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Both Abraham and Melchizedek seem to believe that there is a Creator who owns the heaven and earth, and therefore possesses all things in them. There is none higher than

Knowing and believing that the battle is the LORD's should affect the way I approach conflicts, trials, and temptations. I think realizing that the power is not of me, knowing that I have no power to achieve victories in my life, makes me timid sometimes - even creates negative defeated thinking if I'm not careful. It might even make me think I don't need to participate because God has it all covered. But realizing my poverty of power is actually a good thing that should be the starting point for looking to Shaddai for victories. But even then, feeling so empowered by God may cause me to brashly run out ahead of Him in battle. There's a balance that's needed here. Knowing that the LORD will fight for me and win should not cause me to fall back and "play it safe". Nor should it cause me to get cocky and start thinking I can do anything I want. The LORD has definitely called His people to engage in warfare with Him. He's always required participation. ("If my people will

As Moses held up the rod of God during that battle, it was a visible and constant reminder to the troops that they were rallied together in this warfare under the banner of Yahweh. When you fight under someone's banner you are yielded to his cause, reliant on his direction and provision, committed to victory in his name and for his glory. The LORD is my banner is this very same way. I must approach my battles with submission to His will for me, confidence that He will guide and provide for every need, and resolve to be steadfast in seeking His renown and glory when He brings the victory. I can fight the good fight as long as I follow His signal!

The armies of heaven are called out to follow the Mighty Warrior, Yahweh-Sabaoth, in warfare. The battle to be fought in the Garden of Gethsemane was not a military event requiring military force. I think it was a personal battle of holiness over evil, of right over wrong, of salvation over bondage, of life over death. That battle had to be fought with love and humility. When the time comes for Christ to sound the call for the heavenly host to follow Him into battle, it will be the time for justice and judgment. He will be coming back with unimaginable, inescapable military might to execute the final stages of redeeming all that is rightfully His and banishing the very presence of sin. That battle will be fought with the fullness of His supreme power and majestic authority. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come.

Elisha's servant couldn't sense or see the unseen spiritual forces around him that Elisha clearly saw. Elisha was calm and confident in the LORD's protection; his servant was terrified because all he could see were the enemy forces. I think the difference was the faith that comes out of having your own relationship with the LORD, not just seeing someone else having that relationship. This is a wonderful story that reminds me of the spiritual warfare going on all around me all the time that I cannot see. And right there is Yahweh-Sabaoth and all His heavenly hosts - taking care of business as He protects His plans and purposes for me. On top of that, His very presence, including Mighty Warrior, dwells right within me. There is no battle from within or without that He cannot win, for He is greater than any other force that exists! What have I to fear? I don't have to get in a panic over the disasters and difficulties in my life or the enemies that would like to destroy me. Lord, give me faith and enlighten the eyes of my heart so that I can see!

This was an enlightening thought. We tend to get caught up in being on the right or wrong side of things, and then we want the LORD to pick our side and give us favor. All along, the true question is simply if we're on the LORD's side. He doesn't "choose sides". His agenda is the only one He is concerned about. Joshua approached this man standing before him with a sword drawn in his hand with the boldness of an army commander. But when he realized that this man was the Commander of the army of the LORD, Yahweh Himself, he fell to the ground in prostrate humility. Before this encounter, I imagine Joshua was unsure how they would ever penetrate Jericho's defenses. This word of courage from Shaddai, this proclamation of victory from Yahweh-Sabaoth empowered Joshua to obey what God directed him to do with confidence and basically just watch with a spirit of peace as the LORD defeat Israel's enemies. Can you imagine the excitement and awe of seeing that victory right in front of your eyes?! I'm called to obedience, but the truth is, the LORD really doesn't need my help! He is the all-mighty, all-powerful, all-victorious Warrior and Commander-in-Chief. And He's fighting for me because I am on His agenda! I don't need to seek the victories; I need to simply seek the Victor.

