The Faith Log

Saturday, December 17, 2011

The Christmas Story and the Story of Israel

The Gospel according to Matthew opens with a genealogy that has an important story to tell us. Even the very first sentence is loaded with revelation.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)

The mere fact that there is a genealogy at all tells us something significant: Jesus did not come from out of nowhere, from some distant land, nor did He drop down from heaven to begin a brand new story. No, He came as part of an old, old story. One stretching back generation after generation, back through David, back to Abraham, and through Abraham, all the way back to the beginning.

Nor was Jesus merely the latest installment in that story. No, He came as the Messiah (your Bible probably says “Christ,” which means the same thing) and, as such, is the one in whom that old, old story finds it fulfillment. God had long promised, through Moses and the prophets, that one would come who was Anointed (which is what “Messiah” or “Christ” means) and would not only deliver His people, the nation of Israel, but would be king over all the nations of the earth and would set everything right that was wrong in the world. Matthew makes it clear, right from the beginning, that Jesus is that Messiah.

The story of which Jesus is the fulfillment is not only a very old story, it is also a very big one, big enough for the whole world. Although Matthew could have gone all the way back and begun his genealogy with Adam, he begins with Abraham.

Abraham was a pagan whose father was an idol maker and served others gods. God called Abraham to leave his father’s house and family and go to a place that God would show him (Genesis 12:1). God made him a promise: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). God was not out to bless only Abraham and His physical descendents, His plan was to bless all the families of the earth through Abraham. The apostle Paul picks up on this in his letter to the believers in Galatia: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us … that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13-14).

Jesus the Messiah is the Son of Abraham through whom that promise is fulfilled. He is also the Son of David. God had also made a marvelous promise to David, that He would make David’s house great and establish his throne forever.

When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever … And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13, 16)

I have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have sworn to My servant David:
“Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne to all generations.”

(Psalm 89:3-4)

The LORD has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.
If your sons will keep My covenant
And My testimony which I shall teach them,
Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.”
For the LORD has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
“This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
I will abundantly bless her provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
There I will make the horn of David grow;
I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”

(Psalm 132:11-18)

Jesus the Messiah is the Son of David, the Anointed One who perfectly fulfilled the covenant and testimony of the LORD. In Him, the throne of David is established forever, with salvation, joy, strength and prosperity for all who belong to Him.

In this very first verse of his Gospel account, Matthew draws up the history of Israel, along with the wonderful covenant promises God made to Abraham and David, and announces that it is all fulfilled in Jesus, who is the Anointed One. The Christmas story enlarges the story of Israel to include all, whether Jew or Gentile, who receive Jesus as Messiah and King.

Let Earth Receive Her King
Advent, Christmas and the Kingdom of God
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Psalm 140 ~ His Victory Over My Enemies

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

His Victory Over My Enemies ~ from Psalm 140

Yahweh rescues me
From those who are evil;
He guards me
From those who do wrong,
Who plot out perversity in their hearts
And stir up strife day after day,
With sharp tongues and poison lips.

Yahweh protects me
From the hand of the troublemaker;
He preserves me from the arrogant,
Who set traps and snares
To trip me up.

Yahweh is my God,
He hears my cry for help.
He is my God, my strength,
My salvation ~ Jesus,
Who brings me out safely.
He covers me in the day of conflict.
The wicked will not get what they want,
Their plans will not succeed,
Their names will not be exalted.
Jesus gives the victory to me,
And His name will be exalted
Above all.

The words of my enemies,
The mischief of their mouths,
Will come back to them,
Upon their own heads.
The snares they have laid
Will cause them to stumble;
The pit they dug for me,
They will fall into themselves.
Their slanders will fail
And they will be overtaken
By people just like them.
This will be of their own doing,
And it will be their undoing.

As for me, my confidence is this:
Yahweh will do justice for the afflicted
And set things right for all those in need.
So I will give Him thanks,
And all who right with Him
Will be at home in His presence.

Personal Confessions from the Psalms
Prayers and Affirmations for a Life of Faith, Happiness and Awe in God
by Jeff Doles

Preview with Amazon’s “Look Inside.”

