Tag: His name

50.s. Wilderness – 14.y. ““Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings”

 

Deu 10:17-22  For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

 Joshua 22:22     “The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows;

 1 Chronicles 16:25-26    For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

 Psalms 136:2   Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.

 Daniel 2:47     The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries

 Revelation 17:14    They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

 Revelation 19:16     On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

 Nehemiah 1:5    And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

 Psalms 99:3    Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!

 2 Chronicles 19:7    Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the LORD our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”

When God requires us to show justice, compassion, and reverence, it is because these virtues answer to aspects in God’s own character. The obedience God calls us to is always set in the context of what He did for us. Our service and obedience unto the LORD is based on what He has done for us and is to be the grateful response to His goodness. If there is a lack in obedience and reverence, there is almost always a lack of appreciation for what the LORD has done. Any wisdom, beauty, or skill we show is not to our praise. (Guzik)

We are here taught our duty to God in our principles and our practices. We must fear the Lord our God. We must love him, and delight in communion with him. We must walk in the ways in which he has appointed us to walk. We must serve him with all our heart and soul. What we do in his service we must do cheerfully, and with good will. We must keep his commandments. There is true honour and pleasure in obedience. We must give honour to God; and to him we must cleave, as one we love and delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations. We are here taught our duty to our neighbour. God’s common gifts to mankind oblige us to honour all men. And those who have themselves been in distress, and have found mercy with God, should be ready to show kindness to those who are in the like distress. We are here taught our duty to ourselves. Circumcise your hearts. Cast away all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you from fearing and loving God. (Henry)

27.a. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out”

 

Ephesians 1:7  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

 Acts 20:28    Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

 Matthew 20:28     even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 Hebrews 9:14      how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

 1 Peter 2:24    He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

 Daniel 9:9     To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

 Acts 2:38   And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 Acts 3:19     Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

 Acts 10:43   To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

 1 John 1:7-9    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The redemption and forgiveness given to us come according to the measure of the riches of His grace. It is not a “small” redemption or forgiveness won by Jesus on the cross. It is immense. It is huge. It is all-encompassing. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. We can never be good enough to be worthy of it. We can’t buy it. Such it is a free gift, to all who would believe.  If you can’t earn it and you aren’t good enough to deserve it how does it work that we can receive it? We or a least a majority of us were brought up knowing there are consequences for our actions.  We were taught that doing bad or wrong things got punishment.  We would know right from wrong and choose to do wrong hoping we might not get caught.  If we did get caught we knew there was a price to pay.  Sometimes we might even do something not a thing was bad but it was.  

When we start to become aware of God and His Holiness, and we realize our sinfulness, we see a huge gap. Scripture says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, “No one does good, no not anyone”. We see our sin in the reflection of God’s Holiness.  Try as hard as we might there is nothing we can do to make ourselves right before God.  We know the consequence of sin is death and separation from God and the consequence of this is eternal hell.  What must we do?  How can a person be saved from this? When the people in Jerusalem heard the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it says they were cut to the heart and asked; “What must we do to be saved?”  With mankind it is impossible but with God it is.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that who so ever would believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  The debt no man can pay was paid in full by Jesus Christ for all who would believe, trust, rely on, and cling to, by faith, in Jesus Christ for their redemption.  

How many will end up in Hell because they choose to not believe?  How many will end up in Hell because they think they are good enough to be allowed eternal life in heaven?  How many voids their minds of thinking about eternity at all?  How many neglect this offer of salvation because of pride in themselves?  How many we be tormented forever and ever in Hell for eternity because they do not believe the consequences of their sin deserve Hell? 

There is but one way to Heaven.  Jesus Christ.  He paid the full price of your sin debt.  Humbly surrender, repent and turn away from what you once were, and fully trust, believe, rely on, and cling to Jesus Christ by faith.  At the moment you believe in Him you are born again and your sin before God is as if it were never there.  He has forgiven you and remembers it no more.  The new life begins and you are a new creation.  The life you will now live has a singular purpose, to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all you say, think, and do forevermore.  Do not neglect or reject the gift of salvation.

