Passage to Higher Ground

Praise, Blessing, Fear, and Delight

Psalm 112:1
1 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who fears (reveres and worships) the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments.

Proverbs 23:24
24 The father of the [uncompromisingly] righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) shall greatly rejoice, and he who becomes the father of a wise child shall have joy in him.

Acts 26:28
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, You think it a small task to make a Christian of me [just offhand to induce me with little ado and persuasion, at very short notice].

Acts 28:30-31
30 After this Paul lived there for two entire years [at his own expense] in his own rented lodging, and he welcomed all who came to him,31 Preaching to them the kingdom of God and teaching them about the Lord Jesus Christ with boldness and quite openly, and without being molested or hindered.

From the Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Copied and posted through BibleGateway.com

Praise, Blessing, Fear, and Delights

20141023

Blessed Are Those

20140503

Matthew 5:6
6 Blessed and fortunate and happy and [a]spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God [b]enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be [c]completely satisfied!

Need I say more? I must “hunger and thirst for righteousness” if I want the following results.

Psalm 107:9
9 For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good.

1 Chronicles 16:1, 8
16 So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.
8 O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His doings among the peoples!

Psalm 12:6
6 The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over.

Proverbs 3:7
7 Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil.

(Above Scriptures are from the Amplified Bible, copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.
Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation)

Blessed Are Those

PLEASURES FOREVERMORE

20140502
Psalm 16:11
11 You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

David knew the source of pleasures forevermore by trials, errors, and learning to trust God in all things.

Trusting God makes the difference between the restless and the restful, the secular and the sacred, the troubled and the trusting, and the sinner and the sinner saved by grace. Some other specific benefits are described in the rest of this post.

Psalms 133:1
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Psalm 10:14, 17
14 You have seen it; yes, You note trouble and grief (vexation) to requite it with Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
17 O Lord, You have heard the desire and the longing of the humble and oppressed; You will prepare and strengthen and direct their hearts, You will cause Your ear to hear,

Proverbs 2:20
20 So may you walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of the [consistently] righteous (the upright, in right standing with God).

(Above Scriptures are from the Amplified Bible, copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.
Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation)

http://casadeblundell.com/fred/?p=385 Amplified Bible (AMP)

20140501
2 Chronicles 16:9
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him. You have done foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you shall have wars.

Mayday! God tells to pause and think on His promises, whether on the first day of May, the second day of May, or when you have a Mayday!
David and Solomon knew God’s power, blessing, and wisdom. Should I not also know the same or more, since I have them and many more witnesses since then?

2 Samuel 5:10
10 David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him.

Psalm 3:8
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; May Your blessing be upon Your people. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Proverbs 1:33
33 But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.

(Above Scriptures are from the Amplified Bible, copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.
Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation)

http://casadeblundell.com/fred/?p=377 Amplified Bible (AMP)

20140420

Bad News: All have sinned.

PLUS Good News: Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave.

EQUALS A New Life to all who believe and act upon it.

1 Corinthians 15:3-6
“3 For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received,
that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)
died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold],
4 That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold…”

Larry Moyer spoke in our church last Sunday.
He summarized the Good NEWS in I Corinthians 15:3-4 as above.
One must, however, know the bad news before he will act on the good news.
This morning at the Easter sunrise service,
our assistant pastor read and summarized all of ! Corinthians 15
and explained the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to Christians.
Our life in this world and in the eternal heaven depends on Jesus,
who made those thirteen words true.

I heard and read that passage many times in the last week.
I know of no better news for a world of sinners lost in bad news.
There is nothing more valuable
to me or anyone else than believing and sharing

All have sinned.
Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

He is risen in deed, in body, and in Spirit
and He lives in me through the Holy Spirit.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.

(Above Scriptures are from the Amplified Bible, copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.
Amplified Bible(AMP), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation)

http://casadeblundell.com/fred/?p=367 Amplified Bible (AMP)

20140413
Am I like Saul or Like David? That is my meditation as I compare Saul’s action, Michal and David’s reaction, David’s prayer at the time, David’s praise, and Solomon’s admonition. My final question is, “Am I letting Christ live in and through me in the power of the Holy Spirit?”

Saul, Michal, and David
1 Samuel 19:11
11 Saul sent messengers that night to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.

David’s Prayer (at that time as indicated by this note in the Amplified Bible):
“Psalm 59 To the Chief Musician; [set to the tune of] “Do Not Destroy.” Of David, a record of memorable thoughts when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.”
Psalm 59:1-3
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend and protect me from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from and lift me above those who work evil and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce and mighty men are banding together against me, not for my transgression nor for any sin of mine, O Lord.

David’s Praise
Psalm 63:3-4
3 Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
4 So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Solomon’s Admonition
Proverbs 13:13
Amplified Bible (AMP)
13 Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] is rewarded.

(Above Scriptures are from the Amplified Bible, copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.
Amplified Bible(AMP), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation)
Amplified Bible (AMP)

20140406
“What was right in his own eyes” was and always is wrong unless it lines up with God’s love, commandments, and plans for our lives.
When I contrast Israel’s depravity in the last chapters of Judges to David’s desire to please God in Psalm 27:4 I see a modern parallel.
Bluntly, the world in which we live is like the description I heard as a child, “going to hell in a handbasket.” Many sinners who are or claim to be saved by grace, never mind those who are sinners outside of God’s grace and lost without Christ, in our own country have been doing “what was right in their own eyes.”

“Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]—blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he” (Proverbs 29:18, AMP).