Available in paperback and Kindle (Amazon), epub (Google and iTunes) and PDF.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Psalm 139 ~ Yahweh Knows Me

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Yahweh Knows Me ~ from Psalm 139

Yahweh has examined me, proved me,
Knows everything about me,
Sees everything in me.
Everything.
He knows my every action
And my every thought,
Even as it is being formed
Within me.

He winnows all my ways,
Separating the wheat from the chaff.
He is familiar with all my moves.
He is completely aware of every word
That comes out of my mouth,
What I say and what I mean.

Yahweh goes before me
And follows behind me.
He surrounds me on every side,
Above and below.
His hand is always upon me.

His knowledge of me is more wonderful
Than I can comprehend;
He is able to do
Exceedingly abundantly
Above all I can ask or imagine,
According to His power
At work in me.*

Everywhere I go,
Yahweh is there already.
Everywhere.
From the highest heights
To the deepest depths;
From the courts of heaven,
Where I am seated with King Jesus,**
To the ends of the earth,
He is there with me.
He guides me, protects me,
With His strong hand.

Even if darkness overwhelms me,
It will not hide me from Him.
He sees through it all;
He is Light
And He gives light.

He has made me for Himself,
Formed me in my mother’s womb,
Set me apart as His marvelous creation,
His wonderful possession.
Indeed, all His works are marvelous;
I know this deep inside
And I give Him praise.

I am His craftsmanship,
An intricate tapestry,
The handiwork of heaven
And the dust of the earth.
He saw me before I was fashioned,
And designed His purpose for me,
The book of days He desired for me
From the beginning.

How marvelous His thoughts,
How wonderful His plans for me,
They are more than I can number.
Even if I could count them up,
When I added the very last one,
He would still be with me ~
The best of all.

Yahweh examines my heart
And knows my thoughts.
When I go astray,
He restores me to the path
Ancient and eternal ~
Life!

* Ephesians 3:20
** Ephesians 2:4-6

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Psalm 138 ~ Before All the Kings of the Earth

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Before All the Kings of the Earth ~ from Psalm 138

Everything in me
Gives thanks to Yahweh.
I sing His praises
Before all the angels of heaven
Before all the kings of the earth.

I focus on Him in worship,
In the place of adoration,
Among His people
And in my heart.
I praise His name
Because of His covenant love
And faithfulness.

Yahweh has magnified
His Word and His name,
Made them great above everything else.
And He has given to Jesus
The Name that is above all names.*

So when I cried out to Yahweh,
He encouraged me, made me bold,
With strength in my soul.

Now all the kings of the earth
Will acknowledge Yahweh
And give Him praise
When they hear His Word.
They will sing about the way of Yahweh
When they see the greatness of His glory.
Because Yahweh, though He is high,
Has regard for the lowly,
But the proud and the arrogant
Do not rate with Him at all.

When I am beat down and in trouble,
Yahweh revives me again;
The power of His right hand
Takes care of all those
Who rage against me.
He does this on my behalf.

Yahweh will bring to completion
Everything He has begun in my life
And fulfills every good purpose
He has prepared for me.
His love for me is faithful forever
And He will never turn me away.

* “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Psalm 136 ~ Yahweh’s Faithful Love for Me

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Yahweh’s Faithful Love for Me ~ from Psalm 136

I give thanks to Yahweh
Because He is good,
And His love for me is faithful forever.
I give thanks to Jesus,
Who is King over all kings
And Lord over all lords,
And His love for me is faithful forever.

He is the one who does great wonders,
Because His love for me is faithful forever.
He laid out the heavens and the earth*
With skill and understanding,
Because His love for me is faithful forever.

He struck down the enemy,
Destroyed the works of the devil**
Because His love for me is faithful forever.
And He brought me out of bondage,
Because His love for me is faithful forever.
He has given me an inheritance,
Heaven on earth,***
Because His love for me is faithful forever.
He remembered me with His favor
When I was brought down low,
He lifted me up and rescued me,
Because His love for me is faithful forever.

