Love Of God (Part 2)
LOVE OF GOD (PART 2)
GOD OF LOVE
1. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
- Rom. 9:13
It was said to Rebecca that the elder [son] should serve the younger [son]. [Gen. 25:21-23.] God held Esau in relative disregard in comparison with His feeling for Jacob. [Mal. 1:2, 3.] What shall we conclude then? Is there injustice upon God's part? Certainly not! It seems strange to start part two of this study discussing the Hate of God, but we need to show fairness and balance. God hates sin, yet He loves the sinner. While we were still in sin He sent His One and Only Begotten Son, Jesus to die in our stead. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!
2. As touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
- Rom. 11:28
And this will be My covenant - My agreement - with them when I shall take away their sins. [Jer. 31:31; Isa. 27:9.] From the point of view of the Gospel (good news) they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your advantage and benefit. But from the point of view of God's choice - of election, of divine selection - they are still the beloved [dear to Him] for the sake of their forefathers. For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable - He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call. Whatever Paul the Apostle accomplished in his ministry, he did by the grace of God and He knew he was called to be what God made him. These words should prove a great comfort to those who feel left behind, because they may have stumbled or fallen along their Way. God is Faithful and Jesus Never Fails! Pick yourself up and dust yourself off! God's call and gifts are irrevocable. You are still the beloved from the point of view of God's choice and His is the only point of view that matters!
3. God loveth a cheerful giver.
- 2 Cor. 9:7
[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously and that blessings may come to someone, will also reap generously and with blessings. Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (that is, He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, prompt-to-do-it) giver - whose heart is in his giving. [Prov. 22:9.] And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need, be self-sufficient - possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation. Give and it shall be given unto you! It's as easy as 2+2=4. You reap what you sow. Give from your heart and allow God to bless you by opening up the floodgates of Heaven!
4. The God of love and peace shall be with you.
- 2 Cor. 13:11
So I write these things while I am absent from you, that when I come to you I may not have to deal sharply in my use of the authority which the Lord has given me, [to be employed, however] for building [you] up and not for tearing [you] down. Finally, brethren, farewell - rejoice! Be strengthened - perfected, completed, made what you ought to be; be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same (agreeable) mind one with another; live in peace, and [then] the God of love [Who is the Source] - of affection, goodwill, love and benevolence toward men - and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you. Greet one another with a consecrated kiss. Our God is the God of Love! He is he Source! Be encouraged, because He promised Never to leave or forsake us.
5. God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,
- Eph. 2:4, 5
And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together - giving us joint seating with Him - in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed One. But, so rich is He, because of and in order to satisfy the wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even when we were [slain] by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Jesus. - He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life in which He quickened Him. [For] it is by grace - by His favor and mercy which you did not deserve - that you are saved (delivered from judgement and made partakers of Christ's salvation). And you [He made alive]! In Him - and in fellowship with one another - you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.
6. God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.
- 2 Thess. 2:16
So then, brethren, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions and instructions which you were taught by us, whether by our word of mouth or by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who gave us encouragement and well founded hope through [His] (unmerited favor), Comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them - make them steadfast and keep them unswerving - in every good work and word. There is nothing wrong with keeping tradition, as long as it is the traditions and instructions taught in the Word and acted upon by Faith. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and God is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever!
7. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
- Tit. 3:4, 5
For we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared, He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing (bath) of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Jesus saved us by His Life, Death and Resurrection. Nothing we could do short of Faith in Jesus can get us into heaven. I surrender all!
8. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,
- Heb. 12:6
And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; For the Lord corrects and disciplines every one whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline. God is dealing with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? Now you know where the word disciple comes from! Submission to the Lord's Will and not our own is the key to a successful Christian Life.
9. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
- 1 John 3:1
If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is absolutely righteous (conforming to the Father's will in purpose, thought and action), you may also know (be sure) that every one who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [God]. SEE what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us, is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him. Beloved, we are [even here and] now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested we shall [as God's children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. There is no greater Love!
10. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
We love him, because he first loved us.
- 1 John 4:8-10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19
Beloved, let us love one another; for love [springs] from God, and he who loves [his fellow men] is begotten (born) of God and is coming (progressively) to know and understand God - to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him. Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another. And [besides] we ourselves have seen [have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated], and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [as the] Savior of the world. In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgement - with assurance and boldness to face Him - because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love - dread does not exist; but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love - is not yet grown into love's complete perfection. If anyone says, I love God, and (detests, abominates) hates his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him, that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also. Why? God is Love!
11. Keep yourselves in the love of God,
- Jude 21
But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith - make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher - praying in the Holy Spirit; Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, [which will bring you] unto life eternal. And (refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you, and) on some have mercy who waver and doubt. Jude exorts us to keep ourselves! We have a personal responsibility to pray daily, stay in the Word, be a witness of the Love of God and share the Good News of Jesus in our lives. To the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion, and power and authority, before all time and now and forever - unto all the ages of eternity. Amen - so be it.
12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God,
- Rev. 3:12
I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown. He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new name. [Isa. 62:2; Ezek. 48:35.] He who can hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (the churches). We have the victory in Jesus! Stand tall! You are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the Day of Redemption!
13. With him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
- Rev. 14:1
THEN I looked and lo, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand [men] who had His name and His Father's name inscribed on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of great waters and like the rumbling of mighty thunder; the voice I heard [seemed like the music] of harpists accompanying themselves on their harps. Even during the Great Tribulation Period, God does not leave the world without witnesses of His Love! These followers of the Lamb are the first fruits for God and the Lamb and they sing a new song before the throne of God that no one could learn to sing except them.
14. LOVE OF GOD, EXEMPLIFIED
I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
- Gen. 17:7
And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting, solemn pledge to be a God to you and to your posterity after you. [Gal. 3:16.] And I will give to you and to your posterity after you the land in which you are a stranger (going from place to place), all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. [Acts 7:5.]
FOOTNOTE: This prophecy and promise have been literally fulfilled countless times; for example, by all of the kings of Israel and Judah.
