Tag: King

Light of the world

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

“ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

“I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

“for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

Psalms 107:10  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,  for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.  So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!   For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

 Luke 1:79     to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 Isaiah 42:7     to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

 Isaiah 60:1-3    Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Exodus 2:23-24     During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.  And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

 Job 36:8-9     And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction,  then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

 Romans 6:20-21     For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.  But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

 Acts 26:18  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5     But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.  For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

I wonder if we get confused with what is light and what is darkness.  For sure we know the physical difference between night and day, light and dark. However when it comes to sin darkness, do we see it? do we own it? do we understand it? do we know the author of darkness?  When it comes to sin darkness, sometimes, it binds us in chains, blinds our eyes, and makes our senses unable to see or feel the love and light of Christ.  We grope around trying to find a path forward.  Sometimes we end up in darkness be cause we neglect the light.  Other times we just plan fail to run to the light, choosing rather to remain in the darkness.  What are we to do when we see someone in darkness?  Show them the light.  Encourage them with the light.  Proclaim the light.  And at other times allow the light of Christ flow through you.  We all have found ourselves in darkness.  Allow God to use you as a light to others and always pointing to Him alone.

Psalm 99

Psalms 99:1  The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.  Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.   Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!  Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them. In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.  O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.  Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!

Matthew Henry Commentary:

Still we are celebrating the glories of the kingdom of God among men, and are called upon to praise him, as in the foregoing psalms; but those psalms looked forward to the times of the gospel, and prophesied of the graces and comforts of those times; this psalm seems to dwell more upon the Old-Testament dispensation and the manifestation of God’s glory and grace in that. The Jews were not, in expectation of the Messiah’s kingdom and the evangelical worship, to neglect the divine regimen they were then under, and the ordinances that were then given them, but in them to see God reigning, and to worship before him according to the law of Moses. Prophecies of good things to come must not lessen our esteem of good things present.

I like how Matthew ends this commentary with the statement of good things to come and good things present.  Sometimes we get overwhelmed with the present and which, somehow, we were ushered into the presence of Jesus, leaving this world behind.  Our God reigns and we are not to forget that even in the present and what overwhelms us, we are to turns our eyes to Him alone.  He has said to lay our burdens on Him, we are to trust Him.

98 Psalm

Psalms 98:1    Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.  He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.  Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!  Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!  With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!  Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!  Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together  before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

A excerpts from commentary in “TheVine” on the 98 Psalm – If the grace of God put a new heart into our soul, it will put a new song into our mouths. Let this new song be sung to the praise of God. Let us praise him for the discoveries made known to the world, work of redemption, and his salvation and righteousness fulfilling the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament wonders he has given to us. The Redeemer has overcome all difficulties in the way of our redemption, and was not discouraged by the services or sufferings appointed him.. In the purpose of His design, God raised up his Son Jesus to be a Light to all mankind.  The Redeemer has overcome all difficulties in the way of our redemption, and was not discouraged by the sufferings appointed him for our sin. Surely it motivates us to inquire whether He has gotten the victory in our hearts, over the power of Satan, unbelief, and sin? If this be our happy case, we will sing songs of joy and thanksgiving; our lives will celebrate the Redeemer’s honor, glory and praise.

Joyful Noise

Psalms 95:1  Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!  For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.  Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!  For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,  when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.  For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.”  Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”

Singing and making a joyful noise seems to be an outpouring of knowing your salvation is anchored, you live in the presence of God, you see the magnitude of His creation, you have experienced the Shepherd’s guiding hand, and you have heard His voice and followed and obeyed Him.  Stay close to Him, honor Him, praise Him, give thanks to Him, kneel to Him, and worship Him.

Who satisfies you with good

Psalms 90:14  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Psalms 36:7   How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.  They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

Psalms 63:3     Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.  So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.  My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

Psalms 65:4     Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

Psalms 103:3     who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,  who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,  who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Zechariah 9:17    For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!