9.v. “Because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God,”

Amos 4:4  “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord God. “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither; so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

This is very breathtaking news that Amos was prophesying.  God spoke to His people through Amos and proclaimed their sin and His actions that were intended to bring them back to Him.  What does it say they did? “yet you did not return to Me”.  Five times He reminded them that He was the one that was the author of the trial they were going through.  Five separate times He caused trials to bring them back to Himself but they chose to remain oblivious to these trials coming from His hand.  How many years did all of this transpire over and how many people allowed themselves to be led astray by the words of others who stood fast in their belief that God was not behind the calamities that they were experiencing?  What need is there to come to God if He is not seen as the author of their trials?  What need is there to acknowledge their sinful ways, repent and turn back to God?  Belief, or the lack thereof, has a way of defining the way we see what is happening and how we live each day.  Let it not be said of us “yet you did not return to me”

7.r. These have been redeemed from mankind

Revelation 14:1  Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

The Book of Revelation can get heavy on our hearts at times.  The amount of death, judgment, and tribulation is extensive and can be overwhelming.  Our hearts should break with the knowledge of what we are reading is going to impact real people someday. The violence recorded in Revelation is both a warning and before it happens and foretelling of what will happen.  This great tribulation is God’s wrath and anger and judgment, and where Satan has been given leeway on earth to carry out God’s plan of persecutions, destruction, death, famine, disease, war, and false prophecy.  Here in Chapter 14, we see a message of hope, a break from these judgments, not that there is a break in what is happening on earth but more for the reader to keep their eyes on the Lamb of God and the importance of this over pending judgment. With all that we have read so far during the tribulation period and the death of those who have been martyred for their faith, these 144,000 having been sealed by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, have been kept whole.  What a glimpse of God’s grace.  He keeps His messengers safe and from harm to proclaim salvation in and throughout the tribulation time.  It may not seem like it with all that we have read so far.  However, during this time of the wrath, anger, and judgment of God we still see His grace.  Those who will listen and open their heart, mind, and soul to the message of Christ will be eternally saved but will suffer the consequences of their delayed obedience.  It is their delayed obedience in trusting Jesus Christ, repenting, seeking forgiveness, redemption, and salvation, which has resulted in them missing the time of God’s grace on earth with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

People yet to be created

Psa 102:18  Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:  that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,  to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,  that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,  when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

Psalms 71:18    So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 78:4-6    We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

John 20:31     but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Romans 15:4     For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11     Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction

2 Timothy 3:16-17     All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Write it down so that there is a record for future generations.  These generations then can be told and read of the Awesome Power, Love, Promises, Might, Saving Grace, Mercy and Holiness of God.  This scripture is not something from the mind and thought of mankind, but from God,  and speaks of that which brings purpose and direction to our lives this side of eternity.  It shines light into the darkness of lost hearts and souls.  It brings hope to the lost.  It brings the good news of salvation.  It brings praise, joy, and humbleness to those who choose to serve, honor, follow and obey the Creator and Author of all there is and will be.  Scripture has been given to us so that we can grow in our knowledge and understanding of the one and only true God.  It has also be given so that we are able to share it with others.  Blessed are the feet of those who bring good news.

Living for Jesus

“To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

John 20:11  But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.  They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”  Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).  Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”  Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.   If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Matthew 10:16     “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Matthew 28:18    And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Luke 24:46  and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,  and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 2:38     And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 13:38     Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,  and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Forgiveness of sin comes to all who believe and are called.  Our lives are no longer without purpose.  We are to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.  We are to make disciples.  We are to receive the Holy Spirit.  We are to walk in humbleness.  We are to follow and obey.  We are to honor God.  We are to be thankful in all circumstances.  We are to seek and desire Him.  We are to be different from those who do not know or live for Jesus Christ.  We are to be the light to those in darkness.  We are to study His word.  We are to keep our focus on Him and eternity.  We are to pray. We are to be kind.  We are to communicate hope, peace, love, and joy.  We are to find our purpose in humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God for His glory. Our life is no longer ours to live but His to live through us.

I go prepare a place

“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.”

John 14:1  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going.”

John 14:18     “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.  In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Matthew 25:32-34    Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

2 Corinthians 5:6     So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,  for we walk by faith, not by sight.  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

1 John 3:2    Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Revelation 22:3     No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

We will see Him.  He will be our light. We will be with Him forever.  We will be like Him.  We are His children.   We are blessed and have a kingdom to look forward to.  God loves us. He will not leave us.  He will come to us.  He will prepare a place for us. He will take us to Himself.  Our home will be with Him.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen.  We walk by faith and have courage because of this faith. Our faith is built on Jesus Christ and through Him these promises are ours.  Through these promises we have reason to live and can face whatever troubles come our way.  We have peace that passes worldly understanding because He lives and is coming again to take us to Himself.  Will He find us waiting and looking forward to His return?  Set your mind on humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him until we see Him again and live with Him forever and ever.