I Am Christian's Tongue - Part Two

 

I AM CHRISTIAN'S TONGUE - Part Two

JEREMIAH 15:16

Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my Joy and my heart's Delight. For I bear Your Name, O LORD God of Hosts.

    I am Christian's tongue. I can taste the differences in The Word of God. Both the bitter and the sweet land on my tongue before they ever reach my belly where I can digest The Word, which will then flow through me to land in my heart. 

    Not everything in The Bible is easy to take in, nor can it be understood on a mere human level. It is, after all, The Living Word of God and none can begin to understand (taste) until one actually believes God's Word is True an Truth. Before I read it, I believed it. Before I knew It, I believed It. But as I began to read The Bible myself, then I began to taste God's Word and take It in. 

    Some of it was hard to swallow because the taste was so bitter. The judgments of God against nations other than the one He chose for Himself were hard enough, but to know that God will judge His own people tasted bitter at first. But as I swallowed the bitter words of God they became sweet like honey, for my faith in God was growing and as it grew, it changed and it changed me. 

    Some of God's Word is sweet to the taste and strength to the bones from the beginning. God loves us so much He died for us. And in His dying, His blood washes away our sins as if they never were. God conquered death and walked out of the grave a Victor, the first Overcomer. That's honey on my tongue. 

    I am Christian's tongue. My tastebuds taste The Word of God going in and coming back out again. The joy that floods my soul as I delight in The Word of God gets digested in my belly and rises up within me to pour back out of my mouth: in speaking/preaching/teaching The Word of God and in singing/praising The Worship of God. The heartaches and the warnings pour out of me and into the ears of anyone who will take It into themselves. 

    I am Christian's tongue. Discernment is in me. The Word of God is what is best for this body to thrive, for I am a member, a part, of the body of Christ and I have a job to do, too.  Romans 12:4, 5 and 1 Corinthians 12:12. 

    Whether I have the power to bring forth words clearly, with a speech impediment or remain mute, I have a responsibility to share/testify what Jesus has done for me. If God chooses Christian's tongue to remain silent, then He will express Himself in some other way through this body in which I honor Him. 

OVERWHELMED - Big Daddy Weave

COME TO THE TABLE - Sidewalk Prophets

TASTE & SEE - John Mark Pantana

HONEY IN THE ROCK - Brooke Ligertwood & Brandon Lake

    

This is Christmas, Too

 

Matthew 2:1-2

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.

Matthew 2:16

Then Herod, when He saw that He was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

    As Christians, we celebrate the birth of Christ with joy and festivities. We give each other presents. We read aloud to our families the Christmas story from the Bible. But do we continue to read aloud when it comes to the other factors in the birth of The King? 

    The wise men were two years into their search. They did not show up to the stable to see the baby King in the manger. They found Him in a house (Matthew 2:11). They knew The Word so well that they were looking for the star before the star appeared. We know this because they were wise men from the east. 

    When we go back to the Book of Daniel (Daniel 2:17, 20), we read of the rudiments of education of which the wise men of that time were required. It is God who gives wisdom and knowledge. Should any of us desire such, it is to God we must go to obtain it. As King Solomon did when God approached him (1 Kings 3:5, 9). 

    Thus we know the wise men not only knew The Scriptures, they had more than a basic education. They were learned men: learning was their way of life. Having read The Scriptures, they believed The Scriptures and were searching the night skies looking for the star that would rise which would show them where the new King would be born. Once it appeared, they began their trek across continents to reach Him. But it took them Two Years to get there. 

    No one who comes to Jesus is ever late getting there. Every heart that truly seeks to see His face will find Him. "Ask and you will receive; Seek and you will find; Knock and the doors will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7. 

    But in their search for Christ, they met people along the way who sought to kill the new King (Matthew 2:3-8). By this Mary and Joseph were residing in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11). This is where the wise men found Jesus. To a house in Bethlehem, to The One who was Born King of the Jews, they brought their gifts. Gifts which would pay tribute to Him as King (gold), honor Him as King (gold) and anoint Him as King (myrrh). These gifts would be used immediately.

