Saturday, January 25, 2014

25 January 2014 - The Names of God (part two)

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords”
He is “mighty and awesome”, showing no partiality to the hordes
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow”
That is what Deuteronomy 10 verses 17 and 18 show
“How majestic is your name in all the earth”, David did state
In both the first verse and the last one of Psalm eight
If someone confesses “Jesus is Lord” from their heart
Romans ten says that God has already done His part
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”
For God richly blesses both Jew and Gentile, Paul raved
Colossians two says to continue to live in Christ as Lord
Overflowing with thankfulness that faith in Him does accord

Psalm forty six starts with “God is our refuge and strength”
It then talks about His power over the earth at some length
Psalm ninety two says to praise the Lord, O Most High
And to proclaim His love and faithfulness to the sky
Verse four says “for [He] makes me glad by [His] deeds”
“How great are [His] works”, verse five then proceeds

Ecclesiastes chapter twelve verses one through seven
Talk about the earth’s one God, who resides in heaven
 “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth”
“Before the days of trouble come”, that is the truth

Isaiah forty asked why Israel continued to complain
Thinking that its cause was looked at with disdain
“The Lord is the everlasting God” is what they should know
And, per verse twenty eight, tired and weary He will not grow
For “He gives strength to the weary” and also helps the weak
“They will soar on wings like eagles” if the Lord they do seek
In First Timothy one verses fifteen to seventeen, Paul did say
He was shown mercy so unlimited patience Jesus could display
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible” God in heaven
Paul proclaims “be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen”

Psalm 22 says that God “was enthroned as the Holy One
David said his ancestors were saved by what God had done
From Proverbs nine these sage words do come
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”
In Luke four, there was a man possessed by a demon
Even he knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the Holy One

“The Lord reigns forever”…on “his throne of judgment”
Psalm nine says justice and righteousness are His intent
“Rise up, O Judge of the earth” requests Psalm ninety four
“Pay back to the proud what they deserve” and more
In Isaiah chapter eleven verses one through five
Prophesied about when Jesus would come alive
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him” in many a way
Wisdom, understanding, counsel, power every day
He will judge with righteousness, not by what He hears
Relying on his pure heart rather than His eyes or His ears
“For the Lord is our judge” says Psalm thirty three
As our king, He will save us, as we so often see

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

21 January 2014 - The Names of God (part one)

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh”, Moses did God ask
In Exodus three, God said He would be with Moses for the task
Moses asked what name he should use when referring to God
“I AM WHO I AM” came the response, which sounded a bit odd
Yahweh is the God of your fathers” – of the entire Israelite nation
And that this was how He should be remembered in every generation
For although to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob He had appeared
His name Yahweh to them He had until this time not volunteered

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed…and in times of trouble”
Psalm nine says that He will not forsake those, even in rubble
Exodus twenty verse seven says not to misuse the Lord’s name
He will punish anyone who does, the commandment does exclaim
We are to praise His greatness, per Deuteronomy 32 verse four
His works are perfect, his ways are just - and there is much more
We are to call on His name, per 1 Chronicles chapter sixteen
And make known to the nations all the wonders that have been
From Proverbs 18:10, the Lord’s name is a strong tower
“The righteous run to it and are safe” because of His power
Similarly, Jeremiah ten verse six does state
That “no one is like you, O Lord, you are great”

King David said to the Lord, in 2 Samuel seven verse twenty two
“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord…there is no God but you”
David also said that God had redeemed Israel as a nation
His “great and awesome wonders” are cause for celebration
God established the Israelites as His “very own forever”
Thus implying that God’s ties to them, nothing can sever
Psalm 68 says that God helps us escape from death
Psalm 70 states that God is our hope in every breath
He will destroy the unfaithful, as per Psalm seventy three
Being near God and making him our refuge is the key

“Lift up your heads, O you gates” says Psalm twenty four
So “that the King of glory may come in” through the door
For He is strong in battle and is the Lord Almighty
This is something on which the psalmists all agree
About angels singing, in Revelation fifteen John did write
“Just and true” are His ways, throughout both day and night
“All nations will come and worship before [Him]” per verse four
For revealed to all will be his righteous acts and so much more

In Job chapter thirty four, Elihu makes a statement quite strong
“Far be it from God to do evil” or “the Almighty to do wrong”
And for what a man and his conduct deserve, God will repay
“It is unthinkable…that God would pervert justice” Elihu did say
“The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power”
But because he does not oppress, we should not cower
Psalm ninety one says that God “is my refuge and fortress”
Acting as our “shield and rampart” will be his faithfulness
“I am the Alpha and the Omega”, said God in Revelation 1:8
“Who is, and who was, and who is to come” He did state

