65 "O Grave, Where Is Thy Victory?"
"But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah." Psalm 49:15
I am old enough now, that I know my time left on earth is less than the time I have spent on earth. But even if I live to be a hundred, that is not a drop in the bucket compared to eternity. I can rejoice with the Psalmist in the promise that the grave has no power over my soul. I have a home in heaven! I may go the way of the clods, or the way of the clouds, but either way, I'm going to heaven when I die! If you know the Lord as your personal Lord and Savior, you have the same promise. Paul said it much better than I can. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15:51-58)
66. The Promise That God Hears Our Prayer
"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice." Psalm 55:17
Let's look at Luke 11:1-13 and see what the Lord Jesus said about prayer.
"1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
67. The Promise Of Springtime
"Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing." Psalm 65:9-13
I am ready for springtime. You may enjoy snow sports and like winter, but I am looking forward to warmer weather. We celebrated Christmas and New Years and had a little snow and I am ready to move on. We felt the warmth of our wood stove through the coldest nights and most of the old wood pile is gone, and I am ready for warmer days and nights. I am glad for the promise of springtime. God made the promise to Noah and his family after the flood in Genesis 8:22. "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." The yellow daffodils have already bloomed in the yard and even though the weather forecasters are calling for snow again, spring is just around the corner. "For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;" (Song of Solomon 2:11-12)
68. The Promise Of Reaping
"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:5-6
I don't know how long it has been since I heard of someone trusting the Lord for salvation. I want to see people saved. I pray for lost loved ones everyday. It is discouraging when I don't see my tears and prayers answered. But these verses give us a promise, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." We can't give up. We must continue to sow the seed, the blessed Word of God. We must continue to go, taking the gospel with us everywhere we go. Paul put it this way, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." (I Corinthians 3:6) Our part is to plant and water the seed, only God can save. I close with two verses I have mentioned before. "And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (Jude 22-23) As you go about your daily business, remember to sow as you go. And don't forget your tears, tears of love and compassion towards the lost and tears of fear for the path that is taking them to eternal destruction.
69. He Brought Us Out, To Bring Us In
"And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." Deuteronomy 6:23
There are more promises that I want to pick up from the book of Psalms, but I just finished reading the book of Deuteronomy and I want to mention a few of these while they are still fresh in my mind. Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy as his parting words to the twelve tribes of Israel as they were about to go in and possess the Promised Land. He reminds them of how God brought them out of Egypt and how, with the same power He would lead them into the land flowing with milk and honey. Then Moses reminded them of how God called him to the top of the mount and gave them the Ten Commandments and other laws to live by. He explained that they would be blessed if they obeyed the law, and would be cursed if they sought to worship other gods. There are several promises in the book of Deuteronomy, and even though they were made to the Children of Israel, I think there are things we can learn from these verses. The first I want to look at is Deuteronomy 6:23. "And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." I am not a Jew and I was not in bondage in the land of Egypt, but I was a lost sinner in bondage to sin. When the Lord saved me, He took away my sin and gave me everlasting life. He brought me out of a life of sin so that He could bring me in to everlasting life. "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:22-23) Christ also brought me out of darkness and into the Light. "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46) "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (II Corinthians 4:6) He brought me out of fear into the peace and joy of the Lord. "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1) "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (II Timothy 1:7) Yes, when the Lord saved me He brought me out... to bring me in. And when my time on earth is done, the Lord will bring me out of this world, in to a better place. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (I Thessalonians 4:14-17)
70. Promises For Those Who Keep God's Word
"Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." Deuteronomy 5:32-33
"Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." (Deuteronomy 6:3-7)
"Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers," (Deuteronomy 6:17-18)
While reading the book of Deuteronomy I noticed that over and over Moses told the Israelites that if they would heed God's commandments then God would bless them in the Promised Land. He even commandeded them to teach His Word to their children at all times. I understand that these words were written specifically to the Children of Israel, and since Jesus came we are under grace and not under the law. But, I think we can be sure that God still wants us to follow His Word. Deuteronomy 7:9-10 includes those that love God to a thousand generations, and I believe that we can be included in these verses. "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face." Even in the New Testament, we can see that love and obedience to God's Word go hand in hand with these words of our Lord. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) Simple as that!