Yes, I give thanks to Yahweh
Because He is good,
And His love for me is faithful forever.

* “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3).
** “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).
*** “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The kingdom of God is wherever the will of God is done on earth as in heaven. See The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth: Keys to the Kingdom of God in the Gospel of Matthew.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Psalm 133 ~ Where the Anointing Flows

A personal confession based on the Psalms

Where the Anointing Flows ~ from Psalm 133

How good and pleasant it is
For me to walk in unity
With the family of God,
With my brothers and sisters
In King Jesus.

That is where the anointing,
The high priestly anointing,
The anointing of Jesus,
The Anointed One,
Flows freely ~
Faith working through love.*

It is like the heavy dew
On the mountain,
That refreshes and revives
The people of God.

That is where God promises the blessing,
That is where life comes forth abundantly,
Now and forever.

* “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Psalm 131 ~ Quieting Myself in Yahweh

One thing I notice quite a bit in praying the Psalms is how one psalm sits next to another. In the psalm I worked with yesterday, Psalm 130, the metaphor was of the watchman, diligent, focused and waiting for the morning. Today, in Psalm 131, the metaphor is of a weaned child sitting quietly with its mother, waiting patiently. Both instances speak of an assurance that God knows and cares, that help will certainly come and our needs will be met.

Quieting Myself in Yahweh ~ from Psalm 131

My heart is not lifted up
With pride or self-importance,
As if I have any good thing in me
That did not come from Yahweh.

My eyes are not lifted up in arrogance,
As if I was sufficient of myself
To think anything as of myself.
I have no room for the ego
That eases God out.

I do not concern myself
With things too deep
Or too difficult;
It only gets me agitated,
Frustrated, confused.
And Yahweh does not need my advice.

But I quiet myself, calm myself,
Take my eyes off me
And put them on Yahweh.
I am like a young child,
Sitting with its mother,
Trusting that she knows and cares,
That is how my heart is with Yahweh;
He knows and cares.

So I set my expectation on Yahweh
And wait for Him,
Patient and content.
All is well, now and forever.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Psalm 130 ~ Forgiveness and Help

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Forgiveness and Help ~ from Psalm 130

Out of the depths of my soul,
The center of my being,
I cry out to Yahweh;
He hears my voice
And is attentive to my cry for help.
He does not count my sins against me,
Otherwise, I could not stand before Him.
But He forgives me, pardons me, cleanses me,
Because of Jesus,*
And I love Him, trust Him,
Live in awe of Him all the more.

I wait patiently for Yahweh;
My expectation is set on Him.
I listen for His voice
And trust in His promise.

I watch for Yahweh,
Intently, diligently,
More than the watchman of the night
Waits for morning.
Yahweh’s help will come
As sure as the morning.

Set your expectation on Yahweh,
Trust in His faithful love.
He will rescue you
With the abundance of His help,
And forgive you of everything,
Because of Jesus.

* “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Psalm 128 ~ Extravagant Blessing of Yahweh

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

The Extravagant Blessing of Yahweh ~ from Psalm 128

O the happiness
Of following Yahweh,
To love Him, trust Him,
Live in awe of Him
And walk in His ways.

We enjoy the rewards
Of the work of our hands,
The work He has given us.
Yahweh takes care of all our needs.
We are happy and prosperous,
And all is well with us.
We are like a fruitful vine,
Our home like a vineyard,
Our children like olive plants
All around our table.

See, this is how Yahweh wants to bless
All who love Him, trust Him,
And live in awe of Him.*
Yahweh blesses us
That we may enjoy
The prosperity of His kingdom
All our days,
And see our children’s children
Walk in His blessing
And in His ways.

* See Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

For more on Psalm 128, see Divine Portrait of Prosperity: Psalm 128

Monday, November 28, 2011

Psalm 127 ~ A Legacy in Yahweh

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

A Legacy in Yahweh ~ from Psalm 127

We trust in Yahweh
To build our house,
Our family, our legacy.*
Otherwise, all our work
Would be pointless.

We trust in Yahweh
To watch over His people,
To hedge us about
With His protection.**
Otherwise, all our vigilance
Would be in vain.

