vg songs

part-2

Introduction

This is the continuation of part-1……

Dear beloved Brother and sister in Christ.

Shall we analyse very few people from the scripture how they were strong in faith in God and moved with God with positive expectation and did the great things by the grace of Lord.

Abraham’s Expectation

The Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.  Genesis.12.1.4

And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Genesis 17.18-21. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. James 2:23

She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. And Abraham named their son Isaac. Genesis 21:3.Abraham expected the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable and got it.

 

God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” Genesis 22:5  expect the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable

Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?” And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” Genesis 18:32  expect the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable

Jacob’s Expectation

At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” Genesis 28:16.The next morning Jacob got up very early.

He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it. Genesis 28:18Then Jacob made this vow: “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, Genesis 28:20 expect the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable

During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions. This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked.. He replied, “Jacob.” “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” “Please tell me your name,” Jacob said. “Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Genesis 32:29 expect the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable

So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too. So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years Genesis 29:30. At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father’s household idols and took them with her.  Genesis 31:19

But as for your gods, see if you can find them, and let the person who has taken them die! And if you find anything else that belongs to you, identify it before all these relatives of ours, and I will give it back!” But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the household idols. Genesis 31:32

Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means “son of my sorrow”). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means “son of my right hand”). Genesis 35:18So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrata.  Genesis 35:19 .Here his expectation is not suit to the God’s will. Rachel cannot even see his father in law house because of the stole idols which is against the God’s will here, his expectation is not fulfil..

As the time of his death drew near, Jacob called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honouring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt. When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.” So Joseph promised, “I will do as you ask Genesis 47:30.Then Jacob said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will take you back to Canaan, the land of your ancestors Genesis 48:21

Joseph’s Expectation

“Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Genesis 50:24 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” Genesis 50:25. Expect the unexpected, believe in the unbelievable

David expectation and his positive approach with God.

David is Israel’s second and greatest king. As a boy, David courageously defeats a mighty enemy warrior named Goliath with only a sling and a stone. As a man, David conquers all Israel’s enemies and begins a dynasty that would rule Jerusalem for nearly 500years.When the prophet Nathan confronts David with his sin, David repents.

Moreover, in God’s favor, God forgives David for his sin, but not without punishing David for his crime. Beyond David’s royal exploits (and indiscretions), he’s credited with writing many of ancient Israel’s worship songs, which you can read in the Book of Psalms. In his Psalms each and every word describe his positive expectation and his positive approach to the Lord. Among all Psalm 23 is a special example of his positive expectation. Here, is some more for your encouragement to follow him.

My soul, wait thou only on God; for my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5.He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. Psalm .57:3.

I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people. Psalm 52:9.You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth,    even those who sail on distant seas. Psalm 65:5

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 107:1Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. Psalm 10:17.My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8.

You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh. Psalm 38:9. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, Psalm 92:2. Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. Psalm 40:11 ^. You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth,    even those who sail on distant seas. Psalm 65:5.If the second grade Old Testament believer take so much right from the Lord we are all special person before God, we have more rights than David, which is really true.

Point No 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm32.1. It means that their sin is forgiven by the Lord through sacrifice, further this semi covered moreover if we remove the cover we can see our sin covered by the Lord. For the Old Testament people, they sacrifice for their sins every year, which has become a tradition (Committing sin and sacrificing for the same). For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: They cannot save form the sick of sin. Relief would be temporarily that’s’ all and again that sick of sin attack and like cyclical operation

But for us, when Jesus was born and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1.21.We will be able to save from sin permanently, but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, further if we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.1 John 1- And by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Hebrews 10.10-14

Point No 2. For the Old Testament people every person unable to receive the Holy Spirit. God anointing few of them and used them for his holy ministries but few of them turned away from God and came to an end with failure. But for us, Jesus promise that if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luck 11.12. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams Act 2.17

Point No 3. The Old Testament people cannot call the God as his Father. They can only called as O Lord, God of almighty and by many name such as something different about God’s nature. Among them are Yahweh Yireh El Shadda and so on. But we the New Testament people only can able to call Him as our Father. And still more we can illustrate many other examples. So we are very close to God and we can move to our heavenly father through Jesus for anything. Hence we are the most blessed people than Old Testament people. See the prayer of King David always O LORD…O LORD…O LORD… But we can pray   as Jesus said unto them, when ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Luke 11:2, how blessed we are, aren’t we?

David Prayer for Help. (Psalm 86)

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God. Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly. Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,    so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;    hear my urgent cry. I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,    and you will answer me.

 No pagan god is like you, O Lord.  None can do what you do! All the nations you made     will come and bow before you, Lord;    they will praise your holy name. For you are great and perform wonderful deeds.    You alone are God¹ Teach me your ways, O Lord,    that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honour you. 

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever for your love for me is very great.  You have rescued me from the depths of death.^]  O God, insolent people rise up against me;   a violent gang is to kill me. You mean nothing to them. But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry    and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. Look down and have mercy on me. Give your strength to your servant; save me, the son of your servant.  Send me a sign of your favor.    Then those who hate me will be put to shame for you, O Lord, help and comfort me

Dear beloved Brother and sister if you don’t know the value of Gold, we would keep it under our feet and beg for a small biscuit. When you know the value of it perfectly, you can sale it and built a big Hotel in your main city. No more you are beggar, you are the richest person in your city.

Many of them will come and honour you. Further, you may understand clearly what you are. Realise your high position and humble yourself before God and be thankful to our elder brother Jesus and our heavenly father for His opportunity.  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:33-

Job expectation and his positive approach with God

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.

