Showing posts with label Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ministry. Show all posts

DELIGHT IN THE LORD FOR HE DELIGHTS IN YOU!

 

1: [Noun] A high degree of pleasure, or satisfaction of mind; joy. His delight is in the law of the Lord. Ps. 1..
2: [Noun] That which gives great pleasure; that which affords delight. Titus was the delight of human kind. I was daily his delight. Prov. 8. Delight is a more permanent pleasure than joy, and not dependent on sudden excitement..
3: [Verb] To affect with great pleasure; to please highly; to give or afford high satisfaction or joy; as, a beautiful landscape delights the eye; harmony delights the ear; the good conduct of children, and especially their piety, delights their parents. I will delight myself in thy statutes. Ps. 119..
4: [Verb] To receive great pleasure in. I delight to do thy will. Ps. 40:8..
5: [Verb] To have or take great pleasure; to be greatly pleased or rejoiced; followed by in. I delight in the law of God after the inward man. Rom. 7..
The LORD your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.
He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
But give great joy to those who came to my defense. Let them continually say, “Great is the LORD, who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
[ Psalm 112 ] Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands.
But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.
I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.
How I delight in your commands! How I love them!)
Their hearts are dull and stupid, but I delight in your instructions.
Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight.
Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.
O LORD, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight.
For the LORD delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.

WE DELIGHT -- SONG
The LORD detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.
The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
The LORD detests evil plans, but he delights in pure words.
O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.
“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.
Then the LORD will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The Desolate Land.” Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God,” for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his bride.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more.
But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!
When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.
Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.
For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
“Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhSPf3ImbLo

 YOU ARE MY DELIGHT with lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiGb14tTaH4

Big Daddy Weave - Overwhelmed [Official Music Video]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWBIexsn3J4

I Delight in you - A video montage set to the song by John Nuttall 

(Based on Zephaniah 3v17)

Delight The idea of delight occurs approximately 110 times in Scripture in various forms. Less than fifteen occurrences are found in the New Testament. The related concept of "please" occurs about 350 times, about seventy-five of these occurrences in the New Testament.
The Old Testament. Two of the most common Hebrew terms for delight are hepes [,pej], "to bend towards, to be inclined towards [an object or person], " and rasa [h'x'r], "to delight or take pleasure in."
God delights in the obedience of his children more than in sacrifices ( 1 Sam 15:22 ). Obedience to his commands so pleases God that he will prosper his people as they walk in his way ( Num 14:8 ; Deut 30:9 ). God delights in his people ( Psalm 16:3 ).
God is also delighted with honesty in business ( Prov 20:23 ), a blameless life (11:20), truthfulness (12:22), and the prayers of the upright (15:8). God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness to those who please him ( Eccl 2:26 ), and he promises to deliver those in whom he delights ( Psalm 18:19 ). God delights in showing mercy ( Mic 7:18 ), and kindness, justice, and righteousness bring him pleasure and cause him delight ( Jer 9:23 ).
God placed Solomon on the throne of Israel because he delighted in him ( 1 Kings 10:9 ; 2 Chron 9:8 ). God had special delight in his Servant-Messiah, upon whom he put his Spirit ( Isa 42:1 ).
A man might delight in another man ( 1 Sam 18:22 ; Est 6:6-11 ), or a man might delight in a woman ( Gen 34:19 ). Well-behaved children bring delight to the heart of their parents ( Prov 29:17 ).
People are encouraged to delight in that which pleases Godhis law ( Psalm 1:2 ; 112:1-9 ). God's statutes are to be our continual delight ( Psalms 119:24 Psalms 119:70 Psalms 119:77 Psalms 119:174 ). We are to delight in God's law because we love it ( Psalm 119:41-48 ). We are to rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation ( Psalm 35:9 ), for in so doing we will receive the desires of our hearts ( Psalm 37:4 ).
It is possible for people to delight in or take pleasure in that which is foolish or evil. Some people "delight in doing wrong" ( Prov 2:14 ), in voicing their own opinions (18:2), in lying ( Psalm 62:4 ), and in waging war ( Psalm 68:30 ). It is clear that the object of our delight or pleasure is critical. It is possible to delight in those things that are good and proper; it is also possible to delight in that which is an abomination to the Lord ( Isa 66:3 ).
The New Testament. The Greek word most commonly used for "delight" is eudokeo [eujdokevw], usually used when God's purpose, resolve, and choice are in view.
God points out his delight in his Son at both the baptism and transfiguration of Jesus ( Matt 3:17 ; 17:5 ). This pleasure points to a distinct anointing and blessing that rest upon Jesus. Indeed, "God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him" ( Col 1:19 ). God's peace rests upon those in whom he delights ( Luke 2:14 ), and God works in those destined for salvation according to his good pleasure ( Php 2:13 ). God is not pleased, however, with the disobedient and unbelieving ( 1 Cor 10:5 ).
As our supreme example, Jesus took great pleasure in honoring and obeying his father ( John 5:30 ; 8:29 ). That which delights Jesus should be our delight as well. We should make it our all-consuming desire to please him ( 2 Col 5:9 ; 1 Thess 2:4 ; 4:1 ; 1 John 3:22 ).
We are to delight after God's law in the "inner man" ( Rom 7:22 ). We are to delight in our weakness, for this is when God's power is most clearly revealed in our lives ( 2 Cor 12:10 ). We should not, on the other hand, delight in false humility or religion ( Col 2:18 ). Our desire should be directed toward the salvation of souls ( Rom 10:1 ). Faith is essential if we are to please God ( Heb 11:6 ), and God is especially delighted when we pray to those in authority ( 1 Tim 2:3 ). In the essential relationships of life, God is pleased when wives submit to their husbands, husbands love their wives, children obey their parents, parents encourage their children, slaves obey their masters, and masters treat their slaves kindly ( Col 3:18-4:1 ). It is as living, holy sacrifices that we become pleasing to our Father in heaven ( Rom 12:1 ).
Daniel L. Aiken
Bibliography. M. Unger and W. White, Nelson's Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament; W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words; W. Wilson, Old Testament Studies.
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by Walter A. Elwell
Copyright © 1996 by Walter A. Elwell. Published by Baker Books, a division of
Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan USA.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement.

