Shalom,


We finish Psalm 119 today with the last 88 verses. Verses 100-101:


100 I understand more than the aged, because I keep Your precepts [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]. 101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your Word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it].


The words "hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying" are found in the Amplified Bible in 17 of the 176 verses in Psalm 119. The Bible Expository Dictionary: Old Testament says this:

We must obey His Word (vv. 101-102). A true student of the Word is not a person with a big head, full of all sorts of knowledge, but one who has an obedient heart and loves to do God's will. While God's truth is food for our souls, it is not a "buffet" from which we select only the things we like. If the Bible tells us something is wrong, we stay off that path. If God tells us something is right, we do not abandon it. "Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge" (F.W. Robertson; John 7:17).

It is NOT enough to just memorize Scripture! God's Word has been given to us to know and obey so that we can have God's Ways operating in our lives! That lifts up Jesus and HE said, in John 12:32:


32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.


After all, that's what we are REALLY here for, isn't it?  Some other verses that really stand out to me this time through this Psalm are verses 89-91:


89 Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens]. 90 Your faithfulness is from generation to generation; You have established the earth, and it stands fast. 91 All [the whole universe] are Your servants; therefore they continue this day according to your ordinances.


Our God is the One Who created the universe and everything in it! He also holds it all together! Anyone with any other ideas is really revealing their ignorance! We have to look no further than the Word of God to find what Science ALWAYS eventually confirms, WHEN they can get past all of their THEORIES! The best definition I have ever heard of a theory came from Kenneth E. Hagin, who said: "A theory is a supposition based on ignorance of the subject at hand." SO totally true! I can't wait to find out, when we get to Heaven, just HOW God went about it! I know it will be amazing to see! Then verses 97-99 are very important, too:


97 Oh, how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies, for [Your Words] are ever before me. 99 I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation.




You don't NEED to go to Bible School in order to know and understand the Word of God! In fact, Bible School has actually HURT more people when it comes to understanding God's Word! Why? Because the Word of God can ONLY be understood through the help of the Holy Spirit! 1 Corinthians 2:14:


14 But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit in to his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.


Attend your very own Bible School by finding a good local church where the Word of God is taught, and you are instructed to check out what's taught in your own Bible! Then spend quality time EVERY DAY studying and meditating on the Word of God. You will grow and mature and be an effective minister of LIFE!


It's amazing to me that the kings in Joshua 9-10 would STILL try to come against Israel, after all that they had seen and heard about the God of the Hebrews! The One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible ALWAYS delivered His people, when they did things HIS WAY! He still does! Since God is FOR US (Romans 8:31), it doesn't do ANYONE, any good to come against us. They WILL fail! Count on it!


We'll go back to Psalm 119 for verse 103:


103 How sweet are Your Words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!


Here is the song "Holy And Anointed One":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Here we are in Psalm 119 again! Do you remember that every verse of this Psalm refers to the Word of God? I also learned that this from the Bible Expository Dictionary: Old Testament:


The psalm is an acrostic with eight lines in each section, and the successive sections follow the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the eight lines of 1-8 begins with the Hebrew letter aleph, the lines in 9-16 begin with beth, in 17-24 with gimel, and so on. There are 22 sections of 8 lines each and 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet! Our God is SO organized! I LOVE it!

We have covered some of my favorite verses before, but now I have some different favorites! They are verses 4-6, 14, 16-17, 27, 42, 44-45, and 72:

4 You have commanded us to keep Your precepts, that we should observe them diligently. 5 Oh, that my ways were directed and established to observe Your statutes [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]! 6 Then shall I not be out to shame [by failing to inherit Your promises] when I have respect to all Your commandments.

Notice that "observing" His Word means: hearing, seeing, loving, and OBEYING! AMEN!

14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches.

WHEN we rejoice in His Word more than riches and "stuff", we will find ourselves receiving Wisdom AND "stuff", just like Solomon! So let's be wise with it!

16 I will delight myself in your statutes; I will not forget Your Word. 17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live; and I will observe Your Word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it].

There's that "observing" again! That is also how we "delight" in His Word!

27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts; so shall I meditate on and talk of Your wondrous works.

He LOVES when we DESIRE to know and understand His Word!

42 Then shall I have an answer for those who taunt and reproach me, for I lean on, rely on, and trust in Your Word.

THAT is how Jesus left them speechless when they attacked Him!

44 I will keep Your law continually, forever and ever [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it]. 45 And I will walk at liberty and at ease, for I have sought and inquired for [and desperately required] Your precepts.

Are YOU walking at liberty and at ease? Gauge how You are "keeping" His Word!

72 The law from Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Our #1 priority MUST BE the One, True God, AND His Word! AMEN! Here is Hillsong's "Like Incense". See if you can figure out why we would use THIS song!

In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul is speaking of marriage and he shares some ideas to consider when you are thinking of marriage. Whatever YOU may decide to do, remember to keep verse 23 foremost in your mind and heart:

23 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for by Christ]; then do not yield yourselves up to become [in your own estimation] slaves to men [but consider yourselves slaves to Christ].

