Psalm 51:12-13:
12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13Then will I teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted and return to You.
David's prayer to "restore", which means to bring back, to reestablish, to bring back to a state of health, soundness and vigor (vigor is energy, vitality, strength, health and force), the joy that he had once had over the "salvation", the Hebrew word, "yesha", which means: deliverance, safety, rescue, welfare, prosperity and victory, of God, is one that was needful for him to get back to a position of confidence and strength. He also prayed for the Lord to "uphold" him, which is the Hebrew word, "camak", which means to revive, refresh, sustain, support, to a generous, willing and noble spirit. David said that it was needful so that he could be a doer of verse 13! Under our New and Better Covenant, we need to use 1 John 1:9 every time we miss it in some area so that we stay ALWAYS in the position to be able to share the Good News with people who are lost! It is extremely selfish and self-centered to do otherwise! Wouldn't you agree?
We begin in Mark today. Mark's Gospel has been described as "an action-packed account of Jesus as a servant - one who was even willing to suffer and die for the good of others".
You can see this is true when you look at all of the times that Jesus, or someone else, were DOING something! Many times we see the word "immediately". In the KJV we also see the word "straightway" used. The verse that stands out to me today is verse 1:
1THE BEGINNING [of the facts] of the good news (the Gospel) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Mark was saying that this Gospel is just the BEGINNING of the facts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Jesus began and He is expecting US to being carrying on His ministry on Earth! Remember that He said this in John 14:12:
12I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.
What did Jesus do in his Earthly ministry? He went about doing good by preaching, teaching and healing! He BEGAN, we CARRY ON! We are being prepared and equipped by our God-given pastors to DO the "work of the ministry" - Ephesians 4:12! Let's get to it!
In Isaiah 15-16 We see the prophecy delivered by Isaiah of the coming judgement on Moab. I noticed that three separate times in these two chapters Isaiah was moved with great compassion for them because of the coming judgement. In Isaiah 15:5 and Isaiah 16:9 & 11 we see this. Meditating on these Scriptures caused me to pause and consider MY attitude towards those who are so blatantly rejecting God and His Word in these days, especially in THIS country. Am I overjoyed when I see judgement come? I shouldn't be! Remember this in 2 Peter 3:9
9The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance:
Judgement WILL come, but MY attitude towards them WILL affect MY LIFE! Be filled with compassion, like Jesus, and be a doer of the Word, expecting good and Godly results!
Shalom in Him!
