Shalom,
We will look at the 6th and final verse of Psalm 23 today. Here is the verse:
Ps 23:6 (KJV)
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
The very first word, "surely", is the Hebrew word, 'ak, which means: certainly, of a surety, truly, indeed, also. Also would mean that along with the other promises previously discussed, this too is mine! "Goodness", the Hebrew word, towb, which means: good in the widest sense, beautiful, best, better, bountiful, pleasure, precious, prosperity, wealth, welfare, happiness, good things, excellent, rich, valuable, "and mercy", the Hebrew word, checed, which means: kindness, beauty, favour, goodness, faithfulness, "shall follow me", the Hebrew word, radaph, which means: to run after, to chase, to follow after, to pursue, to attend closely upon, to pursue ardently, to aim eagerly to secure, to hunt. All of these good and wonderful promises from God and His Word are hunting me down, pursuing me, running after me for the purpose of securing these blessings in my life! What a powerful Truth! Our heavenly Father wants to bless us even more than we want the blessings! How long will they keep pursuing me? "All", the Hebrew word, kol, which means: the whole, all , any, every, anything, totality, everything, the days of my life! And that's still not all there is here! We also see "and I will dwell", the Hebrew word, yashab, which means: to sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to continue, to abide, to stay, to have one's abode, "in the house of", the Hebrew word, bayith, which means: a house, a shelter, a home, a family, a household, "the LORD", which is, again, the Hebrew Name Jehovah, the eternal, self-existing One! The Almighty God! We who belong to Him will live in His family and in the shelter of His presence FOREVER!!! He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). The Amplified Bible says this:
Ps 23:6 (Amplified)
6Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.
If the Lord Jesus is YOUR Shepherd, your Lord and personal Saviour, then all of these promises are YOURS! Start expecting and allowing Him to be all that He wants to be for you. If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour, then these promises are for others and NOT for you. But it doesn't have to stay that way! Do you believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth? Do you believe that He died on the cross for you? Do you believe that He rose from the dead and is now with the Father in Heaven? Is there any reason why you can't receive Him as YOUR Lord and personal Saviour right now? Then pray this prayer:
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 truly are a member of the family of God! The Holy Spirit came in and recreated your human spirit into the image of God Himself! You need to get into the Word of God so that you can grow up in the Word of God. It is vital that you get into a good local church that teaches the Word of God boldly, uncompromisingly, precisely and accurately, and where you can fellowship with like-minded believers. Go to The Spoken Word Church link at the left of this blog and find out if we are in your area. If not, please contact us to let us know about you and we will try to find a church for you in your area! There is a lot of teaching available on that website to carry you over until you can find a good church! And remember that the Lord Jesus is now your Shepherd and Lord! All of those promises are now yours!
Shalom in Him!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Shalom,
We began to look at Psalm 23 in our last post. Let's look at the next two verses today:
Ps 23:4-5 (KJV)
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The first word we see is "Yea", which is the Hebrew word, gam, which means: also, even, indeed, moreover. It actually connects this verse with the previous verses. BECAUSE He does all of the things we see in the first three verses, then, also I can have confidence in Him for what we will look at next! Even though "I walk", the Hebrew word, yalak, which means: to go, to walk, to proceed, to cause to go, through the valley of "the shadow of death", the Hebrew word, tsalmaveth, which means: the shade of death, the grave, calamity, distress, extreme danger, "I will fear", the Hebrew word, yare', which means: to fear, to revere, to be afraid, to stand in awe, to make afraid, to terrify, to cause astonishment and awe, NO "evil", the Hebrew word, ra', which means: bad, evil, disagreeable, malignant, giving pain, unhappiness and misery, distress, adversity, calamity. That means I will NOT fear any evil work! How can I say that? The next word says "For", the Hebrew word, kiy, which means: because that, certainly, surely, since, forasmuch as. Thou art "with me", the Hebrew word, 'im, which means: with, toward, beside, accompanying, equally with. "Thy rod", the Hebrew word, shebet, which means: a stick for punishing, ruling, walking, correcting, a club for protecting, a scepter of authority, "and Thy staff", the Hebrew word, mish'enah, which means sustenance and support of any kind. They "comfort me" is the Hebrew word, nacham, which means: to ease, to console, to comfort, it also means to comfort ONESELf! There are many things promised in the Word of God in which WE have a part to play. We must do our part so that our heavenly Father is free to do His part, honor our stand on His Word by confirming His Word with "signs following" (Mark 16:20).