It is useless to toil
From morning to night
And go to bed worried.
Yahweh is our source and supply.
He blesses the work of our hands***
And gives us His provision,
Even in our rest.

See, children are a heritage,
A divine inheritance,
Yahweh’s gift to us.
They are a blessing
And they become our legacy ~
God’s gift, and ours,
To the world.

They are like arrows
In the hand of the mighty and skillful,
To be sent forth
With strength and direction.
It is a very happy thing
To have a quiver filled with them.

Yahweh builds our house
And increases it with children;
He builds their houses
And increases them, as well.
They will be mighty in the land
And will prevail at the gates of the city,
With the purpose of God in their hearts
And the wisdom of God in their mouths,
And they shall change the world.

* “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks … And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground” (Deuteronomy 28:4, 11).
** “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways” (Deuteronomy 28:7).
*** “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you … The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand” (Deuteronomy 28:8, 12).

For more on Psalm 127, see Inheriting Destiny.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Psalm 126 ~ Yahweh Frees the Captives

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Yahweh Frees the Captives ~ from Psalm 126

When Yahweh set me free
From the bondage I was in,*
It was like living in a dream,
A wonderful dream come true.
My mouth was filled
With shouts of joy and laughter.
It was evident to everyone around
That Yahweh had done
Great things for me.
Indeed, Yahweh has done
Great things for me,
And I am very happy.

But there are many others
Who are still oppressed,
In bondage, held captive;
I cry out to Yahweh
To rescue them and set them free.
Make them like streams
That makes the desert bloom.
I sow my tears for them,
That I may reap a harvest of joy,
Singing the victory song with them.
I carry this with me,
Sowing the seed wherever I go.
I know I will come again,
Shouting for joy
Because of the harvest.

* Jesus fulfills what was written by the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-21). Peter proclaimed that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Psalm 121 ~ I Turn to Yahweh

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

I Turn to Yahweh ~ from Psalm 121

When I am in distress or need,
Where do I turn for help?
I look to Yahweh;
He is my mountain,
My refuge, my strength.
My help comes from Yahweh,
Maker of Heaven and Earth.

Yahweh will not let me fall
But will set me on firm ground.
He keeps me, guards me,
Sets a hedge all around me.
He is always watching over me
To protect and provide for me.
Nothing sneaks up on Him. Ever.
See, this is how Yahweh is
With all His people,
All who look to Him.

Yahweh is my protector;
He shields me from harm
By day and by night.
Yahweh keeps me from evil
And guards my life.
He watches over
My comings and goings,
Now and forever.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Learning to Pray the Psalms

A little over twenty years or so ago, I had the privilege of going on a couple of retreats with a group of Presbyterian men to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, a Cistercian (Trappist) community in Conyers, GA. On both occasions, Father Gus (Dom Augustine Moore) spoke with us about prayer, particularly about praying the Psalms. Father Gus had entered the order as a young man at Gethsemani Abbey, in Trappist, KY, and was now quite advanced in years. He had come to a lot of wisdom in those years and had, at one time, served as abbot at Holy Spirit Monastery. I was just beginning to learn to pray the Psalms in those days, so I was interested in what he would have to say.

Two things stand out for me from those talks. First, he said that as he prayed the Psalms, “I just let the lines work on me.” The steady rhythm of praying the lines of the Psalms, day after day, year after year, formed him and transformed him. Second, he said that as he prayed, he would sometimes feel the “zoom of the Holy Spirit.” I was not quite sure at the time just what he meant by that, though I later found out for myself.

Since then, I have carried those two things with me as I have continued to pray the Psalms. The lines have worked on me and changed my life. They have become a conversation, a relationship, between God and me. I speak to God in the Psalms, and He speaks to me. They have set some things in me that have become very precious to me ~ I have come to see that God has always had a great desire for the nations and the generations, and I intercede for them on that basis, from the Psalms. The experience of praying the Psalms has been defibrillating for my heart. Line by line, it has been bringing my heart into alignment with the heart of God. I have also often experienced the “zoom” of the Holy Spirit ~ times of deep joy or intense peace, or unexpected compassion, or even the inarticulate groaning of the Spirit that Paul talks about in Romans 8:26 ~ while praying the Psalms. I have experienced these things even as I have been working on this project of personal confessions I have adapted from the Psalms. All these things I also hope for you as you read these confessions.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Psalm 118 ~ Giving Thanks to Yahweh

A personal confession based on the Psalms.

