Category: Micah

Walk Humbly: Confident Hope in God

7/3/2022

Micah 7:1-20
Yesterday I stepped in a water puddle in the kitchen. No, there was not a hole in the roof, but I did discover that there was a hole in a pipe. Previously I had heard a scraping noise in the kitchen. I later determined it was a mouse. Yet now, a water line to the dishwasher sprang a leak. Unknown to me, the mouse had chewed the water line but not enough to cause a flood until later. However, there was hope. The very reliable and well stocked hardware store was still open. So after a trip, purchasing a new hose and some time for installation the dishwasher is back to being useful and reliable for the future. In Micah 7 we see that the nation of Israel was hopeless without God (1-6). They were facing the consequences and ruin of sin that had chewed away at their life. Now, God is calling them back to a correct walk with Him. However, because of the sin, the present situation is troubling. Micah, in verses 7-10, presents a confident attitude of trust in God even when things are looking bad. Micah reminded the people to walk humbly with God and rely on Him alone for their future to experience His restoration and work through them (11-20). The same is true for us today. We must walk through life humbly following God and His directions. If we do not, we will end up in trouble like the nation of Israel with leaking un-contained sin. However, if we do choose to walk with God and allow Him to properly orient our life we will find hope in the present. In walking with God we will find that He is completely reliable now and in the future. Micah desires that we, like the nation, find our confidence and hope in God. Are we walking humbly with our God?

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Walk Humbly: Charge Against the Sinful

6/26/2022

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Micah 6:1-16
The guilty party arrives in court and hears the legal case against them. The law has been broken and justice is required. The judge reads the charges, explains their seriousness and the importance of following the law. In the course of presenting the charges the guilty party is given a chance to respond and enter their plea. Their guilt is already known. They have a choice to humbly accept the charges as read or disagree in pride. When one shows true humility the judge will often show leniency and provide a lighter sentence. There are even examples of judges stepping out of their position, coming alongside the guilty party and paying their fines for their infractions of the law. In Micah 5 we saw God present a new king and a new way to live. Now, in Micah 6 God is bringing the legal case against His people for their sin. They need to humbly see their wrong and the seriousness of their rejection of God (1-5). God has made his desire clear (8) and it is not being religious and doing religious things (6-7). God desires a transformed life. He will bring punishment as a means to bring correction (9). The prideful rejection of God and not living His way will lead to God simply releasing the people to their own ruin as a resulting consequence of their sin (16). Today, we need the humility that the people of Micah’s day lacked. We need to walk humbly with our God by agreeing with His assessment of our sin. He tells us how we should live though His word. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” When we walk humbly with God we long for His will to be lived out daily in our life through submission to His ways. Are we walking humbly with our God who has given us salvation?

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Love Mercy: Deliverance for Sinful People

6/19/2022

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Micah 4:1-5:15
When we think of Father’s Day our mind goes back to Dad and what he was like. Men are often known as being able to work with their hands. For me, the memories are fond. I remember my father as the one who was able to fix most anything. My fathers hands were used to build our house and make it a home. However, I remember my Dad often working on the family car to keep it running. In the process of trying to keep the car on the road and road worthy he ran into repairs that he knew nothing about. Instead of giving up on the repair Dad went out and bought a repair manual that was designed specifically for that car. I remember him studying the words and absorbing the pictures in order to restore the car to a useful condition. My father sought help from an authoritative source, he did the repair work, and the car became a testimony of what he could do. In Micah 4-5 the prophet offers a message of help and hope to the people. Micah communicates that God is the authoritative source and in the future the people will turn to Him alone for instruction (4:1-5). Micah tells the people that God will accomplish this work through a new king that is yet to be born (5:2-3). The result is that in the future the people will be enabled to live a transformed life because of God’s mercy (5:4-15). The same is true of our relationship with God. He is the authority that does the work and we are to be the living testimony of how He has renewed and restored us to operate as vessels to bring Him honor. Do we love God’s mercy? He alone offers a message of hope that brings transformation.