The next verse says that He "preparest", the Hebrew word, 'arak, which means: to set in a row, to arrange, to put in order, to set in place. What does He prepare, or set in place for us? A "table, the Hebrew word, shulchan, which means: a table (as spread out), a meal, used of a King's table. Where is this "King's table"? "Before me", the Hebrew word, paniym, which means: the face, the presence, the person, in the face of, in the presence of, in front of. "In the presence of" the Hebrew word, neged, which means: in front of, in the sight of, in the presence of, "mine enemies", the Hebrew word, tsarer, which means:adversary, enemy, the one who causes distress and shows hostility toward. Right in the face of our enemy, our Heavenly Father will "anoint", the Hebrew word, dashen, which means: to prosper, to make fat (have abundant provision), "my head", the Hebrew word, ro'sh, which means: the head, the top, the upper part, the chief, the total (our entire being!). What will He anoint us with? With "oil, the Hebrew word, shemen, which means: oil, richness, fruitfulness. What will be the result of that anointing? "My cup", the Hebrew word, kowc, which means: to hold together, a container, "runneth over", the Hebrew word, revayah, which means: satisfaction, saturation, wealthy, and comes from a root word meaning to take the fill, satiate, abundantly satisfy. Our Heavenly Father is an abundant provider, a strong protector, a perfect leader. He wants to fill to the full our every need and to give us Godly desires that He can fulfill in our lives! He wants always and ONLY the very best for us! The Amplified Bible says this:
Ps 23:4-5 (Amplified)
4Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
Let's continue to meditate on what the Word of God says about Him! When we understand Him better, we will have confidence, expectant hope and eager anticipation for what each day in His presence will bring to us, right here while we're on this earth!
Shalom in Him!
We began to look at Psalm 23 in our last post. Let's look at the next two verses today:
Ps 23:4-5 (KJV)
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The first word we see is "Yea", which is the Hebrew word, gam, which means: also, even, indeed, moreover. It actually connects this verse with the previous verses. BECAUSE He does all of the things we see in the first three verses, then, also I can have confidence in Him for what we will look at next! Even though "I walk", the Hebrew word, yalak, which means: to go, to walk, to proceed, to cause to go, through the valley of "the shadow of death", the Hebrew word, tsalmaveth, which means: the shade of death, the grave, calamity, distress, extreme danger, "I will fear", the Hebrew word, yare', which means: to fear, to revere, to be afraid, to stand in awe, to make afraid, to terrify, to cause astonishment and awe, NO "evil", the Hebrew word, ra', which means: bad, evil, disagreeable, malignant, giving pain, unhappiness and misery, distress, adversity, calamity. That means I will NOT fear any evil work! How can I say that? The next word says "For", the Hebrew word, kiy, which means: because that, certainly, surely, since, forasmuch as. Thou art "with me", the Hebrew word, 'im, which means: with, toward, beside, accompanying, equally with. "Thy rod", the Hebrew word, shebet, which means: a stick for punishing, ruling, walking, correcting, a club for protecting, a scepter of authority, "and Thy staff", the Hebrew word, mish'enah, which means sustenance and support of any kind. They "comfort me" is the Hebrew word, nacham, which means: to ease, to console, to comfort, it also means to comfort ONESELf! There are many things promised in the Word of God in which WE have a part to play. We must do our part so that our heavenly Father is free to do His part, honor our stand on His Word by confirming His Word with "signs following" (Mark 16:20).
