Shalom,
Proverbs 3:1:
1 MY SON, Forget not my law or teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
"Forget" is the Hebrew word, "shakach", which means: to mislay, to be oblivious of (from lack of attention), to ignore, to cease to care. How do we mislay the Word? Do we set it aside and seek help or answers from other people, books, shows, the internet? EVERY answer we will ever need to every question we will ever have has been hidden in the Word of God FOR us! I like this from the Bible Exposition Commentary:
"It isn't enough for believers to carry the Bible in their hands; they must let the Holy Spirit write it on their hearts (Proverbs 3:3 & 7:3; 2 Corinthians 3:1-3). Obedience to the Word can add years to your life and life to your years."
Then we have this instruction and promise in verses 5-6:
5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the LORD with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
The word "direct" is the Hebrew word, "yashar", which means: to be straight, even, right, pleasant, prosperous. When WE trust in the Lord and His Word, then HE will make sure that our paths (way, journey, manner of life) are pleasing, prosperous and right in His sight! What a great God! Verse 19:
19 The LORD by skillful and godly Wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding He has established the heavens.
The Word of God is powerful enough to have created all that universe and everything in it! I think it just might be powerful enough to make our whole life better. Don't you?
Revelation 9 reveals 5 months of judgment on all those not sealed by God. Then we see more torment, death and destruction that you would think would lead these people to repent and call on the Name of the LORD! They do NOT! Verse 20-21:
20 And the rest of humanity who were not killed by these plagues even then did not repent of [the worship of] the works of their [own] hands, so as to cease paying homage to the demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor move. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their practice of magic (sorceries) or their sexual vice or thefts.
The Word of God says that TODAY is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)! If you have never received Jesus of Nazareth as your Lord and personal Saviour, don't be left behind when Jesus comes for the Church and think that you will have plenty of time to get saved during the 7 years of tribulation! Your heart may become too hardened at that time to care! Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for You and that He was raised from the dead? Is there any reason you can't receive Him as Lord and personal Saviour right now? Pray this prayer, believing in your heart what the Word of God says about Who Jesus is!
Almighty God, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth, died on the cross for me, was raised from the dead, and is now seated at Your right hand. I accept and receive Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and I invite Him to come into my heart and become Lord over my life. I thank You now Father, for welcoming me into Your family. You are my Father. I am Your child. Jesus is my Lord! Amen.
Now get into a good local church and learn the Word of God so that YOU can help others receive Him, too! Check the link at the left for the Spoken Word Church and let us know where you live. We will help you find a church in your area so you can grow up IN HIM! AMEN! If you are already a believer, make sure that you buy up every opportunity to let people know the Good News!
In Jeremiah 43-44 we see the people rejecting the warning that Jeremiah had delivered from the LORD to NOT go into Egypt. Once they were in Egypt, they began to worship idols and turn completely away from the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! The LORD had Jeremiah give them one more message, telling them what was to come upon them for their disobedience, again! it was NOT pretty! Jeremiah ministered for approximately 46 years and, though he was loved and protected by godly people, most of the people refused to listen to him or to heed his message. Jeremiah's rewards will certainly be great in Heaven, because he didn't enjoy a very easy life here! The book of Lamentations that we will be looking at beginning tomorrow is a record of what he felt about all of the things that had happened to Jerusalem and to the people who refused the warnings that God had given!
Shalom in Him!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Shalom,
I often share Philippians 3:8-10 as some of my favorite Scriptures. I make it MY determined purpose, along with Paul, to really KNOW HIM! Being a DOER of Proverbs 2:1-5 is the very best way to start!
1 MY SON, if you will receive My Words and treasure up my commandments within you, 2 Making your ear attentive to skillful and godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your powers to the quest for it]; 3 Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, 5 Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.
The word "receive" sounds like you just wait and something gets dropped in your lap! NOT SO! The word is actually the Hebrew word "laqach", which means: to take, to get, to fetch, to lay hold of, to seize, to acquire, to buy, to snatch, to take away, to carry away, to take possession, to capture, to take captive! It is NOT in any way a passive, just "sit and wait" word! It's a get up and get going, active and intense word! Just how much do you REALLY want to know the LORD and His Word? The only limits to how much we can get to know Him, and at the same time get to know the power, are what we put on our own lives by choosing to be lazy and apathetic when it comes to the Word of God! Verse 7 tells us that He hides the Wisdom within His Word FOR us! WHEN we take the time to dig it out, THEN we will reap the results of great Wisdom operating in our lives! AMEN!
In Revelation 8 the seventh seal is broken and there is silence in Heaven for 1/2 hour. The seven angels were given trumpets. This begins the trumpet judgments. The first 4 are covered in chapter 8. They are:
Shalom in Him!
I often share Philippians 3:8-10 as some of my favorite Scriptures. I make it MY determined purpose, along with Paul, to really KNOW HIM! Being a DOER of Proverbs 2:1-5 is the very best way to start!
1 MY SON, if you will receive My Words and treasure up my commandments within you, 2 Making your ear attentive to skillful and godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your powers to the quest for it]; 3 Yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, 5 Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.
The word "receive" sounds like you just wait and something gets dropped in your lap! NOT SO! The word is actually the Hebrew word "laqach", which means: to take, to get, to fetch, to lay hold of, to seize, to acquire, to buy, to snatch, to take away, to carry away, to take possession, to capture, to take captive! It is NOT in any way a passive, just "sit and wait" word! It's a get up and get going, active and intense word! Just how much do you REALLY want to know the LORD and His Word? The only limits to how much we can get to know Him, and at the same time get to know the power, are what we put on our own lives by choosing to be lazy and apathetic when it comes to the Word of God! Verse 7 tells us that He hides the Wisdom within His Word FOR us! WHEN we take the time to dig it out, THEN we will reap the results of great Wisdom operating in our lives! AMEN!
In Revelation 8 the seventh seal is broken and there is silence in Heaven for 1/2 hour. The seven angels were given trumpets. This begins the trumpet judgments. The first 4 are covered in chapter 8. They are:
- Verses: 6-7 Affected the earth
- Verses 8-9 Affected the sea
- Verses10-11 Affected the rivers
- Verses 12-13 Affected the heavens (atmosphere)
All of these resulted in verse 13:
13 Then I [looked and I] saw a solitary eagle flying in midheaven, and as it flew I heard it crying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the rest of the trumpet blasts which the three angels are about to sound!
We'll see those tomorrow!
In Jeremiah 40-42 I find it amazing that Jeremiah and the other prophets had warned the people over and over and they would not believe or obey what the prophets said. Then this heathen man from another nation tells exactly the same thing! Jeremiah 40:2-3:
2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, the LORD your God pronounced evil upon this place. 3 Now the LORD has brought it about and has done as He said: [It is] because you [of Judah] have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed His voice, therefore this thing has come upon you.
God's people ignored His Word because they did not believe it and this pagan man spoke the Word of the LORD and knew that it was true! God's people are MEANT to know His Word! It takes time to do it, but it is time well spent and it is VITAL for our very lives here on earth! Remember that it is the Word that you KNOW that will set you free, and keep you free! (John 8:32)
In Jeremiah 42:5-6 the people who have returned to the land send Jeremiah to inquire of the LORD for what they should do. They promised to obey whatever it the LORD tells Jeremiah to tell them!
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we fail to do according to all the things that the LORD your God sends you to tell us. 6 Whether it is good or evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to Whom we are sending you [to inquire], that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
Will they obey? Tune in tomorrow! Or read ahead yourself! You know you want to!
Shalom in Him!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
[Shalom,
We begin Proverbs again today and I am expecting that we will be so much wiser this time through! Wisdom is what this book is all about! Solomon asked God for wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10) and God made him the wisest man of his time! James 1:5 says:
5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproach or faultfinding, and it will be given them.
So ASK for wisdom, and then read and study Proverbs! If you are not willing to do that, you will not be able to understand the wisdom that comes from God anyway! Proverbs 1:5:
5 The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel [so that they may be able to steer their course rightly]
The word "wise" here is the Hebrew word "chakam", which means: intelligent, skillful, artful, shrewd, learned, prudent, crafty. God has given each one of us special gifts and talents, strengths and interests! The purpose is so that we can each be the best we can possibly be, bringing Glory to Him! AMEN!
The best natural definition of wisdom that I have heard came from a man named Louis Goldberg. He said that wisdom means exhibiting God's character in the many practical affairs of life. I like that one! The wisdom found in Proverbs is so very practical and easy to put in practice! yet some people still choose to NOT be wise! Verse 22 says this:
22 How long, O simple ones [open to evil], will you love being simple? And the scoffers delight in scoffing and [self-confident] fools hate knowledge?
The best translation of this I have heard says:
"Hey stupid - how long are going to stay stupid?"
DON'T be stupid! Get wisdom! God promises this for those who do: Verse 33:
33 But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.
THAT is MY choice! How about you?
