DAYS OF PRAISE-The Jewels of the Lord-by Henry Morris

The Jewels of the Lord

 by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Malachi 3:17)
 The jewels of the Lord are not rubies and diamonds, but rather are “they that feared the LORD” and who “spake often one to another.” Instead of being mounted in a crown or other adornment as precious stones would be, these jewels will be listed in a very special book. “A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name” (v.16). What a blessing it would be if, when we get to heaven, we should find our names written in that special book of God’s memories! God does take note of our times of spiritual fellowship with other believers—especially, no doubt, when they occur during times of stress and worldly opposition.
 This word (Hebrew cegullah) is not the usual word for “jewels,” more commonly being rendered “peculiar treasures.” For example, Psalm 135:4 says that “the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.” The word suggests treasure carefully guarded in a safe place. The word is translated simply “special” in Deuteronomy 7:6, “a special people unto himself.”
 Note in particular Exodus 19:5-6: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”
 Peter uses the same language in writing to prepare Christians for imminent times of persecution. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). HMM
http://www.icr.org/article/7518/

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ALISTAIR BEGG:MY TIMES ARE IN YOUR HANDS- (1) Biola University

Alistair Begg: My times are in Your hands (1) Biola University

Biola Chapel from April 22, 2013 - “One of the distinguishing marks of a Christian, of a Christian worldview is to be found in the way in which  he or she views the passing of time and the ordering of the events of life.”

Psalm 31: 

A Psalm of Complaint and of Praise.

1In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed;
In Your righteousness deliver me.
² Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me.
³ For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
⁴ You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
⁵ Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O Lord, God of truth.

⁶ I hate those who regard vain idols,
But I trust in the Lord.
⁷ I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness,
Because You have seen my affliction;
You have known the troubles of my soul,
⁸ And You have not given me over into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a large place.

⁹ Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.
¹⁰ For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
And my body has wasted away.
¹¹ Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,
Especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
¹² I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
¹³ For I have heard the slander of many,
Terror is on every side;
While they took counsel together against me,
They schemed to take away my life.

¹⁴ But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord,
I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

Alistair Begg:

Gauguin, the post impressionist painter, painted large and very graphic pictures, particularly of women from the islands. He led a dissolute life, although brought up as a Roman Catholic and catechized, and he was not known for writing on his paintings, apart from signing them. But, on one of his most famous paintings, depicting the journey of man form birth to the grave, he wrote on the top corner, he wrote 3 questions: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going? Unfortunately, he had no answer for those questions. He died in his fifties, as a result, really, of a life that was lived in excess, without finding answers to those questions.

In contrast, the catechism, the Heidelberg (corrupted a little), asks the question: What is our only hope in life and death? And it provides an answer: That we are not our own, but belong, body and soul, both in life and death to God and to our Savior, Jesus Christ. You see, one of the distinguishing marks of a Christian, of a Christian worldview is to be found in the way in which  he or she views the passing of time and the ordering of the events of life. To think Christianly is to have a radical shift in the way in which we view all of these issues and to be able to affirm, “My times, o God is in your hands,” is a Christian thing to do. And so, I want to say just 3 things on the strength of that this morning

 

Alistair Begg: Never Forgotten – Biola University Chapel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=I39OdPpI2RU
Reblogged from by rodi http://rodiagnusdei.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/alistair-begg-my-times-are-in-your-hand-biola-university/

RĂMÂI ÎN PICIOARE CÂND TOTUL ÎN JUR SE NĂRUIE

RĂMÂI ÎN PICIOARE CÂND TOTUL ÎN JUR SE NĂRUIE

 

 “Cine crede că stă în picioare, să ia seama să nu cadă”

(1 Corinteni 10:12)-
Satana a ieşit să te ispitească, să te prindă în cursă şi să te doboare. Una din minciunile lui preferate este că nu poti cădea. El apelează la eu-l tău: “Eşti suficient de spiritual; eşti prea puternic să te împiedici. Oamenii slabi nu ar putea să facă fată, dar tu poti”. Această minciună are menirea de a te face peste măsură de încrezător, de a te conduce spre “a te încrede în om, … a te sprijini pe un muritor şi a-ti abate inima de la Domnul” (Ieremia 17:5). Este făcută să te facă să laşi garda mai jos şi să te facă vulnerabil la uneltirile lui. Nu-I lăsa să te joace! Fii înţelept: “mândria merge înaintea pieirii, şi trufia merge înainte căderii” (Proverbe 16:18).

Trăieşte pe genunchi. întăreşte-te cu Cuvântul lui Dumnezeu.

