Shalom,
Psalm 93 mentions the LORD 5 times. This is the Hebrew Yahweh, or Jehovah, the Eternal, Self-existing One! Verses 1-2 proclaim that He reigns forever, He is strong and powerful, He is everlasting, He is IN CHARGE! His Word is the final say so! Then we see this in verse 3:
3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up the roaring of their waves.
The word floods usually refers to the nations and their actions against Israel. Right now, all of the nations of the world, including (I am very sad to say!) the USA, have come against Israel in some way or another. What is their hope? Look at verse 4:
4 The LORD on high is mightier and more glorious that the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty breakers and waves of the sea.
Israel need not EVER fear other nations IF they will simply rely on the One, True, Most High , Living, Almighty God of the Bible! He IS their DELIVERER! We can take courage in these verses, too. Especially verse 5:
5 Your testimonies are very sure; holiness (separated from the world and separated unto God) is becoming to Your house, O LORD, forever.
Separate yourself from the world, and its way of doing and being right, and separate yourself UNTO the God of the Bible and His Word, which is TRUTH, and you can have great confidence that He will see you through ANYTHING the enemy tries to do to you and yours! AMEN!
I learned some new things from Luke 14 today! Before I share those, I want to bring your attention to the lesson that Jesus taught in verses 7-11. Here Jesus instructs the people not to think more highly of themselves by taking a seat of honor at a feast, but wait to be honored by the host. It is always the right thing to do when you are dealing with people! Never exalt yourself! (Psalm 27:2) But NEVER back down to the devil! Stand up to him in all of the confidence you can have as a child of the Living God and NEVER back down! We defer to other people, but never to the enemy!
I learned something new from verses 16-17:
16 But Jesus said to him, A man was once giving a great supper and invited many; 17 And at the hour for the supper he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, Come, for all is now ready.
I learned that in Jesus' time a person having a feast would invite people, giving them the day but not the time. When the feast was ready, a servant would be sent to let the invited guests know that everything was ready for them and then they would all come. These were guests who had already accepted the invitation! In the story that Jesus told the invited guests suddenly made every kind of excuse for NOT coming to the feast that he had spent so much time and money preparing. The host was left with all of this food and no one to enjoy it! That is when he sent his servant to invite anyone and everyone! This is just like the Jewish people, who were given first opportunity to receive the Truth of the Word. When they rejected the Truth, the Gospel was taken first to the Samaritans, and then to the Gentiles! I'm glad WE were all invited and accepted the invitation! Aren't you?
Nahum tells of the judgement against and the final destruction of Ninevah. God had warned them, through Jonah, a century before, and they had repented at the preaching of Jonah and been spared. Not so this time! What can we take from reading Nahum? God's Word WILL come to pass, no matter how long it SEEMS to be taking! And this very powerful Truth found in verse 7:
7 The LORD is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him.
He is good, in every sense of the word! There is nothing lacking for me when I am in close, intimate fellowship with HIM! He has all the answers and all the power and He loves ME with an everlasting LOVE that NEVER fails! What more could I possibly need or want! Thank You, Jesus!
Shalom in Him!