Sunday, January 19, 2014

19 January 2014 - ENCS

Pastor Josh continued the series entitled "Get In Shape"
Today's topic "A Healthy Body" he did take by the nape
Pastor reviewed the message from Rachel last week
At a diagram of concentric circles we did then peek
In the middle was spirit, surrounded by our soul
To serve as a tent or dwelling is our body's goal
That things can be good for us, he did remind
As long as they don't become gods of a kind
For our spirit needs to define our entire identity
"From the inside out", as we had sung so loudly
 
About going "from death to life" Pastor did then talk
Through the start of Ephesians two we did quickly walk
We had no identity when our lives begun
We needed God in order to really have one
In our transgressions and sinful nature, we were dead
But God's love through Christ made us alive instead
For we were saved because of God's amazing grace
Not because of works done by any of the human race
And as Paul wrote in Second Corinthians 5 verse seventeen
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" that is clean
But being alive in Christ is not enough, Pastor did extol
We need to let that new spirit drive our body and soul
For God works in us per his will and our works are for Him
As we can read in Philippians 2:13 and in many a hymn
But it is not easy for our old self's habits to overcome
Fear, jealousy, confusion, and perfection are just some
We should not conform to this world, per Romans 12 : 2
For being transformed by God's will is what we should do
 
In regards our soul, from "turmoil to peace" Pastor did say
Per Psalm 43:5, putting our hope in God is the best way
From knowing God, we can find praise, hope, and salvation
Pastor Josh then referred to St Augustine of Hippo's oration
"Because God made us for Himself", the saint did clearly state
"Our hearts are restless until they rest in Him" and on Him wait
"He makes us lie down" in Psalm 23 David did write
So he can restore our souls, a phrase we often recite
In Matthew 11 verses 28-30, this concept Jesus did repeat
For only with Him will the rest for our souls be complete
 
Onto "A Healthy Body" and Romans six Pastor then did move
"Do not offer" parts of our "body to sin", it does behoove
Verse twelve says that in our mortal bodies, not to let sin reign
But rather offer ourselves to God, for righteousness we can gain
Pastor said that God's whispering we should not shun
That does not mean that God does not want us to have fun
For us to have a life of abundance He has no objection
As long as it is consistent with His continual direction
To sin which leads to death we should no longer be a slave
But for righteousness, we should be obedient and behave
 
"From slave to sacrifice"  is how Pastor did start to conclude
Romans twelve verse one is the passage we then viewed
We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing
When we give our lives to God, we get freedom and fears easing
Pastor left us with Jesus' words from Luke 22 verse forty two
It is not our will, but God's will that should dictate what we do

Friday, January 17, 2014

17 January 2014 - Israel in Egypt (Exodus 1-3)

Joseph and his brothers died but the number of Israelites grew
Egypt did not remember Joseph’s deeds for the Pharaoh was new
He told his people to deal with the Israelites in a way very shrewd
He made them go into forced labor with taskmasters rather rude
But the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they spread
Because of this, they were a group the Egyptians came to dread
Pharaoh decided to greatly reduce the Israelites in his land
Their baby boys were to be thrown in the Nile, he did command

Baby Moses was born and his mother hid him for many a week
She decided to protect him in a manner that was quite unique
She put the baby in a basket in reeds along the River Nile
Pharaoh’s daughter found the basket after a short while
She felt sorry for the baby and asked for a Israelite nurse
Moses’ mother was chosen; it could have been far worse
She was thus allowed to raise her precious little one
After he grew up, Moses became Pharaoh’s grandson

Moses went to see his people and how they were treated
He saw an Egyptian abusing a man and became quite heated
Moses killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand
The implications of this at the time he did not understand
He saw two Israelites and tried to stop their fight
The men made it clear that his crime they did sight
Moses became scared and from Egypt he did then flee
He went to Midian where his safety he could guarantee
Meanwhile the difficult labor forced the Israelites to cry out
God remembered his covenants and cared, without a doubt

Moses was tending a flock in the desert after many a year
In flames from within a bush the angel of the Lord did appear
The bush did not burn up and so Moses went to look around
God told him that the place he was standing was holy ground
Moses was afraid to look at God so he hid his face
God said he knew the misery of the Israelite race
And told Moses that back to Pharaoh he was being sent
To lead the Israelites out of Egypt and their discontent