The next verse says that He "preparest", the Hebrew word, 'arak, which means: to set in a row, to arrange, to put in order, to set in place. What does He prepare, or set in place for us? A "table, the Hebrew word, shulchan, which means: a table (as spread out), a meal, used of a King's table. Where is this "King's table"? "Before me", the Hebrew word, paniym, which means: the face, the presence, the person, in the face of, in the presence of, in front of. "In the presence of" the Hebrew word, neged, which means: in front of, in the sight of, in the presence of, "mine enemies", the Hebrew word, tsarer, which means:adversary, enemy, the one who causes distress and shows hostility toward. Right in the face of our enemy, our Heavenly Father will "anoint", the Hebrew word, dashen, which means: to prosper, to make fat (have abundant provision), "my head", the Hebrew word, ro'sh, which means: the head, the top, the upper part, the chief, the total (our entire being!). What will He anoint us with? With "oil, the Hebrew word, shemen, which means: oil, richness, fruitfulness. What will be the result of that anointing? "My cup", the Hebrew word, kowc, which means: to hold together, a container, "runneth over", the Hebrew word, revayah, which means: satisfaction, saturation, wealthy, and comes from a root word meaning to take the fill, satiate, abundantly satisfy. Our Heavenly Father is an abundant provider, a strong protector, a perfect leader. He wants to fill to the full our every need and to give us Godly desires that He can fulfill in our lives! He wants always and ONLY the very best for us! The Amplified Bible says this:
Ps 23:4-5 (Amplified)
4Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.
Let's continue to meditate on what the Word of God says about Him! When we understand Him better, we will have confidence, expectant hope and eager anticipation for what each day in His presence will bring to us, right here while we're on this earth!
Shalom in Him!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Shalom,
Today we will look at the 23rd Psalm. The whole Psalm is here:
Ps 23:1-6 (KJV)
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
For today we will look at just the first three verses:
Ps 23:1-3 (KJV)
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
"The LORD" is the Hebrew word, Yehovah, or Jehovah as we say. It means: the eternal, self-existing One. He IS the LORD of Lords and the KING of Kings! Who else is He? We see here that He is "my shepherd" , the Hebrew word, ra'ah, which means: to tend a flock, to pasture (feed) a flock, to rule, to teach. He tends to our every need! He protects us from danger, teaches us how to operate in our Covenant, rules over His Church. What results are there for those sheep who allow the Lord to really BE their Shepherd? "I shall (not) want"! Shall and want are both the Hebrew word, chacer, which means: to lack, to fail, to be without, to decrease, to have a need, to cause to fail. But the important word here is "not", the Hebrew word, lo', which means: no, not, (absolute prohibition), nothing, without. That means that we who trust in the Lord as our shepherd will want for NOTHING! We will be without lack or decrease and we will not fail! Now that is great Good News!
Today we will look at the 23rd Psalm. The whole Psalm is here:
Ps 23:1-6 (KJV)
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
For today we will look at just the first three verses:
Ps 23:1-3 (KJV)
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
"The LORD" is the Hebrew word, Yehovah, or Jehovah as we say. It means: the eternal, self-existing One. He IS the LORD of Lords and the KING of Kings! Who else is He? We see here that He is "my shepherd" , the Hebrew word, ra'ah, which means: to tend a flock, to pasture (feed) a flock, to rule, to teach. He tends to our every need! He protects us from danger, teaches us how to operate in our Covenant, rules over His Church. What results are there for those sheep who allow the Lord to really BE their Shepherd? "I shall (not) want"! Shall and want are both the Hebrew word, chacer, which means: to lack, to fail, to be without, to decrease, to have a need, to cause to fail. But the important word here is "not", the Hebrew word, lo', which means: no, not, (absolute prohibition), nothing, without. That means that we who trust in the Lord as our shepherd will want for NOTHING! We will be without lack or decrease and we will not fail! Now that is great Good News!