Revelation 7:2-4:
2 Then I saw a second angel coming up from the east (the rising of the sun) and carrying the seal of the living God. And with a loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to injure earth and sea, 3 Saying, Harm neither the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond servants of our God upon their foreheads. 4 And [then] I heard how many were sealed (marked) out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: there were 144,000.
These 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, were sealed from harm and anointed to preach the Gospel! We call them the Jewish Evangelists! They preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all those left behind when the Church of Jesus Christ is taken out of here! The fruit of their labor is seen in verses 9-10:
9 After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10 In loud voice they cried, saying, [Our] salvation is due to our God, Who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [to Them we owe our deliverance]!
I have read so many commentaries that state that the 144,000 are the only Jews who are saved and that the vast multitude are all Gentiles. NOT TRUE! The 144,000 are sealed by God for the work of preaching the Gospel. Verse 9 above says that the people before the throne were of every nation, tribe, people and language. There is not one mention of them being just Gentiles. These are ALL of those who received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Personal Saviour during the worst time of tribulation and persecution the earth has ever seen! Let's make it our goal to reach as many of this multitude as possible BEFORE we are taken out of here, so they don't have to suffer through that time. WE are racing toward eternity while THEY are running out of time! There is no more important work for us to do on this earth than that! All else SHOULD pale in comparison! And it will IF we really love HIM! Why? Because that is HIS #1 priority! AMEN!
Jeremiah 39 and 52 show the fulfillment of the Word of God's judgment on Zedekiah and Jerusalem. He had been telling them and telling them, through the prophets, what was going to come upon the city and the people because of their disobedience. They had plenty of time to repent, but chose not to. We can take encouragement from this for the positive, too! If God's Word promises something, it WILL come to pass! Don't be moved just because it doesn't look like it's happening immediately! Just make sure that you are obeying the Word so that the GOOD promises are what you have to look forward to! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
We begin Proverbs again today and I am expecting that we will be so much wiser this time through! Wisdom is what this book is all about! Solomon asked God for wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10) and God made him the wisest man of his time! James 1:5 says:
5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproach or faultfinding, and it will be given them.
So ASK for wisdom, and then read and study Proverbs! If you are not willing to do that, you will not be able to understand the wisdom that comes from God anyway! Proverbs 1:5:
5 The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel [so that they may be able to steer their course rightly]
The word "wise" here is the Hebrew word "chakam", which means: intelligent, skillful, artful, shrewd, learned, prudent, crafty. God has given each one of us special gifts and talents, strengths and interests! The purpose is so that we can each be the best we can possibly be, bringing Glory to Him! AMEN!
The best natural definition of wisdom that I have heard came from a man named Louis Goldberg. He said that wisdom means exhibiting God's character in the many practical affairs of life. I like that one! The wisdom found in Proverbs is so very practical and easy to put in practice! yet some people still choose to NOT be wise! Verse 22 says this:
22 How long, O simple ones [open to evil], will you love being simple? And the scoffers delight in scoffing and [self-confident] fools hate knowledge?
The best translation of this I have heard says:
"Hey stupid - how long are going to stay stupid?"
DON'T be stupid! Get wisdom! God promises this for those who do: Verse 33:
33 But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.
THAT is MY choice! How about you?
Revelation 7:2-4:
2 Then I saw a second angel coming up from the east (the rising of the sun) and carrying the seal of the living God. And with a loud voice he called out to the four angels who had been given authority and power to injure earth and sea, 3 Saying, Harm neither the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond servants of our God upon their foreheads. 4 And [then] I heard how many were sealed (marked) out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: there were 144,000.
These 144,000 Jews, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, were sealed from harm and anointed to preach the Gospel! We call them the Jewish Evangelists! They preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all those left behind when the Church of Jesus Christ is taken out of here! The fruit of their labor is seen in verses 9-10:
9 After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10 In loud voice they cried, saying, [Our] salvation is due to our God, Who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [to Them we owe our deliverance]!
I have read so many commentaries that state that the 144,000 are the only Jews who are saved and that the vast multitude are all Gentiles. NOT TRUE! The 144,000 are sealed by God for the work of preaching the Gospel. Verse 9 above says that the people before the throne were of every nation, tribe, people and language. There is not one mention of them being just Gentiles. These are ALL of those who received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Personal Saviour during the worst time of tribulation and persecution the earth has ever seen! Let's make it our goal to reach as many of this multitude as possible BEFORE we are taken out of here, so they don't have to suffer through that time. WE are racing toward eternity while THEY are running out of time! There is no more important work for us to do on this earth than that! All else SHOULD pale in comparison! And it will IF we really love HIM! Why? Because that is HIS #1 priority! AMEN!
Jeremiah 39 and 52 show the fulfillment of the Word of God's judgment on Zedekiah and Jerusalem. He had been telling them and telling them, through the prophets, what was going to come upon the city and the people because of their disobedience. They had plenty of time to repent, but chose not to. We can take encouragement from this for the positive, too! If God's Word promises something, it WILL come to pass! Don't be moved just because it doesn't look like it's happening immediately! Just make sure that you are obeying the Word so that the GOOD promises are what you have to look forward to! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
MONDAY'S POST
Shalom,
Psalm 150 is the last Psalm and it closes on the highest note of praise for the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! The entire psalm is an instruction in who should be praising, how they should be praising, where they should be praising and Who should be the recipient of all of this praise! The word for praise in this psalm is the Hebrew word "halal", which we have looked at many times before and should now be very familiar with the fact that it means to boast, to shine, to rave, to celebrate, to be clamorously foolish over and to act like a madman about! EVERY word translated praise here is THIS word! The first phrase: "Praise the LORD" is "halal" and "Yahh", which is a contraction for "Yehovah". Do you recognize that this is HALLELUJAH! Clamorously praising Jehovah, the Eternal, Self-existing GOD! That is what this psalm is about and we need to gauge what percent of our lives is actually spent in praise! We can praise Him with instruments, with our voices, with our entire body in the dance, but we MUST praise HIM! AMEN! Verse 6 says it all:
6 Let everything that has breath, and every breath of life praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)
In Revelation 6 we see the seals opened and the Tribulation has begun! I found this interesting comparison as I was studying this chapter. It compares Matthew 24, where we know that Jesus was speaking to the Jews and NOT to the church, with Revelation 6:
We move on to Jeremiah 37-38 today. Jeremiah has warned and warned and warned the king and the people what they must do, but they continue to reject the Word of the LORD. Jeremiah 37:1-2 sums this up:
1 AND ZEDEKIAH son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king ion the land of Judah, reigned instead of Coniah [also called Jeconiah and Jehoiachin] son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to and obeyed the words of the LORD which He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.
I saw this interesting note on king Zedekiah in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
"There's no problem so big or complicated that it cant be run away from." So read a piece of graffito found on a London wall in 1979, probably adapted from the "Peanuts" comic strip drawn by Charles Schulz. Whatever the source, the statement certainly represents King Zedekiah's approach to the terrible problems in Judah when the enemy was at the gates.
6 Let everything that has breath, and every breath of life praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)
In Revelation 6 we see the seals opened and the Tribulation has begun! I found this interesting comparison as I was studying this chapter. It compares Matthew 24, where we know that Jesus was speaking to the Jews and NOT to the church, with Revelation 6:
Matt 24 Rev 6
False Christs White horse rider
(vv. 4-5) (vv. 1-2)
Wars (v. 6) Red horse - war
(vv. 3-4)
Famines (v. 7 a) Black horse - famine
(vv. 5-6)
Death (vv. 7 b-8) Pale horse - death
(vv. 7-8)
Martyrs (v. 9) Martyrs under the
altar (vv. 9-11)
Worldwide chaos Worldwide chaos
(vv. 10-13) (vv. 12-17)
The things that are prophesied in the Bible WILL come to pass, but God the Father is the only ONE Who knows WHEN all these things will take place. So BE ready at all times! AMEN!
We move on to Jeremiah 37-38 today. Jeremiah has warned and warned and warned the king and the people what they must do, but they continue to reject the Word of the LORD. Jeremiah 37:1-2 sums this up:
1 AND ZEDEKIAH son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king ion the land of Judah, reigned instead of Coniah [also called Jeconiah and Jehoiachin] son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to and obeyed the words of the LORD which He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.
I saw this interesting note on king Zedekiah in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
"There's no problem so big or complicated that it cant be run away from." So read a piece of graffito found on a London wall in 1979, probably adapted from the "Peanuts" comic strip drawn by Charles Schulz. Whatever the source, the statement certainly represents King Zedekiah's approach to the terrible problems in Judah when the enemy was at the gates.
And Zedekiah continued to vacillate when it came to the treatment of Jeremiah also! So how steady are YOU on the Word of God in the face of tests, trials and tribulations? KNOW your God and KNOW yourself! Know your own weaknesses so that you can receive correction in the Word of God and HE can turn them into strengths, otherwise the enemy will continue to use those weaknesses against you! That's just how he rolls! But YOU are not ignorant of his devices (tricks and schemes) (2 Corinthians 2:11)! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Shalom,
Psalm 149 is another Psalm that emphasizes the vital importance of praise and worship in the life of a believer. Verse 1:
1 PRAISE THE LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints!
I believe that the admonition to sing a "new" song includes both the song in the Spirit that is fresh from the Holy Spirit, AND the idea of not getting into a rut by singing the same things all the time, but keeping your praise and worship fresh by flowing with the Holy Spirit and singing the songs HE chooses! We do that in our worship service and it is POWERFUL! Verse 3 tells us some of the many different ways to praise Him and verse 4 tells us that HE loves this!