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

15 January 2014 - Job (Job 1-42)

There lived a man named Job who was blameless and upright
He was a great man who shunned evil, the author did write
The angels and Satan appeared in front of the Lord one day
Satan had been roaming the earth trying to get his way
God said to consider Job, the man of perfect integrity
Satan said that God had blessed Job so incredibly
Job’s blessings Satan challenged God to reverse
Saying that God was the one Job would surely curse
God accepted Satan’s challenge, with only one condition
To touch Job himself, God did not give Satan permission

His cattle, servants, daughters, and sons Job then did lose
Satan waited anxiously to see how Job reacted to the news
Job tore his robe and shaved his head for what was done
“Then he fell to the ground in worship”, per verses 20 and 21
And Job stated “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away”
“May the name of the Lord be praised”, as Job did every day
“In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing”
For a righteous and upright life he wanted to keep pursuing

Satan presented himself to God once again on another day
Job maintained his integrity despite the events, God did say
Satan said that if Job’s own flesh was struck, he would despair
God accepted the challenge, but Job’s life Satan must spare
So Job’s entire body with painful sores Satan did supply
His wife told Job that he should “curse God and die”
Job responded to his wife’s comments on the double
“Should we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Job’s three friends heard about all of Job’s adversity
They went to comfort him but saw him and felt pity
For seven days and nights with him they sat on the ground
Nobody spoke a word because his suffering had no bound
Eliphaz said that nobody perished if they were actually innocent
But to those who sowed trouble God’s destruction would be sent
He then counseled Job to approach God with an appeal
For if God corrected him, blessed is how he would feel

After his friends shared similar views as Eliphaz had done
Job replied that their torment had lasted long after it begun
And per chapter nineteen, if it was true that he had gone astray
It was his own concern that God may have blocked his way
But even if God had denied him justice, per chapter twenty seven
Job’ lips would never speak wickedness about God in heaven
Vowing to maintain his integrity and righteousness until he died
Job continued to be upright while to his friends he replied

The Lord eventually answered Job in chapter thirty eight
“Brace yourself like a man; I will question you” He did state
Job was reminded that the earth and its wonders God created
So anyone who argues with God will have their future ill-fated
In chapter forty, Job said that he was unworthy to answer the Lord
The Lord asked Job more questions to ensure they were in accord

“I know that God can do all things”, Job said in chapter forty two
Adding that God cannot be thwarted in anything He plans to do
Job confessed that there were many things he did not understand
But he heartily repented for he had experienced God first hand
God was angry with Job’s friends for going somewhat astray
But they atoned with sacrifices and for them Job did pray
“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first”
Prospering him again and ensuring he would never hunger or thirst

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

14 January 2014 - Jacob and Joseph

Isaac married Rebekah when he was forty years old
She was barren, but Isaac prayed in a way quite bold
She got pregnant with twins who jostled inside of her
God told Rebekah that the “older will serve the younger”
The firstborn was Esau who was all hairy and red
Then came Jacob, grabbing Esau’s heel instead
Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game
But Rebekah loved the one with Jacob as his name

Esau, exhausted from a day’s work, came in one night
For some of Jacob’s stew, he parted with his birthright
This upset the Lord, as per Malachi 1 verses two and three
Esau is called godless, in Hebrews 12:16-18 we do see
For a single meal, he sold his inheritance right as the eldest son
When he wanted to inherit the blessing, this could not be undone

From a very young age, Jacob’s son Joseph tended sheep
Jacob loved Joseph and gave him a bright robe to keep
Because of this, his brothers despised him and were mean
Joseph had dreams whose meaning were not hard to glean
Implying that his brothers would end up bowing down to him
Thus jealousy filled his brothers’ hearts right up to the brim

Acts chapter seven talks about the covenant of circumcision
Isaac, Jacob, and their heirs all received God’s provision
Jacob’s sons became known as the twelve patriarchs
Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave due to his remarks
But God gave Joseph wisdom so he gained Pharaoh’s goodwill
He thus helped his family when a great famine did destroy and kill
On their second trip to Egypt, Joseph’s identity was revealed
Because of his actions, the rifts in the family were soon healed
All seventy five members of Jacob’s family moved to Egypt
This is where they lived and died, according to God’s script

When Jacob died, Pharaoh allowed him in Canaan to be buried
So to the river Jordan, Joseph and his brothers the body carried
The brothers worried that Joseph would be holding a grudge
But he told them that for their wrongs, he was not the judge
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good”
To save many lives, as only one with God’s favor could
In Genesis fifty, Joseph promised for their families to provide
“He reassured them and spoke kindly to them” after he cried
“In all things God works for the good of those who love him”
This is repeated in Romans 8:28 as well as many a hymn

