The Spoken Word Bible Reading plan for today is Psalm 126, 1 Corinthians 15 and Judges 1-2. I know there are many things we could talk about in Psalm 126, but today we're just looking at verse 3:
3The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad!
The previous verse said that the nations were talking about all of the wonderful things that the Lord our God had done in Israel. This verse has the people acknowledging that the Lord had truly done great things for them and they were "glad", the Hebrew word, "sameach", which means: joyful, merry, glad, showing joy, rejoicing. My thoughts on this are that the Lord is continually doing great and mighty things among the church of Jesus of Nazareth, yet we don't often hear of these things. More people tend to talk about the problems than about the great and glorious answers that we receive! As people of the Word, we should learn to EXPECT the results that the Word of God promises, but we should never TAKE FOR GRANTED just how very great these promises are! Make a list DAILY of the blessings you have received in just that one day and you will be amazed at how much even YOU have taken for granted! THANK HIM! PRAISE HIM! For He truly continues to do GREAT THINGS! AMEN!
I want to look at two different things in 1 Corinthians 15 today. The first is found in verse 10:
10But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.
We need, with Paul, to realize what a great work He has accomplished in our lives and how He is able to work through us and use us just like Jesus said! But then, just like Paul, we need to realize that it is HIS ability that we work with! Read Philippians 1:6.
6And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.
Remember AND expect! AMEN!
Then, in 1 Corinthians:51-52:
51Take notice! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed (transformed)52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).
"Behold, He comes"! Soon and very soon! Be ready!
In Judges 1-2 we find the root cause for all of the problems that the nation of Israel and the Jewish people have always had. In Judges 2:1-3 the Lord Himself tells us:
1NOW THE Angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And He said, I brought you up from Egypt and have brought you to the land which I swore to give to your fathers, and I said, I will never break My covenant with you;2And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; but you shall break down their altars. But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?3So now I say, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.
Look back at Judges 1 and verses 21, 25, 27-33 and we see the specific instances. But the good news is that God has ALWAYS delivered them when they turned to Him and woe unto any nation that came against them. WAKE UP MR. PRESIDENT! God will NOT be mocked by anyone! Make sure you continue to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem and be among the blessed! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