Giving Thanks to Yahweh ~ from Psalm 118

I give thanks to Yahweh,
Because He is good,
Because His covenant love
Is always there for me,
And always will be.

When I was in a tight spot,
I cried out to Yahweh;
He answered me
And set me in a wide place,
An abundant place.

Yahweh is for me,
So I will not be afraid
Of anyone or anything;
They cannot harm me.
The covenant love of Yahweh
Casts out all my fear.*

Yahweh is for me and He helps me,
So I will look on in victory
Over whatever comes my way.
It is better to trust in Yahweh
Than in the wealth and power of people.

When I was surrounded by the enemy,
I cut them short, subdued them,
By the name of Yahweh.
They surrounded me like stinging bees,
But their fire was quickly put out**
By the name of Yahweh.
They pushed me hard to make me fall,
But Yahweh helped me.

Yahweh is the source
Of my strength and my song;
Jesus is most certainly my salvation.
The house of God’s people
Rings with loud victory songs
And praises to Jesus.

The right hand of Yahweh
Does mighty things.
The right hand of Yahweh
Is always ready to help me.
Jesus, at the right hand of the Father,
Has done mighty things for me;
He is worthy of all my thanks and praise.

He gives me life,
So I will live and declare
What Yahweh has done for me.
Though trouble came
Yahweh brought me through it,
And He has opened to me the gate
Where His people enter in;
So I will come and give thanks to Yahweh.

I thank Him because He answered me.
I thank Him because Jesus is my victory.
Jesus, the Building Block
Rejected by religious folk,
Has become the Cornerstone
Of God’s new building.
Yahweh has done this
And it is marvelous in my eyes.
Yahweh has made this day happen;
I will whirl and twirl for joy
And be light-hearted in it.
I want everyone to know His blessing.

Yahweh sets me in a wide place
An abundant place.
Yahweh gives me prosperity
And causes me to succeed.
I enter in by the name of Yahweh,
Welcomed by His people,
And I am blessed.

Yahweh is God and He gives me light;
I will direct my praise to Him.
He is my God;
I will give Him thanks;
And tell everyone how great He is.

I give thanks to Yahweh,
Because He is good,
Because His covenant love
Is always there for me,
And always will be.

* “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).
** “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16).

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Psalm 116 ~ Why I Love Yahweh

A personal confession from the Psalms.

Why I Love Yahweh ~ from Psalm 116

I love Yahweh;
Because He hears my voice
And answers the cry
Of my heart.
He turns His ear
And listens closely to me;
I will go to Him about everything,
As long as I live.

Yahweh is full of grace and favor,
All He does is right and just.
He is tender and compassionate,
And protects the simple in heart.

When I was down, broken,
He rescued me, lifted me up.
My heart found its peace,
Because Yahweh dealt
Bountifully with me.
He saved my life,
Dried my tears,
Directed my steps
Onto solid ground.
I will walk with Yahweh
And enjoy a life pleasing to Him,
A life of faith.

What thanks shall I give to Yahweh
For all His blessings and benefits?
I will drink deeply
From the cup of salvation,
The cup of healing and deliverance,
The cup of joy in Jesus.
And I will proclaim
The name of Yahweh,
Right here, right now,
In the presence of His people.

The people of Yahweh
Are precious in His sight;
Their death He does not treat lightly
Or allow easily.

O Yahweh, I am Your servant.
I am indeed Your servant,
The son of Your maidservant.*

I offer my praise to Yahweh
And declare His name
Right here, right now,
In the presence of His people.

