RUTH IS BLESSED

PROCLAMATION

“So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife; and when he went in unto her, The Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son.”  Ruth 4:13 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Ruth was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Prophet Samuel.  As part of his attempt to acquire Ruth, Boaz met with the kinsman, guardian-redeemer who was more closely related to Naomi than he was. (Ruth 3:12 and 4:1)  Boaz took ten elders with him to witness the transactions of the sale of Naomi’s property and the acquisition of Ruth.  When the guardian-redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it”  Boaz announced that he would redeem it. (Ruth 4:2-10)  Afterwards, Boaz took Ruth as his wife and she conceived and bore him a son Obed, who would become the father of Jessie, the father of David. (Ruth 4:13-17)  The chapter and the Bible Book of Ruth ends with listing of the genealogy of David. (Ruth 4:18-22)

 

APPLICATION

All things happen for a reason, even if that reason is not apparent at the time of the occurrence.  The Lord can turn bad things into blessings and our enemies can become steppingstones to higher ground.  Sometimes what The Good Lord has in store for us is better than the thing that we wanted for ourselves, and better than the thing that we lost.  We just need to learn to count it all as joy when bad things happen (James 1:2) because even the darkest of storm clouds can have a silver lining.  Blessings come to those who wait on The Lord.

JOSHUA'S FINAL FAREWELL

PROCLAMATION

“And it came to pass a long time after … that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.  And Joshua called for all Israel, and for the elders … and said to them, ‘… ye have seen all that The Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for The Lord your God is He that hath fought for you.’ ”  Joshua 23:1-3 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After years of peace and rest from their enemies which were all around them, Joshua calls all of Israel together.  He tells them that he is old and stricken in age.  He tells them that The Lord God has fought their battles for them and defeated all of the nations around them. (Joshua 23:1-3)  He says that God has done great things for them and they should remain close to Him and follow His commands. (Joshua 23:6-11)  Then he cautions them and says that if they turn from The Lord God they could lose the land which He has given to them. (Joshua 23:12-13)  He tells them that he is about to die and he warns them that if they transgress and serve other gods, the anger of The Lord God will burn against them and they will be driven from the land. (Joshua 23:14-16)

 

APPLICATION

Sometimes the worst thing that can happen to us is to be blessed with success, prosperity, and plenty.  We tend to get an over inflated image of ourselves and we forget about God.  We have all been blessed in more ways than we can count and we should be grateful and thank Him daily.  If we do not acknowledge The Lord God and give Him praise, honor, and glory for all that He has done, then we may lose the blessing which we have been given.  If we turn from Him, He will withdraw from us and we will also lose the protection from our enemies.  All that we have, and all that we are, is the result of the goodness of God and we need His continued grace and mercy in order to maintain what we have.

ISRAEL BLESSES THE SONS OF JOSEPH

PROCLAMATION

“And he blessed Joseph, and said, ‘God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, The God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.’”  Genesis 48:15-16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  And it came to pass that Israel got sick and Joseph went to see him and took his two sons with him.  Israel recounted to Joseph that God Almighty had appeared to him in Canaan and told him that He would multiply his seed, and that He would give that land to his seed. (Genesis 48:1-4)  He also reminded Joseph of the death and burial of his wife Rachael. (Genesis 48:7)  Then he hugged and kissed both of the sons of Joseph.  Afterwards he blessed them, but he put his right hand on the head of Ephraim the youngest, and his left hand of the head of Manasseh the first born.  This displeased Joseph but Israel said that while both sons would be great, the younger son Ephraim would be greater than his brother and a multitude of nations shall come from him. (Genesis 48:8-19)  Then he told Joseph that The Lord God would be with him. (Genesis 48:21)

 

APPLICATION

If the truth be told, all of us are blessed, but we are not all equally blessed.  The Lord God does not follow man’s tradition of giving the first born the most of everything.  He blesses whomever He chooses, how and when He chooses.  God will frequently bless the younger son to be greater than the first born son.  That which The Lord God has in store for each of us will not be given to anyone else.  He blesses us according to our different abilities. (Matthew 25:15)  And in the end, we will all be rewarded according to how well we used the talents which He gave us. (Matthew 25:21 and 25:23)  Hopefully, one day we will all hear Him say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

AGAIN ABRAHAM WAS NOT HONEST BUT GOD ...