O altă minciună preferată a lui Satana este că nu poţi sta în picioare. Aceasta face apel la simţul fundamental al lipsei de merit, al fricii şi al imperfecţiunii. El şopteşte: “Uită-te la trecutul tău. în comparaţie cu ceilalţi oameni de treabă din biserică, tu nu eşti demn să te numeşti creştin. Renunţă”.

Satana vrea să-ti abată privirea de la “Acela care poate să vă păzească de orice cădere, şi să vă facă să vă înfăţişaţi fără prihană şi plini de bucurie înaintea slavei Sale” (luda 24). El vrea să te concentrezi asupra laturilor tale negative, asupra prietenilor rebeli, asupra giganţilor credinţei care au căzut şi vrea să-ti spună că pentru că ei nu au reuşit, tu nu ai nici o şansă. El îti va reaminti lista de slăbiciuni pentru a te descuraja. Nu-I băga în seamă. El “este mincinos şi tatăl minciunii” (loan 8:44). Faptul că îl crezi te face victima lui. Refuză să laşi ca mândria sau imperfecţiunea să te înfrângă.

Adevărul e că rămânerea în picioare nu este inevitabilă, dar este posibilă! În clipa în care îti dedici viata lui Isus, îi declari război lui Satana. Şi dacă doreşti să i te împotriveşti, trebuie să te armezi. “îmbrăcati-vă cu toată armătura lui Dumnezeu, ca să puteţi ţinea piept împotriva uneltirilor diavolului… ca să vă puteţi împotrivi în ziua cea rea, şi să rămâneţi în picioare” (Efeseni 6:11, 13). Războiul este un dezastru – o treabă dificilă; trebuie să-l iei la fel de serios pe cât îl ia şi vrăjmaşul, fiindcă Biblia spune că el “caută pe cine să înghită” (1 Petru 5:8). Fii treaz, nu te alarma! “O mie să cadă alături de tine … dar de tine nu se va apropia” (Psalmul 91:7). într-un conflict, unii rămân în picioare, alţii cad. Diferenţa este că cei ce au rămas în picioare l-au făcut pe Domnul “locul lor de adăpost”, pe când cei ce cad “se sprijină pe un muritor” (Ieremia 17:5).
Un alt adevăr este şi faptul că nu poti împiedica întotdeauna căderea, dar o poti înfrânge! Nu numai cei slabi şi imaturi cad. Strategia lui Satana include doborârea celor neprihăniţi, celor păcătoşi, a celor mai vulnerabili şi a celor mai puţin vulnerabili – inclusiv a celor din top! “Cel neprihănit de şapte ori cade, şi se ridică…” (Proverbe 24:16). Dacă cei neprihăniţi cad atât de des, la ce ne putem aştepta de la toti ceilalţi? în război, nimănui nu i se garantează imunitate fată de un atac. Dar “Domnul întăreşte paşii omului, când îi place calea lui; dacă se întâmplă să cadă, nu este doborît de tot, căci Domnul îl apucă de mână” (Psalmul 37:23-24). Nu te concentra pe cei neputincioşi sau pe cei scoşi din luptă, ci pe Hristos Cel ce dă putere!

“Căci cel nenorocit nu va fi uitat pentru totdeauna…” Psalmul 9.18

Sărăcia este o grea moştenire; dar aceia care se încred în Domnul sunt bogaţi prin credinţă. Ei ştiu că nu sunt uitaţi de Dumnezeu; ci chiar dacă li se pare că uneori sunt neglijaţi, cu privire la bunurile pământeşti, sunt încredinţaţi că va veni timpul când toate lucrurile vor fi restabilite. Lazăr nu va rămâne totdeauna cu câinii, la poarta bogatului; ci îşi va găsi răsplata în sânul lui Avraam. Încă de acuma Domnul se gândeşte la copiii Lui săraci, dar scumpi. ”Eu sunt sărac şi lipsit, dar Domnul se gândeşte la mine” zicea unul în strâmtorarea sa (Psalmul 40.17).

Sfinţii în sărăcie au un privilegiu măreţ: acela de a-L vedea pe Domnul venindu-le în ajutor în toate nevoile vieţii lor, vremelnice şi duhovniceşti. Ei se simt tot mai bine fiind cu Acela care n-avea unde să-şi pună spre odihnă capul. Ei aşteaptă cu bucurie venirea Sa, ştiind că vor fi părtaşii slavei Sale. Pentru ei aceasta este o nădejde nepieritoare pentru că e întemeiată pe însuşi Domnul Isus, care e viu în veac; şi deoarece El trăieşte, şi ei vor trăi. Credinciosul sărac cântă multe cântări care rămân neînţelese pentru bogatul acestei lumi. Iată de ce, dacă partea noastră este modestă aici, este bine să ne gândim la prânzul regesc ce ne aşteaptă acolo sus.