Yahweh is the eternal God who lives forever. David knew that the LORD was not like the false gods of the pagan world, the only gods that the Philistines knew. Those were merely idols that were impotent and dead and powerless to help Goliath. David was confident in a vital and living God who is actively involved in the lives of His people, with the power to deliver anyone from anything. Knowing Hebrews 10:31,that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, should cause fear and dread to the type of person that the preceding 2 verses described. Everyone not redeemed by grace will have to face the LORD as the Supreme Judge of their unforgiven sin. It will be a fearful and dreadful moment to answer to the living God for having spurned the redeeming Son of God, profaned His sacrificed blood that sanctifies, and outraged the Spirit of grace (vs.29). The Living God has promised to repay with vengeance (vs.30). Yes, He is pure living Love, but He is also uncompromising living Justice.

The LORD existed before the start of time and will be there after the end of time. I AM WHO I AM and "Alpha and Omega, who is and who was and who is to come" both say the same thing to me: He is self-existent and eternal. God has no beginning and no end. He existed before anything that He created was made (which, of course, is everything!). He always was and always will be. This should strengthen my faith to build my life on the only One, the only foundation, that is certain and unchanging. My mortal existence on earth is brief, and cannot compare to my future in immortality. Knowing I was created for eternity should change my perspective in living out my life. Everything I do here, everything I treasure here should be based on that truth. I don't need earthly possessions or positions or prestige. Everything of value is on the other side. Oh, to be cured of my chronic shortsighted tunnel vision!

Time is a finite measure. I don't believe there is time in the infinity of eternity, certainly not as we know it. And I cannot get my mind around it, quite honestly. God exists outside the boundaries of time. To know that I am going to be in the presence of the LORD for all eternity with uninterrupted, unhindered fellowship and worship that is unmarred by my flaws, failures, or carnality of sin is almost unimaginable. Yet as I try to imagine it, I go all the way from feeling the exuberant joy of anticipation to the satisfaction of finally becoming the perfection that I was meant to be to the humble acknowledgment of my unworthiness. Knowing that I'll dwell in the pure presence of love makes me feel appreciative and grateful for what was sacrificed so I can be there. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Yahweh was revealing His self-existent and eternal nature to the Israelites. This was an assurance that He would be with them without end in all the ways they already knew Him - Creator, El-Elyon, Shaddai, Sabaoth, etc. They were being challenged to more fully trust that His power to do all things would always be at work on their behalf, even when they couldn't see it. Since this name revealed a call to obedient faith, they were going to experience what they knew of Him in a deeper, personal way than ever before. This is definitely a contrast to the Egyptian idols of wood and stone that were all created by man and were certainly not eternal or powerful or personal.

I particularly see a repetition of the words tired, weary, and strength in verses 28-31. This assures me that, while I do not even have the strength or resources to make it through the finite period of years for my earthly life, Everlasting Creator God has all understanding, all strength, and all power to supply all need over all the earth for all eternity. In seeking to make real-life application of His might as Creator, this raises some questions I really need to ponder. In what ways do I ignore His glorious, abundant provision for my needs? What causes me to continue to do this so frequently? When I am tired or weary or hopeless or lacking understanding, why am I often so slow to turn to God and receive what I need from Him? Who is on the throne of my heart? If it is not the LORD, what right does the occupant have to be there? What is clouding my vision, darkening my mind, or dulling my spiritual ears to know Everlasting Creator God for who He truly is? What steps do I need to take to correct that? How does the way I actually live reflect what I really believe? Just last night I attended a Chris Tomlin/Matt Redman concert (what astounding, scriptural, worshipful music!) with speaker Louie Giglio. He talked about the "Astronomical Grace" of God (what incredibly perfect, personal timing God has!). He showed us picture after picture taken by the Hubble telescope of other galaxies out there in deep space with billions upon billions upon billions of stars - that the Lord knows each by name. He showed us one composite photo from our Milky Way galaxy that covered more light years of distance than I can fathom where you could barely see the little speck of dust in a band of reflected sunlight that we know as planet Earth. The final photo he showed was from deep in the center of one of the farthest galaxies yet seen, where there is what the astronomers call an X-formation - - clearly seen in the shape of a CROSS! God's astronomical grace is being unendingly proclaimed across the entire universe!! Louie's point was just how huge and great and mighty Creator God is, and how tiny and helpless and infinitesimal we are. But yet how supremely loved and valuable we are to Him as His creation, just as much as the rest of the universe that was designed to continually express and declare His glory! What need could we ever possibly face that cannot be met by such a mighty Creator?

