Song of Solomon 2:8-10 – My Beloved!

Song of Solomon 2:8-10
8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
 
-Song of Solomon tells the story of King Solomon’s relationship with a Shulamite woman, but spiritually, it points towards our relationship with Jesus Christ.  You know the excitement you feel when you are in a new relationship with someone special and they call you on the phone or show up on your doorstep?  That’s the way we should feel all the time when we come into the Lord’s presence.  It is important to see the Lord as Creator, Father, and Shepherd, but we need to draw even closer than that.  The very deep, emotional connection outlined in Song of Solomon may seem unusual to the natural mind as it relates to our fellowship with God, but it is vital nonetheless. 

Daniel 6:21-23 – A Night With The Lions

Daniel 6:21-23
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
 
-What a morning Daniel had.  Pulled out of the lion’s den without harm while his God was honored and his enemies learned the gravity of defying the Lord.  But before Daniel could enjoy this glorious morning, he had to first endure the night with the lions.  How many of you are in a dreadful, unspeakable place right now?  It could be that when the dawn breaks, you’ll have a morning of rejoicing just as Daniel had; but you won’t get to see it until you first persevere through the night.

Matthew 15:32 – The Compassion of God

Matthew 15:32
32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

-Why did Jesus feed this group of people?  Was it because He had to?  No, God is never obligated to serve mankind.  Was it because they were hungry?  No, that’s the reason why they needed food, but again, having a need does not entitle us to the Lord’s mercies.  The reason why Jesus fed the people is the same reason why God does everything that He does for man and it’s so simple that most people miss it- because He had compassion on them.  When the Lord looks on the poor human race, “he remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14), and He has compassion on us.  So much so that He doesn’t just say, “I don’t want to send them away hungry”, but rather He says, “I will not send them away hungry.”

Joshua 10:12-14 – The Day the Sun Stood Still

Joshua 10:12-14
12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.
 
-What an incredible miracle; the sun and moon simply stop in the sky and daylight continues for “about a whole day.”  Joshua needed the daylight so that the fleeing Amorites wouldn’t be able to escape.  This event is incredible and Joshua’s faith to make such a request is equally incredible.  The Bible even says that there was no day like it before or after.  But notice why the Bible says there was no other day like it; not because it was a day the sun stood still, but because it was a day where the Lord responded so dramatically to one of His people.  Miracles are great, but they don’t hold a candle to the God who works those miracles.  “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Matthew 9:27-29 – According To Your Faith

Matthew 9:27-29
27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.
28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

-When asking for things from the Lord, we typically expect one of two answers; yes or no.  Sometimes, as in the case of this text, the answer is not so simple.  These blind men asked for sight and Jesus gave them healing according to their belief.  What do you take away from that?  If one had believed more than the other, was he healed to a greater extent?  If one hadn’t truly believed, would he have remained blind?  I have a better question for you; if God answered your prayers with “According to your faith be it unto you”, would you get that which you sought?  When you come to God, do you truly believe that He is working?  Do you truly believe that He cares?  Do you even believe that He is there?  The Bible teaches that “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

1 Samuel 14:6 – The Lord Has No Restraint To Save

1 Samuel 14:6
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.
 
-There is a level of faith available to all of us that results when we move past seeing what God does and start seeing who God is.  This is the faith of Jonathan when he made this bold decision to take on a small army with just him and his companion.  Jonathan trusted that God is always able to deliver and so realized that it didn’t matter if he had 2 people or 2000.  Having faith in who God is means expecting God to show up and work everything out instead of complaining that He didn’t show up when we wanted or that He didn’t do things our way.  This faith is always absolutely certain that God is able no matter what the circumstance may be.  If we don’t have peace in our life, it’s likely because we lack this kind of faith.  But we can have that faith and that peace right now just by accepting that God is God every second of every day.  He can’t be stopped by our problems, He can’t be turned away by our enemies, and He cannot fail no matter what.

Psalm 42:8 – Peace Like A River

Psalm 42:8
8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

-Have you ever heard the song “It Is Well With My Soul”?  The opening lines say, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know, It is well, It is well, with my soul.”  Horatio Spafford penned these lyrics after his four daughters perished in a shipwreck while crossing the Atlantic.  As he traveled the same path across the Atlantic to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write as his boat passed the area where his daughters had drowned.  To sing joyfully about sorrows rolling like waves of the sea as you float across the spot where your children just recently drowned may seem unnatural and impossible.  Indeed it would be impossible with men, “but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)  Only the Lord could provide such peace, and even a song, in the midst of such a circumstance.  Thankfully the Lord is ready to provide that very peace to each and every one of us.  Salvation by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ does more than just cleanse sin, (although that’s plenty) it also provides grace for every aspect of life.

Matthew 27:15-16, 21-26 – Someone Else’s Cross

Matthew 27:15-16, 21-26
15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
 
-The Romans didn’t know that Jesus was going to be crucified that day and yet they had a cross prepared.   The cross had to belong to someone who was already condemned.  This cross was most likely for Barabbas, the man who was set free in Jesus’ place.  The scripture tells us that Barabbas was guilty of murder and sedition (Mark 15:7).  That means that Jesus died on a murderer/seditionist’s cross.  When Adam and Eve rose up against God in the Garden, they committed sedition and by eating the fruit they brought death upon all of mankind which made them murderers.  To Roman eyes, that cross may have belonged to Barabbas, but to God’s, eyes that cross belonged to every single man and woman from Adam and Eve right on down the line.  Jesus did more than just take Barabbas’ place that day, He took your place and my place.  

John 19:5-8, 12-13 – Fear of Man

John 19:5-8, 12-13
5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

-What a startling picture of the power of fear.  Twice in this chapter, Pilate declares that after careful examination, he considers Jesus to be faultless.  However, instead of standing by his personal conviction, he submits to the will of the people and fear of Caesar.  Even if he chose not to believe God, punishing an innocent man is a blatant disregard of justice; something a Roman prefect should have upheld.  That’s how far and fast we fall when we fear man more than God.  “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” (Proverbs 29:25) Pilate was snared and so even though he found Jesus blameless, he is remembered as the man who sentenced God Himself to death.  “It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!” (Luke 17:1)

Mark 12:17 – Render to God…

Mark 12:17
17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

-The Lord is nothing if not fair.  In Mark 12, we see Him asking for things that belong to Him anyway; that seems reasonable enough to me.  What are the most important things that we should be rendering unto God?  According to 1 Corinthians 6, it is our body and our spirit.  To those who have been redeemed, we are purchased from damnation and brought into the ownership of the Lord.  Even if you have not accepted this truth, you still belong to God since He created all of us anyway.  We should think, do, and say things that are profitable to God (Colossians 3:17), and we should live our lives not concerned with how things impact us, but with how they impact the Lord.