Purging Of All Our Transgressions

Praise waiteth for Thee, O God, in Sion: and unto Thee shall the vow be performed. O Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come.
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, Thou shalt purge them away.
Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple.  By terrible things in righteousness wilt Thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: which by His strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at Thy tokens: Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: Thou preparest them corn, when Thou hast so provided for it.  Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: Thou settlest the furrows thereof: Thou makest it soft with showers: Thou blessest the springing thereof.  Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness.  They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.  The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

Psalm 65:1-13

The Old Testament believers were saved by grace through faith in their coming Messiah.  That Messiah is Jesus Christ which means Jesus the Messiah, and He is the Son of God.  God says of Noah, “But “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8).

I say that because the only purging of sin that is done is done by the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God who came to take away our sin.  That Lambs name is Jesus.

Plots of Men and The Plan of GOD

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed, saying,  “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.  Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto Me, “Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

Psalm 2:1-12

There are four thoughts I want us to see in this Psalm.

First of all, it is clear from the first three verses that the nations of earth plot against the GOD of gods, who is the Creator of all things. The nations may not be doing it knowing they are doing it; but it is the enemy of God behind the scenes working through them.

Secondly, the next three verses tells us that, “The One who sits in the heavens will laugh…” In other words the LORD laughs at the puny efforts of His enemy, the devil, and the men that allow themselves to be used by him. They will experience the wrath of holy God. The LORD has His own King  who will reign in Zion, and His King shall reign forever.

Third, we find that that King is the LORD’S own Son. His only begotten Son (John 3:16). All the Son needs to do is ask and He is given the kingdoms of the world. He will then judge those nations who have stood against Him; and He will bless the ones who have blessed Him and His people. Yes, this Son is Jesus. That day of His reign in Zion has yet to come; and it is coming.

The final three verses, are words of warning for refusing to accept this King of kings, and follow Him. Those who serve Him do so with awe, and great respect; they worship Him, because He is worthy. If they do not “Kiss the Son,” His anger and wrath will be against them. The last sentence is, “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” Those who are blessed will be those who have trusted in the King’s death on the cross, His burial and resurrection for the redemption of all who will come to Him.

One day, and maybe not too far away, Jesus is returning to earth to rule and to reign on earth for a thousand years, and then forever and forever. Will you be there?

An Everlasting Covenant

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
“And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you; and with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.  And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.”
Genesis 9:8-11

The greater covenant God has given to us is the new covenant that is given us through  the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and through Him we receive a new heart that is clean, and yields to the will of God.

 

God Sees the Wickedness of Mankind

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.  And the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.”
Genesis 6:5-7

The verse which follows the one’s above tells us that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” God in His loving kindness, mercy, and grace saved Noah and his family from the devastation of the flood.

God still sees the wickedness of human kind, and He has a way of escape. It is through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

You can begin the New Year 2025 with a new heart and mind by turning from your sinful life, and turning to Jesus Christ. Call on Him and He will hear you.

The Power Of Effective, Fervent Prayer

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:16-18

The Earth Shall Praise You, O LORD

I will praise Thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee.  I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.
In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of Thy mouth.
Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. Though the LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands.

Psalm 138:1-8

The LORD Reigns

No matter what is happening in the world, let’s keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. He reigns forever more.

The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
The LORD is great in Zion; and He is high above all the people.  Let them praise Thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
Psalm 99:1-3

There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Proverbs 20:15

The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and He rose again. He is coming again, just as He told us.

Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe that God has raised Him from the dead, and you shall be saved.

The Judgment of The LORD

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity.
Psalm 98:8-9

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
Proverbs 20:27

Yet Once More

See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven: whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.”  And this word, “Yet once more,” signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Hebrews 12:25-27

When the Light Went Out

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said,
“Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit:”
and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.                        Luke 23:44-46

This event of the darkness happened around noon. Some commentators say that this was and solar eclipse. I tend to disagree, but cannot prove or disprove either way. I think the darkness was world wide; not just a local event, thus it would be a supernatural event. The Light of the world had just became sin for us (John 9:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He was taking the wrath of God upon Himself, for the sins of the world.

When the veil of the temple was torn in two, and right  down the middle from the top to the bottom God was showing that the way into the holiest of all places; the very throne of God was open for all who would believe coming to Him through the death of His Son on the cross, His burial, and resurrection.

Jesus in commending His spirit to the Father is not sending the Holy Spirit (though the spirit of Jesus Christ is holy), but His own human spirit. In His living spirit throughout His life as a Man He has been faithful to do His Father’s will, being sinless, spotless, without blot or blemish; holy unto the Holy One. In His spirit He has gone all the way to the sacrifice of Himself for sin, in obedience to His Father. Now, as He is near to death of the body, He sends His eternal spirit back to the Father who gives spirit to all of Adam’s race.

When we realize our lostness, our condemnation, the guilt of our sins and realize that we need a Savior, and only Jesus Christ can save us; we can call out to Him in faith, believing Him, asking forgiveness, and He hears, He saves and gives us eternal life.

Discerning the Time

And He said also to the people,
“When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, ‘There cometh a shower;’ and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, ‘There will be heat;’ and it cometh to pass.
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Luke 12:54-56

It is for God’s people; those who have been born again; to discern the time in which we live. It is for the child of God to speak of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the love of God; and the judgment that is on us.

Call on the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved.

Jesus is The Greatest

“And when the people were gathered thick together, He began to say,
‘This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of Man be to this generation.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.’
”  Luke 11:29-32

All That Hear

“Arise, O God, judge the earth: for Thou shalt inherit all nations.”  Psalm 82:8

“And all the people that heard, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”  Luke 7:29-30

When Harvest Comes

“And He said,
‘So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.’ ” Mark 4:26-29

Wisdom, the Heart and the Kingdom

“Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.”  Proverbs 14:33
“When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, ‘Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them,
‘It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ ”  Acts 1:6-8

Ask for the Lord’s wisdom and understanding that we who are redeemed might be faithful to Him and His will, His way, and His word.

Let us also pray for the zeal and diligence in telling others of Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for our sins, His burial – taking our sins away, and His resurrection through which we are justified by God forever.

Let us also keep in mind and heart that He will come again for those who “Love His appearing”.

Words of Jesus; Son of God, God the Son – 090320

“And when the people were gathered thick together, He began to say,
‘This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of Man be to this generation.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.’
”  Luke 11:29-32  (KJB)

Keep Sound Wisdom

“The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens. By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.”  Proverbs 3:19-24  (KJB)

Keep The Paths Of The Righteous

“…None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.”  Proverbs 2:19-22  (KJB)

Clothed With Honor and Majesty

“Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Who coverest with light as a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: who layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds His chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: who maketh His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire: laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
Thou coveredst it with the deep as a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At Thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of Thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which Thou hast founded for them.
Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.”  Psalm 104:1-9  (KJB)

He Will Judge The Earth With Righteousness

“O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory.
The LORD hath made known His salvation: His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity.”  Psalm 98:1-9  (KJB)

The Lord Our Dwelling Place

“Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, ‘Return, ye children of men.’ For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”  Psalm 90:1-4 (KJB)

The Champion Of The Poor And Needy

“God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among the gods.
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
I have said, ‘Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High.’ But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Arise, O God, judge the earth: for Thou shalt inherit all nations.”  Psalm 82:1-8  (KJB)

The SOVEREIGN Of All

“Unto Thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto Thee do we give thanks: for that Thy name is near Thy wondrous works declare.
‘When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.
I said unto the fools, ‘Deal not foolishly:’ and to the wicked, ‘Lift not up the horn: lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.’
For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.
For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and He poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.’ ”  Psalm 75:1-10  (KJB)

My Soul Shall Be Satisfied

“O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.
Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy name.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips: when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.
Because Thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice.
My soul followeth hard after Thee: Thy right hand upholdeth me. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by Him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.”  Psalm 63:1-11  (KJB)

A Banner Given To Those Who Fear GOD

“O God, Thou hast cast us off, Thou hast scattered us, Thou hast been displeased; O turn Thyself to us again.
Thou hast made the earth to tremble; Thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.
Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.
Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.”  Psalm 60:1-4  (KJB)