What does it mean to be a "slave to Christ"? It means that what he says goes in your life, no matter WHO may like it or not! Settle that with any potential spouse BEFORE the vows, and make sure you choose someone who will do the same! 

Some of the problems that the nation of Israel has had over the years can be traced back to something that may SEEM like a small thing, but caused many, many problems over the years! Joshua 9:14-15:

14 So the [Israelite] men partook of their food and did not consult the LORD. 15 Joshua made peace with them, covenanting with them to let them live, and the assembly's leaders swore to them.

Do you think that Moses would have made a covenant with people from another nation without consulting the LORD? What was Joshua thinking? God had already told them and Moses had reminded them what they were to do when they went over to possess the land! One little disobedience can open a whole world of trouble! Doing things God's way is ALWAYS for OUR protection, provision and safety! ALWAYS!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 118 is sandwiched between the shortest and longest Psalms in the Bible. It is another Hallelujah Psalm that begins and ends with praise, thanksgiving and worship. Verses 1-4 and 29 give instructions to  give thanks to the LORD:


1 O GIVE thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. 2 Let Israel now say that His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. 3 Let the house of Aaron [the priesthood] now say that His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. 4 Let those now who reverently and worshipfully fear the LORD say that His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.
29 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.


The phrase "mercy and loving-kindness" comes from the Hebrew word "checed", which means: kindness, piety, beauty, favour, goodness, faithfulness, steadfast love, loving-kindness, devotion. The Vine's Expository Dictionary adds this:

In general, one may identify three basic meanings of the word, which always interact: "strength," "steadfastness," and "love." Any understanding of the word that fails to suggest all three inevitably loses some of its richness. "Love" by itself easily becomes sentimentalized or universalized apart from the covenant. Yet "strength" or "steadfastness" suggests only the fulfillment of a legal or other obligation.

The word refers primarily to mutual and reciprocal rights and obligations between the parties of a relationship (especially Yahweh and Israel). But checed is not only a matter of obligation; it is also of generosity. It is not only a matter of loyalty, but also of mercy. The weaker party seeks the protection and blessing of the patron and protector, but he may not lay absolute claim to it. The stronger party remains committed to his promise, but retains his freedom, especially with regard to the manner in which he will implement those promises. Checed implies personal involvement and commitment in a relationship beyond the rule of law.

It also adds this:

Behind all these uses with man as subject, however, stand the repeated references to God's checed. It is one of His most central characteristics. God's loving-kindness is offered to His people, who need redemption from sin, enemies, and troubles. A recurrent refrain describing God's nature is "abounding plenteous in checed" Ex 34:6; Neh 9:17; Ps 103:8; Jonah 4:2. The entire history of Yahweh's covenantal relationship with Israel can be summarized in terms of checed. It is the one permanent element in the flux of covenantal history. Even the Creation is the result of God's checed Ps 136:5-9. His love lasts for a "thousand generations" Deut 7:9; cf. Deut 5:10 and Ex 20:6, indeed "forever" (especially in the refrains of certain psalms, such as Ps 136)
The association of checed with "covenant" keeps it from being misunderstood as mere providence or love for all creatures; it applies primarily to God's particular love for His chosen and covenanted people. "Covenant" also stresses the reciprocity of the relationship; but since God's checed is ultimately beyond the covenant, it will not ultimately be abandoned, even when the human partner is unfaithful

Do you see how very special and set apart God's people are from the rest of His creation? His original Chosen People - Israel, AND those who have received Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour - becoming members of HIS Royal Family! Now THAT is the very BEST family to belong to! We have, as our Covenant right, the eternal Love, Steadfastness and Strength of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible operating IN us, FOR us, and THROUGH us! We need to LOUDLY proclaim verse 28:


28 You are my God, and I will confess, praise, and give thanks to You; You are my God, I will extol You.


Here are two old songs you may remember! The first is Don Moen singing God Is Good and the second one is Ron Kenoly singing For The Lord Is Good!

In 1 Corinthians 6 Paul is reprimanding the church for going outside of the church "family" and using the court system to solve disputes and grievances among them. We are to love and protect each other, even when we may be wrong! It is so serious a thing to Paul, and to Jesus, that he says this in verses 6-8:


6 But brother goes to law against brother, and that before [Gentile judges who are] unbelievers [without faith or trust in the Gospel of Christ]? 7 Why, the very fact of your having lawsuits with one another at all is a defect (a defeat, an evidence of positive moral loss for you). Why not rather let yourselves suffer wrong and be deprived of what is your due? Why not rather be cheated (defrauded and robbed)? 8 But [instead it is you] yourselves who wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren [by so treating them]!


When God said, "Vengeance is Mine", that is exactly what He meant! He is WELL ABLE to make things right for you, WHEN you do things HIS WAY! He can only move on our behalf when we obey Him! Operate in the Love which never fails and you will come out on top EVERY TIME! GUARANTEED! Get out of Love and it will effect every area of your life! It is SO not worth it! Don't you agree?