In this Psalm, I see God as the Great God El-Elyon, the great King Owner of all the earth, our Maker, and personal Shepherd. The Psalmist calls us to joyfully extol Him with music and song, express thanksgiving, and bow down to kneel before Him in worship. Our submission to the Shepherd is implied, as the people of His pasture under His care. This is all appropriate because there is no one greater, no one else worthy. We are His beloved creation, and we owe Him everything.

What has been created can never be greater than the creator. So, of course, that means the Creator is always greater than the creation. This would give the Creator inherent authority as "Lord of heaven and earth" and "Builder of all things". As something created, I shouldn't be questioning His work or second-guessing His reasons. Only He has the complete overview of what He is doing. Only He can make His creation "work right". Only He knows all the whys and how's and wherefores of my purpose in human history. Only He has the right to expect respect and obedience, reverential awe and honor, worship and adoration. When I create something, there is always something of myself in the finished work. As my Maker, when He created me, something of Himself was essentially built into me. I was made in His image, and He wouldn't make something like Himself that He didn't cherish! That gives me the utmost value and worth, for I am supremely loved! As the Master Architect, when He intricately designed me it was for a life built on a solid foundation, with important function. As the Potter, when He fashioned me it was with a plan and purpose for good. That gives me reason to live a useful, meaningful life that makes an impact for His kingdom! I am freed to willingly yield to His authority, to follow and obey His plan for me, and to expect good from Him.

A pot is made at the discretion of the Potter, according to whatever design and function He has in mind. It is His desire and His skilled touch that turn the lump of rather meaningless clay into a purposeful object. The vessel itself has no ability to create itself or make suggestions on how it should be crafted and used. The creation has no basis on which to challenge the Creator; it can never be smarter or bigger or more important. Yet, we try to do this very thing all the time. We try to figure things out with our own wisdom, we act on our own feelings and intuitions about what's right, we walk by sight instead of faith. It's that innate desire to have our "say-so", make things the way we want them, and be in control. I'm called to trust that what my Creator does is right. I should be humble, grateful, and content in His purposes and provisions. I need to seek His wisdom and timing instead of running off on my own so much. I'm too prone to making my "big" plans and then expecting Him to see them through, when in truth, this little pot has no right to make demands of the Potter. I must yield to the Spirit's work to conform my will to His, not try and conform His will to mine.

Justice = what is rightly deserved for offense Vengeance = administration of fair recompense as a result of offense Mercy = giving what is undeserved, in spite of offense The Holy and Righteous God cannot excuse, overlook, or justly forgive sins without punishing them. That was the very problem for humanity until the cross of Christ. The cross is significant and pivotal because the LORD's requirement for righteousness was satisfied there. God does not hate people, but He absolutely hates sin. Sin must be judged and punished. The Word says that all sin must be put to death, or else it will lead to death. Sinless, holy Christ agreed to accept God's full justice and vengeance against every single person's sin. His death on the cross was the satisfaction of the penalties that were rightly ours. When the LORD resurrected Him from the grave, it was proof that sin had been completely overcome and could no longer claim us in death. Now He is willing to mercifully pardon anyone/everyone who simply believes and confesses what Christ has done. Now God sees all who receive this gift of pardon as cleansed and righteous, through the sinless blood of Christ. Sin had created a breach between God and man, but the cross bridged that divide and now we have opportunity to individually draw near to Him and personally know Him in a relationship. Lord, thank you for the cross! Thank You for the cross, Lord; Thank You for the price You paid. Bearing all my sin and shame, in love You came, and gave amazing grace! Thank you for this love, Lord. Thank you for the nail pierced hands. Wash me in Your cleansing flow. Now all I know, Your forgiveness and embrace. Worthy is the Lamb, Seated on the throne. Crown You now with many crowns, You reign victorious High and lifted up, Jesus Son of God; The Darling of Heaven crucified. Worthy is the Lamb; Worthy is the Lamb! Hillsong Music

