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what’s right with hands – joyfully up or down?

December 3, 2019June 26, 2021Christian Living, Praise and Worship, Prayer

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All but three of the firstborn of each of the previous 9 generations died in Abraham’s lifetime
– such was the decreasing lifespans (reality of death and decay)

Summary of Genesis 11:10-26

Hard for us to comprehend living even this long though much shorter than their ancestors.

N.B.
Gen 21:5 – Isaac born when Abraham was 100yrs old, lived 180yrs
Gen 25: 26 – Jacob born when Isaac was 60 yrs old, lived 147 yrs
Gen 50:26 – Joseph died at age 110 but was born when Jacob was 91yrs old (by calculation from known events)

Psalm 6 (NIV)

¹Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
²Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
³My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?

⁴Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
⁵Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave?

⁶I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
⁷My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.

⁸Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping.
⁹The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.
¹⁰All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

Prophecies fulfilled in Jesus:-

birth of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:24–25)
birth at Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4–7)
flight into Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15)
being anointed by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 3:16)
ministry in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1–2; Matthew 4:15–16)
healing of the sick (Isaiah 61:1; John 5:1–9)
use of parables (Psalm 78:2; Matthew 13:34–35)
being betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18)
being forsaken by His disciples (Psalm 88:8; Mark 14:50)
being hated without a cause (Psalm 35:19; John 15:25)
being rejected by the Jews (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11)
being condemned with criminals (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 22:37)
garments being parted and divided by lot (Psalm 22:18; Matthew 27:35)
being offered vinegar for His thirst (Psalm 69:21; Matthew 27:48)
body being pierced without His bones being broken (Psalm 34:20; John 19:36; also Zechariah 12:10; John 19:37)
being buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57–60)
rising from the dead on the third day (Hosea 6:2; Luke 24:46)

Were these long range prophecies? I guess it’s all relative but, Zechariah lived around 500 years before Jesus was born. Isaiah, Micah and Hosea were around 700 or more years whilst the Psalms were telling us details about Jesus some 1000 years ahead of His arrival.

How to use the Belt of Truth

Purposefully delve into the Truth on a specific topic, but don’t neglect to embrace the whole of Scripture. Don’t just study the parts that come easy from devotional readings or may seem interesting. Diligently ‘dig into’ the whole counsel of God’s word.
Make a habit of praying God’s word. Use the Word of Truth as a template for what, how and why you prayer.
Discipline yourself to memorise the Truth for quicker access when you need it. Make notes, use post-it notes, repeat aloud, and anything else that will help you learn portions of Scripture for use in battle with the enemy.
Keep the Truth ‘fresh’ and foremost in your mind at all times.
Evade speaking untruths of omission let alone deceptions and lies!!! Lies are the native language of the devil, the Father of Lies (John 8:44).
Jesus said he was the Truth (John 14:6) so, like any belt, stay so close to Him that He can wrap around you and hold all things in place
(Tighten the belt of Truth for best effect/use)

The Helmet of Salvation protects our mind

Our mind tends to be the primary spiritual battle field. The point of entry for most of the enemy’s attacks – accusations, lies, whispers of fears, condemnations, doubts of self, doubts of God’s promises, questions of God’s character, depressing and morbid thoughts etc. Temptation starts with a thought! Unchecked the thought leads to action, the sin.

The helmet, the fact of our salvation by God’s Love and Grace, spreads protection over all our thoughts if we let it. All our thoughts, all of our thinking, should be founded on, and submitted to, the Truth of our salvation (trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection).

Thus we need to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things (Col 3:2)

In order to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2) and to be demolishing arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2Cor 10:4-7)

Sharpen the Sword of the Spirit

“… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17) is, as the writer to the Hebrews points out, “… living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb 4:12). The NLT says that “It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” allowing Holy Spirit to convict us of sin so we can deal with it and head back to purity in the midst of the vine of Jesus (God’s protective covering).

When we are tempted, the most effective weapon that God has given to us as believers is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Jesus demonstrated this so well all through His life but especially during the time of His temptations in the desert. He cut off each of the enemy’s attempts to lure Him away from trusting Father God by quoting a verse of Scripture.

Therefore spend time learning Scripture, strengthening and sharpening your sword.

How to protect your heart with the Breastplate of Righteousness

Be attentive to and soak in, instructions from the Lord. If there’s an area of life that feels like it gets easily tangled up in sin, dare to be transparent with a church leader or trusted mature friend in the Lord. Ask them for prayer and Scriptural helps that will aid your walk in the Lord more fully.
The enemy has made ‘accountability’ a ‘dirty word’ in our culture. That in itself is proof enough that accountability is a most effective (fast and efficient) way to keep us ‘on the straight and narrow’. To help us head towards the Holiness that God desires for us:-
- - meet regularly with two or three trustworthy brethren with whom you can share the deeper topics, ask the ‘telling’ questions.
  - implicit in this level of sharing is asking a trusted person to pray for you if/when you are struggling with obedience.
All Christians struggle, but none were meant to struggle alone. We make easy targets for the enemy when we do not obey God since disobedience moves us out from under His protection.
Keep short accounts with God – ask for forgiveness from God and others – keep your relationships right.

How to use the Gospel of Peace

Peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). So it follows that the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins, access to and oneness with God through Jesus, produces Peace.

This gives the enemy obvious weapons to unbalance us from standing firm – temptations of fears, worry and anxiety. All disturb, if not steal our Peace and destabilise our stance in Christ. Therefore:-

Daily ask the Lord to remind you of the Good News (Gospel) of what He has accomplished for you.
Choose to fill, and keep filling your mind with “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, anything that is excellent or praiseworthy” (Phil 4:8).
Make an effort to remember that “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:5b-7)
Base your sense of security and identity in the Lord’s work not your efforts.

Moreover, get involved in service – take your mind off yourself. With appropriate shoes you can always be ready to act, to speak of Christ (Isaiah 52:7). As Paul said to the Romans, “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good” (Romans 12:21). Just do it.

Grow your Shield of Faith

The shields of the Roman soldiers were covered with heavy animal hide which they would dip in water before a battle. The wet hide would extinguish any fiery darts when they hit.

In like manner, our faith needs constant wetting by the Word of God in order to extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy.

Unlike the Roman shields, our shields of faith can actually grow larger and cover more of us the more we wet them with the Word of God. Our Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17)

Even more, like “the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ ” (Mark 9:24) we can ask the Lord to increase our faith.

We should always let God’s character be the basis of our faith not our circumstances. Keep trusting God. No matter what!

1Chronicles 16:11-34

11 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
12 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
13 O descendants of Israel his servant, O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14   He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
15   He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,
16   the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.
17   He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18   “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”

19 When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it,
20 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.
21 He allowed no man to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings:
22 “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

23   Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.
24   Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25   For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
26   For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
27   Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place.
28   Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,
29   ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
30   Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
31   Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”
32   Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Genesis 12:1-7

1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.
5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” ….

Gen 9:20-27

20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.
21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,
25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”
26 He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
27 May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.”

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Heb 4:15)