Exodus 34:14

(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord God, a jealous name, is a jealous God),

Encouraging Words

Is it a bad thing that our God is a jealous God? Using today’s language to define what jealous is would make it a bad thing because we look at jealousy as a bad thing. But let’s look at one of the definitions according to Websters. “Vigilant in guarding a possession.” I love my wife! She is very precious to me and I would give my life up for her if the need arose. Out of that deep love for her, I will be vigilant in guarding and protecting her. You mess with her and you will answer to me! In this context, I am a jealous husband. This is how God is towards us as His children. He has given, continues to give, and always will give, all of Himself and His resources to His children. You mess with His beloved, His children, you mess with Him. And as part of that relationship that He has with us, He asks that we love Him and put Him first in our lives. He asks that we not put any substitutes in the form of idols between us and Hin. He knows that when we do that in our lines that we are setting ourselves up to be injured and hurt by those false gods and that breaks His heart. That is a jealousy born in love. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Matthew 7:15-16

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”

Personal Challenge

We usually read this verse and apply it to those who would come into our churches teaching heresies and trying to break up the unity of the body of Christ. Granted, this does happen and if the members of the church are not well-grounded in the truths of God, they will be easily lead astray. However, there is another wolf in sheep’s clothing that can gain a foothold in our churches. It is those who do a good job as coming across as virtuous or religious and yet have not been willing to adopt and adhere to the teachings of the church that they are in. This outward display of virtue and religiosity can very easily entrap those who are new or young in the church and lead them astray. It is just as important to watch for these people and to counter their attempts to lead others, especially the new believers, astray, If we know the fruit that our Lord is expecting from all of us (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) then we will be able to identify these wolves and counter their work. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

Psalm 15 (14 LXX)

O Lord, who shall dwell in Your tabernacle?
Who shall live in Your holy mountain?
He who walks blamelessly, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart,
Who does not deceive with his tongue,
Neither does evil to his neighbor;
And does not find fault with those nearest him.
He disdains those who do evil in his presence,
But he holds in honor those who fear the Lord;
He swears an oath to his neighbor and does not set it aside.
He does not lend his money at interest,
And he does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be shaken.

Personal Challenge

Who will ever be able to dwell in the presence of our Lord? Based on this Psalm, I know that I would never be able to, for I have never been able to do all of these things. But, by the grace of my Lord, through His mercy, and the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, the doors to this glorious, heavenly tabernacle have been opened to even sinners such as I. And through the work of the Holy Spirit within me, I can strive to live my life this way. Thank You, Jesus!

Exodus 19:5-6

“‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be a special people to Me above all nations; for all the earth is Mine. You shall be to Me a royal priesthood and a holy nation.’ These are the words you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Encouraging Words

So, if we, the people who obey Gods’ voice and keep His covenant, will be set apart as a special nation above all nations, then why is not America, which so many claim to be a Christian nation, a royal people and a holy nation? Have we, as Christians who have keen blessed to live in a nation that has Christian people in it, forgotten what God has been teaching us from the beginning of time? Have we fallen into the same misunderstanding as the Jewish nation and believed that God was referring to a kingdom made by man? The Church, the universal body of Christ, is the special people, the holy nation, the royal priesthood that Exodus is referring to. This holy nation exists in Russia, England, China, Mexico, South America, Africa, America, and every other country in the world, It exists in every physical country that has at least one believer in it. Why is this important to embrace? Because if this is truly my nation, then I am only an ambassador, an alien, in the physical nation that I live in. I exercise my rights and responsibility in that earthly nation but I do not surrender my citizenship to that nation. God is my supreme Leader, not some elected official.

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Personal Challenge

I do not understand Greek, so I have to rely on the experts when it comes to the analysis of what was meant when Greek was used as the original language. In these verses, we are told that the verbs ask, seek, and knock are present progressives. In common language that basically means; “be asking,” “be seeking.” and “be knocking.” It means that I should be in a constant state of prayer asking, seeking, and knocking. This is another reminder that my relationship with God is synergetic and that I must be engaging with Him in order to expect anything from Him. This also implies that what I am asking for is in alignment with God would deem best for me, not all of the cool stuff that I want in this world. If I am living my life this way I will be seeking God by trying to learn His truths and His will. And if I am knocking, then I will be knocking on God’s door seeking to know what His will is for me as His child. Living my life this way makes the whole concept of asking, seeking, and knocking totally different and totally God-centered. Glory be to God!

Psalms 13:5-6 (12:6 LXX)

But I hope in Your mercy;
My heart shall greatly rejoice in Your salvation;
I will sing to the Lord, who shows kindness to me;

Exodus 15:2

The Lord became my helper and the shield of my salvation;
He is my God, and I will glorify Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Encouraging Words

Moses, in his wisdom, and because of his relationship with God, was able to prophesy of the incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was not looking forward to a man that would someday be born that would grow up to be a man that could just rescue his people here on earth. He was looking forward to that day when God Himself would become a man and become our helper and our shield who could rescue us from the hold that death had upon us. Moses lived his life with that hope, that prophecy, at the core of his essence, and through that lived a holy and righteous life. We, today, are blessed that we live in the age where this prophecy has been fulfilled and we too must put our hope in the living God and not the institutions of man to take care of us. God is our supreme leader, not the soon to be president of the United States. God is our shield and protector, not the military or our police forces. God loves us and tells us to love our neighbor, His way, not the way of Black lives Matter or White Lives Matter (or whatever the counter group is). He should be the center of our universe and not us. Glory be to God!

Matthew 6:31-34

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Command With a Promise

Once again we are told what to do, how to live our as Christians, and we are given the promise to go along with the command. So, what is the command? To go through our life, day by day, not worrying about how on basic needs will be met and to set our hearts and minds on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And, what is the promise? Our heavenly Father knows what we need to live our lives and He will provide for those needs. Now once again, this interaction requires my action, my involvement. This does not mean that I can lay around all day and expect God to send everything that I need my way, I must engage in life as a productive person in my society. If I am keeping my heart and mind on God then I will be doing things with a focus on quality and diligence that will generate that which is needed to sustain me. The key here is to not act or worry about how my needs will be met, I trust in my God to take care of me, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in all other aspects of life. To God be the glory, not me!

Psalms 11:7 (10:7 LXX)

The righteous Lord loves righteousness;
His face beholds the upright.

Encouraging Words

Have you ever had one of those days where you ended up wondering if it was all worth it? Trying to live a good life, loving those around you, making difficult choices with others in mind, giving in to the needs of others, and just trying to do what you know deep down is the good and godly thing to do is not easy. When you live your life this way you feel like a fish swimming against the flow. But there is one promise that we can hold onto. Whether or not we ever get an acknowledgement about trying to live our lives this way from another doesn’t matter. What does matter is that God sees all and loves us and our attempts to glorify Him through our attempts to be upright and righteous. Thank you, Father. Glory be to You?