Shalom,


Psalm 120 is the first of the "Songs of Degrees" or the "Songs of Ascents". They make up a sort of hymnal that the people would sing as they made their way to Jerusalem for the three annual Feasts - Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. I can imagine the entire nation of Israel crying out to the LORD with this one! Verses 1-2:


1 IN MY distress I cried to the LORD, and he answered me. 2 Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.


The entire world, except for a few close friends, has turned against the nation of Israel! They side with    nations that are ruled by terrorists, and that have said outright that their main goal is to annihilate the entire nation and the Jewish people! Verse 7:


7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.


The Word of God says that those who "touch" Israel for evil will be cursed themselves (Genesis 12:3)! Verses 3-4:


3 What shall be given to you? Or what shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? -- 4 Sharp arrows of a [mighty] warrior, with [glowing] coals of the broom tree!


DON'T mess with God's people! That also includes other born again believers! We have been given the two-fold commandment of love: to love the LORD our God with everything within us, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31)! Anything else, cast THAT care on Him and keep yourself in LOVE! Amen!


Do you want to know for sure if you are born again? 1 John 5:1:


1 EVERYONE WHO believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring).


And then 1 John 5:11-12:


11 And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who possesses the Son of God has that life; he who does not possess the Son of God does not have that life.


Do you want to know how much you REALLY love God? 1 John 5:3:


3 For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep] His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).


Do you want to know how to get your prayers answered? 1 John 5:14-15:


14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with his own plan) he listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.


The this is a most important instruction found in verse 21:


21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods) -- [from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. Amen (so let it be).


Keeping the One, True God and His plan as our #1 priority will get us in position to walk in all of the fullness of God's wonderful plan for our lives! Hallelujah! Here is Hillsong with "You Are More":

The same theme is found in the Book of Ezekiel today! I found this in the Bible Exposition Commentary:

The nation of Israel was blessed with a gracious Lord to worship and love, a fruitful land to enjoy, and a holy law to obey. Their love for the Lord and their obedience to His law would determine how much blessing He could entrust to them in the land. These were the terms of the covenant and the Jewish people knew them well. The generation that first entered the land obeyed God's covenant, as did the succeeding generation, but the third generation provoked the Lord, broke their "marriage vows," and prostituted themselves to idols (Judg 2:10-13). They disobeyed the law, defied their Lord, and defiled the land, and the Lord would not accept that kind of conduct. First. He punished them in their land by permitting seven enemy nations to occupy the land and oppress the people, as recorded in the Book of Judges. But each time God delivered Israel from their oppressors, the Jews eventually returned to the worship of idols: so He finally took them away from the land, some through death and others through exile in Babylon. It's a tragic story, but it reminds us that the Lord is serious about His covenant and our obedience. 

He WAS, He IS, and He always WILL BE, very, very serious about this commandment! This is the key to walking in THE BLESSING! Let's "become who we really are"!  We are HIS workmanship! He created each of us with a unique call, plan and purpose in His kingdom and "for such a time as this"!

Shalom in Him!