The Devotional - King of Righteousness and Peace

The Devotional

Comment: This psalm's original historical context is of prophetic significance. The New Testament contains more references to this psalm than to any other chapter in the Old Testament (Matt. 22:44; 26:64; Mark 12:36; 14:62; 16:19; Luke 20:42-44; 22:69; Acts 2:34-35; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:25; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3, 13; 5:6; 7:17, 21; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2). David Hay found 33 quotations of and allusions to the first four verses in the New Testament. (This excerpt is taken from Dr. Tom Constable’s commentary on Psalms). 

It is very easy for us to read a section of scripture and just gloss over what is really going on, we should seek to stop this sort of reading since we often miss the Holy Spirit’s desire to guide us into all Truth. We should understand that ‘all Truth’ includes all of the written Word of the Living God and not just the few words we read and catch the Spirit. This sort of reading is like seeking to catch a bird with a net that has a hole in it.

Devotional: Psalm 110 is a psalm about Messiah who is referred to by God as Melchizedek. He is referred to only twice in the Old Testament by this name. The Name identifies Him to the Jewish nation as the King of Salem (Righteousness) in Genesis 14:18 and in Psalm 110:4 as the Eternal Kingdom Priest. He is in my understanding. The Prophet, Priest and King… the Messiah, the eternal God.

In the New Testament the writer of Hebrews has a lot to say about this Priest Melchisedec. Covering three chapters the writer explains the Kingdom Office of this Priest. (1) He is a Priest forever, Hebrews 5:6. (2) He is the eternal High Priest of the Kingdom, Hebrews 5:10. (3) He is identified as Jesus Christ, the High Priest who entered the Holy of Holies on behalf of all who by faith through grace are trusting His sacrifice for the sin of the world – Hebrews 6:20.

Chapter 7 of Hebrews is extensive coverage of Melchisedec; This King is personal to His beloved, He met personally with Abraham. Melchisedec is further identified as King of Peace, so our God will restore Kingdom Righteousness and Kingdom Peace to His Children, the Redeemed of God. This King has no genealogy, He does not need one since He alone is God. 

So while there is debate among theologians about who this Melchisedec is, I am comforted with the Spirit guidance that Jesus Christ/Messiah will be my Prophet, my Priest and my King throughout eternity. Now I conclude… “What could be better than that?” Nothing, nothing at all and if Jesus is not your LORD and SALVATION you are hopelessly lost to this wonderful truth.

The Devotional - The glory or the soul?

The Devotional

Comment: There is a difference in an academic study of the Word of God and a Spiritual confrontation with the Living Word of God. Most secular training centers have a course or two on the Holy Bible and other so called sacred writings. My last sentence is a subject in and of itself, but I will not pursue secular humanistic values of rationalizing or nullifying the Holy Word of God which is exalted forever. Jesus Christ alone fulfills all of the requirements of the Living Word of God (Law) and if you fail to “trust, believe or have faith” in Him you will by NO MEANS find a haven of rest for your SOUL. There is continual proof of this in the Living Word of God, for example take a look at Matthew 5:17-20. The soul of man is something we seldom talk about; I believe that the lack of this is due to our lack of understanding the love of God. I am not saying that I have the answer, even I would argue that, but I understand the following. 

Devotional: All of the psalmist speak to God from their SOUL, and I believe the apostle Paul seeks for the redeemed of God understand this in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Our love for God can only be expressed from our Soul, this is why we see King David, and the unknown writers of book 5 (Praise and worship) Psalms 107 through 150 giving thanks and praise to the God of Creation.

Focusing on Psalm 108:1-13 this morning my thoughts were consumed with the exaltation of David in verses 1 through 5, especially with verse ONE and verse FIVE. Notice that in the first verse that David says that he will give thanks and praise to God with his glory, this word glory is found in the KJV and the NKJV. However in the NASB and the NIV the word “glory” is changed to “soul”. Should this be important to God’s redeemed? Absolutely?

This is not a matter of old English jargon and modern translations. It is however a matter of the redeemed of God to have and understand the Spiritual encounters with their Father God. Notice verse five; true worship and praise to God comes from the souls of the redeemed. “Be exhaled O God above the heavens, and Your glory over all the earth”. There is a song like this in many hymnals, in our church it is song 5 and the biblical reference is Psalm 57:10-11.

Looking into Vine’s Concordance at the word (3519 kabed) “glory” it would be hard to assert the word “soul” to the meaning of David’s intent. Yet I think the connection of verse 1 with verse 5 and finding the same “kabed” (glory) used of God’s holiness connects the thought that our SOULS understanding of God is always expressed with LOVE. Without that love connection of our soul and God’s holiness our soul’s expression of songs of praise and worship will sound like cymbals or noise out to tune. Our prophesy and understanding of God will fail to move mountains since there is a lack of faith motivated by love. 

The church of Jesus Christ today across the United States of America lacks the power to communicate with God from the soul. Have we left our first love (Revelation 2:1-7)? The redeemed have the power, but many are simply afraid to allow the soul to express its power through love and the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in this, I confess and include myself.

The Devotional - God's Children and God's Mercy

The Devotional

Comment: O give thanks to the LORD for He is good: Why? For His mercies endure FOREVER. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so. Are you redeemed from the hand of the enemy? Then be BOLD enough to say so. Throughout Psalm 107 we see the intent of this Psalm writer to reveal to his readers the mercies of Our God. It is the Will of God to His redeemed “His children” say so in every pathway imaginable.

Devotional: Whether it is in a personal trial or a public event, whether it is in a storm or in a calm peaceful day, whether it is in a war, or in peace, or by angelic interference. No matter what can happen to the children of God, God is good to His children and His mercies to every one of them is applied lovingly and forever.

While there are similarities of God delivering Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land in Psalm 107, I do not believe that the Psalm is directly pointed to Israel although there is much parallel. For example God did not call His chosen people out of east, west, the north and south. He called them out of Egypt by the leadership of Moses. In this Psalm we see that God takes action to protect His children out of every corner of the earth. For the moment or thrust of this message I will direct this Psalm to you and me.

If we do not study the Living Word of God, but go to church weekly we are like children who run from home and wander about aimlessly in a solitary way (Psalm 107:3). When we come to grips with this and study and return to the LORD and church we are no longer thirsty or tired. Our soul no longer feels faint since our cry to the LORD is answered. Jesus comes and gives us comfort and delivers us from all of our distresses. This is not complicated or hard to do, but far too many of children of God today in our land are by CHOICE spiritually starved.

The LORD God ALWAYS leads us in paths of righteousness, the psalmist here calls these “the right way”. How privileged you and I are that all of the path of God’s way are RIGHT. When we step out in the world around us, we can be confident of this. All of the ways of the world are NOT RIGHT, but God guides His Children to a haven of rest. Not for just a time, or a season but for eternity. He even provides a place of rest for His children in the world, but many of us children run away like Elijah and rest our head on a rock.

There is abundant mercy from God and much of it we miss daily. “O that His children would praise the HIM for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.” The wonderful works of God are surrounding all the peoples of the world, but those who are REDEEMED by the Blood of the Lamb. These alone are ones who see these wonderful works and experience the mercies of God, and as the psalmist says “let the redeemed of the LORD say so”.

I love the LORD, His children ought to say so, not with their lips, but with their soul. Mankind sees our lips and knows if we are truthful, what the world needs to see in us is the expression of our love for God in our SOUL, do not just read Psalms, study them intently and let God lead you in paths of life that are RIGHT. Surely there will be hardships and disappointments but when we stay on the path, His mercies are renewed fresh like the MANNA in the wilderness every morning.