Psalms 23:6     Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalms 85:6    Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

Psalms 86:4     Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Psalms 149:2     Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

Philippians 4:4     Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Psalms 145:7     They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.  The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

John 3:16     “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 3:1     See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

2 Peter 1:4     by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

What are we looking for to satisfy us?  Where are we looking for this satisfaction to come from?  How do we know what true satisfaction is? The world continually throws lies to us in what will satisfy us.  These lies come in the form of how much better our life will be, how much higher others will think of us, and how much better we will think of ourselves.  Are we satisfied with the precious promises of God?  Are we satisfied with His purposes and plans for our life? Are we satisfied with His grace, mercy, and love?  Or, are we looking for more in the wrong places?  Trying to find satisfaction outside of the presence, purpose and plans of God is like chasing wind.  It is always elusive.  When was the last time you went to buy something and had such high hopes of it giving you satisfaction – in the end it was just another thing that did not fully satisfy.  It was temporary.  The only lasting satisfaction is found in and through Jesus Christ, with a desire to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Him.

I must decrease

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.”

“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Malachi 3:1  “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

Mark 1:2  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,  the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’

Luke 7:26  What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’  I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

John 3:28  You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’  The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.  He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Acts 13:24-25    Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

There was a 400 year gap between the last prophet and the coming of Christ.  God sent a messenger to prepare the way and His name was John.  John preached repentance in line with humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God.  This was the single purpose in John’s life.  Honoring God through complete submission to His will.  Notice how John new his place – “I must decrease” and again when he says “I am not worthy to untie His sandals.”  John committed to God.  He served Him with his whole heart, mind and soul.  It would be good for each of us to remember to be humble and allow God in our lives to increase and our fleshly desire to decrease.  Think about and seek God in what areas of your life He should increase.

Refuge / Rock / Shelter

“ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

“He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”

“For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.”

Psalms 61:1  Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;  from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,  for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

Psalms 5:1 Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.  Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.

Psalms 55:1  Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!  Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan,

Deuteronomy 4:29    But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Psalms 139:9  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalms 18:46   The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation

Psalms 62:2   He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

What keeps us from calling on God and seeing Him as a place of refuge and our fortress?  Could it be we don’t see a need for Him in our life?  I wonder if our need for God is a direct correlation to amount of time we spend in His word.   Scripture clearly tells us to seek Him, desire Him, obey Him, believe Him, trust Him, rely on Him, love Him, hope in Him, sing to Him, have peace in Him, praise Him, pray to Him, and listen to Him.   When we spend time in His word the more we hear His quiet voice leading us down paths that bring honor and glory to Him.  How can we call on someone we hardly know?  How can we hold on to His promises if we don’t know what they are?  How will we know sin in our life if we can’t compare our actions with what is expected in His word?  We become passive, complacent, lukewarm, and have an appearance of being close to God but in reality our substance is shallow words without action.  Action from the heart that leads us to repentance, action from the heart the leads us to give, action from the heart that allows us to forgive, action from the heart that leads us to praise, action from the heart that leads us to confess, action from the heart that allows us to be wronged, action from the heart that runs to God.  We would do well to spend time in His word, listen for His whispers of guidance, follow and obey Him.

Discern, Know, Understand

“Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them;” 

Hos 14:9  Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

Psalms 107:43  Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Proverbs 1:5-6   Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

Proverbs 4:18  But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

John 18:37   Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

John 8:47   Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
Job 34:10-12 “Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.  For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.

Hosea has been a very good book to study.  I am amazed at how many times knowing and understanding God was mentioned.  The moral condition of the people was corrupt and God was ignored. Even with all of these warnings many did not return to God.  What does it take to get us to return to God?  Do we not take them serious?  Do we expect our lives to be any different than those  before us who chose to ignore God?  Do we expect understanding and knowledge of Him and His purpose in our lives if we neglect His word?  We are encouraged to draw onto Him so that our eyes, hears, and mind are opened to His holiness, love, mercy, grace,  atonement, righteousness, gentleness, wrath and judgement.  Ignorance and neglect have a price on our soul.  Do not neglect Him in your life.  Choose to commit each day to Him and study His word to become a workman who is not ashamed of the life led this side of eternity.