Blessed Are They Which Are Falsely Accused

 Blessed Are They Which Are Falsely Accused

Matthew 5:11

Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.

    Someone, somewhere, at some point in time is going to tell lies about you and your faith in Christ. It's already started, you know. We are hated for our intolerance against sin. 

    But we do not hate in return. We do not retaliate. We do not speak out against the people who are lying about us. We can hold our heads up and face the raging voices with honor and integrity, for we are Christ's. We are in Him and He is in us. 

    To be reviled is to be censured, criticized and condemned for the sake of Jesus' Name. To be persecuted is to be subject to hostility and ill-treatment. Understatements those are. Hostility is anything from a mean word to a weapon aimed in our direction. Ill-treatment can be rudeness, being ignored, and being cruelly afflicted. 

    In Christ we have become the righteousness of God and we are seen as enemies of this world and enemies of all the religions, gods, idols and idolatry which are practiced in this world. Which, in Truth, we are. For whoever is not with God is against God. [Matthew 12:30; John 15:23; Luke 10:16].

    In Christ we are called to suffer for righteousness' sake. Before Christ ever took up His cross, He had already suffered tremendously for our sakes. It is only fitting therefore, that when we take up our cross and follow Him, we, too, should suffer for the sake of the cross. [Mark 8:34; 1 Peter 2:21]. 

    2 Timothy 3:12

Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

    1 Peter 4:13

But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory. 

    It is a blessing to be counted among the sufferers for the sake of the gospel. It is a joy and a great reward to be numbered among the saints who lived by faith in The Word of God. We rejoice! to belong to God in Christ Jesus! Great is His faithfulness to us who believe. 

    

Psalm 116:5 Gracious Is The Lord and Righteous - Channun Yhvh Tsaddiqh

 

CHANNUN YHVH TSADDIQH

(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 (despise, think little of) the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness (the goodness of God) leads you to repentance?

God's Kindness

Ephesians 2:4-7

4. But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy,

5. made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

6. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

7. that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Titus 3:4, 5

4. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,

5. He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

God's kindness to us is salvation through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, Whose blood which was shed on the cross washes away our sins forever. He has no remembrance of them. How many people can you number who have a memory like an elephant and keep reminding you of your sins? of who you used to be? before you came to Jesus and accepted Him as your personal Lord and Savior? I don't have enough fingers to do that.

But God does not remember the sins we have repented of and been forgiven for. God knows who belongs to Him and who does not. Do you belong to Jesus?

NOW I BELONG TO JESUS - George Beverly Shea

Warrior of The Word - Ephesians 6:14b - Breastplate of Righteousness

 

Ephesians 6:14

Stand therefore, 

having your loins girt about with truth, 

and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

    The breastplate is the part of the armor that covers our chest area; both the left side and the right side. Our upper back is also covered. The righteousness of Christ covers us completely, especially our heart. 

    Isaiah 59:1-15 tells us how sin separates us from God, and how no one was found to intercede on our behalf, so God sent Himself to intercede for us. Isaiah 59:16-18 tells us how God will do this. 

    Verse 16: His own arm brought salvation and His own righteousness sustained Him (Isaiah 51:5)

Verse 17: He put on righteousness like a breastplate (2 Corinthians 6:7) and the helmet of salvation on His head (Psalm 140:7). He put on garments of vengeance (Revelation 19:13) and wrapped Himself in a cloak of zeal (Titus 2:14).

    Verse 18: He will repay each one according to their deeds (Revelation 22:12): 

        *Fury to His enemies: Deuteronomy 32:41-43 & Revelation 20:7-15

        *Retribution to His foes: Romans 12:19 & Revelation 19:19-21

        *Recompense to the islands/coastlands: Isaiah 42:4 

    Isaiah 59:19-21 tells us that:

    Verse 19: The Redeemer will be driven by The Breath of The Lord (The Holy Spirit will be with Him). Ezekiel 36:27 & John 14:16, 17

    Verse 20: The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression. Romans 11:26 & Ezekiel 18:30

    Verse 21: The Redeemer will give us His Spirit and His Words will not depart from our mouths, nor from the mouths of our seed (those who believe The Word we have shared with/spoken to them). Deuteronomy 32:14

    Every piece of our armor is Jesus Christ. We are covered from head to toe in The Word of God. Who is there to fear now? No one. Where Jesus goes, we go. Yes, we follow His lead, but we also walk beside Him and under His flag we ride. 

