Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Psa 44:20  If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
Psa 44:21  Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Psa 44:22  Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
Psa 44:23  Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.
Psa 44:24  Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?
Psa 44:25  For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.
Psa 44:26  Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

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Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


God KNOWS US.  We hide nothing from God.

For God's sake we submit to death, is that death to self or death in a literal sense, or death in both ways?  Being counted as a sheep for the slaughter means what?

Biblically in the times of the sacrificial laws - sheep were counted for slaughter in that way. They were also counted for slaughter to feed people. Sheep counted for slaughter- meant to die.  If we as followers of Christ, if we as followers of God the Father are killed all day long - counted as sheep for the slaughter we are sacrifices for others. In Psalms we have a cry for the Lord to awake and not cast off His people, to not hide His face to their affliction and oppression. In Psalms we have God's people bowing to the dust, bellies clinging to the earth and a plea for help, for redemption.  In Romans we are told that we are more than conquerors through Christ, even if we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.  We are then told that neither DEATH(slaughter), nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present not thing to come, nor height, not depth nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

In both of these situations we are truly told our position- sheep for the slaughter- and where our help can be found.  Does this mean we won't be sacrificed, no not at all, but if we are called to sacrifice our hope is in our God and in our Savior Jesus Christ.

We are called to suffer and how can we not suffer in this world ruled by sin, by evil?  Our only hope in the suffering is KNOWING the end results of ALL the suffering no matter what shape it takes in our lives and that is SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST!

All by HIS AMAZING, WONDROUS GRACE and MERCY, HIS LOVE now and forever.

Amen!

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