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A CLEAN HEART-Traditional Hymns Podcast

A Clean Heart

Lyrics: Walter C. Smith
Music: Fred H. Byshe

One thing I of the Lord desire,
For all my path hath miry been,
Be it by water or by fire,
O make me clean, O make me clean.

Refrain:
Wash me, Thou, without, within,
Or purge with fire, if that must be,
No matter how, if only sin
Die out in me, die out, die out in me.

If clearer vision Thou impart,
Grateful and glad my soul shall be;
But yet to have a purer heart
Is more to me, is more to me.

Yea, only as this heart is clean
May larger vision yet be mine,
For mirrored in its depths are seen
The things divine, the things divine.

I watch to shun the miry way,
And stanch the springs of guilty thought,
But, watch and struggle as I may,
Pure I am not, pure I am not.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

http://www.hymnpod.com/2013/01/10/a-clean-heart/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hymnpod+%28HymnPod%29

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

Psalm 95:1-6 - O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth; The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

I Adore You - Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir- Worship Video w/lyrics

http://youtu.be/h17bNXurJBA

Uploaded by brotherearl1944 on Jul 19, 2010

Psalms 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, 3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound

DC-This song reminds me that I serve a true, loving and just God. He deserves all the honor and praise. Let His name be glorified.

UN ALT MISTER VAZUT DE DAVID-VA DOMI TICALOSIA PRINTRE FII OAMENILOR

Psalmul 10

1. Pentru ce stai asa de departe, Doamne? Pentru ce Te ascunzi la vreme de necaz?

2. Cel rau, in mandria lui, urmareste pe cei nenorociti, si ei cad jertfa curselor urzite de el.

3. Caci cel rau se faleste cu pofta lui, iar rapitorul batjocoreste si nesocoteste pe Domnul.

4. Cel rau zice cu trufie: “Nu pedepseste Domnul! Nu este Dumnezeu!” Iata toate gandurile lui.

5. Treburile ii merg bine in orice vreme; judecatile Tale sunt prea inalte pentru el, ca sa le poata vedea, si sufla cu dispret impotriva tuturor potrivnicilor lui.

6. El zice in inima lui: “Nu ma clatin, in veci sunt scutit de nenorocire!”

7. Gura ii este plina de blesteme, de inselatorii si de viclesuguri; si sub limba are rautate si faradelege.

8. Sta la panda langa sate si ucide pe cel nevinovat in locuri dosnice: ochii lui pandesc pe cel nenorocit.

9. Sta la panda in ascunzatoarea lui, ca leul in vizuina: sta la panda sa prinda pe cel nenorocit. Il prinde si-l trage in latul lui:

10. se indoaie, se pleaca si-i cad saracii in gheare!

11. El zice in inima lui: “Dumnezeu uita! Isi ascunde fata, si in veac nu va vedea!”

12. Scoala-Te, Doamne Dumnezeule, ridica mana! Nu uita pe cei nenorociti!

13. Pentru ce sa huleasca cel rau pe Dumnezeu? Pentru ce sa zica in inima lui ca Tu nu pedepsesti?

14. Dar Tu vezi; caci Tu privesti necazul si suferinta, ca sa iei in mana pricina lor. In nadejdea Ta se lasa cel nenorocit, si Tu vii in ajutor orfanului.

15. Zdrobeste bratul celui rau, pedepseste-i faradelegile, ca sa piara din ochii Tai!

16. Domnul este Imparat in veci de veci; neamurile sunt nimicite din tara Lui.

17. Tu auzi rugaciunile celor ce sufera, Doamne! Le intaresti inima, Iti pleci urechea spre ei,

18. ca sa faci dreptate orfanului si celui asuprit si ca sa nu mai insufle groaza omul cel luat din pamant.

In ultima ordine mondiala va domni ticalosia, un alt mister vazut de David.

Psalmul 12, v 7,8.

