Psalm 89
August 12, 2019
Ethan the Ezrahite is not a common name, so where can we find him in Scripture? He was mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15:17, 19, but let's begin in verse 16, “David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps, and cymbals. So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals.” I call that information, and it may be of some help in that we now know who God used to pen this Psalm. But not nearly as important as knowing where to find it in the Scriptures. I once more went to my study Bible and found on page 967 in notes the answer I was searching for. You will find the account in 1 Chronicle 17 and 2 Samuel 7.
As I read the account of God’s promises to David and how God blesses his kingship, have you thought of the promises God has made to all who are in Christ?
If we begin at the beginning of you asking Jesus to come into your life and set you free from bondage, you enter into His family, your Father is now God, and you are free from the control of the evil one; Satan or the devil. But where can I find that written in Scripture, found in Romans 6:12-14, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” You’re free, but let’s not miss it is all about your choice. Never forget religion is rules and law, and it is easy to forget what happened to you, not because you were good at rule-keeping, but because God extended His grace and set you free from the bondage of sin.
Do you still rascal with sinful thoughts, that call flesh and you can experience victory over them by understanding who you are in Christ? “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
The promise took place the moment you ask Christ into your life, as the Commander and Chief. Then why am I not having victory over my thoughts, the same reason I’ often do not I lean on my own understanding and allow the worldly thoughts to still my dependence on the Spirit that lives in me.
So you now should be living in the assurance of being a child of the Lord because of this promise in John 6:37, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
Of the many promises in Scripture, I find that I can have friendship with Christ is one of the most exciting. You will find the words in John 15:14-15, “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
I know many of you are living a blessed life, and I also am experiencing such, but that does not mean we are not affected by the fruits of sin in our fallen world. You will find this promise of trials and even persecution in 2 Timothy 3:12-13, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” If you had kept reading, you would see you are to be the hand and feet of Jesus in a fallen world.
And I’m going to end with a great promise found in John 15:9-11 on Joy. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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