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation and adorn the wretched with victory.
I have always liked verse 5 and have been a DOER of this verse for years now!
5 Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds.
That means that we are to praise Him EARLY and OFTEN! I also like the Message Bible for verse 5:
5 Let true lovers (of Jesus) break out in praise, sing out from wherever they're sitting.
IF we truly love Him, we can't keep the praises from pouring forth! AMEN!
In Revelation 5 John sees a sealed scroll and weeps because there is no one worthy to open the scroll. Then one of the elders speaks up in verse 5:
5 Then one of the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] said to me, Stop weeping! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root (Source) of David, has won (has overcome and conquered)! He can open the scroll and break its seven seals.
So many times we hear that Jesus was born into the line of David, and this is true, according to His humanity! But Jesus is also the "Root and Source" of David, as Creator of all things, in His Deity! Then we see Psalm 149 being obeyed here in verse 9-10:
9 And [now] they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for you were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood you purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 And You have made them a kingdom (royal race) and priests to our God, and they shall reign [as kings] over the earth.
In Jeremiah 21 we see king Zedekiah desperately seeking Jeremiah's help to try to convince the LORD to fight on their side against king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I can only imagine the shock when Jeremiah came back with this report from the LORD in verses 4-7:
4 Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back and dull the edge of the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls; and I will bring them into the midst of this city [Jerusalem]. 5 And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm in anger, in fury, and in great indignation and wrath. 6 and I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great pestilence. 7 And afterward, says the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and into the hands of their enemies, into the hands of those who seek their lives. and he will smite them with the edge of the sword; he will not spare them nor have pity or mercy and compassion upon them.
These people had turned their backs on the God of the Bible and scorned and mocked the prophets that He had sent to warn them of this very thing! Now they wanted the LORD to forget all of that and come to their rescue again! Not this time! They had run out of their harvest of mercy! That tells me that they had not been showing mercy to others! God WAS still merciful, though, because He said this in verses 8-9:
8 And to this people you [Jeremiah] shall say, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 He who remains in this city [Jerusalem] shall die by the sword and by the famine and by pestilence. But he who goes out and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him his only booty [as a prize of war].
Life and death - YOU choose! That sounds like a merciful God, doesn't it!
In Jeremiah 34 he delivers a message to king Zedekiah that he will not die by the sword, but will die in peace. Then he delivers another dire warning to those who had broken the covenant with God concerning letting go free their fellow Hebrews who were slaves. They had failed to keep their end of the Covenant, and God takes the Covenant VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY! I am glad that He does! That tells me that I can have complete confidence that He will fulfill His Covenant with ME! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Psalm 149 is another Psalm that emphasizes the vital importance of praise and worship in the life of a believer. Verse 1:
1 PRAISE THE LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints!
I believe that the admonition to sing a "new" song includes both the song in the Spirit that is fresh from the Holy Spirit, AND the idea of not getting into a rut by singing the same things all the time, but keeping your praise and worship fresh by flowing with the Holy Spirit and singing the songs HE chooses! We do that in our worship service and it is POWERFUL! Verse 3 tells us some of the many different ways to praise Him and verse 4 tells us that HE loves this!
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation and adorn the wretched with victory.
I have always liked verse 5 and have been a DOER of this verse for years now!
5 Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds.
That means that we are to praise Him EARLY and OFTEN! I also like the Message Bible for verse 5:
5 Let true lovers (of Jesus) break out in praise, sing out from wherever they're sitting.
IF we truly love Him, we can't keep the praises from pouring forth! AMEN!
In Revelation 5 John sees a sealed scroll and weeps because there is no one worthy to open the scroll. Then one of the elders speaks up in verse 5:
5 Then one of the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] said to me, Stop weeping! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root (Source) of David, has won (has overcome and conquered)! He can open the scroll and break its seven seals.
So many times we hear that Jesus was born into the line of David, and this is true, according to His humanity! But Jesus is also the "Root and Source" of David, as Creator of all things, in His Deity! Then we see Psalm 149 being obeyed here in verse 9-10:
9 And [now] they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for you were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood you purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 And You have made them a kingdom (royal race) and priests to our God, and they shall reign [as kings] over the earth.
In Jeremiah 21 we see king Zedekiah desperately seeking Jeremiah's help to try to convince the LORD to fight on their side against king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I can only imagine the shock when Jeremiah came back with this report from the LORD in verses 4-7:
4 Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back and dull the edge of the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls; and I will bring them into the midst of this city [Jerusalem]. 5 And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm in anger, in fury, and in great indignation and wrath. 6 and I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great pestilence. 7 And afterward, says the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and into the hands of their enemies, into the hands of those who seek their lives. and he will smite them with the edge of the sword; he will not spare them nor have pity or mercy and compassion upon them.
These people had turned their backs on the God of the Bible and scorned and mocked the prophets that He had sent to warn them of this very thing! Now they wanted the LORD to forget all of that and come to their rescue again! Not this time! They had run out of their harvest of mercy! That tells me that they had not been showing mercy to others! God WAS still merciful, though, because He said this in verses 8-9:
8 And to this people you [Jeremiah] shall say, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 He who remains in this city [Jerusalem] shall die by the sword and by the famine and by pestilence. But he who goes out and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him his only booty [as a prize of war].
Life and death - YOU choose! That sounds like a merciful God, doesn't it!
In Jeremiah 34 he delivers a message to king Zedekiah that he will not die by the sword, but will die in peace. Then he delivers another dire warning to those who had broken the covenant with God concerning letting go free their fellow Hebrews who were slaves. They had failed to keep their end of the Covenant, and God takes the Covenant VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY! I am glad that He does! That tells me that I can have complete confidence that He will fulfill His Covenant with ME! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Shalom,
Psalm 148 uses the word "praise" 13 times in its 14 verses! Every time it is the Hebrew word "halal", which means: to shine, to boast, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to celebrate, to flash forth light, to make a boast of, to act like a madman, praise with shouting and jubilation! It is NOT a passive "Praise the Lord" but a wildly demonstrative show of adoration and jubilation! Have YOU ever praised the LORD like that? If not, WHY NOT? He is most definitely worthy of every kind of praise and worship! Read through this Psalm again and see who all is supposed to be praising Him in this way! If just Who He is isn't enough for someone to praise Him, look at verse 14 to see what He has done!
14 He has lifted up a horn for His people [giving them power, prosperity, dignity, and preeminence], a song of praise for all His godly ones, for the people of Israel, who are near to Him. Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)
WE are also His people, along with the nation of Israel, grafted into the original by the Spirit of God! So: PRAISE HIM!!!
Revelation 4 begins with John being taken up to Heaven. This chapter is all about the throne! The word is used 14 times in this chapter and 46 times in the entire book of Revelation! It is the Greek word "thronos" and means: a stately seat, a seat of power, a seat of authority. The main throne is the one that God the Father sits on and it emphasizes His sovereignty and the fact that HE is in control! AMEN! Verse 3:
3 And He Who sat there appeared like [the crystalline brightness of] jasper and [the fiery] sardius, and encircling the throne there was a halo that looked like [a rainbow] of emerald.
Words could not accurately describe the presence of God, so John is using earthly comparisons. Jasper is a clear gem and sardius is red. So God appeared to John to be bright like light and fiery at the same time! GLORY! And then notice that the rainbow encircled the throne. Not just an arc like we see on the earth, but a complete circle, because in the presence of God all things are complete! AMEN! There are the 24 other thrones with the 24 elders. When Daniel saw the thrones in Daniel 7:9, they were empty! Now they are filled! I believe that the 24 elders represent the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles of the New Testament, but we won't really know until we get there! We DO know that thrones represent authority, so I think that these represent God's power and authority operating on the earth through His people! We also see the 4 living creatures with different faces. Some believe that they are the representation of Jesus through the 4 Gospels:
In Jeremiah 32-33 we see the LORD instructing Jeremiah to do something that SEEMED to be totally illogical! He told Jeremiah to purchase some land in the nation that was about to be overtaken by the enemy and the people taken into captivity! Has the LORD ever asked YOU to do something that you knew the world would not understand and that other people would mock? How did you respond? Jeremiah responded with obedience and then he began to praise the LORD! We see some of his praise to God in Jeremiah 32:17-19:
17 Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You -- 18 you Who show loving-kindness to thousands but recompense the iniquity of the fathers into the bosoms of their children after them. the Great, the Mighty GOD; the LORD of hosts is His Name -- 19 Great [are You] in counsel and mighty in deeds, Whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to reward or repay each one according to the fruit of hid doings,
Then, in Jeremiah 33:2-3, God had this to say:
2 Thus says the LORD Who made [the earth], the LORD Who formed it to establish it -- the LORD is His Name: 3 Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).