15. I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Gen. 46:3.
- Ex. 3:6
God said, Do not come near; put your shoes off your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground. Also He said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters and oppressors; for I know their sorrows and sufferings and trials. Jesus is the Man of Sorrows Who was afflicted to deliver us from sin and death. Like the prodigal son, we can now draw near the Father and He will clothe us in righteousness. Jesus is the Passover Lamb that takes away the sins of the world! We can now go boldly before His Throne of Grace and speak to Him face to face.
16. I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: Ex. 29:45, 46.
- Ex. 6:7
Accordingly, say to the Israelites, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage, and I will rescue you with an outstretched arm - with special and vigorous action - and by mighty acts of judgement. And I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that it is I, the Lord your God, Who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land concerning which I lifted up My hand and swore that I would give it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage. I am the Lord [you have the pledge of My changeless omnipotence and faithfulness]. Take God at His Word!
17. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:
Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
- Ex. 19:4-6
And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, Say this to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: So Moses called for the elders of the people, and told them all these words which the Lord commanded him. There is not one word that God commanded Moses to speak to the people of Israel that is not recorded in the Word of God. Jesus said and did all that the Father commanded Him. God says, "This is My Beloved Son. Listen to Him!" Obedience brings blessing. Should we not all go and do likewise.
18. Ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. v. 24.
- Lev. 20:26
God has separated us from the peoples to be holy unto Him. Keeping His statutes and all His ordinances, and doing them is essential. Being cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb and filled with the Holy Spirit makes us who we are in Jesus! We are a Holy Nation unto God. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
19. I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you. That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: Lev. 11:44, 45; 25:38. Num. 15:41.
- Lev. 22:32, 33
So shall you heartily accept My commandments and conform your life and conduct to them. I am the Lord. This is the least we can do! He gave His Life for us. Accept all that He has for you in His Name! Let us be His People!
20. The land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. They are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. v. 55.
- Lev. 25:23, 42
You shall (reverently) fear your God. [Cp. Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1.] I am the Lord your God. YOU shall make for yourselves no idols, nor shall you erect a graven image, pillar or obelisk, nor shall you place any figured stone in your land to which or on which to bow down; for I am the Lord your God. He alone is Worthy to be praised! We are His servants, bought by the Blood of the Lamb. He is our Deliverer! The land is His, so let us walk with Him in it.
21. I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
- Lev. 26:12
I will set My dwelling in and among you, and My soul shall not despise or reject or separate itself from you. I am the Lord your God, Who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should no more be slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect [as free men]. Stand tall! You are free from the power of sin and death! Jesus has given us a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. He has overcome the world! The Son has come to dwell in our hearts! He has promised never to leave or forsake us. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God! He is our God and we are His People! God said He would walk among us and He did in the Person of Jesus Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One.
22. The Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. Hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation . . . according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; Deut. 9:29; 1 Kin. 8:51-53.
- Deut. 4:20,34, 37
And beware lest you lift up your eyes to the heavens, and when you see the sun, moon, and stars, even all the host of the heavens, you be drawn away and worship them and serve them, things which the Lord your God has allotted to all nations under the whole heavens. Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you heard, and live? To you it was shown, that you might realize and have personal knowledge that the Lord is God; there is no other besides Him. Out of the Heaven He made you hear His voice, that He might correct, discipline and admonish you; and on earth He made you see His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire. We live under a greater Covenant! God has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus and has sent the Holy Spirit Fire to purify our hearts and cleanse our minds and souls of all sin and unrighteousness. Let us walk by Faith and receive the inheritance He has prepared for us before the foundation of the world.
23. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee:
- Deut. 7:7, 8, 13
For you are a holy and set apart people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a special people to Himself, out of all the peoples on the face of the earth. Know, recognize and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations; And if you hearken to these precepts and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love which He swore to your fathers; You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. Nothing but the Love of God and His Grace towards us allows us to have communion and fellowship with Him. Nothing, but the Blood of Jesus!
24. The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
Deut. 10:15
Behold, the heavens and the Heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth also, with all that is in it and on it; So circumcise the foreskin of your [mind and] heart; be no longer stubborn and hardened. The Lord Jesus delights in you this day! He is the seed of Abraham that gave His Life for you and sent His Holy Spirit to circumcise your hearts and minds. Be filled with the Love of God and show the world who you are in Him!
25. Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Deut. 7:6.
- Deut. 14:2
YOU are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves, or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. For you are set apart to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a peculiar people to Himself, above all the nations on the earth. You shall not eat anything that is abominable [to the Lord and so forbidden by Him]. The world will know we are Christians by our Love towards God and each other. God chose us, set us apart for His use and has made us Holy by the Blood of the Lamb. Notice the Word of God says, Be peculiar unto Him!
26. The Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.
- Deut. 23:5
This portion of Scripture is referring to Balaam the prophet and how the Lord God would not listen to him in regards to cursing the Nation of Israel. Far greater than God blessing the nation, because He loved them; God so Loved the World that He gave His Only Begotten Son, Jesus! Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on a tree, according to the Word of God. We then became the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and have overcome sin, death and the world. No weapon formed against us can prosper. God will bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us. Shout the Victory!
27. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be a holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.
- Deut. 26:18, 19
You have (openly) declared the Lord this day to be your God, [pledging] to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His precepts, and to hearken to His voice. AND Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, Keep all the commandments with which I charge you today. Through Faith in Jesus we can Love God and each other. These are the greatest commandments! God is Faithful and He will fulfill all of His promises. Praise, honor and worship Him in the beauty of His Holiness! He has spoken to us through His Son.
28. Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.
- Deut. 27:9
And you shall write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly. And Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, Keep silence, and hear, So you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and do His commandments and statutes, which I command you today. Listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Today is the Day of Salvation! Through Faith in Jesus, we have become children of God. We have the blessing! Cursed be he who does not support and give assent to the words of this law to do them [as the rule of his life]. All the people shall say, Amen.
29. The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. And all the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord: Deut. 29:13
- Deut. 28:9, 10
The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouse, and in all that you undertake; and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. And the Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of your body, of your livestock, and of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. God can not lie! He will establish us and all the people of the earth shall see that we are called by the name [and in the presence of] the Lord; and they shall be afraid of us. Fear not! I AM with you always! Even unto the end of the age!