What does the next verse say? "He maketh me to lie down" is the Hebrew word, rabats, which means: to recline, to repose, to lie down, to make rest. He will cause us to rest "in pastures", which is the Hebrew word, na'ah, which means: a home, a habitation, a pleasant place. These pleasant places are "green", which is the Hebrew word, deshe', which means: a sprout, new grass and comes from the word, dasha', which means: to bring forth, to sprout. This is a living, very alive place of new life and new growth! "He leadeth me", the Hebrew word, nahal, which means: to run with a sparkle, to lead with care, to guide, to protect, to sustain, to feed, to cause to rest, to refresh. Where does He lead me? Beside "still", the Hebrew word, menuwchah, which means: a resting place, a comfortable place, a place of quietness. Waters means waters, a place of refreshment, and in Scripture water sometimes refers to the Word of God.
The next verse says that "He restoreth", the Hebrew word, shuwb, which means: to turn back, to bring back, to restore, to refresh, to repair. He repairs "my soul", the Hebrew word, nephesh, which means: a soul self, the mind, emotions and will. He leads me in the paths of "righteousness", the Hebrew word, tsedeq, which means: the right (natural, moral, legal), equity, justification, deliverance, victory and prosperity. For the sake of "His name", which is the Hebrew word, shem, which means: a mark of individuality, by implication honor, authority, character, reputation, fame and glory, it is His purpose to protect, deliver, provide for and prosper us.
The Amplified Bible says this:
Ps 91:1-3 (Amplified)
1THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.
2He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.
3He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.
The more that we get to know our heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus through the Word of God, the more faith, trust and confidence we will have in His love for us and in His goodness, loving kindness and faithfulness. He is a GOOD God! Always!
Shalom in Him!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Shalom,
We saw in our last post that Jesus said the greatest commandments were to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and then to love our neighbor as ourselves. Today I want to look at what the Bible says love looks like:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
That sounds good, but what does it actually mean? We've been taking Scriptures apart verse by verse and looking at the meanings of the words used. Now we'll see how it sounds in the Amplified Bible:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (Amplified)
4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
Now that translation makes things a little clearer! Do you know that meditation can make it even clearer to us than that? Let's look at this passage this way:
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXPANDED, INTERPRETIVE TRANSLATION OF FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:4-8
“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed;
Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be;
Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess;
Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others;
Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner;
Love is not rude and discourteous–it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others;
Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage;
Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response;
Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes;
Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth;
Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure;
Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation;
Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others;
Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up;
Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”
Now that makes things even clearer and easier to understand! How did someone come up with this expanded, interpretive translation? They meditated on the Word. They studied the meanings of the words in the original text and allowed the Holy Spirit to teach them what that would mean to us today! That's what makes meditating on the Word so fun and fulfilling! To be able to look at the Bible and apply it to MY life, right now! That's what our heavenly Father intends for us to do. That is why He gave the Holy Spirit to us to be our Teacher! Allow the Holy Spirit to make the Word of God come alive to YOU by spending time reading, studying and meditating. I guarantee that you will never be the same!
Shalom in Him!
We saw in our last post that Jesus said the greatest commandments were to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and then to love our neighbor as ourselves. Today I want to look at what the Bible says love looks like:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
That sounds good, but what does it actually mean? We've been taking Scriptures apart verse by verse and looking at the meanings of the words used. Now we'll see how it sounds in the Amplified Bible:
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (Amplified)
4Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
Now that translation makes things a little clearer! Do you know that meditation can make it even clearer to us than that? Let's look at this passage this way:
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXPANDED, INTERPRETIVE TRANSLATION OF FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:4-8
“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed;
Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be;
Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess;
Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others;
Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner;
Love is not rude and discourteous–it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others;
Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage;
Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response;
Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes;
Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth;
Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure;
Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation;
Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others;
Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up;
Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”
Now that makes things even clearer and easier to understand! How did someone come up with this expanded, interpretive translation? They meditated on the Word. They studied the meanings of the words in the original text and allowed the Holy Spirit to teach them what that would mean to us today! That's what makes meditating on the Word so fun and fulfilling! To be able to look at the Bible and apply it to MY life, right now! That's what our heavenly Father intends for us to do. That is why He gave the Holy Spirit to us to be our Teacher! Allow the Holy Spirit to make the Word of God come alive to YOU by spending time reading, studying and meditating. I guarantee that you will never be the same!
