Tag: Blessed

8.v. “These words are trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 22:6  And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

Trustworthy and true – What is being said is deserving of our complete confidence. documents: (1) Jesus is returning one day – physically, visibly, in power and great glory; (2) we do not know the day or the hour of His return; (3) we should live in view of His imminent return; (4) when He comes, all people will know it; (5) Jesus will judge all people personally, rewarding believers according to their faithfulness and punishing unbelievers in varying degrees in hell; (6) He will create new heavens and a new earth, setting everything right; and (7) the glory of eternity with Christ will cause the “former things” of this world to fade away.

Phillips, Rob. The Searcher’s Guide to the Apocalypse:

8.m. Key to the bottomless pit

Revelation 20:1   Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

The accuser and slanderer, the one who deceives and leads people and nations on destructive God-denying, Jesus rejecting, self-centered, self-worthy, and self-satisfying paths straight to hell is bound and cast into a pit reserved for Satan and his followers.  There is no battle or prolonged fight where the victor is determined by will power and skill to overcome their opponent.  No there is Almighty and All-Powerful Jesus Christ who defeated death and holds the key to the bottomless pit, who by the word of His mouth sends an angel with the key to bind Satan and cast him in.  Satan has no power but what is allowed by God and at His word alone can be taken away in the blink of an eye.

So it is, Jesus is returning personally, visibly, and physically one day to set things right; He will raise the dead and judge them in righteousness; He will separate His own from those who have hung their stars on the prince of darkness; He will redeem our sinful and fallen world from the effects of the fall, resulting in new heavens and a new earth; and we will delight in His personal presence forever and ever.  All believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of our lives. This judgment does not determine our eternal destiny, for that is fixed on this side of death with the believer’s decision to trust in Christ. (Phillips, Rob)

There is a time fast approaching when the end times will come upon the earth.  It is important to know this prophetic ending but not near as important as knowing, surrendering, relying on upon, trusting in, following, believing in, and obeying Jesus Christ while you still have breath this side of eternity.  If you die without repenting of sin, trusting in and complete trust and humble service to Jesus Christ – Hell awaits you with deceitful, lying, open arms, welcoming you to eternal destruction.

Now is the time of salvation.  Now is the time of redemption.  Now is the time to repent and turn away from self-centered, self-satisfying, and self-reliant lies and deception of Satan.  Jesus awaits you, just as you are with wide open arms to welcome you into life with Him now and for eternity forever and ever.

8.j. “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Revelation 19:6  Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rather than praise God for his righteous judgment of the notorious prostitute, the multitude now exults in the coming reign of the Lord and the marriage of the Lamb. We should not imply from these words of celebration that our eternal and omnipotent God has ever failed to reign. The earth – indeed the whole universe – is always under His watchful eye and sovereign hand. The judgment of Babylon the Great signals the complete collapse of Satan’s rebellious kingdom. Yet we should comfort ourselves in knowing that the reign of God over all creation has never been in jeopardy.

In the days of Jesus, when a young man’s father negotiates a bride for his son, the two young persons are “espoused,” or engaged. This arrangement is binding and may only be dissolved through a formal bill of divorcement. Yet the young couple is kept apart for a lengthy period during which time a wedding chamber is prepared in the father’s house. The bride-to-be is to prepare herself for the wedding. She covers herself when in public so the world will know she is spoken for, and she keeps herself chaste for her wedding night. Finally, when the father declares that all is ready, the son travels to the bride’s home, accompanied by his friends, and calls her out of the house. Her father then gives her away, and the bride’s friends and family join the groom’s party and make their way to the father’s house where there is a celebration, often lasting for days. During that time, the groom and bride consummate their marriage. What a picture the Lord gives us in the Jewish wedding custom of the special relationship between Christ and the church. The Father arranges the wedding and pays a precious price for the bride – the death of His Son. The Son goes back to His Father’s home to prepare a place for the bride while she stays on earth and keeps herself chaste, watching for the day the groom returns in power and great glory. When that day arrives and the church age ends, Jesus steps into the clouds of heaven and calls out His bride. She is caught up into heaven and welcomed into the place prepared for her. There is a great celebration as Christ, His church, and friends of the wedding party rejoice over the wonderful works of God.  We may be confident that Jesus is in heaven today preparing a place for us, and that He has a purpose for us in time and eternity.

Phillips, Rob. The Searcher’s Guide to the Apocalypse:

7.z. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs

Revelation 16:12  The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

It is hard to see how the 1700 mile long river Euphrates could dry up.  But in the scope of what we are reading this is the easiest to understand.  The trilogy of the dragon, beast, and false prophet spew out three unclean spirits that perform signs and can convince the whole world to do battle against Israel.  We are given another glimpse of something in the future that is hard to wrap our minds around.  With all the division and isolation between countries how in the world can they be convinced to all join together for a war against the Israelites who have listened to God’s witnesses, repented, and have come to saving grace knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Zechariah 12:10  “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.”  Israel will realize what has happened and will mourn for Jesus Christ because of the way the nation treated Him when He first came to earth.  They now know Him as Savior, Redeemer, and Coming King.”