In Joshua 7-8 we see Joshua and the people suffering defeat at the hands of their enemies and discovering that it was because of sin in the camp. How could one man's sin cause this to happen to the whole nation? We have to remember that God does not see or judge as man does! He looked at the nation NOT as an assorted collection of tribes, clans, families, and individuals, but as one people in the LORD! That is also how He sees the Body of Christ! That is why Paul had to tell the Corinthians to deal with the sin going on in the church in 1 Corinthians. We are SO knit together in the Lord (Colossians 2:19) that ANYTHING one of us does WILL affect EVERYONE! That's why Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:


19 Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a gift] from God? You are not your own, 20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.


When Joshua and the people dealt with the sin according to God's command, they were able to go and take the land and gain an amazing victory! Remember that no matter how much freedom our New Covenant gives us, HE is still in control and calls the shots! Doing things God's way has NEVER been more important than it is RIGHT NOW, in the days in which we live! Exciting times are just ahead! BE READY!


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


We have covered Psalm 117 on this blog a couple of times and you would think that there wouldn't be that much to say about 2 verses, but we have only just begun! The Word of God is so boundless! As long as we keep WANTING to learn, HE will continue to teach us, layer upon powerful layer! Here is Psalm 117:


1 O PRAISE the LORD, all you nations! Praise Him, all you people! 2 For His mercy and loving-kindness are great toward us, and the truth and faithfulness of the LORD endure forever. Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)


I found this in the Bible Expository Dictionary: Old Testament:

An anonymous writer composed the shortest psalm and in three brief sentences encompassed the whole world. The psalm is an invitation to people everywhere to turn to the Lord and join with believers everywhere in praising Him. A proper understanding of this psalm will help us appreciate at least four privileges that belong to God's people. 

The four privileges are these:

1. Worshiping God. (Verse 1a) (We have already discussed the two different Hebrew words used for praise here).
2. Sharing the Gospel. (Verse 1b) The word for "nations" is the Hebrew word "gowy" and refers to Gentiles. The word for "people" is the Hebrew word "ummah" and refers to the diverse nationalities, or tribes, in the world. This Psalm is an invitation for all of the people of the world to join with the believers in the One, True God, in worshiping HIM!
3. Depending on God's great love. (Verse 2a) Many verses tell us that "God is good" and that good gifts come from Him!
4. Resting on Divine assurance. (Verse 2b) Those same verses referred to above tell us that "His mercy endures FOREVER"!

We are of ALL people, MOST BLESSED! AMEN! Here is a song that a friend just shared with me that I thought you might like and it goes right along with this! It is Carrie Underwood singing "How Great Thou Art":

1 Corinthians 5 Paul is dealing with sin within the church. There is a proper way to deal with this according to God's Word. I have seen so much hatred and bitterness among the Body of Christ with whole "ministries" dedicated to passing judgment on other ministers and ministries. God NEVER set up a "calling" to expose the sin of others! He laid out in this chapter, and others in the New Testament, how to properly respond to another believer caught up in sin. If you happen to come across a "ministry" involved in the "exposing" of another ministry's errors, FLEE from it! Pray for all involved and then ask the Holy Spirit if there is a specific way He wants YOU to respond beyond that. If not, FORGET ABOUT IT! Verse 10 says this:


10 Not [meaning of course that you must] altogether shun the immoral people of this world, or the greedy graspers and cheats and thieves or idolaters, since otherwise you would need to get out of the world and human society altogether!


Remember that we are to be IN the world, but not OF it! It is to this very world that we have been sent! HE has sent US to seek and save the lost, just like Jesus was! NOT to point out their sin, but to point out HIS Redemption from it! The GOOD NEWS! AMEN!


I love Joshua 5:1:


1 WHEN ALL the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until we had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no spirit in them any more because of the Israelites.


The word "spirit" here is the Hebrew word "ruwach". One of the meanings of this word is: courage! These nations had NO courage to stand against the Israelites because they had already HEARD what the God of the Israelites had done before! Remember that Rahab had said this to them in Joshua 2:9-11! The same thing is true of OUR enemy when true born again believers in Jesus of Nazareth will dare to stand on OUR authority in the Name of Jesus! When we understand who we are IN HIM, we can speak His Word and the enemy will not be able to tell us apart from HIM! God's angels work on our behalf, in response to God's Word spoken out of our mouths (Hebrews 1:14). Works and workers of darkness MUST respond to God's Word out of our mouths in that same way! KNOW HIM and KNOW YOU! He is waiting for this! It's called putting His enemies under His feet (Hebrews 10:13)! AMEN!


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 116:1-2:


1 I LOVE the LORD, because He has heard [and now hears] my voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.


The LORD has ALWAYS heard and answered the call of one who REALLY wants to know Him! This verse reminds me of 1 John 4:19:


19 We love Him, because He first loved us.


And Romans 5:8:


8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.


His greatest desire is for us to preach the Good News so that others will have the same opportunity to call on Him that we have had! JUST DO IT!


In 1 Corinthians 4 Paul is cautioning again about "party factions" in the Body. I like how the Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament says this:

We must avoid extremes when it comes to evaluating men and their ministries. On the one hand, we can be so indifferent that we accept anybody who comes along. But the other extreme is to be so hypercritical that Paul himself would fail the test. It is important that we "try the spirits" (1 John 4:1-6; and note 2 John), but we must be careful not to grieve the Spirit as we do so.

I like that Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 11:1:


1 PATTERN YOURSELVES after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).


In other words, Paul was saying that it is our responsibility to find out if what he is saying is actually the Word of God. If it is DO IT! Anything about his life that was NOT in  line with the Word, DON'T DO IT! He wasn't trying to get a following for himself, but for Jesus! That really goes along with what the Bereans did, in Acts 17:11 and what the Pastor of The Spoken Word Church tells the people to do: "search the Scriptures daily to see if it is so! If it is, then DO IT!" AMEN!


Joshua 3-4 tells us of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River on dry ground! Here are two pictures. One is a type of map of the land around the area and the other is an artist's rendition of the crossing!

They crossed the Jordan by Jericho!

I REALLY think that it was probably a lot bigger area than this! But this was one of the prettier renditions and I LOVE palm trees! 

God just LOVES to show Himself strong on behalf of His people who will trust Him and obey His Word!  2 Chronicles 16:9a:


9a For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.


That word "perfect" is the Hebrew word "shalem", which means: complete, friendly, at peace. When we are at peace with God, through the precious Blood of Jesus of Nazareth, then He is watching constantly for ways to get us INTO the BLESSING, and the BLESSING into our lives! Here is a fun song from Hillsong Kids, called "Supernatural":

What a GOOD God we have and serve! AMEN!


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Joshua 1:3 shows God speaking to Joshua about the land:

3 Every place upon which the sole of your foot shall tread, that have I given to you, as I promised Moses.

God had ALREADY promised the land to the people of Israel when He spoke to, and though, Moses. But they would not be able to possess it until they obeyed the LORD and put their feet on the land! Then HE would defeat their enemies! The same is true for ANYTHING that God has promised in His Word! HE has already provided it (Ephesians 1:3, Hebrews 8:6, 2 Peter 1:3-4)! HE has already done HIS part, now the responsibility is ours to find out how to appropriate the promises (2 Corinthians 1:20)! He tells us how to begin in verse 8:

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

This is the ONLY time that the word "success" is found in the Bible. It is the word"sakal" and means: to be prudent, to be circumspect, to wisely understand, to have insight, to have comprehension, to cause to consider, to act wisely, to cause to prosper. The Amplified Bible, quoted above, is a very good translation of this verse! When we meditate on the Word of God, the Spirit of God, Who is our Teacher, will show us how to obey the Word in our own individual lives so that we can have the results that God intends for us to have! BE a DOER of the Word that says to meditate, then be a DOER of what the Holy Spirit reveals to you during your meditation. You will find yourself dealing wisely in EVERY area of your life, and prospering because of it! 

Psalm 115:1-3 says this:


1 NOT TO us, O LORD, not to us but to Your Name give glory, for Your mercy and loving-kindness and for the sake of Your truth and faithfulness, 2 Why should the nations say, Where is now their God? 3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever he pleases.


That is OUR God! He is in Heaven AND living, by God the Holy Spirit, in US! Look at verses 4-8:


4 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 3 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 6 They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not; 7 They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither can they make a sound with their throats. 8 They who make idols are like them; so are all who trust in and lean on them.


What does it mean that those who make the idols are like the idols? Have you ever read this in Ezekiel 12:2?


2 Son of man, you dwell in the midst of the house of the rebellious, who have eyes to see and see not, who have ears to hear and hear not, for they are a rebellious house.


Do you remember reading in the Gospels where Jesus says, "He that has ears to hear, LET him hear"? That let is a choice! Those who choose NOT to "hear" what the Word of God is saying are just like the dumb idols who CANNOT hear! They "hear" just the same! DON'T be like a dumb idol by being a DUMB believer! Get into the Word of God and find out what belongs to you as an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus of Nazareth! AMEN!


1 Corinthians 3:1 speaks of something similar:


1 HOWEVER, BRETHREN, I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet!] 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it], 


How do we grow up to the point where we can feed on something more than the "mere milk" of the Word? We need to be doers of the Word we looked at in Joshua today! We need to meditate on the Word we DO know so that our understanding of it grows more every day. The more we grow up, the more of the deeper things of God we will be able to comprehend and put into practice; just like a natural infant goes from milk or formula to solid foods and then to eating with the rest of the family! 

The theme for today's reading is THE WORD! Let's get into the Word of God; and get the Word of God into us! After all, we DO know that His Word IS Truth (John 17:17)! Why would we want to do anything else? AMEN! Here is a fun and so TRUE song by Sara Evans called "The Word":

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 114 is one of the Psalms sung by the Jewish people during the Passover celebration. It describes Israel's exodus from Egypt, God's provision in the wilderness, and their entrance into the Promised Land. I especially like verse 7 in the Message Bible:


7 Tremble, Earth! You're in the Lord's presence! in the presence of Jacob's God.


WHY did the Red Sea obey, the Jordan River turn back, and the water come out of the rock? Because of the presence of the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible Who went WITH them! Remember that as a believer in Jesus of Nazareth, our Resurrected Lord and Saviour, the presence of the Lord is IN you, WHEREVER you go! Thank You, Jesus! Here is Hillsong's "This Is Our God":

I love 1 Corinthians 2:1-2:


1 AS FOR myself, brethren, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony and evidence or mystery and secret of God [concerning what He has done through Christ for the salvation of men] in lofty words of eloquence or human philosophy and wisdom; 2 For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.