Shalom in Him!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Shalom,
When Jesus was ministering on the earth, going about teaching, preaching and healing, He was asked by someone to tell them which of the commandments was the greatest. He replied:
Mark 12:29-31 (KJV)
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
The Amplified Bible says this:
Mark 12:29-31 (Amplified)
29Jesus answered, The first and principal one of all commands is: Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord;
30And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment.
31The second is like it and is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
Jesus said that the "first", the Greek word, protos, which means: foremost (in time, place, order of importance), best, chief, first in rank, influence or honor, the principal thing, "commandment", the Greek word, entole, which means: an injunction, an authoritative prescription, an order, is "Hear", which is the Greek word, akouo, which means: to give an audience to, to attend to, to consider what is or has been said, to understand, to perceive, to learn, to comprehend. What are we to learn, to pay attention to, to understand? That the Lord our God IS "Lord", the Greek word, kurios, which means: supreme in authority, Lord, Master, He to whom a person belongs, the Owner, the Sovereign One. We are to come to know that the Lord our God is "one" Lord, the Greek word, heis, which means: primary numeral. Our Lord is THE #1 Lord and besides Him, there is NO OTHER!
We also see here that it's not even enough for us to know these things about Him, but we must continue to obey the next verse! We must love the Lord (love is agape, the God-kind of love!) The same love that God loves us with, we are to love Him back with! And not just a little bit, either, but with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength! Just what does that mean? Well we can break it down briefly this way: Our heart is the spirit/soul combination. The Bible refers to the spirit of man as the "hidden man" of the heart (1 Peter 3:4). Our real self is a spirit being that, when we were born again, was recreated in the image of God. We have, or possess, our souls, our mind, emotions and will. Then He breaks it down even further by saying that we need to love the Lord with all of our "mind", the Greek word, dianoia, which means: deep thought, the mind, the imagination, the understanding. We are also told to love the Lord with all of our "strength", which is the Greek word, ischus, which means: force, ability, might, power. And THEN and ONLY THEN, can we do the rest of that commandment and love our neighbor, or fellow believer, as ourself!
It starts with the "ability" to make the choice to renew our "minds" with the Word of God, so that we can know and understand Who He is. When we renew our minds to think like the Word, then we'll be thinking like Jesus thinks! We will understand the great love that He has for us. When we really understand that love, it won't be hard for us to love Him back! THEN He wants us to "love Him forward" by loving other people in the same way that He loves us! That may seem hard now, but His love IN US, by the Holy Spirit Who lives in us, will do the work.
Just fall in love with Jesus everyday and meditate on His Word until it becomes real to YOU! Then you can be a doer of the Word and cause other people to see Jesus through you!
Shalom in Him!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Shalom,
We'll continue in our verse by verse study of Psalm 91 today. We will be looking at the last 4 verses:
Ps 91:13-16 (KJV)
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
"Thou shalt tread" is the Hebrew word, darak, which means: to walk, to tread upon, to march, to bend (as a bow). Upon "the lion" is the Hebrew word, shachal, which means: to roar, a lion (fierce) or wicked men. "And adder" is the Hebrew word, pethen,, which means: to twist, an asp, a snake, a venomous serpent. The young lion "and the dragon, the Hebrew word, tanniyn, which means: a marine or land monster, a sea serpent, a jackal,a dragon, a venomous snake. "Shalt thou tample under feet, is the Hebrew word, ramac, which means: to tread upon as a potter, to stamp upon, to tread down. WE are the ones who are to be exercising our God-given authority over ALL the works of the enemy!
We'll continue in our verse by verse study of Psalm 91 today. We will be looking at the last 4 verses:
Ps 91:13-16 (KJV)
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
"Thou shalt tread" is the Hebrew word, darak, which means: to walk, to tread upon, to march, to bend (as a bow). Upon "the lion" is the Hebrew word, shachal, which means: to roar, a lion (fierce) or wicked men. "And adder" is the Hebrew word, pethen,, which means: to twist, an asp, a snake, a venomous serpent. The young lion "and the dragon, the Hebrew word, tanniyn, which means: a marine or land monster, a sea serpent, a jackal,a dragon, a venomous snake. "Shalt thou tample under feet, is the Hebrew word, ramac, which means: to tread upon as a potter, to stamp upon, to tread down. WE are the ones who are to be exercising our God-given authority over ALL the works of the enemy!