    That Breastplate is neither made of iron or leather, but every stitch is The Word. By faith in The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ, the Breastplate is applied to us. To put on the armor is to believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. 

    He is our Breastplate. He not only lives in our hearts by faith, but covers our hearts with His righteousness, His justification. It is the 'judicial approval of God' on His people. For we have been judged according to His Word and we have been found not guilty because the blood of God's Lamb has been applied to our sins and washed them away. Woo-hoo! Praise The LORD! We are free! 

    No longer does guilt and shame thrive in our hearts, tearing us down and binding us up in them; for Christ has come into our hearts, tearing down the strongholds that kept us bound and afraid. Delivering us from evil and giving us Himself. God's most Perfect and Good Gift which He promised to give anyone who believes in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. 

    This Gift is our Breastplate. The Lord Is My Righteousness and He covers me with Himself because I believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD. 

The Color of Worship - White

Revelation 3:5

Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. 

Romans 13:14

Instead, clothe yourselves with The Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

CHRIST OUR COVERING

    White is the color of righteousness, for Christ Jesus is our righteousness. We are made right with God through the atoning power of the blood of God's Lamb. And when we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, we are taking upon ourselves Hisself. We are choosing to be His own people. Therefore, His righteousness is the white spiritual covering with which we are covered. 

    Galatians 3:27

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

    Colossians 3:9-11

Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all. 

    Ephesians 4:17-32 speaks of how we are to be changed once the covering of Christ is upon us. For the purpose of this study, we go to verse 24 (Amplified Bible) "And put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of The Truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation]."

CHANGED FROM GLORY TO GLORY

    2 Corinthians 3:18

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of The Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from The Lord, Who is The Spirit. 

    2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, Who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His Light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

    Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

    1 John 3:2

Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

THE ANOINTING

Matthew 26:7, 8

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table. 

From Topical Lexicon:

“The alabastron was a slender, long-necked flask carved from translucent calcite (commonly called alabaster). Originating in Egypt and prized throughout the Greek and Roman worlds, such vessels were designed to store precious ointments that were sealed until use. Breaking the narrow neck released the fragrance in a single, irrevocable act, making each alabastron a symbol of costly, wholehearted commitment.” 

White in our worship represents the costly, wholehearted commitment we have made in believing and following Jesus Christ wherever He leads us. It is our obedience and our faithfulness to The Word of God. 

Translucent means “shining through”. White represents Jesus shining through the believer. As He said earlier, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

    

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

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Properly Clothed

 Ephesians 6:14

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed.

Our garments of spiritual warfare are compared to the armaments of soldiers, who prepare themselves before going to into war.
Each piece of armor is absolutely necessary to enable the Properly Clothed Spiritual Warrior to succeed in his or her designated field of warfare wherein God, the High Commander, has placed us. An unarmed soldier will always fail, for each item of armor is connected to another. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 225

Truth: Reality, Moral Truth, Truth revealed to mankind by God; truth of idea, reality, sincerity, truth in the moral sphere, divine truth revealed to man, straightforwardness

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1343

Righteousness:  righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness

If any of these are not in alignment with God's Word before we go into prayer, then we are not ready to pray to God.

We must know the Truth of God's Word, we must know Jesus Christ.

The Belt Conforms & Transforms The Body

John 14:6

Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.

The Breastplate Covers The Heart of The Body

We must receive God's Righteousness before God can hear our prayer.

Romans 3:14

Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Romans 3:22

And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction.

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Fully Clothed

 Romans 13:14

 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

To 'put on' is to clothe one's self with. When we dress ourselves, we are putting on outerwear to cover our nakedness. With this understanding, when we recognize our sins against God, we realize we have no covering and seek out what will remove the nakedness of our hearts. 

Through prayer to God, He leads us to His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, His Lamb which takes away the sins we have committed against Him. And God applies the blood of His Lamb to the wickedness of our hearts, washing away the sin and covering us with the blood. It is a spiritual thing which God does, for God is spirit. We cannot cover ourselves. But we can believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He is God's only begotten Son, that He is the Righteousness of God. 

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

Romans 1:17

For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 3:22, 23

And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

I CLOTHE MYSELF WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS

Job 29:14

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.

