A VOW OF LOVE COMMITMENT AND DEVOTION

Proclamation:

“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die and there will I be buried …’”  Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by an unknown human author, but some credit it to Samuel because of the timing when the judges ruled Israel.  Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, demonstrates an excellent example of love, commitment, and devotion to her mother-in-law.  After her father-in-law and her husband died, Ruth would not leave her mother-in-law’s side and vowed to stay with, even after death.  Ruth was a Moabite and her people worshiped idol gods, (Ruth 1:15) but thanks to Naomi and her son, Ruth was exposed to The Lord God and was converted.

Application:

People often say the words, “I love you” but their actions are not always consistent with their words.  Ruth, the great, great grandmother of David, demonstrated her love for her mother-in-law by vowing never to leave her.  She even vowed to be near her in death by being buried where she is buried.  In this life, very few people will go with us wherever we go.  Some people will go as far as to become extended family members and our people will become their people.  However, most people will not go as far as to change their religious beliefs and worship The Lord God with us.  In marriage the two people are to become as one person. (Ephesians 5:31)  There is rarely this level of commitment in any other relationship.  Parents are willing to die for their children, and some children are willing to die for their parents, but they do not go with them everywhere they go.  When we make a commitment to love The Lord God, nothing in the world, or in our lives, should be more important to us than Him.  He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  Nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:35 and 8:39)

DON'T BE AFRAID TO TRAVEL GOD IS WITH YOU

Proclamation:

“So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to The God of his father, Isaac.  And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, ‘Jacob!  Jacob!’  ‘Here I am,’ he replied.  “I am God, The God of your father,’ He said.  ‘Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.  I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again…’”  Genesis 46:1-4 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Joseph had convinced his brothers of who he was and had spent some time with them, Pharaoh found out that Joseph’s brothers were in Egypt and he told them to go back to Canaan and get their father and their families and bring them to Egypt. (Genesis 45:16-20)  When they got home and told this to their father, Isaac, he agreed to travel to Egypt to see his son Joseph. (Genesis 45:28)  While traveling to Egypt, The Lord God spoke to Israel in a vision and told him not to be afraid regarding this journey.  Israel continued on the journey but now he was walking by faith.

Application:

Traveling on a long journey or to a foreign land, may cause us some concern.  However, The God that we serve is already wherever it is that we are going and He will also be with us as we travel to get there.  He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  The Lord God is omnipresent, He is everywhere all at the same time. (Psalm 139:7-8)  He is also omnipotent, He has all power in heaven and in earth, and everything is under His control. (Matthew 28:18)  He has told us in His Holy Word to “fear not, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 41:10)  If The Lord God is telling us to go to some place, then we have no reason for be afraid.  We just need to stay close to God and pray about everything. (Proverbs 3:6, Matthew 21:22, and Luke 18:1)

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

Proclamation:

“But when He, The Spirit of Truth, comes, He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.  He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you.”  John 16:13-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were spoken by Jesus, The Christ, and recorded by the Apostle John under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the words which Jesus spoke to His disciples to explain why He was leaving them and what it would mean for them.  Jesus said that after He left them, The Holy Spirit would come and guide them into all truth, (John 16:13) teach them, and increase their understanding.  What The Spirit will reveal to them would not be anything new, He will help them recall and understand the things which Christ spoke to them. (John 14:26 and 16:14-15)  Jesus told them that He would soon leave and they would lament and be sorrowful for a while but their grief would soon turn to joy. (John 16:19-20 and 22)

Application:

Jesus, The Christ, had to leave.  His death was necessary to pay for our sins.  Additionally, while He was wrapped in flesh, He could only be in one place at a time, but His Holy Spirit could be everywhere all at the same time.  The Holy Spirit can guide us and teach us, each one of us as we need it, all at the same time.  We know that The Holy Spirit is working within us when we are glorifying God.  However, The Holy Spirit of God only dwells within those of us who believe in Jesus, The Christ, and have accepted Him as our personal savior. (John 14:17, Romans 8:11, 1 John 3:24 and 4:13)

THE LORD GOD SEES EVERYTHING GOOD AND BAD

Proclamation:

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and on the good.”  Proverbs 15:3 (NIV)

Explanation:

This proverb was written by King Solomon under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God. This fifteenth proverb continues to compare and contrast that which is good and righteous with that which is not.  However, here Solomon inserts a statement of the omniscience of The Lord God.  In verse three Solomon says that God sees everything that is going on, everywhere.  Nothing is in all of creation is hidden from Him, everything is open and uncovered. (Hebrews 4:13)

Application:

The Lord God sees everything that we do, hears everything that we say, and knows everything that we think.  We need to keep this in mind as we go about our daily activities and when we pray to ask to be forgiven and for His help and guidance. 

