“COVENANT-KEEPING DEITY!”

Psalm 135:5-6                 (ESV)

    “[5] For I know that the LORD is great,

        and that our LORD is above all gods. 

    [6] WHATEVER THE LORD PLEASES, HE DOES,

        in heaven and on earth,

        in the seas and all deeps.”

Isaiah 60:22                 (ESV)

    “[22] The least one shall become a clan,

        and the smallest one a mighty nation;

    I AM THE LORD;

        in its time I will hasten it.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭135‬:‭5-6‬ ‭.               (HCSB‬‬)

“For I know that YAHWEH is great; our LORD is greater than all gods.  YAHWEH does whatever HE pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths.”

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From wwwdotbiblehubdotcom

“YAHWEH is the personal name of GOD as revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly in the Old Testament. It is the most sacred, distinctive, and incommunicable name of GOD, often rendered as "LORD" in English translations of the Bible. The name YAHWEH is derived from the Hebrew consonants YHWH, known as the Tetragrammaton. This name is CENTRAL to the identity of GOD as the “COVENANT-KEEPING DEITY” of Israel.”

This “COVENANT-KEEPING DEITY” is UNIQUE to WHO GOD IS and the best way, that is the closest way, that mankind can describe HIM.  Because of THE FALL of mankind, humanity is inherently UNCLEAN, filled with unholiness.  We mortals are incapable of living a life of HOLINESS because of our sinful nature, and HIS PLAN to redeem us!  The sacrificial LIFE lived by JESUS is THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY we can enjoy HIS GIFT for ALL ETERNITY!!!

Understanding precisely what GOD’s PLAN was trying to accomplish is far too deep and involved for this humble servant to understand!  BUT HIS “COVENANT-KEEPING DEITY” traits is part of WHO HE IS that I humbly acknowledge and respect for ALL ETERNITY!!!  HIS PLAN is far more POWERFUL and COMPLEX on HIS END, but very simple to accept on our behalf!!!  HE is the “COVENANT-KEEPING DEITY”!!!

“WAIT ON THE LORD!”

 

Psalms 27:14                 (KJV)

“”WAIT ON THE LORD”: be of good courage, and HE shall strengthen thine heart: WAIT, I SAY, ON THE LORD.”

The speed that “this world” operates seems to move faster and faster every minute of every day!  I just saw an old newspaper article from 1963 after the President was assassinated.  I was three years old at the time, so it didn’t make much of an impact in my life.  My grandfather was 53 years old, but the assassination probably didn’t impact him as much as things weren’t moving as quickly as they currently move!  

HOW LONG , then, should we “WAIT ON THE LORD”?  An abrupt answer to this question SHOULD be “as long as it takes”!  Regardless of how we perceive ourselves, we are NOT strong enough, nor smart enough, to move ANYWHERE without the GOD OF CREATION leading us!  

This devotional will be brief this morning!!  We MUST “WAIT ON THE LORD” because moving without HIS LEADERSHIP is not only sinful, but it really is SCARY!  When we “WAIT ON THE LORD”, we have PEACE!!  When we attempt to “do it on our own”, turmoil and strife usually isn’t far behind!!

“WAIT, I SAY, ON THE LORD”!!!

“LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED!”

 

John 14:1-7                 (ESV)

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

[1] “”LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED”. Believe in GOD; believe also in ME. [2] In my FATHER’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to MYSELF, that where I am you may be also. [4] And you know the way to where I am going.” [5] Thomas said to HIM, “LORD, we do not know where YOU are going. How can we know the way?” [6] JESUS said to him, “I am THE WAY, and THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. [7] If you had known ME, you would have known MY FATHER also. From now on you DO know HIM and have seen HIM.”

I BELIEVE that EVERY WORD spoken by THE WORD (John 1:1) was spoken for HIM to be GLORIFIED!  In the first verse of the captioned passage, JESUS is quoted as saying “LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED”.  We also know that only a few verses earlier that JESUS told Judas “What you are going to do, do quickly.”  We now know what it was that Judas would do, and JESUS knew it as well!!!  JESUS KNEW that Judas WAS going to betray HIM.  HE even told Judas to DO IT QUICKLY!  Yet HE proceeded with things without fear or trepidation.  

“LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED” is followed very closely with “Believe in GOD; believe also in ME”.  Could GOD IN THE FLESH have been telling this uneducated fool that SINCE HE and the HOLY SPIRIT lives inside of me, that I should just TOTALLY rely on HIM???

JESUS said in John 10:30 “I and the FATHER are ONE.”  In John 14:16-17 JESUS says that HE WILL SEND the HOLY SPIRIT to be with us.  HE does this in Acts 2.  So we have THE TRINITY abiding with us, WHAT SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED WITH???  Most modern day people don’t familiarize ourselves with THE TRUTH enough to understand precisely what we HAVE, nor the PRICE that was PAID by our REDEEMER …….on our behalf!!!

My FAITH is far greater than it was, but I am remorseful that I can’t SEE that HE IS IN CONTROL……OF EVERYTHING……especially when I am not able to physically SEE evidence of HIM!!!  “LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED” isn’t for the SPIRITUALLY weak or timid!  It is for the SPIRITUALLY MATURE!

“A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE!”

 

Acts 9:10-19                 (ESV)

“[10] Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The LORD said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, LORD.” [11] And the LORD said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, [12] and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him SO THAT HE MIGHT REGAIN HIS SIGHT.” [13] But Ananias answered, “LORD, I HAVE HEARD from many about this man, how much evil he has done to YOUR saints at Jerusalem. [14] And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on YOUR NAME.” [15] But THE LORD said to him, “Go, for he is “A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE” to carry MY NAME before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. [16] For I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF MY NAME.” [17] So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the LORD JESUS WHO appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT” [18] And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; [19] and taking food, he was strengthened.”

Saul (later renamed Paul) was VERY ZEALOUS about his goal, to strengthen “the so-called church” of the Jewish people.  Acts 9:1 that we went “breathing threats and murder AGAINST the disciples of the LORD”!  BUT JESUS knew (before the foundation of the world) that Saul was “A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE” to perform a task that ONLY JESUS could do through Saul…..after a brief “cooling off” period!!!

ALMIGHTY GOD has done something very similar in my life!  I too was VERY BUSY doing whatever I felt that I was being led to do, but I was moving so quickly that I never made sure of what was leading me!  At least for me, I have found that the HOLY SPIRIT gets through my thick skull when I ‘LET GO’ and permit myself to be LED , AND NOT attempt to run things myself!!!  LETTING GO and permitting GOD to LEAD, GUIDE and DIRECT my actions is something that I MUST become more proficient at if I want to SEE HIS BLESSINGS!!!

On July 09, 2007 I HAD TO be put into a drug-induced coma BEFORE I was able to LET GO and GOD was able to “miraculously” heal me!!  HE wasn’t through with me yet, but HE had to alter my position to show me WHO WAS IN CONTROL!!  WHAT will it take NOW for me to GET MY HANDS OFF OF HIS WORK???  HE used the coma to “get me out of HIS way”, so THAT HE COULD DO WHATEVER HE NEEDED TO DO TO GET ME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH HIS WILL!?!

There were NO surprises in THE PLAN for ANYTHING that happened, from CREATION to current day happenings.  JESUS KNEW when HE was speaking to Ananias that the “murderous” Saul had been rendered useless and was patiently waiting for Ananias to visit him.  How could that information be available at this time?  JESUS KNEW that Saul was “A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE”because GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING, and GOD WORKS ALL THINGS FOR HIS GLORY (Romans 8:28!). 

GOD HAS A PLAN!!!  HE responds to whatever HIS subjects do with HIS PRE-PLANNED response.  HE KNOWS PRECISELY how HE will respond to our actions…. or our inactions!  This is coming from someone who USED TO THINK that this humble servant could be used to make changes FOR HIS GLORY???  HE exquisitely displayed to me that HE is capable of doing ANYTHING - without any assistance from HIS CREATION - simply because HE IS GOD!!!

The FACT that HE uses AN INSTRUMENT OF MINE (Exodus 7:3-4; Hebrews 11:29) doesn’t make us any more acceptable to HIM, but being “A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE” (Acts 9:15) certainly does!!!

“AND THERE HE PRAYED!”

 

Mark 1:35                 (ESV)

JESUS Preaches in Galilee

“[35] And rising VERY EARLY in the morning, while it was still dark, HE departed and went out to a desolate place, “AND THERE HE PRAYED”.”

JESUS IS FULLY GOD (John 1:1) AND FULLY human (John 1:14), so why did HE need to go to a desolate place “AND THERE HE PRAYED”?  Maybe HE needed to set an example FOR US that no matter how “close” we may get to THE LORD, we will ALWAYS have a need to seek HIS guidance and direction before proceeding WHEREVER we need to go??  We have HIM living inside of us so that HE “abides” with us, protecting us from going “astray”!  

The “METHOD” that HE CHOOSES can be uncomfortable at times, but HE promises to never leave us, not that the journey will be smooth and without conflict!  JESUS CHOSE to come to earth, AND SUBMIT HIMSELF to unimaginable scorn and humiliation, all so this “reject” could have eternal life WITH HIM!!!  Why do I fail to ELEVATE HIM with every breath of HIS that I consume???  Instead, I would rather be BUSY with the cares of “this world”, neglecting to make HIM THE FOCUS of my being?  

JESUS AND THE FATHER ARE ONE (John 10:30), yet when GOD ALMIGHTY came to earth for thirty-three years HE didn’t come as a powerful potentate!  HE came in a cattle barn, because there was NO ROOM for HIM anywhere else!!  HIS Majesty can be seen THROUGHOUT CREATION, yet humanity couldn’t recognize HIM walking in their midst!  

JESUS, UNREMARKABLY and VERY OFTEN (Luke 5:16), got ALONE with GOD to pray!  What makes me think that I should not be surprised by this???  A reprobate at best, I am UNWORTHY to even come into HIS PRESENCE, but I am to follow the direction given to me by THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES!!!  Wherever HE LEADS, I should be able and willing to remember “AND THERE HE PRAYED”!!!

“YOU ARE WITH ME!”

 

Psalm 23:4                 (ESV)

    “[4] Even though I WALK THROUGH

the valley of the shadow of death,

        I WILL FEAR NO EVIL,

    for “YOU ARE WITH ME”;

        YOUR rod and YOUR staff,

        they comfort me.”

While posting this on my social media sites recently, my mind was caused to remember July 2007, when I was in the coma following the Brain Hemorrhage.  Although I thought I had visions while in the coma, I don’t remember ANYTHING from the morning of July 10th until seeing my doctor walk by my ICU room on July 30th!  I was TOTALLY NOT IN CONTROL of anything in my life!!!  Even my breathing was controlled by machines, for the most part!!!

I was unable to pray that GOD would deliver me through the place I was in, nor anything else??  I HAD TO BE TOTALLY DEPENDENT upon my life being CONTROLLED without any CONTROL …..of ANYTHING!!  Being TOTALLY DEPENDENT wasn’t something that I was consulted about before the decision was made to place me in the coma. Seventeen days later, GOD brought me through “the valley of the shadow of death” without even checking with me for my opinion???

Although I have inquired about what was going on during those days, I still don’t have a TRUE KNOWLEDGE about “my journey”.  Without a doubt, I DID GO THROUGH A BRAIN HEMORRHAGE, but I DID NOT go through it alone!!  My wife, my sons, my mother, and people from all over the world were praying for me!  But THE LORD was walking with me through “the valley of the shadow of death” and HE was THE ONE making the decisions for me!!!  NO CONTROL…….AT ALL!!!

Nineteen years ago my wife was at the hospital EVERY DAY for 52 days, from early in the morning until late at night!  My mom was also at the hospital, but not as much as my wife!  Friends were there, but not as frequent.  But to have your EYES OPENED to SEE that “YOU ARE WITH ME” unmistakably means that HE WAS/IS THE ONE WHO WAS/IS IN CONTROL!!!

“YOU ARE WITH ME!”

 

Psalm 23:4                 (ESV)

    “[4] Even though I WALK THROUGH

the valley of the shadow of death,

        I WILL FEAR NO EVIL,

    for “YOU ARE WITH ME”;

        YOUR rod and YOUR staff,

        they comfort me.”

There are many things that are running through “this brain” of mine today.  Keep in mind that “this brain” was in a different position nineteen years ago!  Recovering from a “massive brain hemorrhage” is not an experience that I would want anyone else to have to go through, but I wouldn’t change the path GOD has given me to travel with any other person either!!!

THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE has explicitly CHOSEN me to survive, NOT ONLY the Brain Hemorrhage, but also QUADRUPLE BYPASS SURGERY on my heart ten years later, with very little changes in my activity!  Why would I be GRANTED such MIRACULOUS recoveries without a reason behind them???  WITHOUT A DOUBT, GOD is THE REASON for my recovery, as indicated by my doctor’s notes on my first checkup.

King David might have been a little more BLESSED than I as far as physical BLESSINGS are concerned, but I was not even able to walk for over a month!  Being in a drug induced coma means that I was unable to do ANYTHING without assistance!  

Seeing the words “YOU ARE WITH ME” in the verse above let’s me understand that HE IS THE REASON that I survived everything that I have ever faced!  Not just a Brain Hemorrhage and open heart surgery, but through every crook and crevice of my life I can TESTIFY that “YOU ARE WITH ME”!  I’m not worthy, but “YOU ARE WITH ME”!!!