Ephesians 6:14

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed. (When we apply this verse to ourselves, we are able to say, "I stand firm, having buckled the belt of Truth around my waist, and putting on the breastplate [corselet which extends from my heart to my hips] of Righteousness [which protects my heart and my emotions].")

Luke 12:35

Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. 

Proverbs 31:17

She girds her loins with strength, and strengthens her arms.

Galatians 3:27

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH

Galatians 5:16

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Ephesians 4:21-

Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Only a fully clothed Spiritual Warrior can enter God's presence and live. When we pray to this Holy God, we are entering the spiritual realm where good battles evil (Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.) 

With this new knowledge we have gained an understanding of how to put on Jesus Christ:

1. Walk by the Spirit
2.  Clothe ourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience
3. Put off (take off the dirty clothes) our former way of life, our old self
4.  Be renewed in the spirit of your minds (daily and throughout our days)
5. Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
6. Submit ourselves to God
7. Resist the devil
8. Humble ourselves under God's mighty right hand 

There's no other way to be a FULLY CLOTHED SPIRITUAL WARRIOR than to wear JESUS CHRIST on the inside, in our hearts. When He is there by the Spirit of God, then He will become the Light which shines from the darkness into the darkness, lighting every nook and cranny of ourselves, revealing sins that He might uproot them and remove them permanently. This Light of Christ shines through us where others are able to see Him in us and in our actions. 

Lord, let Your Light shine in me and through me, that those around me may see You in my life and be drawn to You. Make Your Light and Your Love to be evident and may this evidence be apparent to even the darkest, breaking their bonds and chains with Your Grace and Mercy. Help me to be fully clothed and in my right mind today. 

In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen. 

Know The Word

 1 John 3:7

Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.

Unrighteousness = Wickedness:

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Or do you not know that the unrighteous ones will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Romans 13:12-13

The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. We should walk properly, as in daytime; not in reveling and drinking, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in dissension and jealousy.

Righteousness = Justification/Uprightness/Conforming to God's Will (Standard of Rightness)

Galatians 5:22-24

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.

Romans 13:14

Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. 

Galatians 3:27

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

The Clothes Make the Man - Part One

 I am one of those people who hears God in the middle of the night. There was a time before this time when I could write down what He was saying without leaving the comforts of my bed, for I kept a notebook and a pen near to hand. But over the last few years my beautiful penmanship has dwindled to an incomprehensible scrawl. Now I must either type it all up in here or forego the treasure of hearing God's voice. So I'm in here on the computer typing my treasures up.

As I began to fall asleep the Spirit began to stir my spirit. Mark Twain said "Clothes make the man", meaning how a person dresses determines his level of influence. Another quote I have heard is that "Man makes the clothes", meaning it is who you are on the inside that determines your actions on the outside. Both are right. 

In the sphere of Christianity it is Whom we are clothed with that determines our destiny. Romans 13:14 "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." Romans 12 and 13 deal with Christian conduct, how we are to behave ourselves now that we are Christians; ending with Romans 13:14, reminding us to display outwardly the change which Christ has wrought inwardly. 

Galatians 3:27-29 tells us that having been baptized into Christ we are to put on Christ, because what once divided us in the world has no place in the body of Christ. 

Ephesians 4:24 "Put on the new man which God created in righteousness and true holiness."

Galatians 5:16 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

We see, then, that we are clothed in the righteousness of God, Jesus Christ, through faith in the Word of God. We are also clothed in holiness through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, clothes not only make the man, or woman, but the changed man or woman is evidenced outwardly by what is happening inwardly. It is nothing we can do of ourselves either. Eventually, the facade  would deteriorate and who we really are would be self-evident to all. 

Only the divine power of God can change a person permanently. Only the divine power of God can eradicate who a person once was to become the person God knows them to be. 

 

 

The Pure In Heart

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

So, in studying this verse out it took me to Psalm 15:2, which describes even further what it means to be pure of heart; it is more than good thoughts and generosity.
To be pure of heart is to walk uprightly and work righteousness, to live a moral life and use the powers we are given to bless people whenever we can, not use our powers against others. Whether the power we wield is social, economical, or political we are to use it to be a blessing not a curse.
This verse took me Genesis 17:1 where God tells Abraham that in order to walk With God, Abraham must back up his faith in God with obedience to God. And the righteous? They who honor God by placing Him first in every aspect and decision of their lives, which means they follow His will.
The pure in heart speak truth in their heart and truth is spoken through them. They don't lie to themselves, nor anyone else for that matter. So, how do I read this with understanding?