Bibliography InformationElwell, Walter A. "Entry for 'Delight'". "Evangelical Dictionary of Theology". . 1997.
DELIGHT de-lit' (verb, chaphets, ratsah, sha`a`; sunedomai): "To delight" is most frequently expressed by chaphets, which means originally "to bend" (compare Job 40:17, "He moveth his tail"), hence, "to incline to," "take pleasure in." It is used of God's pleasure in His people (Numbers 14:8; 2 Samuel 22:20; Psalms 18:19, etc.), and in righteousness, etc. (Isaiah 66:4; Jeremiah 9:24; Micah 7:18, etc.), also of man's delight in God and His will (Psalms 40:8; 73:25; the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "There is none upon earth that I desire besides thee"), and in other objects (Genesis 34:19; 1 Samuel 18:22; Esther 2:14; Isaiah 66:3); sha`a`, "to stroke," "caress," "be fond of," occurs in Psalms 94:19, "Thy comforts delight my soul"; Psalms 119:16,47,70, "I will delight myself in thy statutes." Similarly, Paul says (Romans 7:22), "I delight (sunedomai) in (margin, the Revised Version (British and American) "Greek with") the law of God after the inward man." This is the only occurrence of the word in the New Testament. "To delight one's self" (in the Lord) is represented chiefly by `anagh (Job 22:26; 27:10; Psalms 37:4,11; Isaiah 58:14). Delight (noun), chiefly chephets (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalms 1:2; 16:3), ratson (Proverbs 11:1,20; 12,22; 15:8), sha`ashu`im (Psalms 119:24,77,92,143,174; Proverbs 8:30,31). the Revised Version (British and American) has "delight" for "desire" (Nehemiah 1:11; Psalms 22:8; 51:16), for "observe," different reading (Proverbs 23:26), "no delight in" for "smell in" (Amos 5:21), "delightest in me" for "favorest me" (Psalms 41:11), "his delight shall be in" (m "Hebrew `scent' ") for "of quick understanding" (Isaiah 11:3). The element of joy, of delight in God and His law and will, in the Hebrew religion is noteworthy as being something which we are apt to fall beneath even in the clearer light of Christianity. W. L. Walker

Psalm 103
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
...

