Psalms 108:7-9 (ESV Strong's)
God has promised in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Subject: God's Sovereignty
In the above passage God is claiming that He is King and Ruler over the land that Israel will possess. The nation was given the land by God, but God is the King of the Land. This Psalm demonstrates God's sovereign rule over the affairs of man and the possessions of man. Our nation's today think they and their rulers are in charge. This passage shows us that God is the ultimate King of the Universe. National leaders should recognize that they are only sitting in the chair of leadership in their countries. God is the Sovereign King over all. Shechem and Succoth are the extreme east and west of the land. God is claiming it all. It is ultimately based, however, on the promises of God that He would give the land to the nation of Israel. At the end of verse four of this section the writer (King David) states that God's "faithfulness reaches to the clouds." This above section is an example of God being faithful to the nation and giving them His possessions. The nation of Israel would get to the point that they would think this was "their" land. But, it was a gift from God. God had bestowed this to them. We must praise God for His faithfulness and His sovereign rule over the affairs of man.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Subject: Purpose - 1 Chronicles 25-29
1 Chronicles 29:17-18 (ESV Strong's)
I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.
Subject: God's Purpose in our Hearts
King David was rejected in regard to his desire to build the Temple. Instead, God wanted David's son, Solomon, to build it. But, that did not stop David from preparing all the materials for the building of said Temple. David inspired the people of God to give to the project, as well. In the above passage they are celebrating that God had put into their hearts this purpose. David's praise and prayer to God was that the people would not just have this purpose now (to give of their wealth to God) but would have the purpose of pleasing God in their hearts and thoughts, forever!!! We can be so fickle as believers. We get high at the worship service but by Wednesday of that week we are low and non-responsive in our walk with God. David's prayer was a that the people would never lose this purpose in their lives. Keeping the purposes of God in the heart and mind is the summarization of Godliness. Jesus told us that the whole Law could be summed up in loving the Lord our God and keeping Him in our hearts and minds; and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We are to love God and have His purpose at the very center of our lives. This is not to be a brief time in our lives or a few times in our lives. We are to have the purposes of God in our lives always.
I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.
Subject: God's Purpose in our Hearts
King David was rejected in regard to his desire to build the Temple. Instead, God wanted David's son, Solomon, to build it. But, that did not stop David from preparing all the materials for the building of said Temple. David inspired the people of God to give to the project, as well. In the above passage they are celebrating that God had put into their hearts this purpose. David's praise and prayer to God was that the people would not just have this purpose now (to give of their wealth to God) but would have the purpose of pleasing God in their hearts and thoughts, forever!!! We can be so fickle as believers. We get high at the worship service but by Wednesday of that week we are low and non-responsive in our walk with God. David's prayer was a that the people would never lose this purpose in their lives. Keeping the purposes of God in the heart and mind is the summarization of Godliness. Jesus told us that the whole Law could be summed up in loving the Lord our God and keeping Him in our hearts and minds; and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We are to love God and have His purpose at the very center of our lives. This is not to be a brief time in our lives or a few times in our lives. We are to have the purposes of God in our lives always.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Subject: Grace to others - Numbers 18-20
Numbers 20:14-21 (ESV Strong's)
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. And when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.
Subject: Grace for others
The Christian life is about receiving and giving grace. God gave us grace and we are to give others grace. Grace is the oil that smooths out life and gives life. Think about how refreshing it is to have someone give you grace. When you mess up and make a huge mistake and they extend to you grace!! Think of how it is when we sin and sin and sin and God, in His abundant love for us gives us grace. Think about the truth of the that and the feeling that follows that truth. In the above passage, however, the Edomites did not have grace. They did not allow Moses and the people to pass through their land where God wanted them to go. Not only did that offend the nation of Israel, it also offended God and violated the character of God. The prophet Obadiah would eventually prophesy destruction against the Edomites for their lack of Grace. Edom was a descendant of Essau. Essau sold his birthright to Jacob (Israel) for some stew. Edom's lack of forgiveness and grace is what is pictured above. We should be a forgiving and people of Grace. That is an example of God's grace and magnifies Him!!!
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. And when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory. Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King's Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.” And the people of Israel said to him, “We will go up by the highway, and if we drink of your water, I and my livestock, then I will pay for it. Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.” But he said, “You shall not pass through.” And Edom came out against them with a large army and with a strong force. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.