What a wonderful and powerful promise! Call on Him for wisdom and ask Him to reveal Himself and His plan and purpose to you! He WILL answer you! Thank you, LORD! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Psalm 148 uses the word "praise" 13 times in its 14 verses! Every time it is the Hebrew word "halal", which means: to shine, to boast, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to celebrate, to flash forth light, to make a boast of, to act like a madman, praise with shouting and jubilation! It is NOT a passive "Praise the Lord" but a wildly demonstrative show of adoration and jubilation! Have YOU ever praised the LORD like that? If not, WHY NOT? He is most definitely worthy of every kind of praise and worship! Read through this Psalm again and see who all is supposed to be praising Him in this way! If just Who He is isn't enough for someone to praise Him, look at verse 14 to see what He has done!
14 He has lifted up a horn for His people [giving them power, prosperity, dignity, and preeminence], a song of praise for all His godly ones, for the people of Israel, who are near to Him. Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)
WE are also His people, along with the nation of Israel, grafted into the original by the Spirit of God! So: PRAISE HIM!!!
Revelation 4 begins with John being taken up to Heaven. This chapter is all about the throne! The word is used 14 times in this chapter and 46 times in the entire book of Revelation! It is the Greek word "thronos" and means: a stately seat, a seat of power, a seat of authority. The main throne is the one that God the Father sits on and it emphasizes His sovereignty and the fact that HE is in control! AMEN! Verse 3:
3 And He Who sat there appeared like [the crystalline brightness of] jasper and [the fiery] sardius, and encircling the throne there was a halo that looked like [a rainbow] of emerald.
Words could not accurately describe the presence of God, so John is using earthly comparisons. Jasper is a clear gem and sardius is red. So God appeared to John to be bright like light and fiery at the same time! GLORY! And then notice that the rainbow encircled the throne. Not just an arc like we see on the earth, but a complete circle, because in the presence of God all things are complete! AMEN! There are the 24 other thrones with the 24 elders. When Daniel saw the thrones in Daniel 7:9, they were empty! Now they are filled! I believe that the 24 elders represent the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles of the New Testament, but we won't really know until we get there! We DO know that thrones represent authority, so I think that these represent God's power and authority operating on the earth through His people! We also see the 4 living creatures with different faces. Some believe that they are the representation of Jesus through the 4 Gospels:
- Matthew: the King, shown by the face of a lion.
- Mark: the servant, shown by the calf.
- Luke: the compassionate Son of Man, shown by the face of a man.
- John: the Deity (Son of God), shown by the eagle.
In Jeremiah 32-33 we see the LORD instructing Jeremiah to do something that SEEMED to be totally illogical! He told Jeremiah to purchase some land in the nation that was about to be overtaken by the enemy and the people taken into captivity! Has the LORD ever asked YOU to do something that you knew the world would not understand and that other people would mock? How did you respond? Jeremiah responded with obedience and then he began to praise the LORD! We see some of his praise to God in Jeremiah 32:17-19:
17 Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You -- 18 you Who show loving-kindness to thousands but recompense the iniquity of the fathers into the bosoms of their children after them. the Great, the Mighty GOD; the LORD of hosts is His Name -- 19 Great [are You] in counsel and mighty in deeds, Whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to reward or repay each one according to the fruit of hid doings,
Then, in Jeremiah 33:2-3, God had this to say:
2 Thus says the LORD Who made [the earth], the LORD Who formed it to establish it -- the LORD is His Name: 3 Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).
What a wonderful and powerful promise! Call on Him for wisdom and ask Him to reveal Himself and His plan and purpose to you! He WILL answer you! Thank you, LORD! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Shalom,
Psalm 147 tells us that is GOOD to praise the LORD! you can divide this psalm into three separate sections with their own reasons for praising the LORD:
2 The LORD is building up Jerusalem; He is gathering together the exiles of Israel.
He DID that on the return from captivity in Babylon, and He is doing that NOW, in modern Israel, bringing His people back to the land! Verses 4-5 reveals the awesomeness of our God:
4 He determines and counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names. 5 Great is our LORD and of great power; His understanding in inexhaustible and boundless.
The same God Who created ALL THINGS, also KNOWS all things! What confidence we should have in our Covenant with Him! Never ending and sealed in the Blood of Jesus! Such power and authority available, WHEN we can understand how to operate in it by faith, which works by love! AMEN!
Verses 10-11:
10 He delights not in the strength of the horse, nor does he take pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.
God is NOT impressed with our many gifts and talents, wisdom and knowledge, pursuits and accomplishments! After all, they all came from HIM! What is He impressed with? With our praise and worship, done in Spirit and Truth!
In Revelation 3 we continue "hearing' what the Spirit says to the churches. Verse 1 begins the message to the church in Sardis:
1 AND TO the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Sardis write: These are the words of Him Who has the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] and the seven stars: I know your record and what you are doing; you are supposed to be alive, but [in reality] you are dead.
There are NOT seven Holy Spirits, but, as John 14:26; 15:26; and 16:7 reveal, seven aspects, or roles, that the Holy Spirit fulfills in the lives of believers! They are Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, and Standby! He IS the ONE Who fills the role of anyone and everyone that we will ever need to help and assist us in this life! Rely on Him always! The message to the church in Sardis, and MANY churches in America today, is that they were no longer alive to the things of God. They were living on history and tradition; on what had happened in some great move of the Spirit in the past and doing nothing with the life of God IN them! There WAS a remnant of true believers in this church, so there was hope that the fire could be rekindled and they could become a "Church on Fire" again; but NOT without some repentance and a determined purpose to KNOW the God of the Bible again!
The message to the church of Philadelphia, who some scholars say is most like the church today, is encouraging them because they had a vision to reach the lost. Verse 8:
8 I know your [record of] works and what you are doing. See! I have set before you a door wide open which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word and guarded My message and have not renounced or denied My Name.
They had continued to preach the Gospel in the face of much persecution and God was pleased! his promise to them is found in verse 10:
10 Because you have guarded and kept My Word of patient endurance [have held fast the lesson of My patience with the expectant endurance that I give you], I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing) which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth.
We need to receive that promise for ourselves and make more of a commitment that ever before to continue to preach the Gospel, the Good News, to everyone we come in contact with! THEY are running out of time to accept and receive Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour!
The church in Laodicea had four areas that needed attention.
Shalom in Him!
Psalm 147 tells us that is GOOD to praise the LORD! you can divide this psalm into three separate sections with their own reasons for praising the LORD:
- Praise the LORD for His people have been restored. Verses 1-6.
- Sing to the LORD for he has refreshed the land. Verses 7-11.
- Praise, or extol, the LORD for His Word has been revealed. Verses 12-20.
2 The LORD is building up Jerusalem; He is gathering together the exiles of Israel.
He DID that on the return from captivity in Babylon, and He is doing that NOW, in modern Israel, bringing His people back to the land! Verses 4-5 reveals the awesomeness of our God:
4 He determines and counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names. 5 Great is our LORD and of great power; His understanding in inexhaustible and boundless.
The same God Who created ALL THINGS, also KNOWS all things! What confidence we should have in our Covenant with Him! Never ending and sealed in the Blood of Jesus! Such power and authority available, WHEN we can understand how to operate in it by faith, which works by love! AMEN!
Verses 10-11:
10 He delights not in the strength of the horse, nor does he take pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.
God is NOT impressed with our many gifts and talents, wisdom and knowledge, pursuits and accomplishments! After all, they all came from HIM! What is He impressed with? With our praise and worship, done in Spirit and Truth!
In Revelation 3 we continue "hearing' what the Spirit says to the churches. Verse 1 begins the message to the church in Sardis:
1 AND TO the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Sardis write: These are the words of Him Who has the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] and the seven stars: I know your record and what you are doing; you are supposed to be alive, but [in reality] you are dead.
There are NOT seven Holy Spirits, but, as John 14:26; 15:26; and 16:7 reveal, seven aspects, or roles, that the Holy Spirit fulfills in the lives of believers! They are Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, and Standby! He IS the ONE Who fills the role of anyone and everyone that we will ever need to help and assist us in this life! Rely on Him always! The message to the church in Sardis, and MANY churches in America today, is that they were no longer alive to the things of God. They were living on history and tradition; on what had happened in some great move of the Spirit in the past and doing nothing with the life of God IN them! There WAS a remnant of true believers in this church, so there was hope that the fire could be rekindled and they could become a "Church on Fire" again; but NOT without some repentance and a determined purpose to KNOW the God of the Bible again!
The message to the church of Philadelphia, who some scholars say is most like the church today, is encouraging them because they had a vision to reach the lost. Verse 8:
8 I know your [record of] works and what you are doing. See! I have set before you a door wide open which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word and guarded My message and have not renounced or denied My Name.
