I Corinthians 4:20 " For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power."   Absolutely arrested by these words this morning as I read The Imitation of Christ.  The Kingdom of God does not come through the "sayings of men".  It does not come through books, even those that "inflame the heart and enlighten the mind".  It does not come through much knowledge or understanding. It comes by the power of God.  It is God who teaches man knowledge, who gives understanding, who "raises up the humble mind, so that a man shall understand more reasonings of eternal truth, than if he had studied ten years in schools."  He teaches " without confusion of opinions, without the desire of honor, without the bandying of arguments."

" I am He who instructeth men to despise earthly things, to loathe things present, to seek things heavenly, to relish things eternal, to flee honors, to endure offenses, to place all hope in me, out of me to desire nothing, and above all things ardently to love me."

"... I am the teacher of the truth within, I am the searcher of the heart, the discerner of the thoughts, the mover of actions, distributing to every man as I judge meet."

Psalm 136:2-3 "Give thanks to the God of gods.... to The Lord of lords."   We give thanks because God is good and because His lovingkindness is everlasting. But these verses focus on Who it is we give thanks to:  God of gods, Lord of lords.  God - Elohiym, the supreme God, the exceedingly great and mighty One. Lord - Adoni - Sovereign, controller, master, owner, One of power. v26 " Give thanks to the God of heaven" - El, goodly, powerful, strong, Who rules over the heavens. " I will extol Thee, my God, O King, I will bless Thy Name forever and ever!"  Ps. 145:1 This is Who we give our thanks to, for He alone has provided for us, He alone has made us, and He alone has done good to us.  Thank You Father that Your lovingkindness is everlasting!

Jonah 1-2  Jonah was given a Word from God for Ninevah, a truly wicked city.  But Jonah ran from the Lord. But where could he go from His Presence? Not on a ship to Tarshish, not to the depths of the sea, not to the pit of hell.  For God was everywhere that Jonah ran. Even in rebellion, Jonah testified of Who God is - "The Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land." And because of this the men on the ship feared God, made sacrifices to Him, and made vows.  Jonah spent 3 days and 3 nights in the stomach of the fish, but God never left him.  Jonah's prayer is a psalm much like the psalms of David. " I called out of my distress to The Lord, and He answered me."  Even when the distress we are in is because of our own sinful rebellion, God hears us!  What an amazing God we serve.  Thank You Father that " The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them."  Psalm 145:19-20.  

Psalm 136  " Give thanks to The Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting."  To give thanks - 'yadah' in the Hebrew, means to use the hand.  It can mean to throw or it can mean to worship.  It can mean confession or praise. To use the hands in response to the goodness of God, to His loving-kindness, is to show thankfulness in a physical manner.  It goes beyond just words.  The Lord is good - (towb) - beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, gracious, kindly, kindness, loving, merry, pleasing, precious, etc.  His lovingkindness is eternal.  He has always been and will always be lovingly kind. (checed) - kindness, beauty, favour, merciful, good.   Because of His attributes of goodness and lovingkindness we give thanks, we worship, we open our hands to Him. Psalm 145:16 says " Thou dost open Thy hand and dost satisfy the desire of every living thing."  The open hand ,
( yad) - shows power, means, and direction.  He gives, and we receive, and we are thankful.  And if we are truly thankful we will not hold the gift tightly in our closed fists, but we also will open our hands and bless The Lord with all of our strength, resources, and desires.

I Timothy 6
Paul gives Timothy more principles to teach and preach.  These are principles that conform to the doctrines with which Timothy has been entrusted. These are Truths to live by, to fight the good fight with, to keep and to live by.
Verses 1-2 have to do with relationships. Slaves who became Christians are the examples here.
If they served an unsaved master they were to respect and honor him, no matter what, so that the Name of The Lord would not be maligned.  If they served a brother in faith, they were  to respect him  all the more out of love.
v3-5 shows that not everyone agreed with this stance that Paul taught.  But Paul sharply rebukes them. They are not using sound doctrine, the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself.  Their arguments were conceited, ignorant, and not based on truth.  They had a morbid interest in controversial questions. They showed envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, constant friction, and they had unwholesome interest in being rich.
Paul instructs Timothy to avoid these arguments and to flee this kind of thinking.  Instead, he is told to "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness." To " fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." v11-12.
Those who had riches are instructed to "not be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy."  To remember that all they had came from God.  To be thankful for The Lord who opens His hands to us, and to open our hands to others.  To "do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share." v18.
V 12 " take hold of the eternal life" and v19 " take hold of that which is life indeed" .

To live this way, by these principles, would then be to honor God in all that I do, showing respect to others.  To guard the Truth as given in His Word.  And to take hold of that which it eternal, not that which is fleeting.  This is fighting the good fight.  Lord God, I thank You for every gift that You have  graciously and lovingly bestowed by Your own Hand.  I desire to live for You with a thankful heart and an open hand towards others. Let me be always content in You.  Amen.

During the reign of Ahab Israel was threatened by the king of Aram ( Syria).  God gave Ahab victory over the army of Ben-hadad, king of Aram.  However, instead of killing Ben-hadad, Ahab made a covenant with him.  Because of this, God sent a prophet to tell Ahab that his life would be forfeited.   Some time after that the events unfolded where Elijah confronted Ahab and Jezebel, the drought, the demonstration of God's power on Mount Carmel, and then Elijah's flight from Jezebel's wrath. After Elijah meets The Lord on Horeb he is told to go and anoint Hazael over Aram, Jehu over Israel, and Elisha in his own place.  Skip over to 2 Kings 8.  Ben-hadad is sick and sends Hazael to Elisha to see if he will live.  Elisha tells Hazael that Ben-hadad will recover from his sickness, but he will not live. He looks at Hazael, gazing at him and begins weeping.  When Hazael asks why this prophet wept, Elisha tells him , " Because I know the evil you will do to the sons of Israel; their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their little ones you will dash in pieces, and their women with child you will rip up." Hazael goes back, kills Ben-hadad and becomes king of Aram. In Psalm 137:9 the psalmist blesses the one who repays Edom and Babylon for doing this same awful thing to Israel.  Over and over we see these same atrocities committed to women and children by evil men.  Killing babies and cutting up pregnant women.... seem like the most hideous of actions, the most innocent of beings, the most vulnerable... are the ones targeted for destruction.  Why?  Not only do we have this threat from others,  now we have that threat from our own selves.  Like Elisha, we weep.  But like the psalmist we know our God will rule in justice and those who commit this evil will receive recompense.  May the evil and wicked repent, for otherwise the fierce wrath of God will be on their heads.  Merciful God, You are just and you are kind. Thank you for the fact that You are infinitely patient and infinitely wise.  I bless Your Name.  All honor and glory and power to You!  Amen.

