9-30-06 Jeremiah 39:18

Jeremiah 39:18 (KJ21)
For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword; but thy life shall be as a prize unto thee, because thou hast put thy trust in Me, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 39:18 (NAS)
For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 39:18 (NIVUS)
I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 39:18 (NLT)
Because you trusted me, I will preserve your life and keep you safe. I, the LORD, have spoken!

Ever since September 11, 2001, more people have been living in fear of terrorists. Looking at that disaster and destruction, you may wonder if there is any place where you or your loved ones can be truly safe. If you look to man to protect you, you will never find total security, but you can find refuge from Another.

Jehovah the Lord, also known as Jesus the Christ, will allow you to slip away and to escape from the terror of man. He is your Savior and Deliverer. No one else can make this claim. In fact, when speaking these words, He spoke the same thing twice to insure that you were certain of where your help and security comes.

The Lord your God will not allow you to fall or be cast down. His plans for you do not include a violent death. Even though your enemies attack, you will not fall into their hands, for Adonai will never desert you. You will not be knocked out or overthrown. Those, who raise a sword against you, will fail. They will not be able to lay you waste and leave you in ruins.

When you put your trust and confidence in Jehovah, you will find that you have gained your soul. You will not become plunder and spoil for another. You can feel safe and secure, for the Lord has spoken His word over you and His word is not void or ineffective. His word will always come to pass in your life, as you put your faith in it. Instead of being the prey, you, who are as bold as a lion, will prey upon your enemies.

9-29-06 Proverbs 1:32, 33

Proverbs 1:32, 33 (KJ21)
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them; but whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall have quiet from fear of evil.

Proverbs 1:32, 33 (NAS)
For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them, And the complacency of fools shall destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely, And shall be at ease from the dread of evil.

Proverbs 1:32, 33 (NIVUS)
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.

Proverbs 1:32, 33 (NLT)
For they are simpletons who turn away from me—to death. They are fools, and their own complacency will destroy them. But all who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm.

Have you ever been lost while hiking in the woods? Maybe you have been driving to a destination and you "thought" you knew the way, but then you made one wrong turn and found yourself hopelessly lost. What did you do? Did you stop to ask directions? Did you back track, trying to find the spot where you went wrong? Most of the time when you are lost, you can find your way back by turning around. The same is true when you are following after God's will. If you know you have strayed, you should go back to the last place where

9-28-06 Proverbs 1:28-31

Proverbs 1:28-31 (KJ21)
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me, because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would have none of my counsel, and they despised all my reproof: therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devices.

Proverbs 1:28-31(NAS)
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, And be satiated with their own devices.

Proverbs 1:28-31 (NIVUS)
Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

Proverbs 1:28-31 (NLT)
I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen.

Have you ever called someone on the phone heard a busy signal, even after repeated tries? Or perhaps you have left someone a voice mail or a message on the answering machine, but for some reason, your messages were never acknowledged. In these instances, you would naturally think that there was something wrong in this relationship. You would definitely feel out of favor with that individual.

There will be certain people who will call upon Jehovah the Lord and will only receive a busy signal. Adonai will not even return their calls. He will pay no attention to their cries and will not respond to their pleas. Even if these people get up early to seek God, they will not find Him, for He will not meet with them.

Who are these people that Adonai will not hear? These are the ones who hate knowledge and are ignorant of the ways of the Lord. They would not acknowledge God and in fact, declared themselves His enemies. They choose not to honor and respect Jehovah; they do not realize that this is the most excellent way that they could ever choose. They will not acquiesce to His plans and purposes for their lives. They will not consult with Him for guidance. They scorn and despise God's correction and reproof, even when they know that it is right. They actually flee from the Lord's chastisement and judgment.

Therefore, Adonai has decided to let them live by their own devices. They will only be able to eat the fruit of their meager efforts. They will devour and consume only what they can grow and produce. Even though they may be full, their plans and purposes will only cause them weariness. It will take all of their strength just to survive.