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Love Mercy: Judgment of Powerful People

6/12/2022

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Micah 3:1-12
At one time we lived close to several hydroelectric dams. These were simply made by moving mountains of earth to stop the flow of a river and create a huge lake. The water was then funneled through a series of pipes and turbines that would spin enormous generators and produce electricity. I remember being able to take a tour inside of the dam and see its operation. It was fascinating to see the 10 large generators at work providing power for many people. On the other hand, I have seen the power of storms knock out the electric lines and leave our community without electricity for almost a week. Shortly after the storm, various neighbors had their own personal generators started and were powering their own homes. Each of these produced power. One was for the benefit of the individual and one for the benefit of many. The use of power to benefit the group or the individual is what Micah writes about as he begins chapter 3. This is the prophets’s second message of this book which contains the emphasis of loving mercy. God, through the prophet Micah critiques the self centered action of national rulers (1-4), false prophets (5-8), and local leaders (9-12). In bringing judgment on these powerful people Micah highlights the ways in which they incorrectly used their power and position for their benefit. Each did not use their power and position to display mercy to those that they were given to serve. For us today, the lessons are clear. We must love God and the mercy that He has shown to us, even though we are undeserving. We must act by faith, using God’s power, to display His mercy to others. Our words are to be saturated with God’s Word in order to communicate God’s mercy. Do you love God’s mercy that brings change to your life?

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Act Justly: The Results of Corruption

6/5/2022

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Micah 2:3-13
This past year I have noticed an orange spot developing in front of my house. Upon closer inspection I found it to be rust that is dripping from a developing rust spot on the car that is always parked there. Rust is the visible result of weakened metal due to a corrosive process called oxidation. This process is accelerated by the exposure to moisture, salt and the chemicals that are put on the icy roads in the winter. The only way to remove the rust from the vehicle is to remove the car from the corrosive environment and remove the rust. That requires taking the car to an automotive body shop where a technician will cut out the rusted metal and replace it with good new metal. Like the rust on the car Micah 2 records the results of ongoing corrupting sin. In a way Micah describes a courtroom scene where charges are brought against the guilty. The charge of civil corruption is leveled against those who operated out of personal greed and took land that was not allotted to them by God (4-5). Next is the charge of spiritual corruption where the people rejected God and His somber message (6-7). The final charge is one of moral corruption (8-11). The people and the prophets were guilty of using falsehood for their own personal benefit. In view of these serious charges God still offers hope and a cure for sin (12-13). Hope is given, salvation is promised and a savior is coming. That is good news for us even today. God will provide an accurate assessment of our life and the corruption of our sin, but he also offers hope and a cure for sin through Jesus and His gift of salvation. God displays His justice to us and we are to display His justice though our lives to our world.

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Act Justly: The Corruption of People

5/29/2022

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Micah 1:1-2:2
Roman mythology personifies justice as a blindfolded woman holding scales and a sword. The scales are used to represent a balanced view of the case, which shows support and also opposition to the competing sides. The blindfold is meant to symbolize that justice is to be impartial, not showing favoritism to any side, any person or be influenced in any way. Finally, the sword pictures the authority that justice holds to bring final judgment in the case at hand. Often justice is measured from the view of the one that has been harmed unjustly. However, justice should be measured by a fair judge who is pure and unbiased. Seeking justice on a human level will always be faulty, because of our flawed and sinful human character. The human mind and emotions will not always be impartial and accurate. On the other hand justice from God will always be accurate because God is pure. In Micah chapter 1 the prophet sees God’s coming judgment on his people because of their sin. God delivers His authoritative message through Micah stating that He as the just judge will bring judgment on the sinful (2-5). Micah sees the way sin has corrupted the people and through his tears calls the people to repent of their sinful ways (8-16). God seeks a pure people who will worship Him alone and put into practice what they know from God to be true and just. This passage helps us see that justice is based on God’s authoritative discerning judgment. Do we submit to God’s authority on a daily basis? Do we worship the giver of correction and seek His perspective? Do we put to use daily what we know to be true spiritually? Justice is God’s correct action that corrects us to live a life that is pleasing to Him and is an accurate reflection of Him toward others.

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Walk Humbly: Confident Hope in God

Walk Humbly: Charge Against the Sinful

Love Mercy: Deliverance for Sinful People

Love Mercy: Judgment of Powerful People

Act Justly: The Results of Corruption

Act Justly: The Corruption of People

Pastor Ken

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