PROCLAMATION

“And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country … and sojourned in Gerar.  And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, she is my sister; and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.”  Genesis 20:1-2 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After seeing the dense smoke rising from the plain where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood, (Genesis 19:27-28) Abraham left the region and moved on into Gerar. Again Abraham feared for his life, so he told the officials there that his wife Sarah was his sister and the king took her for himself. (Genesis 20:1-2)  But God spoke to the king in a dream and told him that he and all that belonged to him would die if he touched Sarah. (Genesis 20:3-7)  The next morning the king told all of his officials what had happened.  Then he returned Sarah to Abraham, untouched, along with sheep, cattle, male and female slaves, and one thousand shekels of silver.  Abraham prayed for the king and his people and God removed the curse which He had placed upon them. (Genesis 20:17-18)

 

APPLICATION

Even though Abraham and Sarah had been dishonest again, (Genesis 12:10-16) The Lord God still protected and blessed them.  We do not have to be perfect Christians in order to receive God’s blessings and protection.  Believers who obey The Word of God will receive God’s blessings including protection and provision, grace and mercy, and a host of other blessings. (Deuteronomy 28:1-8)  He will shelter us under His wings, (Psalm 91:4) and He will keep our enemies from causing us any hurt, harm, or problems.  When we mess up, we should fess up, then get up and get back on the right path.

REPEATING CYCLES OF GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES

PROCLAMATION

“Till The Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.”  Isaiah 32:15 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

In chapter thirty-one the prophet Isaiah continues to present the woes which will befall the children of Israel, for relying on Egypt instead of The Lord God, which he began in chapter thirty. (Isaiah 31:1-5)  Isaiah encourages them to return to The Lord and tells them that God will take care of their enemy Assyria. (Isaiah 31:8-9)  In chapter thirty-two Isaiah predicts a time of peace and happiness and prosperity for Israel. (Isaiah 32:1-8)  Then he prophecies to the women that in one year their crops will fail, their great cities will be deserted and abandoned, and their fields will become wastelands. (Isaiah 32:9-14)  After this, The Lord God will pour out His Spirit upon the people and the land and it will become fertile again and there will again be peace in the land. (Isaiah 32:15-20)  one day, there will come a King who will reign in righteousness with justice. (Isaiah 32:1)

APPLICATION

We have become a very proud, complacent, self-indulgent, stingy people and we seek help from everywhere but from The Lord God.  Therefore, like the children of Israel, we will continue to go through periods of good times followed by periods of bad times.  Then we will pray for mercy and act right for a while and The Lord will bless us again, until we start to turn away from Him again.  Our lives are like the mathematical sine wave with repeating cycles of ups and downs.  If we really want our country to be healed, then we need to humble ourselves and pray, and seek God, and turn from our wicked ways before The Lord will hear us and answer our prayers. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  Repent people, the kingdom of God is at hand. (Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15)

THE RETURN FROM EXILE

PROCLAMATION

“Any of His people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of The Lord, The God of Israel, The God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.”  Ezra 1:3 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

The Israelites who were not killed during the attack by the king of Babylon were taken into captivity. (2 Chronicles 36:17-20)  They remained in exile for seventy years until the Persians came into power.  The Lord God moved on the heart of the king of Persia to release them. (2 Chronicles 36:21-23)  He issued a proclamation stating that the Israelites could leave and return to Judah.  He also said that the people of Persia were to give the Israelites silver and gold, and goods and livestock. (Ezra 1:1-4)  Cyrus king of Persia gave them the articles that belonged to the temple of The Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:7)

APPLICATION

When times seem to be going bad for us, The Lord God makes a way out of it for us when there appears to be no way out.  Even when the situation that we are in is the result of our own poor choices, He makes a way for us.  He is The God of another chance.  There are times when The Lord God uses the people in our lives to be a blessing to us.  They do things for us, quite unexpectedly, when we need help.  When we look back over our life, we ought to be able to see God’s hand in it helping us.  We ought to thank Him daily, several times each day, for the things which He has done for us.

OBEY THE LORD GOD AND PROSPER

PROCLAMATION

“Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before The Lord his God.”  2 Chronicles 27:6 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
After King Uzziah died with leprosy, his son Jotham, who had ruled the government and the people during his illness, succeeded him as king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 26:21-23)  Jotham did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord and he did not make the mistakes that his father made. (2 Chronicles 27:1-2)  He rebuilt the wall of the temple and fortified the forts and towers in the countryside. (2 Chronicles 27:3-4)  He conquered the Ammonites and they paid him money and grain annually. (2 Chronicles 27:5-6)

APPLICATION

Every good and perfect gift, including prosperity, comes from The Lord God. (James 1:17)  We are blessed in more ways than we can count.  When we obey The Word of God, we are also blessed with the additional conditional blessings that He has for us.  Blessed and prosperous is the man who delights in God’s Holy Word. (Psalm 1:1-3)  If we want to be blessed in more ways than we already are, then we need to walk more uprightly and steadfastly in the ways of The Lord God.  Because The Spirit of The Lord God is within us, we are in this world but not of it, (John 8:23) and we must walk circumspectly and not as the unsaved worldly sinners walk. (Ephesians 5:15)  We must walk the Godly walk.

