Today's Word -- WAIT

 Prepositions are important. What are prepositions? From  WaldenU we get a proper definition: A preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, time, place, location, spatial relationships, or to introduce an object.

When we study out the word WAIT, the preposition after it shows us what it means in that particular verse.

Psalm 27:14 

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. 

To wait on the Lord is to WAIT FOR the Lord to lead us in the right direction, to speak what He wants us to hear. As a good private, we wait for our General to command us where to go and how to get there. We know He is leading an army because the next phrase in this sentence tells us to 'be of good courage' and He (the Lord) will strengthen our hearts [so that we will not fear but be emboldened and follow Him]).

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint

To WAIT UPON the Lord in this verse means to 'twist [together, like a rope], to endure, to stretch'; to look eagerly for, to patiently watch for together. The implication here being that we, as a group, as the church, are to anticipate with joy the coming of the Lord, knowing that (Nehemiah 8:10) "The joy of the Lord is our Strength". Are we doing so? Is eager anticipation to meet Jesus Christ on His return filling our minds, our hearts? Or do you have fear and trepidation? 

    If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, having believed that He Is Lord, that He died for you on the cross; conquered death, hell and the grave; walked out of the tomb with a glorified body, then joy and anticipation surely fill your soul, your heart and your mind. For you have endeavored to have a personal relationship with your Savior. 

    But if fear and terror fill your mind at the thought of meeting Christ and God one on one, with the knowledge that you will be judged for your unbelief and your wicked ways, then you need to repent now and call upon The Name of The Lord to forgive you. 

    That way of life you think is okay to live is surely your choice, as it was mine so long ago. But if it is not a godly lifestyle, aligning itself with The Word of God, then there needs to be a change. Not just a change of how you are living, but a change of heart that changes your motivation for living. 

    Are you content? Do you know real peace? Do you crave a happy life? Yes, being a Christian is hard. Yes, living a holy, godly lifestyle may be difficult at first. People will stop loving you, stop associating with you, stop talking to you, stop hanging out with you. It is not to attain a holier-than-thou attitude, but to be completely aware that without the grace of God through Jesus Christ we are utterly and totally lost in our sins. But it's so worth it to be friends with Christ Jesus. 

I AM A FRIEND OF GOD -  Israel Houghton 

IN THE WAITING - Vicki Yohe

 

A Table Spread - Honey

 Psalm 23:5 

You prepare a table before me ...

Psalm 119:103

How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 19:9, 10

The fear of The LORD is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of The LORD are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

    While the taste of The Word of God is sweet to the tongue, once digested it does not always remain so, as Ezekiel found out in Ezekiel 3; as John discovered in Revelation 10:9, 10. The Word is sweet in the mouth, bitter in the stomach. But it is strength to the soul who receives It. At both times it was a time of preparation to bring a righteous Word from God to anyone who would listen and take hold of It for themselves. 

    If The Word of God which we hear and read aloud for ourselves is not going any farther than our own mouths, what effect is it actually having on our lives/lifestyles? Are we changing into a holy people preparing to meet a holy God and live? Though The Spirit brings a life-changing holiness into our lives, shouldn't we actually taste and see that The Lord is Good first? 

    Let's have some discussion on this, please. I encourage you to interact with me in my studies. 

    The classic hymn Come And Dine has been playing in my mind for several weeks now. It is the primary song I hear in my thoughts while I study and pray over The Word I have been given to bring forth. What song comes to mind as you read and study your Bible today? 

COME AND DINE

1. Jesus has a table spread
   Where the saints of God are fed,
   He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;
   With His manna He doth feed
   And supplies our every need:
   Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!
   • Refrain:
     “Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;
     You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
     He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
     To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
2. The disciples came to land,
   Thus obeying Christ’s command,
   For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;
   There they found their heart’s desire,
   Bread and fish upon the fire;
   Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.
3. Soon the Lamb will take His bride
   To be ever at His side,
   All the host of heaven will assembled be;
   Oh, ’twill be a glorious sight,
   All the saints in spotless white;
   And with Jesus they will feast eternally.

HONEY IN THE ROCK - Brooke Ligertwood

Today's Word - Diligently

 Deuteronomy 28:1, 2

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe [and] to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 

Hearken DILIGENTLY: attentiveness (listen intently); to hear intelligently (pay attention, take what God is saying to us to heart (meditate on His Word), and obey His Word).

How do we know if we are blessed by God? 

When we listen to His Word being spoken to us - whether it is we who read aloud in our own hearing or whether we hear The Word preached by another person - and when we obey The Word that is given to us daily. we are blessed by God. When we love to hear from God knowing He loves to hear from us, we are blessed by God. When we approach the throne of glory on which He is seated, knowing He hears the words we speak and the words we cannot, we are a blessed people. For our GOD HEARS US. 

To Observe God's commandments is to read and study them out for ourselves: it is to study His Word daily: verse by verse when needed or chapter upon chapter. It is to pray His Holy Spirit apply The Word to our hearts that we might live in joyful obedience to Him. It is not just to read our Bibles and set them aside, forgetting what we have just read. It is not about how often we attend church, nor where we attend church, but about what we do with The Word that is preached in our hearing in these churches, regardless of denomination. For our GOD KNOWS OUR HEARTS. 

In this passage of Scripture it is not the stranger Moses is speaking to, but to God's people. And in this New Testament time of Grace in which we live, The Word speaks to the Christians, as well. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8.

WORD OF GOD SPEAK - MercyMe