Paul came preaching NOT a social gospel, but the TRUE Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth! Verse 4-5:


4 And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them], 5 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God.


Today we find many formerly on fire preachers who have toned down their message to make the people feel "comfortable"! That is part of the reason that we haven't seen as much of the power of God manifested in this country as was seen during the last century! Remember Mark 16:20:


20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.


God can ONLY confirm HIS WORD with signs and wonders and miracles! If we listen to preaching that is watering down the Word of God, there will be no power there! Make sure that you are attending a local church where the Word of God is taught boldly, confidently, uncompromisingly; and where they encourage YOU to go and check out what THEY say, in the Word, for yourself! 


In Deuteronomy 33-34 Moses blesses the people of Israel and reminds them of their inheritance. He will not be going over with them, but the Word of God is emphatic when it comes to the division of the land. Modern day scorners of the nation of Israel would do well to check out the Bible for the true borders of the land, before they get themselves in trouble with the God of the Bible over HIS people! And OUR part is to continue to pray  for the peace, protection and prosperity for the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem! God WILL bless those who WILL bless Israel! I WILL! How about you?


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 113 is another Hallelujah Psalm! Verses 1-3:


1 PRAISE THE LORD! (Hallelujah!) Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the LORD, praise the Name of the LORD. 2 Blessed be the Name of the LORD from this time forth and forever. 3 From the rising of the sun to the going down of it and from east to west, the Name of the LORD is to be praised!


When we consider that somewhere in the world it is sunrise, even when it is sunset somewhere else, then we realize that His name is to be praised ALL the time and FOREVER! There should never be a moment on this earth that the LORD is not hearing His Name being praised, by His people! DON'T let a rock or a stone bump YOU from your spot in this (Luke 19:40)! Verses 4-8 reveal what He has done for us by His death, burial and resurrection!


4 The LORD is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens! 5 Who is like the LORD our God, Who has His seat on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to regard the heavens and the earth! 7 [The LORD] raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap and the dung hill, 8 That He may seat them with princes, even the princes of His people.


WHO is like our God? There is NONE! He IS the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible. The God of all creation! The God of our Salvation! All other so-called gods pale in any comparison to HIM! The poor who are spoken of in these verses are not just the financially poor and destitute, but ALL who are without God in this world! He paid the price for our ransom, ONCE for ALL, and lifted us out of the kingdom of darkness! THAT is the GOOD NEWS! Is there ANY reason someone would not receive Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and personal Saviour, when the Gospel is presented in that light? Keep preaching the Gospel! That is one way to bring glory to His Name! 


1 Corinthians 1 has Paul addressing the church at Corinth about the divisions that were being caused  in the Body by those who were aligning themselves with certain ministers, rather than being in unity in their faith in Jesus of Nazareth! Sometimes the Church today gets caught up in the differences of doctrine and forget the ONE important Truth - "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2)!   The important thing to Paul, AND to us, is found in 1 Corinthians 1:17:


17 For Christ (the Messiah) sent me out not to baptize but [to evangelize by] preaching the glad tidings (the Gospel), and that not with verbal eloquence, lest the cross of Christ should be deprived of force and emptied of its power and rendered vain (fruitless, void of value, and of no effect).


So very many well-intentioned believers have gone to some form of Seminary or Bible School and been taught all of the proper ways of speaking, when what the One, True God wanted was for them to represent HIM to the world in power! What should they have done? They should have followed Paul in getting too KNOW HIM (Philippians 3)! In the process of knowing Him, they would have come to know and understand the power! Verse 18:


18 For the story and message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to those who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God.


So let's get to know Him, through His Word, so that we can more accurately represent Him to the world. And then obey verse 31:


31 So then, as it is written, let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.


Here is Hillsong's "Across The Earth":

In Deuteronomy 31-32 we see Moses getting ready to leave the people of Israel in the hands of Joshua. Just in case any of you "mature" saints are thinking of retiring from the "work of the Lord", we have Moses telling us that he can no longer "go out and come in", at 120! Are any of you even close too that age? Then God still has MUCH work for you to do for the Kingdom! Moses didn't even begin until he was 80! How old are you? Not too many 80 year olds I imagine, so you haven't even started yet! What YOU need is a good dose of Isaiah 40:31:


31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.


You can also use a little Psalm 103:5, where you remember the LORD and ALL of His benefits, including this:


5 Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's [strong, overcoming, soaring]!


Are you ready for this? YES, you are - IN HIM! AMEN!


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 112 is another Hallelujah psalm! The entire psalm speaks of the results of obeying the LORD and doing things HIS way! Verse 1:


1 PRAISE THE LORD! (Hallelujah!) Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who fears (reveres and worships) the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments.


