Numbers 20, Psalm 58, Psalm 59, Isaiah 9:8-10:4, James 3

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Numbers 20             Moses said, “Hear now, you rebels!” Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly – The Lord spoke to Moses, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

            Not by Faith, but out of anger did Moses serve the Lord God. Therefore God was not seen as Holy by the witnesses. The consequence? No Promised Land for Moses. How many times do my emotions over rule my trust in God and His Word? How many witnesses of my words and actions have I turned away from God? How many ways do I circumvent Jesus’ Glory by my own self interests? How many “promised land” situations have I been cut off from because of this!? Jesus, I willfully, actively choose to think and act by faith and trusting Your Word/ Relationship so that I do not focus on what so easily ensnares me. (1)

Psalm 58 , Psalm 59, Isaiah 9:8-10:4, James 3 –

               The wicked … go astray, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, And for the cursing and lying which they speak. Psalm 58-59

               The tongue is a little member and boasts great things. The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. … it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men…  James 3

            Lord, am I double minded and forked tongued? Do I say and do what I think and feel? Please have mercy on me and reveal to me my innermost motives, desires and Your Truth perspectives. If I do not yield to You, You will overtake me by wrathful force. (2)

              Because of this, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, As in His living and burning wrath. .. Consume them in wrath, consume them, And let them know that God rules in Jacob To the ends of the earth. … the Lord shall set up the adversaries against him, the Lord will cut off … Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts The land is burned up. Psalm 58-59, Isaiah 9:8-10:4

              I fear both Your just judgment and wrath as well as losing Your peace, joy and intimacy in relationship with You. I confess to You the realty of my fickleness. I hate sin!

Who say in pride and arrogance of heart: “We will rebuild with hewn stones; We will replace them with cedars.” For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the Lord of hosts. Isaiah 9:8-10:4

              I surrender to You, Lord Jesus Christ, my willfulness to do things my own way, as I see fit without doing Your Word and Holy Spirit counsel. I purpose my mind to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” and have my tongue, hands and feet move according to Your Holy Spirit. (5)

Your judgments are clear:

              “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed To rob the needy of justice, Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, And they shall fall among the slain.” Isaiah 9:8-10:4

Yet You say FOUR TIMES in Isaiah 9:8-10:4

“For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.”

             You reach out to me and to all of us – “Come to Me!” “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”  Rejecting my usual patterns, turning away from sinful relationships, not wasting time, not looking at useless information, abhorring addictions, habits and weak mindsets is Your Requirement for holiness! Step by step, day by day, I will live Your success by Your Way! (3)

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance;  So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.” I will wait for You, For God is my defense. My God of mercy shall come to meet me; Psalm 58-59

              Repentance’s fruit is Sweet! What Peace, Joy and Freedom to be unselfish and not needy when I walk in repentance! Repentance takes time, practice, pain without regret and a lot of work by Repeatedly Doing Your thoughts and Your Ways. But the Refreshment and Still waters are more than worth it!! Thanks my Mentor and Power, Lord God Jesus Christ! (4)  

But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy. Psalm 58-59

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3

 

Crystal (PsalmThirty4)

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Lev. 10; Ps. 11,12; Prov. 25; 1 Thess.4

Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu were in a leadership role as priests but made the human error of choosing to do something their way instead of the way God had specified. I am reminded that the fire was to be kept burning at all times in a specific way.

“Meanwhile, the fire on the altar must be kept burning, it must never go out. Each morning the priest will add fresh wood to the fire and arrange the daily whole burnt offering on it.  He must then burn the fat of the peace offerings on top of this daily whole burnt offering.” Leviticus 10:12.

When Nadab and Abihu chose to “keep the fire going” in a different means by putting coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkling incense over it they disobeyed a direct command, thus resulting in immediate death by fire from God! I know I choose my own way more often than I should and it is not that the choice itself is an evil or harmful choice, but it is against what I know God has asked of me.

Psalm 11:6 stood out to me as a connecting thought to that of Leviticus.  “He rains down blazing coals on the wicked, punishing them with burning sulfur and scorching winds.”   Immediately following this verse it is shared that the LORD is righteous, and he loves justice. Those who do what is RIGHT will see his face.  Once again, obedience results in God’s delight and favor.

