Tag: Kingdom

Living God, Steadfast love

Psalms 86:1    Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.  Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.  Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.  Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.  Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.  In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.  There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.  All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.  For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.

Isaiah 61:3     to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 66:13     As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.  You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.

Psalms 62:8    Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

Psalms 143:8     Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Exodus 15:11     “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Daniel 6:26     I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.  He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”

There is a peace that comes to mind when reading these verses.  They speak of God’s dominion, rescuing power, signs, wonders, comfort, holiness, refuge, deliverance, grace, and steadfast love.  These words speak of our LIVING GOD.  They were spoke in during times of trouble or immediately after being delivered.  The depth of the heart cry speaks of the hope and trust they had in God.  The out pouring of praise and worship during their time of trouble reveals their heart and soul reliance in God.  God’s signs and wonders are  around us if our eyes, ears, heart and mind desire to seek, hear, and see His work.  We might see the change of heart at work in people.  We may see joy in someones life.  We may see deliverance from sin.  We may see conviction, confessing and true forgiveness.  We may see peace that passes all understanding.  We may find hope when it appears there is none.  We may have victory over a besetting sin.  We have understanding and knowledge from His word.  We may have success over a difficult task.  Spend time in His word.  Seek to know and understand the depths of His power, might, and steadfast love.  Choose to be a humble servant, ever thankful, ever seeking to honor, ever wanting to follow, and heart set on obedience.

Thankful – God will supply all our needs

“Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?”

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered”

Psalms 84:4  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!  Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.  As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.  They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.  O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!  Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!  For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! 

Philippians 4:19     And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalms 34:9     Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!  The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Proverbs 2:7     he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

Proverbs 28:6    Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

Have you ever thought of what it is that hinders walking with God?  Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, greed, and pride all lead down a path of ever wanting and never finding.  These are all temporary satisfactions that have no end and will never satisfy the heart, soul and mind.  Satisfaction the world offers is tied to that which cannot satisfy the heart and soul.  Searching for satisfaction outside of God is like chasing the wind – (never caught – only a temporary sensory feeling – always changing direction). Those who desire and seek God choose to be humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him.  Their eyes are on Him and eternity promised.  Holiness, purity, genuine love, kindness, faith, hope, generosity, obedience, service, and humbleness replace complacency, neglect, lust, greed, and worldly satisfaction.  Their hope is in the Lord.  Their trust is in the Lord.  Their strength is in Him.  Their peace is in Him. Their want is to honor Him.  Their desire is to serve, follow and obey Him. Their wisdom and food for life this side of eternity is found in His word and promises.

No condemnation

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.”  He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.  For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.  Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Daniel 2:44   And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people

Psalms 2:12    Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

1 John 5:10    Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.  And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

John spoke “He must increase, but I must decrease.” These words are a very good principal for us to follow.  In our life we continue to battle “Me, Myself, and I”.  They always want to battle for control, direction, and purpose.  Pride of the heart and lust of the eyes are close companions and helps fuel this battle.  We choose each day rather to yield to self or yield to Christ and the Holy Spirits direction for our lives.  The more time we spend in His word the more we see the true landscape of this battle.  It is at the very core of our nature and does not take much time in His word to recognize just how great this battle is.  to fight this battle start each day with His word recognizing “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Shame and disgrace

 

Psalms 83:16  Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD. Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace,  that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalms 9:19    Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you!  Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but men!

Psalms 9:16    The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

2 Kings 19:19    So now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone.”

Jeremiah 16:21    “Therefore, behold, I will make them know, this once I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the LORD.”

Ezekiel 38:23    So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Isaiah 42:8    I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

Daniel 4:25    till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.

These scriptures are directed at those who deny God, His power, might, glory, and holiness.  At some point there will be awareness and shame as they stand before God and see with their eyes and know with their mind.   In this denial judgement and destruction waits.  It is an obvious end for those who reject God.  However believers need to be mindful that God is not to be something of second thought or insurance policy in time of need.  What good does it profit anyone of us to have a form of godliness in our lives but not have any substance.  When scripture speaks of God’s love it is in depth and width both being endless / forever / steadfast.  When it speaks of His power it is in unlimited power / strength / might.  This is the God who is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor.  Serve Him more fully each day.  Learn of Him more fully each day.  Honor Him more fully each day. Listen to whispers of His voice leading more fully each day.  And obey His leading more fully each day.

 

Sheep of His pasture

“ Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

“for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.”

“ And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.”

Zechariah 9:16  On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!

Isaiah 62:3    You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Isaiah 40:10    Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

Ezekiel 34:22-26   I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.

Ezekiel 34:31     And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.”

Micah 5:4    And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

Luke 12:32    “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Psalms 31:19    Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!

In Ezekiel – And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD.”  what does it mean to be His sheep?  God’s word says that His sheep hear his voice and follow Him.  How do we hear His voice and follow what God is saying? A good place to start is in His word with a heart and soul deep desire to hear Him speak truth into your life.  Another place is to be in fellowship with others who have this desire.  There are so many things in this word that pull us away and water down our commitment to listen and follow Him.  It takes strength and courage and commitment (Desire) to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.  Like they say when is the best time to plant a tree – 30 years ago, the second best time is today.  Today is a good day to fully commit to Him.