Thus did Job continually. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Here is his positive expectation in his Old Testament standard.

Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there on high. Job 16:19. Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine. .Job 41:11. I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! Job 19:27.

In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. JobbutJob replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong. Job 2:10. I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman. Job9 .If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door; then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. Job 31 .9-10 is the Old Testament standard.

Then what about you my dear beloved brother. We have to maintain very high standard That is, but I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28

PAUL AND JAMES WITNESS ABOUT JOB

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

James 4:11.Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:4  like in Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!

ELISHA Expectation in2 Kings 2

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were travelling from Gilgal.  And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.

 The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?” “Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.” Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho.” But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.”

So they went on together to Jericho. Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.” Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.” But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together. Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River. Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!

 When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.” And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.

But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said. 2 Kings 4:17

In 2 kings 4 .30^But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.” So Elisha returned with her. Gehazi hurried on ahead and laid the staff on the child’s face, but nothing happened. There was no sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and told him, “The child is still dead.”

 When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed. He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to the Lord. Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again! Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!

Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. “Call the child’s mother!” he said. And when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!” She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs

The Gehazi Expectation who is the senior prophet next to Elisha

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, “My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him.” So Gehazi set off after Naaman.

When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he climbed down from his chariot and went to meet him. “Is everything all right?” Naaman asked. “Yes,” Gehazi said, “but my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds^] of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.”

 “By all means, take twice as much^[e] silver,” Naaman insisted. He gave him two sets of clothing, tied up the money in two bags, and sent two of his servants to carry the gifts for Gehazi. But when they arrived at the citadel, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and sent the men back. Then he went and hid the gifts inside the house.

 When he went in to his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“I haven’t been anywhere,” he replied.

 But Elisha asked him, “Don’t you realize that I was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female servants? Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy forever.” When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow.2 kings 6.20.27

Balaam Expectation

In Numbers 22.7-16Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him. “Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him. “Stay here overnight,” Balaam said. “In the morning I will tell you whatever the Lord directs me to say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam. That night God came to Balaam and asked him, “Who are these men visiting you?” Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent me this message:  ‘Look, a vast horde of people has arrived from Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse these people for me. Then perhaps I will be able to stand up to them and drive them from the land.’”

The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s officials, “Go on home! The Lord will not let me go with you.” So the Moabite officials returned to King Balak and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”  Then Balak tried again. This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time. They went to Balaam and delivered this message to him:“ This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Please don’t let anything stop you from coming to help me.

I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!” But Balaam responded to Balak’s messengers, “Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord my God.  But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.” That night God came to Balaam and told him, “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”

Balaam and His Donkey

So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.  But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road.

Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls.  When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again.  Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all.  This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam.

In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff. Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam. “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”3“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” Balaam admitted.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him. “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me.  Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”

Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”

35 But the angel of the Lord told Balaam, “Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went on with Balak’s officials. 36 When King Balak heard that Balaam was on the way, he went out to meet him at a Moabite town on the Arnon River at the farthest border of his land.

“Didn’t I send you an urgent invitation? Why didn’t you come right away?” Balak asked Balaam. Say.” So the officials from Moab stayed there with Balaam. Numbers 22.7-37

This was the 1 st message Balaam delivered:

“Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills.

‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me!   Come and announce Israel’s doom.’ But how can I curse those    whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those    whom the Lord has not condemned? I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves,    set apart from other nations. Who can count Jacob’s descendants, as numerous as dust?    Who can count even a fourth of Israel’s people? Let me die like the righteous;    let my life end like theirs.”

Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!” Numbers 23-7-11

This was the 2 nd message Balaam delivered:

“Rise up, Balak, and listen!    Hear me, son of Zippor. God is not a man, so he does not lie.    He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act?    Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Listen, I received a command to bless;    God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob;    no trouble is in store for Israel. For the Lord their God is with them;    he has been proclaimed their king. God brought them out of Egypt;    for them he is as strong as a wild ox.

No curse can touch Jacob;    no magic has any power against Israel. For now it will be said of Jacob,    ‘What wonders God has done for Israel!’ These people rise up like a lioness,    like a majestic lion rousing itself. They refuse to rest    until they have feasted on prey,    drinking the blood of the slaughtered!” Then Balak said to Balaam, “Fine, but if you won’t curse them, at least don’t bless them!” But Balaam replied to Balak, “Didn’t I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?” Numbers 23.18-26

Balaam concluded 3 rd messages by saying:

Balaam concluded his messages by saying:“ Alas, who can survive    unless God has willed it? Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber,    but they, too, will be utterly destroyed.” Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes. Numbers .24 .23- 25

While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having[b] sexual relations with local Moabite women. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab.  In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people. They will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber, but they, too, will be utterly destroyed.” Numbers 25-1.3

Expectation of James and John’s mother & Paralyzed Man

Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.  Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 9 1.-2

Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor.  “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honour next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” Matt   20.20

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments.

But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3.13.18

God’s Expectation

He plowed   the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines .In the middle he built a watchtower    and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,    but the grapes that grew were bitter .Isaiah 5.2

What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes? Isaiah 5:4

Pure religion, undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 1 Peter 1:3  

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.  John 15.9-10

You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. John 16.24

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. John 17.21-22

Conclusion

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children. He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?  If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how.

But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.  No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.  Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

A Call to Listen to God

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.  Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birth right as the firstborn son for a single meal. You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.  They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.” No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.  You have come to the Assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven.

You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.  You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.  For our God is a devouring fire. Amen