DEUTERONOMY 33:1-29
THE GLORY AND JOY OF JESHURUN: Moses, the man of God, called Israel by "Jeshurun" - a "pet name" meaning "beloved and happy one". (V.1-5; 26-29) No one is as privileged as we are! The "Captain of our Salvation" thrust out the enemy before us when He overcame the world and spoiled principalities and powers on the Cross.
Blessings are empowerments. The specific blessings spoken are the empowerments of the saved believer. Some of them are immortality, Divine aid to fulfill Divine assignments, personal safety, abundance, success, courage, satisfaction, strength, and so much more. You read it.
RESPONSE: Asher, whose name means "Happy" - was given the strength to be a blessing to others. This Hebrew word for "strength" is not used anywhere else in the Bible - and here it means the strength to fulfill your duty. Whatever the season in my life, God has given me the strength to fulfill my assignment. I think because, just like Asher, I am HAPPY. I choose to be happy and content and it makes me robust and vigorous. "as thy days, so shall thy strength be" it says. This means that whatever my day calls on me to do, my strength will be equal to it. My mother always said, "Do NOT just do what you can. Do what it TAKES." Sometimes God gives us way more than we can do - just to crowd us to Himself again, real close, drawing on His faith and energy.
LUKE 13:1-21
REPENT: Jesus is the dividing point - people polarize around the issue of what to do with Jesus. Once we recognize Who He is, we must then judge ourselves and repent. God holds us responsible to be alert to the "signs of the times" and judge ourselves before God puts the fire to our toes.
The normal reaction when we hear of freakish deaths, is to assume that those people must have deserved judgment for some reason. But Jesus said that those people aren't any worse sinners than YOU are, so you'd better repent or you will die too! And when you repent, there should be a CHANGE as outward proof. "The fruit of repentance."
INFIRMITY: "Inability in mind or body to achieve results." In this case, it caused this women to be bent double - she could no longer look up. Jesus healed her on the Sabbath! The comment was made that He could have healed her on any of the other six days. (6 + 6 + 6 = 18 - she was infirm for 18 years) V. 16 says she was bound by Satan during that time. She is a picture of the people Jesus is speaking to - remember He is in the synagogue (for the last time).
PSALM 78:65-72
When Israel disobeyed and forgot their history, God chose Judah instead, the capital became Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, with a man of Judah, David, as king. The faithful shepherd of the flock became the faithful shepherd of a nation, during the whole of whose days they had victory in all things.
PROVERBS 12:25
The cure for an anxious heart: a "good word". Guess what! You don't have to wait for someone else to say them either. You can speak them to your own heart! Concentrate on the goodness and greatness of God - get your attention off yourself and your circumstances and other people. Instruct your heart to praise and thanksgiving so you cure yourself of self-pity. Self-pity is a killer and will repel other people too.
RESPONSE: According to this passage, do you know why David was such a good king? He ruled with "integrity of heart". He had INTEGRITY. We could sure use some of that in government again! Integrity is transparency. It is pure, void of mixture with evil. David had no ulterior motives. He wasn't in it for himself, but for God and for his nation. I must examine myself. Do I do things with no ulterior motives? Am I looking for something other than God's pleasure?
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