Hope for America does not come in getting everyone to obey God. That would be forced obedience. Hope for America or any other nation comes in the condition given in the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14,(AMP) “If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” Hope for America, indeed, even for my family, comes through God’s grace which is realized fully when I, as called by His name, humble myself, pray to God and turn from my wicked ways.

Father, it is easier to read, study, and even share Your Word than to live it. I have not been loving You as I should or living as I should, “So help me God,” “in the power of the Holy Spirit,” I separate myself to You to live in the world, but in Your ways, separate from my own ways. Amen.

(There is an excellent footnote on Judges 21:25 (AMP) at BibleGateway.com.)

Judges 21:25
In those days [a]there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.

Psalm 27:4
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.

Proverbs 6:16-19
16 These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.

1 John 3:16
By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the [essential] love: that He laid down His [own] life for us; and we ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers [[a]in Him].

(Above Scriptures are from the Amplified Bible, copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.
Amplified Bible(AMP), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation)

Amplified Bible (AMP)

20140405

God answered Samson’s last recorded prayer
and enabled him to cause the death of more Philistines
in his death than he had in all of his life,
in spite of his failure with Delilah.

In spite of my own sins, I praise God for His mercy and victory over sin. I joyfully sing the words of the hymn which James M Gray, president of Moody Bible Institute from 1925 – 1934, wrote, “I’m only a sinner, saved by grace.” (http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/n/onlyasnr.htm)

Judges 16:28
28 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, O Lord God, [earnestly] remember me, I pray You, and strengthen me, I pray You, only this once, O God, and let me have one vengeance upon the Philistines for both my eyes.

Psalm 22:24
24 For He has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him, but when he cried to Him, He heard.

Proverbs 5:8-10
8 Let your way in life be far from her, and come not near the door of her house [avoid the very scenes of temptation],
9 Lest you give your honor to others and your years to those without mercy,
10 Lest strangers [and false teachings] take their fill of your strength and wealth and your labors go to the house of an alien [from God]—

(Above Scriptures are from the Amplified Bible, copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.
Amplified Bible(AMP), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation)

20140320
I personalize and summarize the following two verses in the Wycliffe version of Deuteronomy like this:

Forsooth, in truth, indeed, if I hear and obey the Lord, then He shall…grant me more and more favour and will show me and my descendants things that will enable us to do all the words of His Law.

Rejoice that we have translations of the Bible which we can understand more easily than the first English translation of the Scripture. We must pray for those who do not have any of the Bible translated into their language.
We must also pray for and do what we can to assist the efforts of those who are working to translate the Bible into almost a thousand more languages.

One historian summarized John Wycliffe’s view of the impact of the Bible on our lives as, “Without knowledge of the Bible there can be no peace in the life of the Church or of society, and outside of it there is no real and abiding good; it is the one authority for the faith.” (http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html).

A link to a very brief summary of “The “Early Version” of the “Wycliffe Bible”, hand-printed about 1382….”
is at http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Wycliffe-Bible-WYC/.

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
28 Forsooth if thou hearest the voice of thy Lord God, that thou do and keep all his commandments, which I command to thee today, thy Lord God shall make thee higher than all folks that live in earth. (But if thou hearest the voice of the Lord thy God, and do and obey all of his commandments, which I command to thee today, the Lord thy God shall raise thee up higher, that is, shall grant thee more favour, than all the other nations who live on the earth.)
Deuteronomy 20:29
29 Diverse things be hid, or privy, of our Lord God, that is, in his before-knowing, which things be showed to us, and to our sons (into) without end, that we do all the words of this law. (Some things be hid, or known only, by the Lord our God, that is, in his foreknowing, but other things be shown to us, and to our descendants into without end, so that we can do all the words of this law.)

Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
Psalm 98:1
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
98 A psalm. Sing ye a new song to the Lord; for he hath done marvels. His right hand and his holy arm; hath made health to him. (A song. Sing ye a new song to the Lord; for he hath done marvellous deeds. His right hand, or his power, and his holy arm, have won him the victory.)

Proverbs 20:22
Wycliffe Bible (WYC)
22 Say thou not, I shall yield evil for evil; abide thou the Lord, and he shall deliver thee. (Say thou not, I shall give back evil for evil; wait thou for the Lord, and he shall save thee/and he shall rescue thee.)

[The Scriptures were copied and posted through the Wycliffe Bible at BibleGateway.com, Wycliffe Bible (WYC), 2001 by Terence P. Noble]

“Forsooth…Thy Lord God”

2014031
The wages of sexual sin are not to be laundered by bringing them to God.
I compare the wages of sexual sin, or any other sin,
to the results of God’s work in our lives in the love and power of the Holy Spirit.

The difference I see is the difference of eternal separation from God and
the fear and respect of God which yields a full and serene life now and beauty and holiness forever with God.

Deuteronomy 23:17-18
The Message (MSG)
17-18 No daughter of Israel is to become a sacred prostitute; and no son of Israel is to become a sacred prostitute. And don’t bring the fee of a sacred whore or the earnings of a priest-pimp to the house of God, your God, to pay for any vow—they are both an abomination to God, your God.

Psalm 93:5
The Message (MSG)
5 What you say goes—it always has.
“Beauty” and “Holy” mark your palace rule,
God, to the very end of time.

Proverbs 19:23
The Message (MSG)
23 Fear-of-God is life itself,
a full life, and serene—no nasty surprises.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

(Scriptures were copied and posted through BibleGateway.com.)