THE LORD GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT US

Proclamation:

“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place …Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”  Psalm 139:14-16 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm presents the omniscience of God.  David made it personal but the same applies to each and every one of us.  The Lord God knows his thoughts, his actions, his going out and his coming in. (Psalm 139:1-3)  He knows every word that David was going to speak before he spoke it. (Psalm 139:4)  The Lord God is all around him and there is no place that he can go where God is not already there. (Psalm 139:5-12)  The Lord God created him, formed him in his mother’s womb, and knew every part of him before he existed. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Application:

The Lord God is omniscient.  He knows everything that there is to know about each one of us, and He knew it before any of us ever existed.  He created us from the union of our mother and father, and guided our formation in our mother’s womb.  He knew our thoughts before we had them, our words before we spoke them, and our actions before we committed them.  He knows all, He is all powerful, and He is everywhere all at the same time.  He is worthy of our praise and worship.

THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD GOD SURROUNDS HIS PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“Those who trust in The Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so The Lord surrounds His people both now and forevermore.”  Psalm 125:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God but the name of the human author is unknown.  This is another psalm of ascent, one of the songs which the children of Israel sang as they journeyed towards Jerusalem, which is on several mountains and is surrounded by mountains.  The psalmist begins by addressing the security of the city and God’s people. (Psalm 125:1-2)  Then he addresses the spiritual purity of the city and of God’s people. (Psalm 125:3-5)  Those who walk the crooked path of sin will be separated from God’s people, those who walk the straight and narrow righteous way. (Psalm 125:5 and Matthew 7:13-14)

Application:

The Lord God provides a hedge of protection around His people. (Job 1:10)  The Spirit of The Lord God is within us and His presence is all around us. He protects His people and His church.  We are encompassed by His favor and His loving-kindness.  We are safe in His hands (John 10:28) and under His wings. (Psalm 91:4)  His arms of protection surround us. (Psalm 89:10)  He goes before us and leads us and guides us. (Psalm 31:3)  He is always at our side. (Psalm 118:6)  His goodness and mercy follow behind us. (Psalm 23:6)  He is omnipotent, all powerful, and He is omni-present, always present everywhere all at the same time.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  This should instill confidence within us, and should give non-believers a reason for serving a true and living God.

THE LORD GOD IS ALWAYS NEAR TO US

Proclamation:

“Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from Your law.  Yet You are near, Lord, and all Your commands are true.”  Psalm 119:150-151 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  This is the nineteenth part, Qoph, of this twenty-two part psalm.  Here David appears to be bargaining with The Lord.  He basically says if He does something for him, then he will obey His laws.  David says answer me and I will obey, (Psalm 119:145) and save me and I will keep Your statutes. (Psalm 119:146)  He says that he has been up all night thinking about the promises that God gave him and he asks Him to hear his prayer and preserve his life. (Psalm 119:148-149)  David is aware that those evil people who would do him harm are nearby but he is also aware that The Lord God is nearby and he wants His protection.

Application:

This world is full of people who plan and develop schemes to take advantage of the innocent, unsuspecting, and the naïve.  Most of the “do-gooders” can’t imagine the lengths that people will go to in order to deceive them.  People will tell convincing lies in order to take advantage of others.  They offer tempting promises of great rewards to lure in their victims.  We need to stay “prayed up” and wrapped up in The Word of God in order to be protected from the evil wicked people in this world.  The Lord said that He would never leave us or forsake us, but if we want His help we must believe in Him and ask Him. (Hebrews 13:5 and John 15:7)  We do not have to stay up all night long and pray, but it is better to lose a little sleep and pray each night.   We need to ask for His help and to thank Him for that which He has done, is doing, and will do.

THE LORD GOD IS IN CONTROL OVER ALL OF THE EARTH

Proclamation:

“Let them know that You, whose name is The Lord, that You alone are The Most High over all the earth.”  Psalm 83:18 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Asaph, the director of music during the time of King David, who was also a seer who was said to prophesy. (2 Chronicles 29:30)  This is the last of the psalms to be written by this psalmist.  It was written under a prophetic spirit and foretold of the enemies of Israel joining forces and conspiring against God’s people. (Psalm 83:2-5)  It includes a request that The Lord God would destroy them. (Psalm 83:9-14)  It ends with a request to let their enemies, and the whole world, know that The Lord God is The Most High God, and that He alone is in control of all of the earth.