I Tim. 5  Paul gives instructions regarding widows and families. ( v1-16)  Timothy is told to treat older men as fathers, younger ones as brothers, older women as mothers and younger ones as sisters.  Especially in areas of disagreements. He spends a long time talking about widows.  A true widow " a widow indeed" appears to be one who has no children, no grandchildren,  no family at all to help her. She is dependent upon God, fixes her hope on God, and lives purely and piously. This is one worthy of  help from the church. Her reputation is based on her good works, hospitality, ministry, generousity, and devotion.  This is contrasted with someone who has family members able to take responsibility for her care,  or for younger women who are either sensual, idle, lazy, etc. These should not be cared for by the church.  They need to either get married or depend on their family.
V. 17-25 talk about church responsibilities.  17-18 talk of providing for the pastors who work hard.  19-22 speak about discipline of those who fail.  Accusations must be viable - "on the basis of 2 or 3 witnesses" .  They must be unbiased, " doing nothing in a spirit of partiality". And they need to be careful, " Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin."  24-25 talk about the evidence of  sin - either it goes before them or follows after them.  Deeds, whether good or evil, will be evident.

Psalm 137: 7-9  The psalmist asks The Lord to remember Edom.  This nation, descended from Esau, boasted over the demise of Israel, his brother Jacob's nation.  They gloated "over your brother's day, the day of his misfortune" ( Obadiah 1:12 ) .  Babylon was an instrument in God's Hand for judgement against Israel, but they also would be judged for their wickedness.  The psalmist prays and the prophet preaches the same message.  " How blessed will be the one who repays you with the recompense with which you repaid us." Ps. 137:8 and " As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on you own head." (Obadiah 1:15b).   This truth brings me back again to the teachings of Jesus.  We are judged as we judge. We are forgiven as we forgive.  Our actions and words have consequences.  "Set a guard O Lord, over my mouth"  Ps. 141:3.  "Teach me the way in which I should walk".   God of Heaven and Earth, The Lord God Almighty, Whose greatness is unsearchable, Whose loving-kindness is great, Who is kind to all , and Who hears the cries of those who fear You.  Your Hand is not too short.  You can do all things.  I ask You to give me a heart of love and grace.  A heart to forgive.  A heart that shows Your mercy to others.  Amen.

I Tim. 4
Paul gives Timothy encouragement in fighting the good fight.  He gives a contrast between the false teachers and the good teachers.  The false teachers are those who:
fall away from the faith;
pay attention to deceitful spirits;
have the doctrines of demons;
are hypocritical liars;
are seared in their own conscience;
insist on outward religious rituals - abstaining from marriage and certain foods.
As a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Timothy is instructed by Paul to:
Receive all of God's provisions with thankfulness.
Be constantly in the Word, nourishing himself with sound doctrine.
Ignore any false teaching.
Concentrate on spiritual disciplines that lead to godliness.
Preach the Word, hope in God, live as an example.
In speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity - Christ will be seen in us.   This is only possible when we do as Paul instructed Timothy.  "give attention to the public reading of Scripture" ( v. 13);
"Take pains with these things, be absorbed in them," (v. 15); and "Pay close attention to yourself and your teaching; persevere in these things;" (v16).
"you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following." v6.
It is the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit, that enables us to fight the good fight and be a good servant of Christ.  If we do not know the Truth we will not stand.  We will fall from the faith, we will be deceived, and we will become seared in our own conscience.  We will be as unbelievers:  "being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart." Ephesians 4:18.   As Christians, we are called to speak the Truth.  The church is the pillar and support of the truth.  Our goal is "love from a pure heart, and a good conscience and a sincere faith." I Tim. 1:5.   Pray for all men, we are told, for God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth".  Like Timothy we are to be examples - by our speech, our conduct, our love, our faith, and our purity.  Pay close attention, take pains, and persevere in these things.  O Shepherd,  I hear Your voice today.  Lead me! Amen.

Psalm 137:6  " May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy."   How the exiles felt about Jerusalem, the symbol of God's Presence, the place of God's Name,  is how we should feel about Jesus.  He is God, present in us who believe.  He is the center of our worship.  Our God and our King.  Do we long for Him so much that we are ready to ask such a thing?  To wish for suffering if we were to forget Him?  Thomas a` Kempis said "Let this be thy whole endeavor, let this be thy prayer, this thy desire; that, being stripped of all selfishness, thou mayest with entire simplicity follow Jesus only, and, dying to thyself, mayest live eternally to me."  Tozer said it this way, " The way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abnegation of all things."  and "  If we would indeed know God in growing intimacy, we must go this way of renunciation".  To learn as Abraham did, that he owned nothing... wholly surrendered, even those things most precious ( in his case Isaac).   My chief joy, my only Hope - Jesus!  Have all of me, my Lord.  I am Your own.  Strip me of all myself.  I lay "me" down. I want, I desire, to follow You all the days of my life.  Amen.

I Timothy 2-3
Paul begins to describe the qualities and the conduct of those in leadership of the " household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."( 3:15)  In chapter 2 he began with the first priority - prayer.  Starting with v 9 he instructs the women of the church.  Modesty and discretion, good works in godliness, quiet submission, faith, love, sanctity, and self-restraint.  Modesty - has the idea of reverence toward God,  a bashfulness, with downcast eyes. Not brazen or bold or flirtatious. To be discreet is to be of sound mind, self-controlled, sober.  To be focused on  godliness, piety, a worshipper of God. Doing good works out of love for our Lord.   The quiet and submissive attitude pertains to proper relationship with her husband.  To not take the authority of the husband's  place in the marriage. Purity and holiness and self-restraint ( same word as discreet).  These are the characteristics of a woman who is truly godly.
Starting with Chapter 3 Paul gives the characteristics of the men, especially of those in positions of overseer or deacon.  They must be "above reproach" - blameless.  Married to 1 woman.  Temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, gentle, uncontentious, free from addiction, not pugnacious ( quarrelsome or combative).  He must manage his home, his children, and his finances. He must be mature in his faith and have a good reputation outside of the church.  Deacons must be men of dignity, integrity, and soberness. Also good managers of their homes, children, and have a good wife.  Most important for all men and women is their "holding of the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience" .  Paul loves to tell the story of Jesus and never passes up the opportunity to tell it again:  " He who was revealed in the flesh"  the incarnation
            " Was vindicated in the Spirit"  - resurrection
             "Beheld by angels"    - exaltation
             " Proclaimed among the nations" - proclamation
             " Believed on in the world"  - redemption
             " Taken up in glory"   - ascension
To have the "knowledge of the truth" , this great mystery of the faith. This must be the foundation of all men and women to be in the "household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."
Father, do Your work in me, even as David prayed, " Set a guard , O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over my lips.Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness." ( ps. 141:3-4) . " Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." ( Ps. 139:23-24).   Make me to be a godly woman,  walking in faith and love and sanctity and self- restraint. Be Lord of my life.  Be glorified! Amen.