    For when the wise men did not return to Herod, the nasty king ordered all the young children two years old and under to be killed. Hundreds of babies and toddlers met their deaths at the hands of an unwise man. Parents had their infants yanked from their arms and slaughtered in front of them. The blood of innocents filled the city streets in Bethlehem and in every nearby coastal town (Matthew 2:16-18). 

    This, too, is Christmas. Sadness. Mourning. Weeping: an unending, heartbreaking tearyness which flowed from the broken hearts of the people whose children were dead. Another prophecy fulfilled, albeit a sad one. (Jeremiah 31:15). Not everyone was able to rejoice at the birth of The One who had been born King of the Jews. 

    As stated, the gifts the wise men gave to Jesus were used immediately. Because the order was about to go  out while they were still residing in Bethlehem, the young family needed to leave in a hurry. They left in the night, under cover of darkness and fled the country (Matthew 2:12-14), taking the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh which we understand helped them on their journey. For they left immediately after the wise men's visit to their home. 

    So, now I ask you, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? Where is that is born King of Kings? For even now some still search for Him. To know The Scriptures is to know The Word; to know The Word is to know Jesus. The wise men from the east knew the prophecies of The Scriptures at that time. They came searching for He who had been BORN King of the Jews. This is a King who at His birth was already a King. All other kings were made kings or they may have been born into the position by reason of lineage. But Jesus was the born King. Lineage had nothing to do with it. He was King from the beginning, from before time/all through time/after time. 

    As He stated in John 8:58, Jesus told the people that He is I AM (Exodus 3:14). And they wanted to kill Him then, but He faded into the crowd. John 1:1-3 tells us Who this King is. He is King before He is born. He is Ruler. He is Sceptre. He is Governor. He is Jesus and waits for you to seek Him out and meet with Him. 

    Revelation 3:20 " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." We don't need to wait for Him to come and find us where we are: He knows where we are. He waits for us to answer His knock on our hearts. He waits for us to open the door of our hearts and invite Him in, that The Word may dwell in our hearts. 

    Those who seek Him to destroy His Kingship will fail in their endeavors. Those who seek Him to honor Him as King will find Him. They, we, merely have to open the doors of our hearts and invite Him into our lives. Are you ready to meet Jesus? He's knocking on your heart right now. 

THE GOSPEL - Ryan Stevenson

The Lord Is Ever Present

 

Psalm 139:7-10

Where shall I go from your Spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me. 

Proverbs 15:3

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

2 Chronicles 16:9a

For the eyes of The LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him. 

Ezekiel 1:15-21 speaks of the four wheels within wheels, covered with eyes, that goes where The Spirit goes. 

Jeremiah 23:24

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? said the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? said the LORD. 

Hebrews 4:13

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account.

Job 34:22

There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.

Revelation 6:16

And they said to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb."

Colossians 1:15-17

The Son is the image of The invisible God, The Firstborn over all creation.

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.

God even sees us when we are being created in our mothers' wombs. He is with us from the beginnings of life to the end of life.

Psalm 139:13-16

For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. 

My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be. 

Nothing Else - Cody Carnes 

Storm (All Around You) - Jon Thurlow @Forerunner Music

Spirit Lead Me - Michael Ketterer 

Sellout (Blood Money)

 

Thirty pieces of silver. The value of a man's life. One Man in particular. Blood money given to a different man. 

        Zechariah 11:12,13 

Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

                            Matthew 26:14,15

Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.

                            Matthew 27:9,10

Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 32:6-9) was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel,and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had commanded me."

                            

    Judas, who had been chosen by Jesus to be one of "the chosen", the twelve men whom Christ had called by name to follow Him, was not a faithful follower. He had his faults, namely, money. He sold out this Prophet he followed from town to town for thirty pieces of silver, the equivalent of four days labor. 

    *In Roman terms it would have been the equivalent of four denarii; in Grecian terms it would have equaled four drachmas. It is the shekel referred to from Genesis to Zechariah. It is the penny, the denarius, mentioned in Matthew 20:1-16. It is a day's wages. This is how the Jewish leaders determined the correct price to pay to have Jesus betrayed. 