From what I've read, hospitals, mental health care, orphanages, and public education (at least in America) were all primarily instituted because of the Christian-based call to humanely care for people in need and educate everyone (not just the privileged) to read the Word of God for themselves. Organizations like the Salvation Army and YMCA/YWCA were established to provide aid and training to the down-and-out in the name of Christ. The LORD has clearly shown through Word and deed that He has a heart of compassion for the poor, weak, helpless, and downtrodden. Since He is at work to fully develop His character in His children, we should expect to be moved to action with compassion as well. I believe the LORD's heart is deeply grieved when we overlook and ignore those in true need. Matthew 25:31-46 is a clear call to demonstrate sanctified, holy lives by joining Him in such service. Since Jesus specifically said that He considers whatever is, or is not, done to the "least of these" to actually be done toward Him, we must take this seriously. His instructions about ministering to the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned are given in the context of His final judgment as King. Those who exhibited His heart and character will have proven themselves to be born of God - and will be blessed by the Father to inherit the Kingdom. It seems quite evident that He takes His roles as Defender and Protector and Helper VERY seriously. We cannot turn a blind eye to weak and helpless people - as a society, as His Church, and as individual believers. On a practical level, I do not believe that God expects any one person to meet the needs of the whole world! BUT, according to the opportunities and resources He has given, He expects us to at least respond to individuals in our lives. I can't assist all the widows and orphans, but I could assist one. I think it's all about the attitude of the heart. Are we too selfish and self-absorbed to even want to help? Father, forgive me for becoming overwhelmed and even calloused to the needs of others far too often. Give me Your heart of compassion that moves me to act on Your behalf in whatever way You ask of me.

Relative truth and shifting morality are the diametric opposites of the Righteous and Upright God. Our social "situational ethics" experiment and lack of absolute values have failed miserably - and predictably - and have left us on a very shaky and crumbling foundation where "nothing is right and nothing is wrong". There is nothing secure there to keep a society - or an individual - from collapsing and imploding on itself. But the Lord's Righteous and Upright character are not relative to anything, except who He is! God says He is right and there are things that are wrong. How can we know and understand Him in the midst of such a shifting environment? Simplistic, but true…He will be found, rock-solid and uncompromising, in His recorded Word. I am definitely not an "evangelist", but I think, for me personally, one of the best ways to "declare" God and His Son Jesus Christ in my world is to live true to the Word. People notice when you have something unshakeable and real, especially when they face circumstances that turn their lives upside-down and completely shake their footing. Do we want to know God? Religion is everywhere, and a lot of it embraces relativism and God isn't found there. Well, the key is Jesus the Christ. The Word says that the Father is seen in Jesus. And as I die to self to let Jesus live more fully in me, people will see Him through my life. If they see the character of Christ reflected in my thinking and speech and decisions and attitudes and behaviors and actions, they will see something real and solid and unalterably dependable - something righteous and upright. They will come to know God only through Jesus, who wants to show Himself through me. We can't compromise the truth of the Word.

