Psalm 146 is the first of the five Hallelujah Psalms (146-150). Psalm 146 emphasizes praising God for the rest of our lives! I really like the Message Bible for this psalm:
146 Hallelujah!
O my soul, praise God!
2 All my life long I'll praise God,
singing songs to my God as long as I live.
3 Don't put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
4 Mere humans don't have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
5 Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
6 God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says —
7 he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners —
8 he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, 9 protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked.
10 God's in charge — always.
Zion's God is God for good!
Hallelujah!
I LOVE how we are exhorted in verse 3 to NOT put any trust in man (or so-called experts!). KJV and Amplified Bibles both say "in whom there is no help", but the Message says "who know nothing of life". The word "help" is the Hebrew word "teshu`ah", which means: rescue, deliverance, help, safety, salvation, victory. Someone who is not a born again believer and does not know the Word of God cannot possibly be of any real help in life. They may be sources of information in the areas that they excel in, but real help? NOT A CHANCE! The Word of God is the only REAL help!
I also like that it refers to God as the "God of Jacob". That shows that He is our help and deliverer even if we have missed it many times! You know, like Jacob did! Don't allow anything in this life to stop you from RUNNING into His presence every day for all of the help you need! You will soon find yourself helping others! And remember - OUR God IS God - for good! That means he is a GOOD God and He is God forever! AMEN!
Revelation 2 begins the messages to the seven churches. Remember that the Church of Jesus Christ is made up of all born again believers. The individual churches, wherever they were meeting, were made up of individual believers. The messages we see here were to the church leadership AND to the individual members as well. Receive theses messages as though the LORD were speaking directly to YOU! If it fits, receive the commendation or praise for something well done, not with personal pride, but with humility, realizing that HE is always watching and HE will always reward diligence and right motives! Now, in that same way, receive the correction where needed. Repent, which means to simply change YOUR thinking to agree with God and His Word. The correction that Jesus gave (and gives!) is ALWAYS to lead us back into a position of fellowship with Him so that we can be all He intends for us to be here on this earth, with rewards coming here AND in Heaven! AMEN!
The church in Ephesus was ALMOST a model church! It seemed that they did everything well! They kept separated from the world and the evil in it. They labored to do the work of the ministry. They may have had lots of programs that were aimed at meeting the needs of the church AND the community! Well spoken of and APPEARING Christlike. BUT, their motives were all wrong! They had left their first love, which means that even though they were busy doing things to bring Glory to the Name of Jesus, they really didn't do those things out of their love for Him! Remember what Jesus said was THE most important commandment? Mark 12:29-30:
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, hear, o Israel; the Lord our God is one lord: 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.
Fall in love with Jesus AGAIN! Every good thing we do MUST be motivated by our love for Him or there will be no rewards in Heaven for it! Why do we share the Gospel? Because HE loves people and wants that none should perish! Why do we show mercy? Because HE is merciful and LOVES mercy! Why do we give? Because HE gives and is unwilling to do without a cheerful, prompt to do it giver!
The church of Smyrna was undergoing intense persecution from both the Roman Empire and the so-called Jews. A REAL Jew is one who is a spiritual Jew. Read Romans 2:17-29 to see what that means! Jesus here called them the synagogue of satan because they did not receive Him for Who He was, but persecuted the church relentlessly. Jesus was giving this church the encouragement that they were NOT alone! He had endured what they were enduring and understood what they were going through! But the end result of all of our lives is that we (believers) will one day be in Heaven and in the presence of our Lord - face to face! Hallelujah! Nothing you and I are going through now (this light affliction -2 Corinthians 4:17) can even begin to compare with the glory of Heaven!
The church of Pergamos was commended by the Lord for not denying the faith in the face of severe persecution. One of their members had even been killed for his faith, yet they never denied the Name of the Lord. Remember that the church is made up of individuals and the problem at the church here is that some of the members were playing around with false doctrine and compromising the Word to "fit in" or gain approval or success with the world. Don't commit spiritual adultery by compromising the Word for the sake of "fitting in" with the people at work, school, etc. BE the light they need and be pleasing to God!
To the church of Thyatira, Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of God. Verse 18:
18 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, Who has eyes that flash like a flame of fire, and Whose feet glow like bright and burnished and white-hot bronze:
This was probably because in Thyatira there was a special temple dedicated to Apollo, the so-called "sun god". There is only ONE TRUE GOD and it is NOT apollo! AMEN! Jesus commended this church for doing the things they did with a right and true heart and love! The problem He had with them was that at the same time they compromised by letting evil go on within the church. No amount of good works, even done with right motives, can make up for sin and its sure results! God does NOT want "seeker friendly" churches that make things comfortable for sin! Sinners should always be welcomed, but given the uncompromising Word of God, the Word of TRUTH! "Speaking the Truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) SHOULD be the method of operation of EVERY church! AMEN!
Jeremiah 50-51 deals totally with the fall of Babylon. There are three parts to this message:
- God declares war on Babylon: Jeremiah 50:1-28.
- God assembles the armies against Babylon: Jeremiah 50:29-51:26.
- God announces victory over Babylon: Jeremiah 51:27-58.
Shalom in Him!
