In Psalm 39 David is again lamenting the sin he allowed into his life and is speaking of the troubles he was enduring. Remember that David was a human being JUST LIKE US! He did NOT have a special anointing that kept him from sin! He was strong and operated under the anointing of God at times. Then there were other times when he was weak and made stupid decisions, just like we have all done at one time or another! I believe that this Psalm reveals one of those times! Notice in verse 2 where he says that he "held his peace, even from good". I read this in The Bible Illustrator - Old Testament:
"The same law which forbids all corrupt communications requires that which is good to the use of edifying.
Silence may indicate the greatest strength of character, or the greatest weakness."
The Word of God says that there IS a time to be silent, but it says in so many MORE places to give thanks unto the Lord, to tell of His excellent greatness, to praise Him, to speak of Him to others. I believe that had David STOPPED the whining and complaining and started praising and worshiping sooner, he would have seen quicker results from the Lord! Remember that David was a man after God's own heart NOT because he did everything right, but because when he did miss it, he eventually repented and got back on track SEEKING the Lord! Make sure you do the same and you will be a "person after God's own heart" also!
1 Timothy 3 is speaking to those who desire to serve the Lord in whatever capacity He has called them to. For those women who have been called of God into the ministry, this is referring to you also! If you would like to do some word study on this chapter you will find that the phrase "If any man" or from the KJV "If a man" is actually a compound of two Greek words: "ei" and "tis", which together mean: if any! In fact, all of the references to "man" in this chapter have been added by the translators! I am NOT intending to cause a debate or division or introduce a new doctrine with this! The Word of God is abundantly clear that God is the ONLY One Who calls and separates someone into the ministry! I am merely sharing this so that the women who have been called, anointed and separated by God will have the confidence that they answer to God alone for this calling and DO NOT need the approval of anyone to fulfill the God-given call on their lives! Don't use this as a point to argue over, just use it as another confirmation of what God has already spoken to your heart. Now go forth and obey God by preaching the Gospel to those who need to hear! AMEN!
Amos 8:1-2:
1THUS THE Lord God showed to me, and behold, a basket of [ripe and therefore soon to perish] summer fruit. 2And He said, Amos, what do you see? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord to me, The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by and spare them any more.
Here the Lord God (the Sovereign Lord) uses the example of summer fruit, or the last of the harvest, to show that this was the end of God's sparing Israel. The would face His judgement for their sins against him and His Word. The people had been warned time and time again and continued to ignore the warning and to revile the prophet. This time was it!
In Amos 9:9 the Lord says this:
9For behold, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations and cause it to move to and fro as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least kernel fall upon the earth and be lost [from My sight].
He will NOT forsake Israel forever! He knows where every person will be as they are scattered among the nations! Then He gives this promise in verses 13-15:
13Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine and all the hills shall melt [that is, everything heretofore barren and unfruitful shall overflow with spiritual blessing]. 14And I will bring back the exiles of My people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them. 15And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be torn up out of their land which I gave them, says the Lord your God.
This promise began to be fulfilled in 1948 and continues to this day! Our God IS God and His Word endures forever! COUNT ON IT! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
