Monday, June 24, 2013

Psalm 125 This psalm speaks of the actions of those who belong to The Lord.  Those who "trust" in Him, who run to Him for refuge, who are confident in Him,  who are secure in Him, who are bold in Him.  These ones can not be moved, they abide forever.  These ones are surrounded by The Lord.  These ones have a righteous King.  These ones have a God who does good.  These ones are  "upright in their hearts."
It also speaks of those who "turn aside to their crooked ways".  Their path will lead them "away with the doers of iniquity".  Iniquity (Hebrew word is aven) - to pant, to exert oneself in vain, to come to nothingness, trouble, vanity, wickedness, affliction, sorrow, unrighteous.
Two paths, two choices - we either are running to our Lord or we are running away from Him.
We are clinging to Him, resting in Him, secure in Him;  or we are falling down into a pit of destruction.  There is not a middle ground.  Where are you today?
"The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, great in lovingkindness." Ps. 145:8
"The Lord keeps all who love Him; but all the wicked He will destroy." Ps. 145:20
There is hope in Jesus, there is restoration and peace,  forgiveness and healing, salvation in Him.  Trust in Him!  Run to Him!
Jesus I come.  Jesus I am Yours. Amen
Hebrews 6
The writer leads us into a deeper, more mature discussion of salvation through Jesus Christ.  He wants to go beyond the foundational beliefs of : "repentance from dead works and of faith toward God".   Of rituals, ordinances, and basic theology.   He wants us to understand the deeper Truths about what it means to be saved.  Verses 4-5 "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come."
 1.Salvation starts with the Grace of God Who "enlightens" us.  He takes the initiative.   He offers us life and hope and deliverance.
2.  We must receive His gift, receive the light, take up His offer.  The "heavenly gift" is to be received, not earned, not deserved, but freely tasted.
3. The result of this giving and receiving of God's Grace is that we are "made partakers of the Holy Spirit"  God's Holy Spirit comes to indwell and become a part of us.  We possess His Spirit.
4. We can then taste "the good Word of God" .  It is the Holy Spirit in us that enables us to receive the Word.  To taste it. To be nourished by it.
5.  We also receive "the powers of the age to come" .  God's miraculous works and acts are given to us, for good, for our benefit.
This is the unchangeable purpose of God. (v17).
This is the "hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil" (v19)
The writer urges us to not fall away, to not cause "open shame" upon Jesus, as if His crucifixion were not enough to keep us.   He urges us to "show the same diligence, so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, that you many not be sluggish (lazy), but imitators of those who through great faith and patience inherit the promises." ( v11-12)
Hold on, He urges us! Hold on to Jesus.  Hold on to the heavenly gift! Fully receive all that He has promised, for He will surely do all that He has said.  Abraham waited many years for the promise of a son. We are encouraged to hold on to the Son for the promise of eternal Life.

This ties in with Psalm 125. 2  paths are available.  We choose.  Holding on to Jesus, filled with His Spirit, nourished by His Word, empowered by Him. Patiently waiting for the fullness of Salvation with Him eternally.   Or we fall back, fall away, become worthless ( v8).  Thorns and thistles, curse-filled living,  fuel for the fire to come.   I am reminded of the words John wrote to the 7 churches in the Revelation.  2:7 "To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which in the Paradise of God." 2:11 "He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."  2:17 " To him who overcomes I will give him a white stone and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it." 2:26 -28 "And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations... and I will give him the morning star"  3:5 "He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."  3:12 " He who overcomes

1 comment:

  1. (Ran out of space ) "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My God.." and lastly Rev. 3:21 " He who overcomes I will grant him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne."
    Overcome! Hold fast to Jesus! What a wonderful promise and gift from our God and our Lord! Praise His Name!

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