The next verse talks about God's part. He says because "he has set his love", the Hebrew word, chashaq, which means: to cling, to join, to love, to delight in , to be attached to, to long for; upon Me, "therefore will I deliver him", the Hebrew word, palat, which means: to escape, to deliver, to carry away safe, to bring into security. He continues by saying "I will set him on high", the Hebrew word, sagab, which means: to make lofty, to make especially inaccessible, to make safe or strong, to defend, to exalt. He does all of these things because "he hath known", the Hebrew word, yada', which means: to know, to learn to know, to perceive, to find out, to discern, to know by experience, to recognize, to be acquainted with; My Name. If you have never studied the Names of God you should do so as soon as possible. Every Name that God is called by in His Word reflects an aspect of His character and the promise of Who He will be for us in our time of need.
The next verse starts with something else that we are to do. "He shall call upon Me", the Hebrew word, qara', which means: to call out, to cry out, to proclaim, to utter a loud sound, to call unto, to call (with the Name of God), to call for. When we understand the Names of God, we will be able to "call" Him by the Name we need at the time! And God says, "and I will answer him", the Hebrew word, 'anah, which means: to heed, to pay attention, to respond, to announce, to shout. Don't you know that we really DO want God Himself shouting on our behalf when we're faced with ANY kind of trouble! He goes on to say; I will be with him "in trouble", the Hebrew word, tsarah, which means: tightness, adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble. Whatever problem we may be facing, He is more than enough to see us through to victory! He says, "I will deliver him", the Hebrew word, chalats, which means: to pull off, to deliver, to equip for a fight, to strengthen, to arm for war, to rescue, to set free, to make strong, to invigorate. He will deliver us Himself or prepare us to fight the fight with HIS weapons so that we win, ALWAYS! Then He says also, "and honour him", the Hebrew word, kabad, which means: to be made numerous, rich, honourable, abounding, glorious, abundant. What Powerful promises! And He's not done!
The last verse says, With long life "will I satisfy him", the Hebrew word, saba', which means: to be filled to the full, to have enough, to be fulfilled, to have in excess, to enrich. Don't ever let anyone tell you that God has set a time for your death. That is simply NOT TRUE! He says when we know Him, we will call on Him and He will keep us protected until WE are satisfied with how long we've lived on this earth, then He will welcome us home to heaven! He also says, "and show him", the Hebrew word, ra'ah, which means: to cause to see, to show, to present oneself, to cause to look intently at, to be exhibited to. What will He show us? He says, "My salvation", the Hebrew word, yeshuw'ah, which means: deliverance, aid, victory, properity, health, welfare. It is also the Hebrew Name for Jesus! Jesus IS salvation!
Do YOU know Him yet? If not I invite you to go to The Spoken Word Church link at the left of this blog and learn Who He is and how to be born again. We also covered that earlier on this blog. You can access that teaching and also the prayer to become a member of God's family by making Jesus your Lord and personal Saviour! He wants YOU to know Him, He already knows you!
For those of you who are already born again, get to know Him more every day. Get Psalm 91 inside of you until you get to the point where you never fear anything or anyone again! Then you will be free to minister in the Spirit and power that God wants you to so others can be set free!
Shalom in Him!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Shalom,
We will continue looking at the 91st Psalm today. The reason we are going verse by verse is so that we can show meditation at work in one of it's forms. Looking at the meanings of the original words helps us to get a clearer picture of what is actually being said. That will help to increase our understanding of the Word so that we are able to act on it, which produces Godly results!
Ps 91:11-12 (KJV)
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
11For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service].
