1 Chronicles 17:16-27

1 Chronicles 17:16-27                   (ESV)

“16 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, O LORD GOD, and what is my house, that YOU have brought me thus far?

17 And this was a small thing in YOUR eyes, O GOD. YOU have also spoken of YOUR servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O LORD GOD!

18 And what more can David say to YOU for honoring YOUR servant? For YOU know YOUR servant.

19 For YOUR servant's sake, O LORD, and according to YOUR own heart, YOU have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.

20 There is none like YOU, O LORD, and there is no GOD besides YOU, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

21 And who is like YOUR people Israel, the one nation on earth whom GOD went to redeem to be his people, making for YOURSELF a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before YOUR people whom YOU redeemed from Egypt?

22 And YOU made YOUR people Israel to be YOUR people forever, and YOU, O LORD, became their GOD.

23 And now, O LORD, let the word that YOU have spoken concerning YOUR servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as YOU have spoken,

24 and YOUR name will be established and magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts, the GOD of Israel, is Israel's GOD,' and the house of YOUR servant David will be established before YOU.

25 For YOU, my GOD, have revealed to YOUR servant that YOU will build a house for him. Therefore YOUR servant has found courage to pray before YOU.

26 And now, O LORD, YOU are GOD, and YOU have promised this good thing to YOUR servant.

27 Now YOU have been pleased to bless the house of YOUR servant, that it may continue forever before YOU, for it is YOU, O LORD, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.””

“YOU DID IT TO ME!”

Matthew 25:35-40                       (ESV)

“35 For I was hungry and you gave ME food, I was thirsty and you gave ME drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed ME,

36 I was naked and you clothed ME, I was sick and you visited ME, I was in prison and you came to ME.'

37 Then the righteous will answer HIM, saying, 'L, when did we see YOU hungry and feed YOU, or thirsty and give YOU drink?

38 And when did we see YOU a stranger and welcome YOU, or naked and clothe YOU?

39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit YOU?'

40 And the KING will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these MY brothers, “YOU DID IT TO ME”.'”

The message in the Scripture above is pretty plain for most eyes to see, but apparently some eyes can’t SEE very plainly when “this world” is clouding their vision?  Not only should we SEE others who need help when they are needy, but when we look at a NEED with utter disregard and apathy, it is as if we are telling JESUS HIMSELF that HIS “NEEDS” are of no concern to us!  

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to SEE with HEAVENLY EYES and recognize those who NEED YOUR assistance and respond accordingly.   There is no greater feeling than to know “YOU DID IT TO ME”, but no greater shame than to know we neglected to help YOU when a NEED was presented to us. 

“IT IS NOT YOU!”

Matthew 10:19-22                        (ESV)

“19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

20 For “IT IS NOT YOU” who speak, but the SPIRIT of your FATHER speaking through you.

21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

22 and you will be hated by all for MY name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

There are MANY things that Scripture states that I don’t fully understand, but I don’t have to understand them to make them TRUTH!  There are times when ALMIGHTY GOD has spoken through me that I hardly remember exactly what HE said through me, and there are other times that the Words HE has spoken have transformed my life!  Regardless of what was said through me, there are times when the SPIRIT of GOD says “IT IS NOT YOU”, rather it is ME that is using your mouth to relay HIS Message!  

The Scripture above states that “you will be hated by all for MY name's sake”!  Now most people have an innate desire to be “liked” by others.  Speaking for myself, it is a lot more gratifying to see encouraging words than to see people who disagree with the Word of GOD.   But JESUS said to be prepared WHEN they deliver you over, not IF they deliver you over!  We should be aware that the enemy IS roaming to and fro seeking whom he may devour, and this game is not for the weak in Spirit!  The Word spoken through us needs to be heeded, not only by others, but by the ones used to speak these Words!  

The Message delivered by our Words are intended to Glorify the FATHER.   If we aren’t listening to what is communicated by our own lips, then who better can HE use to reach us?  We need to realize that “IT IS NOT YOU” that is delivering a Message when we are used, but the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD speaking through us.  HIS Message must be listened to, AND OBEYED, by ALL!!!

“Lydia of Thyatira!”

“14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. THE LORD OPENED HER HEART to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us. - Acts 16:14-15

“Lydia of Thyatira” had been studying the OLD TESTAMENT so much so that she was considered a literary scholar, but her Spiritual eyes were only opened when THE LORD OPENED HER HEART to the TRUTH!    That was when GOD “called” her out of the darkness into HIS marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).   

Wikipedia has this to say about the woman known as “Lydia of Thyatira”:

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were traveling through the region of Philippi when they encounter “a reputable businesswoman and possibly a widow… [who] was a righteous Gentile or ‘God-fearer’ attracted to Judaism”.[4] “[S]he was one of a large group [considered]…sympathizers with Judaism, believers in the one God, but who had not yet become ‘proselytes’ or taken the final step to conversion to Judaism”.[5]

Because these encounters and events take place “in what is now Europe,” Lydia is considered “the first ‘European’ Christian convert”.[6]

It is widely suspected by most that “Lydia of Thyatira” had been walking a “good life”, but that wasn’t enough to save her soul!  Only GOD ALMIGHTY can perform that miracle!  Unless and until GOD “calls you out” (1 Peter 2:9) of the ways of the deceiver, you CANNOT walk in the LIGHT!   1 Peter 2:11 says “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to ABSTAIN FROM THE PASSIONS of the flesh, WHICH WAGE WAR AGAINST YOUR SOUL!”  

Ephesians 6:12 says “For we do not wrestle (battle) against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”.  The enemy is trying to deceive us in any way he can because wants to carry as many with him as possible.  It is said that “misery loves company”, and Hell is the ultimate misery!!!

“Lydia of Thyatira” had her eyes opened to GOD’s call on her life!  I’ve had my eyes opened to the call that GOD has on my life!  Have you had your eyes opened by ALMIGHTY GOD to HIS call and purpose for your life?  Just like “Lydia of Thyatira”, you can’t work your way or intellect your way into Heaven!  GOD has to call you!!!

“BE FOUND FAITHFUL!”

1 Corinthians 4:1-5                       (ESV)

“1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of CHRIST and stewards of the mysteries of GOD.

2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they “BE FOUND FAITHFUL”.

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the LORD who judges me.

5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the LORD comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from GOD.”

JESUS will judge ALL of us on that day!  Thanks be to HIM that my sins are “blotted out” (Isaiah 43:25) because of HIS unmatched sacrifice for me and ALL mankind on Calvary!  In NO WAY am I worthy, but because of HIS amazing grace I have been “called out of the darkness into HIS marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9), to glorify The FATHER!  

GOD, grant my desire that I “BE FOUND FAITHFUL”!!!

“I WILL GIVE YOU!”

Luke 31:10-19                                (ESV)

“10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

11 There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

13 THIS WILL BE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BEAR WITNESS.

14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer,

15 for “I WILL GIVE YOU” A MOUTH AND WISDOM, which NONE OF YOUR ADVERSARIES will be able to withstand or contradict.

16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death.

17 YOU WILL BE HATED by all for MY name's sake.

18 But not a hair of your head will perish.

19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.”

One of the most difficult things I had to adjust to following the Brain Hemorrhage was not being able to have the quick and witty responses THAT I USED TO have prior to July 09, 2007!  To describe this as a BLESSING would appear that I was loosing my mind, but learning to TRUST IN GOD even for the words that come out of your mouth isn’t anything that someone else can be credited with.  The Speech Therapists that were assigned to my case were simply the best, but they couldn’t “fix” something that THE ALMIGHTY had Planned for my life.  

Just as human nature would have done everything possible to prevent the Brain Hemorrhage, we too will quite possibly (and unsuccessfully I might add) attempt to avoid the perilous times that GOD IN THE FLESH tries to prepare us for.  HE said in the Scriptures above that “I WILL GIVE YOU” WORDS that none of our adversaries will have an answer for.  Even family will turn on family because “the enemy” is all about tearing apart all the things of GOD.  

In Genesis 50:20 Joseph was speaking to his brothers who had sold him into slavery and said “....you meant evil against me, but GOD meant it for good...”!  JESUS said “YOU WILL BE HATED by all for MY name's sake” and then follows that up with the word BUT!  BUT not a hair of your head will perish!  

There might be heartache and difficulties ahead in our future, but we are PROMISED that ALL THINGS (Romans 8:28) will work together for our good.  “I WILL GIVE YOU”, not only WORDS to speak, but also WISDOM to know when to speak them and when to NOT speak them. 

“TODAY!”

Luke 23:39-43                              (ESV)

“39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at HIM, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save YOURSELF and us!"

40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear GOD, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the DUE REWARD of our deeds; but THIS MAN has done nothing wrong."

42 And he said, "JESUS, remember me when YOU come into YOUR kingdom."

43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, “TODAY” you will be with ME in paradise."”

Recently my thoughts have been on whether we will have to give “an account” (Romans 14:12) before a HOLY GOD on Judgement Day.   Scripture teaches us that “our sins HE will remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12), so how can we get around Romans 14:12?  

GODs Grace is such an AMAZING thing that we can’t just ignore it because we don’t understand why it exists!  I don’t pretend to have all the answers to any question that “this world” can dream up regarding the magnificence of THE SALVATION PLAN.  What I do know is that JESUS told the thief hanging on a cross next to HIM that “TODAY” you will be with ME in paradise!   

This man didn’t have to walk down the aisle at church, he didn’t have to have his name on a church membership roll, he didn’t have to tithe or give alms to the poor!  He only had to humble himself and BEG ALMIGHTY GOD for mercy and he was granted forgiveness!  

We can prognosticate and speculate for our remaining days on the earth about the intricacies of how GOD will dispense HIS Grace and join the one thief who left “this world” without acknowledging WHO JESUS is.   Or we can join the forgiven one who JESUS said “TODAY” you will be with ME in paradise!  It is that simple!!!!