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

BLESS THE LORD (10,000 REASONS)

WHAT IS HIS NAME? -- GOD SAID, "I AM WHO I AM" -- MY NAME FOREVER -- A MEMORIAL NAME TO ALL GENERATIONS

 
 
 
Lord my Deliverer – Psalm 18:2
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Jehovah – The Lord – Exodus 6:2-3
•Jehovah-Adon Kal Ha’arets- Lord of Earth – Josh 3:13
•Jehovah-Bara – Lord Creator – Isaiah 40:28
•Jehovah-Chatsahi – Lord my Strength – Psalm 27:1
•Jehovah-Chereb – Lord the Sword – Deut. 33:29
•Jehovah-Eli – Lord my God – Psalm 18:2
•Jehovah-Elyon – Lord Most High – Psalm 38:2
•Jehovah-Gador Milchamah – Mighty in Battle – Ps 24:8
•Jehovah-Ganan – Lord Our Defense – Ps 89:18
•Jehovah-Go’el – Lord My Redeemer – Is. 49:26, 60:16
•Jehovah-Hamelech – Lord King – Psalm 98:6
•Jehovah-Hashopet – Lord My Judge – Judges 11:27
•Jehovah-Helech ‘Olam – Lord King Forever Ps10:16
•Jehovah-Hoshe’ah – Lord Saves – Psalm 20:9
•Jehovah-Jireh – Provider – Gen. 22:14, I John 4:9, Philip 4:19
•Jehovah-Kabodhi – Lord my Glory – Psalm 3:3
•Jehovah-Kanna – Lord Jealous – Ex 34:14
•Jehovah-Keren-Yish’i – Horn of Salvation – Ps 18:2
•Jehovah-M’Kaddesh – Sanctifier – I Corinthians 1:30
•Jehovah-Machsi – Lord my Refuge – Psalm 91:9
•Jehovah-Magen – Lord my Shield – Deut. 33:29
•Jehovah-Ma’oz – Lord my Fortress – Jer. 16:19
•Jehovah-Mephalti – Lord my Deliverer – Psalm 18:2
•Jehovah-Metshodhathi – Lord my Fortress – Psalm 18:2
•Jehovah-Misqabbi – Lord my High Tower – Psalm 18:2
•Jehovah-M’gaddishcem – Lord my Sanctifier – Ex 31:13
•Jehovah-Naheh – Lord who Smites – Ezekiel 7:9
•Jehovah-Nissi – Banner – I Chronicles 29:11-13
•Jehovah-Rohi – Shepherd – Psalm 23
•Jehovah-Rophe – Healer – Isaiah 53:4,5
•Jehovah-Sabaoth – Lord of Hosts – I Sam 1:3
•Jehovah-Sel’i – Lord my Rock – Psalm 18:2
•Jehovah-Shalom – Peace – Isaiah 9:6, Rom 8:31-35
•Jehovah-Shammah – Present – Hebrews 13:5
•Jehovah-Tsidkenu – Righteousness – I Cor 1:30
•Jehovah-Tsori – Lord my Strength – Psalm 19:14
•Jehovah-Yasha – Lord my Savior – Isaiah 49:26
•Jehovah-‘Ez-Lami – Lord my Strength – Ps 28:7
•Jehovah-‘Immeku – Lord Is With You – Judges 6:12
•Jehovah-‘Izoa Hakaboth – Lord Strong -Mighty – Ps 24:8
•Jehovah-‘Ori – Lord my Light – Psalm 27:1
•Jehovah-‘Uzam – Lord Strength in Trouble – Is 49:26





Exodus 3:14


 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM."
Funny how many times in speaking we say, "I am."
I am -- mother of
I am -- wife to
I am -- hungry
I am -- employed
I am -- athletic
I am -- religious
I am -- I am -- I am
yada yada yada---
Verse 15: God said,  
"this is my name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations."