Psalm 12–David crying out to the Lord for help as he is seeing more and more sin upon the earth. Lying, gossip, insincerity, and such pride within people that they believe they can say anything they want and no one can stop them. My tongue can do such harm within an instant if it is not tamed.

What a comfort though to know that the Lord’s reply to David’s request is one of assurance that He has seen and heard the wickedness and will rescue them. His promises are pure, just as silver refined in a furnace and purified SEVEN times over! David had to trust God that He would protect and preserve them amidst the evil in the land.

I find more and more that God is speaking to me about my speech and how and when to use it, in HIS timing and His words–not mine. These verses put some of my everyday activities into a realistic perspective of what God demands.  (9-10) “Discuss the matters privately so as to not be accused of gossip and never regain a good reputation.”  v.11 –“Advice in a timely manner is as lovely as GOLDEN apples in a silver basket.” I know I have thrown out advice when it was not properly timed and after reading this verse and soaking it in and looking back on those instances I can honestly say the apples in the basket I was handing out were rotten in comparison to what I could have given had I sought the Lord more for his advice and insight to give to a friend in need instead of being in a hurry to help, help, help someone in my own strength.

Amazing how at the beginning of this in Leviticus it spoke on holiness and staying clear of uncleanliness. I Thessalonians 4:1 it URGES us to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord , along with remaining holy and keeping our bodies holy and clean!

“This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not NEED to depend on others to meet your needs.” 1 Thess 4:11-12.

I pray my words will be used for encouragement, faithful witnessing and blessing to others. I want to be a FLAME THAT DOES NOT BURN OUT but  lights a path no matter what the circumstance or situation placed in. I desire to BE ON FIRE FOR GOD until the moment He swoops down and takes me to my forever home!  HIDE IT UNDER A BUSHEL? NO. I’M GONNA LET IT SHINE,  LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHINE!

Erica (guest on 66 Books)

2 Chronicles 30; Revelation 16; Zechariah 12-13:1; John 15

I noticed when the writing assignments were distributed late last year that I had been assigned to make a post on Christmas day.  That’s remained in the back of my mind through the past twelve months.  I never took the time to examine the reading assignment for December 25.  I simply assumed I’d be writing something ‘Christmasy’.  Maybe the reading plan would be arranged in such a way that we’d get to spend time in one of the first chapters of Matthew.  Better yet, maybe the second chapter of Luke.  I imagined writing something about God with us, or of God’s declaration of peace with men.  The very last thing I expected to face was a description of God’s wrath…

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.

Revelation 16:1, 8-11, 17-19

This isn’t a description of Christmas. This is the very opposite of Christmas.  This is an image of the fate I earned the moment I first sinned against my Creator, a fate I’m escaping only because He chose to deliver me from His justice and wrath.  The description of these and the other judgments in Revelation 16 are breathtaking.  It amazes and grieves me that so many people plan to face God standing on a foundation of their own merit.  Even more incomprehensible is the idea of some of those same people, suffering the opening rounds of God’s wrath, actually cursing Him rather than repenting.  Silent Night?  Hardly.

22 And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the LORD. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.  23 Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers. 25 The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced.    2 Chronicles 30:22-25

Here we have a scene reminiscent of many others from ancient Israel.  The people described here are, at least momentarily, trying to please God.  They are rejoicing in Him and for the deliverance He’s provided their ancestors.  But, look at the cost required to make the celebration possible.  How much blood was spilled that day to satisfactorily consecrate those involved?  This isn’t even a description of the Day of Atonement!  It’s simply the Passover celebration.

No, this isn’t a scene of Christmas either, but at least it’s a scene made possible through the promise of Christmas a few centuries to come.  This is O Come O Come Emmanuel.  This is progress.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.  John 15:12-17

This is Christmas fully revealed.  This is God unilaterally declaring peace with His creation.  This is the God we’ve so grievously offended through absolute rebellion stepping down from His throne, departing His palace, descending to the dust with us, experiencing our suffering, and lighting within our hearts the flame of His love.  Here, God Himself declares that we are not His enemies.  Nor are we His pets, nor His subjects, nor His servants.  Here He calls us friends.  Earlier in John He called us children of God.  He makes it clear that this was His doing, not ours.  He chose us, not the other way around.  He came to meet us because we were incapable of reaching up to Him.  The Christ is born.  Go Tell it On the Mountain!

