Shalom,
Proverbs 14:26-27:
26 In the reverent and worshipful fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children shall always have a place of refuge. 27 Reverent and worshipful fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.
We have already learned in Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 9:10, that the "fear of the LORD" is the beginning of Wisdom! Wisdom in our lives has its start in our walking in the fear of the LORD! So what exactly IS the fear of the LORD? It is the Hebrew word, "yare'", which means: standing in awe, reverence, respect, reverence whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders them proper respect. We can only stand in awe and reverence of the LORD when we KNOW Him! The more that we know Who HE is, the more that we will honor, respect, and worship Him! When we learn who we are, IN HIM, then we will have no problem walking and operating in the necessary faith to have STRONG confidence in the Word. Not only do we, as God's children, have a place of protection, provision, safety and refuge, but we have the "fountain", spring or source of life and vitality rising up inside of us, so that we can be led by the Spirit of God and be able to avoid all of the snares and traps the enemy has planned for us! Verse 34:
34 Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
The United States of America flourished more than any other nation, ever, WHEN we made God's Word our source for law and order! The wicked, driven by the god of this world (satan) have been trying to do away with anything that even hints of the Bible! Why? Because satan STILL thinks that he can defeat the One true, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! He will keep trying until his last day on earth! But it doesn't require a whole nation to walk in righteousness, just those who are called by His Name! AMEN!
Revelation 20:1-2:
1 THEN I saw an angel descending from heaven; he was holding the key of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and a great chain was in his hand. 2 And he gripped and overpowered the dragon, that old serpent [of primeval times], who is the devil and satan, and [securely] bound him for a thousand years. 3 Then her hurled him into the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and closed it and sealed it above him, so that he should no longer lead astray and deceive and seduce the nations until the thousand years were at an end. After that he must be liberated for a short time.
Don't you just LOVE it! Are you eagerly awaiting THAT day? The Millennial reign of Jesus of Nazareth as King over all the earth will begin! True peace, no devil, no enemy, no sin! Hallelujah! It is hard to believe that after living under the Righteous Reign of the King of kings and the Lord of lords, that anyone will even WANT to follow satan after he is released "for a short time". Some will still choose to follow him to utter destruction (verses 7-9)! OUR verse is verse 6:
6 Blessed (happy, to be envied) and holy (spiritually whole, of unimpaired innocence and proved virtue) is the person who takes part (shares) in the first resurrection! Over them the second death exerts no power or authority, but they shall be ministers of God and of Christ (the Messiah), and they shall rule along with Him a thousand years.
Make sure that you are sharing the Good News of the Gospel with as many people as possible so they, too, can share in the first resurrection and know this joy-filled, love-filled- faith-filled life we know on earth right now! AMEN!
Zechariah 9-10 begin with the prophecy of the destruction of Tyre, which was fulfilled during the reign of Alexander the Great and has never been rebuilt! God's Word is TRUTH! If he said it, it IS so! We can count on it! Zechariah 9:9 is another prophecy spoken by Zechariah that has already come to pass! We LOVE this one!
9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King come to you; He is [uncompromisingly] just and having salvation [triumphant and victorious], patient, meek, lowly, and riding on a donkey, upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.
THAT is our JESUS! Do you realize that God planned for our salvation from sin BEFORE man was created? See 1 Peter 1:20 and Revelation 13:8. God was not taken by surprise when Adam sinned and had to quickly come up with a "Plan B". It was in His Divine plan from before the creation of the world! God wanted to create beings that were ABLE to sin, so that we would love Him by choice and not like robots! When we receive Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour, we receive the Spirit of god to live IN us! We are in a better position even than Adam was in the Garden! Hallelujah! Glory to God for His great Wisdom and Divine favor! AMEN!
Zechariah 10 tells of the time when God will bring the people of Israel back to the land that he had promised them. That is happening right now, as we live! Verse 12:
12 And I will strengthen [Israel] in the LORD, and they shall walk up and down and glory in His Name, says the LORD.
God will NEVER forsake the nation of Israel or His people! Neither can we, if we want to be pleasing to Him and continue to live and walk in His favor! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