BLESSED BEYOND THEIR WILDEST DREAMS

BLESSED BEYOND THEIR WILDEST DREAMS 

PROCLAMATION

“When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built … she was overwhelmed.  She said to the king, “The report I heard … I did not believe … but … not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told to me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.”  2 Chronicles 9:3-6 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After he built the temple for the arc of God, and built his palace, King Solomon rebuilt the villages around his kingdom. (2 Chronicles 8:2-6)  The word spread to the surrounding kingdoms regarding Solomon’s wisdom and wealth, and the queen of Sheba heard it. (2 Chronicles 9:1)  When she heard it, she travelled to Jerusalem to see for herself and to test Solomon.  She was very impressed, because his wealth and his wisdom far exceeded her expectations.  (2 Chronicles 9:1-6)  These events are reported in the tenth chapter of The Bible Book of First Kings.  After she left, Solomon made a very large ornate throne which was more impressive than any other throne in any other kingdom.  He was extremely wealthy, and his wealth grew greater each year. (2 Chronicles 9:13-28)

APPLICATION

We may not have King Solomon’s wealth or his wisdom, but as believers we are abundantly blessed.  Jesus, The Christ said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)  This applies not only a physical life, but a spiritual life and an eternal life.  Additionally, we can have an abundance of grace, spiritual blessings, joy, and happiness.  We are already blessed in more ways than we can count, and this abundance is on top of that.  People will not believe how blessed we are.  And, if our prayer requests are for things that will give God glory, then they will be granted (John 15:7-8) and we will be even more abundantly blessed.  

THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IS DOING AND WILL DO

PROCLAMATION

“And as if this were not enough in Your sight, my God, You have spoken about the future of the house of Your servant.  You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.”  1 Chronicles 17:17 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

This seventeenth chapter of First Chronicles is almost a verbatim repeat of the seventh chapter of The Book of Second Samuel. (2 Samuel 7:1-29)  King David was venting to the prophet Nathan that he was living in a cedar lined palace while the ark of the covenant was in a tent. (1 Chronicles 17:1)  Initially Nathan told him to do whatever he had in mind because God was with him. (1 Chronicles 17:2)  Later that night The Lord God spoke to Nathan and told him to tell David that he would not build Him a house, but his son would, and that He would establish his kingdom forever. (1 Chronicles 17:3-14)  When Nathan told David what thus saith The Lord, David prayed. (1 Chronicles 17:16-27)  During this prayer he basically thanked God for what He had done for him and his people, and for what He was going to do.

APPLICATION

We are all special in the eyes of The Lord.  We were all uniquely and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and each of us is precious in His sight. (Psalms 116:15)  We may not have been blessed with all that David received but we have all been abundantly blessed.  He has brought us from a mighty long way and kept us through a host of storms, trials, and tribulations.  He is blessing us right now, and no man can imagine what things He has in store for us in the future. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

BLESS THE PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of The Lord.”  1 Chronicles 16:2 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

When the Israelites brought the ark of God to Jerusalem, they placed it in the place that David had prepared for it inside the tent. (1 Chronicles 16:1)  David gave thanks unto The Lord and worshiped Him with burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.  Then King David blessed the people in the name of The Lord.  This is a repeat of the events which is recorded earlier in The Bible Book of Second Samuel. (2 Samuel 6:17-18)  Afterwards he gave the people something to eat and then he appointed the Levites to various roles to minister before the ark of God.  The majority of the chapter records the roles he assigned to the various individuals. (1 Chronicles 16:4-43)

APPLICATION

As followers of Christ we are to tell people about Him and show them the way to Him.  We are to live our lives in such a way that they can see Christ in us, see our good works, and give God glory. (Matthew 5:16)  We are to bless the people.  We can pray that God will bless them and help them.  We can also be a blessing to them as we help them.  This is more than just giving them money.  People have many other needs that we can help them with.  As we bless others, we will also be blessed. (Proverbs 11:25) 

NOT EVERYONE WILL SHARE IN OUR JOY

PROCLAMATION

“As the ark of the covenant of The Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window.  And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.”  1 Chronicles 15:29 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After David had completed building the palace for himself, he prepared place for the ark of God.  Unlike the first time when he did it his way, this time when he went to retrieve the ark of God, he followed the instructions which The Lord God had given him regarding transporting it. (1 Chronicles 15:1-2 and 12-15)  This fifteenth chapter of First Chronicles is a repeat of the events presented in The Bible Book of Second Samuel but in a different perspective and with more details provided. (2 Samuel 6:12-18)  As the Israelites entered the city, King David was rejoicing, dancing and singing, as they brought the ark of God from Obed-Edom to Jerusalem.  However, his first wife Michal, who was watching the events from a distance, did not share in his joy.  In fact, she despised him because of it.

APPLICATION

When The Lord God blesses us and allows good things to happen to us, one would expect that our family and friends would be happy for us.  However, not everyone wants to share in our joy.  In fact, if the truth be told, some of our family members and “so-called friends” are not happy for us, and some of them even hate us for it.  Our blessings and good fortune can cause envy, jealousy, and resentment in others.  Some people may become “back stabbers” if our good fortune is not also a blessing for them.  We should be very careful with whom we share the specifics of our good fortune.

BLESSED BY THE PRESENCE OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and The Lord blessed his household and everything he had.”  1 Chronicles 13:14 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
The ark of God was captured by the Philistines after a battle in which they defeated and slaughtered the Israelites. (1 Samuel 4:10-11)  After a series of bad things happening, negative occurrences, devastation, afflictions, and deaths among their people, (1 Samuel 5:1-12) the Philistines returned the ark of God to Israel. (1 Samuel 6:1-21)  The ark of God remained in the house of Abinadab in Kiriath Jearim for twenty years. (1 Samuel 7:1-2)  The thirteenth chapter of First Chronicles repeats the record of King David’s first attempt to take the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim to Jerusalem and provides a different perspective on those events. (1 Samuel 6:1-11 and 1 Chronicles 13:1-14)  The ark of God did not make it to Jerusalem, it ended up in the home of Obed-Edom. (1 Chronicles 13:12-14)

APPLICATION

There are those who say that they don’t invite The Lord God into their home because they don’t want to offend Him by the things that go on inside of their home.  It is as if we forget that The Lord God is everywhere all at the same time.  When we accept Jesus, The Christ, as our personal savior we immediately receive the indwelling of The Holy Spirit of God and all of the blessing which go along with that.  The Lord God wants to be with us, but He will not force Himself upon us.  He allows us to exercise our free will.  We must choose to let Him into our life.  He will stand at the door to our heart and knock, and He will not come in until we open the door to our heart and invite Him in. (Revelation 3:20)  However, once we receive Him, we are blessed and blessed with a more abundant life. (John 10:10)

MIRACLES BY THE MAN OF GOD

MIRACLES BY THE MAN OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“She went and told the man of God, and he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debts.  You and your sons can live on what is left.’”  2 Kings 4:7  (NIV)

EXPLANATION

The wife of one of the men in the company of prophets with Elisha told him that his servant, her husband, was dead and now his creditors were coming to take her two sons to sell them into slavery to repay the debt. (2 Kings 4:1)  Elisha asked her what she had at home and she said that all she had was a small bottle of olive oil.  He told her to go borrow as many empty jars from her neighbors as she could.  Then she was to go home and pour the oil into the empty jars.  The oil kept flowing until all of the jars were full. (2 Kings 4:2-5)  Afterwards she went to Elisha and told him what had happened, and he told her to sell the oil and pay her debts.  Elisha also blessed a Shunammite woman with a son because she had been kind to him. (2 Kings 4:8-17)  The child grew and one day complained of a headache and died.  Elisha brought the child back to life. (2 Kings 4:18-35)  Later Elisha fed one hundred men with twenty small barley loaves of bread. (2 Kings 4:42-45)  

APPLICATION

In days of old, people would take their problems to the man of God and he would advise them.  Even today, the man of God can be helpful in problem solving.  The Bible encourages us to take certain problem to the elders of the church so that they can pray over us and anoint us with oil in the name of The Lord. (James 5:14)  Our pastors watch over our souls and must give an account for them. (Hebrews 13:17)  We are also encouraged to pray for ourselves and to take our concerns directly to The Lord in prayer.  There is power in the prayers of the righteous. (James 5:16)  Miracles still happen today, however, for some reason we don’t very often give The Lord God the credit for them.

WATER FROM HEAVEN WITHOUT RAIN

PROCLAMATION

“For this is what The Lord says: ‘You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, for you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.’”  2 Kings 3:17 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

After king Ahab died, Mesha king of Moab rebelled against Israel. (2 Kings 3:5)  So, Joram king of Israel sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah to join with him against Moab along with the king of Edom. (2 Kings 3:6-9)  Joram had done evil in the eyes of The Lord (2 Kings 3:2-3) but Jehoshaphat did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord. (1 Kings 22:43)  Wicked people can benefit from friendship with the righteous.  In their journey through the desert of Edom there was no water for them or their animals. (2 Kings 3:9)  So the three kings sought out the prophet Elisha, who only agree to meet with them out of his respect for the God-fearing king of Judah, Jehoshaphat. (2 Kings 3:11-14)  Elisha told them that The Lord would will fill the valley with water for them and their animals.  He also told them that they would defeat the Moabites.  They were told to dig ditches for the water which they had requested. (2 Kings 3:16)  The next morning the land was filled with water. (2 Kings 3:20)

APPLICATION

The Lord God will provide.  He can perform miracles and bless His own.  He can make a way out of no way.  He can make water appear in the desert without rain.  He can protect us from our enemies, and He can help us to defeat them.  We must prepare for the blessings which we have requested.   When we pray for something, we must believe that we will receive it, and act like it is already done. (Mark 11:24)

RECEIVING THAT WHICH WAS PRAYED FOR

Proclamation:

“Early the next morning they arose and worshiped The Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah.  Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and The Lord remembered her.  So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.  She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked The Lord for him.’”  1 Samuel 1:19-20 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  The Book begins with an account of his parents, Elkanah his father and Hannah his mother who year after year had no children. (1 Samuel 1:1-2)  Elkanah had two wives but he loved Hannah and would always give her a double portion of whatever he gave his wife, Peninnah, and his sons. (1 Samuel 1:4-5)  Peninnah would ridicule Hannah year after year because she was barren and Hannah would become upset. (1 Samuel 1:6-10)  Hannah went to the temple and prayed silently while she was weeping.  The priest, Eli, saw her and thought that she was drunk because her lips were moving but she was not speaking. (1 Samuel 1:9-17)  The Lord God heard Hannah and answered her prayer and gave her a son.

Application:

There are times when we are going through periods of anguish, frustration, despair, sorrow, or suffering that we pray and ask The Lord God for something, and we promise Him that we will change our behavior if He will bless us with that which we asked for.  All too often, however, He blesses us and we fail to keep our promise to Him.  Here is an example of a woman who prayed during her period of distress and kept her promise when The Lord blessed her, even though keeping her promise meant giving up her son.  We should not take lightly promises that we make to God.  We should not only be careful what we ask The Lord God for, we should also be careful regarding what we promise Him.  He will keep all of His promises to us. (2 Peter 3:9)  We need to do a better job of keeping our promises to Him.  When we pray for things that will give God glory our prayers will be answered. (John 14:13-14 and 16:26)  Let us be grateful and honor our commitment to Him.

DO NOT REPAY EVIL WITH EVIL BUT WITH A BLESSING

Proclamation:

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”  2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Peter, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (1 Peter 1:1-2)  Peter began this third chapter with instructions on how husbands and wives should treat one another. (1 Peter 3:1-7)  Then he tells them not to repay evil with evil, but to repay evil with a blessing because that is how they will inherit a blessing for themselves.  He goes on to quote King David from Psalm 34 (Psalm 34:12-16) telling them to avoid evil speech, to do that which is good, and to seek peace because the eyes of The Lord God are upon them. (1 Peter 3:10-12)  He ends by telling them to do what is good and to revere the name of The Lord.  For if they suffer for doing that which is right and good, they will be blessed. (1 Peter 3:13-17)  He reminds them that Christ suffered. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Application:

Again we are told in The Word of God that as believers we are not to repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, and 1 Peter 3:9)  The Lord God has said that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who do us wrong. (Romans 12:19)  We are to exercise good Christian conversation and behavior, regardless of that which is shown to us.  If we really want to live life to the fullest and enjoy it, then we need to live in such a way as to do no harm to others but to do them good. (1 Peter 3:10-11)  Know that the eyes of The Lord God are always watching us. (Psalm 34:15 and 1 Peter 3:12)

SINCERELY SEEK THE LORD GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Proclamation:

“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.”  Proverbs 21:21 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King Solomon.  In the midst of his discourse contrasting the wise man with the wicked, he states that those who pursue righteousness will be blessed with life, prosperity, and honor.  He means whoever desires it and honestly seeks it will be rewarded with more than they asked for.  Those who hunger and thirst after it, they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6) 

Application:

The Bible says that if we honestly seek after righteousness, we will find it. (Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7-8, and Luke 11:9-10)  This is more than just seeking an understanding of His Holy Word by hearing and reading it, but also by living it and doing what it says. (Romans 2:13 and James 1:22)  Those who seek The Lord God and His righteousness will also find long life, (Proverbs 3:16) and eternal life (John 17:2) in addition to the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 26:18 and Ephesians 1:7) and honor in the sight of The Lord (Roman 8:30) if not also in the sight of man.  For whomever The Lord God justifies He also glorifies.  We should first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything else that we need will be given to us including some blessings that we did not ask for. (Matthew 6:33)

MAY I SUFFER IF I FORGET YOU OR IF I DO NOT REMEMBER YOU

Proclamation:

“If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.  May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.”  Psalm 137:5-6 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David to echo the words of the saints who were carried off in captivity into Babylon.  As they sat by the rivers of Babylon and as they wept, they remembered Jerusalem. (Psalm 137:1)  In their despondent situation, they were forced by their captors to sing. (Psalm 137:3-4)  They knew that they would never forget their holy city and the prayed that they would suffer greatly if they ever did not remember. (Psalm 137:5-7)

Application:

A lot of good things and bad things happen to us over the course of our lives, but there are some things which happen that are truly unforgettable.  Sometimes The Lord God allows us to go through a critical experience in order to bless us.  The experience is one of those unforgettable moments in our lives, however, we should not forget The Lord God who blessed us and brought us to and through that moment.  Some experiences will put a smile on our face, a song in our mouth, and joy in our heart.  Unfortunately, all too often we tend to focus on the experience and not on The Lord God who brought us through it.  Let us always remember, and never forget, that the hand of The Lord God is involved in every aspect of our lives. (Proverbs 3:6)  It is in Him that we live, move, and have our very being. (Acts 17:28)

PRAISE THE LORD AND LIFT YOUR HANDS IN THE SANCTUARY

Proclamation:

“Praise The Lord, all you servants of The Lord … Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise The Lord.  May The Lord bless you …”  Psalm 134:1-3 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This is the final song of ascent.  It is the song that the children of Israel sang after their journey when they had arrived in the sanctuary.  All of God’s people are to give Him praise and to serve Him.  The preachers, the deacons, and the saints each have a different role in serving The Lord during and outside of the worship services.   

Application:

Where we come from and what we have come through differs, but it is not important because once we have arrived in the sanctuary praising The Lord is our focus.  All believers are servants of The Lord, some just do a little bit more than others.  But this is not a competition, this is about our individual effort to please The Lord.  All of God’s people are not preachers, but as servants of The Lord we all can minister to and help someone.  We all may not sing in the choir, and when we sing we may sing off key, but we can all shout praises to The Lord.  We may not clap on time with the beat, and we may not dance like David, but we can all raise our hands in the sanctuary and give Him praise.  The Lord God knows if our effort to give Him praise is sincere and He will bless us for it.  May The Lord God bless each one of you.

IT IS GOOD WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE ARE TOGETHER IN UNITY

Proclamation:

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”  Psalm 133:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This psalm of ascent is called “A Psalm of Brotherhood.”  It expresses the joy of God’s people when they fellowship together.  This is the second short, three-verse psalm, the other being Psalm 131.  That psalm dealt with child-like faith.  This psalm deals with brotherly-fellowship.  The next psalm, Psalm 134, is also a short, three-verse psalm, but it is the final song of ascent, the song of arrival and praise.  However, this psalm is about joyful experience of celebrating and worshiping with like-minded people whose company one truly enjoys.

Application:

This psalm is about the excellency of brotherly love and how good it is.  It is enjoyable to spend time in peaceful fellowship with people who share the same beliefs, be they family, friends, or saints.  Although today, it is difficult to imagine a large group of people living together in peace, all on one accord, with unity of thought and purpose, that being to praise The Lord God.  We come together with that purpose when we attend our worship services on Sunday mornings for a couple of hours, however, we do not live our daily lives in unity with one another.  Given that, this psalm may also be a prophecy of things to come.  God’s blessings will descend down upon His people who live peaceable in unity like the dew falls on Mount Zion. (Psalm 133:3)