12They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
Our heavenly Father wants, above ALL things, that we renew our minds with His Word so that we can think like Him, talk like Him and act like Him. (3 John 2) Then we will have HIS results and He will be glorified. How do we bring glory to our Father and our Lord Jesus? By being DOERS (obeyers) of His Word.
Keep meditating, you're getting there!
Shalom in Him!
We will continue looking at the 91st Psalm today. The reason we are going verse by verse is so that we can show meditation at work in one of it's forms. Looking at the meanings of the original words helps us to get a clearer picture of what is actually being said. That will help to increase our understanding of the Word so that we are able to act on it, which produces Godly results!
Ps 91:11-12 (KJV)
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
The "he" referred to in this verse is the Lord (Jehovah) that we looked at in verse 9. "He shall give" and "charge" are the same Hebrew word, tsavah, which means: to command, to charge, to give orders, to appoint, to ordain, to send with a command. It is His angels that the Lord is giving orders "to keep thee", which is the Hebrew word, shamar, which means: to hedge about (as with thorns), to guard, to protect, to attend to, to watch, to take care, to preserve. They are to guard us (along with all of the other meanings) "in all", which is the Hebrew word, kol, which means: all, any, every, the whole of, everything, totality, "thy ways", which is the Hebrew word, derek, which means: a road, course of life, mode of action, manner.
Continuing on to verse 12 we see that, still speaking of His angels, "They shall bear thee up", which is the Hebrew word, nasa', which means: to lift, in a great variety of applications, to bear up, to carry, to support, to sustain, to aid, to assist. They are sent to lift us up in their hands so that we don't so much as "dash", which is the Hebrew word, nagaph, which means: to push, to gore, to defeat, to strike, to smite, to stumble, our foot against a stone. The Amplified Bible says it this way:
Ps 91:11-12 (Amplified)11For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service].
12They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
Our heavenly Father wants, above ALL things, that we renew our minds with His Word so that we can think like Him, talk like Him and act like Him. (3 John 2) Then we will have HIS results and He will be glorified. How do we bring glory to our Father and our Lord Jesus? By being DOERS (obeyers) of His Word.
Keep meditating, you're getting there!
Shalom in Him!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Shalom,
We will look at the next two verses in the 91st Psalm today:
Ps 91:9-10 (KJV)
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
The word "because", is the Hebrew word, kiy, which is a consequential word that means: because, forasmuch, therefore, since. "Hast made", is the Hebrew word, suwm or siym, which means: to set, to ordain, to establish, to determine, to set in place. The LORD is referring to Jehovah, the eternal, self-existing One. He is our "refuge", the Hebrew word, macheceh, which means: a place of refuge, a shelter from storm. WHEN we make the "most High", Hebrew, 'elyown, one of the many Names of God, our "habitation", the Hebrew word, ma' own, which means: abode, dwelling, refuge, THEN there shall NO evil "befall" us. This is the Hebrew word, 'anah, which means: to meet, to encounter, to befall or approach. Neither shall any "plague", Hebrew, nega", which means: a blow, an infliction, a stroke, a plague, a disease, a wound, "come nigh", the Hebrew word, qarab, which means: to approach, to come near, our "dwelling", Hebrew, 'ohel, which means: tent, dwelling, home, habitation.
We will look at the next two verses in the 91st Psalm today:
Ps 91:9-10 (KJV)
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
The word "because", is the Hebrew word, kiy, which is a consequential word that means: because, forasmuch, therefore, since. "Hast made", is the Hebrew word, suwm or siym, which means: to set, to ordain, to establish, to determine, to set in place. The LORD is referring to Jehovah, the eternal, self-existing One. He is our "refuge", the Hebrew word, macheceh, which means: a place of refuge, a shelter from storm. WHEN we make the "most High", Hebrew, 'elyown, one of the many Names of God, our "habitation", the Hebrew word, ma' own, which means: abode, dwelling, refuge, THEN there shall NO evil "befall" us. This is the Hebrew word, 'anah, which means: to meet, to encounter, to befall or approach. Neither shall any "plague", Hebrew, nega", which means: a blow, an infliction, a stroke, a plague, a disease, a wound, "come nigh", the Hebrew word, qarab, which means: to approach, to come near, our "dwelling", Hebrew, 'ohel, which means: tent, dwelling, home, habitation.
