Bible Ballistics: BBs #297   “For The Lord IS Good”!!!

 

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,

all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord

with gladness:

come before his presence

with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord

he is God:

it is he that hath made us,

and not we ourselves;

we are his people,

and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into

his gates

with thanksgiving,

and into his courts

with praise:

be thankful unto him,

and bless his name.

5 For the Lord

is good;

his mercy

is everlasting;

and his truth

endureth

to all generations.” Psalm 100

A word of encouragement for your Friday, for we can truly “Know ye that the Lord he is God” and take comfort and rejoice in that truth. We can know that “the Lord is good” —it is His nature, His character—but His goodness is also in perfect righteousness and holiness. He will accomplish His purpose in all things, because “HE IS GOD” and we are NOT! And I am so glad that we can trust to the perfect, sovereign, just and righteous nature of our Lord God Almighty! And one day all will see Him as He IS!

“Make a joyful noise unto God,

all ye lands:

2 Sing forth

the honour of his name:

make his praise glorious.

3 Say unto God,

How terrible art thou in thy works!

through the greatness of thy power

shall thine enemies submit themselves

unto thee.

4 All the earth shall worship thee,

and shall sing unto thee;

they shall sing to thy name. Selah.” Psalm 66:1-4

Did you get that “All the earth shall worship thee”—ALL? Paul also reminds us “every knee shall bow”! Our God, Jesus His Son, and His Holy Spirit, will be acknowledged by ALL on “that day”. And this fact should make us grateful people, but also burdened people. Burdened to share the truth in our words, our actions, and our lifestyles—our whole lives—to be a living testament to the truth of the life-changing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The One who came and gave all for “the world”! (See John 3:1-21)

“Let this mind be in you,

which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God,

thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation,

and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name

which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

12 Wherefore, my beloved,

as ye have always obeyed,

not as in my presence only,

but now much more in my absence,

work out your own salvation

with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you

both to will

and to do

of his good pleasure.”    Philippians 2:1-13

Let’s start at the “end” of this passage, “For it is God which worketh in you”!!! When God saves us, He works in “all things…….to conform us to the image of His Son” (see Romans 8:28-29), because we are then HIS children and He desires the very best for us, and from us. And we are to “work out” what God has put within us—NOT working “for” our salvation, but working “out” the salvation that God has put “within” us!!! We are to have “this mind” of Christ! The mind of a humble servant, because we serve the Living Lord; the King of Kings; the Risen Savior; the One before whom “every knee should bow”! And that should produce confident joy, thanksgiving and praise to our GOD! But we shouldn’t be keeping the Good News to ourselves, for the question isn’t “will YOU bow?”, but “when”, and there are consequences that come with our choices!

Will you bow before HIM now when you hear His voice call to your heart? Will you bow before the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior now, when His Spirit calls you to repent and believe? That is the question–“when” NOT “if”! You can bow before Him now and enjoy “abundant” life with Jesus now and for all eternity! Or you can reject Him now and live life on YOUR terms, Your own way, the way of the world, but you will bow before Him then, when HE comes, as your judge. And then, there won’t be any more opportunity to bow before the Savior Jesus, but you will bow before the Lord Jesus Christ as YOUR judge, and you will have set the verdict by your own choice! (See Rev. 20)

So I’ll simply close with some words from Haggai (A little know minor prophet, with a big message!). You/we can “consider” whose we are and rejoice in being a “child of the King”, or you can ponder who’s you are not along with the consequences of that choice.

“Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts;

Consider your ways.

6 Ye have sown much,

and bring in little;

ye eat,

but ye have not enough;

ye drink,

but ye are not filled with drink;

ye clothe you,

but there is none warm;

and he that earneth wages

earneth wages

to put it into a bag with holes.

7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts;

Consider your ways.” Haggai 1:5-7

Will you rejoice in belonging to Jesus?

Will you come to Him today, if you don’t yet belong to HIM?

Or will you refuse to bow now, knowing you WILL bow then?