7 Tu, Doamne, îi vei păzi şi-i vei apăra de neamul acesta pe vecie. 8 Pretutindeni mişună cei răi, când domneşte ticăloşia printre fiii oamenilor.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Pe cine va trebui Domnul Sa pazeasca?. Si de cine va trebui Domnul ca Sa ii pazeasca? Vedeti dar ca exista doua feluri de oameni, doua feluri de popoare. Un fel de oameni care vor fi ajutati de sistemele de conducere, de domnia ticaloseniei, si acestia vor fi oameni rai. Atunci omul rau o sa aibe o altfel de fata, o altfel de dimensiune, un altfel de spate. Apoi celalalt si cel mai dezavantajat fel de oameni vor fi oameni saraci si nenorociti care vor fi asupriti de acesti oameni rai lasati ca sa isi faca de cap de catre autoritatile cele mai mari de conducere, autoritati pe care David le vede ca vor domni prin ticalosenie, in vremea domniri lor, ticalosia va domni printre fii oamenilor. Haos total. Lumea va fi impartita in doua, si nu in trei ca si astazi. Astazi avem trei clase sociale. In acele vremuri vom avea doar doua clase sociale de oameni. Unul care trebuie sa fie pazit de Dumnezeu ca sa poata exista in continuare si altul care nu stie decat sa faca rau. Si de ce paza?. De ce nu a ales Dumnezeu sa nimiceasca pe cei rai si sa nu mai aibe de pazit pe nimeni?. Vedeti aici ca si acest lucru inseamna bunatatea lui Dumnezeu. Eu vad in acest lucru bunatatea lui Dumnezeu fata de oameni rai, fata de oameni ticalosi, fata de oameni indaratnici, insa nu o bunatate care va tine vesnic, ci una care va avea sfarsit. E ca si cum ai locui undeva la tara, si ai avea un caine rau care intotdeauna iti musca pe propii tai copilasi din curte, si atunci tu esti pus intr-o pozitie in care trebuie sa decizi ori alungi cainele si iti salvezi copiii de la muscaturi, ori de fiecare data tu stai intre caine si copilasii, aparand pe copilasi de caine, amanand incontiniu clipa in care intr-o zi va trebui ca sa alungi acest caine de la casa ta. Cam asa ceva se intampla si aici, Dumnezeu mai degraba Se pune ca si un Aparator al oamenilor saraci si asupriti in fata oamenilor rai si ticalosi, decat sa ii nimiceasca pe cei rai deodata starpind astfel raul din radacina. Vedeti dar ca indelunga rabdare a lui Dumnezeu si pentru oameni rai si ticalosi inseamna un drept in plus la mantuire, inseamna un drept in plus la pocainta, inseamna o sansa in plus la a te trezi la realitate.

Cat despre aceste vremuri de mare necaz despre care David scrie aici in acest Psalm, sunt vremuri in care ticalosia va domni in mijlocul omenirii. Ticalosia. Sa ajunga omenirea sa fie condusa de oameni ticalosi. Da asta vrea sa ne spuna David. Lumea va fi condusa de oameni ticalosi in vremea de mare necaz care va veni. Si atunci cind vor conduce oameni ticalosi, oameni fara de ratiune, oameni fara de suflet in ei, atunci saracia si asuprirea va ajunge sa aibe cote maxime. Si tot atunci oameni rai se vor plimba pretutindeni, vor face tot ce vor voi ei fara ca sa fie nimeni care sa ii opreasca. Inspre acolo se indreapta omenirea, inspre Sodoma si Gomora. Da amintiti-va de Sodoma si Gomora, amintiti-va cand Lot a primit in casa lui pe ingeri Domnului, si cind nici macar nu apucase bine sa ii apuce somnul pe cei din casa, cand la poarta casei lui Lot au venit oameni cetati ca sa scoata afara din casa pe musafirii lui Lot si sa ii abuzeze sexual. Oricat de rau ar suna acest adevar, oricat de incomod ni s-ar parea, aceasta a fost realitatea de acolo din Sodoma si Gomora, pretutindeni misunau oameni rai, pentru ca in fruntea lor erau oameni ticalosi. Dati-mi voie sa va spun ca crestinismul zilelor noastre nu este pregatit pentru o vreme ca si aceasta deloc, reactiile in fata la astfel de vremuri ar putea sa ne doboare daca nu am avea casa zidita pe stanca si daca nu am incepe ca sa ne chinuim sufletul intr-o astfel de lume precum Lot.
Sa ajunga ca sa domneasca ticalosia, si sa ajunga Dumnezeu din nou Sa ii para rau ca a facut pe om?. O cata realitate, cata dreptate a avut David. David manat de Duhul Domnului a zis ca pretutindeni, oriunde, in orice colt al lumii, in orice loc, in orice tara, sau pe orice continent, daca vor domni ticalosi, daca va domni ticalosia, atunci acela va fi cadrul perfect in care vor misuna oameni rai. Si astazi se pregateste cadrul in care ticalosia sa ajunga ca sa domneasca peste natiunii, iar cea mai mare ticalosie, apogeul ticalosiei va fi pe vremea anticristului, si tot atunci oameni rai vor fi mai rai decat fiarele campului, dealtfel David in Psalmul 10 despre care tocmai am discutat a descris cum vor fi acele vremuri mai cu deamaruntul. Clar este astazi ca aceasta criza mondiala se indreapta inspre falimentul tuturor natiunilor pamantului si spre o incepere a unui nou inceput, o noua ordine mondiala cum o numesc unii, o ordine in care va domni ticalosia, nu va mai fi seriozitate vis-avi si fata de oameni saraci si simpli, nu va mai fi atata bunatate din partea statului catre cetateni, nu vor mai fi ajutoare din partea statului catre cei lipsiti si saraci, din contra se va cauta ca aceasta clasa de oameni saraci sa fie parte din cadrul unde omul rau se va desfata implinidu-si poftele nebune si nefiind nimeni care sa il opreasca fiindca va avea de partea lui un intreg sistem de ticalosie. Si acolo se va ajunge incet dar sigur, dar la fel de adevarat este ca sigur Dumnezeu atunci va veni in ajutorul celor obijduiti, in ajutorul celor saraci si in ajutorul celor nenorociti. 21 Pentru că atunci va fi un necaz aşa de mare, cum n-a fost niciodată de la începutul lumii până acum şi nici nu va mai fi.
22 Şi dacă zilele acelea n-ar fi fost scurtate, nimeni n-ar scăpa; dar, din pricina celor aleşi, zilele acelea vor fi scurtate. Matei 24.
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DAYS OF PRAISE-That Which Endures Forever-Institute for Creation Research