I Am Eddie James

 

Seven names of God
In medieval times, God was sometimes called The Seven.[The seven names for the God of Israel over which the scribes had to exercise particular care were:[
  1. Eloah (God)
  2. Elohim (God)
  3. Adonai (Lord)
  4. Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh (I am that I am)
  5. YHWH (I am that I am)
  6. El Shaddai (God Most High)
  7. YHWH Tzevaot (Lord of Hosts: Sabaoth in Latin transliteration)
Less common or esoteric names
  • Adir—"Strong One"
  • Adon Olam—"Master of the World"
  • Aibishter—"The Most High" (Yiddish)
  • Aleim—sometimes seen as an alternative transliteration of Elohim
  • Avinu Malkeinu—"Our Father, our King"
  • Bore—"the Creator"
  • Ehiyeh sh'Ehiyeh—"I Am That I Am": a modern Hebrew version of "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh"
  • Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak ve Elohei Ya`aqov—"God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob"
  • Elohei Sara, Elohei Rivka, Elohei Leah ve Elohei Rakhel—"God of Sarah, God of Rebecca, God of Leah, and God of Rachel"
  • El ha-Gibbor—"God the hero" or "God the strong one" or "God the warrior"
  • Emet—"Truth"
  • E'in Sof—"endless, infinite", Kabbalistic name of God
  • HaKadosh, Barukh Hu (Hebrew); Kudsha, Brikh Hu (Aramaic)—"The Holy One, Blessed be He"
  • HaRachaman-"The Merciful One"
  • Kadosh Israel—"Holy One of Israel"
  • Melech HaMelachim—"The King of kings" or Melech Malchei HaMelachim "The King, King of kings", to express superiority to the earthly rulers title.
  • Makom or HaMakom—literally "the place", perhaps meaning "The Omnipresent"; see Tzimtzum
  • Magen Avraham—"Shield of Abraham"
  • Ribono shel `Olam—"Master of the World"
  • Ro'eh Yisra'el—"Shepherd of Israel"
  • Tzur Israel—"Rock of Israel"
  • Uri Gol— "The new LORD for a new era" (Judges 5:14)
  • YHWH-Yireh (Adonai-jireh)—"The LORD will provide" (Genesis 22:13–14)
  • YHWH-Rapha—"The LORD that healeth" (Exodus 15:26)
  • YHWH-Niss"i (Adonai-Nissi)—"The LORD our Banner" (Exodus 17:8–15)
  • YHWH-Shalom—"The LORD our Peace" (Judges 6:24)
  • YHWH-Ro'i—"The LORD my Shepherd"
  • YHWH-Tsidkenu—"The LORD our Righteousness"[29] (Jeremiah 23:6)
  • YHWH-Shammah (Adonai-shammah)—"The LORD is present" (Ezekiel 48:35)
  • Rofeh Cholim-"Healer of the sick"
  • Matir Asurim -"Freer of the Captives"
  • Malbish Arumim -"Clother of the Naked"
  • Pokeach Ivrim -"Opener of Blind Eyes"
  • Somech Noflim -"Supporter of the Fallen"
  • Zokef kefufim -"Straightener of the Bent"
  • 'Yotsehr Or' -"Fashioner of Light"
  • Oseh Shalom -"Maker of Peace"
  • Mechayeh Metim -"Lifegiver to the Dead"
  • Mechayeh HaKol -"Lifegiver to All (reform version of Mechayeh Metim)"
Who am I then-- now that I've found out He is "I AM"  -- not me?
The age old question-- Then "WHO AM I" ?
 
 
 
 
I am accepted...
I am God's child ~ John 1:12
As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ ~ John 15:15

