Shalom,
My favorite verses in Psalm 20 are verses 7-8:
7Some trust in and boast of chariots and some of horses, but we will trust in and boast of the name of the Lord our God. 8They are bowed down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright.
The people around us are all trusting SOMEONE or SOMETHING! The ONLY One worthy of our trust and confidence is Jesus of Nazareth! No "horses or chariots" for me! I trust in the Lord my God! All those who trust in man are "bowed down and fallen" but WE "are risen and stand upright"! Amen! Again, I like the Message Bible on this:
7 See those people polishing their chariots,
and those others grooming their horses?
But we're making garlands for God our God.
8 The chariots will rust,
those horses pull up lame —
and we'll be on our feet, standing tall.
That's us, IF we don't quit and give up! AMEN!
Matthew 20:34:
34So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
This is one of the times when I won't use the Amplified Bible for reference! The Amplified Bible says "pity". That is NOT the right word to describe what Jesus felt here! The actual Greek Word is "splanchnizomai", which means: to be moved as to one's inwards, to have compassion. This word is found a total of 12 times in the New Testament, and each time it is only used of Jesus! The dictionary definition of "compassion" is:
A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
Pity is feeling sorry for someone. Compassion is doing something ABOUT it! What was the result of Jesus being moved with compassion? He went about doing good and teaching, preaching and healing! Let's be about our Father's business, shall we? Show compassion and set these people free! AMEN!
In 1 Kings 15-16 we go back over some of the kings after Solomon. We see some kings that "did right in the sight of the Lord" and many more that did "evil in the sight of the Lord". The only time we will have consistently righteous ruler-ship in the Earth will be when Jesus of Nazareth returns to Jerusalem to rule and reign for 1000 years as the King over all the Earth! Until then we are still destined to have some good rulers and many more evil rulers! Anyone living in this country knows exactly what THAT is like! Amen! But we are still promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
14 If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
That's us! So let's be praying continually and let God BE God over the USA! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