Monday, January 13, 2014

13 January 2014 - Abraham

From Genesis chapter twelve it is clear what God had planned
He told Abraham to leave his country and move to a new land
For “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you”
“I will make your name great and you will be a blessing too”
So Abram left as the Lord told him; with him went cousin Lot
Setting out for Canaan with families, possessions, and what not
They arrived to find Canaanites in the land God was promising
But God appeared saying, “I will give this land to your offspring”
So Abram “built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared”
For it was the Lord who God and his family earnestly revered

After Abram saved Lot and others from the powerful kings four
The Lord’s word came to him in a vision that rocked him to his core
“I am your shield and your very great reward” so “do not be afraid”
But Abram doubted since no heirs had he and his wife made
The Lord said that Abram would have a son as his rightful heir
The offspring would number more than the stars, God did declare
The words were not written for Abram alone, per Romans 4: 23-25
But for all that believe in Jesus who from the dead came alive

Per Genesis sixteen, “Abram’s wife, Sarai, had borne him no children”
“Go sleep with my maidservant” named Hagar, she told Abram then
Abram agreed and did that in the hope she would bear him a child
Hagar despised Sarai after conceiving; this of course Sarai reviled
Hagar then tried to run away but to her the Lord did speak
She gave birth to Ishmael, whose future was quite unique
God changed Abram’s name to Abraham when he was ninety nine
At the same time, he established a covenant that was divine
“The Lord was gracious to Sarah” as per chapter twenty one
When “Abraham was in his old age”, Sarah bore him a son

In Genesis twenty two, God later put Abraham to the test
To sacrifice his son Isaac was God’s stated request
Abraham did as he was told and tied Isaac to an altar
He raised a knife to kill the boy, Abraham did not falter
But an angel of the Lord intervened and told him to stop
God had seen that Abraham’s obedience was tip-top
And as 1 John four verse ten does plainly discuss
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us”
As an atoning sacrifice for our sins, God sent his Son
Like Abraham, God was willing to part with a loved one

Sunday, January 12, 2014

12 January 2014 - Noah and the Flood

Per Genesis six, Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time
When he reached five hundred years old, he was still in his prime
For he then had three sons and with God he continues to walk
One day God revealed his plans to Noah during their daily talk
God needed to nip increasingly evil thoughts and deeds in the bud
He was therefore going to destroy all creatures with a great flood
He gave Noah detailed plans about how to build a very large ark
This would serve to protect him when things got so wet and dark
God told Noah to take his family and two of all living thing
“Every kind of food that is to be eaten” Noah was to bring

Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came
For forty days and nights the rain fell, everywhere was the same
The waters covered all the earth and even the mountains so tall
Everything not in Noah’s ark was destroyed, both big and small
“The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days”
Throughout that time, nobody was able to see the sun’s rays
“By faith Noah…built an ark” per Hebrews eleven verse seven
He “became heir of the righteousness” that comes from heaven

Noah sent out a dove, from Genesis chapter eight we understand
The dove flew back and forth but could not find a place to land
After seven more days, Noah sent out the dove once more
It returned with an olive leaf; it was time for Noah to explore
The water had dried up from the earth, which was no dry
Every living thing came off the ark and began to multiply
Noah built an altar and on it burnt offerings he did sacrifice
God said in his heart that the aroma was pleasing and nice
He promised never to “curse the ground because of man”
Even though man’s inclination is evil throughout his lifespan
“Never again will I destroy all living creatures” God did say
This is a promise that God has kept right up until this day

12 January 2014 - Cain and Abel

Eve became pregnant and gave birth to Cain and then to Abel
Cain worked the land; Abel kept flocks for there was no stable
Cain brought to God some of the fruits of the soil as an offering
But portions of some firstborns of his flock is what Abel did bring
“The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering” says verse four
Cain’s was not favorably received so he became angry and sore
God spoke to Cain and tried to explain about doing right
But Cain attacked and killed Abel when they were out of sight
In response to God, Cain said his brother’s keeper he was not
As a result of the murder, a lifelong curse is what Cain got
He was to become a “restless wanderer on the earth”
But God still protected him for he still had some worth

Saturday, January 11, 2014

11 January 2014 - The Fall

The story of mankind’s fall is detailed in Genesis chapter three
The crafty serpent asked the woman about the forbidden tree
He twisted and turned God’s words and said she would not die
The woman saw it was “good for food and pleasing to the eye”
She wanted to gain wisdom so “took some and ate it” in verse six
Then gave some to her husband who ate it; now both were in a fix
Their eyes were opened and their nakedness became apparent
They sewed fig leaves to cover themselves wherever they went
The man and his wife heard the sound of God as He did walk
They hid from Him among the trees, as they were afraid to talk

