“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm 17:15
The people of this world have their portion in this life and then face God’s judgment. Those who trust in God’s mercy and forgiveness for the sake of Christ Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross have an inheritance in heaven. With David, they have the confidence of being raised up without sin and seeing the LORD God face-to-face, of being satisfied in the resurrection when they awake in the likeness of Jesus!
Forgive my sins and failings, O Lord, and grant that I be more and more like You in this life, and raise me up on the last day in Your image and likeness. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
While these words of God were spoken to Solomon in regard to prayers offered up by God’s people in the just-completed temple, they certainly have application for all of God’s people today. God would have us repent of our wicked and disobedient ways and look to Him for mercy in the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then God’s ears will be open to our prayers and He will grant healing to us and our land. And, if we do not, we face God’s judgments.
Forgive me, O Lord, where I have strayed from You and the teaching of Your Word. Have mercy upon me for Jesus’ sake, and grant me healing for my soul. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue.” 2 Samuel 23:1-2
David, the human author of so many of the psalms in our Bibles, recognized that it was the Holy Spirit who spoke by him. In other words, though David penned the Psalms, they weren’t his words and his thoughts but those the Spirit of God gave him and moved him to write. And this is true of all of the Bible. Though God used human authors and their writing styles, the words they wrote were not their own but God’s. It is as Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:21: “For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Grant that we view the Bible as Your inspired Word, O God, and accept and believe its every word and message, repenting of our sins and trusting in Christ Jesus, Your Son and our Savior, for forgiveness and life. In His name, we pray. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the Revised 1833 Webster Version of the Bible.]
“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” 2 Samuel 23:3
Here is God’s Word regarding earthly rulers. They are to be just and punish evildoers, not showing favoritism, and they are to rule “in the fear of God,” meaning they are to be guided by God’s Word and honor and respect the LORD God and His will in all they do.
O LORD God, our Maker and our Redeemer, grant us godly rulers who love You and Your Word and honor You in all they say and do. We ask this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the Revised 1833 Webster Version of the Bible.]
“And Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.” John 2:13-16
Our churches are to be houses where we hear God’s Word and offer up our prayers and praises. They are not to be places for us to buy and sell and do business. Many seem to forget Jesus’ zeal for the Lord’s house and treat it like a marketplace to sell music, books and other items.
“LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth” (Psalm 26:8). Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