       Yet Jesus called him, "Friend" (Matthew 26:50). That must've cut into Judas' heart, but it was too late. He had already betrayed Jesus by a kiss on the cheek. While we know Judas was sorrowful for what he done to his Friend, we can only surmise about whether or not he was repentant. For neither sorrow, nor remorse, nor penitence is repentance. 

        But we should not be hasty in judging Judas. We, too, have blood on our hands. We, also, have traded the riches of knowing Christ better for the wealth of a bag of holes. Instead of reading our Bibles on a daily basis that we might gain strength and wisdom from them, we squander our days. Instead of kneeling prayer over The Word of God, we might read a passage or two and hope for the best. 

        Whatever we have set our sights on and our hands to do instead of seeing and doing what we are supposed to be doing is the thirty pieces of silver we have been paid to look the other way, instead of at The Way. We have looked to the left and looked to the right on this narrow path in which we attempt to walk: our eyes have seen and our hearts have wandered. We have become faithless sellouts to our Faithful Leader.  

        We need to get back to the altar and lay down our pride, humbling ourselves at the foot of His cross. We will repent of all our wickedness and set our face to seek Him out. We will fall prostrate before Him and He will lift us up. 

        Even if you can't get to church, you can get to the altar. It is a sacred place where a person meets God. In Old Testament times, an altar was built after a person had met (communed) with God. Many altars were constructed to burn a sacrifice on. Though it is not necessary for the Christian to burn a sacrifice, it is necessary to lay the sacrifice God wants from us on the altar. 

        Where is your altar set up that you meet with God and lay your sacrifice on? Some have set up a small table or chair on which to lay their open Bible and pray there. Some go out into an open area, open Bible in hand, and speak with God there. You'll know your altar when you see it, if you are listening to The Spirit direct you. 

    

Resources:

*1. TruthSaves 

Talking To Jesus 

Sweet Hour of Prayer 

Lay It All Down

    

 

Cup of Wrath

 Part Three of The CupBearer & The Cups

    Revelation 14:9,10

And another, a third angel, followed them, saying in a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the anger of God, having been mixed undiluted in The Cup of His Wrath; and he will be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before The Lamb."

    Such is the dreadful future of the unbelieving soul, the unrepentant heart. In Sodom and Gomorrah fire fell from heaven and utterly destroyed both cities for their wicked evil ways (Genesis 1924). 

    Psalm 75:8 tells us: For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and He pours out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. 

    Jeremiah 25:15,16 For thus says the LORD God of Israel to me: “Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. And they will drink and stagger and go out of their minds, because of the Sword that I will send among them.”

    What is in the wine of God's fury, God's anger? Well, Jeremiah 25:16 says there is a Sword in God's wine; a Sword of ruin (vs 17). In this Cup is a Sword of judgment against Jerusalem and Judah and all the nations around them; against all the kingdoms on the face of the earth (vs 18-26). Isaiah 66:16 says many will be slain by The Sword of The LORD. 

    It is the Sword of war: destruction and desolation lay in its path. Whomever it touches dies and their bodies lay untouched, unmourned, unburied. Where they drop they remain until the birds of prey and wild animals devour their remains. 

    Jeremiah also tells us this Sword will first be poured out on Jerusalem (The City of Peace) and Judah (People of Praise). Judgment, The Word tells us in 1 Peter 4:17, begins in the house of God. Many who claim to be Christians, will receive their reward, their punishment, for the wickedness they brought into God's house. 

    Those who have set up carved images, idols, will be judged for their impudence against God and disregard for His Word. They who turn their hearts against God's Word and do not believe The TRUTH, who insist on listening to lies and fables, whose lives are guided by demonic spirits, will find the sword in their midst, destroying and tearing down everything it touches. 

    Witches, both "good" and evil, astrologers and they who follow them, occultists will be killed. The sexually immoral: fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, etc. will find that what they believed to be "good enough" is not even close to being good in God's eyes. Liars, thieves and braggards (the proud) will see that they were wrong. The Sword of The LORD will slay even these if they remain unrepentant and unchanged. 

   

    What is this Sword which is in the wine of God's Wrath? Ephesians 6:17 "And take the helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is The Word of God." And Zechariah 4:6 "Then he said to me, “This is The Word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says The LORD of Hosts."

    The SWORD OF THE SPIRIT is THE WORD OF THE LORD. From the passage in Revelation 19:11-16 we find Revelation 19:15 "And out of His mouth goes forth a sharp Sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations; and He will shepherd them with a rod of iron. And He treads the press of the wine of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty."

    The Sword of The LORD is fluid but not flexible. It is alive and capable of separating soul from spirit; it discerns our thoughts and knows our intents (Hebrews 4:12). It is a double-edged Sword (Revelation 2:12). It is sharp (Revelation 19:15). It is capable of dividing families: believers from unbelievers (Luke 12:51-53). All who war against God will be killed by The Sword (Revelation 19:21).

    While the believer lives and dies by The Sword of The LORD (Philippians 1:20; Romans 14:8), it is the unbeliever who will suffer most in the hands of The Living God Who wields The Sword.   

Blessed Be The Name of The LORD.

    In this Cup is wine made from rotten fruit (Joel 3:12,13), which will be poured out on all nations. Revelation 14:18,19 "Still another angel, with authority over the fire, came from the altar and called out in a loud voice to the angel with the sharp sickle, "Swing your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe." So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath."

    This Cup is not for me. I drink from the Cup of Blessing. Here am I to warn you, "Don't drink from the Cup of Wrath. Now is the time to take stock of your life and your soul. Today is the day to give your heart to God and believe that His only begotten Son Jesus Christ died on the cross, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Today is your day to repent of all your wickedness and pray The Spirit to show you in The Word of God how to turn your life around. Today is all we have for tomorrow is not a given. 

     Hebrews 3:7 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast. 

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice,

do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness."

    Hebrews 3:12,13 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; But encourage one another every day, while it is called today, so that not one of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

CUP OF WRATH (songs I listened to while I studied)

    

The CupBearer & The Cups

 

The CupBearer is God. In His hands are two cups. One cup contains His wrath and one cup contains His blessing. Which cup do you want Him to pour out on you? 

THE CUP OF WRATH

    In the cup of wrath is the wine of God's fury (Revelation 14:10). As told against the nations in Jeremiah's time (Jeremiah 25:15-38), this cup is dreadful and has horrific consequences for those destined to drink it. 

    This cup is the sword of The Lord (Jeremiah 25:16); it brings destruction and madness to the people whom it touches. This sword is blood-bathed in heaven (Isaiah 34:5,6) and brings death with it. It is a devouring sword, this cup of wrath (Deuteronomy 32:42), on God's enemies. 

    Who will drink this cup? The wicked (Job 21:20; Psalm 75:8;) will drink of the cup of wrath. Babylon (Revelation 16:19) and all who participated in Babylon's wickedness (Revelation 18:3). Those who burn incense to idols (Jeremiah 44:8). They who are called by The LORD but refuse to answer Him (Isaiah 65:11,12).

    What is the awful wine they will drink? Destruction, sulfur, fire; drunkenness and vomiting; death. Yet it will taste sweet on the tongue (Psalm 75:8), for it is a fermented intoxicating beverage mixed with spices. But its result is far worse than a hangover and no bloody Mary or hair of the dog will take away the pain of having drunk from this cup. 

    Do you really want to be one of those people who will have to drink from that cup because you rejected The Word of God and refused to believe on The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God? 

THE CUP OF BLESSING

    In the cup of blessing is Life Eternal. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 Paul tells us, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?". This is the cup from which we should want to drink. 

    In this cup is fellowship with Christ, a commitment to follow Him all the way (Matthew 26:26,27). Jesus has said that all who follow Him must take up their cross. (Don't worry about what your cross is: it will be revealed to you when you really need to know.) We will have many burdens to bear in this life, but we must lay them all down at the feet of Jesus, and let Him take care of them. Let us drink together  this cup of blessing and sacrificial love which The LORD God has prepared for them that love Him and obey His commandments, which are not burdensome (1 John 5:3,4). 

    The psalmist had a few words to speak regarding The LORD's cup. Psalm 16:5 "The LORD is My Chosen Portion and My Cup; You have made my lot secure." and again in 

Psalm 23:5 "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." And here in 

Psalm 104:15 "Wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart." 

    Wine that makes the heart happy. Oil that causes our faces to shine. Bread which sustains us. The wine of God's love, His grace and lovingkindness expressed through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, is what makes the heart happy. 

    The wine is the sacrifice we make when we choose to leave everything we have loved and follow Jesus Christ wherever He leads us. It is bittersweet and costly. Yet it is a greater loss to not drink this wine. John wrote, "He must increase, but I must decrease." It's not about me and what I want: it's about Him and what God wants. 

    The anointing of His Holy Spirit shines the reflection of God's love from within the born again believer that the whole world cannot help but notice, there's something different about that person. And we know that the difference noted is the indwelling of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the power of The Holy Spirit. That's what you see when you see a real Christian. 

    Bread to sustain, strengthen, the heart. Not just any bread, but the Bread of Heaven, taken in daily when we read and study and pray over it, asking The Holy Spirit to apply it to our hearts and help us to live it the way God wants us to live it. 

    That's what's in the cup of blessing. I'm drinking from that cup. And I'm holding on to it with all my strength, no matter how much I struggle daily, because that's my blessing. And I'm not letting go. 

WHICH CUP WILL YOU CHOOSE?

    We can't drink from both cups, we have to choose one or the other. 

Paul writes in the letter to the church in Corinth:

    1 Corinthians 10:21 "You cannot drink of the cup of The Lord, and the cup of demons: you cannot be partakers of The Lord's table, and of the table of demons."

    And Joshua told the people they had to choose which god to serve and which God he chose to serve:

    Joshua told the people in his time (Joshua 24:15), "If it seems evil to you to serve The LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve The LORD." 

    Paul reminds the church in Corinth (and us) in his second letter to them that unequal partnerships will fail and cannot intermingle. Where light is darkness cannot remain. 

  2 Corinthians 6:14-16 reminds us to be equal partners in righteousness and communion. That we are the temple of God: He lives in us, walks in us: The LORD is our God and we are His people. 

THE CUPBEARER & THE CUP

Behold The Lamb - Stuart Townend

My Portion - Isla Vista Worship

Fill My Cup - Andrew Ripp

Drinking From My Saucer - Michael Combs

Fill My Cup, Lord - (Hymns of Faith)

Where You Go, I Go - Jesus Culture

Lay It All Down - Will Reagan, United Pursuit

Just As I Am - (Hymns of Faith)

A Crucified Life - - Lives A Righteous Life

 

2 Corinthians 5:21

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1343

Righteousness: justice, judicial approval
From the Greek word 'dikaiosuné' (pronounced dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay): the divine approval of God, what is approved in His eyes, divine verdict.

DEAD TO SIN

We read Romans 6:1-14 which speaks of being alive in Christ, looking at verse 4:

We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

    Sin was on the cross. It was laid across the shoulders of the Lamb of God. He became the scapegoat on which all the sins of the world were placed. By design. Everything God does is done by design and on purpose with purpose. 

    Sin was not alone on the cross. The means by which sin could be cured is also on the cross. The blood of Jesus Christ stained the cross completely. From the cross beam on top to the cross post which was pulleyed into the ground where it stood, drawing every eye to it. But not every heart. Not all who see see clearly; we must view the cross through the eyes of faith in order to see our Savior and not just a mere Teacher or Prophet.

ALIVE IN CHRIST

1 Peter 2:24

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. "By His stripes you are healed."

Romans 8:11

And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

    When Paul writes that he dies daily, he means not only that he faced death on a daily basis for putting his faith in Christ into action, but that he daily submitted and surrendered to the Word of God.

     Like Daniel, Paul put God first in every decision after he believed in Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. And like Daniel, Paul would not back down when the going got tough. Both were arrested, tried and jailed. 