That Which Endures Forever

   September 17, 2012

“But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.” (Psalm 9:7)

 This world will eventually pass away. The law of entropy assures us, in fact, that everything decays and dies. Atheistic scientists have even calculated that the very protons of which matter is composed will eventually disintegrate. And the Bible itself also tells us that the present earth and heaven “shall wax old as doth a garment” and “shall perish” (Hebrews 1:11).

 But God Himself is eternal! As our text confirms (and many other texts agree), “the LORD shall endure for ever.”

And that is not all! His glory will remain! “The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works” (Psalm 104:31).

 And His great name will never change. “His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him” (Psalm 72:17).

That also means that His righteousness will never change. “His righteousness endureth for ever” (Psalm 112:3).

 Then also “His mercy endureth for ever.” All 26 verses of Psalm 136 end with this wonderful assurance, and the same promise occurs 16 other times as well. If God’s perfect righteousness will last forever, then His great mercy must also endure forever, and we shall continue to thank Him for His everlasting mercy in all the ages to come.

 Next, God’s Word will endure. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:25).

 Finally, because God is forever, we also shall live forever. “His seed shall endure for ever” (Psalm 89:36). “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17). HMM

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www.icr.org

   

WHERE ISTHE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH ?-Where is He to be found as a protection?-By: J N Darby

The Most High

By: J N Darby

Still God is, of course, always such, and referred to in trial as the One who will set all right. When the Lord is just coming into the world to set all in order, the question is raised, Where is the secret place of the Most High? Where is He to be found as a protection? Whoever finds Him will have the protection of Abraham’s God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the place of promise. Jehovah is it, the God of Israel. And in fact the full divine care of the supreme God, the God of promise, is found, possessor of heaven and earth, revealed in connection with the Melchisedec priest.I have been looking into the force of the Hebrew words for most High. That it ultimately refers to God in the millennium as the supreme God then manifested, to the exclusion of what is false, is evident. This is the force of the word—One who, to the exclusion of and superiority over all others, holds the place of the one true God, but exalted as supreme in government. Jehovah is, as we know, the God who is in relationship with Israel, but He is the supreme God, the Most High. The full statement of the title, and the time of taking it, is in Genesis 14:19, 20, 22.Israel’s enemies are entirely discomfited, and delivered into his hand, and the heir of promise blessed of Him who possesses heaven and earth. He is supreme, and has taken all things into His possession.

Hence, too, when Nebuchadnezzar is restored from a state that represents the character of the empires which began in him, he owns the Most High; Dan. 4:25-34.