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.   Zechariah 12:10

This is Christmas missed.  So much of Biblical truth is hard to fathom.  I count the chosen nation’s rejection of their long-awaited Messiah as one of the prime examples.  There wasn’t any mystery about when or where He would arrive.  Magi from another realm showed up at the right place and only slightly behind schedule due to the distance they had to travel.  They probably knew the who, when, and where based on an ancient institutional memory of Daniel’s teachings.  If they found the Christ child, what is the excuse of the scholars of scripture sleeping within sight of Bethlehem?  How could men who knew Psalm 22 and Isaiah’s prophecies by heart not recognize their Messiah even when He hung on the cross?  I know, they were expecting a conquering hero, but why were they expecting that when the scriptural truth was so plain?  Sadly, their blindness continues to this day.  This blindness is going to end though.  The descendents of Israel have missed the last 2000 Christmases, and they may miss 2000 more, but one day, at the time of the Father’s choosing, they will see the Son.  Then, even as they mourn, it will truly be Joy to the World.

You know, maybe today’s reading selection is appropriate for the occasion after all.

Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with you this year, and Merry Christmas!!!

Michael  (mmattix)

2 Chronicles 10, Revelation 1, Zephaniah 2, Luke 24

But he rejected the advice…  2 Chronicles 10:8

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, … which must shortly take place.  … for the time is near.  Revelation 1:1,3

Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger. Zephaniah 2:3

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32

To read, see: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Chron.10;%20Rev.%201;%20Zeph.%202;%20Luke%2024&version=NKJV 

2 Chronicles 10          Rehoboam went to … make him king. Jeroboam  spoke to Rehoboam …therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before …But he rejected the advice …and consulted the young men who had grown up with him.

                  Who am I listening to? To whose counsel? And why? What is the proof that it is wise counsel? Lord, have me run to the Throne instead of the phone. Have me pour into your Bible else I may be liable. Make me humble before You force me to crumble. Amen! Isaiah 40:13

King Rehoboam … saying, “…your yoke heavy, I will add to it; …I will chastise you with scourges!” So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the LORD might fulfill His Word,

                   Pride and arrogance is against God. Rejecting wisdom and not being just, merciful or walking humbly with God provokes God’s wrath. Yet this was the consequence from earlier sins against the Lord God (verse 15).   Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 16:5 Micah 6:8

when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, …Israel departed to their tents. …King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem.

                Lord God Almighty, please have my nation’s officials heed Your Voice, fear You and listen to Your people. Have Your people take Your Yoke upon them so they will live by Your Word and Holy Spirit. Have me seek Your Face and Will and desire it above all else!! Please cause Your people to repent to You before we suffer greater judgement upon our land! Amen. Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 37:4, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Revelation 1              The Revelation of Jesus Christ, … which must shortly take place.  … for the time is near.

                If the time was “near” then, how soon is Christ Jesus coming now? What must I do to be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ? (Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 1, Psalm 51, 1 John 4:15, Romans 10:9, Matthew 28:18-20, Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:14-17, Hebrews 10:23, John 15)

                Jesus Christ rose from the dead and now lives to intercede for us (Matthew 28, Hebrews 7:25). So what is Jesus Christ like now? Here is the Revelation of Jesus Christ:

Amazing description of the Lord Jesus Christ, from His own mouth!

the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. Him who loved us, washed us from our sins in His own blood, has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.  the First and the Last

Action>>             He is coming with clouds, every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.

Appearance =           One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

Spoke –         He laid His right hand on me, Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen   

I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

Do I have any more questions? Not now, for the Lord Jesus Christ has it all covered, past, present and future!! Should I fear man? NO! Should I trust Jesus Christ with my life, past, present and future? YES! Should I fear and love God well? YES! Blessed be the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ!! Romans 14:11-12, Isaiah 45:23

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Rev 22:20

Zephaniah 2             Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation, Before the LORD’s fierce anger comes upon you, Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger.

     Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The word of the LORD is against you,  “I will destroy you; …  I have heard the reproach …  And the insults of the people … With which they have reproached My people, And made arrogant threats against their borders. Therefore, as I live,” Says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,” … The LORD will be awesome to them, For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth; People shall worship Him, Each one from his place, Indeed all the shores of the nations. Desolation shall be at the threshold;

                  This can pertain to MY country! We have been arrogant and against the Lord of Hosts! Woe to the people who go against the Lord God Almighty!  LORD, may we “Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger. …” – and may I be one of the first! Repentance is necessary!

                  I thought my own way was right. After all, that’s what my parents taught me and they went to church. That’s what my teachers taught me and they had authority. My culture told me I was right, and there are so many people, surely the multitudes would know. But God told me different (Psalm 1, Psalm 51) and the Lord God Almighty is always the Biggest and the Best. (John 14:6; Matthew 7:13-14; Matthew 11:28-30; John 3:3-21; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17 )

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13

Luke 24                     Now on the first day of the week, … they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. … did not find the body of the Lord Jesus…. behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. …“Why do you seek the living among the dead? …Remember how He spoke to you … and the third day rise again.’” And they remembered His words….told these things to the apostles…. and they did not believe them.

               How many times do I NOT remember God’s Word for my own heart? That God IS near. That He is NOT dead, but alive and living in me? Or ignore the fact that God is actively pursing other people too? Or not perceive the evident power of God Everywhere? How often do others not believe me when I tell them what God has done? I don’t want to be like those who incurred Jesus’ rebuke for their unbelief and hardness of heart? Hebrews 7:25; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 4:4; Luke 19:10; Matthew 9:6-8; Hebrews 11:1; Acts 10:38; Romans 1:4; Matthew 26:64; Psalm 19; Mark 16:14

Now …two of them were traveling to …Emmaus, … So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. … “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.”

                 Jesus Christ DID redeem Israel, and the Gentiles! But not as man expected!! Isaiah 55:8-9 Redemption was/ is eternal, not temporal! Lord, open the eyes of my heart to “know” you and how you have resurrected ME: Redeemed me to live IN the freedom of Christ! I want to joyously understand and live this viewpoint unceasingly!  

“He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” May I not be slow of heart to believe!

                    Am I reading God’s Word to SEE Jesus often? To learn about He Character of God and my relationship with and in Him? God, show me how You are sanctifying me so I may glorify You. What part(s) of me are “dying” because of my flesh, family, friends, and work that is revealing the living Savior in my midst?

Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

             Am I like them? Does my heart BURN within me when I read God’s Word as He “talks” with me through it? Do I ask the Lord to open my understanding in order to comprehend the Scriptures? Verse 32, 45

                  Do I constrain the living Lord Jesus Christ to abide in me, to stay with me, to sup with me? How do I do this, or not? John 15 is my litmus test!

Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

                 Do I “know Jesus” in the breaking of His Bread at the Lord’s supper? Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart to You and please never vanish from my sight!

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

                  Do I eagerly rush to tell others about the risen Lord Jesus Christ Who transformed me to be His child many years ago, and continues to sanctify me even within the past 24 hours!?

Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, … they were terrified … “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? …Handle Me … they still did not believe…

                   Lord, please increase my faith to be as solid as if You were sitting beside me right now! (I love You! And thank You! I am listening…) John 20:29

He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

                 Jesus testified that His life was the fulfillment of His Father’s plan. Then Jesus commissioned His people to witness and fulfill Jesus’ work while He lives to intercede for them in heaven. Hebrews 7:25

                Does this honoring “job” cause me to worshiped Jesus and go to live obeying Him with great joy, continually praising and blessing God? verse 52-53 May it be so Lord Jesus! May nothing hinder me from knowing your Kingdom Perspective and living it!!

“Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Rev 5:13

Crystal (PsalmThirty4)

2 Kings 25, Hebrews 7, Amos 1, Psalm 144

The LORD roars from Zion, … I will not turn away its punishment, …  Because they… Amos 1

but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son Who has been perfected forever. Hebrews 7:28

            Blessed be the LORD my Rock, …  the One in whom I take refuge, Psalm 144

www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Kings%2025;%20Heb.%207;%20Amos%201;%20Ps144&version=NKJV 

2 Kings 25    “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; … men of war fled at night …  they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, … and took him to Babylon …. burned the house of the LORD … Judah was carried away captive from its own land.”  

