Category: Holy Living

On Exulting and Exalting. Thoughts from 1 Kings.

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Read Through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Kings 1.

Yesterday I was meditating on Zephaniah 3:14-17.

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

– Zephaniah 3:14-17 ESV

Verse 14 tells Zion to rejoice and exult with all her heart, and then verse 17 says that the Lord rejoices and exults over Zion. Rejoice, rejoice. Exult, exult. I understand “rejoice,” but what does “exult” actually mean??? (Am I the only one who doesn’t use or understand this word?)

I looked it up in Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, as well as Etymology Online and Strong’s Concordance I learned that the English word “exult” comes from the French word “exulter” which means to rejoice exceedingly, or literally to leap about. And I learned that the Hebrew word שָׂמַח śāmaḥ means to rejoice and be glad. Ok, so “exult” means to rejoice!

Exult means to rejoice exceedingly.

So today when I read 1 Kings 1, the word “exalt” jumped out at me, “Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, ‘I will be king.’ And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him” (1 Kings 1:5 ESV) So I was off again to check the dictionary as well as Strong’s Concordance and Etymology Online. According to Merriam-Webster, exalt means to raise in rank, power, or character, to elevate or glorify. It can also mean to raise high or enhance or intensify the activity of something. That specific Hebrew word מִתְנַשֵּׂא miṯnaśśē’ is only used one other place in the Bible, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV) In studying the etymology of the word, I latched onto the Latin word root, altus which means high because it reminded me of the word altitude.

Exalt means to elevate, glorify, or lift high.

Jesus and his disciples had quite a lot to say about who exalts whom. I am certain that Jesus would have some harsh words for Adonijah exalting himself as king, getting for himself chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him (like his brother Absalom had done before him. (See 2 Samuel 15:1) It reminded me of Proverbs 27:2, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips.”

  • For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:11 ESV)
  • So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you” (Hebrews 5:5 ESV)
  • Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:10 ESV)
  • Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, (1 Peter 5:6 ESV)

So, I’m asking myself,
“What am I exulting in?”
and
“Who am I exalting, myself or my Lord?”

Heavenly Father, You are the source of my joy. I rejoice in You and the power of Your might. My hope and joy are in YOU. Help me, Father, to exalt YOU, to lift you HIGH, to elevate Your name, to honor You with my life. I pray that I will heed Paul’s words from Philippians 2, that I will do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count other more significant than myself, looking not only for my own interests, but also for the interests of others. For this is the example that Jesus Christ, the God-man, has given to us, that He humbled Himself even to the point of death on a cross. Therefore He was highly exactly and bestowed with the Name that is above every name, that someday ever knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We lift You high, Father. We exalt You and magnify You for You alone are worthy of our praise. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

We Exalt Thee, Oh Lord

Return. It’s a Call for Repentance. Thoughts on Hosea.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Hosea 13-14.

Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips. Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.”

I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.

Hosea 14:1-4 ESV

Return. Return. Return. It’s the call of God to His bride, Israel. It’s a call for repentance, doing an about-face, a 180, forsaking idols in favor of Yahweh, the Almighty One.

Israel will return to the Lord when she finally sees her sin for what it is, and so will we. We must recognize our rebellion against God and return to Him. The next step, as we see here, is to confess our sin to God and ask for His forgiveness. And then immediately we will commit to changing our behavior. Like Israel, “We will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands.”

True repentance looks like this.

True repentance is more than just feeling sorry or saying you’re sorry. True repentance is more than grieving the consequences of our sin. True repentance is a change of heart leading to a change in action. If your life doesn’t begin shifting away from your sin and back towards God, then you haven’t actually repented.

Heavenly Father, Bring us back to You. Turn us back to You. Heal us and bind up our wounds that we might worship You again. Wash us thoroughly. Cleanse us of our sin. Make us ready for the return of Your Son. He is coming soon, Father. We want to be ready. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Teshuvah. Return to Me.

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 51:1-4, 10-12, 15-17
Create in Me a Clean Heart

Would You Rather? Amos Edition.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Amos 8.

“Behold, the days are coming,”
declares the Lord GOD,
“when I will send a famine on the land,
not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the LORD.”

Amos 8:11 ESV

Would I rather worship or wander through Wally World?

Would I rather scroll through the truth of the Word or the foolishness of Facebook?

Would I rather skip my daily dose of carbs or the daily bread of the Lord’s presence?

Would I rather sit in a pew or sit on a couch?

Would I rather be in the front row of a church or the front row of a concert?

Would I rather listen to the correction of a wise counselor or the consolation of a foolish friend?

Would I rather miss a dinner date with my BFF or a breakfast date with my Heavenly Father?

Would I rather miss my morning cup of java or my morning cup of living water?

Would I rather have an empty belly or an empty mind?

“Sabbath days and sabbath work are a burden to carnal hearts, that are always afraid of doing too much for God and eternity.

Can we spend our time better than in communication with God?

And how much time do we spend pleasantly with the world? Will not the sabbath be gone before we have done the work of it and reaped the gains of it? Why then should we be in such haste to part with it?

They were fond of market-days: they longed to be selling corn and setting forth wheat. When they were employed in religious services they were thinking of their marketings …

Those are strangers to God, and enemies to themselves, that love market days better than sabbath days, that would rather be selling corn than worshipping God.”

Matthew Henry, Commentary on Amos 8

Heavenly Father, Align our hearts with Yours. Make us love what You love. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Give us a holy hunger. Make us hunger for what is healthy and right, what is pure and true. Make us sick over what makes You sick. Give us discernment to recognize what is truly lovely and what is a joy stealer. Help us spot the counterfeits, the deceptions, those things that masquerade as beautiful and give us hearts that hunger and thirst for righteousness for Your Name’s sake. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, the One who meets our every need, the well that never runs dry, the unending source of living water and the eternal bread of Your living presence, we pray. Amen.

Yet You Did Not Return to Me: Thoughts from Amos 3-4.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Amos 3-4

As a mom, I want my discipline to bring my children to repentance. I want them to grieve their sin, see their error, and turn around.

But, all too often, that’s not the case. In fact, my discipline can end up making them more hard-hearted and rebellious. My words of gentle correction, or the natural consequences of their actions, can end up causing them to blame everyone but themselves.

  • Does that mean I’m wrong to discipline them?
  • Does that mean I should look the other way as they run headlong away from what is right?

My heart grieves with the Lord as He says five times in Amos 4, “yet you did not return to me.” He had withheld rain. He had struck their gardens with blights and locusts. He had even brought death upon some of their young men, yet they did not return to Him.

It reminds me of a line from one of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons.

The same sun which melts wax
hardens clay.
And the same Gospel which melts
some persons to repentance
hardens others in their sins.

C.H. Spurgeon

The Lord disciplines those He loves. That discipline will harden some and convict others. I wonder, which am I? Am I listening when the Lord is trying to get my attention? Am I willing to correct my course when the Lord is putting road blocks in my way?

How about you? How have you handled the Lord’s rod of correction? Where do you need to do an about-face and return to Him, your Creator?

Heavenly Father, We are indeed silly sheep who often go astray and wander into dangerous places. Forgive us, Father, for our foolishness, our rebellion, and our disobedience. Thank You for Your loving hand that seeks to bring Your children back into the fold. Your rod and Your staff are our comfort. Help us to listen to Your voice of corrections and change course, to RETURN to YOU, the lover of our souls. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

God Disciplines His Children for Their Good. Thoughts from Amos 2.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Amos 2

Sometimes it seems that professing Christians think they are immune from the consequences of their sin. Indeed Jesus has paid the price for our sin by His death on the cross, but we still must endure God’s discipline for our good.

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Hebrews 12:4-8 ESV

All too many American children are being left without discipline, and our nation is reaping the consequences of it.

God disciplined the Israelites and He disciplines Christians. Not because He hates us, but because He loves us.

Oh, Heavenly Father, what a blessing it is to call You, Father. What an honor to be Your daughter. Help me to endure Your discipline with humility and gratitude and trust, fully believing that You are working to conform me into the image of Your Son. You are good. Always. Help me to learn what you’re teaching me. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord I pray. Amen.

God Looks at Cities and Nations as well as Individuals: Thoughts from Amos 1.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Amos 1

I’ve never studied Amos for myself, though my pastor did spend several weeks teaching through it in August 2019. In fact he spent about a year teaching through all the minor prophets verse by verse. If you’re like me and need a quick overview of the Book of Amos, you might want to read Got Questions’s post here.

Today I took some time to learn a little about the locations of Amos 1: Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, and Edom. And that got me thinking about how God pronounced these judgments on the whole city-state, not merely on individuals or even the king.

So I started thinking about what kind of judgment God would have on my city, state, and nation. We have forsaken His Word. We have forgotten His commands. We have aborted babies in the name of choice. We have allowed criminals to run free while we have forbidden prayer and the Bible from our schools. We have set aside a month to celebrate men who pretend to be women and women who pretend to be men. We have bowed down to idols of all kinds: money, Mother Earth, and mortal men. We have hidden the gospel and turned a blind eye to our neighbor in need.

Heavenly Father, Forgive us, Lord. Forgive us. Please, Father, shed Your grace on us. We need You. Turn our nation back to You. Turn the hearts of fathers back to their children. Turn the hearts of mothers back to their homes. Turn us back to Your Word. For Your glory and honor I pray. Amen.

Worship: Thoughts from 2 Samuel

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Samuel 24

Today I’m thinking about what worship is.

What does it mean to worship God?

  • Can we worship the Lord in prison?
  • Can we worship while we’re stuck at home for a week because of snow and ice and temperatures that refuse to go above freezing?
  • Does worship only happen when we’re in the presence of other believers on Sunday morning?
  • Can we worship in dance?
  • Can we worship while we’re just sitting in church listening to a man preach? Do we?

The word “worship” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 22:5 when Abraham is preparing to take his son Isaac to Mount Moriah to offer him there to the Lord. “Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.’” The Hebrew word used here for worship שָׁחָה (šāḥâ) literally means to bow down or prostrate oneself.

This same word is used in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:5a ESV “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God.”

I think a big part of worship in God’s eyes is coming with an attitude of humble service to God, living for His pleasure and glory rather than our own. I worship God when I bow before Him, serving Him, humbling myself before Him, laying down whatever I’m clinging to as an offering to Him. Whether that offering is a measure of grain or a firstborn lamb or a song of praise, it is a sacrifice given up for His pleasure.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Romans‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭ESV‬

Like Jimmy Needham says, “Worship is more than a song.”

Clear the Stage

Heavenly Father, I want to worship You in thought and word and deed. I want my life to be a living offering to You. Forgive me for all the times that I have taken Your place, bowing down to my own desires rather than Yours, serving the creature rather than the Creator. You alone are worthy of worship. For Your glory and praise and worship. Amen.

Here I am to Worship
10,000 Reasons
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Being Discerning and Using our Powers of Discernment. Thoughts from 2 Samuel 16.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Samuel 16

At the end of last year we read in 1 Samuel 25:3 that Abigail was both beautiful and discerning (or sensible, intelligent, of good understanding, depending on your translation). Then, earlier this week in 2 Samuel 14:17, the woman of Tekoa flattered King David saying, “my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil.” Next month we will dive into 1 Kings and read about David’s son, Solomon, who asked God to give him an understanding mind that he might discern between good and evil so he could rightly govern the nation of Israel.

How desperately we need discernment! We are indeed surrounded by so many liars and deceivers, men and women who call light dark and dark light, who call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20). Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:13). As my pastor said two weeks ago when he was teaching through 2 Corinthians 11, Satan disguises in order to deceive, and I might add he deceives in order to devour. (See 1 Peter 5:8)

Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
He disguises himself in order to deceive us.
He deceives us in order to devour us.
We must be discerning,
distinguishing rightly between good from evil.

We must be wise. Not with the wisdom of the world, but with the wisdom of God. Remember Paul’s introductory words in his letter to the Corinthians, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.'” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 ESV)

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

– Hebrews 5:7-14 ESV

Let me ask you, when did you first receive Christ?

  • Last week?
  • Last month?
  • Last year?
  • Last night?

Oh, baby Christian, enjoy the sweet, pure milk on the gospel. It has been given to you to help you grow up to full maturity.

But, sister, were you born again years ago, even decades ago? It’s time to grow up into maturity, training your powers of discernment by constant practice.

In today’s passage, 2 Samuel 16, David isn’t a baby believer any more. He’s a grown man who knows God and the truth of His Word. He knows that he ought to inquire of God. God has proven Himself faithful. David needed to listen to the Holy Spirit’s counsel that he might know the way that he should go and who he should believe … and so do we.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Word and filling us with Your Holy Spirit. Give us wisdom and lead us in the paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Help us to discern what is good and right and true that we may run toward it. And help us to discern what is foolish and wicked and false that we may flee from it. In the Almighty, Holy Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer we pray. Amen.

It’s Not About Me

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Samuel 15

Heavenly Father, I don’t want to be like Absalom, rallying people around me and using You as some kind of a tool. My life is Yours. You are the king, and I’m not. Jesus is the King. I’m not. Help me to love You, to worship You, in Spirit and in truth. Keep me humble for my good and Your glory. In the Holy, Almighty Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Human Nature at its Worst. 2 Samuel 13-14.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 2 Samuel 13-14

This has to be one of the hardest passages in the whole Bible to read. Human nature at its worst. A man who desires his own sister so much that he rapes her, and then he hates her so much “that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her.” (2 Samuel 13:15 ESV)

Here are some of my thoughts:

  • The scriptures don’t jump over the tough stuff. Whether in heroes like David or villains like Amnon, the Bible leaves the closet doors open where others might have hidden skeletons.
  • Lust ain’t love. Amnon didn’t actually love Tamar, he lusted after her, and after he had her, he was done with her. Let this be a warning for single women. Don’t let a guy get you into bed, with sweet words of how much he loves you. True love puts others before yourself. Read 1 Corinthians 13.
  • Satan is a liar. Satan’s very nature is to lie and deceive. Initially Satan was whispering into Amnon’s ear that he needed Tamar, deserved her, loved her. Then, after taking advantage of her, Satan started whispering new lies. She’s trash. She’s no good for you. What did you ever see in her? We need to be discerning about what voices in our head we’re listening to.

Heavenly Father, You are truth. Every word You say is true. Help me to trust You and listen to Your voice, the voice of true love. I pray that You will protect my children from the schemes of the evil one. Help them to guard their hearts and minds, and to think of others more highly than themselves. For the glory of Your Name I pray. Amen.