71. We Have The Word Of God
“For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." Deuteronomy 30:11-14
I am so thankful for my Bible. I am also thankful that I was raised in a Christian home and church where I was encouraged to read God's Word. If we really stop and think about these verses it should make us feel blessed. "Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?" We have the Word of God, inspired by God, recorded for us so we can read it and hear it and do it. We have the Word of God, which can lead us to salvation. "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:15-17) Paul explains this further in Romans 10:6-13 "But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
72. God Gives Us A Song In The Night
"Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware." Deuteronomy 31:19-21
I came to the last verse I had marked in Deuteronomy and could not decide whether to use it or continue in Psalms. When I turned the pages in my Bible I came to Psalm 137 which begins, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land? " (Psalm 137:1-4) God told Moses to write a song so the Israelites would teach it to their children and remember His Word so that when they turned away from Him, and went into captivity, they would remember Him through song. We see this fulfilled in Psalm 137. They were carried into captivity and they remembered the Lord's song. They were too low in spirit to sing, but they remembered the Lord's song. Sometimes when we are low in spirit and too sick or saddened to read our Bible, God can bring a song to our ears or mind that lifts us up. God blesses us with songs that remind us of His unfailing love and bring hope to our hearts. "Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." (Psalm 42:8)
73. "God Will Take Care Of You"
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
Mike and I had the dreadful stomach "bug" last week and were sick for several days. After I typed my devotions last night, I tried to go to bed, but I got really dizzy headed once I laid down. Mike helped me to the recliner to spend another night in a semi-upright position. I thought I was pretty much over the illness, but I am still dizzy, probably due to not eating much for the past four days. As I fought back the tears I started thinking about the devotions I had just written, on how God gives us a song in the night. God brought this song to my mind, and proved His Word true once again in my life. Thank you, Lord!
"God Will Take Care Of You"
by Civilla D. Martin
"Be not dismayed whate'er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.
God will take care of you,
Thru every day, o'er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you."
74. "What A Friend We Have In Jesus"
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13
I have five children spread out over ten years, and during those ten years I spent many late nights rocking one of the babies. During the day there was noise and laughter and all the fuss little ones make. In the night the house was quiet as they lay asleep in their beds. Those were the peaceful moments I sat rocking each new addition for those night feedings. I sang "Jesus Loves Me" to them some, but one of my favorite songs in those blessed moments was, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus". I sang it to my children over and over again through the years. We rocked, my babies and I, and I sang with my cup running over with the blessings of the Lord. The children have all married and moved away, but the memories still linger and the Lord is still my Friend as He has promised, "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)
"What A Friend"
by Joseph Scriven
"What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer.
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden, Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge, Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there."
75. "Amazing Grace"
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:6
You may find your song in the night when it isn't dark outside, but the clouds in your life have hidden the Light from shining through. You may be waiting to go into surgery, or even waiting on a loved one to come out of surgery. You may feel like something is missing from your life or you lost something valuable, a job, or a friend. Just don't lose hope. I have been driving down the road many times under the storms of life when the good Lord reminded me of His wonderful grace, matchless grace, saving grace. I would start singing this old song, and before I could get through the first verse the Holy Spirit would fill my soul, and the tears of gratitude burst through the storm clouds of my mind. You can find peace at God's amazing throne of grace.
"Amazing Grace"
by John Newton
"Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;
"Tis grace hath bro't me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we first begun."
76. "Noah Found Grace In The Eyes Of The Lord"
"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." Genesis 6:6-9
We looked at God's amazing grace yesterday and today I wanted to go way back in Genesis to the first mention of God's grace. God made Adam and Eve and put them in the beautiful Garden of Eden where all their needs were provided. They had fresh running water and picked their food right off the plants. Everything was good until they sinned against God. They were driven from the garden and over time mankind grew worse and worse. God decided to destroy the earth with a great flood. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." Oh, how we can be thankful for that grace. God made a covenant with Noah. "And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee." (Genesis 6:17-18) Noah and his family worked to build the ark and gathered food and animals. II Peter 2:5 tells us that Noah preached, but the people didn't listen. Only Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives went into the ark. Genesis 6:16 tells us that "the LORD shut him in." Noah found grace and did all that God commanded him to do, and God saved him and his family. Do you know of God's saving grace? Just as Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, you can find grace when you bow your heart to the Lord and confess your sin to Him. When the storms come and flood your soul you can find safety sheltered in the arms of God. Are you onboard? Once God shut the doors of the ark, nobody else could get on. The Lord is coming back, and once He calls His children home, it will be too late. Please trust Him today and find grace in the eyes of the Lord.
77. God Remembers His Promises
"And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth." Genesis 9:12-17
When I was young I was told that God put the rainbow in the sky so that when we see it we will remember His promise not to destroy the earth again by a flood. In reading these verses in Genesis, I see that that is not what the scriptures say. Take a closer look at verses 15 and 16. "And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." God made the covenant "for perpetual generations" and there may come a day when the future generations don't remember God. But, God said, "I will remember my covenant... I will look upon it, that I may remember..." God remembers His promises. We have been looking at Precious Promises for three months now, and that's a lot of promises. We may not remember all of God's promises, but we can be sure that God will remember. and we can be sure that God will keep His promises. Down through the ages man has broken God's covenants. But God's Word will never fail. I leave you with these verses from the book of Psalms.
"But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations." (Psalm 102:12)
"He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations." (Psalm 105:8)
"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89)
78. Nothing Is Too Hard For God!
“And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh." Genesis 18:10-15
Sarah laughed at the thoughts of having a son in her old age. In the previous chapter we see that Abraham laughed, too. "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?" (Genesis 17:17) Many years had passed since God first promised Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. After so much time had passed, Abraham and Sarah laughed at the idea. They had given up on letting God handle it and tried to take care of it themselves. Look at Abraham's response. "And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!" (Genesis 17:18) I think this happens in our lives when we don't see an answer to our prayers immediately. We try to go ahead of God, and handle the problem on our own. We need to understand that God's time is not our time, and God's ways are not our ways. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8) God is not on a time schedule. Another thing we need to look at in these verses is the question, "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" The quesiton is also asked in Jeremiah 32:27. "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" We see Jeremiah's answer in verse 17 of that same chapter. "Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:" As we continue with these Precious Promises from God's Word, we need to keep in mind that nothing is too hard for God.
79. He Knows My Name And He Is Always With Me
"And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." Exodus 33:12-18
Moses went up to the top of Mount Sinai and was there 40 days and 40 nights. (Exodus 24:18) God wrote the Ten Commandments on two tables of stone, and gave Moses directions for the priests and the tabernacle. When Moses came down he saw that the Israelites had made a golden calf and were worshipping it. In anger he threw down the tables of stone. Fearing that God would destroy the people, Moses pleads for the people in Exodus 32:31-32. "And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written." I believe Moses is discouraged in his prayer above. He wants to know who is supposed to help him lead this multitude of people. More than that, he wants to be sure that God is going with them. "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." God assured Moses that He would go with him and He also told him, "I know thee by name." Moses needed a little more and he said, "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." Sometimes when we get down and out, and it may be due to the actions of those around us, we need a little touch of glory. The Lord has promised to be with us "... lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20) And He said He knows us. "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14) But sometimes we need a little touch of glory. Then He speaks gently to our hearts, and fills our souls with joy that this world can't understand.
80. Consider The Lilies
"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
... And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ... for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Potions of Matthew 6:26-33
I took my grandson outside Saturday and we listened to the birds singing and I showed him the daffodils blooming. Everything seemed so peaceful. I can imagine the multitudes sitting on the hillside listening to the Lord as He spoke to them those many years ago. I believe the birds were singing and the lilies bloomed along the hillside. Jesus knew the hearts and lives of the people. He knew all about their troubles and cares. He wanted to strengthen their faith. He wanted them to understand that God knows the needs of His people and He will supply. As I sat on the tailgate of the truck with little Jedidiah Saturday I could hear the Lord in my heart, gently saying, "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, ... yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?... Consider the lilies..." Jesus gave us many promises in the New Testament. Today, as you go about your busy Monday schedule, may I gently remind you of this precious promise of our Lord. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." And as you look at the beautiful Easter lilies remember to "Consider the lilies..."
81. Promises to Those Who Come To Jesus
I am trying to finish up on the Precious Promises and today I want to give some of the promises of Jesus which we have not already covered.
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:37-40
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:6
"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:19-20
"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12
"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." John 15:11-14
"For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward." Mark 9:41
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matthew 24:35
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Matthew 24:44
82. We Will Reap What We Sow
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:7-10
When I was growing up, it was common to hear adults and preachers warn, "You reap what you sow." I don't hear this anymore, but it is here in God's Word, and it is still true today. My Mom wants me to help her plant her garden again this year and she has already made a list of the things she wants to plant. If we only plant tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, okra, and squash, it won't do me any good to look for watermelons. Where we plant green beans, there won't be corn or pumpkins, there will be green beans. We will reap what we sow. The same is true in our lives. If we live a life of sin then it will take a toll on our mind and bodies. A person can still get saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, and begin a new life as we read in II Corinthians 5:17. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." That takes care of the present and future, but God's promise still stands, we reap what we sow. This is not only true for those that sow unrighteousness. It is also true for those who sow the Word of God as we read in Psalm 126:5-6. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
83. The Last Days
"3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;" II Peter 3:3-15
Just as I mentioned yesterday that I don't hear people say, "You reap what you sow" as I did when I was younger, I also don't hear many people talking about the Lord coming back. These verses open up by saying that in that last days people will joke and say, "Where is the promise of his coming?" The world keeps on spinning just like it has always done. Jesus told us in John 14:2-3, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Peter also tells us that once He comes for His own, then the earth will be destroyed by fire. We talked about the rainbow last week and God's promise not to destroy the earth by water again. But the earth will be destroyed by fire and God will make a new heaven and earth for the Christians who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation. You can read more about this in Revelation 20:9-15. "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Are you ready for the Lord to come?
84. God Will Judge Every Work
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
When King Solomon began to reign over Israel, God told him to ask what God could do for him. King Solomon asked for an understanding heart to rule the people. God was so pleased and answered Solomon. "Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days." (I Kings 3:12-14) Solomon started out good, but he disobeyed the three things that God had warned against. In Deuteronomy 17:14-20 the kings were told not to multiply horses, wives, or silver and gold for themselves. The kings were also instructed to read in God's book of the law daily. "And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen." (1 Kings 4:26) "And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father." (I Kings 11:3-4) "So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart." (I Kings 10:23-24) We can read of Solomon's wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Then we come to the little book of Ecclesiastes and Solomon declares, "Vanity of vanities... all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) The book is a sad recollection of the life of Solomon and the things he sought, and the emptiness he felt. He was given great wisdom from God, but he allowed his wives to turn his heart away from God and looked back on his life with regret. How fitting his last statements, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." God sees all that we do. He will judge all our works, whether they are good, or bad. Keep on working for the Lord. Don't come to the end of your life with regrets like King Solomon.
85. Isaiah Declares The Promise Of The Messiah
Moving right along with our Precious Promises, today I want to look at the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Lord gave Isaiah visions of his own time, and also promises of the coming Messiah. It is hard for us to imagine, but God gave Isaiah an insight into things that would come to pass over 700 years in the future. Many times the Children of Israel did not believe the word of the prophets and they continued in their sin. We have seen many things come to pass that were prophesied, and yet many still do not believe. Here are some of the promises written down by Isaiah.
Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
Isaiah 9:2 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
Isaiah 11:1 "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;"
Isaiah 40:11 "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
Isaiah 49:7 "Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee."
Isaiah 50:6 "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting."
Isaiah 59:20 "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD."
Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;"
86. "Who Hath Believed Our Report?"
As we begin looking toward Easter, I want to thank the Lord for giving His life and bearing my sin on the cruel cross. God sent His only begotten Son, the spotless Lamb of God, to be my sacrifice and pay my sin debt. Can I ask you today, "Do you believe?" The Lord died for you, too. God is perfect, and we can't take our sin to heaven with us. Jesus carried our sin to the cross. Won't you believe on Him today?
"1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53
87. Victory Over Death
"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it." Isaiah 25:8
Our church has a large white cross outside that can be seen from two main roads. We also have a cross on our steeple. People wear crosses on their jewelry. It is a symbol of Christianity that reminds us that Jesus died on the cross for us. But, I am glad that Jesus did not stay in the tomb. On the third day He overcame death and arose in victory. We can rejoice in this. Because He lives, we have the promise that we can also have victory over the grave. Let's look at some New Testament verses. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15:51-58) And I repeat... "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
88. God's Word Will Not Return Void
"6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isaiah 55:6-11
I was going to my daughter's house this morning and saw a few snow flakes coming down. I don't really dislike snow if I don't have any where to go, but I am ready for spring. With April coming up next week, I keep expecting warmer days. But, it is just like Floyd said on Andy Griffith, "Everybody keeps talking about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." We can't control the weather. And there is a whole lot more in this life we can't control. But I know God, and God knows me, and I trust God to be in control of my life, just as He controls the weather. I have enough trouble making the right decisions for the things I do have control over. I left the numbers on these verses so we can look at each one. Verse 6... We are not promised tomorrow. Put your trust in the Lord before it is too late. Verse 7... We serve a merciful God. Don't think you are too deep in sin to be forgiven. Remember Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" I needed forgiveness and the good Lord forgave all my sin. Verse 8-9... The Lord knows we can't live a righteous life on our own. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" (Romans 3:10) These verses also remind me of Psalm 8:3-4 "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Verse 10-11... God doesn't waste anything. The rain and snow water the earth and help the seed to grow. So it is when we tell someone about the saving grace of the Lord. Some plant the seed, the precious word of God, while others water the seed. Keep on telling the gospel message, Jesus saves! God has promised that His Word will not return void.
89. Promises For A Nation
"The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them." Jeremiah 18:1-10
I like this illustration of the potter and the clay. We often sing songs about how God is our Potter and He molds us and makes us and doesn't throw the clay away. God is speaking to more than just individuals through the prophet Jeremiah. He is talking to whole nations. Our nation was founded on Biblical principles and God has blessed our nation. But there are many in our land who have turned away from God. It's not too late for America. Christians need to stand for that which is right and pray for our country. We have a promise in II Chronicles 7:14. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We also see the importance in prayer in I Timothy 2:1-4. "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
90. The Prophecies Of Zechariah
While reading through the little book of Zechariah I found many verses which relate to our Easter season. God gave these scriptures to the prophet 500 years before Jesus came. Jesus' death is not just a sad story out of history. Jesus left His home in heaven and came to earth to die for our sins. And just as He came before, He is coming back again. Are you ready?
Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."
John 12:12-15 "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt."
Zechariah 11:12-13 "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD."
Matthew 27:3-7 "Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in."
Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."
John 19:33-37 "But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced."
Zechariah 13:6 "And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends."
John 20:25-29 "The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones."
Matthew 26:31 "Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad."
Zechariah 14:9 "And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one."
Revelation 19:16 "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
91. The Promise Of A Messenger
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts." Malachi 3:1
In the last book of the Old Testament, the little book of Malachi, God promised a messenger, who would prepare the hearts of men to seek the Lord. When we open to the New Testament, we do read of the messenger, John the Baptist. He preached, "Repent". "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Matthew 3:1-3) Jesus even confirmed that John the Baptist was the messenger proclaimed by the prophets. "But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." (Luke 7:26-28) We could say that the people of that day had no excuse. They heard the preaching of John the Baptist. They heard the teachings of Jesus. They saw the miracles He did. Why didn't they accept Him? We could also say the same thing about the people of today. Why don't they accept Him as Lord? We have the Word of God. We can see the miracles He works in the lives of His believers. We can feel the Holy Spirit burning in our soul.. Why don't people today accept Him? Christ did His part. He came and died for our sin and rose again the third day, just as He said. John the Baptist did his part. He prepared the people for the coming of the Lord and preached for them to repent. Are we doing our part? Matthew closes his book with these words. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:18-20) The Lord Jesus is coming again. We shall all face Him in judgment. "...for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:10-12) Are we doing our part to be messengers for the Lord?
92. The Last Words Of Jesus Before He Died
John 18:31 "Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all."
Mark 15:25 "And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Luke 23:39 "And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man."
John 19:25 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."
93. I Know He Lives! Easter Sunday
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:" Job 19:25
I just finished reading the book of Job. To understand Job we need to know a little about him. "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually." (Job 1:1-5) In one day he lost all his wealth and riches, and his children. "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." (Job 1:20-22) After this Satan attacked Job's health. When you look at all Job went through, and see that he could still say, "For I know that my redeemer liveth", what excuse do we have for not praising the Lord? God has been so good to me! Today we celebrate Easter, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Those familiar scriptures are just as real today as they were then. Praise the Lord! I know my Redeemer lives and I shall see Him one day! "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word." (Matthew 28:5-8) (Oh, and at the end of the book of Job we find that God blessed him with more children and twice the wealth as he had before.)
94. Precious Promises To Those Who Seek Wisdom
"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:" Proverbs 2:1-11
I am going to try to wrap up our look at God's Precious Promises this week in the book of Proverbs. God gave King Solomon great wisdom and an understanding heart. The book of Proverbs is a collection of some of his wisdom. There are several promises to those who seek God's wisdom. The first, being the promise of wisdom. When we earnestly pray for wisdom, God has promised to give us wisdom. "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me." (Proverbs 8:17) We also see this in the New Testament in James 1:5. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." The promise of peace and happiness is found in Proverbs 3:13-17. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." The chapter continues with more promises to those who follow after wisdom. "Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." (Proverbs 3:23-24) King Solomon told his children, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee." (Proverbs 4:7-9) "For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD." (Proverbs 8:35) Wonderful promises, all to those who seek the wisdom of God.
95. Give
"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." Proverbs 19:17
"He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor." Proverbs 22:9
"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." Ecclesiastes 11:1
"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." (II Corinthians 9:7) God loves a cheerful giver. How cheerful is your giving? Many are facing hard times in the economy of today. It has been almost two years since I lost my job and the Lord continues to provide our needs. I try to keep on trusting my Lord. He loved me so much He died for me, so I know He will continue to take care of me. When we had five little children at home, and I stayed home to bring them up, there were some tough times for us financially. But, God always supplied our needs. I learned that the more I gave, the more He gave back to me. When I would box up some of the boys' clothes to give to someone who needed them, the Lord would send someone with two boxes of larger clothes to me. The more I gave, the more He gave back to me. I learned to trust in Malachi 3:10, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." We can also see this principle in the New Testament. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38) Give, and put your trust in the Lord to provide your own needs.
96. Birds Of A Feather Flock Together
"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20
Sometimes I look at the stats of the Devotions web site to see if people are finding the pages for the things they are looking for. Many search for the Bible Charades, Bible Jeopardy Games, and Bible Couples. Others search for Devotions on specific topics (which are found to the left of this page.) Another search that comes up quite often is, "Birds of a feather, flock together." Many people want to know where to find it in the Bible. Well, that wording is not found in the Bible, but I think this verse from Proverbs 13:20 is a good comparison and explanation of that phrase. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Solomon's son, Rehoboam, should have heeded his father's advice. After King Solomon died, Rehoboam reigned as king. Jereboam and the people went to King Rehoboam and asked that he lighten the burden that King Solomon had put on them and they would serve him. King Rehoboam consulted with the wise old men who had served King Solomon and they told him to speak good words to the people and they would serve him for ever. King Rehoboam then asked the young people who had grown up with him and they told him to be harder on them than his father had been. King Rehoboam followed the bad advice and answered the people roughly. Israel rebelled against King Rehoboam and stoned the tax collector he sent to collect their tribute money. The nation of Israel split and Jereboam became king over Israel, while King Rehoboam reigned over Judah. We have talked about wisdom this week and today we see a new promise. If you walk with people that are wise you will be wise, but if you spend your time with fools you will be destroyed. If you stop and notice people, you will see that in most cases this old saying is true. "Birds of a feather, flock together." If you want to live clean and holy, then make friends with those who live clean Christian lives. When I started learning to play tennis, someone told me that a person playing tennis would adapt to playing at the level of his competition. If you want to rise up in your Christian faith, then walk with those who have strong faith in the Lord.
97. Friends
"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24
We talked a little yesterday about the friends and people we spend time with. Today, we are talking about making friends. When I was growing up I thought my Dad knew everybody. He talked to people everywhere we went. I later realized that he didn't know all the people he talked to, but he was a friendly person and could talk to anyone, just like he had always known them. And because he was friendly, he made lots of friends. As I got older I started talking to people more but I also learned to listen to others. Being friendly can mean talking with others, but it also means listening to what they have to say. The dearest friends are those who will listen when you have problems and will also listen and share your joy when good things happen. But there may be things that you can't even share with your closest friend, and that is when you can be truly thankful for Jesus, "a friend that sticketh closer than a brother". We read some of Jesus' Words on friends in John 15:12-14, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." Do you know the One who laid down His life for you? Do you know the Lord as your personal friend and Savior? He loves you and He is the best Friend you will ever have.
98. The Promise Of Mercy
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:13
I have a great concern for some of my dearest loved ones. I am afraid that many people we love and cherish don't really understand salvation. They believe in their head that Jesus is the Son of God and that He gave His life to save them. They may have even said the words, "Jesus come into my heart." But, I am afraid something is missing. Salvation is not just something we say with our mouth, but it has to be real in our heart. We must first feel the conviction of Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" We must also understand the consequences of our sin. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) We must understand that our sin must be paid for through death. Jesus Christ paid for our sin, through His death. Now, many people believe everything I have said up to this point. Some were brought up in church and went to the altar as a child and prayed the little prayer someone told them to pray. Salvation is more than repeating a little prayer. We must believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10) Our verse in Proverbs 28:13 tells us, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." I have this great fear that many people today are simply trying to cover their sins. When we put our trust in Jesus to save us, we confess our sin, and turn away from our sin. Can I be so bold today as to ask you to question your own salvation? Are you still trying to cover your sins, or have you confessed your sin to the Lord? Do you enjoy your sin or does the Holy Spirit dwell in you with convicting power to forsake your sin? God has promised to give us mercy when we confess our sin and turn away from our life of sin. Once we leave this world it will be too late. My prayer for my loved ones is that if they are not saved, the Holy Spirit will convict them and show them, and they will see that they need to trust Jesus to save them. Question your own salvation. Pray that God will show you if you have never fully trusted the Lord Jesus to save you. Don't wait until it is too late. We are not promised tomorrow. "(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" (II Corinthians 6:2)
99. The Blessings Of Pleasant Words
"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." Proverbs 15:1
"Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad." Proverbs 12:25
"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Proverbs 25:25
"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Proverbs 25:11
"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
We read and hear so much on the negative side in our daily news, that we don't often think about what a little good news can do. Bad news can make us sad, depressed, and even bring on stress and sickness. Here in the book of Proverbs, we see some positive results from some positive words. The first verse can help us save relationships. "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1) Whether you are quarreling with a friend, or answering someone's hurtful email, keep your answers soft and don't add coals to the fire that is already burning. ("Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth." (Proverbs 26:20)) When someone is down and out, and feeling low, don't add to their pain with heavy words. "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad." (Proverbs 12:25) We need to edify one another and not tear each other down. Spread a little good news and cheer to others. "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." (Proverbs 25:25) And finally, we see that our pleasant words can have such a pleasant affect on others. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11) "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24) Are your words a blessing to others?
100. Our Final Promise
"And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." I John 2:25
I usually begin our new themes on Sunday, but today I am ending our devotional series on "Precious Promises From God's Word". From January 1st, until today, this is our 100th and final promise. "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." (I John 2:25) Many of us learned this at a young age when we learned John 3:16. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden brought death to all mankind. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12) But praise the Lord for I Corinthians 15:22, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Through Christ we have the promise of all promises, eternal life. The 99 promises that we have looked at before won't mean a thing to you if you don't accept God's gift of eternal life. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you can receive this great promise of eternal life.
Precious Promises From God's Word - part 2
