PSALM 134
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Priests were to praise the LORD |
verse 1 |
BEHOLD – bless you the LORD
all you servants of the LORD
which by night stand in the house of the LORD
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Priests were to lift up their hands in praise to the LORD |
verse 2 |
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary – and bless the LORD
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Pilgrims blessed the priests for serving the LORD |
verse 3 |
The LORD that made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand
in the house of the LORD. (1288 “bless” [barak] means to praise, speak words
invoking divine favor, salute, commend or congratulate.)
DEVOTION: This is the last of the fifteen ascent psalms. These were the songs that were sung as the pilgrims came to Jerusalem to worship on one of the feast days. It was a time of celebration for what the LORD had done for Israel. It was a time of remembrance for all the wonders that LORD had shown them in the past. It was a time to remember that the LORD was still sovereign over a world that HE had created. It was a celebration that they were the chosen people of the LORD in the Old Testament.
It is the final statement to those who work in the temple. This is praise for those who serve on the night shift or work with the evening sacrifices. Each of the verses in this psalm uses this word.
People when they worship take different positions. This word seems to imply that when we worship the LORD we should kneel. The second verse seems to say that we can kneel with uplifted hands.
Why should we kneel in the presence of the LORD? The answer in the third verse states that HE made the heaven and the earth. We should kneel because HE is sovereign.
One other thought that comes is that the people worshiped the LORD both day and night. Do our days begin and end with thoughts of the LORD? We should be worshiping HIM each day, so that, HE can bless us each day. When we stay close to HIM, HE stays close to us.
Remember that sin is the only thing that can break our fellowship with the LORD. Confession restores that fellowship. We only receive favor when we are in fellowship with HIM. Other times HE is chastening us to help us understand that we are out of fellowship with HIM. HE wants us close.
Also remember that if we are not being chastened while we are out of fellowship with HIM, it might or does mean that we are not part of HIS family. Whom HE loves HE chastens!!
CHALLENGE: We are to compliment those who serve the LORD. We are to bless those who serve the LORD especially those who are our pastors or ministers. Have you complimented your pastor lately?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
:2 “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). (Sanctuary – 6944 קֹדֶשׁ [qodesh /ko·desh/] n m. From 6942; TWOT 1990a; GK 7731; 468 occurrences; AV translates as “holy” 262 times, “sanctuary” 68 times, “(holy”, “hallowed”, “…) things” 52 times, “most” 44 times, “holiness” 30 times, “dedicated” five times, “hallowed” three times, “consecrated” once, and translated miscellaneously three times. 1 apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness. 1A apartness, sacredness, holiness. 1A1 of God. 1A2 of places. 1A3 of things. 1B set-apartness, separateness. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: For many tomorrow is a time to gather together for worship in church or places where believers gather to praise the Lord for His great works. Worship is expressed in many ways and through many positions. Some people enjoy worship through music, prayer, scripture reading, and preaching. People worship by kneeling, closing their eyes, lying prostrate or lifting up their hands. In all the ways of worship and praise the activity or position is not the important thing but the heart attitude that produces the action. All of those activities and positions do not mean that worship is done if the heart is not attuned to the Lord. The psalmist exhorted the people in the sanctuary to lift up their hands and bless the Lord! However you are encouraged to worship may you first have your heart prepared so the activity of worship matches the attitude of worship.
CHALLENGE: A friend has stated many times that worship begins Saturday evening with preparation for the service. Take time to prepare to worship, whenever your worship service is, by being quiet before Him and preparing your heart and spirit through reading and prayer! May you, “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary” like the psalmist is extolling the Israelites! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 3 The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. (6213 “made” [asa] means fashion, accomplish, deed, work, create, or produce.)
DEVOTION: The pilgrims who were coming to worship the LORD on a feast day in Jerusalem realized that the one they were coming to worship was the Creator of the Universe. They had this fact well in hand. They knew that HE had done great things in the past and that HE could do great things in the future.
Many had experienced HIS blessings on their life and work. They were coming to thank HIM for all HIS blessings. They wanted to show HIM that they were faithful in their service to HIM. HE had commanded that they come to three feasts a year.
