From this David reveals on the day of his deliverance from the hand of King Saul and other enemies! In the very first verse of Psalm 18, he sings I will love You, O LORD my strength.
God's love will prove out every time we call on Him. Have we called on Him today? Have we called out His name in the valley of Achor, that valley of trouble?
Psalm 119:140 Your word is very pure; therefore You servant loves it.
The servant loves God's word for it has been proven, yes, has been tested time and time again and He has proven faithful in His love toward us. Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. David called on God, and time after time, God answered and in many ways!
In that walk of faith, we give opportunity to trust that God will fulfill His Word. It is that which will put trust in His character and believe what He has given through that very word. David wrote on the character of God in Psalm 23.
Psalm
23:4………..4
Yea, though I walk through the valley
of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. NKJV
Jesus spoke on the mercy of God: Luke
6::35-36……...35
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and
your
reward will be great, and you will be sons
of the Most High.
For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your
Father also is merciful.
And of this is written of His truth: Psalm
119:160…….160
The entirety of
Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
NKJV
Trust is a word that in God, about God and through God, we are to be deliberate in that Trust in His thoughts and ways: Mark 16:17-18 NKJV 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
This account is only given in the book of
Mark! We know that there are verses that
point to the commission of the apostles: as in Matthew 28: 16-20 Then the
eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had
appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to
Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 20”teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you,
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen." ( also
found Luke 24:36-49)
But Mark
gives this: “signs will follow those who believe.” Now some say this means that
Christians can handle snakes, but seriously the meaning has to do with trust
that Christians are protected if they are bitten. Remember a snake had bit Paul
while he was on the island of Malta. No he was not on a “cruise ship” but on a
ship that fell apart in rough seas when those in authority did not pay attention to his
warnings given by the Holy Spirit to
stay put. They proceeded into seas that would wreak havoc when stirred up by a really bad storm with attitude. With this in mind, many things played a role in Paul getting to the island of Malta, as the captain who chose go when even the time of year was contrary to a yes answer. Still it is in those situations that money speaks louder than words!
Acts
28:1-6 Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was
called Malta. 2 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a
fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because
of the cold. 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on
the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4 So
when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one
another, “No doubt this man is a
murderer whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow
to live. 5 But he shook off the creature
into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 However, they were expecting that he would
swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time
and saw no harm come to him, they
changed their minds and said that he was a god.
Luke the
physician wrote in Luke 10:17-20 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord,
even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw
Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19”Behold, I give you that authority to
trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and
nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this,
that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are
written in heaven.”
He also
recorded this in Acts 5:12-13... And through the hands of the apostles many signs
and wonders were done among the people." And they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
Some speculate that this was just for the apostles, but again Mark 16 and verse 17 speaks, "these signs will follow those who believe." Does not say those who are just apostles, those who where just alive at that time, but those even now who believe!
Again looking at Luke 10:17-20 was Jesus pointing to "protection". We are to trust Him even as simply spoken. We are not to rejoice that we have the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and the power of the enemy (Satan) but we rejoice that our names are in heaven. We are a part of God's family. What He has promised, He provides. Anything we do on earth is either done by our own hand or God's power flowing through us. Either our belief will be in Him or in ourselves. We are either born again to live in His kingdom which has come or we are living as the old man in sin and without God!
In understanding that faith is a spiritual walk we walk by faith and not by sight. Our trust is in God's thoughts and God's ways which are higher than our own. (Isaiah 55:8-13)
So we
must have a firm conviction in acknowledging God’s truth. We admit His words
where we display our faith in them and where faith is alive.. John 3:3 NKJV
Jesus answered & said to him, “ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless
one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:5 NKJV Jesus answered, “most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water & the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God.
It is
also a firm surrender to Him where conduct appears under His leadership: Romans
10:8-10 Amp Bible.. 8 But what does it
say? The Word (God’s Message in Christ) is near you, on your lips & in your
heart; that is, the Word ( the message, the basis & object of faith which we
preach. 9 Because if you acknowledge & confess with your lips that Jesus is
Lord & in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, & rely on the truth)
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a
person believes (adheres to, trusts in,& relies on Christ) & so is
justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God) & with the mouth he
confesses (declares openly & speaks out freely his faith) &
confirms[his] salvation.
From Paul assisting those people of Malta, still a snake decided to bite. But Paul by his faith was lighting the way into that which would bring glory to God. For He proved to Paul that He was always with him. Are we lighting the way that proves we know God is the true and the faithful ONE?
God’s
kingdom authority conflicts with the worlds system of authority :Luke 22:24-27
Amp Bible 24 Now an eager
contention arose among them [as to] which of them was considered & reputed
to be the greatest. 25 But Jesus said to them, the kings of the Gentiles are
deified by them & exercise lordship [ruling as emperor-gods] over them;
& those in authority over them are called benefactors & well-doers. 26
But this is not to be so with you, on the contrary, let him who is the greatest
among you become like the youngest, & him who is the chief & leader
like one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, the one who reclines at the
table ( the master), or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at
the table? But I am in your midst as ONE Who serves. See also Mark 10:35-37;
Matthew 20:20-28
These men were eager to be a
“somebody”. They wanted significance. Yet,
even within this group & that which Jesus spoke, whether jobs,
sports or even in schools and academies & even in possessions, still our
identity is not in the accomplishments or things, but in Jesus, He whom we
serve is in our midst! The greatest is the one who resides with Christ, settled
in Him & relying on His sacrifice. We are not to get our identity in the
position, the things we do or things we have, we are to serve Him from the identity
He has given us.
We will either be wrapped up in His grace or wrapped up in something of the world. May our love resound not because that which we do but that which is wrapped up in the mercy of God that appeared as grace to people who required life, who required a Savior and may we show our love to Him this day and every day. Our names are written in heaven and we are thankful to participate in His kingdom that has come.
There is a new virus out now called the coronavirus! But it has nothing on Jesus, for all things are under His feet. He is authority and He granted us authority to walk as He walked. Build your faith, stand firm and know that our faith is spiritual, it represents a trust in Almighty God who made heaven and earth. Stand in belief that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. If God be for us, then who can be against us? Amen!
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