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7-25-2021 Weekly Message

Meditation of the Week: Psalm 91:1-16

Text: Psalm 102:1-28

Word Title: The Prophecies of God’s Promise in the Prayer of Those Who Suffer

         Those who suffer severely, whether Jews or Gentiles, or even God’s children, confess their grievances before God in their weakness. Even those who don’t know God used to say with screaming, “Oh my God!”

         Among the prayer in the text is the prayer of the Jews crying out as they are almost unto  under the Antichrist in the coming great tribulation that is the time of Jacob’s troubles:

” 2Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

3For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

6I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

7I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.” (Psalm 102:2-11).

          Through the prophet Hosea, God prophesied that the people of Israel would seek their Messiah in the midst of the Great Tribulation to come:

 ”  I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” (Hosea 5:15-6:2).

        Not only that, when most churches apostatize and compromise with the world pursuing the broad gate and broad paths unto destruction, Christians who take the narrow path to keep the truth are looking forward the day of Christ(Rapture) not conformed to the world rejected by the carnal Christians and even by the family members to keep purity to be the bride of Christ.  They are living a lonely life like a pelican alone in the wilderness, an owl in the desert, and a sparrow alone on the roof. . However, the reason we can overcome all kinds of suffering is because we have the hope of looking forward to the day when we shall be embraced in the arms of our bridegroom, Jesus Christ who will appear soon. Apostle Paul testified of the power of this hope:

“Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

         The remnant of the Jews who repent in the great tribulation waiting for the Messiah  witness that they will hold on to the hope for them in the midst of all their afflictions, and pray the prayer of faith that will give them the power to endure to the end:

” But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

15So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

18This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.” (Psalm 102:12-18).

        While the remnant of Israel suffer in the  intense persecution under the Antichrist, they witness the day when their Messiah would appear in Armageddon to judge the army of the Antichrist to establish the kingdom of Christ, witnessing that they would overcome the world by faith.

        It is also said in the prayer of those who are suffering that God will release those who are condemned to die in the end times because of their faith in Jesus Christ, so that they may proclaim the praises of the Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. It is said to be the time when peoples and kingdoms will gather together in Jerusalem to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. It is worth remembering how many people are still determined to die in prison in the communist North Korea and China, and also in Islamic countries. Apostle Paul exhorted the Saints to pray and not forget the prisoners:

“Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” (Hebrews 13:3).

         A long time ago, Chinese Christians in the underground churches were supposed to die in the Chinese prison, but were miraculously released. I  met Brother Yun and Brother Su written in the book “Heavenly Man“. I had blessed opportunity to join with their ministry, “Back to Jerusalem  Gospel Mission” . Hundred years ago the vision of their ministry came to their ancestors to preach the gospel of Christ walking on the way to Jerusalem to proclaim the gospel unto the Jews. When the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister came to LA and held a meeting at an American church, the Deputy Prime Minister, who believes in Jesus, preached a message focusing on the Psalms. At that time, I went there with Brother Su,  and met with the Deputy Prime Minister and asked to open the way for the Chinese underground church members to enter Jerusalem.

       That’s right! In the prayer of those who are suffering, there is a prophecy that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again in the future to judge and renew the earth and establish his kingdom on the earth. In the prayer taught by the Lord Jesus, saying “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” shall be fulfilled:

” When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

26They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

28The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.” (Psalm 102:25-28).

      In the book “The Pilgrim’s progress”, written by John Bunyan while he was imprisoned for Christ, a man deeply realized that the world he lives in is soon  to be destroyed by the judgment of God. He told his wife and family to leave the city to find the city of God. But he had to leave them behind, and departed to find the narrow gate. he finally the narrow gate, and began a journey walking in the narrow paths. Taking off his burdens of sin, and overcoming tremendous temptation of the devil, finally he found the city of God.  It is also a kind of story about Christians who are turned away from carnal Christians and even from their families while walking down the narrow path today. However, it is a beautiful story that when he finally returns home, his wife also realizes that the world is under judgment of God, and they leave together for the city of God.

          That’s right! Even if even one member of the family does not compromise with the apostate Christian world and sometimes suffers because even family members do not understand, it teaches us that when we pray for them, God will finally work for them and make other family members come to understand the truth.  When  Apostle Paul preached the gospel to the jailer in prison saying, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31). It is the word of great promise.

Amen! Hallelujah!