Doing things God's way has ALWAYS brought blessings! Even during dire circumstances! Joseph was in prison, yet he found great favor wherever he was and ended up second in command to the pharaoh himself! Daniel and the Hebrew children endured tests and trials, but the LORD delivered them when they refused to compromise! Whatever situation you may find yourself in, REMEMBER your Covenant with the One, True God, through the precious Blood of Jesus of Nazareth! HE never takes it lightly, and neither should we! So much of what we endure comes from our ignorance of the provisions of that Covenant! Stay in the Word and grow up! I plan on it! The only people who will not be happy when we are blessed are those spoken of in verse 10:


10 The wicked man will see it and be grieved and angered, he will gnash his teeth and disappear [in despair], the desire of the wicked shall perish and come to nothing.


It PAYS to do things God's Way! AMEN!


Luke 24 is all about the Resurrection! HE IS RISEN!!! HALLELUJAH! Here is It IS Finished by Sarah Hart Pearsons. I love this song!

Not only do we serve the ONLY God Who gave HIMSELF for us, we have the only One Who is RISEN from the dead! All the rest are just plain DEAD! Let's live in the fullness of our Covenant and REALLY bring Glory to His Name!


Here are some pictures of the EMPTY tomb from our trip to Israel last year:

 The Empty Tomb!

Pastor Bill Novak rejoicing that "He Is Risen"! Hallelujah!

AMEN!!!

GLORY TO GOD!


Deuteronomy 28 gave us the blessings for obeying the Word of God, and the curses that come into our lives when we don't! Deuteronomy 30:19-20 couldn't be more clear in revealing the Father's heart toward us!


19 I call heaven and earth to witness this day against  you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live. 20 And  may love the LORD your God, obey His voice, and cling to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.


God's WILL is for us is to obey and be blessed! AMEN! Deuteronomy 29:29 also tells us this:


29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.


He has given us (revealed to us) His Word so that we CAN obey! Let's choose blessing!


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 111 is one of the "Hallelujah" Psalms that either begin or end with "Hallelujah"! Verse 1:


1 PRAISE THE LORD (Hallelujah!) I will praise and give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart in the council of the upright and in the congregation.


The psalmist was committed to praising the LORD no matter what the circumstances. Sometimes it really is a sacrifice of praise because of our situations, circumstance, or even just how we "feel". This psalm reveals an important step in staying grateful and thankful ALWAYS. That is to diligently remember what the LORD has ALREADY done! That's how David encouraged himself in the LORD and that's how we must, too! Verse 4:


4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious, merciful, and full of loving compassion.


HE has made His works TO BE REMEMBERED! As A. T. Pierson said, "History is HIS story"! Let's read THAT story again and again and again! Then we see this in verse 10:


10 The reverent fear and worship of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom and skill [the preceding and the first essential, the prerequisite and the alphabet]; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the LORD]. Their praise of Him endures forever.


So, depending on where YOU'RE at in your spiritual growth, let's either BEGIN or CONTINUE to be wise! AMEN!  Here is "Run" by Hillsong. Just to remind you that history is His story!

It is so fitting to be reading Luke 23 this week! Before we get into the chapter, I wanted to share this from the Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament:



The trial and death of Jesus Christ revealed both the wicked heart of man and the gracious heart of God. When men were doing their worst, God was giving His best. "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom 5:20). Jesus was not crucified because evil men decided to get Him out of the way. His crucifixion was "by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23), an appointment made from eternity (1 Peter 1:20; Rev 13:8).

I suggest that everyone reread Luke 23 and allow the Holy Spirit to make some things abundantly clear! That would start with this fact: no less than 6 times Jesus was declared "Not Guilty!" by either the words or actions of 4 different people: Pilate (verses 4, 14 and 22), King Herod (verse 15), one of those crucified with Jesus (verses 40-43), and the Roman centurion (verse 47). He was WITHOUT SIN Himself! But He was willingly MADE SIN, with OUR sin! This is evidenced in verse 26, when Simon of Cyrene was made to carry the cross, which was a form of humiliation for the guilty, rather than Jesus Who was innocent; and in Matthew 27:46, when He said "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken Me"? That was when God had to turn His back on His only Son because He had been MADE sin with OUR sin! Thank YOU, Jesus! 


Another interesting portion is found in verses 50-53 where we see that Joseph of Arimathea was already prepared to wrap the body of Jesus and place it in a tomb of his own. He must have known the Word of God and believed what was to happen to the Messiah! He also must NOT have been present during the trial, for Mark 14:64 says that ALL present condemned Jesus. There is ALWAYS a remnant who will believe the Word! Let's be numbered with those!


Deuteronomy 28:1-2:


1 IF YOU will listen diligently to the voice of the LORD your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the LORD your God will set you on high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come on you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the LORD your God.


 Deuteronomy 28 is filled with THE BLESSING of God for those who will obey His Word! Meditate on those and then remember that OUR Covenant is a better one, based on better promises (Hebrew 8:6)! These are wonderful promises, but OURS are BETTER! IF, however, is STILL the deciding factor! Choose wisely!