They were being obedient to HIM by coming. They also understand that obedience was a means to blessing. They knew of all the past judgments the LORD had sent on Israel for their past failures. They didn’t want another captivity to happen. They wanted to do what was right in HIS eyes rather than their own.
When we realize the fact that we are serving the Creator of the Universe do we expect the same response as the children of Israel? We should. Our obedience is commanded by the LORD Jesus Christ through HIS disciples writing of the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God is still working today.
Our God can still work miracles in our world. HE is able to send a revival even today in our world. We should be praying for this revival. Wouldn’t be great to have worship services with power from on high in all our Biblical churches? It can only happen if we start the revival in our own heart.
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD to show you what is necessary in your life for you to have the blessing HE wants for your life. Share what happens with others. If nothing happens it might take prayer and fasting to have something happen.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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Bless the LORD |
verse 1, 2 |
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Servants |
verse 1 |
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House of the LORD |
verse 1 |
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Lift up hands |
verse 2 |
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Sanctuary |
verse 2 |
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Bless the LORD |
verse 3 |
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
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LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) |
verse 1- 3 |
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House of the LORD |
verse 1 |
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Creator of heaven and earth |
verse 3 |
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
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Bless |
verse 1, 3 |
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Servants |
verse 1 |
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Lift up hands |
verse 2 |
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
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Hours of the LORD |
verse 1 |
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Sanctuary |
verse 2 |
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Zion |
verse 3 |
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
1. We learn from 1 Chronicles 9:33 that Levitical singers (whose turns of duty are outlined in 1 Chr. 25) ‘were on duty day and night’. The law of Moses had summed up the role of this tribe in the words ‘to carry the ark … to stand before the Lord to minister … and to bless in his name’ (Deut. 10:8). When the ark found its resting-place, David gave them new responsibilities, but worship remained paramount: ‘they shall stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and likewise at evening’ (1 Chr. 23:30; cf. verse 26). These, rather than the congregation at large, are the particular servants of the Lord addressed here.
2. The phrase, to the holy place, translates a single word, ‘holiness’, which in Hebrew usage can mean either ‘sanctity’ or ‘sanctuary’, and is here used adverbially. So it may speak of worshipping ‘in holiness’ (rv mg.), and be the passage underlying 1 Timothy 2:8, ‘lifting up holy hands’; or, as most versions prefer, it may mean ‘to (or, in) the holy place’.
3. The word bless is perhaps the key-note of the psalm, sounded as it is in each verse. So far, it has been directed Godward; now it returns from God to man. But the exchange is quite unequal: to bless God is to acknowledge gratefully what he is; but to bless man, God must make of him what he is not, and give him what he has not.
Note, finally, the place God has for both ‘the mighty small’ and ‘the mighty great’ (to borrow a phrase from a hymn). As the one who made heaven and earth, he gives without measure; and his ways are past finding out. Yet his blessing is from Zion, a particular and discoverable place to which the Israelite could get up and go. Like his commandment, his blessing is not ‘far off’; not ‘in heaven’ nor ‘beyond the sea’, but ‘very near you’ (Deut. 30:11–14; cf. Rom. 10:6ff.). His true Mount Zion is, as Hebrews 12:22–24 shows, where ‘Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant’, reigns in the midst of his people. In the words of the previous psalm, ‘There the Lord has commanded the blessing, life for evermore’. (Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 490). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
I. Call to Worship (134:1–2)
1–2 The psalmist calls on the priests to lead the people in worship. The priests are “the servants of the Lord,” who “minister” (lit., “stand”) in the temple. Though there is some disagreement on the identification of the “servants,” the further descriptions denote the priests and possibly the Levites. They were chosen to “serve” (ʿ-b-d; TWOT, 2:639) him in the temple (“the house of the Lord”). The priestly and Levitical ministry is often designated by the verb “stand” (ʿ-m-d; cf. 135:2; Deut 10:8). The priests praised the Lord in song and with musical instruments both day and “night” (v. 1; cf. 1 Chronicles 9:33; 23:26, 30).
In addition to praise in music, the Levites and priests also offered up prayers with hands lifted up (cf. 28:2; 1 Tim 2:8) “toward” the sanctuary, i.e., toward the Most Holy Place, in accordance with Solomon’s instructions (cf. 1 Kings 8:30). Dahood understands by “sanctuary” the “heavenly sanctuary” (Psalms 3:255) on the ground that the priests were already standing in the sanctuary. However, the similar phraseology in 28:2 as well as the central significance of the ark of the covenant in the “Most Holy Place” as God’s footstool (cf. 132:7) makes the reference to a heavenly sanctuary somewhat strained.