Fortress of Faith

“Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

“I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.  Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

Psalms 59:16  But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

Psalms 21:13   Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.

Psalms 106:8   Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power.

Psalms 145:11   They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,

Exodus 15:6    Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.

Psalms 31:7    I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,

Psalms 86:13    For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Psalms 89:1    I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 30:5    For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Psalms 61:2  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.

2 Corinthians 1:10     He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Psalms 77:2    In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

Psalms 138:7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.

These verses just lift your soul don’t they?  It is very easy to be overcome with the trouble at hand.  Even if we have a relationship with God it seems the only way to know how strong our faith is, is when we have exhausted all of our personal power and strength, and have no where else to turn.  Things outside of our control can and do affect us.  Try as hard as we can we simply do not have power to control much of it.  However God has control of it all.  He has a purpose and plan for each of us.  His plan never fails.  His plan and purpose is perfect.  He can do all things.  And above all of this He loves us and will lead us.  It is easy to say all of this but in the time of trouble our heart and mind find it hard to let go and say “God is in control and I am content”.  These times will show the weakness of the fortress of our faith.  This is life and our walk with God.  Precept upon precept, line upon line, we grow in our faith, understanding, and knowledge of God.  Peter put it this way: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 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. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” We all have room to grow – let it start with praise and commitment to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God.

Why are you afraid?

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

“And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”

“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”

Psalms 46:10  “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress

Psalms 27:3    Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Hebrews 13:6   So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Luke 21:9  And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”  Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

Luke 21:25  “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,  people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Matthew 21:21   And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Luke 21:33   Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

2 Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

There is much in the world that does not make any sense at all.  We hear the news all the time of things happening around the globe.  Some of this surely would bring fear if there is no God.  Surely we have right to be afraid.  But that is not what His word tells us.  He says there will be signs. In Hebrews it says “the Lord is my helper, I will not fear, what can man do to me.  In Psalms it says “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.” We are told to trust in Him alone who is our fortress, refuge, and hope.  My wife and I were listening to a pod cast the other night and the man speaking said what is the worst that can happen to you in trusting God?  You die and go to heave to be present with Him forever!!!  Though there are troubles around us we have nothing to fear – God is bigger than any of them.  He is sovereign and has purpose for each of our lives.  Nothing will thwart His purpose and plan.  Place your trust and faith in Him.  Do you want to grow your faith? Do you want to have confidence to face whatever may come?  Spend time in His word daily.  Pray to Him.  Humble serve, honor and obey Him.  Truly desire to know Him.

His Throne Forever

“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”

“May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!  Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.  Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!”

Psalms 45:6  Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness

Psalms 89:29   I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.

Psalms 89:36  His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me.  Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.”

Psalms 93:2    Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.

Psalms 145:13   Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]

Daniel 2:44    And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,

Luke 1:32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Hebrews 1:8   But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

Isaiah 9:6  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Jeremiah 23:5  “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

These scriptures surely give us a glimpse of everlasting throne of God, His plan to call unto Himself a people, and security in trusting in Him.  What we see and understand now is hampered by our sinful nature, but there is coming a time when we will be raised with new bodies that will never die and will be in the presence of God securely, forever, without end.  This is is promised to all who believe in, rely on, cling to, and trust in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  For this reason we humbly serve, follow, honor and glorify Him, waiting for reuniting with Him forever.  It is hard for us to imagine being imperishable, having a new body that will never die, and live in His presence where there is no more pain, death, or worries.  In Isaiah He tells us that He will create a new heaven and earth.  Live for Him now.  Follow and serve Him now.  This is our purpose this side of eternity.

As a Deer Pants

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.”

Psalms 119:62   At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.

Matthew 6:33   But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Psalms 42:1  AS a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

Psalms 119:147  I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.  My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.

Psalms 63:1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

Psalms 63:6  when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;  for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

Psalms 84:2    My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psalms 143:6  I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.   Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit.

Isaiah 26:8  In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.  My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Psalms 130:6    my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Fret Not

“He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more; he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.”

Psalms 37:7  Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!  Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Psalms 37:35  I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.  But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.

Psalms 55:23  But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.

Job 20:27 The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.  The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s wrath.  This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.”

Job 27: 19  He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more; he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.  Terrors overtake him like a flood; in the night a whirlwind carries him off.  The east wind lifts him up and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.  It hurls at him without pity; he flees from its power in headlong flight

Isaiah 58:14  then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Psalms 25:13   His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.

Isaiah 60:21  Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.

Hebrews 11:16  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Revelation 5:10  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

I found this commentary and and thought it so appropriate for these verses today: This is a psalm, grappling with the problem of the inequality of human life and the apparent failure of God to reward His servants and punish His enemies as they deserve. Life and immortality, where we know that the balance will be readjusted, had not then been brought to light, and therefore the solution was far harder before the advent of our Lord than for us.

But though the psalmist’s solution is therefore not complete, his teaching of the blessedness of absolute trust in God’s providence is very delightful. Fret not thyself; that is, do not give way to passionate resentment or bitter disappointment. Live in God; find your delight in contemplating His nature and His works; roll on Him the decision of your life-choices; trust in Him to supply all your need and work in your behalf. Be silent and rest