2 Samuel 7:29 – The Lord’s Blessing

2 Samuel 7:29
29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
 
-Everyone wants to be blessed, right?  How many will take the time to consider where a blessing comes from?  Notice David’s specific request here in 2 Samuel.  He doesn’t just want to be blessed, he wants to be blessed with the Lord’s blessing.  Blessing simply means favour.  The world can show you favour, even the powers of darkness can show you favour.  What’s the difference between these and the Lord’s blessing you ask?  “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)

Deuteronomy 8:11 – Remember the Lord, Obey the Lord

Deuteronomy 8:11
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

-How often do we “remember” the Lord?  Notice what Deuteronomy 8:11 says about remembering Him; to keep His commandments.  There is a great misconception in our society that acknowledging God is all it takes to please Him, but that could not be further from the truth.  If you claim that the Lord is your God while living life any way you choose, God is as displeased as if you told Him to His face that you hated Him.  It’s the same idea that Jesus expresses in John 14:15 when He says, “if ye love me, keep my commandments.”  To love the Lord is not just to tell Him you love Him (although that is certainly a good thing), but to truly love the Lord is to obey Him.  Do not be deceived by so-called Christians who “honoureth [The Lord] with their lips; but their heart is far from [Him].” (Matthew 15:8)   Continue in the Lord’s word that you may be His disciples indeed. (John 8:31)

Genesis 7:21-22 – Why Will Ye Die?

Genesis 7:21-22
21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

Imagine the solemnity in the Lord’s voice as He inspires the words in verse 22.  Almost the entire human race has just died, and this is their epitaph. The Lord is reminding us that it was He Himself who breathed life into each of them (Genesis 2:7).    He is reminding us that although humanity had become wicked beyond imagining, they were more than just pieces of trash to be tossed away.  Judgment must come, but the Lord does not take vengeance with joy.  “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?”  (Ezekiel 33:11)

Psalm 1:1 – Stand Not in the Way of Sinners

Psalm 1:1
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
 
-Sinners have a “way.”  It is a way that may seem right, but “the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) The Lord makes it very clear that the blessed person will avoid these paths.  But consider this verse from another perspective.  There are sinners aplenty struggling to find God.  We can choose to be the helper that comes alongside such a sinner and helps clear the way to Jesus or we can become one more obstacle that that sinner has to get past on the way to Jesus.  Just as important as it is for us to stay off the paths of the wicked, it is equally important that we not “become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Corinthians 8:9)  That we “standeth not in their way”, as it were.  How many people have been driven further from God by the inappropriate actions of a so-called “Christian”?  What a shame if such a charge was laid to our testimony.

Jeremiah 23:28 – Faithful to Deliver God’s Word

Jeremiah 23:28
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.

-Everyone has ideas and opinions.  Many of us are compelled to share those ideas with the world around us- for better or worse.  This truth carries over to the Biblical realm as well.  Everyone has an opinion on life, death, and the world around them.  There is a place for such ideas, but that place should not be equal to God’s Word.  Our hopes and dreams shouldn’t complicate God’s Word and under no circumstances should they replace it.  God’s Word should be delivered plainly and truthfully while our ideas should be identified as separate, distinct, and ultimately inferior.  

Proverbs 25:16 – Too Much Honey

Proverbs 25:16
16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

Honey is sweet and can be very satisfying.  While there doesn’t appear to be a downside on the surface, anyone who has ever overindulged in anything sweet understands how uncomfortable it can be.  The same truth applies to all the things of the world.  Even the things that are otherwise sweet and good should only be enjoyed in moderation.  Too much of any temporal thing, even a good thing, will inevitably lead to problems.

James 5:7-8 – The Precious Fruit of the Earth

James 5:7-8
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

-The world is bad and getting worse every day.  Why does the Lord allow it to continue?  The answer is given throughout scripture but is beautifully worded here in James 5.  The Lord is waiting for the “precious fruit of the earth.” (v7)  He is waiting for all of the souls that will be saved between now and when He does return.  If the Lord decided to return early, He would be cutting off that number of souls who would have gotten saved had He waited.  The faster God comes, the faster He must pass judgment. But God is not quick to pass judgment; He is “longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Romans 5:1 / James 2:24 – Justified by Faith and Works

Romans 5:1
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

James 2:24
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

-Justified by faith.  Justified by works.  At first glance, these two ideas seem to be at odds with one another.  How do we reconcile them?  Consider Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  We are the products of the Lord’s work in salvation; redeemed not to sit idle, but to “walk in the good works.”  Those who do not walk in the works show no evidence that they are in fact “His workmanship.”  Faith is the presence of salvation, but works are the proof of salvation.  ”Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” (James 2:17-18)

Isaiah 52:5-7 – The Beautiful Savior

Isaiah 52:5-7
5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

-Speaking in regard to the coming Redeemer who would provide salvation for all the world, Isaiah proclaims that even his feet are beautiful.  If the feet of Jesus are so beautiful, how much more must the rest of Him be?  Certainly, “He is altogether lovely.” (Song of Solomon 5:16) How beautiful must be “His eyes that burn as a flame of fire“? (Revelation 1:14) How beautiful must be his waist girded with righteousness? (Isaiah 11:5) But most of all, for those who have tasted the Lord’s mercy, how beautiful are His hands that continually bear the scars of the cross? (John 20:27)

Mark 10:17-18 – The Good Master

Mark 10:17-18
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

-When this young ruler approaches Jesus and addresses Him as “Good Master”, Jesus responds with an interesting question, “Why callest thou me good?”  Why would Jesus ask this question?  Was He calling attention to the idea that He Himself is not good?  God forbid.  Jesus said this because He wanted to clarify that being a “master” doesn’t make one good  Being a ”teacher” doesn’t make one good.  Being “pious” doesn’t make one good.  Not even being a “saviour” makes one good.  Only being God makes one good.  If the ruler was going to see Jesus as good, Jesus would make sure it was because he was seeing Jesus as God.  Likewise, as essential as it is for every human being to see Jesus as a Teacher, Master, and Savior, if we are going to truly understand what makes Jesus good, we must also see Him as God.