Psalm 137 This is a song from those taken into captivity by Babylon.  Long after David's psalms were written and sung, generations have passed, new songs are written.  This psalm is sad, mournful, solemn. They have been taken to live by the rivers of Babylon, they have hung up their harps, they have sat down to cry.  Zion, Jerusalem is in ruin.  Their joy has been turned into mourning. They cannot sing the songs of The Lord in this foreign land filled with idols and wickedness.   The people of Israel had neglected God and His temple, they had ignored the prophets and the warnings, and they had been judged and sent away into exile.  Many had died from sword, famine, or disease.  And finally, they are realizing the immensity of their loss.  Rightfully, they are in mourning. There is " A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance" Eccl. 3:4.  This is  a work of God, in the lives of His people.  Jesus said, " Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted."  As the people of Israel looked forward to a time when they will return to Jerusalem, we look forward to the time when we will be taken to the New Jerusalem.  Where all our tears will be wiped away!  Where joy will come again, a joy we can barely even imagine.  Greater than we can hope for!  Praise God who leaves us not in captivity and mourning, but frees us to laugh and dance, and sing the songs of The Lord!  The Day is coming! O Glorious day!

I Timothy 2   Paul's instructions to Timothy are to lead the church to the "goal" of "love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith".   Now Paul gives some detailed instructions.
"First of all" - prayer!   Entreaties, petitions, and thanksgivings - on behalf of all men.  Entreaties - requests, petitions, supplications; begging and beseeching, making requests;  Petitions - an interview, intercession, to confer with, to entreat in favor or against; deal with.   Prayer is "for kings and all who are in authority"  for the purpose of a culture that allows a "tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity"  - a good life, being able to make a living; godliness-piety, holiness, worship; dignity - honorable, venerable ( commanding respect ) , honest, grave( serious,solemn, weighty, momentous, important), probity ( integrity and uprightness).  Why do we pray like this?  Because "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."   And in case we don't know here is the truth - " For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time."   Paul says that this is why he preaches, this is why he lives, and this is why he wants every one to "pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension."
The work of prayer is so important!  If we waste our time and energy bickering in the church, about things that don't matter - things that don't lead to the goal of love, pure hearts, good consciences and sincere faiths - we fail to impact the lives of those for whom Christ Jesus came into the world to save!
Lord Jesus, once again I call to You; Teach me to pray!  Amen.

Psalm 138  Once again I turn to Matthew Henry's Commentary as I meditate on this psalm and once again I hear the Shepherd's voice bringing me comfort and mercy, resulting in praise and thanksgiving to His holy Name!   V. 6-8 detail 3 things that David is comforted by:
v6 - God favours the lowly, the humble.  He, who is transcendent, infinite, and self-contained, who has no need of anything from any of His creations, "smiles upon them as  well pleased with them" .   Not only that but He will honor them and lift them up.  But, those who are proud and boastful, He will reject and disown.   Here is the sum of the gospel,  " that penitent sinners shall be accepted of God, but the impenitent cast out;".
v7. - God cares for His afflicted, oppressed people.  " I walk in the midst of trouble" David says.  But he is encouraged by his hope in God's comfort, "Thou wilt revive me"; God's protection, " Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies" ; and God's salvation, " And Thy right hand will save me" .   One hand stretches out against the enemy, and one hand reaches out to save us, His people.  " Christ is the right hand of The Lord, that shall save all those who serve Him." MHC.
v8 - God will complete the good work He has begun.  "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me" .  That which I need the most, He knows and He will do. "Every good man is most concerned about his duty to God and his happiness in God, that the former may be faithfully done and the latter effectually secured; and if indeed these are the things our hearts are most upon.... He that has begun it will perfect it."
David bases his confidence in these truths on the fact that the Lord's mercy, His lovingkindness, is everlasting.  " Our hopes that we shall persevere must be founded, not upon our own strength, for that will fail us, but upon the mercy of God, for that will not fail."  David makes this his prayer. " Do not forsake the works of Thy hand."   I am the work of His hands, even as David was.  If He forsakes me, I will fail. "Whatever good there is in us it is the work of God's own hands; he works in us both to will and to do; it will fail if He forsake it; but his glory, as Jehovah, a perfecting God, is so much concerned in the progress of it the the end that we main in faith pray, 'Lord do not forsake it'. Whom He love he loves to the end; and , as for God, his work is perfect."
Amen and Amen.

Psalm 138:2-3  David has declared his thanks and praise to The Lord, with sincerity, zeal, boldness, and freedom.  Now he gives us what he praises God for:
Thy lovingkindness / goodness
Thy Truth ( faithfulness)
Thy Word /promises/ revelation
Again Matthew Henry's Commentary gives me a wonderful exposition of this . " for  thy lovingkindness and for thy truth, for thy goodness and for thy promise, mercy hidden in thee and mercy revealed by thee, that God is a gracious God in  himself and has engaged to be so to all those that trust in him. "
Verse 3 " On the day I called Thou didst answer me"  MH comm. " The sweet communion he had with God.  He cried, he prayed, and prayed earnestly,and God answered him, gave him to understand that this prayer was accepted and should have a gracious return in due time."  The answer that David received made him " bold with strength in my soul".    It was a spiritual response,  to be followed in due time with the physical answer.  " God gave him strength in his soul, and that is a real and valuable answer to the prayer of faith in the day of affliction.  If God give us strength in our souls to bear the burdens, resist the temptations, and do the duties of an afflicted state, if he strengthens us to keep hold of Himself by faith, to maintain the peace of our own minds and to wait with patience for the issue, we must own that he has answered us, and we are bound to be thankful." ( Matt. Henry )

In our present circumstances, in our struggles and burdens, in our hurts and fears, as we cry out to God with earnest prayers, He hears us. And he gives us strength in our souls. And even if we do not see His Hand move to change our circumstances or release us from our burdens, or heal our hurts, we can know His answer in the spiritual realm, in our own faith, patience, and peace.  And we are indeed thankful.