They had continued to preach the Gospel in the face of much persecution and God was pleased! his promise to them is found in verse 10:
10 Because you have guarded and kept My Word of patient endurance [have held fast the lesson of My patience with the expectant endurance that I give you], I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing) which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth.
We need to receive that promise for ourselves and make more of a commitment that ever before to continue to preach the Gospel, the Good News, to everyone we come in contact with! THEY are running out of time to accept and receive Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour!
The church in Laodicea had four areas that needed attention.
- They had lost their vigor or fervency - Verses 16-17.
- They had lost their values - Verses 17-18a.
- They had lost their vision - Verse 18b.
- They had lost their "vesture" - Verses 17-22.
This was all covered in verse 17:
17 For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
The answer in verse 18:
18 Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.
They needed to receive this chastening from the LORD and change their thinking to agree with Him. WE need to do the same!
Jeremiah 30-31 speaks to the return of the people of Israel to their land. This referred immediately to the return from Babylonian captivity, but also to this Last Days return to the scattered Jews to the land of promise! There are a couple of familiar verses here that you may remember! Jeremiah 31:3:
3 The LORD appeared from of old to me [Israel], saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.
WE can receive this same promise, knowing that He loves us the same way! Then in verses 35-36:
35 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day and the fixed order of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, Who stirs up the sea's roaring billows or stills the waves when they roar --the LORD of hosts is His Name: 36 If these ordinances [of fixed order] depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the posterity of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me throughout the ages.
Guess what - sun, moon and stars are still up there and the seas are still in their place! Israel is now and always has been ordained of God to be a sovereign nation, with all of the land that HE ordained as theirs. WOE to any nation or people who dare to come against Israel! We are commanded to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-7). Make sure you take time every day to do so! Their are blessings involved with loving what God loves and obeying His commands! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Shalom,
Psalm 146 is the first of the five Hallelujah Psalms (146-150). Psalm 146 emphasizes praising God for the rest of our lives! I really like the Message Bible for this psalm:
146 Hallelujah!
O my soul, praise God!
2 All my life long I'll praise God,
singing songs to my God as long as I live.
3 Don't put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
4 Mere humans don't have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
5 Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
6 God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says —
7 he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners —
8 he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, 9 protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
10 God's in charge — always.
Zion's God is God for good!
Hallelujah!
I LOVE how we are exhorted in verse 3 to NOT put any trust in man (or so-called experts!). KJV and Amplified Bibles both say "in whom there is no help", but the Message says "who know nothing of life". The word "help" is the Hebrew word "teshu`ah", which means: rescue, deliverance, help, safety, salvation, victory. Someone who is not a born again believer and does not know the Word of God cannot possibly be of any real help in life. They may be sources of information in the areas that they excel in, but real help? NOT A CHANCE! The Word of God is the only REAL help!
I also like that it refers to God as the "God of Jacob". That shows that He is our help and deliverer even if we have missed it many times! You know, like Jacob did! Don't allow anything in this life to stop you from RUNNING into His presence every day for all of the help you need! You will soon find yourself helping others! And remember - OUR God IS God - for good! That means he is a GOOD God and He is God forever! AMEN!
Revelation 2 begins the messages to the seven churches. Remember that the Church of Jesus Christ is made up of all born again believers. The individual churches, wherever they were meeting, were made up of individual believers. The messages we see here were to the church leadership AND to the individual members as well. Receive theses messages as though the LORD were speaking directly to YOU! If it fits, receive the commendation or praise for something well done, not with personal pride, but with humility, realizing that HE is always watching and HE will always reward diligence and right motives! Now, in that same way, receive the correction where needed. Repent, which means to simply change YOUR thinking to agree with God and His Word. The correction that Jesus gave (and gives!) is ALWAYS to lead us back into a position of fellowship with Him so that we can be all He intends for us to be here on this earth, with rewards coming here AND in Heaven! AMEN!
The church in Ephesus was ALMOST a model church! It seemed that they did everything well! They kept separated from the world and the evil in it. They labored to do the work of the ministry. They may have had lots of programs that were aimed at meeting the needs of the church AND the community! Well spoken of and APPEARING Christlike. BUT, their motives were all wrong! They had left their first love, which means that even though they were busy doing things to bring Glory to the Name of Jesus, they really didn't do those things out of their love for Him! Remember what Jesus said was THE most important commandment? Mark 12:29-30:
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, hear, o Israel; the Lord our God is one lord: 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.
Fall in love with Jesus AGAIN! Every good thing we do MUST be motivated by our love for Him or there will be no rewards in Heaven for it! Why do we share the Gospel? Because HE loves people and wants that none should perish! Why do we show mercy? Because HE is merciful and LOVES mercy! Why do we give? Because HE gives and is unwilling to do without a cheerful, prompt to do it giver!
The church of Smyrna was undergoing intense persecution from both the Roman Empire and the so-called Jews. A REAL Jew is one who is a spiritual Jew. Read Romans 2:17-29 to see what that means! Jesus here called them the synagogue of satan because they did not receive Him for Who He was, but persecuted the church relentlessly. Jesus was giving this church the encouragement that they were NOT alone! He had endured what they were enduring and understood what they were going through! But the end result of all of our lives is that we (believers) will one day be in Heaven and in the presence of our Lord - face to face! Hallelujah! Nothing you and I are going through now (this light affliction -2 Corinthians 4:17) can even begin to compare with the glory of Heaven!
The church of Pergamos was commended by the Lord for not denying the faith in the face of severe persecution. One of their members had even been killed for his faith, yet they never denied the Name of the Lord. Remember that the church is made up of individuals and the problem at the church here is that some of the members were playing around with false doctrine and compromising the Word to "fit in" or gain approval or success with the world. Don't commit spiritual adultery by compromising the Word for the sake of "fitting in" with the people at work, school, etc. BE the light they need and be pleasing to God!
To the church of Thyatira, Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of God. Verse 18:
18 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, Who has eyes that flash like a flame of fire, and Whose feet glow like bright and burnished and white-hot bronze:
This was probably because in Thyatira there was a special temple dedicated to Apollo, the so-called "sun god". There is only ONE TRUE GOD and it is NOT apollo! AMEN! Jesus commended this church for doing the things they did with a right and true heart and love! The problem He had with them was that at the same time they compromised by letting evil go on within the church. No amount of good works, even done with right motives, can make up for sin and its sure results! God does NOT want "seeker friendly" churches that make things comfortable for sin! Sinners should always be welcomed, but given the uncompromising Word of God, the Word of TRUTH! "Speaking the Truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) SHOULD be the method of operation of EVERY church! AMEN!
Jeremiah 50-51 deals totally with the fall of Babylon. There are three parts to this message:
Shalom in Him!
Psalm 146 is the first of the five Hallelujah Psalms (146-150). Psalm 146 emphasizes praising God for the rest of our lives! I really like the Message Bible for this psalm:
146 Hallelujah!
O my soul, praise God!
2 All my life long I'll praise God,
singing songs to my God as long as I live.
3 Don't put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
4 Mere humans don't have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
5 Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
6 God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says —
7 he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners —
8 he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, 9 protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
10 God's in charge — always.
Zion's God is God for good!
Hallelujah!
I LOVE how we are exhorted in verse 3 to NOT put any trust in man (or so-called experts!). KJV and Amplified Bibles both say "in whom there is no help", but the Message says "who know nothing of life". The word "help" is the Hebrew word "teshu`ah", which means: rescue, deliverance, help, safety, salvation, victory. Someone who is not a born again believer and does not know the Word of God cannot possibly be of any real help in life. They may be sources of information in the areas that they excel in, but real help? NOT A CHANCE! The Word of God is the only REAL help!
I also like that it refers to God as the "God of Jacob". That shows that He is our help and deliverer even if we have missed it many times! You know, like Jacob did! Don't allow anything in this life to stop you from RUNNING into His presence every day for all of the help you need! You will soon find yourself helping others! And remember - OUR God IS God - for good! That means he is a GOOD God and He is God forever! AMEN!
Revelation 2 begins the messages to the seven churches. Remember that the Church of Jesus Christ is made up of all born again believers. The individual churches, wherever they were meeting, were made up of individual believers. The messages we see here were to the church leadership AND to the individual members as well. Receive theses messages as though the LORD were speaking directly to YOU! If it fits, receive the commendation or praise for something well done, not with personal pride, but with humility, realizing that HE is always watching and HE will always reward diligence and right motives! Now, in that same way, receive the correction where needed. Repent, which means to simply change YOUR thinking to agree with God and His Word. The correction that Jesus gave (and gives!) is ALWAYS to lead us back into a position of fellowship with Him so that we can be all He intends for us to be here on this earth, with rewards coming here AND in Heaven! AMEN!
The church in Ephesus was ALMOST a model church! It seemed that they did everything well! They kept separated from the world and the evil in it. They labored to do the work of the ministry. They may have had lots of programs that were aimed at meeting the needs of the church AND the community! Well spoken of and APPEARING Christlike. BUT, their motives were all wrong! They had left their first love, which means that even though they were busy doing things to bring Glory to the Name of Jesus, they really didn't do those things out of their love for Him! Remember what Jesus said was THE most important commandment? Mark 12:29-30:
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, hear, o Israel; the Lord our God is one lord: 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.
