King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Friday, May 03, 2019
Chapters: Psalms 1-2, 107
Message: By The Mercies Of God
Hello My Friend,
When I first began reading these chapters it came to my mind instantly what God wanted me to talk about, just like the majority of the Psalms we read, they do in fact, cause us to reflect on what we are reading to remind us of things we need to be doing, things we should not be doing, as well as encourage and uplift us when we are just feeling awful. I am very emotional today, I just know that at any time I am going to burst out in tears. Life, whether it is going good or bad, has a way of overwhelming us, I cannot tell you how many times I go to God feeling like a failure because my actions do not always match up with my words. And while He is quick to tell me that I am forgiven, and His mercy endures everytime I cry out to Him, I cannot help, but wonder if it will be the last time He answers my cry. Then He reminds me that I am redeemed, and His mercy endures forever.
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” – Psalm 107:1-8.
“and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” The children of men, those who know God exists and yet ignore Him or choose their own way to worship Him. I was watching the end of the National Day of Prayer ceremony at the White House, people of all faiths standing on the stage, one by one saying a prayer under their religion. The sad thing, they think they are all praying to the same Almighty God. A woman began praying and I found myself conflicted. Of course, even though she mentions Jesus, she could not pray in His name as to not offend anyone, but as she kept throwing out excerpts from Scripture I thought, “Does she really think that God is listening to her?” and “Do all those people out there in the audience believe they are praying to the same Almighty God?” The world really has no clue to the mercies of God, and yet they want His benefits.
“Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.” – Psalm 107:11-15,20-22.
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness,” And this is why God is merciful to all, He wants no soul to perish. Do you think it is easy for God to watch the billions of people He created not only rebel against Him, but deny His very existence? And yet He is still merciful. Let me tell you, while His mercy endures for the souls of those who put their faith and trust in His Son as their Saviour, it will not endure for the unsaved, and I am pretty sure those who are saved and living a sinful life will receive judgment in their flesh well before they see Jesus. And Psalm 1 says it all. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” – Psalm 1.
“nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” Since born again believers are all sinners saved by grace, this is not referring to the minority of us that take up our cross and walk daily with Christ. This is referring to all those who actively, and knowingly live in sin, depending on their salvation to keep them out of harms way. Their souls may be saved from hell, but they will truly be living in their own personal hell. No one can get saved and live as the world, it will make them much worse than they were before they were saved. “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.” – II Peter 2:19-21.
“the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” It really is sad to see someone who was on fire for Christ living in the lusts of their flesh as they do turn out worse in the end. I have seen more Christians die in their sins than I care to acknowledge, even have a brother that died last year overdosing on some laced drug. So, while mercy never runs out for our soul, it does for the flesh that refuses to repent of their sin. God knows who are His, what they are going through, their anger, pain, suffering that they bring upon themselves through their sin, but He cannot help them if they do not come to Him. Affliction perfects us while we are in the flesh, Christ perfect our soul so we can stand before God as though we are perfect to escape hell, even the Psalmist knew that.
“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. 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 2:1-4,7-12.
“lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way,” Jesus will save a soul, He will not sit back and watch a saved soul destroy its flesh, He will bring them home sooner than their time if they do not repent. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” – Revelation 3:15-19.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:” You see, while God’s mercy never runs out for the saved soul, that does not mean He will not chasten us. And sometimes we will receive a chastening for nothing we did at all, all of it used to get us to keep us fearing God, and live a life that is pleasing to Him. “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” – Psalm 107:17-21,42-43. Amen!
Jesus Christ Magnified: “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 2:12.
Today’s Prayer: God, I want to live a life that is pleasing to You, I know that often comes with some challenges, temptations, and chastening as You teach me to be more like Your Son. Lord, You are my comfort, my peace, and my joy while I walk the earth, but much too often I let them blind me from seeing that I am a sinner saved by grace, that You love me, and that You are putting me through things to perfect me. Lead me and guide me, fill me with Your mercies, grace, and love, keep me in Your word, and fearing You. Give me Your power to endure all these challenges, judge me according to my faith, and not my flesh because I truly believe that You are conforming me into the image of Your Son. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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