Do you see that if you meditate on this Psalm until it becomes real to you, (that means you will have the faith to believe that it is true and that it will happen) then NOTHING can by any means hurt you! That is exactly what your heavenly Father wants you to understand. HE HAS provided complete and total protection for any of His children who dare to believe His Word and act like it's true! Remember, now, where faith comes from:
Rom 10:17 (KJV)
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
You and I will have faith to believe all the promises in this powerful Psalm of protection and safety, WHEN we hear it and hear it and hear it until it becomes real to us. Meditation in the Word is more than just reading and much more than just memorizing. You can memorize the entire Bible and it will be of no benefit to you UNLESS you meditate on those verses. Remember Joshua:
Josh 1:8 (KJV)
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
To "meditate", which is the Hebrew word, hagah, which means: to murmur, to ponder, to imagine, to speak, to study, to utter, is to allow the Holy Spirit Who indwells every born again believer, to teach us the Word. Only then can we begin to know and understand how to obey that Word. Continue to meditate on Psalm 91 and your faith for God's protection over your life will get stronger as you do!
Shalom in Him!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Shalom,
I hope you've been understanding more about God's protection, provision and safety through our study of Psalm 91. Today we will continue with the next two verses:
Ps 91:7-8 (KJV)
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
This verse tells us that when we are under God's protection, even when a thousand "shall fall", the Hebrew word, naphal, which means: to fall, to fail, to fall short, to desert, to fall away, to fall into the hand of, to waste away, to fall (used of violent death), at one side of us, and ten-thousand at "thy right hand", the Hebrew word, yamiyn, which means: the right hand side, the stronger side, locally (near us), "it shall not come nigh thee". This phrase is another that in the Hebrew actually says this: "thee not shall it come nigh". This means that it will NOT "come nigh", the Hebrew word, nagash, which means: to be or come near, to make approach, to attack, to overtake. It CANNOT touch us, IF we are dwelling in the secret place of God's divine protection!
I hope you've been understanding more about God's protection, provision and safety through our study of Psalm 91. Today we will continue with the next two verses:
Ps 91:7-8 (KJV)
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
This verse tells us that when we are under God's protection, even when a thousand "shall fall", the Hebrew word, naphal, which means: to fall, to fail, to fall short, to desert, to fall away, to fall into the hand of, to waste away, to fall (used of violent death), at one side of us, and ten-thousand at "thy right hand", the Hebrew word, yamiyn, which means: the right hand side, the stronger side, locally (near us), "it shall not come nigh thee". This phrase is another that in the Hebrew actually says this: "thee not shall it come nigh". This means that it will NOT "come nigh", the Hebrew word, nagash, which means: to be or come near, to make approach, to attack, to overtake. It CANNOT touch us, IF we are dwelling in the secret place of God's divine protection!
Verse 7 says that only "with thine eyes", the Hebrew word, 'ayin, which means: eyes (physical and mental image), "shalt thou behold", the Hebrew word, nabat, which means: to scan, to cause to behold, to consider, to look intently, and "see", the Hebrew word, ra'ah, which means: to see, to perceive, to learn about, to discern, to find out, to consider, the "the reward of", the Hebrew word, shillumah, which means: retribution, recompense, reward, "the wicked", Hebrew rasha, which means: morally wrong, condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked. We will ONLY be an observer, NOT a partaker, of what happens to the wicked, those without God in this world. Bad things WILL happen in this world, but if we stay in that secret place of the Most High, we will be UNTOUCHABLE by calamity! The Amplified Bible says this:
Ps 91:7-8 (Amplified)
7A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.
8Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus and precious Holy Spirit for teaching us to abide in this powerful Word you have given us so that we can ALWAYS be MORE that conquerers in every situation! Keep studying, there's still more to come in this powerful Psalm!
Shalom in Him!
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