Tag: light for the nations

46.b. “Wilderness” – 10.h. “The LORD bless you and keep you”

 

Num 6:24  The LORD bless you and keep you;

Psalms 91:11    For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

 Psalms 121:4   Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

 Isaiah 42:6    “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,

 John 17:11    And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

 Philippians 4:7   And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 1 Thessalonians 5:23   Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 1 Peter 1:5    who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 Jude 1:24     Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

I the Lord have called thee in righteousness in a righteous way and manner, consistent with his own perfections; and not against the will of Christ, but with his full consent concerning the welfare and salvation of his people; to perform his righteous promises of his coming, and of good things by him; to show his strict vindictive justice against sin, in the punishment of it; and to bring in an everlasting righteousness for his people. As the apple of his eye, being dear unto him; from being hurt by his enemies till the time came to be delivered into their hands; and from miscarrying in his work; and from the power of the grave, so as to be long detained in it. (Barnes)

 “Thus saith God, Jehovah, who created the heavens, and stretched them out; who spread the earth, and its productions; who gave the spirit of life to the people upon it, and the breath of life to them that walk upon it: I, Jehovah, I have called thee in righteousness, and grasped thy hand; and I keep thee, and make thee the covenant of the people. The Author of all being and all life, the Creator of the heaven and the earth, says, “I will keep you”. (Keil)

Who or what can remove us from the Hand of God and His care? No one and nothing. Who or what is more powerful than God? No one and nothing. Do uncomfortable and heart hurting situations, we find ourselves experiencing, keep us from the Love and Power of God? No. When God says He will bless you and keep you, does that mean we will not experience uncomfortable and heart-hurting situations? No. It does mean the Creator of all there is and who is all-powerful, and who is all-knowing, past present, and future, will bless us and keep us.  How this manifests in the life of a believer is limitless. It may come as peace, or rest, or hope, or faith, or steadfastness, or strength, or humbleness, or love as their total reliance rests in God alone. Whatever the uncomfortable or heart-hurting situation – God is able to Keep you and Bless you.

Walk Properly

”And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 12:35  So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

Psalms 22:16   For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—  I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;  they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

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.

1 Peter 3:18    For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

Galatians 3:13     Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

Romans 5:17     For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.  For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Revelation 5:9     And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

Isaiah 2:5     O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Isaiah 42:6    “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Romans 13:12     The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Psalms 69:22    Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.  Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.  Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.  May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents.  For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.  Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

Jesus Christ went to the cross to redeem all who would believe – to draw them unto Himself- to take us by the hand – to heal us – to make us righteous – to give us light – to give us armor to fight against darkness  – to keep us – ransom us from separation from God due to our sin – to make us alive in the spirit – to make us a new creation for humbly serving, following, honoring, obeying God.  Think on this today and what kind of life you are living in light of this glorious gift.  Read His word and pray asking Him to fill you with knowledge and understanding beyond human wisdom.  Praise His name for He is worthy.

If anyone serves Me

“And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength —  he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

“Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.”

John 12:23  And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

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.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Numbers 32:11    ‘Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me,

Ephesians 5:1   Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Revelation 14:4    It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb,

Matthew 16:24    Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Called, chosen, and redeemed are all describing those who wholly follow and serve Jesus Christ. Denying self, walking in love, and proclaiming His excellence are examples of those who wholly follow Him.  Our commitment is tied to our understanding and knowledge of the magnitude of our sin, our separation from Him, and the redeeming sacrifice of Christ to cleanse us from sin.  Don’t lose sight of this for it is easily replaced with cares of this world and what this world has to offer.  Spending time in His word feeds our souls with seeds of truth that help guide us through this life in a way the honors Jesus Christ.  I know many people who have gone through very difficult times and while in these times they came to a place where they realized they had no control, no power, no courage, and much confusion.  They fell on their knees, sought God, and spent time in prayer and in His word and each one of them said they were helpless but found peace in the midst of it and developed a much closer walk with Jesus.  They also said though the pain, anxiousness, and hurt they went through seemed unbearable they see it as the best thing that happened to them.  Why?? Because they found a taste of what it is like to be totally submitted to God and relying on, clinging to, and trusting in Him alone.  They found the peace of God that passes all understanding through surrendering their control and self interest into the hands of God.

This little light of mine

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

John 1:9  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 6:32    Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

John 14:6     Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Isaiah 49:6    he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

John 12:46    I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

1 Thessalonians 5:4    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.

The true light is given to everyone – Jesus said “I am the way the truth and life.  No one comes to the father except through me.” “For God so loved the word that He gave His only Son, who so ever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life”.  This light is given by and through the love of God.   The world/culture and satan will say things to diminish this light.  Remember the song – “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine” – “Not gonna let satan blue it out, I’m gonna let it shine.”  Each day we have opportunity to live in this light, reflect this light, and point people to this light.

You Shall Speak

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.“

Psalms 40:10  I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

Ezekiel 2:7   And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 3:17  “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.  If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

Acts 20:26  Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all,  for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Romans 3:22  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Isaiah 49:6    he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Luke 2:30  for my eyes have seen your salvation  that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

When was the last time you spoke of the gift of salvation to someone?  Are we not going to be held accountable for what we do with this gift from God?  I wonder who’s blood will be on my hand because I did not speak of God’s grace and mercy or speak of His warnings.  What kind of person would find an everlasting well of water in the desert and then not share it with those who were perishing from lack of water.  God’s grace, mercy, and love are to be shared, lived, believed, and unwaveringly held on to.  Choose to make a difference in the life of another person today – let them know God loves them so much He sent His Son to redeem them.