A Child of the King
I just read this weeks inspiration from Jeff Schreve and just reading Psalm 62:8 as he quoted brought tears to my eyes as I felt the presence of the Lord wash over me. What a joy to know that the King of ALL Kings and The Great I Am has his ear bent to my lips to hear me when I want to speak to him. It also breaks my heart that so many people in this world don’t even believe in him, or worse yet, they bash him, deny him, defy him and say such hateful things about him when he is their Creator. He owns the universe1 and He owns our very souls2.
I’ve actually been struggling with staying connected to God lately. The things of this world and commitments have robbed me of time to spend in the Word and in prayer. I can feel myself get a little squirly when that happens and it causes me to question if I’m really saved, if I’m doing something wrong and to feel condemned. The devil loves to attack us and try and get us off our path, take our eyes off the Lord and onto anything other than him. Then he makes us feel guilty for it so he can drive a wedge between us and the Holy Spirit. If we let him, we can start to slip and stray and suddenly find ourselves not reading the Bible, not going to church, not praying, but doing other things that, well maybe, we shouldn’t be doing. Or we could just be living our lives without thinking of God much and not consulting him for anything. We start doing our own thing and all of a sudden, BAM!, we hit a brick wall and wonder what the heck happened. How did I get here?? And it happens so fast we don’t even notice or see it coming.
Sometimes it’s God’s way of getting our attention. He tells us that those that he loves, he chastises. Don’t despair when it happens. He’s being a good Father and getting us back on track where we should be. You wouldn’t let a little child run out into the middle of a busy street and just leave him there, no, you would go and grab him and bring him back to the side of the road and hopefully correct him so he doesn’t do it again. God’s not going to either. He will do the same thing with us when we are doing something that may ultimately harm us.
Jesus tell us in Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
We are called to be a holy people, to come out from among the world and be separate. How can we do that if we are living like the rest of the world? God will bring rebuke, reproof and chastisement on those of us who are called to be his chosen holy people if we are disobedient, whether deliberate or not. I just read a very good article from this site and wanted to share it with you. It’s really spot on on this subject. I share the writers sentiments on the state of the Church today and how we should be living.
http://christianitynotchurchianity.blogspot.com/2009/07/those-whom-i-love-i-rebuke-and.html
Here are the scriptures that I reference above regarding who and what the Lord owns.
1I love this Psalm and I actually think it’s speaking of Jesus entering into Jerusalem on his triumphant return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The King of Glory Entering Zion.
A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers.
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face—even Jacob.
Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
That the King of Glory may come in!
8 Who is the King of Glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
That the King of Glory may come in!
10 Who is this King of Glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of Glory.
2Ezekiel 18:4 King James Version (KJV)
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall surely die.
I hope this post spurs you on to review your walk with the Lord and to holiness. Consider yourself warned.