II. Priestly Benediction (134:3)
3 These words are reminiscent of the actual words spoken on the occasion of blessing by the priests (cf. Num 6:24–25). The blessing extends to all of life, wherever the people of God may go or live, because Yahweh, the covenant God (“Lord”), is “the Maker of heaven and earth,” i.e., the Great King of the universe (see 121:2). (VanGemeren, W. A. (1991). Psalms. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 818). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
A. Call to praise (134:1–2)
134:1–2. The pilgrim called on the priests, the Lord’s servants who ministered in the temple (the house of the Lord), to praise Him with uplifted hands.
B. Prayer for blessing (134:3)
134:3. The pilgrim then prayed that the Creator (the Maker of heaven and earth; see comments on 115:15) would bless them. The passage forms a fitting benediction to the pilgrim psalms (Pss. 120–134). (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 888–889). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
This last psalm of the “Songs of Ascents” series is quite brief, but it deals with a vast subject: worshiping the Lord and sharing His blessings with others. It is a short psalm—117 is the shortest—but it deals with a subject that could fill volumes. The psalm closes the collection with a benediction and leads into a series of psalms that emphasize praising the Lord. The inferences we draw from this psalm ought to encourage us in our own pilgrim journey and make us a blessing to others.
A God Who Never Sleeps (v. 1)
As you review these fifteen psalms, you see that the pilgrims had a variety of experiences on their journey, but they arrived safely in the Holy City, fulfilled their obligations, and were now preparing to return home. It was night and they wanted to make one last visit to the temple. Directed by the high priest, the temple priests and Levites were responsible to make sure everything was in order for the next day’s ministry. They also checked the building to see that nothing dangerous or defiling had gotten past the doorkeepers and was hidden in the sacred precincts. The pilgrims heard a temple choir singing the praises of Jehovah, and their ministry would continue all night. Pagan temples were silent at night, because their gods had to rest (1 Kings 18:27), but “He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (121:3–4, nkjv). The Lord gives sleep to His beloved people, but He stays awake and guards the city and watches over the family (127:1–2). He also hears the praises of His people.
“The Lord that made heaven and earth” (v. 3) also made the day and the night (Gen. 1:14–19), and the darkness and the light are both alike to Him (139:11–12). When we go to sleep, we know that the Father is caring for us, and when we awaken, He is there to greet us (91:1–6). If we awaken in the night, we can fellowship with Him and meditate on His Word (119:55, 62, 148–157). If God never slumbers nor sleeps, why should we stay awake all night, tossing and turning and fretting? “Be still, and know that I am God” (46:10).
A Worship That Never Ends (v. 2)
Visitors at churches sometimes ask, “When does the worship service end?” If you had asked that question of a priest or Levite in the temple in Jerusalem, he would have replied, “Never!” David arranged that the temple choirs praise the Lord day and night (92:1–2; 1 Chron. 9:33; 23:30). While you and I are asleep in our part of the world, somewhere else on the globe, believers are worshiping God. Even more, our High Priest in heaven intercedes for us and enables us to pray and to worship. Some people find it difficult to stay awake and alert during an hour’s church service. What would they do if the Lord commanded them to praise Him all night long? “Any man can sing in the day,” said Charles Spurgeon, “but he is the skillful singer who can sing when there is not a ray of light by which to read—who sings from his heart.…”
God gives us “songs in the night” (42:8; 77:6; Job 35:10; Isa. 30:29), when circumstances are difficult and we cannot see our way. He gave David songs in the darkness of the cave when his life was in danger (142:7), and He gave Paul and Silas songs while they suffered in the Philippian jail (Acts 16:25). Our Lord sang a song in the night before He went out to Gethsemane and then Calvary (Matt. 26:30). The greatest responsibility and highest privilege of individual believers and of churches is to worship God, for everything that we are and do flows out of worship. Yet today, worship is often trivialized into cheap, clever entertainment, and the sanctuary has become a theater. As the choir in the temple lifted their hands to heaven (see on 28:2), they were pointing to the Source of all good things and praising Him for His mercy and grace. True worshipers lift “clean hands and a pure heart” to the Lord (24:4; James 4:8), for the Lord looks on the heart. We will worship God for all eternity (Rev. 4–5), so we had better start learning now.