Blessed is the one who is pure in heart: who uses his blessings to bless others, who wields justice and mercy with compassion and not regard. Blessed is the one who puts God first in every way, and consults Him first in decision-making. Blessed is the one who backs up his faith in God with actions that align with his faith.

Seeing God fact to face is our reward for living a pure and holy life. God sees us always, but Hebrews 12:14 says that someday we will see God just as clearly as He sees us. Now, that's something to look forward to!

Garments of Praise

Garments of Praise by Robin Mark

Only one time in Scripture is this definition of garment used and that is in Isaiah 61:3 "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called the trees of righteousness, the planting of The LORD, that He might be glorified."

Garment here means 'mantle'. A cloak that wraps around the body, usually from the neck to the knees, giving full protection from the elements (wind, rain, snow) and from the enemy (camouflages to match surroundings); where neither can touch us, even to the point where we are not aware of either in our vicinity. For this garment of praise, this mantle of worship, to our God, covers us and brings us into His presence.

We know of another mantle, don't we? Elijah's mantle that became Elisha's mantle. A 'splendid' garment, a 'glorious' garment that covered and protected Elijah until it fell from him as the chariots of The LORD carried him into God's eternal presence. 2 Kings 2:9-13   "9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan."

But a mantle such as these cannot, nor must not, be taken lightly. Elisha had to learn to use his mantle and that takes time. But the mantle of praise given to us in Isaiah 61:3 is the worship we give to God. Most of the Book of Psalms is worship and praise, and we all have our favorites, which have been given to us in our days of trial and sifting.

• Psalm 35:9 "And my soul shall be joyful in The LORD: it (my soul) shall rejoice in His salvation."
• Psalm 34:1 "I will bless The LORD at ALL times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth."
• Psalm 33:1 "Rejoice in The LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright."
• Psalm 32:7 "Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Se'lah."
• Psalm 60:16-17 "But I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning: for Thou hast been my Defence and Refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto Thee, O my Strength, will I sing: for God is my Defence, and The God of my Mercy."
• Psalm 61:3, 8 "For Thou hast been a Shelter for me, and a Strong Tower from the enemy....So will I sing praise unto Thy Name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows."
• Psalm 63:3,4 "Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy Name."
• Psalm 66:1,2 "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honor of His Name: make His praise glorious."
• Psalm 60:30 "I will praise The Name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving."
• Psalm 70:4 "Let all those that seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee: and let such as love Thy Salvation say continually, Let God be magnified."

Days of Elijah

• Psalm 71:14 "But I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more." 
• Psalm 104:33 "I will sing unto The LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."
• Psalm 108:1 "O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory."
• Psalm 118:14 "The LORD Is my Strength and Song, and is become my Salvation."
• Psalm 118:28 "Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee."

And while these are definitely not all the verses of praise and thanksgiving written in The Book of Psalms, many of these are underlined in my study Bible. I have much to be thankful for, much to give God glory and thanksgiving for. 

Sanctuary by Robin Mark (full album) 

By the way, the two-word phrase "I will" is a promise. A promise given to God from the heart of the believer when reading and applying The Word to one''s life. Not a resolution, nor a light-hearted promise given to just anyone:  I will sing of His love for ever. That's a promise I can keep.

Any promises made to God, God will hold us accountable for. For He keeps His promises and expects us to keep ours. Read through your Bible every year, seeking out that which The Spirit directs you to search for and you will find it. 

To God be the glory, great things He has done. 

Generations

                                                   

Basic Timeline

|--Before Time Began----------Time----------Beyond Time--|

     Sat down with Brother Littleton at Family Camp this year and he asked me, “What's the word?” My response? “Generations. How many years are in a one generation?” Bro. Littleton said that generational lengths are determined by cultural eras. What a generation was in early Genesis is not what a generation was in Malachi, nor was that the same as in Matthew or even now. From parent to infant is one generation.

     Consulting King James Bible Word Book*, I read that generations means “the whole body of individuals born about the same period; also, the time covered by the lives of these”. Also from this book I see that generation in the New Testament has two meanings. In Matthew 1:1, 18 the word generation means 'birth'. In 1 Peter 2:9, the word is rendered 'children, offspring'.