Fall in love with Jesus AGAIN! Every good thing we do MUST be motivated by our love for Him or there will be no rewards in Heaven for it! Why do we share the Gospel? Because HE loves people and wants that none should perish! Why do we show mercy? Because HE is merciful and LOVES mercy! Why do we give? Because HE gives and is unwilling to do without a cheerful, prompt to do it giver!
The church of Smyrna was undergoing intense persecution from both the Roman Empire and the so-called Jews. A REAL Jew is one who is a spiritual Jew. Read Romans 2:17-29 to see what that means! Jesus here called them the synagogue of satan because they did not receive Him for Who He was, but persecuted the church relentlessly. Jesus was giving this church the encouragement that they were NOT alone! He had endured what they were enduring and understood what they were going through! But the end result of all of our lives is that we (believers) will one day be in Heaven and in the presence of our Lord - face to face! Hallelujah! Nothing you and I are going through now (this light affliction -2 Corinthians 4:17) can even begin to compare with the glory of Heaven!
The church of Pergamos was commended by the Lord for not denying the faith in the face of severe persecution. One of their members had even been killed for his faith, yet they never denied the Name of the Lord. Remember that the church is made up of individuals and the problem at the church here is that some of the members were playing around with false doctrine and compromising the Word to "fit in" or gain approval or success with the world. Don't commit spiritual adultery by compromising the Word for the sake of "fitting in" with the people at work, school, etc. BE the light they need and be pleasing to God!
To the church of Thyatira, Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of God. Verse 18:
18 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, Who has eyes that flash like a flame of fire, and Whose feet glow like bright and burnished and white-hot bronze:
This was probably because in Thyatira there was a special temple dedicated to Apollo, the so-called "sun god". There is only ONE TRUE GOD and it is NOT apollo! AMEN! Jesus commended this church for doing the things they did with a right and true heart and love! The problem He had with them was that at the same time they compromised by letting evil go on within the church. No amount of good works, even done with right motives, can make up for sin and its sure results! God does NOT want "seeker friendly" churches that make things comfortable for sin! Sinners should always be welcomed, but given the uncompromising Word of God, the Word of TRUTH! "Speaking the Truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) SHOULD be the method of operation of EVERY church! AMEN!
Jeremiah 50-51 deals totally with the fall of Babylon. There are three parts to this message:
- God declares war on Babylon: Jeremiah 50:1-28.
- God assembles the armies against Babylon: Jeremiah 50:29-51:26.
- God announces victory over Babylon: Jeremiah 51:27-58.
Shalom in Him!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Psalm 145 is called [A Psalm of praise (of David)]. It is the last of the Psalms attributed specifically to David. Verses 1-7, 10-11 speak of what WE should be doing on a DAILY basis! The words used are:
We begin the Revelation today with a definition! The word "Revelation" is the Greek word "apokalupsis", which does NOT mean chaos and confusion, like our English word "apocalypse" does today. "Apokalupsis" means: disclosure, unveiling, revealing, laying bare, manifestation. I found this in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
In this book, the Holy Spirit pulls back the curtain and gives us the privilege of seeing the glorified Christ in heaven and the fulfillment of His sovereign purposes in the world.
The Holy Spirit Himself is the Author of this book. This comparison of the works and writings of the Holy Spirit may help your understanding of Scripture:
GOSPEL OF JOHN
Revelation 1:3:
3 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man (male or female) who reads aloud [in the assemblies] the word of this prophecy; and blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who hear [it read] and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it [heeding them and laying them to heart], for the time [for them to be fulfilled] is near.
John saw Jesus and I LOVE this picture of Him in verses 13-16:
13 And in the midst of the lampstands [One] like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, [as white] as snow, and His eyes [flashed] like a flame of fire. 15 His feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.
Remember THIS picture of King Jesus the next time you are tempted to feel discouraged or defeated! You ARE the born again child of the King of all kings and the LORD of all lords! Now ACT LIKE IT! AMEN!
Jeremiah 28-29 reveals the contrast between the message that God sent through Jeremiah, which was Truth, and their own message give by the false prophets that promised soon coming peace and an end to the captivity. Why would they do this? For the same reason that the people Paul warned Timothy about would turn away from the Truth to believe a lie! 2 Timothy 4:2-4:
2 Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Why did, and will, people do this? Because it is hard on the flesh nature to put the body under and obey the Word. Remember to humble yourself (2 Peter 5:6) so that God can lift you up to a much better life here on earth! HIS Way is ALWAYS the BEST Way! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
- extol (the Hebrew word "ruwm", which means: to raise up, to lift up to a higher place, to exalt).
- Bless (the Hebrew word "barak", which means: to kneel as an act of adoration, to praise).
- praise (the Hebrew word "halal", which means: to shine, to make a show, to boast, to celebrate, to be clamorously foolish over).
- praise (the Hebrew word "shabach", which means: to address in a loud tone, to commend, to glory, to triumph, to laud, to congratulate).
- declare (the Hebrew word "nagad", which means: to be conspicuous, to make known, to proclaim, to publish, to announce boldly).
- speak (the Hebrew word "siyach", which means: to put forth thoughts, to commune).
- speak (the Hebrew word "amar", which means: to say, to tell, to command, to answer).
- declare (the Hebrew word "caphar", which means: to count, to number, to proclaim, to declare).
- utter (the Hebrew word "naba`", which means: to pour out, to flow, to gush forth).
- sing (the Hebrew word "ranan", which means: to overcome, to cry out, to shout for joy, to give a ringing cry, to rejoice, to chant, to sing, to express joy and exultation through loud singing).
- praise (the Hebrew word, "yadah", which means: to throw, to give thanks, to laud, to praise, to confess).
- talk (the Hebrew word "dabar", which means: to speak, to declare to converse, to command, to promise, to threaten, to sing).
We begin the Revelation today with a definition! The word "Revelation" is the Greek word "apokalupsis", which does NOT mean chaos and confusion, like our English word "apocalypse" does today. "Apokalupsis" means: disclosure, unveiling, revealing, laying bare, manifestation. I found this in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
In this book, the Holy Spirit pulls back the curtain and gives us the privilege of seeing the glorified Christ in heaven and the fulfillment of His sovereign purposes in the world.
In other words, Revelation is an open book in which God reveals His plans and purposes to His church. When Daniel finished writing his prophecy, he was instructed to "shut up the words, and seal the book" (Dan 12:4); but John was given opposite instructions: "Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book" (Rev 22:10). Why? Since Calvary, the Resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit, God has ushered in the "last days" (Heb 1:1-2) and is fulfilling His hidden purposes in this world. "The time is at hand" (Rev 1:3; 22:10)
We certainly won't cover everything found in Revelation on this blog. We don't even HAVE the full understanding YET of all that has been hidden here FOR us to discover! (No matter how many fine charts, graphs and maps have been put out there to try and describe End Time events!) The fact is, the Church of Jesus of Nazareth won't even BE HERE during the fulfillment of most that is prophesied here! We will be in Heaven watching it all from the best seat in the house! AMEN! That being said, I will be obedient to cover anything that the Holy Spirit leads to speak to! Let's start!
The Holy Spirit Himself is the Author of this book. This comparison of the works and writings of the Holy Spirit may help your understanding of Scripture:
GOSPEL OF JOHN
- Believe: John 20:31.
- Life received.
- Salvation.
- The Prophet.
- Be sure: 1 John 5:13.
- Life revealed.
- Sanctification.
- The Priest.
- Be ready: Revelation 22:20.
- Life rewarded.
- Sovereignty.
- The King
Revelation 1:3:
3 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man (male or female) who reads aloud [in the assemblies] the word of this prophecy; and blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who hear [it read] and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it [heeding them and laying them to heart], for the time [for them to be fulfilled] is near.
John saw Jesus and I LOVE this picture of Him in verses 13-16:
13 And in the midst of the lampstands [One] like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, [as white] as snow, and His eyes [flashed] like a flame of fire. 15 His feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.
Remember THIS picture of King Jesus the next time you are tempted to feel discouraged or defeated! You ARE the born again child of the King of all kings and the LORD of all lords! Now ACT LIKE IT! AMEN!
Jeremiah 28-29 reveals the contrast between the message that God sent through Jeremiah, which was Truth, and their own message give by the false prophets that promised soon coming peace and an end to the captivity. Why would they do this? For the same reason that the people Paul warned Timothy about would turn away from the Truth to believe a lie! 2 Timothy 4:2-4:
2 Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Why did, and will, people do this? Because it is hard on the flesh nature to put the body under and obey the Word. Remember to humble yourself (2 Peter 5:6) so that God can lift you up to a much better life here on earth! HIS Way is ALWAYS the BEST Way! AMEN!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Shalom,
Psalm 144:9:
9 I will sing a new song to You, O God; upon a harp, an instrument of ten strings, will I offer praises to You.
This verse tells of David's desire to give praise and worship to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! DAILY praise, worship, fellowship, study and mediation in the Word, and fellowship with like-minded believers is needful for the believer who REALLY wants to grow up in the things of God, and become one who is able to handle the meat of the Word, and not just feed on the milk, like a baby! BE ONE of those!