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 110:1 is very interesting! In the NKJV it says:


1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit  at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.


The first "LORD" is the Hebrew word "Yahweh" or "Yehovah", which is: the Eternal, Self-existing One, the proper Name of the One, True God. The second "Lord" is the Hebrew word "`adon" or "adonay", which means: lord, master, Lord, One who occupies the position of a master over a servant. It also can mean, in the form "adonay", Lord par excellence or Lord over all. This is another verse where the Amplified Bible does a great job!


2 THE LORD (God) says to my Lord (the Messiah), Sit at My right hand, until I make Your adversaries Your footstool.


There is no doubt that this is referring to the Father speaking to the Son (Jesus) as He ascended to Heaven! When the Father sends the Son BACK to set His feet on the earth, it will be to rule and reign as both a King and a Priest! He will not be a priest as the previous Jewish priests were, of the tribe of Levi and serving for their lifetime. Instead, Jesus will be a priest FOREVER! It is SO amazing that God the Son was willing to become the Son of God and live forever in a resurrected human body! So and very soon we will see Him face to face! Glory to God! Here is "You Alone Are God" by Hillsong:

Luke 22:1-6 is also a very revealing passage of Scripture!


1 NOW THE Festival of Unleavened Bread was drawing near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to do away with [Jesus], for they feared the people. 3 But [then] satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve [apostles]. 4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray Him and deliver Him up to them. 5 And they were delighted and pledged [themselves] to give him money. 6 So he agreed [to this], and sought an opportunity to betray Him to them [without an uprising] in the absence of the throng.


Did you notice a very key point in verse 3? "But then "satan" entered into Judas...". There have been many theories put forth about why Judas would do such a thing. Some say that, as the holder of the money, he had been stealing from the bag and was afraid of getting caught. Some say that he didn't believe that they would actually kill Jesus. WE don't know any of that, but what we DO know is that he didn't act until satan got involved! As human beings we are led by one of two Spiritual forces, either the One, True God, or the father of lies - satan and his evil spirits. Remember that when you deal with people who come against you! You and I have an enemy, an adversary, named satan who can only operate through people! That's why we are to "bless those who curse us and pray for those who despitefully use us" (Luke 6:28)! They are just people being influenced by the WRONG spirit! When we forgive them and pray for them and bless them according to the Word of God, we allow the Spirit of God to move on them! They will have the opportunity to repent, to change their thinking to agree with God and become a believer! If they refuse, it WON'T because WE didn't do OUR part! AMEN! Jesus had warned His followers than one of them would betray Him. Judas had the opportunity at that time to repent and not follow through with the plan. He regretted it later, but it was too late! Do the RIGHT thing by blessing them and keep yourself FREE!


Deuteronomy 26 speaks about tithing! Tithing is an Old Covenant command that continues in the New Covenant! Leviticus 27:30 says this:



30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.

The word "holy" is the Hebrew word "qodesh", which means: apartness, holiness, separateness, set-apartness. It refers to something that has been set apart FROM the world and set apart UNTO God! Then in Luke 11:42 we see this:



42 But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every [little] herb, but disregard and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone. 

Jesus was saying that they should continue to tithe, but NOT leave out the other very important things that they were neglecting!  The tithe STILL belongs to God! He see the first 10% of our increase as belonging to Him! When we agree with Him, and present it to OUR High Priest, Jesus, then all of the blessings of a tither are ours to claim! Look at the third chapter of Malachi to find out what those are! How do WE present the tithe? Deuteronomy 26 is a good example, but here is one taken from KCM that puts it into our modern language:

Let me provide you with a sample confession for your tithe based on Deuteronomy 26. First read that entire chapter. Then relate it to the New Testament and hold your tithe before the Lord as you say out loud:

"We profess this day unto the Lord God that we have come into the inheritance which the Lord swore to give us. We are in the land which You have provided for us in Jesus Christ, the kingdom of Almighty God (Colossians 1:13). We were sinners serving Satan; he was our god, but we called upon the name of Jesus and You heard our cry and delivered us from the power and authority of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of Your dear Son."

"Jesus, as our Lord and High Priest, we bring the firstfruits of our income to You and worship the Lord our God with it. We rejoice in all the good which You have given to us and our household. We have hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God and have done according to all that He has commanded us. Now look down from Your holy habitation from heaven and bless us as You said in Deuteronomy 26:14,15 and Malachi 3:10,11."

Be a tither and be blessed! 

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


In Psalm 109 David is calling out to God because of the persecutions, lies and threats of his enemy. He says this in verse 1:


1 O GOD of my praise! Keep not silence,


David was a man of praise! "Praise" here is the Hebrew word "tehillah", which means: laudation, adoration, thanksgiving, public praise, renown, fame, glory. He was not only a man of private praise, but he was not ashamed to praise the LORD his God in public praise, too! Here he is calling out to God because of his "adversaries". This is the Hebrew word "satan", and we KNOW who that is! It also means to attack and accuse, which is what the enemy does BEST! We need to do what David did! We need to be people of praise, thanksgiving and worship, so that when WE are attacked by the enemy, we will already be in a place of strength and confidence in the God of the Bible to deliver US! AMEN! Parts of this Psalm were quoted by Peter in reference to Judas and we can see where some verses may refer to what Jesus went through. Verse 27 in particular:


27 That they may know that this is Your hand, that You, LORD, have done it.


Remember Isaiah 53:4-5:


4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.