In the Psalms the use of it is frequent. In Psalm 21 it is connected with the royalty of Christ as the glorified Man and King. His hand will find out all His enemies and by the favour of the Most High He will not be moved. In Psalm 46 God is again in the midst of His people on Messiah’s triumph (Psalm 45). The tabernacles are those of the Most High. His power is fully displayed in the earth, Jehovah being with Jacob. So more fully as to the world in Psalm 47. In Psalm 50 Most High is connected with the judgment of God in power. In Psalms 9, 10, 55, and 57, it is calling upon Him in this character by the remnant when in distress, the first of the two latter speaking of the distress, the second of the delivering supremacy over all the earth. Psalm 73 is the first of the third book, and the power of the Most High despised by the adversaries; but, going into the sanctuary, their judgment is discovered. The years of the Most High are remembered in Psalm 77, His way is in the sanctuary and in the sea; not looking to heart-failing in man, but to Jehovah, the Supreme, who accomplishes His good pleasure. In this and the next it is Jehovah’s right to this name, as in all the history of Israel. For this is all Israel. Psalms 82 and 83 are both judgment at the close, and in the fullest way to recognise that Jehovah is the Most High over all the earth. Psalm 91 has been spoken of. Psalm 92 is the same perishing of the enemies, and exalting the true David. Psalm 97 is expressly as Jehovah reigning, and as Most High over all the earth, and exalted above the gods when He comes to judgment. In Psalm 107 it is Israel re-gathered, who celebrates God’s government, and His chastisement for their rebellion against Jehovah who is the Most High.

We have the Most High in Daniel 7, though in most of the occurrences it is in the plural for “high” or “heavenly places.” There its connection with God’s title, and making good His dominion, and this connected with Israel, is evident. Thus, though Jehovah is looked back to in self-judgment in the history of Israel, as Psalms 56, 57, 73, 77, yet the force of the title is evident.

New Testament Assembly

September 17, 2012 //Stockton Bible Chapel  http://stocktonbiblechapel.wordpress.com/

THE HIGH AND NOBLE PRIVILEGE

The High and Noble Privilege

“What is that, oh Christian mother

God hath ‘trusted to thy care?

 

In thine hand to love and nurture

Sweetly innocent and fair!

 

What a high and noble privilege!

Bring them up to know God’s Word;

 

They in turn will call thee blessed

When they’ve learned to trust the Lord!”

 

-Mary A. Hayden

http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2011/11/high-and-noble-privilege.html

GOD’S CHILDREN NEED NOT FEAR

GOD’S CHILDREN NEED NOT FEAR

 

Our Daily Bread’s daily devotion for today is about Psalm 121.  The writers, informative and a blessing as always, note that this Psalm  was “sung” by pilgrims on their journey to celebrate one of three “Godatory” (“mandatory” just does not seem to be appropriate) feasts in Jerusalem (Ex. 23:14-17).  For some, if not all, the trip was dangerous due to the terrain and the threat of robbers lying in wait (Lk. 10:30).  This Psalm served to comfort the travelers by reminding them trust in our all-sufficient God. 

Psalm 121:    

[1] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

[2] My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

[3] He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

[4] Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

[5] The LORD is thy Keeper: the LORD is thy Shade upon thy right hand.

[6] The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

[7] The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul.

[8] The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Today’s devotion pointed out that the Hebrew שָׁמַר (shamar), appears six times in five of the eight verses of this Psalm.  It is translated “keepeth” in verses three and four, “Keeper” in verse five, and “preserve,” twice in verse seven, and once in verse eight.  In each, the context determines which English word is the best translation.  And, although the King James uses three different words, all clearly show that the Jewish travelers were counting on their all-powerful God to protect them. Whatever “journey” you are on today, whether it be illness which threatens as “through the valley of the shadow of death,” or in the presence of your “enemies,” or merely being hungry and thirsty, Almighty God will not fail you. God has given His children His Word on it! 

 

[1] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

 http://skipslighthouse.blogspot.com/2012/08/gods-children-need-not-fear.html   

Heart of stone

08 Jul 2012

by rodi

 http://rodiagnusdei.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/heart-of-stone/

photo via http://www.sermoncentral.com

Ezekiel 11:¹⁹ I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

“Removing the Heart of Stone”

by Jason Cole via http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/removing-the-heart-of-stone-jason-cole:

In Psalms 139, David prayed, search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts, see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. David’s prayer was essentially for God to reveal his faults and innermost inadequacies. I don’t believe that David was praying for the Lord to reveal his faults though, because he was overly excited by his own falleness. He wanted God to reveal to him the faults even of his heart to help him to correct the problem. That would give him a place to start.

Jesus was really hard on the Pharisees, and the main reason was because of their hardened stone hearts. It blows me away how people that possessed s much knowledge about God, and a people that did so much in the name of God, could have hearts as hard as they did. The Pharisees had hearts of stone. They could find joy in the disgrace of a woman caught in the act of adultery and take pride in the fulfillment of the law to stone her to death. They could look at the situations of Jesus doing good and find fault in them. Their hearts were made of stone. The hard hearted are not always the easiest to identify however. Just because a person is doing certain things that we think are good does not guarantee that their heart is not stone. Just because you come to church does not mean that your heart is not stone. Just because you read your Bible and pray does not mean that your heart is not stone. Just because you don’t drink, chew or go with girls who do does not mean that your heart is not hard. In fact, it was the people that were doing those things is Jesus’ day that he accused of having hard hearts made of stone.