     Vines' Expository Dictionary gives these same definitions for generations: (1) Age; (2) Origin, lineage, birth; (3) Offspring. Somewhat helpful, but not as helpful as Brother Littleton. So much more interesting conversations are had with people in person than through a study book, but am grateful I have such books with me.

     Why do I want to know what a generation is? Well.........the first time the word is used is in Genesis 2:4, when God tells us “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that The Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” Here, the word generations means 'history, descent (referring to family), birth) using the Hebrew dictionary.

     But the word is not translated the same in every passage of The Old Testament. In Exodus 3:15 “And God said moreover unto Moses, 'Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Is'rael, The Lord God of your fathers, The God of Abraham, The God of Isaac, and The God of Jacob, has sent me unto you: this is My Name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all generations.” Here, the word means 'revolution of time, an age, a dwelling: posterity'. A revolution of time goes clockwise in a circular motion, which could refer to passage of time, as the earth revolves around the sun giving us day and night repeatedly. 

     These two definitions of generations are repeatedly used in The Old Testament. The first explains generations as historical fact. The second explains generations as the passing of time. Each reference needs to be separately looked up to know what it actually refers to. For instance, Psalm 14:5 “There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.” Revolution of time, a dwelling.

     Psalm 24:1-6 “The earth is The Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of The Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy place? He that has clean hands, and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from The Lord, and righteousness from The God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek Him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Se'lah.” Again, a dwelling.

     I bring up these two specifically as examples because we know that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3 “But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.) In other words, God dwells in the praises of His people. And who are His people?

     In The New Testament, the word generations refers to: kin, diversity, nation, age, kindred, offspring, stock, age, time. 1 Peter 2:9,10 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” These are God's people.

     Acts 8:33 “In His humiliation His judgment was taken away: and who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” This verse refers to Jesus Christ. His generation, His descendants  are they who believe that He is Lord, that He is Savior, that He is the Only Begotten Son of God. His generations are the people of God; they who love Him and keep His commandments.

     Now, we come to one of the verses on my mind which started this whole thing to begin with. Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that The Lord thy God, He Is God, The Faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.” How many is a thousand generations if generations vary? Here the definition of generations is the second one: the passage of days, of time. These are God's people.

     A thousand generations of them that love Him and keep His commandments. We cannot know how many this is, because only God can keep perfect track of who is righteous is His sight. Their names are written in The Lamb's Book of Life. We will know these generations later in heaven and we will get to meet all of them eventually. 

     But only if our names are written in The Lamb's Book of Life. How do you get your name in that Book, you ask? You must be born-again. When your name is called by The Holy Spirit and you feel yourself being drawn, led, to Jesus; and you answer this call, you have taken the first step to being born again. Repentance means to turn your back on sin and turn your face to Jesus. How can you do this when you cannot see Jesus?

By faith, by believing that Jesus Is. By believing that Jesus died for you and rose from the dead; the first act washes away the sin from your heart, the second gives you eternal life through His life.

     John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have ever lasting life.” You are whosoever. You can trust in Jesus to wash away your sins through the blood He shed on the cross He was nailed to. You can trust in Jesus to give you eternal life with Him. You just have to believe.

     Hebrews 11:1, 3 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen....Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by The Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Faith is believing that something is real, is true, even if you cannot see it right now. We believe that tomorrow will come even though tomorrow is not yet. We have faith that the sun will rise at day, the moon at night. We cannot see tomorrow but we believe it will happen anyway, and so we prepare for it.

     Just as we prepare for eternity. An eternity with God is better than an eternity without God. “For whosoever was not written in The Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15. That is an eternity without God. It is not my eternity, for my name is written in His Book.

Is yours? 

In Jesus' Name - Is All Righteousness (Part 3 of 3)

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU. The Lord Is Righteousness.

 

 

In the tabernacle in the wilderness near Mt. Sinai was a room

called The Holy of Holies and in this room was a golden box with a golden lid

which had two golden angels atop it.

This box and lid are known to us as The Ark of The Covenant and The Mercy Seat.

The Ark is made of acacia wood and overlaid inside and out with solid gold.

The Mercy Seat is created from one solid sheet of gold; both the lid and the angels

were hammered into shape from one sheet of gold. It was not broken in two, nor

were the angels created separately and set atop: it was solid gold.

 

Inside the Ark were three items: the pot of manna,

Aaron's rod, and the Ten Commandments

written by the finger of God into two tablets of stone.