A Blessing That Never Stops (v. 3)
As the pilgrims left the temple, a priest on duty called, “May the Lord bless you from Zion” (nasb; see 20:2; 128:5). The pronoun “you” is singular, for the blessing of God is for each of us personally. It is also singular in the priestly benediction found in Numbers 6:22–27. To leave God’s house with God’s blessing upon us is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility, for we must share that blessing with others. If it is a joy to receive a blessing, it is an even greater joy to be a blessing. Spiritually speaking, God blesses us from Zion, for “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). From the day He called Abraham and gave him His covenant (Gen. 12:1–3), God has blessed the nations because of the Jewish people, for they have given us the knowledge of the true and living God as well as the gifts of the Word of God and the Savior. If God never sleeps and our worship never ends, then the blessing will not stop. Like the precious gift that Mary of Bethany gave to Jesus, the fragrance of the blessing will reach around the world (Mark 14:1–9). (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be exultant (1st ed., pp. 182–184). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
134:1 servants. Levites who ministered to God’s people. by night. The burnt offerings continued day and night (cf. Lv 6:8–13), as did the Levitical service (cf. 1Ch 9:33). house of the Lord! Refers to the tabernacle up to the time of David (Ex 23:19; 2Sa 12:20) and to the temple from Solomon on (1Ki 9:10).
134:2 Lift up your hands. A common OT praise practice (cf. Pss 28:2; 63:4; 119:48; 141:2; La 2:19), which was understood figuratively in the NT (1Ti 2:8).
134:3 the Lord. The Creator blesses His human creation. bless you from Zion. Since God’s presence resided in the tabernacle/temple on Zion, from a human perspective it would be the source of divine blessing. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 134:1–3). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
THIS is the last of the psalms called songs of degrees; of which see Psal. 120. It is thought to be written by David, either when he brought the ark to Zion, 2 Sam. 6:17, 18 or rather when he numbered the Levites, and appointed them their service, 1 Chron. 23:26, 30. So the Syriac inscription, “a psalm of David, concerning the priests, whom he appointed to wait on the ministry of the Lord in the nights; but, spiritually, an instruction of life.” Aben Ezra connects it with the preceding psalm, “as the dew of Hermon ye shall be that bless; behold, therefore, ye are bound to bless the Lord.”
Ver. 1. Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, &c.] All men are of right the servants of God, being his creatures; and are under obligation, through his providential goodness, to bless and praise him; though they are not all in fact so: but all good men are, being made so by the power of divine grace; which frees them from the servitude of sin, Satan, and the world, and makes them willing to serve the Lord; as they do in righteousness and holiness, with reverence and godly fear, heartily and willingly, and with great pleasure; and yet have no dependence on any service they perform: and as these are under the highest obligations to bless the Lord; that is, to ascribe greatness to him, to give him the glory of his works, and thanks for his mercies, temporal and spiritual; so they do in this way, and for those things, bless and praise him, to which they are here excited. Which by night stand in the house of the Lord: according to Kimchi, these were the wise and holy men, that rose from their beds in the night, and went to pray in the temple, and to praise the Lord; and such a holy person was Anna, Luke 2:37 according to R. Obadiah and Arama, they were such who continued in the chambers of the temple in the night-season to study in the law and in the expositions of it: but it is generally interpreted of the priests and Levites, who watched in the temple by night, that it might not be profaned nor plundered; and they were obliged to stand, for none might sit in the temple but a king of the house of David. The priests watched in three places, and the Levites in one-and-twenty, according to the Jewish Misnahe. The Targum is, “who stand in the watch-house of the sanctuary of the Lord, and praise in the nights;” which was one part of their service, 1 Chron. 9:33 and 23:30. Under the Gospel dispensation all the saints are priests, and they have a place in the house of the Lord; where they wait upon him in his ordinances, and serve him, and which they do continually. Some understand, by nights, times of affliction, darkness, and desertion.