I Timothy 1
Paul writes to his "son" in the faith, Timothy, who is leading the church at Ephesus.   The church is being led astray by "certain men"  who are teaching , not the Word of God, but "strange doctrines"; "myths"; "endless genealogies"; "mere speculations"' and " fruitless discussions" .  They wanted to be teachers of the Law, Paul says, but they don't know or understand what they are saying. The Ephesian church was made up of Gentiles and these men wanted to teach Jewish laws.  They were missing the whole point, " the administration of God which is by faith." NIV says " Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God's work - which is by faith."   In contrast to the teachings of these men, that produced confusion and arguments; Paul says that the goal of Timothy's teaching and his is " love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."  He tells Timothy to "fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience".
v 8- 10 Paul explains that the law is not made for righteous man, "but for those who are lawless"  - for the rebellious, ungodly, unholy, and profane.  And in case we don't know what that means he spells it out.:  they kill their parents, they murder, they are immoral, they are homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and anything else "contrary to sound teaching" .  To use the law lawfully, is to point out what is sin.  Paul confesses that he also was lumped into this group, because he was "a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent aggressor." He says he "acted ignorantly in unbelief"
 Ignorantly - to not know, not understand, or to ignore, to lack information. Unbelief - faithlessness, disbelief.  His ignorance came because he refused to believe.  But God had mercy on him and gave him grace, abundant grace, to have faith and love, "which are found in Christ Jesus" .  Paul's testimony is that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners". Himself being one.  Jesus demonstrated His "perfect patience"  by showing mercy to Paul.  This is an example for all "who would believe in Him for eternal life" .
Paul had been ignorant in unbelief, but now he emphasized sincere faith and a good conscience.  The conscience - co-perception,  to see completely, to understand and be aware of, to be conscious, informed of , privy to, moral consciousness.
The sinner is lawless, acting in ignorance, because of unbelief.  But in mercy, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners!  To take us from not knowing to fully knowing, from not believing to sincere faith.  He came in love and shows us grace.  This is the goal of instruction, Paul teaches. Fight the good faith by keeping on with this work and not allowing any one to stray from it into fruitless, strange, empty speculations.  Amen!

Psalm 138:1-2  Not only will David give praise and thanksgiving to God with all his heart, with sincerity and zeal, but he will do it with "freedom and boldness" ( Matthew Henry's Commentary).
Before "the gods", before the  kings, the judges, the great men, before any one.  Praising God is a great work, it is the work of mighty angels in Heaven.  MHCommentary makes an interesting suggestion based on I Cor. 11:10, saying that angels are present in "religious assemblies".   Never thought of that, but I suppose that makes sense.  David goes on to say that he will worship, "bowed down" toward the holy temple.  MHC says " Christ is our temple, and towards Him we must look with an eye of faith, as Mediator between us and God, in all our praises of Him.  Heaven is God's Temple, and thitherward we must lift up our eyes in all our addresses to God. Our Father in Heaven".
"Every day I will bless Thee, and I will praise Thy Name forever and ever" Ps. 145:2.   Praise, true, sincere, passionate, bold, freely given expressions of praise to our Heavenly Father, in Christ and before angels.  This is the example and teaching David gives us.   Father in Heaven, I lift up my voice to praise You, "Great is The Lord and highly to be praised."  You are "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness"  You are good, You are infinite, You are merciful, immutable, loving and kind.  I praise You.  In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Obadiah
One chapter, one vision given to Obadiah, regarding the destruction of Edom, the nation of the descendants of Esau.  They did "violence" to their brother Jacob.  They did not come to the aid of Israel. They "cast lots for Jerusalem". They gloated over the fall of Israel.  They were arrogant, believing in the security of their mountains and strongholds, but that would not stop the Hand of God.
"As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head."  This is true of every nation.  This is true of each of us. True of the way we forgive, true of the way we judge, the way we act.  Esau's house will have no survivors, but the house of Jacob will remain. It is the Lord's kingdom.  An everlasting kingdom that will endure throughout all generations.  "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:16).
 In both meditations today ( Ps. 138 and Obadiah) I have been led to the Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9ff
To pray to our Father in Heaven, and to forgive men for their transgressions as the Father has forgiven mine. To forgive is to lay aside the debt owed us for an offense or trespass done against us.  This is exceedingly difficult to do.  But our Father in heaven, in Whose Hands we find healing and mercy and grace, Who has infinite love and patience, and all power; He will "accomplish what concerns me"  Help me, Father, to truly forgive those who have hurt us.  I lay aside their debt.  I want only to know Your forgiveness for my great debt.  To be wholly yours in every way.  May it be so.

Psalm 138:1  Praise and thanks to You, Lord God, Heavenly Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth!  David says that he offers praise and thanksgiving with "all my heart".  With sincerity and zeal, says Matthew Henry's Commentary.  With all that is within me, " with uprightness of intention", with "fervency of affection", " with my inside impressions" agreeing perfectly with my" outward expressions".  O Lord, I must stop now and repent, confessing that I miss the mark, even in this simplest prayer.  I am thankful, but my thankfulness is often self-centered and perhaps out of habit instead of fervent affection and uprightness of intent.  Oh Lord,  change my heart!  May I have the attitude of David in lifting up praise and thanksgiving to You!