Those who follow the demonic spirit’s lies will come against Israel with a single focus and purpose.  They want to rid the earth of anything and anyone who God has called.  Anyone who has come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Anyone who has not taken the mark of the beast. Anyone who has not worshipped the beast.  The whole world will come against the Almighty God with the thought that with their numbers they can surely put an end to Him and those who follow Him.

Once again this prophecy is given with a message of hope too.  Blessed is the one who stays awake!  The ones who are looking for and believing in the pending return of Jesus Christ.  This same message of hope right now is during a time of the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ.  The difference between now (grace, mercy, and love) and the time of Tribulation (wrath, anger, and judgment of God) are not very great.  People reject living for Jesus now as they do then.  People reject repenting of their sin now as they to then.  People reject the surrender of their whole heart, mind, and soul to Jesus Christ now as they do then.  There is no real difference in the intentional choice people are making now and as they do then.  Denying Jesus Christ with unrepentant hearts whether now or then has the same eternal consequences – eternal damnation.

6.l. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door

Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Luke 12:36    and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

John 14:21-23    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.

Notes from Reggie A. Braziel: Who is that is standing at the door of the human heart?  It is JESUS CHRIST who stands at the door of our heart and knocks. Its not the preacher. Its not the pope. Its not the president. It is JESUS CHRIST, the Son of the living GOD.  It is the DIVINE One knocking on the door of the HUMAN.  It is the SINLESS One knocking on the door the SINFUL .  It is the INNOCENT One knocking on the door of the GUILTY.

Many have believed this is a picture of Christ knocking on the heart’s door of the unsaved wanting to come in and bring salvation. But we must remember these verses in their proper context. Jesus spoke these words at the end of His letter to the “lukewarm” Church at Laodicea. So it isn’t the heart’s door of unbelievers Jesus is standing at, its the heart’s door of lukewarm , self-sufficient Christians.

You and I are “the keepers of our own heart’s door.” We decide who we will let into our heart and who we will keep out. We decide who we will accept into our heart as a friend and who we will reject as an enemy or a stranger.  Jesus wants “full access” to our heart, not some of it, not most of it, He wants access to all of our heart. He wants to be our LORD…….and our KING……and our VERY BEST FRIEND. But how much access He has to your heart and mine is entirely dependent upon us.

Jesus is pleading for our attention! He is pleading for us to “Hear His voice!” How do we hear the voice of Christ? Does He speak to us audibly? Does He speak to us through signs? How do we hear His voice? We hear His voice through THE HOLY SPIRIT who communicates to us through the word of GOD.  Do you ever struggle with a sense of dissatisfaction in your spiritual life as though you aren’t where you ought to be in your walk with Christ? Do you ever get the sense that you are stuck in a spiritual wilderness and your Christianity has become dry and barren? Do you ever come under the conviction that your life isn’t as “fruitful” and “productive” as it ought to be? Do you ever come under the conviction that Christ is calling you into a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Him?

Hearing is NOT enough! There must also be ACTION.  Jesus will never barge through the door to your heart.  You must listen, open, and invite Him in.  The life of a Christian without desiring Christ in your heart, mind, and soul results in a lukewarm life that is not worthy of the price that was paid for your sin.

4.w. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Job 5:17   “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.

Psalms 94:12     Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law,

Proverbs 3:11-12   My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof,  for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

Jeremiah 31:18   I have heard Ephraim grieving, ‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the LORD my God.

Hebrews 12:5-11   And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.  For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”  It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Revelation 3:19    Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

There is something I have often thought about.  When we are going through a rough spell is it a trial to grow us in our reliance on Jesus Christ, discipline to make us aware of our wayward path and bring us to repentance and back to Jesus Christ, or because of our own doing and God allowing us to reap what we have sown.  Two of these are holy things of God toward us and one is apart and lonely.  Blessed is the one who is disciplined and taught out of His word.  Blessed is the man who is reproved by God.  Blessed is the man who is restored to a point of humble service, reliance, and obedience to God.

We do well to sure our heart and mind in light of His word to know if we are in a God give a trial, God-given discipline, or reaping what we have sown.  Staying in His word each day with a desire to honor and glorify Him will keep our heart and mind open to know and understand which of these we are experiencing.

4.d. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

Nehemiah 8:13  On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law.