Ver. 2. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, &c.] Which Aben Ezra interprets of the priests lifting up their hands to bless the people; but Kimchi, better, of lifting up of the hands to God in prayer; see Psal. 141:2 which should be done with holiness, as the Targum renders it, in a holy manner; and is the same with lifting up holy hands, 1 Tim. 2:8 or towards the holy place; the oracle in the holy of holies, and the ark of the covenant, typical of Christ; see 1 Kings 8:29, 30; Psal. 28:2 so Kimchi; or rather, according to Arama, unto the holy name of God, to whom prayer is to be directed. And bless the Lord; which is repeated, to shew the importance of the work, that it might not be forgotten and neglected; this being a principal part of spiritual service, and greatly acceptable to God.
Ver. 3. The Lord, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion.] These are not the words of the priests blessing the people in this form, as some; but rather, as others, the wish of the servants of the Lord, that he would bless him that exhorted them to this service; whether one of the priests, or the captain of the temple, or the psalmist: though, according to Kimchi, and which seems agreeable, they are the words of the psalmist, promising a blessing from the Lord to those that blessed him; as an encouragement to them, to every one of them, to be constant and diligent in this service. For so it may be rendered, the Lord shall bless thee; all blessings come from the Lord, whether spiritual or temporal; and are to be asked of him, and expected from him: and the blessings here promised or asked for are blessings out of Zion, the church, where God blesses his people with his word and ordinances, with his presence, and with communion with himself. Wherefore it is good to be there waiting on him and worshipping him, praying to him and praising of him; and he that made heaven and earth is able to bless both with heavenly and earthly things: and this description of the Lord is no doubt given to encourage faith in him; for, what is it he cannot do? (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, p. 271). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Numbers 7
In our staff meetings, we have been learning some leadership principles. Several have been given that are short and yet speak clearly to leadership. “Leaders eat last” and “Everything speaks” are two we have learned. The point is, as leaders, we are to be aware of our actions and attitudes.
In this chapter, another leadership principle can be drawn from the verses. The principle could easily be “repetition benefits learning”. This chapter is the second longest chapter in the Bible. Its length is due to the repetitive description of how each leader of the 12 tribes presented their offerings over a 12-day period.
It begins with the leaders bringing their gifts in six covered carts, pulled by two oxen. Two leaders filled each cart with offerings. Each leader supplied an ox to pull the carts. This implies unity and teamwork and yet individuality and sacrifice. The Lord instructed Moses to accept the oxen and carts from the leaders to transport the tabernacle (v.5).
Each leader daily presented their offering to the Lord which consisted of one silver platter, one silver bowl, and one gold pan. The silver weighed 60 pounds and the gold weighed 3 pounds. The silver dishes were filled with grain offerings and the gold pan with incense. Along with this, was 1 young bull, 1 ram, 1 male lamb (1 year old) as a burnt offering and 1 kid of the goats for the sin offering. For the sacrifice of peace offerings, 2 oxen, 5 rams, 5 male goats, and 5 male lambs less than a year old were given.
Each day for 12 days, this exact offering was brought by a leader of Israel and presented to the Lord at the tabernacle. The same offering was given with great precision, demonstrating equality as peers before the Lord. This repetition presented such a picture of cohesion that the people could not miss recognizing the unity of the leaders.
Leadership in the church is shown by many people doing distinct and separate roles. It is vital that we remember that our offerings are the same. We are offering our time, talents and financial gifts before the altar of the Lord. As we give to Him, may that repetition be seen and be an effective teaching tool for our children and new believers as they observe our actions!
With an Expectant Hope, Pastor Miller- board member of SCM
Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan.
INSIGHT
The harsh reality of life is that we cannot help everyone in need. From the parable of the Good Samaritan, we can learn several things which help us evaluate when we should help. We are obligated to assist a person in need when
· he or she comes across our path in the normal course of life;
· he or she has a legitimate need, not of his or her own making;
· he or she cannot help himself or herself;
· and we have the ability to meet the need. (Quiet Walk)
CHRIST’S SANCTIFICATION OF HIMSELF
I sanctify myself. John 17:19
We must engage our attention about the meaning of Christ’s sanctification of Himself. Clearly, He cannot mean that He will do anything to increase His own holiness. That is impossible. He was perfect from the beginning, without blemish, without sin and without fault. So, when He says He is going to sanctify Himself, He cannot mean He is going to make Himself more holy than He was before. What it means, obviously, is that He is using the term in the primary sense of sanctification—namely, dedication, consecration, a setting apart for the special work of God and for God’s purpose in Him and through Him. It means an entire offering of oneself to God for His glory and for His purpose.