Amos 7
Amos is given a vision of Israel's destruction, first locusts that eat all the crops, then fire that burns all the land.  Both times Amos prays for Israel and God changes the plan.  But then God shows Amos a plumb line, a measuring tool, and will not spare Israel any longer.  They have rebelled enough.  Amaziah, a priest at Bethel, reports Amos for speaking against Israel.  But Amos cannot help but say what The Lord has told him to say.  Amaziah, himself, will come under great judgement for his sins against The Lord.
Amos 8  The Lord shows Amos a basket of summer fruit, picked, ripe, ready.  The end has come.  The people mistake the patience of God with the delay of judgement.  God will delay no longer.  When they refuse to repent and turn from their sins, judgement comes.   They "trample the needy" v4,
they "cheat with dishonest scales", and they "buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals".  the Lord considers these sins so evil that He says " Indeed, I will never forget any of their deeds"  The earth will quake, darkness will fall, famine will come,  and all Israel will mourn.   There will be a famine, not for food, but "rather for hearing the words of The Lord"  People will wander, they will "stagger from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east" looking for the Word of The Lord and they won't find it.
Amos 9
God does not end Amos' mission with this devastation, but gives him one more vision. This time Amos sees The Lord, standing before the altar.  With words that remind me of Psalm 139 God tells Amos that no matter where people try to go from Him, they cannot hide.  To Sheol, into the heavens, on Mount Carmel, or on the bottom of the sea, God will be there.  For He is "The One who touches the land so that it melts," v5; "The One who builds His upper chambers in the heavens" v6; " He who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth, The Lord is His Name."
"All the sinners of My people will die by the sword"  the Lord tells Amos.   But , there is hope, for a day will come when the Land will be restored and the cities rebuilt.  God will raise up His Kingdom from the fallen "booth of David" .  Your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom!  Your Dominion endures throughout all generations!"  Hallelujah!  That day is coming!  O Come Lord Jesus! And may we be ready. Amen.

Psalm 138  A psalm of thanksgiving.  David thanks God and extols Him through his song.
He acknowledges Gods sovereignty - bowing down to God before "the gods" and before the temple.
He acknowledges God's loving kindness and truth. v2.
 He acknowledges God's word.
 He acknowledges God's Grace to answer prayers. v3
He acknowledges God's power over all kings.
He acknowledges the glory of God's grace, for His regard of the lowly.
He acknowledges God's goodness - to revive those in distress when they call upon Him.
He acknowledges God's justice - to deal with the enemies, and to save His servants.
He acknowledges God's faithfulness - that He will "accomplish what concerns me" or as the amplified says " The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever, forsake not the works of You own Hands."
" I will give thanks to Thee with all my heart" v1.  This is the song we all must sing when we Know God in Truth.  Amen.

Amos 6  Describes a group of people who are wholly satisfied and proud of themselves.
They recline on beds of ivory and sprawl on couches.
They eat lambs and calves,
They spend time in music, improvising on the harp and composing songs.
They drink wine from bowls set apart for sacrificial rituals
They sprinkle themselves with expensive oils.

Everything is luxury and even excessive.  But, they have no concern that their country is about to fall.  They are about to go into exile.  Complete destruction of their great houses is coming.
Is this not where we are also?  Enjoying our luxuries and ignoring the needy? Pampering ourselves and caring not for others? O Lord, forgive us, forgive me and show me the things that I must do.  Thank You for Your loving-kindness and for the power of Your Word!  Amen.

Psalm 139  Father, as I once again read and reflect on this psalm of David, I rejoice in the precious truths presented here. That You know me perfectly, that You are everywhere I am,  that You created me exactly the way I am, and that You know where I have been and where I am headed for You have already read my story in Your Book.  With David, I once again agree to Your search of my heart, to Your removal of all that is hurtful, and to Your leading in the paths of righteousness, the everlasting way.   With Thomas a Kempis I pray, " O Lord, I stand much in need of yet greater grace..."  to live for You alone.  To not worry or fret over what pertains to others, what they say or how they act, but to live in humble obedience to You, my King.  May I walk in the Light, as You are in the Light, You are the Light.  Perfect and Holy, Mighty and Gracious. I will extol Thee! I bless Your Name. I give thanks to You, O Lord! Great is Your faithfulness, Your Love, and Your kindness.  Amen.

Amos 4
Amos addresses the "cows of Bashan".  Well-to-do women of Samaria who demanded their husbands to provide all the finer things of life, at the expense of the poor and needy.  God's punishment would include them being taken away with meat hooks, cows taken to the slaughter house. These women loved their religious rituals: morning sacrifices, tithes every 3 days, thanks offerings, and freewill offerings.  They were over-achievers, and proud of it! But in all of their religious activities, they did not know, love, or serve God.  They ignored every warning and refused to humble themselves before Him.
v6 - He sent famine.
v7- He sent drought
v9 He sent scorching wind, mildew, and caterpillars to destroy their gardens, vineyards, and groves
v10 He sent a plague, and he sent war.
v11 He overthrew them.  Overturned, changed, turned them every which way
But in all this, they " have not returned to Me, declares The Lord"
Therefore "Prepare to meet your God, O Israel" (v12) - the mountain Former, the wind Creator, the One Who knows the thoughts of man, The One who controls dawn and darkness, The One who is over all of the earth.  "The Lord God of hosts is His Name"  Since they have forgotten Who He is, He re-introduces Himself to them.  He is The Lord ( Jehovah - self-existent One) God ( Elohiym - supreme, exceedingly great, mighty judge) of hosts (armies, mass of people, battle/ soldiers) .
Chapter 5
The indictment against Israel continues, but a call to repentance is woven into this message.  Over and over God calls them to "Seek Me that you may live"
v2 Israel has fallen and there is no one to "raise her up"  ( David had said that The Lord would raise those who were bowed down, but Israel refused to bow); No one else is able to raise up a nation.
v3 Out of a thousand only a hundred would survive, out of a hundred only 10.  The cities would be devastated.
v5 - the places of refuge and safety would be unavailable.  Gilgal, Bethel, Beersheba would be in trouble too.  No place to run to.
v6-9 Amos again focuses on Who God is, He is the Judge and He is coming in Judgement.  The One Who made the stars, who made day and night, Who controls the seas, it is this God "The Lord is His Name"  Who comes to destroy them because of their unrighteousness and injustice.  "For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, you who distress the righteous and accept bribes, and turn aside the poor in the gate." v12
Seek good!  Amos calls out, "Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate!  Perhaps The Lord God of hosts may be gracious.." But they will not, so God will bring wailing and mourning - to the city, to the farmer, and to the vinedresser.  No matter what they do, they will be judged, no matter where they run, they will be judged.  There is no hiding from God.  O the sadness of His verdict!
I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies."  He won't accept their offerings or their songs. "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps".  Once again He calls for justice and righteousness.  Without that nothing will do.  Because they have rebelled and chosen idols over Him, they are going to lose the promised land. "Therefore, I will make you go into exile..." v27  Go into exile - Hebrew work "galah" - to denude in a disgraceful sense - to exile, stripped of everything and taken captive, carried away, removed.
  Oh Lord God of hosts, our nation has also turned from righteousness and justice.  We have also ignored You.  Please forgive us and turn our hearts back to the Truth.  Amen.

