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. 

    

Living Water

 John 4:14

"But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”

It is not enough to believe in God, we must also believe in God's Word. For there is but one God and in Him, through Him and by Him have all people and things been created (John 1:3). On Him we are dependent for every breath of life. He supplies our every need. In Him we have no lack: He satisfies our every need (Psalm 23:1).

We must also believe God's Word is Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11). As such, we should choose to surrender who we are in ourselves and follow Jesus Christ with our whole hearts and lives (Romans 12:1), not just giving Him lip service. It is not enough to say, 'I believe God exists' then turn around and say, 'the Bible is an ancient text and does not apply to me.' 

It is like saying, 'Yes, I see the fresh water, but no matter how thirsty I am I'm not going to drink it.' Sight alone isn't enough to save our souls. Many people followed Jesus during His ministry years on earth, but not many stayed following. For the words which He spoke were hard to hear and most definitely unconventional. 

Are some of us rejecting God's Word because we don't want to hear it? Yes. Are some of us ignoring God's Word because it prohibits us from having what we think of as fun? Yes. Are some of us choosing an unrighteous lifestyle because a righteous lifestyle is contrary to popular living? Yes. How do we get out of that cycle of self-destruction? Drink the water. 

Drink the Living Water which the Word of God offers to those who have received His first Gift, His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. How do we do that? We ask Him for it. We ask God for the Living Water which quenches the thirst of our souls. Living Water flows without end, constantly refreshing the one who asks for it. What is this Living Water? The Holy Spirit of God. 

It is God's Spirit which strengthens us and fills us with power (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4) to walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7) in God's Word as we travel our journeys in this life on this earth. It is God's Spirit which enables the believers to speak the Truth of God's Word to the world into which He sends us. It is by this power that I speak now. I crave the Living Water which refreshes my soul and strengthens my spirit. It is this Water I drink. 

The Word tells us in Psalm 42:1-2  As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence? And again in Psalm 84:2 My soul longs, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Are you thirsty? Come to the Water. Come to the Well.

Deep Well

John 4:1-42 tells us of the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well and her encounter with Jesus Christ. 
Here we focus on 10-14, their conversation at this well. 

When we first meet Jesus, it is not the water that is murky, but the veil covering our eyes that makes it difficult for us to see Jesus clearly. It is only when we believe what we are hearing, that the veil is torn from our the eyes of our heart, allowing our soul (*the mind, the will, the emotions) to view Jesus Christ clearly.

We drink that Living Water when He pours Himself into us through our belief in Him: that He Is Lord, that God sent Him to die for us, that He rose from the dead and walked out of the grave. When we believe, our thirst is quenched. 

To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to hunger and thirst of the Righteousness of God: Jesus Christ. JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU: THE LORD MY RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1 Corinthians 1:30 "But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption." 

I have that Living Water living in me. And when The Holy Spirit of God moves upon that water, The Word of God flows out of me.  John 7:38 "He that believes on Me, as The Scripture has said, 'out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water'. Proverbs 18:4 "The words of a man's mouth are as deep water, And the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook." 

So, today I am giving you a cup of cold water, Living Water. I am sharing Jesus with you and inviting you to drink deeply with me.

I've Got A River of Life

Cistern vs. Fountain

A man I deeply admire and respect, and yes, even love, went home to be with our Lord and Savior a few years back. But before God called him home, I was privileged to hear one of the last sermons he preached. And after re-studying it just now, I would like to share it with you here.

Cistern vs. Fountain

June 16, 2002

PM Service Rev. Barker, Full Gospel Ministry

[first we came together in prayer, in Scripture (Matthew 18:19 "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven"), and agreed that God's will be done concerning the pastorate at River of Life (the church I attended where his daughter and son-in-law then pastored]

     Jeremiah 2:13 "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters,and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." The clearest example is pictured in this verse. A fountain is filled from the deep and below. A cistern is built and holds only what is put into it. For instance, the woman at the well filled Jesus' request for water. John 4:6,7 Yet Jesus offered her water which would quench her thirst forever John 4:9-14

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well:and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saithunto her, Give me to drink   9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me,which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesusanswered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Giveme to drink ; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 Thewoman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence thenhast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, anddrank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her,Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that Ishall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of waterspringing up into everlasting life.

     Luke 24:13-21 The Road to Emmaus. 13 And, behold , two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened . 15 And it came to pass , that, while they communed together and reasoned , Jesus himself drew near , and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk , and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. These followers had become cisterns. They knew only the teachings which Jesus had put into them. At His death, they turned away to unbelief.

     Galatians 1:6, 7 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert thegospel of Christ. An attempt at building cisterns. Turning away from the Gospel of Salvation through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ will create a broken cistern. It will hold nothing.

     John 7:38 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said , out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Rivers of living water flow out of the belly, which is deep within or below the heart. For what is in the heart will come out of the mouth. What is in the belly will come out in your life. Through your stomach you receive nourishment, that your body might be made strong and do the works that God has given you to do. 

     The choice is yours: Do you want to be a cistern? Or do you want to be a fountain?




*the reason Brother Barker chose Matthew 18:19 to pray together with is because he and I were the only two people who came to church that night. I think the pastor and family were on vacation that night. Perhaps other congregants believe there to be no church that evening. I am so glad I was there.*