    Daniel was released after having spent one night in jail (the lions' den). Having survived the lion pit, Daniel's God was given the glory for what He had accomplished in Daniel's testimony.         Paul was arrested, tried and traveled to Rome under arrest. Every town he went through, a group of believers was established by God's Word being shared with anyone who would listen to the gospel Paul preached. 

    Then, as now, God gets the glory every time. We are the righteousness of God in Christ because Jesus Christ is our Salvation, our Hope, our Redeemer, our Righteousness.

    Jeremiah 23:6

In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

    Who is Judah? The people of praise who praise God.

    Who is Israel? The people of God who live according to God's Word.

    Who is God's Word? Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God. 

    

LIVING RIGHTEOUS

Jesus Messiah - Chris Tomlin

Stricken, Smitten And Afflicted - Fernando Ortega

God Really Loves Us - Crowder & Dante Bowe

Heart of God - Zach Williams

No Longer Slaves - Jonathan and Melissa Helser

Me On Your Mind - Matthew West

Jesus Paid It All - Kim Walker-Smith

Make Room - Community Music

Heart & Soul - - Faint Not, Fear Not

 

Jeremiah 51:46

Do not let your heart grow faint, and do not be afraid when the rumor is heard in the land; for a rumor will come one year—and then another the next year—of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7401

Faint: tender, weak of heart

From the Hebrew word 'rakak' (pronounced raw-kak').

In this verse, weak of heart is defined as 'timid, fearful'. It is an important enough warning to warrant a double encouragement from The Lord. First, we are not to let our hearts grow faint. Second, we are not to be afraid of rumors of violence in our land. 

UNFAINTING HEART

    How do we prevent our hearts from becoming timid? We encourage ourselves and each other in The Word of God. 

>Allow God and Christ to encourage us: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

>Delight ourselves in The Lord: Psalm 37:4

>Jude 1:20-21

>Encourage one another: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

>Comfort one another: 1 Thessalonians 4:18

>Exhort one another daily: Hebrews 3:13

>Gather together: Hebrews 10:25

>Edify one another: Romans 14:19

>Serve/be agreeable with our neighbor for their edification: Romans 15:2

UNFEARFUL HEART

    There are several verses in Scripture telling God's people to not be fearful, not be afraid; to fear not. From Genesis to Revelation we find much encouragement from The LORD.

> Genesis 15:1 "After these things the Word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." 

>Revelation 2:10 "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you might be tested; and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give to you the crown of life."

    Even now, in these latter days, in these last hours, The Word of The Lord encourages His people. We do, indeed, have much violence spread across the globe. There are, as stated in Matthew 24:6 "wars and rumors of wars".  The earth itself is in upheaval "the earth groans" Romans 8:22. Yet, we are to gain strength in The Lord and not be afraid of all that is happening around us and to us. 

    For Christ has called us to suffer with Him that we might be found worthy of Him: Matthew 10:38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." That cross our Lord and Savior was nailed to was not comfortable, nor was it pretty. It was hard, heavy and painful to be on. Think you our crosses are any less? 

    The other thing about this cross we are to take up is that we don't get to choose our cross. Taking up our cross means we need to be prepared in all ways to follow Jesus Christ where He leads us. We need to be ready to suffer, ready to serve.

     Christ prepared Himself when He prayed with His Father. He spent many, many hours in prayer. His prayer times were a source of refreshing and a place of gaining strength from His Father. Our times of refreshing are also in prayer. Alone with God we acquire His peace, His strength, His wisdom. In Christ we have access to everything He is. 

    We must remember, take to heart, the encouragement of our God:

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’" Isaiah 41:10.

WINDS OF WORSHIP 3

The Lord Is - - January 2023

 

CHANNUN YHVH TSADDIQ

(pronounced khan-noon' yeh-ho-vaw' tsad-deek')

GRACIOUS IS THE LORD AND RIGHTEOUS

Psalm 116:5

The LORD is Gracious and Righteous; our God is full of compassion.

Exodus 34:6

Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: "The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,"

Romans 2:4

Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you to repentance?

THURA

(pronounced thoo'-rah)

THE DOOR

John 10:9

I am The Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and come out, and find pasture. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2374

Door: opportunity, gate, entryway

'The name of Him who brings Salvation to those who follow His guidance.' 