* This is very personal for me as I think of my mother and my grandmother, both mighty women of God who have now gone to be with Jesus.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Psalm 115 ~ All My Glory is in Yahweh

For many years now, my favorite verse, the one I come back to again and again, has been Isaiah 50:4. “The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple.” That has been my desire with this project of psalm confessions and, indeed, with all my writing ~ to sustain the weary one with a word.

All My Glory is in Yahweh ~ from Psalm 115

To Yahweh alone
Goes all the glory;
I will praise Him
For every good thing in me,
Because of His covenant love
And faithfulness.

I put my confidence in Yahweh;
He is my Helper, my Defender.
He remembers me,
To bless me.
Yahweh blesses all who honor Him,
Who live in awe of Him,
From the greatest to the least ~
And there are no “least” with Him.

Yahweh gives us increase,
Adds more and more to our blessings,
To us and our children.
We are blessed by Yahweh,
Maker of Heaven and Earth.

Heaven belongs to Yahweh,
And He has given the earth
As an inheritance
To all who are His.
His kingdom comes
As His will is done
On earth as in heaven.*

We will not be silent
But will praise and adore Yahweh
Now and forever.

* Adapted from the prayer Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 6:10).

Monday, November 21, 2011

Psalm 112 ~ A Life Well-Lived with Yahweh

A personal confession from the Psalms.

A Life Well-Lived with Yahweh ~ Psalm 112

I live in awe of Yahweh;
I love His instruction
And delight in His ways.
O the happiness!

My descendants will be mighty in the land.
My children, and their children,
And their children’s children
Will all be blessed,
Empowered by heaven,
Wealth and riches in our houses.
We walk with Yahweh
And that changes the world,
Now and forever.

We will always have
Light in the darkness.
We will be gracious,
Full of compassion and tenderness.
We will show favor
And lend help to those in need,
And good will come back to us.
We will conduct all our affairs
With sound judgment and integrity.

We will not be shaken by anything;
Yahweh will remember us
And take care of us.
We will not be afraid
When bad news is in the air;
Our hearts are firmly established,
Trusting in Yahweh.
We will not fear the enemy;
We are sustained by the peace of Yahweh.
Nothing will be missing,
Nothing will be broken;
All will be restored, made whole,
And we will rejoice in the victory.

We will give freely to those in need,
For we will always have more than enough
For every good work.
It will show the goodness of Yahweh
And bring praise to His name.*
Our influence and honor will increase
And the effect of walking with Yahweh
Will continue to make us a blessing to others.

* “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work … For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you” (2 Corinthians 9:8, 12-14).

See also Divine Portrait of Prosperity: Psalm 112, The Happiness of Living in Awe of God, The Rightness Effect and Light in the Darkness.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Psalm 103 ~ Yahweh’s Benefits

A personal confession from the Psalms.

Yahweh’s Benefits ~ from Psalm 103

Everything in me gives praise to Yahweh.
All my heart, all my soul, all my might
Gives thanks to His name ~
There is none like Him in all the world.
I continually think of His benefits,
All the wonderful things He does for me.
I count on them.

He forgives me ~ of everything!
He heals me of all sickness and disease.
He rescues me from danger and destruction.
He crowns me, surrounds me
With His faithful love and tenderness.
He satisfies my desires with good things
And renews my youth like the eagle’s.

Yahweh does what is right,
And establishes justice
For all who are oppressed.
He makes His ways known
And shows His mighty works
To His people.

Yahweh is full of grace and mercy;
He is patient with me,
And shows me the abundance
Of His faithful love.
He does not deal with me
According to my sin ~
Jesus took that to the cross
And made me right with God.*

As far as heaven is above the earth,
That is how big His love is for me.
As far as the east is from the west,
That is how far He has carried
My sin from me.
As a father is tender toward his children,
That is how Yahweh is toward me.

Yahweh’s faithful love for me is forever.
It reaches to my children,
Even my children’s children,
Because I am in covenant with Him
And I walk in His ways.

Yahweh has established His throne;
His kingdom rules over all.
I come before Him with boldness
To receive His grace and mercy,**
And I am seated at His right hand,
With King Jesus.***

* “For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:10-11). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
** “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
*** God has “made us alive together with Christ … and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5-6).