You, however, are always in line for the blessing of God. You have chosen to take His advice and abide by His counsel. Because of this, your hands and work will be prospered. Abundance and plenty will be yours. You will have strength instead of weariness. You will have beauty instead of ashes.

9-27-06 Proverbs 1:24-27

Proverbs 1:24-27 (KJ21)
Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand and no man heeded, but ye have set at naught all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh, when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Proverbs 1:24-27 (NAS)
Because I called, and you refused; I stretched out my hand, and no one paid attention; And you neglected all my counsel, And did not want my reproof; I will even laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, When your dread comes like a storm, And your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come on you.

Proverbs 1:24-27(NIVUS)
But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

Proverbs 1:24-27 (NLT)
I called you so often, but you didn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you— when calamity overcomes you like a storm, when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress overwhelm you.

There have probably been times when you were out and you saw someone you knew. Perhaps they were not near, so you called out their names. Most of the time if they see and hear you, they respond positively. However, there may have been times when you knew you were being deliberately snubbed. Chances are that you were hurt and became angry at such actions. You can be assured that the Lord God understands your feelings; everyday He is snubbed by the very men and women whom He created.

Adonai daily calls out to mankind in His mercy and love. He invites every individual to partake of the special blessings that He has prepared. Any yet there are many who refuse to listen and often spurn and abhor His words. They treat God with disdain and loathing. When the Heavenly Father extends His hands to do good, these vile people ignore and refuse to see His blessings. They do not approve of or enjoy the things of God.

Even though the Almighty God is patient and long suffering, He will not put up with this behavior forever. He will not always absolve those who refuse to hear His counsel and advice. They are not willing to consent to His correction and rebuke, but want to argue with His reasoning. Instead of seeking justice from God, these people tend to justify themselves.

Then instead of hearing good words from Jehovah, these scorners will hear His scornful laugh; these who mocked the Lord will receive His mocking, when they experience oppression, misfortune, or calamity. Great fear and terror will come upon them when they see their own destruction and ruin. At this point, everything that they hear from God will be unintelligible words; Adonai will sound like a foreigner to them. They will find themselves in the midst of a tempestuous storm. They will be bent down with the force of a whirlwind; after the hurricane passes, only their ashes will be raked together. As Adonai's adversaries, they will see tribulation, anguish, and trouble. They will be compressed, oppressed, and distressed.

9-26-06 Isaiah 12:2-5

Isaiah 12:2-5 (KJ21)
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation; and in that day shall ye say: "Praise the LORD! Call upon His name! Declare His doings among the people; make mention that His name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD, for He hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth.

Isaiah 12:2-5 (NAS)
Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say, "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted. Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth.

Isaiah 12:2-5(NIVUS)
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

Isaiah 12:2-5 (NLT)
See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: "Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the world what he has done. Oh, how mighty he is! Sing to the LORD, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world.

The Lord Jehovah is your salvation. He is your deliverance, welfare, prosperity, and victory. He makes you bold, secure, and confident. You do not need to fear or dread anything; for you can trust Him completely. He is your physical strength, your mental strength, your social strength, and your political strength. He causes you to prevail. He has given you a new song of praise; in fact He is your song!

Your life is full of joy and gladness and you display it without shame. You draw from the Living Water within you continuously. It springs up within you and flows out from you like a fountain.

You boast in the Lord, giving Him praise and thanks. You proudly and boldly confess His name. You loudly call His name, proclaiming His fame and His glory. Your speech preaches a memorial to Him; for He has appointed and ordained you. He has established and planted you firmly like a tree beside many waters. In Him you are fixed and cannot be moved.

You declare and make known His good deeds among the nations to those who are held in the dark. You remind them that His name is to be lifted up and that there is safety and prosperity in that name.

So continue to sing and make music to Jehovah. He has done great and excellent things for you. He has shown you His majesty and lifted you up to His level. Continue to make Him known in all of the earth; for that is your calling and your charge!

9-25-06 Isaiah 11:3, 4

Isaiah 11: 3, 4 (KJ21)
And shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD; and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears. But with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked.

Isaiah 11: 3, 4 (NAS)
And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

Isaiah 11: 3, 4 (NIVUS)
And he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Isaiah 11: 3, 4 (NLT)
He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will never judge by appearance, false evidence, or hearsay. He will defend the poor and the exploited. He will rule against the wicked and destroy them with the breath of his mouth.

Have you heard the expression, "He could smell the victory"? How can an inanimate concept have a scent? Of course, it does not, but the person perceived that he was winning. He knew that he was about to obtain his desire.

As a man of God, you too can smell the victory, for you have accepted and delight in the will of the Lord for your life. Your understanding and perception have been quickened since you fear, honor and revere Jehovah, the Lord your God.

Now, like Adonai, you do not judge by sight and appearance alone. You live your life according to faith and not according to what you see. Your eyes do not dictate decisions that you make, but you are able to make discriminating choices based on God's will and His word. If you are asked to settle a controversy, you will do so with wisdom and not just by what you hear. Any correction or reproof that you bring will not be based on rumor.

When you see someone who is poor and needy, you will not judge him according to what you see or what you have heard. Your judgment will be righteous, based on justice. You will be able to lead him into the deliverance, prosperity, and victory that you are experiencing in your life. These who are humble and weak should not receive condemnation from you; nothing you say or do should cause them to languish or be distressed. If you need to bring a rebuke or chastening, you will do so with reason, for you will see that you are on the same level. Knowing that both of you need God's help will keep you on a smooth path with others; you will find that your interaction is pleasing and agreeable, for you are not afflicting or oppressing others through your words and actions.

Adonai, the Almighty, is the only One who has the right and authority to smite the earth with His rod. He is the only One who has the power to give life or to take it away. He is the One who will condemn and execute the wicked and the criminal, for He is the only One who judges everything in perfect righteousness. His justice is pure, for He is holy.

9-24-06 Zephaniah 2:3

Zephaniah 2:3 (KJ21)
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, who have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.

Zephaniah 2:3 (NAS)
Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the LORD’S anger.

Zephaniah 2:3 (NIVUS)
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Zephaniah 2:3 (NLT)
Beg the LORD to save you—all you who are humble, all you who uphold justice. Walk humbly and do what is right. Perhaps even yet the LORD will protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.

"I'm just trying to get ahead." That is a sentence that you have probably heard many times. Those who speak this are usually spending more time at work than with their families. They are seeking the "almighty dollar", instead of seeking the Almighty. They are striving to secure everything they require in their own strength, wisdom, and power. Though they may be able to obtain what they want, there is usually a great cost to pay, such as loss of a marriage, relationship with children, and health.

There is a better way. It is important for you to seek Jehovah, the Lord. Let Him be your first desire and make your requests to Him. In Him you will find security and receive exactly what you need. Yes, you may be poor, humble, and afflicted, but that will not hinder the Lord in doing for you. He will rectify what concerns you, as you plead your case before His throne. His judgment will bring you what is just, right, and due. Your weakness will not prevent Adonai from acting in your behalf: in fact, it works in your favor, for He chooses the weak and foolish of this world in which to display His strength. You can be sure that if others try to bring you low, the Lord your God will lift you up.

You should seek the righteousness and justice of God; as you do, you will receive His vindication. You should also seek to be humble and meek. How do you do this? You positively respond to everything that Jehovah your Lord is speaking to you. Begin to testify of all that God is doing. Speak, shout, and sing His praises to the world. As you do these things, you may and probably will find that your desires, wishes, and longings are being fulfilled.

Then, in the day when the Lord pours out His anger on the earth, you will be hidden and concealed. The displeasure that He demonstrates towards others will not come near you. for you previously sought His pleasure and good will.