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If God had been on our side we would not exist, either as people or as a people. If the Lord did not save us from enemies we would be dead, physically and spiritually. The three spiritual enemies want our bodies dead, separated from the soul and from God.

But God gave us a Savior who rescued us from Sin, Death and Devil. He saved us from 4 metaphors: 1) from a monster that would have swallowed us up, but death is swallowed up in victory; 2) from raging waters that would overwhelm us, but the storm is stilled; 3) from beasts tearing us with teeth, but Satan is crushed; 4) from the trap of the bird hunter, but the snare is broken we are escaped from the penalty of sin.

We would not be alive eternally and enjoying God’s life if the Lord had not been our Savior and Protector. We would not continue to live eternally today and tomorrow if the Lord should ever stop being our Savior and Protector. But our Lord Jesus does not stop: He forgives sin daily and richly, delivers constantly from death and the devil, continually gives eternal life, gives daily bread, protects and defends from evil, hears prayers, lives in the heart and is with us always.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking up to the God in Heaven who is Lord and Master over my life and all things is the proper attitude of prayer. The one who prays is in the attitude of dependency and helplessness. The physical posture may or may not reflect that, but the spirit holds the posture of dependence and trust, relying solely on the mercy of the Master.

The image of the one in need is like a dog or a servant looking to the hand of the kindly master. “I am helpless, but I know my master can extend his hand to help, or to punish; I am at your mercy.” I could take matters into my own hands, but I am weak and powerless and would probably just mess it up and make it worse.

My enemies (sin, death and devil) hold me in contempt and will show no mercy whatever. Their goal is my utter destruction and they will not stop until that is accomplished. The sooner I realize this and turn in trust to the mercy of my kind Master the better off I will be. So I wait upon the Lord until He has mercy on me. My entire life depends on mercy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where is the invisible God and where can I find Him on the visible earth where I live? The Bible reveals this crucial answer: He is in the Holy of Holies in the Temple on Mt. Zion in the city of Jerusalem. This is the  Presence of God, the place where the Lord dwells on the physical earth. Everyone knows that he may come to this city that houses the Presence to find God.

Then the Presence was transferred to and settled in a human being, Jesus of Nazareth: the Kingdom of God has come. Then, the Presence was moved to and located in the human hearts of those who believe and are baptized. When those individual believers gather in a place in the name of Jesus to hear the Gospel and worship Him that “Place” becomes a “Jerusalem.”

Jerusalem is a physical, visible geographical location on earth that houses the Presence. Any ground so hallowed, where the King rules His kingdom within, is a Jerusalem; this city can be set up anywhere and should be set up everywhere, at least in every home.

Pray for the peace and prosperity of that Jerusalem to which you journey. Pray thus: “Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come.”

 

 

 

 

 

When one is in a covenant relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ he comes under the direct care and supervision of the Creator of the universe. Because of Christ he knows that the same Almighty God that created him is the same God (in Christ) that saves him and gives eternal life; and the same God that saves him is the same God that protects  and guards Him day and night and forever.

From what God are you needing help? I am getting help from my Creator, my Savior, and my Keeper. The Lord is my Shepherd! I shall not want nor fear. This Keeper is in my presence day and night for physical (sunstroke) and mental (moonstruck) protection and shade. He does not sleep or rest, so I may both sleep in peace and relax in carefree comfort: “He will preserve your soul.”

“All” is an important word for faith to take hold of for peace and comfort: “The Lord will keep you from all evil.” This preservation includes daily comings and goings and longer journeys from now until forever. My unbelief will dispute this promise, but walking by faith wasn’t guaranteed to be easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lord hears our calls for help when in distress and he answers our prayers. Our spiritual enemies are troublemakers. Satan is a slanderous liar whether speaking directly in the mind or through other people in the world; he attempts to distort what others think of us or what we think of ourselves. Either way, he uses lies and distortion to contradict what God thinks of us, since He sees Jesus in us. God uses flaming arrows of Truth; the Truth: “I love you.”

Satan also is constantly attempting to stir up trouble and cause strife between people, and we all live among people like that. Lies and misunderstandings cause contentions among families, friends, churches, and community groups, which escalate to conflict and war; and wars you will always have with you.

Every single person considers himself a peacemaker, in that each wants to live undisturbed and avoid confrontation; every peacemaker becomes a troublemaker when his own selfish “pursuit of happiness” is blocked. I need to confess when I, who desire peace, am the one causing trouble. The warlike enemy has crept into my self and must be overcome through prayer and faith. This requires powerful conviction by the Spirit.

 

 

 

Psalm expresses the believer’s meditation on, love for, and delight in the Torah, meaning Instruction. The Torah is the five Books of Moses, the Law, and by extension, over time, it includes the Prophets, the Psalms, and the New Testament: the Bible. Eight different synonyms for the Word are used over 176 verses.

Intense love for the Gospel is understandable, but love for the Law and Commandments? What’s up with that? The Law (the Word of God) is loved because it expresses God’s will and His mind, and it God Himself that is loved and greatly desired: to know Him personally and live, really live.

“Quicken me according to your word” is prayed eleven times, often in response to affliction. My enemies are constantly seeking to destroy my life, at least to diminish the full enjoyment of life. Jesus comes to give life: “My words are Spirit and they are Life;” in the Scriptures you have eternal life, they testify of me; me has He quickened, who was dead in sins.

Affliction comes from one of the life destroyers (sin, death, devil). It is permitted by God for a purpose: to repent and believe the Gospel so Jesus can Give Life.

 

 

 

 

The Lord has given the king a great victory over his enemies, and he has returned to the people of God assembled in worship to give thanks. The power and love of God combined to save him from death and defeat the enemy. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous; this is the day…; save now (Hosanna); blessed is the king who comes in the power of the Lord.

The Triumphal Entry of Jesus is recounted in the same way, and with the same words, as this king who has returned from battle to give thanks for victory over death and the enemy. It is as if the victory has already taken place on the Sunday before the actual Friday battle. The Spirit of Christ has given advanced faith to the children and childlike followers of Jesus. The Victor was praised one full week ahead of the Proclamation on Easter. The scene does not appear like a victory celebration, but the eyes of faith see the power and love of God come together and settle on the man riding a donkey.

The same victory comes into our lives this day: God grant the faith to see, and sing “Hosanna” (Save now!)

 

 

 

 

All the nations, people groups, tribes and families, tongues and language groups of the earth are to be converted from enemies and strangers into friends and family. They will all praise the Lord when they see the mercy and truth of the One True God.

“Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ.” So says John. Mercy and truth is a simple translation of “steadfast love and faithfulness.” Mercy and truth are mentioned together and praised together many times. “Mercy and truth kissed each other.” Mercy and truth are even seen as agents of God, or messengers, sent by Him to meet a person who prays for help.

“Mercy” is the essential character of God which moves Him to decide to send His Son, the Savior, into the world. “Truth” is the faithful, promise-keeping character of God that actually carries out that desire and will of God in real time and Christmas happens.

When the peoples of the world hear the Gospel and see Jesus they see that the merciful kindness of God is great and His faithfulness lasts forever; then they praise the Lord, like us, who have already seen mercy and truth in Jesus.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has conquered the last enemy, Death. Death and Hell are the last persons thrown into the lake of fire before the establishment of the New Heaven and the New Earth of the eternal state, in which Sin , Death and the Devil are no longer present at all. Life with God can be enjoyed forever to the full without interference.

Death = Separation. Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body; spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God; eternal death is the separation of the soul and body from God forever.

Deliverance from death produces profusive praise and effusive thanks. First, deliverance from premature death brings relief: “Return to your rest, O my soul.” Then, appreciation: “I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” Finally, gratitude: “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?…I will take the cup of salvation…I will pay my vows unto the Lord.”

My death is “precious” to God, that is, costly and dear, because He desperately does not want to be separated from me, at all, ever. Therefore, He sent His Son to unite me to live with Him forever.

True believers proclaim and confess their unswerving fear, love and trust in the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. True believers can mock idols as lifeless and powerless. Idols are made with human hands and designed by human minds, while the true God reigns in heaven and He Himself made those human hands and minds.

Unbelievers, false believers and idol worshippers, in turn, mock the true believers, saying, “Where now is their God?” They will set up anything else as something to trust in and look to for good (usually it is Self). This “something else” is a rival, or enemy, to the true God; so true believers are intolerant of anything else as their Help and Shield; He is mindful of us and He will bless us. The true God, known only through Jesus the Messiah, has crushed all false gods and idols at the Cross and the Tomb.

We survive in an alien and hostile environment; we rise above life’s problems on God-given songs of prayer and faith. A real relationship with God resists rival human ideologies and creates a hope so certain that it’s prospect already praises the Only God and Savior, Jesus Christ.