Perhaps today we you can make a diagnosis about the condition of your heart and the good news is that the problem is treatable and there is a cure that exists.

1. Lost Compassion for the sick, hurting and sinner
One of the symptoms of a heart of stone is a loss of compassion. One of the earmarks of our faith is the compassion that we should have for other people. There have been times in my life where I know I have been stone hearted to the sick and the sinner. There have been times that I have passed by people that were in need of love and compassion, and I walked by unmoved. I have had periods in life where my heart was stone. Perhaps you can identify with me here. How do you feel when you see a person that cannot afford to buy their own food? Do you think to yourself that they are getting what they deserve, or that they should get a job and stop asking for handouts? The truth is, that is not how we have been called to view people and that is not how Jesus viewed people. Sometimes I respond like that, but that is revealing of a stone heart. Sometimes I am more zealous for justice to be served and people to get what they deserve than I am for people to receive grace and mercy. That is indicative of a stone heart. Perhaps some of you can identify with me. How do you feel when you learn that a brother or sister in Christ is living in sin? Do you respond hoping that judgment will be served on them? Perhaps today you have lost your sense of compassion on the hurting. How do you respond to sinner’s coming to Christ? Do you think that you’ll have to wait around for this person to be dunked? Do you still have a passion for what is going on around the world? Our hearts should break over the very things that break the heart of God and we should be moved to action.

2. Lost Desire to Grow and do God’s will
As Christians we are in the process of being changed and transformed into the image of God. Over time, however, many loose their desire to continue to grow in their faith and to do God’s will. It is when we stop growing and stop caring to grow that we can tell that our hearts have become callused. Often times it is our own conscious choices which create opportunities for our own spiritual maturity. When we stop caring to create those opportunities we know that our hearts are hardening.
The Dictionary defines apathy as a lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference. A lack of emotion or feeling.

People with a stone heart are apathetic. They do not care about spiritual growth; they are perfectly content where they are in life. Someone once told a teenager that the greatest problem he faced was complacency. He responded, “Who cares?” People with stone hearts think that they are okay because of their pas victories, because of how spiritual they used to be or how faithful they once were, but they are forgetful of what their heart condition is now. Perhaps, you have lost your desire to grow, perhaps you are apathetic toward learning God’s Word. Perhaps you long for excuses to miss church or Sunday school, perhaps your heart has turned to stone. Some have the attitude of who cares, or they don’t need to grow, learn or conform more into God’s image. If so it needs to be chiseled away at.

3. Lost Excitement in the work of God
Another way to diagnose a stone heart is when one looses excitement in the work of God. Christians should be excited about hearing stories of victory in the kingdom, of souls be saved, of lived being changed. Christians should be excited to serve God and to be used by Him. Perhaps today you can diagnose a heart of stone. Please know that softening your heart begins by slowly chiseling away at a stone heart.

II. How do our hearts turn to stone?

1. The Continued Practice of Sin Hardens the Heart
One thing that will harden a person’s heart faster than anything else is the continued practice of sin. Despite what many people will tell you, it really does matter what you do and how you act. Sin is unique in that it usually leads to more. Usually sin starts out with something small and grows and matures into something bigger. There is an old saying that says:
Sow a thought reap a deed
Sow a deed reap a habit
Sow a habit reap a judgment
James 1:13-15
The reality is that we are all sinners. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but the Scripture makes a clear separation between sinning and the continued practice of sin. Sin is just a part of life, it is not justified and sin is wrong, and we need to strive to avoid sin, but it is the continued practice of sin, or a sinful lifestyle that hardens the heart. Perhaps today you have stayed coming to church, but have been living in a state of sin. Perhaps it is sin that no one knows about and you have kept hidden. Perhaps you have been putting on a front and everyone thinks that you are really righteous. Let me assure you that God knows every thought and action and one day sin will be uncovered and revealed by God. Perhaps you haven’t thought it was a very big deal, but let me tell you that sin is a big deal because it violates the nature of God. The main trait that we learn about God in the Bible is not his love or grace, but rather his holiness. Sin violates the holiness of God and we with sin cannot come into God’s presence. Sin brings about the wrath of God because He is holy. Because of sin we will all encounter God’s wrath, we will face it either at judgment or we will encounter God’s wrath on the cross where Jesus bore our sin and the wrath of God. The Scripture says that God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us so that we might know the righteousness of God. Perhaps today you have been living in constant unrepented sin and haven’t thought it a big deal and you’ve thought that it was okay to sin because God will forgive you. It is sin that hardens the heart.