John 21 records the third time that Jesus had appeared to His disciples after the resurrection. I really LOVE the aggressiveness of Peter! It is so much easier to help slow someone down who moves too fast than it is to try to jump-start someone who won't move out in boldness! That being said, this trait in Peter DOES sometimes cause problems for him! Verse 7:
7 The the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! Simon Peter, hearing him say that it was the Lord, put (girded) on his upper garment (his fisherman's coat, his outer tunic) -- for He was stripped [for work] -- and sprang into the sea.
So here is Peter, with his shirt off, working to pull up all of these great fish! Then, when he is informed that this is Jesus, he puts his coat back on, in order to jump into the water and swim to shore! Do you think he was wet when he got there? Meanwhile, verse 8:
8 And the other disciples came in the small boat, for they were not far from shore, only some hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
When they got to shore, Jesus asks them to bring Him some fish, so Peter does this, verse 11:
11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them; and [though] there were so many of them, the net was not torn.
It would have been so much easier for Peter to wait and come in with the boat and haul the fish to shore! What this DOES reveal about him, though is his eagerness to be near Jesus! Do YOU go so quickly and boldly into His presence? Or does everything have to be perfect BEFORE you spend time with Him in YOUR secret place? Being organized is a great way to be in position to move quickly, like Peter did, when the Spirit of God leads you to do something! Get YOUR life in order and stay ready!
In 2 Chronicles 36 and in Jeremiah 27 we see King Zedekiah being warned by the prophet about what God was doing and how he was to submit to Nebuchadnezzar. He refused and it did NOT go well with him after that! Things will not always look like we think they should, but if God is in control, then we can trust that His every decision is FOR our benefit! Remember that God is ALWAYS on our side! The questions is, are we (you) on HIS side? If not, GET THERE! There is no safer and more rewarding place to be than right in the center of HIS perfect will! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Psalm 144:9:
9 I will sing a new song to You, O God; upon a harp, an instrument of ten strings, will I offer praises to You.
This verse tells of David's desire to give praise and worship to the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! DAILY praise, worship, fellowship, study and mediation in the Word, and fellowship with like-minded believers is needful for the believer who REALLY wants to grow up in the things of God, and become one who is able to handle the meat of the Word, and not just feed on the milk, like a baby! BE ONE of those!
John 21 records the third time that Jesus had appeared to His disciples after the resurrection. I really LOVE the aggressiveness of Peter! It is so much easier to help slow someone down who moves too fast than it is to try to jump-start someone who won't move out in boldness! That being said, this trait in Peter DOES sometimes cause problems for him! Verse 7:
7 The the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! Simon Peter, hearing him say that it was the Lord, put (girded) on his upper garment (his fisherman's coat, his outer tunic) -- for He was stripped [for work] -- and sprang into the sea.
So here is Peter, with his shirt off, working to pull up all of these great fish! Then, when he is informed that this is Jesus, he puts his coat back on, in order to jump into the water and swim to shore! Do you think he was wet when he got there? Meanwhile, verse 8:
8 And the other disciples came in the small boat, for they were not far from shore, only some hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
When they got to shore, Jesus asks them to bring Him some fish, so Peter does this, verse 11:
11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them; and [though] there were so many of them, the net was not torn.
It would have been so much easier for Peter to wait and come in with the boat and haul the fish to shore! What this DOES reveal about him, though is his eagerness to be near Jesus! Do YOU go so quickly and boldly into His presence? Or does everything have to be perfect BEFORE you spend time with Him in YOUR secret place? Being organized is a great way to be in position to move quickly, like Peter did, when the Spirit of God leads you to do something! Get YOUR life in order and stay ready!
In 2 Chronicles 36 and in Jeremiah 27 we see King Zedekiah being warned by the prophet about what God was doing and how he was to submit to Nebuchadnezzar. He refused and it did NOT go well with him after that! Things will not always look like we think they should, but if God is in control, then we can trust that His every decision is FOR our benefit! Remember that God is ALWAYS on our side! The questions is, are we (you) on HIS side? If not, GET THERE! There is no safer and more rewarding place to be than right in the center of HIS perfect will! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Shalom,
As we mentioned before, Psalm 143 shows David crying out to the LORD in prayer. We have a new covenant, based on better promises than David had because of the New Birth! Our instruction for prayer can be found in 1 John 5:14-15:
14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with his own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
So when YOU call out to God, do it according to His Word, which IS His will, and you can have complete and total confidence and assurance that you HAVE the answer! Then don't quit or give up and you WILL see it! AMEN!
John 20 records the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth and the beginning of the Church! I particularly like verses 30-31:
30 There are also many other signs and miracles which Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His Name [through Who He is].
If you have never received Jesus of Nazareth as your Lord and personal Saviour, I invite you to pray this prayer, believing in your heart, and speaking this with your own mouth:
Almighty God, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth, died on the cross for me, was raised from the dead, and is now seated at Your right hand. I accept and receive Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and I invite Him to come into my heart and become Lord over my life. I thank You now Father, for welcoming me into Your family. You are my Father. I am Your child. Jesus is my Lord! Amen.
Now you ARE a child of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! You belong to the family of God. You are a member of the Body of Christ. You need to get into a good, Word teaching local church in order to continue to grow in the things of God! Click on the Spoken Word Church link to the left and let us know where you live. We will let you know of churches in your area so that you can get started right away! AMEN!
In Jeremiah 48-49 he prophecies of the coming judgment on the nations of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Syria (Damascus), Kedar, Hazor and Elam. Although they would all face the judgment of God for their pride, arrogance and their treatment of the nation of Israel, He did promise mercy and restoration for Moab, Ammon and Elam. Jeremiah 48:47:
47 Yet I will reverse the captivity and restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days, says the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
Jeremiah 49:6:
6 And afterward I will reverse the captivity of the children of Ammon and restore their fortunes, says the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:39:
39 But it shall be in the latter days (the end of days) that I will reverse the captivity and restore the fortunes of Elam, says the LORD.
ALL of these nations reaped judgment for what they had done, or not done. The three mentioned above were promised restoration in the future! The others? Not so! It doesn't COST to serve God, it PAYS - BIG REWARDS! And, likewise, is doesn't PAY to go against God and His Word, it COSTS - In a big and sometimes irreversible way! Stay on God's side! It's the WINNING side! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
As we mentioned before, Psalm 143 shows David crying out to the LORD in prayer. We have a new covenant, based on better promises than David had because of the New Birth! Our instruction for prayer can be found in 1 John 5:14-15:
14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with his own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
So when YOU call out to God, do it according to His Word, which IS His will, and you can have complete and total confidence and assurance that you HAVE the answer! Then don't quit or give up and you WILL see it! AMEN!
John 20 records the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth and the beginning of the Church! I particularly like verses 30-31:
30 There are also many other signs and miracles which Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One), the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His Name [through Who He is].
If you have never received Jesus of Nazareth as your Lord and personal Saviour, I invite you to pray this prayer, believing in your heart, and speaking this with your own mouth:
Almighty God, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth, died on the cross for me, was raised from the dead, and is now seated at Your right hand. I accept and receive Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and I invite Him to come into my heart and become Lord over my life. I thank You now Father, for welcoming me into Your family. You are my Father. I am Your child. Jesus is my Lord! Amen.
Now you ARE a child of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! You belong to the family of God. You are a member of the Body of Christ. You need to get into a good, Word teaching local church in order to continue to grow in the things of God! Click on the Spoken Word Church link to the left and let us know where you live. We will let you know of churches in your area so that you can get started right away! AMEN!
In Jeremiah 48-49 he prophecies of the coming judgment on the nations of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Syria (Damascus), Kedar, Hazor and Elam. Although they would all face the judgment of God for their pride, arrogance and their treatment of the nation of Israel, He did promise mercy and restoration for Moab, Ammon and Elam. Jeremiah 48:47:
47 Yet I will reverse the captivity and restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days, says the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
Jeremiah 49:6:
6 And afterward I will reverse the captivity of the children of Ammon and restore their fortunes, says the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:39:
39 But it shall be in the latter days (the end of days) that I will reverse the captivity and restore the fortunes of Elam, says the LORD.
ALL of these nations reaped judgment for what they had done, or not done. The three mentioned above were promised restoration in the future! The others? Not so! It doesn't COST to serve God, it PAYS - BIG REWARDS! And, likewise, is doesn't PAY to go against God and His Word, it COSTS - In a big and sometimes irreversible way! Stay on God's side! It's the WINNING side! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Shalom,
Psalm 142 is a Psalm of David that came out of a time when he was hiding in a cave and being pursued by Saul. He was in a desperate situation, but he knew exactly WHO to turn to! Do YOU? David cried out to the LORD, and he did it in faith! How do we know? Look at verses 7:
7 Bring my life out of prison, that i may confess, praise, and give thanks to Your Name; the righteous will surround me and crown themselves because of me, for You will deal bountifully with me.