John 14:5-7

5. “Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?” 

6. Jesus answered, “I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

7. "If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”

BASILEUS ISRAEL

(pronounced bas-il-yooce' is-rah-ale')

THE KING OF ISRAEL

John 12:13

They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

Psalm 118:26

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.

John 1:49

"Rabbi," Nathanael answered, "You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

Revelation 7:9, 10

9. After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

10. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

MELEK YAAQOB

(pronounced meh'-lek yah-ak-obe')

King of Jacob

Isaiah 41:21

“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob.

Argue your case before Me. Tell Me why you are right. Strong words from the LORD. Who would want to argue with God? Yet, many do. I have questioned Him, but questions are not arguments. "Bring forth your strong reasons". 

Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool."

Isaiah 41:1

“Be silent before Me, O islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come forward and testify; let us together draw near for judgment."

Isaiah 42:26

"Remind Me, let us argue the matter together. State your case, so that you may be vindicated."

    So you think your ways are better than My ways,  says the Lord. Show Me, prove yourself before Me. The power of God is greater than the power of any other god. No idol, nor idolater can stand before Him and claim it any other way. 

    When we come into the presence of The Lord God, we are suddenly aware that we are less and He is great, that we are unworthy and He is gracious. We begin to state our reasons for why our sin is right and He reminds us that His grace is greater, that He is Savior and it is He Who washes away all unrighteousness: when we draw near and obey His Word. 

    When the judgement of God falls on the sin, it also falls on the unforgiven sinner. Though the sinner has testified on their own behalf why their sins are justifiable, truly they have not a leg to stand on. Their disobedience testifies against them to God. 

    When the righteous who have been forgiven come before God, Christ testifies on their behalf, for all God's people everywhere (throughout time and across land and sea) are hid in Christ. Our sins have been forgiven: we have trusted in the power of God and lived a righteous holy life before Him in Christ.

    Before He was Israel's King, He was Jacob's King. Jacob, the usurper, who had a heart for God and who was loved by God. A man who was subject to his own desires, who ruled with his head (headstrong). Before he wrestled with God. 

    But now, after He wrestled with the angel of God, he asks for a blessing. His blessing is his new name: Israel, because he 'struggled with God'. ((Genesis 32:22-36))

    Not only is The Lord God Jacob's King, but now we who have been washed in His Son's blood, can call Him our King as well. Hallelujah! To God be the glory, great things He has done! We call Him King. He calls us friends. And He has new names for us, as well (Revelation 2:17).

MAQOR CHAY MAYIM
(pronounced maw-kore' khah'-ee mah'-yim)

FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER

Jeremiah 2:13

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

    God is not speaking to the general populace here, but to His own people. His own people have deserted Him, their source of life and chosen to create their own wellsprings. What is He saying? 

They have turned their backs on God, Who is the source of all life, both here and now and eternally. 

    They have chosen to set up their own systems of living, broken cisterns, which cannot contain life; broken doctrines which cannot save themselves nor their communities, for there is no Living Water in them, only dust. And God's people cannot live on dust.

    Though our planet is 90% water, much of that is unpotable and it's getting worse, not better. When there is much rain, there is immense flooding. And the flood waters are more than just overflow of dams and levees: the sewers flood, water mains break, garbage is swept up into the floods. In other words, it's filthy, it's unpotable; not able to sustain life. Just like the hearts of God's people who had turned away from Him.

    We cannot as God's people live like that. We need clean, pure Water to drink for ourselves and share with others. We need Jesus Christ living in us, the Holy Spirit of God filling us, pouring out of us into our hearts and lives (our wells) and overflowing into other people's hearts  and lives (their wells). 

    God's people are being reprimanded by God for forsaking Him, for turning from Him to other gods. Their cisterns are broken. Be warned now: God is The Fountain of Living Water and there is none other which can sustain God's people. We give all the glory to God for being our Lifesource! 

    John 4:1-26 tells us the historical account of Jesus and His encounter with a Samaritan woman who had come to the well to draw water, only to find Jesus who gave her Living Water. Hallelujah! 

