Fear God, 114

~ Those Who Fear God Find Health and Strength ~

God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  However, God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him.  We are told in many places in Scripture to “fear God.”  

This Week’s Passage  ~  “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.  It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8).

Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 

Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.

Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Psalm 2, 4of5

~ Psalm 2 Seen As 4 Movements ~

Introduction  ~  This is one of the many psalms that King David wrote (see Acts 4:25).  It shows the rebellious nature of mankind.  The theme is “God’s King” and it has also been described as “Christ—The Mighty Prince.”  It is the first of the Messianic Psalms and has been referred to as “A Hymn of the Coming Messiah.”  From a global perspective it is about the Messiah’s triumph and kingdom (see Acts 4:23-31 which quotes part of Psalm 2).

Outline  ~  The 12 verse psalm can easily be divided into four sections of 3 verses each.

1        A Description Of The Plans Of The Wicked  ~  ”Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us’” (Psalm 2:1-3).

2        The Father’s Derisive Laughter From Heaven  ~  “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.  Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: ‘Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion’” (Psalm 2:4-6).

3        The Son’s Declaration Of The Father’s Decree  ~  “I will declare the decree: the Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.  Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.  You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel’” (Psalm 2:7-9).

4        The Spirit’s Instruction To All The kings To Obey The Son  ~  “Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:10-12).

~ The basis of this particular outline is from The Nelson Study Bible which notes that Psalm 2 has four movements, each related to a different voice or speaker.

Summary  ~  In the Treasury of David the “Prince of Preachers” Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote that the whole psalm “Shows us the nature of sin, and the terrible results of it if it could reign.”  It refers to the deity of the Coming Messiah (2:7) and to the Messiah’s ultimate reign (2:8).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Psalm 2, 3of5

~ Psalm 2 Seen As 4 Pictures ~

                       

Introduction  ~  This is one of the many psalms that King David wrote (see Acts 4:25).  It shows the rebellious nature of mankind.  The theme is “God’s King” and it has also been described as “Christ—The Mighty Prince.”  It is the first of the Messianic Psalms and has been referred to as “A Hymn of the Coming Messiah.”  From a global perspective it is about the Messiah’s triumph and kingdom (see Acts 4:23-31 which quotes part of Psalm 2).

Outline  ~  The 12 verse psalm can easily be divided into four sections of 3 verses each.

1        The Nations Are Raging   ~  ”Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us’” (Psalm 2:1-3).

2        The Lord In Heaven Derides Them  ~  “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.  Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: ‘Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion’” (Psalm 2:4-6).

3        The Son Proclaims The Decree  ~  “I will declare the decree: the Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.  Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.  You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel’” (Psalm 2:7-9).

4        Advice Is Given To The Kings To Yield Obedience To The Lord's Anointed  ~  “Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:10-12).

Summary  ~  The basis of this particular outline is from “The Treasury of David” by the “Prince of Preachers” Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who suggests that the four-fold division above is not only suggested by the sense, but is warranted by the poetic form of the Psalm, which naturally falls into four stanzas of three verses each.  He also wrote that the whole psalm “Shows us the nature of sin, and the terrible results of it if it could reign.”  It refers to the deity of the Coming Messiah (2:7) and to the Messiah’s ultimate reign (2:8).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .