Now Think On This
Steve Martin
“Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid.” (Isaiah 12:2, NKJV)
How often have you seen someone start a message from Scripture using a verse or two out of Lamentations?! Have you ever read Lamentations recently? Well, neither have I, until this morning.
During my daily reading of the Word of God, this month in Isaiah, I was reading chapter 12. Not only are those verses, from the Jewish prophet of the Living God of Israel, promises made to the chosen ones for that day, but also for us today who call upon the name of the Lord Yeshua. And that is why I was then led to Lamentations. I love how the Holy Spirit directs our steps, even in our reading of His eternal Word, the Torah, the Scriptures, the full Bible.
“Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind,
"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:20-26, NASU)
We had often, back in the day, sang those verses loud and clear, in proclamation mode in fact. “The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
Every morning, every noon, every evening we have the joy and extended call to us…to call on the Name of the Lord. For He is our salvation. He is our hope. He is the lovingkindness demonstrated daily as we put our trust in Jesus, Yeshua, Adonai, Yahweh, Morning Star, the great I AM. He is.
(I love the new song by Paul Wilbur on his latest CD/MP3 Forever Good - “Call on the Name”. Check it out sometime. I even provided the link for you!)
“Then you will say on that day," I will give thanks to You, O Lord; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation."
Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say," Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted." Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; let this be known throughout the earth. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 12:1-6, NASU)
What a promise we have, that we can stand on constantly, continually, as we walk the walk, talk the talk, and abide in His presence, whether that be in the secret place every morning during our Bible reading and prayer time, or in the midst of our daily job each of us work at. The Promise holds true - He will be with us, the daily Salvation of our soul.
In a recent youth gathering we started in our home, (primarily age 18 upward) I mentioned that many will have the “worship experience” (new fad name for it?) for an hour or two on Sunday morning, but what happens when the full worship team isn’t with you when the boss is in a foul mood, and you happen to get the brunt of his (or her) wrath on Monday?
Our experience with our Lord needs to be so deep within our soul, engrained within our emotions, that even when we are wrongly treated, falsely accused, or just plain lied about on the “job experience”, that we are still standing firm on His promises we know in our heart to be true - the solid foundation of His Word on which we stand.
The book of Lamentations and the book of Isaiah are to be just as real and impacting in our lives today as they were for those in the “days of old”.
Scripture is eternal. It was for them then, and it is certainly still is for us now. And it will be for the future. Why? Because He is the eternal Word made flesh and dwelt among us.
“The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh’khinah, the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, Complete Jewish Bible)
Jesus is the Promise. He is the Word. He is the One who we can trust in, rely on, and know He is with us always – on the Saturday or Sunday morning experience, or on the Monday through Friday ones.
“Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, Complete Jewish Bible)
Keep looking up. Then you will see Him within.
Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc.
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Todah rabah! (Hebrew – Thank you very much.) Please share Now Think On This with your friends. Steve Martin
Now Think On This - in the Year of our Lord 08.06.17 - #305 – “God Is My Salvation” – Sunday 7:05 am