a. Our World’s Standards are not necessarily God’s standards
Our world has tried to teach us what is right and wrong. Many in the church have bought into the lie that if it is accepted by the world that it is accepted by God, but the world’s standards are not necessarily God’s standards.
Ezekiel 11:12

I want you to know plainly that sin is a big deal essentially because of what you are saying when you are living in a constant state of sin. One of the speakers at camp said that sin is us essentially saying that we want to kill God and take his place on the throne. I think that is true when you take sin to its next logical step. Sin is violating the law of God and us saying that we do not have to submit to the authority of God. Sin is a big deal and it is sin that separates us from God. I want you to be aware that the continued practice of sin hardens the heart to stone. I want to encourage you if you are living in sin, repent, and don’t live in it any longer. The continued practice of sin will magnify into greater sin and eventually a hardened heart.

2. The Removal From God’s Presence and People Hardens the Heart
I love to watch a good fire burn. To me it is really cool to watch how when you put a bunch of logs together they can make a huge flame. When I would go to camp we would make the largest fires that were possible. One thing about those fires is that when you remove one log from the group of logs, that fire soon dies out in the one removed. It is the same with us when we are away from the presence of God and His people. A lot of people put any and everything before attending church, but let me assure you one quick way to turn your heart to stone is to stay out of the church. Missing just a few times will make one calloused and hardened. The Scriptures teach that as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. The Fellowship God’s people is important and missing church, the removal from God’s presence and people hardens the heart.

III. How do we Soften Stone Hearts?

Maybe today you sit here and you realize maybe your heart has turned to stone. Maybe you are wondering what you can do for your heart to be made soft again. I want to tell you that it begins by chiseling away at the stone. Many things may have come into your life and slowly hardened your heart, today you can chisel away at that heart of stone.

1. The Spirit of God Chisels Away at Hard Hearts
One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to bring conviction to people’s hearts. It was the Holy Spirit working on the hearts of the Jews on Pentecost when they said, they were pierced to the heart. Perhaps today the Spirit is working on your hearts and bringing conviction through the Word of God, if so I hope that the conviction you may feel will be taken as a message from God. People respond all sorts of ways when they feel convicted. Some people push it off and take it as nothing. Other people heed that conviction and are thankful that God has revealed to them the errors of their ways. Maybe the Spirit of God is trying to chisel away at your heart of stone.

2. The Word of God Chisels Away at Hard Hearts
The Word of God is one of the most powerful things that there is. It is the Word of God that is called the sword of the Spirit and is our weapon against the Devil. The Word of God tells us what it is that God expects of us. We learn right from wrong and we learn God’s standard. We can learn in His Word where we are not living up to what God expects. It is in the Word of God that we can find help for our problems, we can claim promises that God gives us, we can learn the way of chiseling away at our hearts.

3. The Fellowship of the Saints Chisels Away at Hard Hearts
The fellowship of the saints, of God’s people is one of the greatest remedies for the hard heart. There is something special about gathering in fellowship that has a away of softening the heart. If your heart is hard one of the best things you can do is consciously make a choice to be where God’s people are, find opportunities to fellowship. Today, perhaps by being with God’s people your heart is being chiseled away at.

4. The Guarding of our Hearts Chisels Away at Hard Hearts
I believe another way that our hearts are softened and chiseled away at is by being careful what we allow into our hearts. Jesus taught plainly, that t really does matter what you allow into your hearts, because that goes to your heart and eventually will come out.
Proverbs 4:23
Perhaps, you need to guard your heart and remove some things from your way so that you are not polluting your mind and heart. By guarding your heart and keeping yourself clear from impure things you can chisel away at your hard heart.
5. The Repentance of Sin Chisels Away at Hard Hearts
The best way to soften a hard heart is through repentance of sin. It is through repentance that we have the promise of wipping our slates clean and being made right. We have the promise of forgiveness of sins.
I John 1:9
Perhaps today your heart has become hard. I want to encourage you today to repent of that sin that had held you back from God. Repentance is not just being sorry for the sins that you have committed though, it is a change in the lifestyle for the better.

Related articles

• Heart of stone (rodiagnusdei.wordpress.com)
• Heart of Stone (lisagobrien.com)
• Stone Y Hearts (diligentprojects5.wordpress.com)