I have been justified ~ Romans 5:1
 
I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit ~ 1 Corin. 6:17

I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God ~ 1 Corin. 6:19-20

I am a member of Christ's body ~ 1 Corin. 12:27

I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child ~ Ephesians 1:3-8

I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins ~ Colossians 1:13-14
I am complete in Christ ~ Colossians 2:9-10
I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ ~ Hebrews 4:14-16
I am secure...I am free from condemnation ~ Romans 8:1-2
I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances ~ Romans 8:28
I am free from any condemnation brought against me, and I cannot be separated from the love of God ~ Romans 8:31-39
I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God ~ 2 Corin. 1:21-22
I am hidden with Christ in God ~ Colossians 3:1-4
I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me ~ Philippians 1:6
I am a citizen of Heaven ~ Philippians 3:20
I have not been given the spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me ~ 1 John 5:18
I am significant...I am the branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life ~ John 15:5
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit ~ John 15:16
I am God's temple
I am a minister of reconciliation for God ~ 2 Corin.5:17-21
I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm ~ Ephesians 2:6
I am God's workmanship ~ Ephesians 2:10
I may approach God with freedom and confidence
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me ~ Philippians 4:13
author unknown (? Neil T. Anderson)
 
 
The 7 'I AMs' of Jesus!

Those "Christians" who think of the Lord Jesus Christ as just a great man who never really claimed to be God need to confront His amazing statement to the scribes and Pharisees there in Jerusalem when they were berating Him in the temple. "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day," He said. Then, when they questioned that assertion, He went on to insist that "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:56,58).
This was such a bold claim to deity, that they immediately prepared to stone Him for what they thought was blasphemy. But He somehow "hid Himself," (v.59) and escaped.
Of course, if He was not God, what He said was blasphemous, which was a capital crime under the Mosaic law (Leviticus 24:16). He was actually claiming to be the God to whom Moses spoke at the burning bush, when he asked God what His name was. God had answered that His name was "I AM" (Exodus 3:14)—that is, He is the God who is eternally self-existent, transcendent to time as well as to space and matter. And that was who Jesus was claiming to be!
But what about His claim that He and Abraham had seen each other, and that Abraham rejoiced to see His day? Abraham's time was centuries before that of even Moses.
That claim probably was in reference to the very critical time when "the word of the Lord[that is, the pre-incarate Christ] came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward" (Genesis 15:1).
This was the very first of His great "I am" claims, as He promised to be both Protector and Provider to Abraham in a strange and hostile land.
It is fascinating to note the frequency of such "I am" claims in the Bible after this first one, and how they occur in multiples of seven, a fact which seems possibly designed—not by the human authors, of course, but by the Holy Spirit who inspired them (that is, of course, assuming my own somewhat arbitrary countings are correct).
For example, there are seven "I am"s in the Book of Genesis, the first being Genesis 15:1, as already noted. The second is in Genesis 15:7, where God, speaking to Abraham, said simply:"I am the Lord." The word, "Lord," of course, is the Hebrew Yahweh (or Jehovah), and carries essentially the same meaning as "I Am," or "The One Who Is."
Then, there are 21 (i.e., 3x7) "I am"s in the Book of Exodus, including the divine answer to Moses, already mentioned, "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:14).
The wonderful Book of Psalms contains seven "I am"s that speak prophetically and sadly of the future sufferings of the incarnate Christ. These are:
  1. "I am a worm, and no man" (Psalm 22:6).
  2. "I am poor and needy" (Psalm 40:17).
  3. "I am . . . a stranger unto my brethren" (Psalm 69:8).
  4. "I am full of heaviness" (Psalm 69:20).
  5. "I am poor and sorrowful" (Psalm 69:29).
  6. "I . . . am as a sparrow alone upon the house top" (Psalm 102:7).
  7. "I am withered like grass" (Psalm 102:11).
These all occur in psalms that are specifically known to be Messianic psalms (thus referring to Christ) because they are quoted as such in the New Testament.
The prophetical books abound in "I am" statements by the Lord. The second division of Isaiah, for example, (Isaiah 40-66) contains 35 such claims (7x5). The first is Isaiah 41:4. "I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am He." The last is Isaiah 60:16. ". . . I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob." However, the first division of Isaiah, which has a different theme than the second division, has no such "I am" statements.
The Book of Ezekiel contains 70 of these great assertions (more than any other single book). Jeremiah contains 21 of these statements. Then, all the smaller prophetical books of the prophets have a total of 21 "I am"s. All told, the 17 prophetical books contain a total of 154 (22x7) of God's great "I am" claims.
The final such claim in the Old Testament is found in Malachi 3:6, in which God appropriately reminds everyone that "I am the Lord, I change not." He is the great "I AM," the self-existent God. We must remember always that our own personal Savior and Lord Jesus Christ has revealed to us that He Himself is that same great I AM.
It is in the Gospel of John, however, that the most beautiful and personally meaningful "I am"s are found. There are seven of these, as follows:
  1. "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35,48,51).
  2. "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).
  3. "I am the door of the sheep"(John 10:7,9).
  4. "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11,14).
  5. "I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25).
  6. "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
  7. "I am the true vine" (John 15:1,5).
How anyone could hear or see these claims and then still deny that they were claims to deity is a great mystery. For example, how could anyone except God Himself claim to be the way, the truth, and the life?
Well, maybe a madman might make such a claim, or maybe a gross scam artist of some kind. But no honest, sane person could ever do so—unless the claim were true!
That is the choice. Either Jesus Christ was mad or wicked—or else He truly is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the one way to reach God, the incarnate truth about God, and the only real giver of eternal life with God. One will come to the same conclusion as he examines each of these seven great "I Am" claims.
The Lord Jesus Christ is "very God of very God," as the old creeds expressed it. God "created all things by Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:9) and it is "in Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). Furthermore, it is He who has "made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself" (Colossians 1:20).
Look also at the remarkable claim in John 11:25-26: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
Death has always been man's great enemy. It always seems a great tragedy and sorrow when a loved one dies, and people generally try to stay alive as long as possible. But Jesus claims to be able to restore one's life even after he dies, and then to keep him alive forever! What a preposterous claim for any mortal man to make!
Yet He demonstrated His ability to do just that when He Himself defeated death, rising bodily from the grave on the third day. After all, He is the I AM, the self-existent One! Therefore He is fully able to make good on His promise to those who come to Him for forgiveness and salvation, "Because I live," He says, "ye shall live also" (John 14:19).
There are also seven great "I am" statements in the Book of Revelation, and one of the key verses of this set has to do with His resurrection. "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:18).
"Believest thou this?" He would ask today, just as He asked Martha long ago as she was grieving over the death of her brother, Lazarus (John 11:26). How could anyone doubt the overwhelming evidence of Christ's victory over death (the evidence of the empty tomb, the many post-resurrection appearances, the transformation of the disciples, the testimony of 2000 years of hosts of lives also transformed through faith in Him)? Many have believed, of course, but there are multitudes who have not, and for them there is the dread prospect awaiting them of an eternity without God. "If ye believe not that I am He [but "He" is not in the original; Jesus just said, `I am'], ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24).
It is significant that the other six "I am"s in Revelation also stress His eternal existence, from eternity to eternity.
Note the list below: (the first one with the remaining six)
  1.  "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:18)
  2. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending" (Revelation 1:8).
  3. "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" (Revelation 1:11).
  4. "Fear not; I am the first and the last" (Revelation 1:17).
  5. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end" (Revelation 21:6).
  6. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Revelation 22:13).
  7. "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star"(Revelation 22:16).

Our glorious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom we have trusted our eternal souls, is more than just a great religious teacher who was martyred for His faith long ago. He is alive on His throne in heaven, having defeated death forever. He was our great Creator, our sin-bearing Savior and will be our eternal Lord and King.
 
 
 
I AM - MARK SCHULTZ

 
 

LABOR DAY / HONORABLE LABORER / HONOR LABORER







Psalm 128:2 

When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands,

You will be happy and it will be well with you.

1 Thessalonians 4
11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,
12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.



A biologist one day observed an ant carrying a piece of straw that seemed a big burden for it. The ant came to a crack in the earth that was too wide for it to cross. It stood for a time, as though pondering the situation. Then it put the straw across the crack and walked across it as a span.
“What a lesson for us!” the impressed biologist said. “The burden can become the bridge of progress.”
author unknown


THE MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK

wisdom

regarding labor


Deuteronomy 24
14 “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.
15 You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it; so that he will not cry against you to the Lord and it become sin in you.

Ephesians 4
28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

Leviticus 19
13 ‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.

Jeremiah 22
13 “Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness
And his upper rooms without justice,
Who uses his neighbor’s services without pay
And does not give him his wages,

Malachi 3
5 “I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the Lord of hosts.

James 5
5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.
2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!
4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

2 Thessalonians 3
11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.

Exodus 20: 8-10
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your agates.”




Proverbs 21
25 The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;

Proverbs 6
Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,
8 Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.
9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 “A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest”—
11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man.


 
More than most prominent Bible characters, Joseph had severe obstacles to overcome. Hated by his brothers, he was taken to Egypt against his will to be a slave. But he chose a right course. He proved to be a pleasant, hard-working, kind, helpful, and moral young man. He persisted in this manner of life even after he had been imprisoned on false charges. As a result, the Lord gave him great success.
author unknown

How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money.
Financial mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever.
author unknown


A 10th century proverb:
“He that will not when he may,
When he will shall have nay.”
author unknown


Do not pray for an easy life, pray to be a stronger person.
Do not pray for tasks equal to your power, but for powers equal to your tasks.
Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you will be the miracle.
Every day you shall wonder at yourself and the richness of life which has come to your by the grace of God.
author unknown






Money can buy a bed, but not sleep
Books, but not brains
Food by no appetite
A house but not a home
Medicine but not health
Sin’s pleasures but not salvations peace
The things that really matter in life cannot be bought;
They are priceless gifts from God.
author unknown


If you want to be rich,
just count all the things you have
that money can’t buy.

Revelation 14
13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

 

SPIRITUAL LABORS

Luke 10:7
THE LABORER IS WORTHY OF HIS HIRE.


Matthew 9:37
Then He said to His disciples,
“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”


Harvest Time
See the grain yellow in the field, the setting sun shines down to reveal
Night's closing in and it's harvest time
Pick up your sickle don't hesitate, if we delay we're sure to be late
The clock keeps ticking and we're behind
It's harvest time

Chorus:
Can't you hear the many voices crying?
No hope, no God, they're dying in sin
We can't afford to stop our preaching
On the other hand we can't stop reaching out for them
We must bring them in

There are those out there and they are searching,
no joy, no peace and they are hurting
We must bring them in, it's harvest time
We have the message of hope and mercy,
the well of grace still flows for the thirsty
The sun is going down and it's harvest time

Words and Music by Gerald Crabb
 



Harvest Time
This text which encourages us to look on the fields that are white to harvest was written by Mary Brown (1856-1918). The song urges each Christian to help out in reaping the Lord's harvest.
"Arise! The Master calls for thee,
The harvest days are here!
No longer sit with folded hands,
But gather far and near.
The noble ranks of volunteers
Are daily growing everywhere,
But still there's work for millions more!
Then for the fields prepare."
"Go seek the lost and erring ones
Who never knew the Lord;
Go lead them from the ways of sin,
And thou shalt have reward.
Go out into the hedges where
The careless drift upon the tide,
And from the highways bring them in --
Let no one be denied."
"The message bear to distant lands
Beyond the rolling sea;
Go tell them of a Savior's love --
The Lamb of Calvary.
Arise! The Master calls for thee!
Salvation full and free proclaim,
'Til every kindred, tribe, and tongue
Exalt the Savior's name!"
"Arise! Arise! The Master calls for thee;
Arise! Arise! A faithful reaper be. Arise!
The field is white, and days are going by;
Awake, awake, And answer, 'Here am I.'"
 
 






HOW LABOR DAY CAME ABOUT; WHAT IT MEANS

“Labor Day differs in every essential from the other holidays of the year in any country," said Samuel Gompers, founder and longtime president of the American Federation of Labor. "All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation."

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.

Founder of Labor Day

More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The First Labor Day
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, l883.

In l884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in l885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

Labor Day Legislation
Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 2l, l887. During the year four more states -- Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York -- created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

A Nationwide Holiday
The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday -- a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership -- the American worker.
 
THE ONE CAUSE
It is to labor and to labor only, that man owes everything of exchangeable value. Labor is the talisman that has raised him from the condition of the savage; that has changed the desert and the forest into cultivated fields; that has covered the earth with cities, and the oceans with ships; that has give us plenty, comfort, and elegance, instead of want, misery, and barbarism.


McCulloch