Subject: Grace for others
The Christian life is about receiving and giving grace. God gave us grace and we are to give others grace. Grace is the oil that smooths out life and gives life. Think about how refreshing it is to have someone give you grace. When you mess up and make a huge mistake and they extend to you grace!! Think of how it is when we sin and sin and sin and God, in His abundant love for us gives us grace. Think about the truth of the that and the feeling that follows that truth. In the above passage, however, the Edomites did not have grace. They did not allow Moses and the people to pass through their land where God wanted them to go. Not only did that offend the nation of Israel, it also offended God and violated the character of God. The prophet Obadiah would eventually prophesy destruction against the Edomites for their lack of Grace. Edom was a descendant of Essau. Essau sold his birthright to Jacob (Israel) for some stew. Edom's lack of forgiveness and grace is what is pictured above. We should be a forgiving and people of Grace. That is an example of God's grace and magnifies Him!!!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Subject: Perseverance - 2 Timothy 3-4
2 Timothy 4:16-18 (ESV Strong's)
At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Subject: Perseverance
There is a doctrine of Christian living known as the "perseverance of the Saints." In the Calvin acrostic, "TULIP", the "P" is for perseverance. The doctrine, simply stated, means that those who have faith in Christ will persevere to the very end, because Christ will do the work necessary to make the secure. It means that once a person is justified and regenerated by the act of Christ through the ministry of the Spirit NOTHING can separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:29-39). In the above passage Paul is telling young Pastor Timothy that God has and will secure Paul to the end. Although no man may stand with us, those who stand for Christ and stand, by faith, in Christ, will be kept until the very end and secure to the end. There are some who believe that our actions, after faith for regeneration, keep us secure. This very plainly states that it is Christ who keeps us and Christ who gets the glory. If WE can keep ourselves saved WE would get the glory. We can't steal God's glory. God keeps us and deserves to be praised for that keeping!!! He will rescue us from every evil deed.
At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Subject: Perseverance
There is a doctrine of Christian living known as the "perseverance of the Saints." In the Calvin acrostic, "TULIP", the "P" is for perseverance. The doctrine, simply stated, means that those who have faith in Christ will persevere to the very end, because Christ will do the work necessary to make the secure. It means that once a person is justified and regenerated by the act of Christ through the ministry of the Spirit NOTHING can separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:29-39). In the above passage Paul is telling young Pastor Timothy that God has and will secure Paul to the end. Although no man may stand with us, those who stand for Christ and stand, by faith, in Christ, will be kept until the very end and secure to the end. There are some who believe that our actions, after faith for regeneration, keep us secure. This very plainly states that it is Christ who keeps us and Christ who gets the glory. If WE can keep ourselves saved WE would get the glory. We can't steal God's glory. God keeps us and deserves to be praised for that keeping!!! He will rescue us from every evil deed.
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Subject: Holy Spirit's Ministry - John 13-15
John 14:23 (ESV Strong's)
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Subject: Holy Spirit's Ministry
John 13-15 has so much to read and digest. Jesus is baring his heart to His disciples. They are learning things they won't even grasp until His resurrection and accession. They are learning things about the next hours, days and centuries. They are also learning about the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in these chapters. Jesus promises them that, despite His going to heaven (a concept they could not understand) He was going to send them a "Comforter." In the above verse we see that Jesus is telling them that He loves them and He and the Father love them. But, he also says when He returns to the Father "THEY" will come to them and make a home with them. The only way that can happen is within the beauty and majesty of the Trinity. In the beginning of the chapter Jesus told them He was going away and was going to make a "Mansion" for them. The same word in that part of the passage (make "room" in the mansion) is used here to state He and the Father (through the ministry of the Holy Spirit) will come to make a "home" with them. Jesus is NOT leaving His disciples (or us). He sends the Spirit, who indwells us. He makes His home with us. He is at Home with us. We are at Home with Him IN us!! What a blessed truth!!
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
Subject: Holy Spirit's Ministry
John 13-15 has so much to read and digest. Jesus is baring his heart to His disciples. They are learning things they won't even grasp until His resurrection and accession. They are learning things about the next hours, days and centuries. They are also learning about the doctrine of the Holy Spirit in these chapters. Jesus promises them that, despite His going to heaven (a concept they could not understand) He was going to send them a "Comforter." In the above verse we see that Jesus is telling them that He loves them and He and the Father love them. But, he also says when He returns to the Father "THEY" will come to them and make a home with them. The only way that can happen is within the beauty and majesty of the Trinity. In the beginning of the chapter Jesus told them He was going away and was going to make a "Mansion" for them. The same word in that part of the passage (make "room" in the mansion) is used here to state He and the Father (through the ministry of the Holy Spirit) will come to make a "home" with them. Jesus is NOT leaving His disciples (or us). He sends the Spirit, who indwells us. He makes His home with us. He is at Home with us. We are at Home with Him IN us!! What a blessed truth!!
