Shalom,
Psalm 135:12-14:
12 [The LORD] gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people. 13 Your Name, O LORD, endures forever, Your fame, O LORD, throughout the ages. 14 For the LORD will judge and vindicate His people, and He will delay His judgments [manifesting His righteousness and mercy] and take into favor His servants [those who meet His terms of separation unto Him].
When we encourage you to continue to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and then city of Jerusalem, we are doing so because God's Word says to! God Himself set the boundaries for the nation. We have covered much of that as we have made our way through the Old Testament in our Spoken Word Daily Bible Reading Plan. (If you would like one, you can purchase them through the website by following the link at the left of this blog. You can also follow it daily on the site). Psalm 135 is another confirmation of God's will concerning Israel! It also tells us this concerning idols in verses 15-18:
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 16 [Idols] have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 17 They have ears, but they hear not, nor is there any breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make [idols] are like them; so is everyone who trusts in and relies on them.
They take wood, use some for firewood, use some for furniture, take the rest and make it into the image of something, then fall down and worship it! Does that make ANY sense to you? I hope not! How are those who make these idols like them? They cannot see the Truth of God's Word, they cannot hear the Truth of God's Word, because there is no LIFE OF GOD in them! This psalm is all about praising and blessing the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! In HIM, there IS Life (John 1:1; 1 John5:11-13)! Here's a children's song about where the TRUTH is found! The B-I-B-L-E by the Go Fish Guys!
2 Corinthians 8:1-3:
1 WE WANT to tell you further, brethren, about the grace (the favor and spiritual blessing) of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [arousing in them the desire to give alms]; 2 For in the midst of an ordeal of severe tribulation, their abundance of joy and their depth of poverty [together] have overflowed in wealth of lavish generosity on their part. 3 For, as I can bear witness, [they gave] according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability; and [they did it] voluntarily.
These believers were confident that the Word of God was true concerning their giving! They gave out of their own extreme need so that someone else would be blessed! You CANNOT out give God! What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you (Ephesian 6:8)! Jerry Savelle wrote a book titled, "Sowing In Famine" that addresses this very thing! Seed, Time, and Harvest - God ordained it to be so (Genesis 8:22)! BE a giver!
Judges 21:25 shows us the reason for all of the horrendous things that happened in the last few chapters that we have read!
25 In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
The One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible was SUPPOSED to be their king! Can you even imagine a better king than the King of kings? I found this commentary at Bible Gateway:
Judges 21:25 This statement is made three times in these latter chapters. All was well while Joshua and those who assisted him lived; then gradually came disorder. "What is the meaning of this?... There was no king [or counselor] in Israel because in Israel there was no God. The Lord is King. You cannot have a [true] king if you have not a God. There was no nominal renunciation of God, no public and blatant atheism, no boastful impiety; there was a deadlier heresy--namely, keeping God as a sign but paying no tribute to Him as a King, worshiping Him possibly in outward form but knowing nothing of the subduing and directing power of godliness. That is more to be dreaded than any intellectual difficulty of a theological kind... Dead consciences, prayerless prayers, mechanical formalities--these are the impediments which overturn... the chariots of progress. This was the case in Israel. Where God is, the king is not [merely] a man with a crown on, but a king in the sense of kingliness, sovereignty, authority, rule--the spirit of obligation and responsibility... You find the right monarch where you find the right God" (Joseph Parker, cited by James C. Gray and George M. Adams, Bible Commentary).
So very true! This is also true of many so-called churches in the USA today! They "have a form of godliness, but lack the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5). Why? Because they do not know the One, True God! God is moving in tremendous ways through His TRUE church today! Get involved with a TRUE local church and be part of what God is doing in the earth TODAY! If you don't know of church, contact us through our web site and we will help you find one! If you're in our area, visit us! You'll be very glad you did!
Shalom in Him!
