King Belshazzar gave a huge banquet for a thousand of his closest nobles. And while in a drunken stupor, he ordered the sacred goblets they had captured and taken from the Temple in Jerusalem to be used by this rowdy crowd. It was while they were profaning these holy vessels that God doomed them…and thus that fateful saying was born – the writing on the wall.
Tag: kingdom of god
Psalm 34:18 ” The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
I sit here with one of life’s more uncomfortable tasks to do…write in a sympathy card. Why does it seem so difficult and awkward to choose the right words? I want to be compassionate and caring, but at the same time offer hope and encouragement for the times ahead. I want to share a favorite memory from the past that will hopefully give the recipient a smile and a fond memory of their own. Maybe the difficulty of this task lies in my own mortality, or that of my loved ones…for death visits us all, in some form or fashion. But I guess what is most important is not in the words themselves, but the remembrance of the life that is gone…and in the knowledge that God intervenes on behalf of those who are broken in spirit and grieving.
II Chronicles 20:17 ” You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you…”
As it says in Psalm 121:1, ” Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.” The battle is not mine to fight all alone. All the Lord is simply asking of me to do is to stand still, confront and contain my out of control fears, and watch Him do battle on my behalf.
II Peter 1:3 ” His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and goodness.”
Nothing is beyond God’s ability to work on your behalf. Nothing is too difficult, too hopeless, or too daunting a task that the Almighty Power of God can’t achieve it. If this Divine Power was able to create and sustain our vast Universe …why then wouldn’t God be able to take care of you?
Jude verse 16 ” These men are grumblers and fault finders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”
We all know at least one – and usually try to steer clear, rather than be pulled into a conversation. They’re the complainers…those people who love to gripe, whine, and make life miserable for everyone around. The only people worse to be caught up in conversation with are the scoffers…those who mock, ridicule, and despise authority. Both groups are very difficult to be around…especially if you’re trying to remind positive!
Jeremiah 10:10 ” But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King…”
In the Lord you will only find truth. He is ever reliable, trustworthy, and sure…His Kingdom is everlasting. As it says so beautifully in Daniel 6:26, ” For He is the living God and He endures forever; His Kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end.”
Nehemiah 8: 10 “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Gladness of heart in the Lord is your support…it’s your anchor in times of trouble…it’s the strong tower you can run to in the middle of the storm. Delight and happiness in knowing Him will be your mainstay and comfort forever.
John 16:23 ” In that day you will no longer ask Me anything.”
The longer our journey with the Lord, the fewer the questions we have. The more and more we trust Him, the less we query His Will in our lives. There will come a day, when faith and peace become such an attitude of your heart… that there’s no more questions to be asked.
Isaiah 64:1 ” Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before You! “
Almost everyday we learn of earthquakes around the world…or we hear about volcanoes erupting and spewing smoke far up into the atmosphere. But these all pale in comparison to the Lord’s mighty power…when the heavens will be torn apart as He descends to earth…” the mountains melting beneath Him.” (Micah 1:3)
I Timothy 6:17 ” Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
If the Lord has prospered you here on earth, your trust cannot be in your wealth, but rather in the One who has given it to you. Riches are fleeting…here today and gone tomorrow, but the Lord’s loving kindness is the only unchanging constant you can truly trust in.