Proverbs 2:1-6    My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding.  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Proverbs 8:33-34   Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.  Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

Mark 6:33-34    When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Blessed is the one who listens.  I wonder if we truly cherish God’s word.  Are we inching our hearts to understanding?  Are our ears attentive? Are we calling out for understanding?  Are we seeking God’s word for hidden treasures?  Do we hear instruction? Are we watching and waiting to hear and be led? God’s compassion, grace, mercy, purpose, plan, and love are revealed to those who seek it.  It is one thing to desire and seek God’s word and another to just be exposed to it.  There is a difference.  Exposure is not necessarily something that is desired but rather something that just happens.  If we take this approach to God’s word there is no effort, no commitment, no longing, no searching for it like a hidden treasure.

Now is a good time to examine our heart, mind, and soul to see if we are searching God’s word for hidden treasures or are content with complacent exposure.

3.d. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.

2 Chronicles 31:1  Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.

And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise. The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts, as it is written in the Law of the Lord. And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and laid them in heaps. In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. Azariah the chief priest, who was of the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”

Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with Shimei his brother as second, while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the chief officer of the house of God. And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was over the freewill offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the Lord and the most holy offerings. Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in the cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their brothers, old and young alike, by divisions, except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and upward—all who entered the house of the Lord as the duty of each day required—for their service according to their offices, by their divisions. The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathers’ houses; that of the Levites from twenty years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions. They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. And for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their cities, there were men in the several cities who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.

Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Leviticus 27:30 “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD’s; it is holy to the LORD.

Numbers 18:8-21   Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, “Behold, I have given you charge of the contributions made to me, all the consecrated things of the people of Israel. I have given them to you as a portion and to your sons as a perpetual due.

Malachi 3:8-10    Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.  You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.  Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

Giving to the Lord and willing to give to His work, purpose, and plans are our privilege.  Giving our meager offering to the Creator of all there is seems a bit meaningless on the surface.  What can we give that we weren’t given first by Him?  David put it like this; “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”  God does care for us.  He protects us. He has plans and purposes for us.  Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

This same God has asked us to give back to Him of our first and best.  He has given us the opportunity to choose to freely to obey to do this out of our reverence and humble service to Him.  He does not take it from us saying “that is Mine give it back” rather He blesses us with so much more than we can imagine and it seems through these blessings a man’s true heart, mind, and soul are tested.  We choose deep in our heart to follow and obey Jesus Christ.  We choose deep in our heart and soul to honor and glorify Him in our thoughts and actions.  We choose deep in our heart, soul, and mind to trust and rely on Him for what we have and need.  We have a battle in our heart and mind for these choices.  The battle between “it is mine and I am going to keep it and get more of it and trust in it” and “it has been given to me by God for His plans and purposes and I have purposed in my heart to hear Him speak and lead me in how to freely use it for His honor and glory.  Set your heart to be a cheerful giver, thankful giver, frequent giver, and one who finds great satisfaction in generosity.

3.b. Who sets his heart to seek God?

2 Chronicles 30:1   So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. However, some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.

And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly. They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the brook Kidron. And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. They took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord. For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers. The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven.

Isaiah 57:15     For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

When the men Hezekiah sent out to invite people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover there were those who mocked and laughed at them and then there were others who humbled themselves and came.  This is much like the invitation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is our responsibility to proclaim it and the responsibility of our hearers to humbly take hold of it or reject it.  We never know what the condition of the person’s heart is we are talking to.  We never know the working of God in their heart.  We never know.  However, we do know we are to proclaim the light of Jesus Christ to a dark and lost world.  We are to reflect the light of Jesus Christ, to His honor and glory, to every person we come into contact with throughout every moment of every day.  We know what we say and the actions of our life should be a testimony to the gospel and Jesus Christ.  In this “living out our faith” others hear and see how we humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust and obey Jesus Christ.  Our heart and mind are desiring to practice our faith and service to our Lord and Savior.  His word is a lamp unto our feet and light to our soul.

Spend time in His word and proclaim the wondrous glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1.d. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Chronicles 16:35  “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

Psalms 105:45    that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the LORD!

Psalms 79:9-10    Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!

Psalms 105:45    that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the LORD!

1 Peter 2:9     But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Chronicles 16:9-10    Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

A chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that WE, YOU, I, may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called US, ME, YOU out of darkness into His marvelous light.  We are to be set aside and conform to His word.  We are to meditate on His word.  We are to proclaim His word.  We are to rejoice in His word.  We are to obey His word.  We are to listen to His word.  We are to give thanks for His word.  We are to trust His word.  His word is Jesus Christ and in Him, we find salvation and deliverance for our souls.  We have much to praise Jesus Christ for but none more worthy than His love demonstrated in being a willing sacrifice for our/my sin.  He did this while I was yet a sinner and when the time was right, and my heart was softened, and I was aware of my sin and His redemption, and He called me to Himself, and I asked for forgiveness, repented and turned away from my self-centered sinful ways, and trusted in His redeeming blood, for this is the reason for eternal hope, everlasting joy, and Jesus honoring, and obeying lives.