He did it ALL for ME! And YOU, too!  Thank YOU, Jesus! What is our response? Verse 30:


30 I will give great praise and thanks to the LORD with my mouth; yes, and I will praise Him among the multitude.


"Great" praise is the Hebrew word "me`od", which means: vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily, diligently, loudly, exceedingly, mightily, abundantly, with muchness, to a great degree! And we are to do this in private AND among the "multitude"! Have at it people! MANY of you have a LOT of catching up to do, publicly anyway! 


I wanted to use the Hillsong video for "Jesus, You Gave It All" but the quality wasn't the best. Instead, here is "For Your Name", a great PUBLIC praise song! 

Luke 21 begins with Jesus speaking of the widow who put her two mites into the treasury. Verses 2-4:


2 And He saw a poor widow putting in two mites (copper coins). 3 And He said, Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; 4 For they all gave out of their abundance (their surplus); but she has contributed out of her lack and her want, putting in all that she had on which to live. 


With all of the teaching on giving and receiving, sowing and reaping, that we find in the Word of God, and that is taught very well at the Spoken Word Church, it all REALLY comes down to this! What measure are YOU using when YOU give to God? After the 10% tithe, we are free to give whatever WE choose! What do YOU choose? Remember, He is forced to use the same "measure" to give the blessings back to us that we choose to use when we give (Luke 6:38)! God is NOT looking at the amount, but at the proportion! Be a cheerful and generous giver and reap the rewards of 2 Corinthians 9:6-11! Below is a picture of a "widow's mite":

Deuteronomy 25 continues with the instructions concerning the Law. Verses 13-16:


13 You shall not have in your bag true and false measures, a large and a small. 15 But you shall have a perfect and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. 16 For all who do such things, all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to the LORD your God.


Integrity is very important to God and should be to us, too! Remember that you and I are living epistles, known and read of all men! Our lives are wide open for people to see, and they are SUPPOSED to see Jesus! LET your Light shine! Remember that "let" is a choice, so choose wisely!


Shalom in Him!

Shalom,


Psalm 108 is a compilation of verses taken from Psalms 57 and 60. I kind of think of it as taking  notes from one teaching and adding them to the notes from another teaching and having a new outlook that is appropriate for the situation! If it's God's Word, it's ALL good and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16)! Psalm 108:1:


1 O GOD, my heart is fixed (steadfast, in the confidence of faith); I will sing, yes, I will sing praises, even with my glory [all the faculties and powers of one created in Your image]!


The word "fixed" is the Hebrew word "kuwn", which means: to be firm, to be stable, to be established, to be securely determined, to be prepared, to be steadfast, to make ready, to direct toward, to be directed aright. A person with their heart "fixed" like that will not be easily swayed by situations and circumstances! Part of the preparation needful to get into this position is found in verses 2-3:


2 Awake, harp and lyre; I myself will wake very early -- I will waken the dawn! 3 I will praise and give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples; and I will sing praises unto You among the nations.


Beginning EVERY day with praise, thanksgiving and worship will prepare your heart to receive the necessary instruction from the Word of God, and direction from the Spirit of God, so that you will BE steadfast, immovable, and a force to be reckoned with by the enemy! They WILL NOT know what to do with you! Keep them on the run! AMEN! And remember verse 13:


13 Through and with our God we shall do valiantly, for He it is Who shall tread down our adversaries.


"Valiantly" is the Hebrew word "chayil", which means: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, ability, force, an army. We SHALL BE like the army that ALWAYS wins! UNDEFEATED in THIS war against the forces of darkness! GLORY TO GOD! I LIKE doing things HIS way! Here is Hillsong's How Great Is Our God:

In Luke 20 we see the chief priests, the scribes and the elders (members of the Sanhedrin) coming with questions for the purpose of tricking and tripping up Jesus. They did NOT succeed! Instead, HE tripped THEM up with His own return questions! As you know by now, that always thrills me when Jesus leaves them speechless!  One of my favorite verses is verse 40:


40 For they did not dare to questions Him further. 


He will do the same for us if we will stay filled with the Spirit and filled with His Word!


Deuteronomy 23-24 continue with instructions for the new nation. Every time I read through these books of the Law I am increasingly thankful to have been born in this Age of Grace! We are blessed beyond measure to have as our commandments to love the Lord our God with our entire being and to love each other as HE loves us! Meditating every day on His love for us makes it very doable to walk in love with others! Also, remembering the Law of sowing and reaping gives added incentive! Allow the Spirit of God too minister to you individually from these books so that you, too, can develop a DAILY "Attitude of Gratitude"! Remember 1 Corinthians 13:8a:


8a Lover never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].


Shalom in Him!