Psalm 139:17-24  The thoughts of God are precious as well as numerous.  That He thinks of us individually at all is amazing enough, but to realize that He is thinking of us constantly, planning good for us, preparing eternity for us, preparing us for eternity, is " too high, I cannot attain to it".
O Lord God may I begin to grasp this Truth fully in my heart.  Do search me and make known to me all that is in my own heart, those things that You desire to weed out and purify,  those things that You desire to grow and bear fruit.  Lead me in Your everlasting ways.  
And the wicked?  David prays that You would slay them.  That You would remove them from his path. That they would no longer be able to speak Your Name in vain or rise up against You.  Turn their hearts away from the wickedness of sin and rebellion, bring them to repentance in the Name of Jesus Who came to take away the sins of the world.   But those who refuse to bow, those who do hurt and lie and destroy, those who will not repent, Lord, they are headed towards destruction and eternal judgement.  You are righteous and just.  Your will be done and Your Name glorified. Amen.

Amos 3 The Word of The Lord is spoken.  It is addressed to sons and to families.  Chosen ones.  A trumpet has sounded and a lion has roared.  God has made known what He will do.  He has spoken.  Amos states that he has no choice but to prophesy.  To speak out the message of God to the people.
Israel has become a people who no longer even "know how to do what is right"  There is nothing but violence and devastation in their citadels ( palaces, castles).  So an enemy is coming who will tear them to pieces, like a lion tears apart a sheep.  Every home will be effected, even the ivory houses and their holy places.  v6 jumps out at me - " If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not The Lord done it?"  Calamity - distress, evil, mischief, sorrow, wretchedness.  God brings about judgement on individuals, families, cities, and nations.   His judgement is not pleasant and is not undeserved.  It is true that God is gracious and merciful, but it is also true that He will not let the wicked go unpunished.   Lord, You are God of this city and of this nation, and of this planet.  You are God alone.  You are righteous in all Your ways.  You are kind in all Your deeds. Thank You for Your great mercy and patience.  Bring our nation to repentance, bring our city, our family, and each of us individually to call upon You in Truth.  Amen.

Psalm 139:7-16  God You are infinite, omniscient, and omnipresent.  You,  Who knows me perfectly, is always with me. As high as the heavens, as deep as the sea. In life and in death. You are with me, holding me with Your right Hand.  You created light and darkness, so they are under Your control.  The darkness does not hide anything from You.  You made me. You purposely and thoughtfully constructed me physically and spiritually.  No part of me is hidden from you or independent from You.  I am exactly as You planned me to be.  I cannot and will not hide from You. I long for the realization of Your Presence.  Oh may I dwell in the House of The Lord forever!

Amos 1-2
Amos is a sheepherder. A comman man. Yet he is given a message to speak and he obeys the voice of The Lord, to speak the Words of The Lord.
God speaks the judgement against each nation. He actually "roars from Zion"  He tells their transgression and their punishment. Each time he tells the final, the fourth and greatest crime.
BKC - the word for sin ( pesa) means rebellion or revolt.  It was used in treaties to describe a vassal's disobedience of the terms of a covenant.   The gentile nations were guilty of " rebellion against a divinely established and universally recognized agreement. "  They were held to the covenant of God with all humanity made at the time of Noah,  to refrain from shedding blood with disregard of human life. Gen. 9 :6-7 " whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man. And as for you be fruitful and multiply.  Populate the earth abundandly and multiply in it."
Damascus was guily of "threshing" Gilead. The iron teeth of the sledges were like knives.  It could be a method of torture they used on prisoners, or a violent and thorough conquest of the land east of the Jordan.  Their punishment would come from The Lord. It would be a fire that would consume and destroy Damascus and end the dynasty of Hazael.  This happened in 732 BC by the Assyrians.
Gaza was guilty of taking whole communities captive and selling them as slaves.  Treating defenseless people as mere objects.  Their punishment was annihilation.  This was completed in 2 steps, first by the Assyrians and finally during the Maccabean period in 168-134 BC.
Tyre also was guilty of slave trading, but was even worse for they sold off those that they were "brothers" with according to a covenant.  Their punishment was also destruction by fire.  This was fulfilled in 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great.
Ammon was particularly awful for they cruelly killed pregnant women and their unborn babies.  God would send fire and violent winds against the cities and send the king into exile.  This also was accomplished by Assyria.
Moab's sins included desecration of the graves of Edom's kings.  They had contempt on everyone and no respect for humanity.  Fire and war also came to Moab through the Assyrians.
The final judgements were pronounced against Judah and Israel.  Their rebellion was against the Law of The Lord, not just the everlasting covenant made with Noah.  They had a unique agreement with God.  Judah's sin of idolatry and deception would bring  the punishment of fire and destruction, fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C.
Israel's sins are spelled out futher - injustice, perversion, sexual sins, oppression, and idolatry.  They sold the poor into slavery callously.  This violated God's covenant which called for generosity to the poor.  They exploited the poor, denying justice to the oppressed.  They were immoral. They mocked God's Holy Name.  They took as collateral the things they were not supposed to take, leaving the family with nothing to live on.  This was also contrary to the covenant.   And worst of all they took from the poor and offered it to idols.  In light of all God had done for them, these sins were unforgiveable.  Punishment  would come . The crushing of rebellion would be devastating to all of Israel. Even the swiftest could not outrun it, even the strongest could not withstand it, even the mightiest could not be saved, even the best archer would not be able to fight back, and those who ran or rode a horse would not escape. The bravest of them would try to run away, but would not escape the punishment.
Sin is still sin, rebellion is still punishable and God had not changed His standards.  Oh Merciful God, forgive us and turn us from the sin of rebellion against Thine everlasting covenant and Thy divine Word. Amen.