                 Judah would not repent (2 Kings 23:26-27, 32, 37 ; 2 Kings 24:1-4, 8-9, 17-20). The Wrath of the Lord is horrific! The king who “did evil in the sight of the LORD” saw evil in his own sight as his last view! What an emblazoned vision! What do my thoughts and actions bring before God’s eyes? May they not be evil rebellion against a Holy and humble God Who loves, cares and protects me tenaciously!! 

             Lord Jesus Christ, may I not trust men, governments or officials with my well being. May I not depend upon temporary people who rule as a replacement for Your Ultimate, Powerful and Trustworthy and Stable Dependability!! 

               Lord Jesus Christ please have our nation repent of its sins against You Who have so graciously and patiently blessed us!! I suspect the stench in Your nostrils may cause You to sneeze judgement upon us citizens because we ignore Your Word, Sacrifice, Will and Love. Lord Jesus Christ, cause us to repent to You so we will live! Awaken us to not grieve Your Holy Spirit! (Ephesians 4:25-32) 

Hebrews 7                For Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God,… the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. … there arises another priest who has come …  according to the power of an endless life… You are a priest forever… Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant …For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 

            Lord Jesus Christ, You are far more worthy than Melchizedek for my tithe. You paid the infinite price of my sin. I desire for Your gifts to me to produce the fruit of salvation within me and in multitudes of people. Please humble me to know You are God and I am not. You don’t need my talents, time, money or resources, but You command me to submit to You benefitting the Kingdom of God for a multitude of reasons! John 15, John 17:11, 15-18, 20-26 Thank You!! You honor me Lord God Almighty by Your desires!! 

Amos 1          The LORD roars from Zion, … I will not turn away its punishment,…I will send a fire, shall devour, will also break, cut off, go captive, I will not turn away its punishment,…  To deliver, send a fire, shall devour, cut off, turn My hand against, shall perish … I will not turn away its punishment .. I will send a fire, shall devour, I will not turn away its punishment …will send a fire, shall devour, I will not turn away its punishment … I will kindle a fire, devour, go into captivity…. 

WHY??           Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver them up … Because they delivered up the whole captivity … And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood. … Because he pursued his brother with the sword, And cast off all pity; His anger tore perpetually, And he kept his wrath forever. … Because they ripped open the women with child in Gilead, That they might enlarge their territory. Amos 1 

               Ruthless people are in treated ruthlessly by the Lord God Almighty UNLESS they repent to the One that can save them from God’s Wrath. May I not be wicked our even mildly thoughtless Lord God! Keep my mind, heart, words, attitudes and actions steady on You! Psalm 119:11

 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. Psalm 2:12

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”  John 3:36

Jesus answered, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 

Psalm 144            Blessed be the LORD my Rock, My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge 

            Where or to whom do I run when I fear? To the phone or to the Throne? To a substance or some other pleasure? How do I bury my feelings instead of bringing my innermost self to the Holy One Who can do something within and outside of me to handle “it”. (Psalm 51:6)  Do I run from God when I know I am bringing down His Wrath upon myself? Is that what I fear? Do I run from the Judge or surrender to the Atonement Who is the Lord Jesus Christ?  

                 Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words,  And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood— Happy are the people whose God is the LORD! Psalm 144   

            Lord Jesus Christ, I wish my nation would pray this, but also within us are many liars. Make us a clean people of Your Own so we can rightfully be rescued! 2 Chronicles 7:14 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:33-34; James 1:22. 

I will sing a new song to You, O God; The One who gives salvation to kings,… Psalm 144 

               I will sing a new song because I am a new creation! I have a new Daddy, Papa, Father, Abba! It is You, my Lord God, Who rescued me from sin and death! You adopted me permanently!! Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ!! 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:1-17, Galatians 4:6, John 1:1-3,12-14, Ephesians 1:3-12, Galatians 4:1-7, 1 John 3:1-2,10, 1 John 5:2, Mark 10:15, Luke 18:16, John 3:5-8, 16-21, Romans 8:2, Romans 6, Romans 5:6-21 

 Humble is Knowing your Postion before the Lord God Almighty. =  LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow. Psalm 144:3-4  

 Crystal (PsalmThirty4)