Glad to be back! When Isaiah saw the true glory and holiness of God, as well as the purest worship of heaven, he realized his own sinful uncleanness. He seems to be expressing abject unworthiness to even speak any praise of his own, which would pale in comparison to that of the seraphim. Since Isaiah could see God, then certainly he experienced the penetrating gaze of holiness, and sin is not tolerated in the presence of the King, the LORD of hosts. He expressed his "ruin", probably expecting death! His response was to confess his uncleanness and sin. God used a live coal from the altar in heaven, carried by a seraph, to touch Isaiah's lips and purify him from iniquity. This is a wonderful picture of 1 John 1:9! As soon as Isaiah confessed, the LORD forgave and cleansed, telling Isaiah that his sins were blotted out and his guilt was gone! Refining is often accomplished through intense heat, which burns off all unwanted elements in order to purify. I think this heavenly white-hot coal from the altar symbolized how the atonement and cleansing provided through the sacrificed Lamb of God burns away all impurities and sin and guilt. Before Isaiah could represent holy God to the people of Israel, he had to be purified of his own sin. Once Isaiah had been made a worthy vessel by God, he was ready for service. As soon as the LORD gave opportunity, he immediately responded that he was available and ready to do whatever God requested and go wherever God sent him.

First, God receives more glory when His people are" rooted and established in love" (3:17). We're called to love Him with all our hearts, and minds, and souls, and strength. He has revealed a lot about how much He values unity and love among His children. And He expects us to show love to the lost. I think love is probably the platform from which everything else we offer must come in order to truly bring Him glory. God is glorified when His people trust Him, obey His word, and faithfully serve Him, as we worship Him in spirit and truth and offer praise as the fruit of our lips no matter what the circumstances are. I truly agree that praise and gratitude for who He is and all He's done are foundational. (I know I keep saying that over and over, but the Spirit has really impressed the importance of this to me.) I can help this happen by becoming a more determined, focused, and trained prayer intercessor. We have gained so many helpful insights, models, and tools through this Bible study. Now we need to put them to work. God wants to transform lives and congregations with magnificent power

To be honest, I don't know that I have specifically prayed this exact request for someone. WOW! That's a bold request. To be filled means there's no empty spot and the entire space of the container is occupied, even to overflow. To become a vessel completely holding all that is possible of the fullness of God is an incredible thought. The fullness of God would be the all-encompassing presence of His utmost glory, purity, and power. There would no longer be even the tiniest place where my carnal nature or imperfect soul (mind, will, & emotions) could remain. I would gain the highest degree I could possibly possess of His wisdom and knowledge of Him. I would enjoy the most pure fellowship with Him that I am capable of as a human being. This would be a prayer for the complete perfection of holiness and character of Christ in a person. Yes, I need to pray this for others, but I surely need to pray it for myself! Eph. 5:27 and Col. 1:28 speak of the work of Christ through the Spirit and the Word to make His Body of believers splendid, holy, without blemish, and mature in His character. He is at work to prepare His bride to be united with Him. To attain that state will be to be filled with all the fullness of God! Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come!

This should encourage me to pray just as big I can imagine, because that won't even come close to God's powerful ability! I need to learn to pray in line with the truth that this power of God that is "quite beyond all measure" is present in me - ready to be put to use for His glory and my good. The limiting factor is never Him. It is always me - with my lack of understanding, vision, and faith. Our own inability to comprehend God causes us to box Him in, to draw human parameters around Him. We don't naturally expect great things. And so our faith is limited, which limits His freedom to release greater power in answering prayers, making provision, bringing deliverance, or meeting our needs. In other words, we miss out on a LOT! To get past this failing, it would be wise to continually ask for a spirit of wisdom, revelation in the knowledge of God, and greater insight into our hope and inheritance and His power and love. Study His Word! Some truths are profoundly simple, but we need to give the Holy Spirit enough quiet time to take us deeper and teach the higher, greater "hidden" truths. (Some of the questions in this study have been doozies, but they've been great for forcing me to sit and wait on the Spirit to show me what He has wanted me to learn.) Then speak His Word back to Him, and praise Him constantly for who He is and what He can do. Realize that we don't have to fully comprehend the Lord in order to know and live like He can do anything! Keeping the focus on Him will help keep our focus off of our puny little selves!

The love of Christ is something I've been grappling with for a long time. It truly IS incomprehensible to the human mind. We can't get a grasp on it because our minds are finite, but His love in infinite. Our minds are imperfect, but His love is perfection. I think it's hard for us to receive love, so wide and long and high and deep that we can't even relate to it, because the way we grow up learning about love and how to love is so flawed and damaged. And then, when conviction of sin comes and salvation is received, so many believers never take possession of their freedom from bondages of the past, shame-filled regrets, or the continuing failures to consistently live a "good" Christian life. So we don't feel worthy of love, and we are closed to fully understand and receive it. BUT, what we must learn is that God's attributes, such as love, and His plans for us never depend on our feelings! It's no longer about us at all

The inner man is not always compliant with the Spirit, so I think Paul was praying for believers to maintain a humble attitude of dependence and to firmly stand strong in their faith. I might also pray, "Help me be strong, Lord, because my spirit is willing to obey You but my flesh is too weak to do it." If the word heart means "center and source of the whole inner life, with its thinking, feeling, and volition", as defined in the lesson, that would seem to refer to the soul of man - the mind, emotions, and will. When the Spirit of Christ comes to take up permanent residence within a believer, it is in the spirit of that person. The soul (in the sense that man is composed of body, soul, and spirit

In order to have vital faith in the Lord, I must believe in who He is and what He says. This attribute of immeasurably unsurpassed power is part of who He is! If I do not believe, in the trenches of real life, that God has the incomparable power to save and deliver me, protect and guard me, guide and direct me, strengthen and refresh me, transform my mind and conform me to holiness, or purify and secure me for eternity, then I won't even ask Him to do any of these things for/in me. I'll never be able to say, "I know that I know that I know" God has the power to accomplish anything. I will possess stagnant faith. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17) Even just reading today's passage again stirs up hope and faith in my spirit. It all begins with the Word. And then, I think faith sinks roots, moving from my head into my heart, as I begin to make choices and act on what I've heard. Once what I've heard begins to become what I experience, I really start to know God is true to what He has said, which serves to strengthen and deepen my faith. For me, it is simply the continuing cycle of the two steps of believing and then obeying that have worked together to really nurture my faith. And with each greater degree of faith, more of the unfathomable power of God is released on my behalf. For others, I can pray that they will hear the truth of the Word with spiritual ears, and that God will give greater revelation of understanding and the wisdom to put that knowledge to work in their lives. God will prove Himself faithful, and their faith in Him and what He says will grow!

If God were poverty-stricken, He would have no better resources to draw on than I do! I wouldn't be able to count on Him for power, ability, or provision for any need I have. Such a condition would definitely influence my faith and prayers - in a negative way. I couldn't expect He could help me, and so I wouldn't ask and believe. What a conviction I sense as I write these statements. Although the Lord is absolutely NOT poverty-stricken, too many believers too much of the time act as though He is just that. We DON'T act as though He has better resources to draw on than we do. We DON'T count on Him for power, ability, or provision for the needs we have. We DON'T really trust He can help so we DON'T ask and believe. Our flawed perception of the Lord then weakens our faith and prayers, and it paralyzes us in our defeated, weak, and impoverished condition. To really gain insight of the truth of our inheritance in Christ would transform us. Not only does the Lord have a glorious rich supply set aside and designated for believers to see us through this mortal life, He has an inheritance established in and permeated with glory awaiting us for our future life in eternity. And this inheritance is already "in the saints" - in me! I know from Colossians 1:27 that my hope of glory is Christ in me. This inheritance of, by, and in glory has already been sealed in me by the presence of His Spirit within. My confident assurance that this hope will one day be fully and tangibly realized (Heb.11:1) is the empowering faith that should motivate me to stop living daily life and communicating with the Lord as though I am poverty-stricken. As His child, I am rich in glory (which, from Strong's concordance, I draw a composite meaning of "fullness, heft, weight of dignity, honor, splendor")! I need to claim possession of what He has given to me. In Him, I am no lightweight to be helplessly tossed around by the enemy like a rag doll, or to cower in fear at every crisis, or to live like a defeated pauper! Praise my glorious Lord