Each item represented a period of time

in which God's people were disobedient and sinned against Him.

The manna was a symbol of when they rejected God's provision.

Aaron's rod was a symbol for when they rejected God's authority.

Tablets of stone, with

ten commandments emblazoned across them by God's finger,

symbolized their rejection of God's right standards for living.

 

 



      Why do you think that God would allow or even want these 3 items in the Ark? After all, they represented events in which God's people had deliberately sinned against God's Word. And not just God's written Word either, they had sinned against God's spoken Word, also. Exodus 10:23-28 God would speak to Moses and Moses would relay God's Word to God's people, with the expectation that they would listen to Him, for they had said that they would. But, again, they did not. The people were told to gather the manna for six days, and on the sixth day they could gather enough for two days and it wouldn't rot, which it did not. And some obeyed.
     But some went out on the seventh day and there was no provision from God, for this was God's day to rest. The seventh day of the week is the day which God had ordained as a day of rest. And to instill this command within His people, He made no provision for them. Their disobedience was made apparent when they left their homes and tried to collect the manna that had not fallen that day. We are no better.
     God's day of rest was created for God by God Himself as a Day of Rest. Though God does not grow weary, people do. And He set the seventh day aside for Himself and as an example to all people that even they need to rest in God's Presence at least every seven days. This is why the sabbath day is holy: for God is Present: JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH. "Be still and know that IAM GOD: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10. "For thus sayeth The Lord GOD, The Holy One of Israel; "In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and you would not....And therefore will The Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for The Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are they that wait for The Lord." Isaiah 30: 15, 18.
     "Until The Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. .. And the work of Righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And My people shall dwell in a peaeable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. .." Isaiah 32:15, 17-18 In Jesus' Name is ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. The seventh day of the week was set apart from the other six days to rest in God, to be quiet before The Lord. Resting in The Lord brings us to a place of repentance and salvation in Him. Waiting on The Lord reminds us to be patient and thoughtful  in our ways before God. Confidence is Faith; it is the knowledge that what has been said is so and will be. Waiting on God and having Faith in His Word is our strength. And it is this strength that enables us to move forward when we work for The Lord.
     But God's people would not. Therefore, as stated in Isaiah 30:18 The Lord waits for us to return to Him, that we may receive His grace, praise His holy Name, receive His mercy and then be judged. Those who wait on God are blessed. As God's called people, we are blessed. For we wait on the return of His Son, Jesus Christ. Who, in the twinkling of an eye, will return and take His people home with Him. But there was a time when we, too, did not listen. And I am thankful, very thankful, that I live in a time of grace. For had I lived back in the day of Moses, I would surely have been stoned for my wicked ways. But now, I live in the Age of Grace; for Christ was crucified for my sins. And for your sins.