Application:

The Lord God is the only true and living God. (Jeremiah 10:10)  He is self-existent and eternal.  He was, is, and is to come, and always will be. (Revelation 1:4)  He is all powerful, (Mathew 28:18 and Revelation 19:6) all knowing, (1 John 3:20) and everywhere all at the same time. (Matthew 28:20)   There will come a time when the nations will join forces against Israel and The Lord God will destroy them. (Ezekiel 38:18-23 and Revelation 20:8-9)  This will be done so that all men will know that The Lord God alone is The Sovereign Ruler over all of the earth.  Unto Him every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord. (Romans 14:11)  For in the end He shall judge every man according to what they have said and done. (Revelation 20:12-15)

THE LORD GOD IS OUR GOD NOW AND FOREVER

Proclamation:

“For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.”  Psalm 48:14 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written as a song, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, by an unknown human author for the sons of Korah to sing.  The unknown psalmist begins this psalm by praising The Lord. (Psalm 48:1)  Then he describes and celebrates the city of God which is under His protection and care.  Afterwards he focuses on the praise and presence of God. (Psalm 48:9-11)  He ends the psalm by stating that The God which he has been referring to is their God.

Application:

There is only one God.  The one and only, true and living God, The Lord God, is our God now and forever.  He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omni-present.  The Lord God directs us, guides us, and protects us, and we will follow Him until the end of this life and into the next one. (Psalm 48:14)  It is our responsibility to tell the next generation about Him. (Psalm 48:13)      

GOD IS WAS AND WILL BE

Proclamation:

“… For God is present in the company of the righteous.”  Psalm 14:5 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  David begins this psalm by stating that the fool says in his heart that there is no God. (Psalm 14:1)  He then states that God sees from heaven that all men are corrupt. (Psalm 14:2-3)  The evildoers are mistreating, corrupting, and killing God’s people (Psalm 14:4) and they live in fear because God is with the righteous and He is their refuge. (Psalm 14:5-6)  In the end, God will restore His people. (Psalm 14:7)   

Application:

The Lord God is alive and present now, He always was present even at the beginning of everything, and He will always be present, even after this world has passed away.  The words “God is …” appears in The Bible 156 times.  It states that God is always with us, and He is a witness, a provider, a protector, a consuming fire, a refuge, a rock, a righteous judge, a shield, a spirit, great, gracious, compassionate, merciful, mighty, exalted, good, holy, sovereign, righteous, truthful, wise, faithful, able, light, present, in our hearts, our strength, our help, our salvation, Lord, the King of all the earth, and God is love.  The Bible also says what God is not.  Even so, we really so not know all that God is.  Our limited human capacity cannot comprehend all that God is.  We just know that He is.  He existed before there was time or anything else.  In the beginning, whenever that was, God was there. (Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1-3)  God is omnipotent, all powerful, (Revelation 19:6), omniscient, all knowing, (Matthew 6:8) and omnipresent, everywhere all at the same time, (Matthew 28:20).  This earth will pass away but God will remain for all eternity. (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33; and Revelation 21:1)  God is, God was, and God forever will be.  Believers can sing the song, “God Is …”  The song says, "God is my protection ... God is my guide and direction ... God is the joy and the strength of my life ... He moves all pain misery and strife … I want to go with Him when He comes back … I’ve come too far and I’ll never turn back … God is … God is my all and all."

GOD IS ABLE

Proclamation:

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, The God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Daniel himself.  The first six chapters of this Bible Book are historical in nature and the remainder is prophetic.  Here, after King Nebuchadnezzar had a ninety foot gold statue of himself made (Daniel 3:1) and the decreed that at the sound of the horns, flutes, or whatever music, everyone was to fall down and worship the image.  These three Hebrew boys refused to do so and were brought before the king for punishment.  They told the king that God is able to save them, and even if He does not, He can.  They were thrown into the fiery furnace and God did save them.

Application

Most of us only have a little faith in God.  Most of us would not be willing to die to put our faith to the test.  God can save us from whatever situation we are in.  God is able to do it.  God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere at the same time), God is able.  He can and He will do whatever He wants to do.  Saving us from our little problem situations would be easy for Him if He chose to do so.  He can, but even if He doesn't, God is able.  We praise Him, even if He doesn’t do another thing for us, we know that God is able.