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Yahweh is The LORD

The other day on Facebook, someone who read one of my personal confessions from the Psalms asked, “Who or what is Yahweh?” I was happy for the question, since it gave me an opportunity to explain a few things that are very precious to me about the Psalms.

Yahweh is a commonly accepted pronunciation of what is called the Tetragrammaton, that is, the four Hebrew letters that comprise the personal name of God in the Old Testament. Those letters are יהוה (from right to left: yod, he, waw, he). Transliterated into English, they are YHWH. In most English translations, this word is indicated by the word “LORD” in all capital letters. We also find this name in shortened form. For example, in Psalm 68:4 in the NKJV, the name of the LORD is called “Yah.” Also, the word “Hallelujah,” found frequently in the Psalms, means “Praise Yah.”

I prefer to use “Yahweh” instead of “the LORD,” because it is the personal name by which God revealed Himself to His people in covenant. He is God and Lord and King ~ those are titles of His office, and I love them all ~ but since He invites us into personal relationship, I like using the personal name He has revealed to His people, especially since I am writing about these Psalms in terms of that personal relationship.

As a Christian, I understand the use of “Yahweh” or “the LORD” in the Old Testament as speaking of the God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I also find Jesus throughout the Psalms. For example, in Psalm 2, when God speaks of “My King” and “My Son,” and the psalm writer refers to “His Anointed,” I understand all of this to be in reference to Jesus, the Son of God, whom God anointed to be the Messiah King (“Messiah” and “Christ” both mean “the Anointed”). I see Jesus whenever the psalm writers speaks of “the king” or declares “the LORD reigns.” Only Jesus, who is often called the “son of [King] David” in the New Testament, is qualified to fulfill all the wonderful promises God made concerning “the king,” for example, in Psalm 72.

Another way I see Jesus throughout the Psalms is in the reference to “salvation.” One of the Hebrew words translated as “salvation” is yeshuah, which means “Yahweh Saves.” Taken as a name form, it is Yeshua, which in English has come to be rendered as “Jesus.” Remember when the angel of the Lord told Joseph that Mary would “bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). It excites me when I pray through the Psalms and come across yeshuah, because I know it is ultimately talking about Jesus. A similar word used of salvation is yasha. Inasmuch as it refers to the salvation that comes from Yahweh, I find in it, also, a reference to Jesus.

Of course, I could rewrite each of my psalm confessions using each of those names and titles ~ the LORD, God, King, Yeshua, Jesus, the Lord Jesus, and another name I have come to love: King Jesus. This would not change the substance of the Psalms for me, because they all refer to the one true God ~ the God of Israel, the God who became flesh and dwelt among us, the God who is king over all the earth. But for now I have decided to use the Hebrew name found in the Psalms, YHWH, and go with the pronunciation “Yahweh.” As you read through the collection of psalm confessions I have written, you will find that it is in King Jesus the Messiah that we have the fulfillment of all the blessings God promises in the Psalms.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Psalm 101 ~ Honoring Yahweh

A personal confession from the Psalms.

Honoring Yahweh ~ from Psalm 101

I praise Yahweh
Because His love is faithful
And His decisions are wise and just.
I will ponder the way of wisdom ~
Yahweh will help me in this ~
So I may walk with a heart of integrity
Before all who are in my house.

I will set nothing vile before my eyes,
Or entertain such things in my thoughts.
I will have nothing to do
With those who promote them.
Those who are perverse in heart,
I will send away from me;
I will have no regard for them.
I will also have nothing to do
With those who gossip and slander,
Nor will I tolerate arrogance or conceit.

I will show favor to those who are trustworthy
And honor to those who are honorable,
And I will gladly sit with them.
I will walk with those who walk with integrity.

Those who act deceitfully
Will find no place with me,
And I have no time
For those who try to flatter me.
I will be watchful
And I will not associate
With those who embrace evil,
So that I may honor
Yahweh and His people.

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All blog entries are copyright by Jeff Doles on the date they are posted, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.

After January 1, 2015, unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the New International Version. © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Before January 1, 2015, unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the New King James Bible. © 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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