30. The Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wildrness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him,
- Deut. 32:9-12
When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the Israelites. He made Israel ride on the high places of the earth, and he ate the increase of the field; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter and curds of the herd and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan and he-goats, with the finest of the wheat; and you drank wine of the blood of the grape. After all these blessings, Israel forsook God and despised the rock of his salvation. How much more has Jesus done for us? He promised never to leave or forsake us! We are His portion and as we wait upon Him, He will renew our strength. Let us mount up with wings as eagles! As our Good Shepherd, He leads and guides us in the Way we should go. Follow Him and give Him Thanks!
31. Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
- Deut. 33:3, 12
He said, the Lord came from Sinai and beamed upon us from Seir; He flashed forth from Mount Paran, from among ten thousands of holy ones, a flaming fire, a law, at His right hand. When Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob. Bless, O Lord, [Levi's] substance, and accept the work of his hands; crush the loins of his adversaries, and of those who hate him, that they arise no more. And of Joseph he said, Blessed by the Lord be his land, with the precious gifts of Heaven, from the dew, and from the deep that couches beneath. Yes, He loves His People, and makes His dwelling between his shoulders! Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.
32. What one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee forever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.
- 2 Sam. 7:23, 24
Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for none is like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all [You have made] our ears to hear. Now, O Lord God, confirm for ever the word You have given as to Your servant and his house, and do as You have said; And Your name [and presence] shall be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of Your servant David will be made firm before You. Never underestimate the Love of God for the Nation of Israel! They are His Chosen People Forever! The Gentiles are grafted in as God's People. Together we are One in the Spirit and One in the Lord. Jesus the Messiah has redeemed us!
33. He called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him. Neh. 13:26
- 2 Sam. 12:24
But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me. David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and she called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved [the child]; He sent [a message] by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and [Nathan] called the boy's [special] name Jedidiah [beloved of the Lord], because the Lord [loved the child]. David and Bathsheba had just lost their first born son who was conceived in sin, but God blessed them with another son who He would give Wisdom to rule the world. Most people don't realize that Solomon had a special name Jedidiah [beloved of the Lord]. We have the Name above all names Jesus!
34. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself:
- Psa. 4:3
O you sons of men, how long will you turn my honor and glory into shame? How long will you love vanity and futility, and seek after lies? Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be silent [sorry for the things you say in your heart]. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! [Eph. 4:26.] Both Scripture verses, before and after Psalm 4:3, tell us to pause and think. The Word of God wants us to know (experiencially) that He has given distinction to the man or woman of loving-kindness. Don't seek after emptiness. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness which is found only in Christ Jesus! Be still and know that He is God. He will sanctify your heart as you ask Him to search, know and try you. Stand in Awe!
35. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
- Psa. 31:19, 21
Let the lying lips be silenced, which speak insolently against the [consistently] righteous, with pride and contempt. In the secret of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues. As for me, I said in my haste and alarm, I am cut off from before Your eyes. But You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to you for aid. God always answers prayer! Surely His Goodness, Mercy and Loving-kindness shall follow us all the days of our Life in Him. His Grace is sufficient. Revere and Worship Him in Spirit and Truth! Trust and take refuge in Him. He is our High Tower! Call on Him and He will show you Great and Mighty Things.
36. The Lord will command his lovingkindnesss in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me,
- Psa. 42:8
[Roaring] deep calls to [roaring] deep at the thunder of Your waterspouts; all Your breakers and Your rolling waves have gone over me. I will say to God my rock, Why have You forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him; for I shall yet praise Him Who is the help of my countenance, and my God. Thy Loving-Kindess is better than life! In the darkness His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my Life.
37. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved.
- Psa. 47:4
He subdued peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the glory and pride of Jacob whom He loves. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! [1 Pet. 1:4, 5.] God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Psalm 47 was written to the Chief Musician and is a Psalm of the sons of Korah. God's choices are much better than ours. Trust Him!
38. We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. This God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
- Psa. 48:9, 14
As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish it for ever. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! As is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness - rightness and justice. Consider well her ramparts, go through her palaces and citadels; that you may tell the next generation [and cease recalling disappointments]. HEAR this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world, "The Steadfast Love of the Lord never ceases. His Mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. New every morning! Great is Thy Faithfulness, Oh Lord. Great is Thy Faithfulness!"
39. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
- Psa. 50:5, 7
He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that He may judge His people: And the heavens declare His righteousness - rightness and justice; for God, He is judge. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! I do not reprove you for your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are continually before Me. Have you found Grace in Gods' sight? Have you entered into a covenant relationship with Him through His Son? If so, allow Him to speak to you through His Word by the Power of His Holy Spirit, in Jesus' Name. Let Him testify to you; He is God, your God! Demonstrate the Salvation of God and gather together to Him His Saints.
40. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
- Psa. 63:3
So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. Lose your life in this World and gain an Eternal Life full of God's Loving-Kindness! Seek His Face in prayer, experience the Power of His Holy Spirit in your Life and lift up Holy hands to Him in praise! Bind yourself by God's authority, acknowledge His Supremacy, and devote yourself to His Glory and service alone.
41. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
- Psa. 73:1
The Amplified Bible reads:
TRULY (only) good is God to Israel, even to those who are upright and pure in heart.
Why? Because, God is Good! Psalm 73 is a Psalm of Asaph and is the first in Book III of the Psalms. The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended in Psalm 72, but we begin with the need of a clean, upright and pure heart. David cried out to God, "Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right Spirit within me!" How do we circumcise our hearts? All we can do is surrender our hearts to the Father and allow Him to cleanse and purify them with the Blood of Jesus by the Power of His Holy Spirit. It is only by the inner workings of His Grace that we are saved by Faith. Draw near to God; put your trust in the Lord and make Him your refuge, that you may tell of all His works.
42. Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
- Psa. 74:2
O GOD, why do You cast us off for ever? Why does Your anger burn and smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? Direct Your feet [quickly] to the perpetual ruins and desolations; the foe has devastated and desecrates everything in the sanctuary. We have not come to Mount Zion, but to the Living God Himself! We are His People and the Sheep of His Pasture. We are bought with the Blood of the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus Our Redeemer. The Son of God has come to dwell in our hearts. As the Temple of the Holy Spirit, many times we too come under attack by the enemy, but we have an advocate with the Father. He will come quickly, because He earnestly remembers us as His congregation. Do not forget the [clamoring] voice of Your adversaries, the tumult of those who rise up against You which ascends continually. God's Love is Everlasting!
43. Then the Lord ... Chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. vs. 61, 62
- Psa. 78:65, 68
GIVE ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. God replaced Shiloh as His capitol and built His sanctuary [exalted] like the heights [of the heavens], and like the earth which He established forever. He chose the tribe of Judah [as Israel's leader], because Jesus the Messiah was to be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and rule and reign forever. Although this Psalm speaks of King David (a type of Christ), he was only a shadow of the things to come. Jesus is the Anointed One (the One and Only Begotten of the Father)!
44. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
- Psa. 81:13
Speedily then I would subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. Hear Oh Israel! We as Believers must listen to the Lord and walk in His Way if we want to receive the abundant Life which He Promised us. His Word is Life and Jesus is the Way! Hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit and walk in His Will and Way.
45. My lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
- Psa. 89:33
My covenant will I not break or profane, nor alter the thing that has gone out of My lips. Thy Loving-Kindness is better than Life! Great is Thy Faithfulness! God can not lie or be false to us. God is Faithful and Jesus Never Fails! He has promised to be with us always, even unto the end of the age. He'll never leave or forsake us. Blessed be the Lord for evermore! Amen and Amen.
46. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
- Psa. 90:1
When the disciples said,"Where else can we go? You have the Words of Life." They really knew what they were talking about. He is our hiding place, our strong tower and the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Abide in Him.
47. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psa. 79:13; 95:7.
- Psa. 100:3
Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing! Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and with a thank offering, and into His courts wth praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! Perceive, recognize and understand with approval - that the Lord is God! We are His! [Eph. 2:10.] His sheep hear His voice. Hear, Oh Israel!
48. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
- Psa. 103:4
Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each of] all your diseases; Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age] with good; so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's [strong, overcoming, soaring]! [Isa. 40:31.] Notice these are not questions, but statements of fact. Jesus is our Redeemer! He saves us from the pit and corruption; He beautifies and dignifies us. Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion; bless - affectionately, gratefully praise - the Lord, O my soul!
49. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
- Psa. 105:6
[Earnestly] remember the marvelous deeds that He has done, His miracles and wonders, the judgements and sentences which He pronounced [upon His enemies, as in Egypt]. [Ps. 78:43-51.] He is the Lord our God; His judgements are in all the earth. O you offspring of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones, you are the children of Faith! Chosen by God Himself for Good Works in Christ Jesus! Observe His statutes and keep His laws [hearing, receiving, loving and obeying them]. Praise the Lord! - Hallelujah!
50. Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
- Psa. 114:2
WHEN Israel came forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, The [Red] Sea looked and fled; the Jordan [River] was turned back. [Exod. 14:21; Josh. 3:13, 16; Ps 77:16.] We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (the holy place of His habitation). [Exod. 29:45, 46; Deut. 27:9.] God is our Rock and Fountain of Living Waters! Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. He shall reign over all the earth!
51. The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
- Psa. 135:4
Praise the Lord! For the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for He is gracious and lovely! For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. God has chosen us as His possession. [Deut. 7:6.] We are bought with the Blood of the Lamb of God and set aside for His use. The world should be able to see the difference between us and them. As the Pearl of Great Price, we should be shining forth a radiance from within like a precious gem stone. Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.
52. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him.
- Psa. 148:14
Let them praise and exalt the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted and supreme! His glory and majesty are above earth and Heaven! PRAISE the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints! God has given us power, prosperity, dignity and pre-eminence. Praise the Lord! - Hallelujah! [Ps. 75:10; Eph. 2:17.] He inhabits the praises of His people! Jesus is our strength and our song, He also has become our Salvation! Draw near to Him and worship in Spirit and Truth!
53. Such as are upright in their way are his delight.
- Prov. 11:20
He who is steadfast in righteousness - uprightness and right standing with God - shall attain to life, and he who pursues evil does it to his own death. They who are willfully contrary in heart are extremely disgusting and shamefully vile in the eyes of the Lord, but such that are blameless and whole-hearted in their ways are His delight! Assuredly - I pledge it - the wicked shall not go unpunished, but the multitude of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be delivered. Walk with Jesus. He is the Way!
54. He loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
- Prov. 15:9
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight! [Isa. 1:11; Jer. 6 :20; Amos 5:22.] There is severe discipline for him who forsakes God's way, and he who hates reproof will die [physically, morally and spiritually]. The way of the wicked is an abomination, extremely disgusting and shamefully vile to the Lord, but God loves those who pursue [spiritual and moral rectitude in every area and relation]. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and He is our Righteousness! Follow Him.
55. The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant:
- Isa. 5:7
LET me sing of and for my greatly Beloved [and as His representative] a tender song of my Beloved [God, the Son] concerning His vineyard [His chosen people]. My greatly Beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. [S. of Sol. 6:3; Matt. 20:1; 21:33-40.] We are the planting of the Lord and He looks for us to bring forth good and lasting fruit for His Kingdom. Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. As we abide in Him we shall accomplish His Perfect and Acceptable Will for our lives. Trust and obey!
56. Thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
- Isa. 41:8-10
Behold, all they who are enraged and inflamed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; they who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. There is nothing to fear! God will strengthen and harden you [to difficulties]; yes, God will help you; yes, God will hold you up and retain you with His victorious right hand of rightness and justice. [Acts 18:10.] He has chosen us and He will keep us!
PLEASE, GO TO PART THREE
Verse of the Day
Turn to me and be saved, all who live at the ends of the earth, because I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:22
GOD OF LOVE
1. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
- Rom. 9:13
It was said to Rebecca that the elder [son] should serve the younger [son]. [Gen. 25:21-23.] God held Esau in relative disregard in comparison with His feeling for Jacob. [Mal. 1:2, 3.] What shall we conclude then? Is there injustice upon God's part? Certainly not! It seems strange to start part two of this study discussing the Hate of God, but we need to show fairness and balance. God hates sin, yet He loves the sinner. While we were still in sin He sent His One and Only Begotten Son, Jesus to die in our stead. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!
2. As touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
- Rom. 11:28
And this will be My covenant - My agreement - with them when I shall take away their sins. [Jer. 31:31; Isa. 27:9.] From the point of view of the Gospel (good news) they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your advantage and benefit. But from the point of view of God's choice - of election, of divine selection - they are still the beloved [dear to Him] for the sake of their forefathers. For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable - He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call. Whatever Paul the Apostle accomplished in his ministry, he did by the grace of God and He knew he was called to be what God made him. These words should prove a great comfort to those who feel left behind, because they may have stumbled or fallen along their Way. God is Faithful and Jesus Never Fails! Pick yourself up and dust yourself off! God's call and gifts are irrevocable. You are still the beloved from the point of view of God's choice and His is the only point of view that matters!
3. God loveth a cheerful giver.
- 2 Cor. 9:7
[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously and that blessings may come to someone, will also reap generously and with blessings. Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (that is, He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, prompt-to-do-it) giver - whose heart is in his giving. [Prov. 22:9.] And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need, be self-sufficient - possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation. Give and it shall be given unto you! It's as easy as 2+2=4. You reap what you sow. Give from your heart and allow God to bless you by opening up the floodgates of Heaven!
4. The God of love and peace shall be with you.
- 2 Cor. 13:11
So I write these things while I am absent from you, that when I come to you I may not have to deal sharply in my use of the authority which the Lord has given me, [to be employed, however] for building [you] up and not for tearing [you] down. Finally, brethren, farewell - rejoice! Be strengthened - perfected, completed, made what you ought to be; be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same (agreeable) mind one with another; live in peace, and [then] the God of love [Who is the Source] - of affection, goodwill, love and benevolence toward men - and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you. Greet one another with a consecrated kiss. Our God is the God of Love! He is he Source! Be encouraged, because He promised Never to leave or forsake us.
5. God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,
- Eph. 2:4, 5
And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together - giving us joint seating with Him - in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed One. But, so rich is He, because of and in order to satisfy the wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even when we were [slain] by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Jesus. - He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life in which He quickened Him. [For] it is by grace - by His favor and mercy which you did not deserve - that you are saved (delivered from judgement and made partakers of Christ's salvation). And you [He made alive]! In Him - and in fellowship with one another - you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.
6. God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.
- 2 Thess. 2:16
So then, brethren, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions and instructions which you were taught by us, whether by our word of mouth or by letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who gave us encouragement and well founded hope through [His] (unmerited favor), Comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them - make them steadfast and keep them unswerving - in every good work and word. There is nothing wrong with keeping tradition, as long as it is the traditions and instructions taught in the Word and acted upon by Faith. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and God is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever!
7. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
- Tit. 3:4, 5
For we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared, He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing (bath) of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Jesus saved us by His Life, Death and Resurrection. Nothing we could do short of Faith in Jesus can get us into heaven. I surrender all!
8. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,
- Heb. 12:6
And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him; For the Lord corrects and disciplines every one whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline. God is dealing with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? Now you know where the word disciple comes from! Submission to the Lord's Will and not our own is the key to a successful Christian Life.
9. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
- 1 John 3:1
If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is absolutely righteous (conforming to the Father's will in purpose, thought and action), you may also know (be sure) that every one who does righteously [and is therefore in like manner conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [God]. SEE what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us, is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him. Beloved, we are [even here and] now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested we shall [as God's children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. There is no greater Love!
10. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
We love him, because he first loved us.
- 1 John 4:8-10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19
Beloved, let us love one another; for love [springs] from God, and he who loves [his fellow men] is begotten (born) of God and is coming (progressively) to know and understand God - to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him. Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another. And [besides] we ourselves have seen [have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated], and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son [as the] Savior of the world. In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgement - with assurance and boldness to face Him - because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love - dread does not exist; but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love - is not yet grown into love's complete perfection. If anyone says, I love God, and (detests, abominates) hates his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him, that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also. Why? God is Love!
11. Keep yourselves in the love of God,
- Jude 21
But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith - make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher - praying in the Holy Spirit; Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, [which will bring you] unto life eternal. And (refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you, and) on some have mercy who waver and doubt. Jude exorts us to keep ourselves! We have a personal responsibility to pray daily, stay in the Word, be a witness of the Love of God and share the Good News of Jesus in our lives. To the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion, and power and authority, before all time and now and forever - unto all the ages of eternity. Amen - so be it.
12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God,
- Rev. 3:12
I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown. He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new name. [Isa. 62:2; Ezek. 48:35.] He who can hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (the churches). We have the victory in Jesus! Stand tall! You are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the Day of Redemption!
13. With him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
- Rev. 14:1
THEN I looked and lo, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand [men] who had His name and His Father's name inscribed on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of great waters and like the rumbling of mighty thunder; the voice I heard [seemed like the music] of harpists accompanying themselves on their harps. Even during the Great Tribulation Period, God does not leave the world without witnesses of His Love! These followers of the Lamb are the first fruits for God and the Lamb and they sing a new song before the throne of God that no one could learn to sing except them.
14. LOVE OF GOD, EXEMPLIFIED
I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
- Gen. 17:7
And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting, solemn pledge to be a God to you and to your posterity after you. [Gal. 3:16.] And I will give to you and to your posterity after you the land in which you are a stranger (going from place to place), all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. [Acts 7:5.]
FOOTNOTE: This prophecy and promise have been literally fulfilled countless times; for example, by all of the kings of Israel and Judah.