Friday, September 2, 2016
Subject: God's Sovereignty - Joel
Joel 2:11 (ESV Strong's)
The Lord utters his voice
before his army,
for his camp is exceedingly great;
he who executes his word is powerful.
For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome;
who can endure it?
Subject: God's Sovereignty
The above verse is taken from the section of Joel where the prophet is describing the army that will be used by God to discipline His children, Israel. Israel had disobeyed the commands of the Lord and God had told them if they did, they would suffer His hand of discipline for it. God would use an army (Babylon) to do the discipline. If you read the verses prior to the above verse you can see the devastation of this army. They are warring machine. They march forward and leave nothing behind that was in their path. Yet, they are not an army controlled by their own power and sovereign will. No, they are controlled by The Sovereign. God is the God who is in control. They are referred to as "his army." God is simply using this evil group of people to discipline His children. God uses evil leaders to discipline the people of God. Could He do that today? Are the issues we are having in our society today with evil leaders God's "army" to discipline His children? God is sovereign and the leadership of the world is not. They believe they are in control and even doubt and cast displeasure on the thought that God is sovereign. Yet, so too did Babylon. They, too, thought their were their own sovereigns. Yet, God was in charge. So, too, today!!!
The Lord utters his voice
before his army,
for his camp is exceedingly great;
he who executes his word is powerful.
For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome;
who can endure it?
Subject: God's Sovereignty
The above verse is taken from the section of Joel where the prophet is describing the army that will be used by God to discipline His children, Israel. Israel had disobeyed the commands of the Lord and God had told them if they did, they would suffer His hand of discipline for it. God would use an army (Babylon) to do the discipline. If you read the verses prior to the above verse you can see the devastation of this army. They are warring machine. They march forward and leave nothing behind that was in their path. Yet, they are not an army controlled by their own power and sovereign will. No, they are controlled by The Sovereign. God is the God who is in control. They are referred to as "his army." God is simply using this evil group of people to discipline His children. God uses evil leaders to discipline the people of God. Could He do that today? Are the issues we are having in our society today with evil leaders God's "army" to discipline His children? God is sovereign and the leadership of the world is not. They believe they are in control and even doubt and cast displeasure on the thought that God is sovereign. Yet, so too did Babylon. They, too, thought their were their own sovereigns. Yet, God was in charge. So, too, today!!!
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Subject: Counselor to Leadership - Proverbs 22
Proverbs 22:11
He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
Subject: Counselor to Leadership
Leadership loves those who promote Godliness in their life. Even if the leader is not a Godly man or women themselves, most leaders value a follower who has gracious speech and pure motives from the heart. There are, of course, corrupt leaders. Leaders (Kings) make friends with such people. At least they should. Leadership, good, moral leadership, surrounds themselves with quality people. You can often, if not always, spot great leaders based upon the people that are around them ... the people they surround themselves with. Immoral leaders don't care who they listen to. The story of Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12 is a good example of this. He surrounded himself with his friends from his youth and failed to see the value of listening to those who love purity and speak graciously. We ought to strive to be like Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar was a friend to Daniel. That's because Daniel was a walking example of this proverb. Pharaoh was a friend of Joseph because Joseph was a friend of God and fulfilled this proverb. The king is the friend to the one who acts like a king.
He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
Subject: Counselor to Leadership
Leadership loves those who promote Godliness in their life. Even if the leader is not a Godly man or women themselves, most leaders value a follower who has gracious speech and pure motives from the heart. There are, of course, corrupt leaders. Leaders (Kings) make friends with such people. At least they should. Leadership, good, moral leadership, surrounds themselves with quality people. You can often, if not always, spot great leaders based upon the people that are around them ... the people they surround themselves with. Immoral leaders don't care who they listen to. The story of Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12 is a good example of this. He surrounded himself with his friends from his youth and failed to see the value of listening to those who love purity and speak graciously. We ought to strive to be like Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar was a friend to Daniel. That's because Daniel was a walking example of this proverb. Pharaoh was a friend of Joseph because Joseph was a friend of God and fulfilled this proverb. The king is the friend to the one who acts like a king.
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