Then, in order to grasp the full meaning of this statement, the next word we must look at is “myself.” “I sanctify myself,” our Lord says. And by that He clearly means Himself as He is in His total personality, everything that He is, as God and man, all His powers, all His knowledge, all His perfection, all His ability—everything. There is no word more inclusive than this word “myself.” It means my total self, all that I am in and of myself, all my relationships, all my privileges, all my abilities, and all my possessions. I sanctify myself in the full totality of my being and my personality.
So what our Lord is really saying at this point is that all He is and has, He is now giving entirely and utterly to God “for their sakes” (John17:19a)—“they” being the Christians then in existence—and for our sakes too—those who are going to come into existence—all those people He has been talking so much about in this prayer, the people who had been given to Him by God, and for whom He has come into the world.
A Thought to Ponder: Jesus’ sanctification means an entire offering of Himself to God for God’s glory and for His purpose.
(From Sanctified Through the Truth, pp. 34-35, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
The Word of the King
“Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?” (Ecclesiastes 8:4)
Perhaps the archetype of absolute monarchs was Babylonia’s King Nebuchadnezzar, of whom the prophet Daniel could say, “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (Daniel 2:37). The word of this and every true king was with power, the king being answerable to no man but himself, for his authority came from God. “For there is no power but of God” (Romans 13:1). Many kings have had to learn this truth the hard way, however, for they have found that God could remove them as quickly as He had ordained them when they abused that power.
But there is one King who will never fall; one “who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings;…to whom be honour and power everlasting” (1 Timothy 6:15-16). The Lord Jesus Christ has asserted, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18), and one day all creatures in heaven and Earth will acknowledge: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things” (Revelation 4:11). In that day all “the kingdoms of this world [shall] become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
This one, who is King of all kings, is also the One who is “called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). The word of this King is of such power that He could speak the mighty cosmos into existence. His word could calm a violent storm and call Lazarus back from death.
“The word of God is quick, and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12), and “his word was with power” (Luke 4:32). Therefore, “all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Man’s evident weakness presents an opportunity for God to manifest His power.
INSIGHT
When we look at Israel and the Mosaic Law, we tend to think that the Jews performed poorly. All they had to do was be obedient to some basic laws, and God would bless them beyond measure. Yet they might say the same about us. With the Holy Spirit living in us, we have only to live in love toward God and man and God will bless us spiritually beyond measure. While human frailty is glaring in both systems, the work of God is being accomplished nevertheless. God’s message is carried in “jars of clay” so that in eternity the glory of the redeemed will go to God and not to man. (QuietWalk)
Obey God, Not Your Appetites
Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:25
The choices you make today or tomorrow are not confined to today or tomorrow. A baby step of obedience may be all the ground you need to cover today in order to put yourself in position to launch a major spiritual breakthrough later on.
Non-negotiable Number Five: Obey God, Not Your Appetites
As C. S. Lewis wrote, “Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.”
What an incredible proposition!
But as with all non-negotiables, it works the other way, too. Even a trivial indulgence in lust or anger today represents the loss of territory in our hearts that the enemy can secure, giving him an inroad to launch an attack against you—an attack that otherwise would have been impossible. Each misstep offers him a stronger foothold for marshaling his counteroffensives against you, against your marriage, against your family—if not right now, then at a later time when he knows he can inflict the greatest amount of damage.
So it is absolutely crucial that you submit your passions to Jesus Christ each day, denying yourself the temporary pleasures of sin and therefore gaining ground that can only be won through consistent, ongoing, long-term obedience. It takes a great deal of courage to say no to the appetites of the flesh, especially over time.
Someone has said, “It is upon the little hinges of obedience that the door of opportunity swings.” God wants to open those “doors” for us. The question is: Will we be obedient?
DISCUSS
Confess the sinful, human appetites that demand to be fed in your life. What do you need to do today that would starve them out tomorrow? (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
IS INSTRUCTION NEEDED?