Psalm 139:1-6 The Lord God KNOWS me.  You know me, Almighty, Infinite, Omnipresent, Transcendent, Eternal God,  You know me perfectly.  You know where I am, even if I sit to rest or stand to walk.  You know my every thought.  Before I think it. As they pour through my brain and I barely remember how the train of thoughts emerged, you know.  And You understand.  You examine by actions and watch carefully the way I am going.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it. O guard my lips Lord!   You are before me and behind me.  I am never forsaken. You prepare a place before me, O Lord, lead me in paths of righteousness.  You see what I have left behind me.  O Lord, may the sweetness of  Thy grace alone be left behind.  You have laid Your Hand on me.  I agree with David, this thought is too wonderful and far beyond my comprehension.  You lay Your Hand on me.  Matthew Henry's commentary suggests this may be somewhat like a physician who checks the pulse, or feels for a fever.  I think it is more like a tender touch of a mother or father who comforts a child when distraught, disciplines a child when naughty, or encourages a child who is faint-hearted.  Your Hand is on me.   O Lord, may I know this Truth , this wonderful, incomprehensible Truth.  On this glorious splendor of Your majesty and this wonderful work, I will meditate.

II Thessalonians

Paul encourages the church that is enduring persecution.  He thanks God for their enlarged faith and their growing love. He boasts of their perseverance and faith in enduring afflictions.  He reminds them of the reward that lays ahead when Christ will be glorified in them and they will be counted worthy.
Paul's message also contains some sobering truths about the future of the unbeliever.  v6 " For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you." v 8 " dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" and v9
" And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of The Lord and from the glory of His power."
The results of believing and obeying the Word of God - relief, glory, being counted worthy by God, being forever in His Presence.
The results of unbelief - affliction, retribution, and eternal destruction "away from the presence of The Lord and from the glory of His power."
Thess 2:10 - 17 gives this again.  The activity of Satan -deception, leads those who are perishing into wickedness, " because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved".  They are allowed to be deluded because they reject the Truth and take pleasure in wickedness.
But the believer in the Truth has been "chosen" from the beginning for " salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the Truth."  Called so that " you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ"
O Lord, once again I plead for those who are unbelievers, have mercy O God, do not allow them to remain deluded by the enemy! Open their eyes and their hearts to receive the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Almighty God, may they hate their own wickedness and turn to Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  amen
Paul ends ch 2 with a wonderful prayer for believers " Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace; comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word."  And I say Amen!

Psalm 139  The Omnipresecnce and omniscience of God!  David gives a testimony as to the greatness of God in this psalm.  There is a list of the wonderful acts that God does:
He has searched me.
He has known me.
He knows where I am and what I am doing.
He examines my walk, my path, carefully.
He is intimately familiar with my course of life, my mode of action.
He knows what I am about to say before I say it.
He is in front of me and behind me.
He puts his hand on me.
He is everywhere I go.
He leads me and holds my hand.
He sees in the dark as well as the light, so I don't have to be overwhelmed in the darkness.
He formed me, weaved by body together, and made me wonderfully and fearfully.
He saw me when I was but a fertilized cell and wrote my life's story, every day of it.
He thinks of me.
He is always with me.
He continues to search me, know me, refine me, redeem me, and lead me in His ways.

This is a deeply intimate and personnal list of the relationship between God and a human being.
What David realized and wrote is true for each of us. O Father, let me grasp this Truth is anew.  May I know You as You know me. To be confindent and firm in faith, believing this fully true for myself.
Amen.

Joel
A plague of locusts comes to Israel. It is a destructive army that will ruin every crop, destroy every vine,  and devastate the whole nation.  Joel cries out to the people, from the elders to the farmers, even to the children and babies, the brides and the bridegrooms, to come, to humble themselves before God.  "For the day of The Lord is coming".  When The Lord comes in judgement it will be a terrible thing. No one will be able to endure it. " And it will come as destruction from the Almighty" v15.  Darkness, fire, earthquakes, and even the "heavens tremble" .   Fear The Lord's wrath and bow yourself before Him!  "Yet even now, declares The Lord, Return to Me with all your heart and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments. Now return to The Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness. and relenting of evil." ( 2:12-13)
The Day of The Lord is coming.  Only those who call on His Name will be delivered.  All the nations will be judged. Judah and Jerusalem will be delivered. They will return to The Lord and know that He is The Lord their God.  Other nations will be recompensed according to their deeds.  Whatever they have done to God's people will be done to them.  The Lord Himself will avenge the blood shed and the violence done to Judah.
May our nation tremble before The Lord, the God of Israel.  May we also return to Him with all our heart and with fasting and weeping and mourning.  When discipline comes, when warnings are given, may we as a nation receive it and repent. May we repent and not rebel Oh Lord!  Pour out Your Spirit upon us O Lord,  that we may fall before You and call out to You and be saved.  Amen.

Psalm 140 : 12-13  I know that The Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy name; The upright will dwell in Thy presence."   In this prayer of David's there is a benediction of belief,  a final confession of faith, as David remembers once again the nature and attributes of Jehovah.   He is on the side of those who have been afflicted,  he "maintains" their "cause" .  His work and activity, what he does, commits to, fulfils, practices, - is justice. Right judgements. For the poor, for the least of us, for all who will call on Him.  The result - thanksgiving and praise to Him! And... we will live with Him, in His presence, for ever and ever!
Tozer said, " God possesses what no creature can: an incomprehensible plenitude of power, a potency that is absolute.  This we know by divine revelation, but once known, it is recognized as being in full accord with reason. Grant that God is infinate and self-existent and we see at once that He must be all-powerful as well, and reason kneels to worship before the divine omnipotence."  He is able to do all that He wills, and His will is righteousness and justice, mercy and love.  "I will extol Thee, my God, O King.  I will bless Thy Name forever and ever" ( Ps. 145:1)

I Thess. 5:12-23  Paul makes a request of those who are in the church;
Appreciate those who work among you,  respect them, think highly of them, love them.
Live in peace with one another.
Admonish the unruly.
Encourage the fainthearted.
Help the weak.
Be patient with all.
Don't repay evil with evil, but seek what is good for everyone.
Rejoice always.
Pray without ceasing.
Give thanks in everything.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
Examine everything carefully, holding onto that which is good., abstain from that which is evil.
All of these things only possible through the sanctifying work of the God of peace, Himself! Faithful God, You call us to this life of holiness and completeness, to be blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Bring this to pass in my life, in my family, in my church, in the church universal. Amen!

Psalm 140: 8-11  David prays against the enemy.
Do not grant their desires. ( What they covet, lust, or long for)
Do not promote their evil device ( plot)
Cover their heads, not with salvation, but with "the mischief of their lips" and burning coals.
( mischief - toil, wearing effort, worry, iniquity, labor, miserable,misery, painful, perverseness, sorrow, toil, travail, trouble, wearisome wickedness.) ; ( cover - clothe, hide, fill up)
Cast them into the fire. Into deep pits where they can't get out.
Don't allow a slanderer be established. ( slanderer - evil speaker; established - fixed, erect, prosperous, proper )
Let evil "hunt the violent man speedily"
 David prays defensively in v. 1-7, and uses the offense in these verses.  He looks to Jehovah Adonai, establishing his relationship with Him, his Salvation, before he hands over the enemy into the Hands of Almighty God.  He makes sure he has dealt with the stone in his own eye before he asks God to deal with that in the eye of his enemy.  Our first order of prayer must be to place ourselves at the feet of our Lord, coming into His Presence, humbly and in faith.  Then we can bring to Him our requests against the enemy.  We must put on the full armor of God before we go to battle against "the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."

I Thess. 4-5  The will of God for us is sanctification. ( v3) . To walk in a manner that pleases God.  To excel in purity.  To Paul this is abstaining from immorality and impurity, lust and defrauding one another.  It means to excel in love.  To take care of our own lives and to be generous with those in need.
Again Paul focuses on the coming of The Lord Jesus, Who " will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; "  He teaches here about those who are "asleep"  and those who are awake. And that no matter which we are, we will be with Jesus! That is if we are "sons of light" , of the day, walking in the Truth. Sober, clothed in faith and love, and with the helmet of salvation on our heads.  It is fitting that Paul's final prayer in this book is for our sanctification.  " Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of The Lord Jesus Christ."  v 23
"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."  Amen.

Psalm 140:6 David declares his faith in God even as he is in the midst of battle against the enemy.  "Thou art my God!"  Matthew Henry's Commentary says it is good to declare our relationship with God .  David seeks God's ear as he brings his supplications, his humble requests to the Only One Who can help.  "O God The Lord"  Jehovah Adonai - Jehovah, the self-existent, self-sufficient, infinite and perfect One;  Adonai - my Stay, my Support, my Ruler, my Governor, My Strong Saviour.  Indeed my Salvation!  It is He who covers our head in the day of battle.   His helmet of salvation - protection from the hidden traps and secret frauds,  protection from the open forces. In the day of battle refers to weapons.  Weapons of warfare can be hidden or out in the open.  Either way they are used to harm, hurt, and destroy.  This is the enemies desire. And just as David declared his faith in the armor of God, we too are called to "put on the armor of God" in Eph. 6.  For we are also in a battle.  The enemy continues to bring his war against us.  His weapons are "spiritual forces of wickedness". Some are hidden, snares and traps.  Some are out in the open, fiery darts, flaming missiles. Our duty, is "to take and put on the whole armour of God, and then to stand our ground, and withstand our enemies." ( Matt. Henry) I could copy here the whole commentary on Eph. 6:10-18, but it is quite lengthy. But well worth the reading!  Just let me say this, our God has given us weapon to not only stand against the foe, but to overcome.  It is in His Strength, in His Might that we can be and must be strong.  Jehovah Adonai is our God! He is our Salvation! In Him we stand and will still be standing when the battle days are over. Thank you and Bless You, my God, Oh King!

I Thess. 2-3  Paul reminds the readers of , and encourages them in , the gospel.   He came in boldness to speak to them the gospel of God. (v2).  He spoke the gospel to please God, not men. (v4).  He came with gentleness and tender care, with fond affection, and with his own life, to impart the gospel of God, (v7-8). In labor, hardship, and working day and night, he proclaimed the gospel. ( v9) He acted devoutly, blamelessly,  he exhorted and encouraged and implored them to "walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory" ( v12)
And they received the Word of God, and the Word performed its work in them who believed.  They became imitators of the churches of God, they became Paul's joy and glory.  And when he became concerned and sent Timothy to find out how they were doing, they gave him comfort and joy, for they continued in faith and love.
Paul again mentions his Hope, that when they stand before God, in the Presence of The Lord Jesus, at His coming, they will all stand together, unblamable in holiness, complete, his glory and his crown.

Psalm 140 is a prayer for protection from the wicked.   The enemy is evil and violent ( v1).  They devise evil things and stir up wars (v2). They have sharp tongues and poisonous lips.( v3). They use their hands to do wicked things and they use their feet to trip us up. ( v4).  They use traps, snares, and nets. ( v5).   David asks to be rescued.  He puts his trust in his God, The Lord who is "the strength of my salvation" (v6)   For our God is able!  He will "maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor." (v12)   Although we live in a society that is more and more devising evil, coming against those who believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God and in God the Father, we can be assured, He has not changed and is still the strength of our salvation!  Christ has disarmed the enemy of our souls!  He has canceled the debt, paid the price, for our sins, nailing them to the cross.  The enemy, the accuser is disarmed.  He can not make any accusations that stand.  Praise The Lord!  O sing "Hallelujah"!!!!  " Surely the righteous will give thanks to Thy Name; The upright will dwell in Thy Presence." (v13)

I Thessalonians 1
Paul gives thanks to God for this church.  He "makes mention" of their:
"work of faith"
"labor of love"
steadfastness of hope"
in The Lord Jesus Christ
in the presence of our God and Father. (v3)
God chose them.  The Word came to them in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.
They received the Word with tribulation and joy.
They became imatators of Paul, Sivanus, and Timothy.
They sounded out the Word everywhere.
Their faith was well reported.
They were known for the fact that they had turned from idols to serve the Living and True God, and that they were ready and waiting for the return of Christ Jesus.
Are these qualities seen in our church?   Are we know for works of faith?  Do we labor in love? Do we have steadfast hope in Jesus?  Do we sound out the Word, the Good News, of Jesus everywhere?
Is our faith talked about? Are we known to be ready and waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus?
O Lord our Strength, Let us not believe the lies of the enemy, but KNOW the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  Come with power  Holy Spirit and bring full conviction! Transform us to be a church known for our faith, love, and hope! Transform me O Lord!  I serve the Living and True God.  May my deeds, words, and life reflect that Truth every moment of every day.  Amen!