    
     Every body sins. "For ALL HAVE SINNED and COME SHORT of the glory of GOD." Romans 3:23. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is good enough. Nobody is worthy under their own glory. Nobody can buy or purchase their entrance into the glory of GOD. Nobody means me. Nobody means you. It does not say "Some", nor does it says "Most": God's Word tells us that ALL have sinned.
     "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. How 'bout that? How many people do you know would be willing to take the place of a murderous lying thief? Would you? Would you die for the worst sinner you can think of? Jesus did. He died for us. All of us.
     Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Because sin is in this world, it is also in us. But Jesus died for us, so we wouldn't have to die in our sins. We just have to believe that this is true. We didn't see it happen and we have yet to see Jesus face to face; that's why it's called 'faith'. Hebrews 11:1 "FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED FOR, the EVIDENCE of things not seen." See? Faith has substance, it has matter, therefore faith matters. And it doesn't take much faith to believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God and that God's Word is faithful and true. It takes more faith to move mountains than it does to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Lord of our lives and the Savior of our souls. "For He (GOD) has made Him (JESUS) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the Righteousness of GOD in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21.
    Romans 10:9-11 "If you confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your hearts that GOD has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, we believe unto Righteousness; and with our mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed." Whosoever means me. John 3:16 says 'whosoever believe in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life'. Whosoever means me. You and I are the 'whosoever' when it comes to making a statement of faith in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
     With our mouth means to speak it out loud. With our heart means to believe it whole-heartedly, not just whenever we feel like it; not just one day  out of the week; not just at the holidays, or the Holy Days. Whole-hearted Faith. As The Word says, in the paragraph preceding, "with the heart we believe unto Righteousness." Our righteousness in and of ourselves is dirty, filthy rags; but the Righteousness of Christ within us when we believe that GOD has raised Jesus from the dead is clean and pure; it is this Righteousness which makes it possible not only for us to see God, but for God to see us.
     Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon The Name of The Lord shall be saved." There that word is again: whosoever. You are that whosoever. I was that whosoever. I called upon The Name of The Lord to save me, and He did. I am crucified with Christ because I believe that He was crucified for me, and that GOD raised Him from the dead that all, including me, would be raised with Him. This promise is for everyone, even you.
     To call on God's name is to seek His face and ask for His forgiveness on your sinful ways. There was a time when I thought that some of the things I did were okay. But the closer I have become to God, I have been made aware and realized that many of the things I thought were passable in my life, are actually impossible in God's righteousness and God's holiness. And while I knew that some other things were definitely sin, I thought that as long as I didn't do them, I was okay. But I was not. Sin affects every part of a person, even if they are believing that they are not participating in it. Jesus says that if you even think about doing something wrong, you and I are already guilty of that sin. For with our hearts we believe, therefore our hearts have sinned when we think sinful thoughts, too.
     Watching people sin (movies, peep shows, adult TV shows/movies, MA ratings on games). Reading about people's sinful ways (romance/soft porn books/stories, tabloids, celeb watch, etc). Hearing people talk about their sin or participating in sin while they speak(gossip, back-stabbing, booty-watching, flirting with or without the intention of following up on where flirting leads, two-faced conversation, etc). These are offensive to me. Foul language is foul all the time, whether you give it ratings or not. It hurts my ears; it hurts my heart and my soul. And I will, have no doubt on this matter, speak up and tell you so.
      No, I am not speaking from a 'holier than thou' pulpit. I am speaking from been there, done that stance. Having lived that lifestyle and now living a righteous life in Christ, I make it a point to allow The Holy Spirit of God to work through me and sanctify me and make me holy, because I want to see GOD one of these days and Stay with Him in all eternity. I have set myself apart from livng a sinful sin-filled lifestyle. And sanctification means that I am being made holy by God's Holy Spirit for God's pleasure and God's purpose.
     This is the life and the lifestyle I preach from this pulpit wherein God has placed me. "You must be born again," Jesus told Nicodemus, a Pharisee. "How can I?" asked Nicodemus, "I am old. How can I enter my mother's womb again?" Jesus reply? "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." And then He proceeded to tell Nicodemus what I have shared here with you. Nicodemus was a whosoever, too.

How do you call on Jesus' Name for salvation? Like this. and remember, this is just an example, because God wants to hear from you from your heart with your voice:

Oh Lord my God, I have sinned and gone against Your Word and  Your Will for my life. I have lived in sin and walked in sin and my sins are all over me. Lord, search me and try me. Reveal the areas in my life where I have sinned against You. Show me me and show me You. Oh Lord God, don't let me leave this world without You. Show me me and show me You. Lord God, reveal Yourself to me. Show me in my life where You want me to be. Show me in Your Word who I am to You and who You want me to be. Show me, Lord, Who You are. Forgive me, Father God, for all my wicked ways and the wickedness of my heart, and my mouth and my mind. Cover me, Lord, with Your precious blood, which flowed from out of Your body onto me, cover my unrighteousness with Your Righteousness, Lord God, and take away my sins. Come into my heart and be The Lord of my life and The Savior of my soul. Make me to know You in all Your ways. These things I ask Lord and give You all the glory and honor and praise for, in Jesus' Name. Your Beautiful, Marvelous, Wonderful Name. Thank You, Lord, for saving a wretch like me. Thank You, Lord, for choosing to die in my place and washing away my sins. Make me holy, Lord God, send me Your Holy Spirit, that I may begin to walk the paths of Righteousness which You have placed me on. Amen.

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU. The Lord Is My Righteousness.

In Jesus' Name is All Righteousness. In Jesus' Name is All P:ower. In Jesus' Name is All Healing. In Jesus' Name is All Wisdom. In Jesus' Name is All Forgiveness. In Jesus' Name is All Strength. In Jesus' Name is Creator of All. In Jesus' Name is All Peace.

 HOLY HOLY HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY