The Lord Is Strength

 

The LORD is STRENGTH

Proverbs 10:29

The Way of the LORD is Strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Hosea 14:9

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.

Isaiah 30:21

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is The Way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Isaiah 35:8

A road will be there and a way; it will be called the Holy Way. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for the one who walks the path. Even the fool will not go astray.

To walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk in The Way of Holiness; it  is to allow God's Holy Spirit into our lives to sanctify us and make us holy: without blemish, without stain that we may be presentable to God and remain in His presence. For our God is a Holy God and His very self demands holiness in His people. We cannot make ourselves holy, just as the pot on the potter's wheel does not make itself a beautiful useful pot. 

To walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk in integrity, maintaining a constant vigil and remaining consistent in our faith that our words would match our actions. To walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk humbly before The LORD and surrender ourselves to His Way. 

To Walk in The Way of The LORD is to live in His Strength and His Wisdom, knowing that He keeps His Word, that His words are True and Faithful. Revelation 21:5.

To Walk in The Way of The LORD is to walk the acknowledgement of His Strength and the admission of our weakness, our inability to walk the way He wants us to walk, to live out our daily lives. 

The LORD is MY STRENGTH 

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

AUTHOR/PERFECTOR - Rivers & Robots 

SO IN LOVE - Isla Vista Worship

Blessed Are The Meek

 

    Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

    Matthew 11:29

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls.

    The third blessing is to be meek like Christ. The word meek means "to exercise God's strength under His control". Jesus is not a wimp, nor is He the underdog character. As He went about His ministry, He did so meekly. He exercised great strength, great power without wielding God's judgment. For judgment is not why He came at that time. 

    John 3:17

For God sent not His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 

    Condemnation requires judgment. Jesus is Savior, not Judge. God is Judge and God has set the time and the place for judgment. While Grace is still evident in this world, now is the time to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. 

     Meekness is evidence of The Holy Spirit within a believer. It is a part of the fruit of The Spirit. Galatians 5:23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

    Even when He threw the moneychangers in the temple courts, He exercised great control - Mark 11:15.He could easily have destroyed them; instead He taught them - Mark 11:17- that's Grace. 

    To be meek is to exhibit divine gentle strength which operates, or moves, on faith. Everything about us works in the realm of our faith, including the fruit of The Spirit. We should not be losing our tempers over petty things. I'd give examples, but The Spirit will reveal to you exactly what He is referring to in your own life. 
    We do not hate. We love. We bless. Meekness is divine love in action both as it works within us and is exhibited by us. We are gentle, we are kind, we are meek. We hold our tongues and gossip not. We are not easily frustrated but simply silently pray for strength and we receive it. We are to be like Christ, wearing the yoke of divine strength and humility. 

    Let us even now ask for it that we may receive the blessing of meekness upon us and exercise it within us. If we want to have peace in our hearts and minds, we need the Peace of Christ living in us in all His fulness, including His meekness. 

    

The Lord Is -- October

 

YHVH CHELEQ

(pronounced yeh-ho-vaw' khay-lek)

THE LORD MY PORTION

Lamentations 3:24

"The LORD is my Portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him."

Portion: profit, reward, chosen way of life

Psalm 16:5

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 119:57

The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.

Joshua 24:15

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Micah 4:5

Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the Name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

Romans 10:8-10

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart." That is, the word of faith which we proclaim, that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

YHVH ELOHIM SHEMESH MAGEN

(pronounced yeh-ho-vaw' el-o-heem' sheh'-mesh maw-gane')

THE LORD GOD IS SUN AND SHIELD 

Psalm 84:11

For the LORD God is a Sun and Shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Revelation 21:23

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.

It's a personal thing. God came to Abram personally and told him that He was his Shield. Genesis 15:1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."

When we become God's people -- people of faith, who walk according to His Word -- He tells each one of us that He is our Sun and Shield. Therefore, THE LORD GOD IS MY SUN AND MY SHIELD. 

Psalm 34:9

Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.

Isaiah 60:19

The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 

YAH YHVH

(pronounced yaw yeh-ho-vaw oze zim-rawth')

THE LORD GOD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG

Isaiah 12:2

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my salvation."

Exodus 15:2

The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

Psalm 18:32-36

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way clear. He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places. He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms. You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me. You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.

Psalm 118:14

The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.

Isaiah 26:4

Trust in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. 

Psalm 145:1

I will exalt You, my God and King; I will bless Your name forever and ever. 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior - Strength In The Lord

 

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.

Nehemiah 8:10

And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the Joy of the LORD is your Strength!”

To be strong in the Lord is to be empowered and empowerment comes from the Holy Spirit. In order to do the Lord's work properly we need to be filled with the Spirit of God.

Empowerment Promised

Acts 1:4

While He was with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak about."

Acts 1:8

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Empowerment Received

Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Does The Spirit Always Arrive In This Same Manner? No.

Acts 9:17, 18, 22

So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized.

But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

When I was baptized in the Spirit, I not only started singing in a heavenly tongue, but it was as if I became a mountain of music which poured from me like lava flows from a volcano. Except it was blue like the sea.  I had already been dabbling in writing some songs, but now the music totally began to flow from me. That was an awesome night.

What is your testimony of when you became filled with the Spirit the first time?

JEHOVAH-MAUZ-CHAI-YAI_THE LORD IS STRENGTH OF MY LIFE

Names of Christ Series

JEHOVAH-MAUZ-CHAI-YAI

YAHWEH-MAUZ-CHAI-YAI

(pronounced: YAH-WAY MAH-OZE HAY YAY)

THE LORD IS THE STRONGHOLD (STRENGTH) OF MY LIFE

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the Stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?

I am one of those people who loves lighthouses. To me they have always been beautiful, though I seldom get to see them up close and personal. But when I do, not only am I ridiculously happy, but I am amazed at their towering strength and ability to shine a huge bright light out into the darkness of the shoreline. The men who built the lighthouses had vision. 

So when I read verses about strongholds and fortresses, I see castles and lighthouses set on cliffs and in cliffsides which overlook vast oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. Up high where the waves cannot reach or tear down. 

So, too, is my Jesus. He is the Stronghold, the mighty Lighthouse, of my soul and my life. In Him I not only take refuge, but I am made a Lightkeeper in Him, because now His Light shines through me. I am responsible for repenting of my sins, asking forgiveness and allowing God's Holy Spirit to wash the windows of my heart that more and more of Christ's Light would shine through my words and my actions. 

 He is the Stronghold of my Life, the Chief Cornerstone upon which all the days of my life in Him are built. A Mighty Fortress which no one can tear down. 

Not By Myself

Philippians 4:13 
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

"I" -- personal pronoun
"can do" -- am able to accomplish
"all things" -- that task which has been assigned me
"through Christ" -- not my own will power or personal motivations
"who strengthens me" -- Jehovah-Tsori (Psalm 19:14), Jehovah-'Ez-Lami (Psalm 28:7)

Psalm 19:14 
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

     What does God want me to do? Be saved from an eternity in hell. Where does He tell me this? John 3:16, 17 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

     But that can't be all God wants me to do, right? Right. Next, God wants me to be filled with His Holy Spirit so I can do the rest of the 'chore list' God has prepared for me to do. Acts 1:4, 8 "...wait for the promise of The Father..." and in verse 8 Jesus tells they who have believed on Him for salvation " you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you..".

    Why do we need the power of God's Holy Spirit upon us? Acts 1:8 "and you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth." 

    Where are we God's witnesses in the world around us? In Jerusalem (our own city) Judaea (our own country) in Samaria (countries that border ours), the uttermost parts of the earth (everywhere else that God sends us). 

    How are we God's witnesses to the world? Mark 16:15 "..Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature".  By preaching the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ we are being God's witnesses. We believe it, we live it, we speak it to anyone who will listen and hear it. 

     Does every believer need The Holy Spirit? Absolutely! We are not able to function in God's Kingdom without the guidance and leadership of The Holy Spirit working in us. Remember: we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. How does He strengthen us? With The Comforter which God sent to us after Jesus returned to His Father in heaven. 
     There are so many other chores God wants us to do to accomplish His will in our lives and in the lives of those we share the gospel with that it will take at least another study. Or two. 

     

Worth the Wait

     As I was telling my friend Jean earlier: "The harder it is to get there, the more I need to be there." She had asked if I was going to church tonight. I try to get to church every time the doors are open. But some days are more of a challenge. I actually got to bed by a little after 10pm last night and slept all night. But I doubt I rested, because I got up for an hour at 8am but laid back down at 9 and didn't wake up until 12:45pm. The body needs more than sleep; it needs rest. And I am not getting any. Yet. The journey is worth the wait.

     But I will soon. My body is exhausted. Every step groans of itself. I sit down to read and the pages blur, my eyes close and I take these little catnaps. And then I am revived for awhile. I stretch my legs out on the recliner, extend my arms, wiggle my fingers: massage my body from the hips down and stand up. Talking to God the whole time.


     You may think I am talking to myself cause you see my lips moving. I ask you, "Why talk to myself, when I can talk to the One who made me?" And He listens. Why does God listen to me when I talk to Him? Great is His faithfulness. For He has said He will never leave me nor forsake me. He turns His ear towards me to hear me. I yawn. And yet our time together is not yet done.


     God guides me to my bed, my resting place. Sometimes I fall asleep while praying and sometimes I fall asleep while singing. These last three nights I have woke up singing Mercy Me's Bring the Rain. This is not a restful song. And though I know this song by heart, it is not one I would have chosen to wake up to. For it gives the message of preparedness to be at the forefront of the battle. And you and I both know that we are seldom at our best first thing in the morning. Nonetheless, there it is. Even before the sun rises, the song flows into my spirit. 


     Where I am currently in life was a destination of times past. But this leg of the journey is not the end of the road. I haven't crossed the finish line yet; I'm still running, figuratively speaking of course. If my thoughts linger on the weight of the race, I become more tired. And though a nap would be good right now, I would not get up in time for church. And the dreams.


     If the dreams were good, maybe then I'd get some rest. But I must needs carry my Sword into spiritual battle even in my sleep. Which is why I probably wake up exhausted instead of rested. I am attacked on every level. And I need help repelling the enemy wherever he tries to invade. Even my rest. In Nehemiah, every family worked together to repair the walls and the gates around Jerusalem. And when they were come against by those who did not want to see a united Israel, they rotated who would do the work of the Lord and who would defend those who worked. 


     Where is that? Who fights while some work, some rest. For they rotated in shifts. By working together in this fashion, they were able to complete the building of the walls and gates in 52 days. Because God was on their side. And when their enemies saw that God was on Israel's side, they ceased their attacks. Their journey was worth the wait. 


    And so is ours. 
     

Strength in Numbers

It is said that "there is strength in numbers". Which means that the greater your army or team, the greater the impact on the opposition. This is not always true.

Gideon fought with 300 and defeated thousands.

David went into battle with a few hundred and the enemy turned on itself.

When we allow God to fight for us and with us, all we need is 1.

One God, One Savior, One Holy Spirit. The power of three in one is my Strength.

Integrity

Integrity: honor, strength of character, ethical, upright, honest.

Doing the right thing, when it seems as if everyone around you, thinks you are crazy. There is phrase in the Bible that sticks like glue to my thoughts "Be strong and of a good courage." Listen up: Deuteronomy 31:6 (&7) 'Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, He it is that goes with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.' Strong, good courage, fearless, remember. Joshua 1:6, 9, 18 'Be strong and of a good courage'. Of the verses referring to courage in the Scriptures, these five only mean (1) Be Alert (physically) (2) Steadfastly Minded (mentally) (3) Confirm, establish, fortify, harden, increase, prevail, strengthen yourself, make strong (obstinate, speed).

You are the Bride of Christ. Jesus does not have a ribbons and bows Bride, though she is adorned in white. He's coming back for a Warrior Bride. She is armed and dangerous. Armed with the whole Word of God, which is hidden in her heart. She uses God's Word for sustenance, for drink. Every Word that falls from the mouth of God she eats up. He strengthens her from the inside out. Where you go, God goes. That makes you a dangerous person.

The Word of God is available to you and I in three forms: the written Word of God, the Scriptures; the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ; the spoken Word of God, hearing the Word of God. Though there are some places where the written Word of God is forbidden, still the spoken Word of God can be heard and the Living Word of God cannot be displaced.

If you hear the Word of God, and do not apply it, you lack integrity. It takes courage to be a Christian, no matter what century or country you live in. You can hear about God, but not hear God. You can know about God, but not know God.

We apply God's Word to our hearts, our minds, our souls. Deuteronomy 6:5 And you shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Mark 12:30 And you shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment. Like sunscreen. See, we apply sunscreen to prevent our skin from being burned by the UV rays coming off of the sun. And we apply this daily to our skin when we go outside the comfort of our homes, because UV rays are a deadly daily threat to us. You and I need to apply God's Word daily to our hearts, to our minds, to our souls, to our might (character/strength).

It is not a fat, lazy bride that Christ is looking for. He seeks His true Bride. Her strength comes from her Lord: the Joy of the Lord is my strength. Her beauty is her desire to please her Lord: Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. His Bride dines at His table (Psalms 23:5), runs through troops and leaps over walls (Psalms 18:29), is efficiently and effectively equipped for warfare (Psalms 18:30-38 and Ephesians 6:10-20). The Bride of Christ surrenders to His authority out of Love and Respect. She is not negligent (Matthew 25:3,8), she is wise (Proverbs 11:30).

Joshua 1:6, 7 and 9

I could have said, "Be good", but you already strive for righteous living. I could have said, "Be safe", but I gave you to God when you were only a few months old. Your father and I dedicated you to God and promised to raise you with Godly values. Your safety has always been in His hands.

I could have said almost anything. But I didn't. I asked God what He wanted me to say to you; the last conversation we would have in person together before you go. And what did He say?

"Be strong and of a good courage." God's strength is not our version or understanding of strength. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that "They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary,; they shall walk and not be faint." Our strength is renewed all day long when we wait and see what God wants for us, instead of rushing into things without thinking of the consequences of our actions.

Waiting on God means when we pray, this conversation is a two-way street, not a dead end. How can we know God's voice, if we don't even take the time to let Him talk?

"Good courage." The boldness of the Holy Spirit of God to be a living witness, a faithful testimony, a humble servant comes from saturating our spirit with God's Holy Word. His Written Word: the Holy Bible. Read aloud or read softly, the written Word of God pours over us with power for living a righteous holy life. His Spoken Word: hear the Word of God preached when you are able, read it out loud when you are not able. His Living Word: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God.

"Be strong and of a good courage." Courage is not found in alcohol. That is foolishness with a designer label. Costs more, but is worth less. Good courage is seldom found, because in order to wield it, we must first use Wisdom. Without the wisdom and counsel of God, good courage will be sought, but not found.