Habakkuk 2

Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Friday, July 5, 2019

Sing Praises


Isaiah 12:1-2 ESV

You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
    for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
    that you might comfort me.

“Behold, God is my salvation;
    I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
    and he has become my salvation.”

When God first created humankind, they were without sin. But, then they sinned against God by disobeying his command to them. And, since that time all humanity has been born into sin with sin natures. All have sinned and have come up short of attaining God’s approval and his holiness.

So, God provided a way for us to be delivered out of our slavery to sin and to be made righteous with God. He sent his only begotten Son to the earth to be born as a baby, and to grow up to be a man, and to suffer like we suffer, and to be tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin.

He sent Jesus Christ, God the Son, to the earth also to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins, to heal the sick and afflicted, to comfort the sorrowful, to feed the hungry, to deliver people from demons, to give sight to the blind, and to set the captive free from his bondage to sin.

And, he sent him to be our perfect Lamb blood sacrifice for our sins so that we can die with Christ to sin and live with him to righteousness, all in the power, working, and strength of his Spirit now living within us. For, Jesus died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us (Rom. 6:1-23; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Co. 5:15, 21).

So, our salvation from sin is not merely forgiveness of sins, an escape from hell, and the promise of heaven when we die. Our salvation is deliverance from our sinful lifestyles. It is a transformation of our hearts and minds away from living to sin to now walking (living) according to the Spirit of God.

So, we give thanks to God for delivering us out of our slavery to sin and for giving us new lives in Christ Jesus, empowered to live for our Lord.

Isaiah 12:3-6 ESV

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
    call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
    proclaim that his name is exalted.

“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
    let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
    for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Also, our salvation is not a one-time event and then we are good to go no matter what we do from that point forward. Our salvation is a lifelong process of forsaking sin and living for the Lord. Daily we die to sin and self, and daily we put on Christ and his righteousness. It is those of us who are walking according to the Spirit, and no longer according to the flesh, who have the hope of salvation from sin and heaven as our eternal home.

And, when Jesus sets us free from our addiction to sin, and he gives us new lives in him to be lived to his righteousness, then we should want to give praise to the Lord for what he has done in saving us, and for giving us new meaning and purpose for life. And, we should want to tell others, too, about his salvation, and about how they can be saved from their sins, too.

We should want to tell others all about God; about Jesus Christ. And, it should bring joy to our hearts to share with others about the greatness of God, and of all his godliness, holiness, purity, steadfastness, faithfulness, love, tenderness and compassion towards us, too. And, we should desire to give God all honor, respect, submission and obedience.

We should be filled to overflowing with gratitude to our Lord for all that he has done for us in saving us from our sins, and for all the many spiritual blessings that he pours into our lives on a regular basis. For, he is perfect, and he is completely faithful in all that he does.

And, he always has our best interest in mind. His desire for us is that we be conformed to his likeness and that we walk in holiness, because this is what is best for us, and it is what will bring him praise, honor and glory. So, we should sing his praises continually, and be ever thankful to our Lord.

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Hymn lyrics by Adelaide A. Pollard, 1907
Music by George C. Stebbins, 1907

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!

*copyright status is public domain



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