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Faithful and just 02/05/2020
Today I was thinking on the verse in 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I was contemplating why the scripture says ‘faithful and just’. Why do you think it does not read, ‘good and merciful’ or ‘compassionate and kind’?
For me, it points to the work of the cross. Once the penalty was paid by Christ, all who look to Him are saved from God’s wrath. They have reached out and touched the sacrifice. This principle is portrayed in Leviticus.
For instance, in Lev 1:4 …he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
Once someone has touched the sacrifice (Christ) by faith in His work on the cross, then the promise of God is sure. God is faithful.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Since Christ has been sacrificed on the cross, it would not be just of God to punish those who trust under its redeeming shade, since Christ has already paid for their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11).
So indeed, God is faithful and just.
Psalm 27:11 14/5/2020
Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
I was meditating on this scripture recently. How we all need teaching the way of the Lord. His way is perfect, while we are so imperfect. The scriptures say that His ways are past finding out. Graciously, He reveals them to us. How wonderful He is that we can grow in His knowledge and ways.
I then thought about the plain path. Plain is miyshowr in Hebrew. It means a level place. The root word that miyshowr comes from means to be upright or straight. How often we meet obstacles in our life, or crossroads where we do not know which direction to turn. With the Psalmist we can pray that the Lord will lead us in a plain path that we may know His will clearly set out before us.
Psalm 33 :1 29/05/2020
Psalm 33:1
Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
I read this scripture the other day, and was struck by a couple of things in it.
The word for rejoice is ranan is Hebrew. It is in the imperative and therefore means to cry out or shout out God’s praise. Those who have been redeemed by Jesus certainly have much to shout out to God for in praise.
Nevertheless, how often I come to prayer and do not actually feel like praising God, but here we are told that praise is comely. The New King James says ‘beautiful’. Since Jesus has made a way for us to approach the Throne of Grace, we have been made righteous. It is fitting, seemly and beautiful to praise God for all He has done for us. We can also praise Him for who He is. Jesus went to the cross because He loved us. He is so patient with us. I often think of the intricacies of His creation which leads me to think of His incredible unsurpassed and immeasurable knowledge and wisdom. Sometimes my soul gasps for air as I think on the fact that God was never created – He has always been there. I cannot keep thinking about it since it blows my mind.
Indeed, praise is comely for the upright!
Hebrews 11:6 03/06/2020
…without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
This verse was very much impressed upon me yesterday. The word for ‘impossible’ in the Greek is edunaton and means to be without power or impotent. The faithless person is unable to please God in any way: they have no power with God. The word for ‘that he is’ is ginetai and means to become. God does not always answer our prayers immediately – but He does promise to answer us. He will become a rewarder to us if we continue to diligently seek Him. God is no man’s debtor, and here, incredibly, God promises to repay us for seeking Him. Misthapodotes, the word for reward, means to remunerate. This is a remarkable promise in the scriptures that should greatly encourage us to seek our Heavenly Father for our needs.