In verse nine, the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Adam said he hid because he was afraid of what God would do
God asked Adam why he ate fruit from the tree in the garden
The woman blamed the serpent, for whom there was no pardon
God said the woman’s offspring would crush the serpent’s head
This foretold what Jesus would do when He arose from the dead
The cost of the woman’s sin God did make quite plain
That she would give birth with greatly increased pain

And because the man sinned after listening to his wife
He was cursed with working hard all the days of his life
God continued in a voice that was quite stern
“For dust you are and to dust you will return”
Adam named his wife Eve and God made them clothes
As a sign of His love for them despite what had arose
But from the Garden of Eden God did them both banish
The way back to the tree of life did effectively vanish
From 1 Corinthians 15:22 to a conclusion one does arrive
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive”

Romans chapter five from verse twelve similarly does begin
“Sin entered the earth through one man, and death through sin”
“In this way death came to all men, because all sinned”
For “sin was in the world” that no man could rescind
“But sin is not taken into account when there is no law”
“Nevertheless, death reigned” until God Moses saw
“But the gift is not like the trespass” per verse fifteen
Many died due to one man’s sin, as was often seen
But God’s grace and Jesus’ gift account for so much more
Via this justification and righteousness, God does restore
“For the wages of sin is death”, Romans 6:23 does say
“But the gift of God is eternal life” for forever and a day

Thursday, January 9, 2014

9 January 2014 - The Creation (part five of five)

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array”
“God had finished the work he had been doing” by the seventh day
Genesis two verse two says that on this day He did rest
God then made the day holy and forever it was blessed
“Keep the Sabbath…holy” per Exodus twenty verse eight
That is what the fourth commandment does clearly state
But remember what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Mark two
“The Sabbath was made for man”, so that is what we must do

“The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground”
And then gave man the breath of life, Genesis 2 does expound
Into the Garden of Eden, God took the man and had him take care
He could eat anything, except from the tree of knowledge there
If he ate from that tree, he would “surely die” per verse seventeen
God said that man needed a helper, based on what He had seen
So then from one of the man’s ribs, a woman God did create
Which is why man and woman will “become one” to this date
He was called Adam; the woman had yet to be given a name
“The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame”

Psalm eight says “how majestic is your name in all the earth”
For reasons to glorify God, David says that there is no dearth
“Glory above the heavens” and “the works of [his] fingers”
“The moon and the stars” whose light during night lingers
“Made “a little lower than the heavenly beings” was “the son of man”
He has ruled “over the works of [God’s] hands” since time began
David was referring to God’s works during the six days of creation
In this and several other psalms expressing awe and admiration

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

8 January 2014 - The Creation (part four)

Then God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures”
Mammals, reptiles, amphibians with all sorts of features
And God saw that is was good, per verse twenty five
For He had created the earth and made it come alive
And if Psalm fifty verses eight to fifteen we do read
Our sacrifices and burnt offerings God does not need
For to Him belongs every animal, creature, and bird
As in so many songs of worship we have heard
And when we do call upon Him in our day of trouble
We will honor Him when He delivers us from the rubble

“Let Us make man in our own image” God did then say
“According to our likeness”, in verse 26 on the sixth day
“They will rule” all the fish and animals upon the earth
For being made from His image, we have great worth
God blessed mankind, saying to be fruitful and multiply
For every living creature, food He will always supply
“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good”
That ended the sixth day; God had done all that he could

Monday, January 6, 2014

6 January 2014 - The Creation (part three)

Then God said “let there be lights in the expanse of the sky”
Verse 14 says “to separate the day from the night” was why
“They will serve as signs…to mark seasons and days”
The sky will thus “give light on the earth” is the next phrase
God made two great lights, to govern the day and the night
He made the stars, and he saw that all was good and right
“And there was evening, and there was morning – the fourth day”
God’s eternal city is what Revelation 21:22-26 does portray
“The glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp”
There will be no night, for with His honor God will it stamp

Then God said, “let the water teem with living creatures”
He created fish and birds, each with individual features
Some swam and some flew; some big and some small
“God saw that is was good” and “God blessed them” all
“Be fruitful and increase in number” in the sea and on land
There was evening and morning – the fifth day God planned
“How many are your works, O Lord” says Psalm 104
He cares for them all, whether in water or on shore