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18
The Bible does not teach that Christians do not need instruction. “But surely,” says someone, “that must be wrong. Look at this verse from 1 John: “the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you”(2:27). John says we do not need any man to teach us, and yet you say that the Christian church still needs instruction. How do you reconcile this?
It seems to me that the answer is as simple as this: The very fact that John is writing to them proves that they need instruction. If they do not, then John need have no concern about them at all. If the Christian needs no instruction, then the apostles’ claim to be divinely inspired when they wrote their epistles was a sheer waste of time. These epistles are full of instruction. We are told that the Christian is to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” There is milk provided for him, and there is strong meat. That is impossible if you take this statement literally and maintain that John is saying the Christian never needs teaching. Clearly that is not what he means.
So let us put it in this positive form: Surely the context here determines the interpretation. What John is really saying is what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:13-14. He is saying that the Christian has spiritual understanding that the natural man does not have. These things are only understood in a spiritual manner, and what John is here saying is that the Christian, having received the
Holy Spirit, has a spiritual understanding. “You,” says John, “are holding fast to this truth because the Holy Spirit has given you this enlightenment and understanding.”
A Thought to Ponder: The Christian, having received the Holy Spirit, has a spiritual understanding. (From Walking with God, pp. 125-126, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Seven Outgrowths of Faith
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)
“Having escaped the corruption that is in the world” (v. 4) through our “faith” in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we must now grow spiritually, conforming our nature and practice to His. We must put to use the divine nature we now possess, recognizing that He has provided all the resources we need.
In this passage, Peter assumes we already have “faith,” thus here our spiritual lives must begin. Peter instructs us to “add to” that faith seven character traits: virtue, knowledge, temperance (self-control), patience (perseverance), godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity (agape love).
There seems to be, both in the text (i.e., “add to”) and in practice, a progression here. New Christians should strive for virtue, eliminating sinful actions and thoughts from our lives, as the Holy Spirit brings conviction. A commitment to growth in knowledge, first the basics of the faith and then deeper doctrines, enables us to exercise wisdom in life’s choices. A self-controlled, disciplined lifestyle exercises perseverance, even strength in the face of adversity, which in turn produces godliness—an attitude of reverence toward God that strives to please Him by developing His attitudes and priorities. Our relations with others will thus be marked by brotherly kindness toward believers and agape love (self-sacrificing, undeserved love) for all.
Such spiritual growth does not come without effort. He has provided all we need, but we must “give all diligence” to the process, much more than simply allowing the Holy Spirit to reside in our hearts to work on our character and habits. Any lack of spiritual growth is our fault, not His. (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Debra heard Colin Powel speak and here are his thoughts:
I had the opportunity to hear former US Secretary of State and 4 star general Colin Powell speak tonight. What a great American who loves this country!
Some of my take ways….
He was saddened by the current situation of our government and their inability to reach across the aisle to compromise as our fore fathers did. They would have never been able to form our Constitution without many compromises. Today, members of our government, push their own agenda refusing to comprise. He hopes every American exercises the freedom to vote. With that responsibility, Americans need research the candidates and their issues. He also hopes that we don’t just vote mindlessly party lines or be influenced by the powerful effects of social media or the current liberal/conservative news anchors opinions.
Every leader is only as important as their support staff. Thank them and let them know their importance.
It is important for children to work a menial job during the early years of high school and college (one that they don’t want to work the rest of their lives). It teaches them to work hard, time management, not feel entitled, and to reach for more with hard work and education. He started mopping floors at a Pepsi factory. They asked him to come back the following summer since he was such a diligent worker. He said he would, but not as a mopper. They agreed and promoted him.
Lastly, you are a composite of everyone that influenced your life. Good or bad their affect helped form the person you are today. Never forget their impact. Never forget your impact on others!
From the Bible Society in Kyiv, Ukraine: We were outside in a park, delivering bread to people. I had children’s Bibles in my vehicle, to distribute in the basements where women and children were hiding. But one lady saw them and asked: “Are they Bibles? Can I have one please?” And other people – 80 or 90 – just came to the to the car and asked: “Can I have one?” One man, in his 70s…“I think the Bible is more important than daily bread, for me personally now. I never prayed before. I have never been to church, never read the Bible. But now it’s time to come closer to God.”
We now have a Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.