The LORD-is-My-Banner…

 

8 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; 16 for he said, "Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."—Exodus 17:8-16

This story was a very good reminder to me that as a child of God I depend on God’s grace to see me through this earthly realm.  The power of divine grace made me His child and it is the power of divine grace that will see me through this life.  When I act independently of the Spirit of God, my flesh wins an easy victory. When Moses hands were held up and he prayed, Israel prevailed in the battle.  The moment his hands began to droop, Amalek prevailed. The battle here was not fought on the ground…it was fought at the top of the mountain. Moses won the battle and prayer was his weapon. 

As I contemplate this I am overwhelmed by the weapons we as believers have in our arsenal that we very often do not use.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,—Ephesians 1:3

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.—2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” Jesus says. “If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with Me.”

Praying today that I open that door to His help, His power, His Presence and His company.  Beloved…The Lord fights for us. Both the battle and the victory belong to Him.  Call unto Him who will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:6-7

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

55 "O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.—1 Corinthians 15:52-58

Murmuring, Complaining and Arguing at Rephidim…

 

Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.

Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: "If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink."—Exodus 17:1-5

Even though God had abundantly provided for all their needs, God’s people still complained. If this pattern sounds familiar to you in your own life, you are not alone. I can behave just as badly. Sigh!  The wilderness does not seem to be bring out the best in them, nor in us, does it?  Earlier in Chapter 15 God had tested them similarly. They had failed that test so here, in Chapter 17, we find them being tested a second time and failing.  The people once more complain against Moses about the water situation and blame him for taking them out of Egypt (cf. Ex. 16:3). This time, however, they do more than murmur and complain…here at Rephidim, they quarreled with Moses. As I read I thought of these very convicting verses from the book of James. 

What leads to [the unending] quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God]. You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires.—James 4:1-3 AMP

The hearts of God’s people did not want what God wanted. They wanted to be back in Egypt. They were unbelieving and unthankful. In complaining and quarreling (Moses says in verse 4 that they were ready to stone him!) they were really saying that God was not good and neither was He trustworthy. They wanted to go back to their old life…the life with which they were familiar.

I really hate when I behave as the Israelites did here. In my spirit I truly want to trust God and accept whatever He has for me in the moment. I want to be thankful.  I want to press forward and not look back.  But like the Israelites my tests often become opportunities for temptation because my attitude is wrong.  Beloved…every hard thing God allows in our lives can be a test that can help us grow spiritually or a temptation that will feed our flesh and make it stronger.  

Father, help me to be thankful and grow in grace!  Help me not to complain against you or worse contend with you.  I do not want to be unbelieving but believing.  I want to trust You and graciously give way to Your perfect will for me.

You call me in Your word to be thankful and by Your Spirit, that is how I want to  live. When I obey this command my whole attitude changes. Being thankful makes me kinder and more gracious. It cultivates humility.  Being thankful in all things and for all things, sets my mind on You because You are the source of all good. You have blessed me as a believer  with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.  You have justified me by the unmerited, undeserved and priceless gift of forgiveness that is found by faith in Your Son. In You, truly, I have everything I need. 

Oh Father! Make my life one long song of thanksgiving. Your steadfast love to me never ceases…Your mercies never come to an end. You are faithful, sovereign and change not. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. I can return to my rest for You have dealt bountifully with me. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.—Psalm 73:25-26

And Yet I Am Not Alone, Because the Father is With Me…

 

His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God."

Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."—John 16:31-33

As the disciples profess their loyalty and belief, Jesus does not seem as sure of their devotion as they seem to be. He asks them, “Do you now believe?”  Behold, the hour comes, yes, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone!" 

"Strike the Shepherd,

And the sheep will be scattered;—Zechariah 13:7

Despite the disciples best intentions…they soon fulfilled this prophecy by deserting Jesus after He was arrested. Peter, not only deserted Him but denied Him as well. As weak, frail and fallen human beings we can often do as the disciples did here. Truly, we are no better.

Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall”—1 Corinthians 10:12

I can’t fathom the depth of what Jesus says in the very next verse. Such a blessed truth!  What a beautiful reminder to not only the disciples’ hearts but our own as well.

And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 

Was there ever a Man as alone as Jesus was when He became sin for us on the cross at Calvary?  All forsook Him. No one could understand or could sympathize with what He was about to face.  In a few short moments, He would bear the sin of the entire world and take on all the sorrow that accompanied it as well.  Spurgeon describes it this way:

Alone! Alone!" Never was there a human being so much alone as was the Man, Christ Jesus, in that dread hour! And yet He says, "I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." O brave Master, make us also brave! May we be willing to stand alone for Your sake, and to feel that we are never so little alone as when we are alone with You!

Beloved…Memorize these few short words. 

And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 

Tuck them down deep into your heart so they are there when you need to remember them. Even if at this very moment, you lost “everyone and everything” you would still have all that you needed because Jesus would still be with you.  He has promised to never to leave us or forsake us. He is in the midst of every one of our trials and His grace is sufficient for all that we face. 

In Jesus we have peace. In this world we are promised  tribulation, but we can still  be of good cheer.  He has overcome the world. “And in that overcoming He has conquered for you, also, and He guarantees to you the victory in His name!”  In Him who loved us and gave Himself for us, we are more than conquerors.

And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."—John 8:29

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.—Psalm 23:4

Whom have I in heaven but You?

And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.—Psalm 73:25-26

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 8:37-39

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.

O my soul, you have said to the LORD,

"You are my Lord,

My goodness is nothing apart from You."

As for the saints who are on the earth,

"They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight."

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;

Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,

Nor take up their names on my lips.

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You maintain my lot.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;

My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the LORD always before me;

Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.—Psalm 16

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment…

 

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"

Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

"But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

"So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."—Matthew 18:21-35

Jesus was teaching here that forgiveness should be in direct proportion to the amount forgiven.  The first servant had been forgiven all. He should have therefore, gone and done likewise to his fellow servant.  As children of God we have been forgiven all of our sins…past present and future…through our faith in Jesus.  We should also then have compassion and forgive from our heart those who sin against us…each and every time.  

Beloved…

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.—Ephesians 4:32

bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.—Colossians 3:13

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.—Ephesians 5:1-2

Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor

Will also cry himself and not be heard.—Proverbs 21:13

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.—Matthew 6:12

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."—Mark 11:26

For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.—James 2:13

Excerpt from Warren Wiersbe on forgiveness…

(3) He became a prisoner (vv. 31-34). The king originally delivered him from prison, but the servant put himself back in. The servant exercised justice and cast his friend into prison. “So you want to live by justice?” asked the king. “Then you shall have justice! Throw the wicked servant in prison and torment him! I will do to him as he has done to others.” (There is no suggestion that the entire family was sentenced. After all, it was the father who abused the other servant and ignored the king’s kindness.)

The world’s worst prison is the prison of an unforgiving heart. If we refuse to forgive others, then we are only imprisoning ourselves and causing our own torment. Some of the most miserable people I have met in my ministry have been people who would not forgive others. They lived only to imagine ways to punish these people who had wronged them. But they were really only punishing themselves.

What was wrong with this man? The same thing that is wrong with many professing Christians: They have received forgiveness, but they have not really experienced forgiveness deep in their hearts. Therefore, they are unable to share forgiveness with those who have wronged them. If we live only according to justice, always seeking to get what is ours, we will put ourselves into prison. But if we live according to forgiveness, sharing with others what God has shared with us, then we will enjoy freedom and joy. Peter asked for a just measuring rod; Jesus told him to practice forgiveness and forget the measuring rod.

Our Lord’s warning is serious. He did not say that God saves only those who forgive others. The theme of this parable is forgiveness between brothers, not salvation for lost sinners. Jesus warned us that God cannot forgive us if we do not have humble and repentant hearts. We reveal the true condition of our hearts by the way we treat others. When our hearts are humble and repentant, we will gladly forgive our brothers. But where there is pride and a desire for revenge, there can be no true repentance, and this means God cannot forgive.

In other words, it is not enough to receive God’s forgiveness, or even the forgiveness of others. We must experience that forgiveness in our hearts so that it humbles us and makes us gentle and forgiving toward others. The servant in the parable did not have a deep experience of forgiveness and humility. He was simply glad to be “off the hook.” He had never really repented.

Covered By His Blood… Written By My Youngest Daughter…

 

And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” (Matt. 27:25) 

So I read this passage this morning and I was struck by the unintentional propheticalness of it on  the part of the people. They are calling out for Jesus’ death, thoughtlessly and recklessly accepting the guilt, but instead of guilt (which, they are already guilty before God for their sinfulness), they have Jesus’ blood laid upon them and their children in a very different way. Instead of a curse, it becomes redemption and a gift, if they only accept it. Hearing that cry from them, Jesus must have been thinking that and thinking about the wonderful fruits that would come from this horrible event and from His sacrifice. Maybe certain people in that crowd got saved later, who knows? Either way, it just really hit me this morning — how much love He had for them and all of us to do what He did. And how His blood is indeed upon us and our children, in salvation and sanctification rather than judgment.

Who May Abide in Your Tabernacle?

 

LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?

Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

He who walks uprightly,

And works righteousness,

And speaks the truth in his heart;

He who does not backbite with his tongue,

Nor does evil to his neighbor,

Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

In whose eyes a vile person is despised,

But he honors those who fear the LORD;

He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

He who does not put out his money at usury,

Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.—Psalm 15

David asks, “Lord, who can come into Your presence?”  David asks this question because he clearly loved God’s house and desired to know God better.  I feel the same.  The more I know Jesus, the more I want to know Him more…the more I want His fellowship…the more I want to be in His Presence always. Truly, as a believer or a non-believer it is the the most important question we can ask.

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

Or who may stand in His holy place?—Psalm 24

David’s greatest desire was to live in the presence of His God. 

LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house,

And the place where Your glory dwells.—Psalm 26:8

Though an army may encamp against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war may rise against me,

In this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the LORD,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD,

And to inquire in His temple.

For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock.—Psalm 27:3-5

Blessed is the man You choose,

And cause to approach You,

That he may dwell in Your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,

Of Your holy temple.—Psalm 65:4

From reading the Psalms we know that God was David’s strong habitation here on earth to which he continually resorted. He desired to be with His God in heaven and dwell there forever.  As believers in Jesus, God is our eternal home. In Him, we live and move and have our being. 

David goes on to describe what the godly person will look like…

He is sincere, practices righteousness, speaks truth in His heart, does not slander or receive a reproach against a friend, does not do evil, distinguishes between good and evil honoring those who fear the Lord, keeps his oaths…walks in integrity, does not take interest, does not accept bribes. 

My favorite line of Psalm 15 is the very last line of verse 5 and of the Psalm itself. 

He who does these things shall never be moved.  

Beloved…Trust God’s promises.  They are grounded in His covenantal love. The godly described in these verses will have security and stability in this life and will abide forever with God in the next. They need not be afraid of anything that is to come. 

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."—Matthew 10:27-30

And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.—1 John 2:17

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and great was its fall."—Matthew 7:24-27

Ending with additional verses from Scripture…

Micah described the godly man in three ways…

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?—Micah 6:8

Jesus summed it up in one..

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"

Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."—Matthew 22:36-40

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.—Hebrews 10:19-25

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Forever.——Psalm 23:6

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Selah—Psalm 61:4

Blessed is the man You choose,

And cause to approach You,

That he may dwell in Your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,

Of Your holy temple.—Psalm 65:4

"A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.

"And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.—John 14:19-31