    Come to the well and meet Jesus. 

    

Guard Your Heart - - Watch Your Ways

 

Jeremiah 17:10

I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3629

Reins: kidney

From the Hebrew word 'kilyah' (pronounced kil-yaw'). Figuratively speaking, considered the seat of emotion and affection; where the character of a person is thought to originate; the mind, the interior self. 

THE LORD IS MY JUDGE

Psalm 26:2

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Jeremiah 20:12

O LORD of Hosts, who examines the righteous, who sees the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause. 

    Even before I meet Him face to face, God judges my heart and my mind now to see if I have been faithful to Him. He knows my thoughts, He sees my heart. Therefore, in my decision to follow Christ, I must also control not only what I think, but how I think. 

    Cursing the person who cuts us off in traffic is not Christ-like. And, yes, calling them names is not Christ-like either. Just roll with it. Getting angry at rude people is not Christ-like. Where is the compassion? Where is the mercy? Why condemn when we can forgive? 

    I am a slow-moving woman. While I do not drive any more, I am a passenger. And I have the tendency to be frustrated at other drivers. So, I need to watch myself. I need to be more prepared to be in the midst of rude, selfish, inattentive people and not be one of them. 

    This includes indoor traffic. Like, say, grocery shopping. People whip around me like I'm not even there. Because I'm slow. And my little scooter irritates them. Even here I need to show compassion and understanding. Why? That my witness, my testimony not be tainted. The Lord Is My Strength. He hears my thoughts. He knows my heart. And because I belong to Him I am accountable for both aspects to Him.

MY REINS

    I don't always know what I'm thinking. I used to do things without thinking. Scary thought! Careful thought is given to how I may serve God and others, but seldom do I think carefully on how best to take care of myself. I'm still learning to not only think for myself, but to make wise choices after careful thought.

    Psalm 19:12 "Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults." Hidden faults. There are hidden thoughts in me. Not always knowing my own mind how can I know what is hidden in my reins, my mind? So say I, too, "Lord, cleanse me from my hidden faults." 

    Job 13:23 "How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin." Show me, Lord, where I am doing You wrong, where my errors lie. Reveal the sin in me and remove it far from me. For I do not want anything to separate me from You. 

MY HEART

Psalm 17:3 "You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress."

Psalm 39:1 "I said, "I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present."

    What is in the heart comes out of the mouth. Again, many times without us even thinking about it. It is another reason we need The Lord to fill us with His Word, that His Word would take root and grow in us: filling our hearts and our minds with Himself. For He is a patient God. A loving God. A forgiving God. A just God. A compassionate God. A merciful God. A faithful God.     

    When God looks on our hearts, what does He see? Does He see His own image or does He see a deceitful heart? When God listens to our thoughts, can He hear us glorifying Him or are we displeasing to Him, causing Him to turn His face away from us?

    David wrote in Psalm 26:1 that he had walked with integrity, that he had trusted the Lord without wavering. Have we walked with integrity, with uprightness of heart? Have we faithfully obeyed God, trusted in Him with all of our hearts, our minds, our souls the way He wants us to trust Him?

    Deuteronomy 6:4, 5

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

All our hearts. All our souls. All our strength. Is to be dedicated to loving The Lord our God. All of His people. All of the time. 

THE LORD REWARDS

Job 34:11

"For according to a man's deeds He repays him; according to a man's ways He brings consequences."

Isaiah 40:10

"Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him."

Matthew 16:27

"For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done."

Revelation 22:12

"Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done." 

    Think on this: will we be rewarded for our faithfulness and enter into the joy of The Lord? or will we be found wanting and sent into utter darkness, away from the presence of The Eternal God?     It's actually our decision. We have free will, the ability to choose. Our decisions, what we think and how we behave, are ours to make. Let us watch and pray. Watch not only ourselves, but for His return. Let us open ourselves up to God completely, allowing Him to show us the error of our ways and surrendering completely to His ways.

My Portion by Mark Barlow

Let This Heart Not Wander by Young Oceans

Jesus At The Center by Darlene Zschech

I Give You My Heart by Hillsong