He will deal bountifully with each of us, IF we come with expectant hope and eager anticipation that His Word IS Truth and that He WILL do it! AMEN!
In John 19 we see the religious leaders calling for the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. These are the same people who watched Him heal the people and deliver them from bondage! These are some of the same people who fell backward at the sound of His Name in the Garden of Gethsemane! They were given every possible opportunity to receive Him as their LORD, and they chose NOT to do it! When Pilate told Jesus that he had the power to release Him or to crucify Him, Jesus replied with this in verse 11:
11 Jesus answered, you would not have any power or authority whatsoever against (over) Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater.
Who was Jesus referring to? Caiaphas, who had access to the Word of God and should have known Who Jesus was! The trial and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was totally illegal and the greatest tragedy, in the natural! But in the supernatural realm, it was the most beautiful gift and the most powerful statement of Love that this world has ever seen! I like what I found in the Bible Exposition Commentary on this:
When Israel asked to have a king, and God gave them Saul, the nation rejected God the Father (1 Samuel 8:5-7). When they asked for Barabbas, they rejected God the Son. Today they are rejecting God the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51; Romans 10:21). Yet there will come a day when they shall see their King, believe, and be saved (Zechariah 12:10-11; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7).
Jeremiah had spent over 40 years speaking to God's people about what was to come and what they must do. Now he turns to the gentile nations that had some connection to the Jewish people and began to tell them what God had planned for them! JUDGMENT! It is interesting to read these accounts of God's judgments on the heathen nations, and then to check out the history and see that everything God said took place exactly as He said that it would! What about the Jewish people? He did NOT forget them! he made them this promise in Jeremiah 46:27-28:
27 But fear not, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel. For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their exile; and Jacob will return and be quiet and at ease, and none will make him afraid. 28 Fear not, O Jacob My servant, says the LORD, for I am with you. I will make a full and complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you; yet I will not make a full end of you. But I will chasten and correct you in just measure, and I will not hold you guiltless by any means or leave you unpunished.
God ALWAYS keeps His promises! Find out what they are and stand on them in strong, expectant faith! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Psalm 142 is a Psalm of David that came out of a time when he was hiding in a cave and being pursued by Saul. He was in a desperate situation, but he knew exactly WHO to turn to! Do YOU? David cried out to the LORD, and he did it in faith! How do we know? Look at verses 7:
7 Bring my life out of prison, that i may confess, praise, and give thanks to Your Name; the righteous will surround me and crown themselves because of me, for You will deal bountifully with me.
He will deal bountifully with each of us, IF we come with expectant hope and eager anticipation that His Word IS Truth and that He WILL do it! AMEN!
In John 19 we see the religious leaders calling for the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. These are the same people who watched Him heal the people and deliver them from bondage! These are some of the same people who fell backward at the sound of His Name in the Garden of Gethsemane! They were given every possible opportunity to receive Him as their LORD, and they chose NOT to do it! When Pilate told Jesus that he had the power to release Him or to crucify Him, Jesus replied with this in verse 11:
11 Jesus answered, you would not have any power or authority whatsoever against (over) Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater.
Who was Jesus referring to? Caiaphas, who had access to the Word of God and should have known Who Jesus was! The trial and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was totally illegal and the greatest tragedy, in the natural! But in the supernatural realm, it was the most beautiful gift and the most powerful statement of Love that this world has ever seen! I like what I found in the Bible Exposition Commentary on this:
When Israel asked to have a king, and God gave them Saul, the nation rejected God the Father (1 Samuel 8:5-7). When they asked for Barabbas, they rejected God the Son. Today they are rejecting God the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51; Romans 10:21). Yet there will come a day when they shall see their King, believe, and be saved (Zechariah 12:10-11; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7).
Jeremiah had spent over 40 years speaking to God's people about what was to come and what they must do. Now he turns to the gentile nations that had some connection to the Jewish people and began to tell them what God had planned for them! JUDGMENT! It is interesting to read these accounts of God's judgments on the heathen nations, and then to check out the history and see that everything God said took place exactly as He said that it would! What about the Jewish people? He did NOT forget them! he made them this promise in Jeremiah 46:27-28:
27 But fear not, O My servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel. For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their exile; and Jacob will return and be quiet and at ease, and none will make him afraid. 28 Fear not, O Jacob My servant, says the LORD, for I am with you. I will make a full and complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you; yet I will not make a full end of you. But I will chasten and correct you in just measure, and I will not hold you guiltless by any means or leave you unpunished.
God ALWAYS keeps His promises! Find out what they are and stand on them in strong, expectant faith! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Shalom,
Psalm 141:3 is a prayer that I pray quite often!
3 Set a guard, O LORD, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
"Guard" is the Hebrew word, "shomrah", which means: to guard, to watch "to exercise great care over." "Keep watch" is the Hebrew word, "natsar", which means: to keep, to watch over, to guard from danger, to keep close, to keep secret; the door of my "lips", the Hebrew word, "saphah", which means: speech, language. The psalmist is asking the LORD to help Him control his tongue, so that he can control his life! Proverbs 18:21:
Jer 45 gives us insight into the man Baruch. As we noted earlier, he had a brother on the king's official staff who probably could have secured a good job for him in the palace. Instead, Baruch chose to identify with Jeremiah and do the will of God. We thank God for all that Jeremiah did, but we should also thank God for the assistance Baruch gave Jeremiah so the prophet could do his work. Moses had his seventy elders: David had his mighty men; Jesus had His disciples; Paul had his helpers, such as Timothy. Titus, and Silas: and Jeremiah had his faithful secretary.
Shalom in Him!
Psalm 141:3 is a prayer that I pray quite often!
3 Set a guard, O LORD, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
"Guard" is the Hebrew word, "shomrah", which means: to guard, to watch "to exercise great care over." "Keep watch" is the Hebrew word, "natsar", which means: to keep, to watch over, to guard from danger, to keep close, to keep secret; the door of my "lips", the Hebrew word, "saphah", which means: speech, language. The psalmist is asking the LORD to help Him control his tongue, so that he can control his life! Proverbs 18:21:
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].
Being slow to speak, and then speaking the Word of God, will go a long way in making Psalm 141:9-10 a reality for us!
9 Keep me from the trap which they have laid for me, and the snares of evildoers. 10 Let the wicked fall together into their own nets, while I pass over them and escape.
In John 18:6, when Jesus asked them who they were looking for, this happened!
6 When Jesus said to them, I am He, they went backwards (drew back, lurched backward)and fell to the ground.
Why did this happen? A little word study will help here! Jesus did not really say, "I am He". "He" was added by the translators to try and clarify the idea. It didn't work! The actual reply that Jesus made was, "I am"! This phrase in the Greek is "ego' eimi'", which reveals His eternal nature! Remember in Exodus 3:14, when Moses asked God for a Name to give, and God said, "I AM that I AM! THAT is why these people fell backward! They were in the presence of God! Jesus restated this in John 18:37:
37 Pilate said to Him, Then you are a King? Jesus answered, You say it! [You speak correctly!] For I am a King [Certainly I am a King!] This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice."
Well, that pretty much divides the group, doesn't it?! DO YOU believe that Jesus is Who the Word of God says He is? Agreeing with the Word of God is a GOOD thing! AMEN!
Jeremiah 45 is all about Jeremiah's faithful assistant, Baruch. I like what I found in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
Jer 45 gives us insight into the man Baruch. As we noted earlier, he had a brother on the king's official staff who probably could have secured a good job for him in the palace. Instead, Baruch chose to identify with Jeremiah and do the will of God. We thank God for all that Jeremiah did, but we should also thank God for the assistance Baruch gave Jeremiah so the prophet could do his work. Moses had his seventy elders: David had his mighty men; Jesus had His disciples; Paul had his helpers, such as Timothy. Titus, and Silas: and Jeremiah had his faithful secretary.
Not everybody is called to be a prophet or apostle, but all of us can do the will of God by helping others do their work. Baruch was what we'd today call a "layman." Yet he helped a prophet write the Word of God.
Baruch was discouraged about the future of the nation because of what the prophecies of Jeremiah declared was going to take place. he had ambitions for his life and was disappointed! God DID promise him this, though, in verse 5:
5 And should you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not; for behold, U will bring evil upon all flesh, says the LORD, but your life I will give to you [as your booty and] as a [snatched] prize of war wherever you go.
Jeremiah 25 is prophesying what will take place to the Jews in the first part and to the Gentile nations in the last part. Hidden in the middle is the "secret" that the captivity of Israel would last 70 years! Verse 11-12:
11 And this whole land shall be waste and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 Then when the seventy years are completed, i will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, says the LORD, for their iniquity, and will make the land [of the Chaldeans] a perpetual waste.
THIS is what Daniel was reading when he realized that the seventy years were nearly up (Daniel 9:1-2). God's Word IS True because it is TRUTH (John 17:17)! You can count on it! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
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