Shalom,
Psalm 98:1-3:
1 O SING to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have wrought salvation (victory) for Him. 2 The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness has He openly shown in the sight of the nations. 3 He has [earnestly] remembered His mercy and loving-kindness, His truth and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have witnessed the salvation of our God.
It is the One, True God who "has done" these "marvelous things"! "Has done" is the Hebrew word "`asah", which means: to do, to fashion, to accomplish, to work, to make, to produce, to act with effect, to attend to, to acquire. "Marvelous things" is the Hebrew word "pala`", which means: to be marvelous, to be wonderful, to be surpassing, to be extraordinary, to separate by distinguishing action, to be beyond one's power, to be difficult to do, to be difficult to understand, to show oneself wonderful or marvelous. Our wonderful and awesome God got the victory over all the works and workers of darkness, and did it all in such an extraordinary and difficult (for us) to understand WAY! The "salvation" that He makes known to us is the Hebrew word "yeshuw`ah", which means: something saved, deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity, health, salvation, welfare. He has made it known in His Word and revealed it to born again believers by His Spirit Who lives IN US! Hallelujah! Here is Hillsong with "Alive In Us" that says this same thing!
Luke 19 begins with Zaccheus. Do you remember that Luke 18:17 said that we must receive the kingdom of God like a little child would? Can you imagine anything more childlike than a grown man, a very rich man who was the chief of all tax collector's, climbing up into a tree in order to catch a glimpse of this Jesus that everyone had heard so much about? Jesus knew the heart of Zaccheus. That is why He invited Himself to Zaccheus's house. Adjust YOUR heart everyday to maintain that same childlike faith, trust and confidence that believes, without a doubt, that the God of the Bible wants only good for you! Obeying the Word is very easy to do when we have THAT Truth settled in our hearts! One of the last things that Jesus does in this chapter is to cleanse the temple of those who were selling things there. He said this in verse 46:
46 Telling them, It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer; but you have made it a clave of robbers.
NOW the "house of prayer" is us! 1 Corinthians 3:16:
16 Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Make sure that you keep HIS temple clean of the filth of the world and that you make it a daily "house of prayer"! There are many different types of prayer, and ALL are communion with the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! What a blessing and a powerful privilege! Thank You, Jesus! AMEN!
In Jeremiah 5-6 God sends the prophet into the streets of Jerusalem to see if he can find even one righteous person! Jeremiah 5:1:
1 RUN TO and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and take notice! Seek in her broad squares to see if you can find a man [as Abraham sought in Sodom], one who does justice, who seeks truth, sincerity, and faithfulness; and I will pardon [Jerusalem -- for one uncompromisingly righteous person].
He found NONE! You and I, as born again believers, have been made the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). We need to make the daily decision to think, speak, and act like it! Show forth His righteousness in our realm of influence so that no one ever has to wonder if there really is any righteous in our city! Remember, you ARE the righteousness of God IN Jesus!
Shalom in Him!
