Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your love and Your faithfulness for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.
His name and His word give us all we need.
Between the promises in His word and the authority in His name, there is no need that God has not already met.
As we humble ourselves before Him, He trains us to rightly divide His word as He transforms our nature into the image of His Son so we can bear the family name.
Zephaniah 3
v.12 But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the Lord.
v.13 The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid.
We find peace, solace, comfort, assurance, rest, cheer, support, relief in His word and His name.
We receive God's promises, His provision, and His power as we read His word, dwell on what it means.
We pray for the Spirit to plant His word in our hearts, and let it change our perception and outlook.
We allow Him to change our nature, our way of thinking and acting until others see His word lived out through us and know that we bear His name.
Zephaniah 3:9 Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
His promises are great, but He separates between two attitudes. Those who hunger and thirst for God, desiring more of Him, and those who do not.
Zephaniah 1
v.4 I will cut off...
v.6 those who turn back from following the Lord and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of Him
v.12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent
Each day, while it is new, turn to Him, seek Him in His word, call for Him in your heart, press in with a sense of urgency, give Him the first-fruits of the day He has made.
Zephaniah 2
v.3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what He commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility;
v.11 The Lord will be awesome to [the mockers of God's people] when He destroys all the gods of the land.
Each of us knows of people who seem to succeed at everything they do, even as they violate and transgress the laws of the land and the laws of God.
We wonder how they get by with it, and why nothing happens to them like it does to us when we set a foot wrong or say the wrong thing once.
Zephaniah 3:2 She obeys no one, she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the Lord, she does not draw near to her God.
The Lord is not blind or deaf; His arm is not shortened. He does not change, but He does remain patient, slow to wrath, quick to forgive, else we all would have been consumed.
As we walk in the restricted, disciplined daily paths He leads us down, we are the witness of His righteousness and His goodness which He keeps before the world, letting all see if they have the hunger or desire to see.
Zephaniah 3:5 The Lord within [the city of the wicked] is righteous; He does no wrong. Morning by morning He dispenses His justice, and every new day He does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.
Our message to those around us, those in the marketplace, those we live among, is one of mercy, grace, and love from God; repentance and acceptance; time is short and action is required.
Zephaniah 3
v.15 The Lord has taken away your punishment, He has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.
v.17 The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over your with singing.
v.19...I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame.
v.20 At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes.
Father God, we walk today in the truth of Your Word and the power of Your name.
You have called us, trained us, equipped us, and placed us to go forth as servants bearing Your love to those You care about.
We listen for You to tell us how we can serve the encouragement of Your Word to the person to the right of us, how we can wield the authority of Your name to bring healing and freedom to the individual to the left of us.
Father, we ask that You receive the thanks and praise and glory for what is done by Your word and in Your name, and none of it goes to us. We are in Your service, using Your resources, doing Your bidding.
Be honored and exalted today, O Lord!
