Farms in our neighborhood held a community day inviting neighbors within 1 mile of the farm. The main farm is a little over 1/2 mile east of us (Google map). Their website
has a video where
you
can see our house early in the video
(at 10 seconds) since they own the field across from
us.
On their website they declare their
mission:
Our mission is to glorify the Lord through the stewardship of our team, animals, community, and the
environment.
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The event was held from 3-7 and the Brubaker family sure had a good
turnout.
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Piping hot french fries and thick milkshakes were provided for those who attended! Christian worship music played in the background.
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We toured the farm on a covered wagon. Since the Brubaker farm has tractor trails I, Brooksyne, have ridden past the cows numerous times. Getting a tour was very informative and included statistics that give you a better sense of what
modern farming is all about. HARD WORK is the first thing that comes to mind.
Our guide was Mike Brubaker, one of the owners who represents the 3rd generation of the family farm. We have posted photos of his corn field across the street from our house numerous times over the years. Our most poignant memory of Mike
was from May of 2008 when he helped assist Brooksyne into the back of our van after a major fall. She had broken her ankle (which was evident by the dangling ankle joints and the excruciating pain she felt), after getting tripped up by our dog, Roxie. We had been walking on the tractor trail we often walked when visiting our former neighbors, Jesse and Anna Ruth. The ankle break resulted in a major surgery where pins and plates were inserted and a non-weight bearing full leg cast for three
months. It certainly was not a typical summer for me but I certainly learned to appreciate the privilege of walking in a way I never did before that major
break.
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We rode through the barn to see the cows up close. The farm milks 1,200 cows three times per day with an average of 11 gallons per cow. In case you don't have a calculator handy that's 13,200 gallons
daily!!!
Amazingly, each cow drinks up to 40 gallons of water per day. The farm has wells that provide the vast amount of water needed to supply these cows with plenty of
fluid.
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The farm converts the methane gas from the manure to provide enough energy to power 400 homes, perhaps even ours, since it is spread throughout the neighboring
properties!
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
717-823-0592
Daily Encouragement Net
https://www.dailyencouragement.net
Mail service provider is aweber.com
495 Kraybill Church Rd
Mount Joy PA 17552
USA
Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options