15. I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Gen. 46:3.
- Ex. 3:6
God said, Do not come near; put your shoes off your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground. Also He said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters and oppressors; for I know their sorrows and sufferings and trials. Jesus is the Man of Sorrows Who was afflicted to deliver us from sin and death. Like the prodigal son, we can now draw near the Father and He will clothe us in righteousness. Jesus is the Passover Lamb that takes away the sins of the world! We can now go boldly before His Throne of Grace and speak to Him face to face.
16. I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: Ex. 29:45, 46.
- Ex. 6:7
Accordingly, say to the Israelites, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage, and I will rescue you with an outstretched arm - with special and vigorous action - and by mighty acts of judgement. And I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that it is I, the Lord your God, Who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land concerning which I lifted up My hand and swore that I would give it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage. I am the Lord [you have the pledge of My changeless omnipotence and faithfulness]. Take God at His Word!
17. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:
Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
- Ex. 19:4-6
And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, Say this to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: So Moses called for the elders of the people, and told them all these words which the Lord commanded him. There is not one word that God commanded Moses to speak to the people of Israel that is not recorded in the Word of God. Jesus said and did all that the Father commanded Him. God says, "This is My Beloved Son. Listen to Him!" Obedience brings blessing. Should we not all go and do likewise.
18. Ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. v. 24.
- Lev. 20:26
God has separated us from the peoples to be holy unto Him. Keeping His statutes and all His ordinances, and doing them is essential. Being cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb and filled with the Holy Spirit makes us who we are in Jesus! We are a Holy Nation unto God. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!
19. I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow you. That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: Lev. 11:44, 45; 25:38. Num. 15:41.
- Lev. 22:32, 33
So shall you heartily accept My commandments and conform your life and conduct to them. I am the Lord. This is the least we can do! He gave His Life for us. Accept all that He has for you in His Name! Let us be His People!
20. The land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. They are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. v. 55.
- Lev. 25:23, 42
You shall (reverently) fear your God. [Cp. Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1.] I am the Lord your God. YOU shall make for yourselves no idols, nor shall you erect a graven image, pillar or obelisk, nor shall you place any figured stone in your land to which or on which to bow down; for I am the Lord your God. He alone is Worthy to be praised! We are His servants, bought by the Blood of the Lamb. He is our Deliverer! The land is His, so let us walk with Him in it.
21. I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
- Lev. 26:12
I will set My dwelling in and among you, and My soul shall not despise or reject or separate itself from you. I am the Lord your God, Who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should no more be slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect [as free men]. Stand tall! You are free from the power of sin and death! Jesus has given us a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. He has overcome the world! The Son has come to dwell in our hearts! He has promised never to leave or forsake us. Nothing can separate us from the Love of God! He is our God and we are His People! God said He would walk among us and He did in the Person of Jesus Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One.
22. The Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. Hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation . . . according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; Deut. 9:29; 1 Kin. 8:51-53.
- Deut. 4:20,34, 37
And beware lest you lift up your eyes to the heavens, and when you see the sun, moon, and stars, even all the host of the heavens, you be drawn away and worship them and serve them, things which the Lord your God has allotted to all nations under the whole heavens. Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you heard, and live? To you it was shown, that you might realize and have personal knowledge that the Lord is God; there is no other besides Him. Out of the Heaven He made you hear His voice, that He might correct, discipline and admonish you; and on earth He made you see His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire. We live under a greater Covenant! God has spoken to us through His Son, Jesus and has sent the Holy Spirit Fire to purify our hearts and cleanse our minds and souls of all sin and unrighteousness. Let us walk by Faith and receive the inheritance He has prepared for us before the foundation of the world.
23. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee:
- Deut. 7:7, 8, 13
For you are a holy and set apart people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a special people to Himself, out of all the peoples on the face of the earth. Know, recognize and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations; And if you hearken to these precepts and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love which He swore to your fathers; You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. Nothing but the Love of God and His Grace towards us allows us to have communion and fellowship with Him. Nothing, but the Blood of Jesus!
24. The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
Deut. 10:15
Behold, the heavens and the Heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth also, with all that is in it and on it; So circumcise the foreskin of your [mind and] heart; be no longer stubborn and hardened. The Lord Jesus delights in you this day! He is the seed of Abraham that gave His Life for you and sent His Holy Spirit to circumcise your hearts and minds. Be filled with the Love of God and show the world who you are in Him!
25. Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Deut. 7:6.
- Deut. 14:2
YOU are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves, or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. For you are set apart to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a peculiar people to Himself, above all the nations on the earth. You shall not eat anything that is abominable [to the Lord and so forbidden by Him]. The world will know we are Christians by our Love towards God and each other. God chose us, set us apart for His use and has made us Holy by the Blood of the Lamb. Notice the Word of God says, Be peculiar unto Him!
26. The Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.
- Deut. 23:5
This portion of Scripture is referring to Balaam the prophet and how the Lord God would not listen to him in regards to cursing the Nation of Israel. Far greater than God blessing the nation, because He loved them; God so Loved the World that He gave His Only Begotten Son, Jesus! Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on a tree, according to the Word of God. We then became the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and have overcome sin, death and the world. No weapon formed against us can prosper. God will bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us. Shout the Victory!
27. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be a holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.
- Deut. 26:18, 19
You have (openly) declared the Lord this day to be your God, [pledging] to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His precepts, and to hearken to His voice. AND Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, Keep all the commandments with which I charge you today. Through Faith in Jesus we can Love God and each other. These are the greatest commandments! God is Faithful and He will fulfill all of His promises. Praise, honor and worship Him in the beauty of His Holiness! He has spoken to us through His Son.
28. Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God.
- Deut. 27:9
And you shall write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly. And Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, Keep silence, and hear, So you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and do His commandments and statutes, which I command you today. Listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Today is the Day of Salvation! Through Faith in Jesus, we have become children of God. We have the blessing! Cursed be he who does not support and give assent to the words of this law to do them [as the rule of his life]. All the people shall say, Amen.
29. The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. And all the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord: Deut. 29:13
- Deut. 28:9, 10
The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouse, and in all that you undertake; and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. And the Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of your body, of your livestock, and of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. God can not lie! He will establish us and all the people of the earth shall see that we are called by the name [and in the presence of] the Lord; and they shall be afraid of us. Fear not! I AM with you always! Even unto the end of the age!
30. The Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wildrness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him,
- Deut. 32:9-12
When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the Israelites. He made Israel ride on the high places of the earth, and he ate the increase of the field; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter and curds of the herd and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan and he-goats, with the finest of the wheat; and you drank wine of the blood of the grape. After all these blessings, Israel forsook God and despised the rock of his salvation. How much more has Jesus done for us? He promised never to leave or forsake us! We are His portion and as we wait upon Him, He will renew our strength. Let us mount up with wings as eagles! As our Good Shepherd, He leads and guides us in the Way we should go. Follow Him and give Him Thanks!
31. Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
- Deut. 33:3, 12
He said, the Lord came from Sinai and beamed upon us from Seir; He flashed forth from Mount Paran, from among ten thousands of holy ones, a flaming fire, a law, at His right hand. When Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob. Bless, O Lord, [Levi's] substance, and accept the work of his hands; crush the loins of his adversaries, and of those who hate him, that they arise no more. And of Joseph he said, Blessed by the Lord be his land, with the precious gifts of Heaven, from the dew, and from the deep that couches beneath. Yes, He loves His People, and makes His dwelling between his shoulders! Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.
32. What one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee forever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.
- 2 Sam. 7:23, 24
Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for none is like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all [You have made] our ears to hear. Now, O Lord God, confirm for ever the word You have given as to Your servant and his house, and do as You have said; And Your name [and presence] shall be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of Your servant David will be made firm before You. Never underestimate the Love of God for the Nation of Israel! They are His Chosen People Forever! The Gentiles are grafted in as God's People. Together we are One in the Spirit and One in the Lord. Jesus the Messiah has redeemed us!
33. He called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him. Neh. 13:26
- 2 Sam. 12:24
But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me. David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and she called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved [the child]; He sent [a message] by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and [Nathan] called the boy's [special] name Jedidiah [beloved of the Lord], because the Lord [loved the child]. David and Bathsheba had just lost their first born son who was conceived in sin, but God blessed them with another son who He would give Wisdom to rule the world. Most people don't realize that Solomon had a special name Jedidiah [beloved of the Lord]. We have the Name above all names Jesus!
34. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself:
- Psa. 4:3
O you sons of men, how long will you turn my honor and glory into shame? How long will you love vanity and futility, and seek after lies? Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be silent [sorry for the things you say in your heart]. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! [Eph. 4:26.] Both Scripture verses, before and after Psalm 4:3, tell us to pause and think. The Word of God wants us to know (experiencially) that He has given distinction to the man or woman of loving-kindness. Don't seek after emptiness. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness which is found only in Christ Jesus! Be still and know that He is God. He will sanctify your heart as you ask Him to search, know and try you. Stand in Awe!
35. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
- Psa. 31:19, 21
Let the lying lips be silenced, which speak insolently against the [consistently] righteous, with pride and contempt. In the secret of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues. As for me, I said in my haste and alarm, I am cut off from before Your eyes. But You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to you for aid. God always answers prayer! Surely His Goodness, Mercy and Loving-kindness shall follow us all the days of our Life in Him. His Grace is sufficient. Revere and Worship Him in Spirit and Truth! Trust and take refuge in Him. He is our High Tower! Call on Him and He will show you Great and Mighty Things.
36. The Lord will command his lovingkindnesss in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me,
- Psa. 42:8
[Roaring] deep calls to [roaring] deep at the thunder of Your waterspouts; all Your breakers and Your rolling waves have gone over me. I will say to God my rock, Why have You forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him; for I shall yet praise Him Who is the help of my countenance, and my God. Thy Loving-Kindess is better than life! In the darkness His song shall be with me, a prayer to the God of my Life.
37. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved.
- Psa. 47:4
He subdued peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the glory and pride of Jacob whom He loves. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! [1 Pet. 1:4, 5.] God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Psalm 47 was written to the Chief Musician and is a Psalm of the sons of Korah. God's choices are much better than ours. Trust Him!
38. We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. This God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
- Psa. 48:9, 14
As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish it for ever. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! As is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness - rightness and justice. Consider well her ramparts, go through her palaces and citadels; that you may tell the next generation [and cease recalling disappointments]. HEAR this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world, "The Steadfast Love of the Lord never ceases. His Mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. New every morning! Great is Thy Faithfulness, Oh Lord. Great is Thy Faithfulness!"
39. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
- Psa. 50:5, 7
He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that He may judge His people: And the heavens declare His righteousness - rightness and justice; for God, He is judge. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! I do not reprove you for your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are continually before Me. Have you found Grace in Gods' sight? Have you entered into a covenant relationship with Him through His Son? If so, allow Him to speak to you through His Word by the Power of His Holy Spirit, in Jesus' Name. Let Him testify to you; He is God, your God! Demonstrate the Salvation of God and gather together to Him His Saints.
40. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
- Psa. 63:3
So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. Lose your life in this World and gain an Eternal Life full of God's Loving-Kindness! Seek His Face in prayer, experience the Power of His Holy Spirit in your Life and lift up Holy hands to Him in praise! Bind yourself by God's authority, acknowledge His Supremacy, and devote yourself to His Glory and service alone.
41. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
- Psa. 73:1
The Amplified Bible reads:
TRULY (only) good is God to Israel, even to those who are upright and pure in heart.
Why? Because, God is Good! Psalm 73 is a Psalm of Asaph and is the first in Book III of the Psalms. The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended in Psalm 72, but we begin with the need of a clean, upright and pure heart. David cried out to God, "Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right Spirit within me!" How do we circumcise our hearts? All we can do is surrender our hearts to the Father and allow Him to cleanse and purify them with the Blood of Jesus by the Power of His Holy Spirit. It is only by the inner workings of His Grace that we are saved by Faith. Draw near to God; put your trust in the Lord and make Him your refuge, that you may tell of all His works.
42. Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
- Psa. 74:2
O GOD, why do You cast us off for ever? Why does Your anger burn and smoke against the sheep of Your pasture? Direct Your feet [quickly] to the perpetual ruins and desolations; the foe has devastated and desecrates everything in the sanctuary. We have not come to Mount Zion, but to the Living God Himself! We are His People and the Sheep of His Pasture. We are bought with the Blood of the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus Our Redeemer. The Son of God has come to dwell in our hearts. As the Temple of the Holy Spirit, many times we too come under attack by the enemy, but we have an advocate with the Father. He will come quickly, because He earnestly remembers us as His congregation. Do not forget the [clamoring] voice of Your adversaries, the tumult of those who rise up against You which ascends continually. God's Love is Everlasting!
43. Then the Lord ... Chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. vs. 61, 62
- Psa. 78:65, 68
GIVE ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. God replaced Shiloh as His capitol and built His sanctuary [exalted] like the heights [of the heavens], and like the earth which He established forever. He chose the tribe of Judah [as Israel's leader], because Jesus the Messiah was to be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and rule and reign forever. Although this Psalm speaks of King David (a type of Christ), he was only a shadow of the things to come. Jesus is the Anointed One (the One and Only Begotten of the Father)!
44. Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
- Psa. 81:13
Speedily then I would subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. Hear Oh Israel! We as Believers must listen to the Lord and walk in His Way if we want to receive the abundant Life which He Promised us. His Word is Life and Jesus is the Way! Hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit and walk in His Will and Way.
45. My lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
- Psa. 89:33
My covenant will I not break or profane, nor alter the thing that has gone out of My lips. Thy Loving-Kindness is better than Life! Great is Thy Faithfulness! God can not lie or be false to us. God is Faithful and Jesus Never Fails! He has promised to be with us always, even unto the end of the age. He'll never leave or forsake us. Blessed be the Lord for evermore! Amen and Amen.
46. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
- Psa. 90:1
When the disciples said,"Where else can we go? You have the Words of Life." They really knew what they were talking about. He is our hiding place, our strong tower and the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Abide in Him.
47. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psa. 79:13; 95:7.
- Psa. 100:3
Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing! Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and with a thank offering, and into His courts wth praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! Perceive, recognize and understand with approval - that the Lord is God! We are His! [Eph. 2:10.] His sheep hear His voice. Hear, Oh Israel!
48. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
- Psa. 103:4
Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each of] all your diseases; Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age] with good; so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's [strong, overcoming, soaring]! [Isa. 40:31.] Notice these are not questions, but statements of fact. Jesus is our Redeemer! He saves us from the pit and corruption; He beautifies and dignifies us. Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion; bless - affectionately, gratefully praise - the Lord, O my soul!
49. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
- Psa. 105:6
[Earnestly] remember the marvelous deeds that He has done, His miracles and wonders, the judgements and sentences which He pronounced [upon His enemies, as in Egypt]. [Ps. 78:43-51.] He is the Lord our God; His judgements are in all the earth. O you offspring of Abraham His servant, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones, you are the children of Faith! Chosen by God Himself for Good Works in Christ Jesus! Observe His statutes and keep His laws [hearing, receiving, loving and obeying them]. Praise the Lord! - Hallelujah!
50. Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
- Psa. 114:2
WHEN Israel came forth out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, The [Red] Sea looked and fled; the Jordan [River] was turned back. [Exod. 14:21; Josh. 3:13, 16; Ps 77:16.] We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (the holy place of His habitation). [Exod. 29:45, 46; Deut. 27:9.] God is our Rock and Fountain of Living Waters! Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. He shall reign over all the earth!
51. The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
- Psa. 135:4
Praise the Lord! For the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for He is gracious and lovely! For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. God has chosen us as His possession. [Deut. 7:6.] We are bought with the Blood of the Lamb of God and set aside for His use. The world should be able to see the difference between us and them. As the Pearl of Great Price, we should be shining forth a radiance from within like a precious gem stone. Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.
52. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him.
- Psa. 148:14
Let them praise and exalt the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted and supreme! His glory and majesty are above earth and Heaven! PRAISE the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints! God has given us power, prosperity, dignity and pre-eminence. Praise the Lord! - Hallelujah! [Ps. 75:10; Eph. 2:17.] He inhabits the praises of His people! Jesus is our strength and our song, He also has become our Salvation! Draw near to Him and worship in Spirit and Truth!
53. Such as are upright in their way are his delight.
- Prov. 11:20
He who is steadfast in righteousness - uprightness and right standing with God - shall attain to life, and he who pursues evil does it to his own death. They who are willfully contrary in heart are extremely disgusting and shamefully vile in the eyes of the Lord, but such that are blameless and whole-hearted in their ways are His delight! Assuredly - I pledge it - the wicked shall not go unpunished, but the multitude of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be delivered. Walk with Jesus. He is the Way!
54. He loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
- Prov. 15:9
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight! [Isa. 1:11; Jer. 6 :20; Amos 5:22.] There is severe discipline for him who forsakes God's way, and he who hates reproof will die [physically, morally and spiritually]. The way of the wicked is an abomination, extremely disgusting and shamefully vile to the Lord, but God loves those who pursue [spiritual and moral rectitude in every area and relation]. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and He is our Righteousness! Follow Him.
55. The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant:
- Isa. 5:7
LET me sing of and for my greatly Beloved [and as His representative] a tender song of my Beloved [God, the Son] concerning His vineyard [His chosen people]. My greatly Beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. [S. of Sol. 6:3; Matt. 20:1; 21:33-40.] We are the planting of the Lord and He looks for us to bring forth good and lasting fruit for His Kingdom. Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. As we abide in Him we shall accomplish His Perfect and Acceptable Will for our lives. Trust and obey!
56. Thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
- Isa. 41:8-10
Behold, all they who are enraged and inflamed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; they who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. There is nothing to fear! God will strengthen and harden you [to difficulties]; yes, God will help you; yes, God will hold you up and retain you with His victorious right hand of rightness and justice. [Acts 18:10.] He has chosen us and He will keep us!
PLEASE, GO TO PART THREE
Verse of the Day
Turn to me and be saved, all who live at the ends of the earth, because I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:22