Today is that wonderful Sunday we call Mother’s Day. It is a day when we typically celebrate our moms and the priceless role they play in family and society. In this crazy busy world we currently live in with it's ever-changing tide of moral standards it’s never been harder to be a godly parent.
   
I'm sure there are days when mothers wish they could put their resignation letter in and quit. I remember when my boys were young, there happened to be days harder then others and Debby would end the day with, "I quit, don't anyone call the name of mom any more today." But Debby, like most moms, knew she had to be hand's on,  ready to stand firm, and willing to fight the good fight.

Debby knew that the souls of our children and the quality of the lives they lived depended a lot on her faithfulness. In those days I worked long hours and seldom got to spend a lot of time with the kids during the week, so she hard to shoulder the load.  She knew that our boys were too precious of a gift from God for her to do anything else but persevere even when it was hard.

Parenting is crucial and God has called us as moms and dads to do certain things and to do them right. Therefore, I do want to share some truths from Scripture about raising children. Though this is Mother’s Day, this message can be targeted to both moms and dads. 

(Psalms 78:1 ESV) A Maskil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

(Psalms 78:2 ESV) I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

(Psalms 78:3 ESV) things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

(Psalms 78:4 ESV) We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

(Psalms 78:5 ESV) He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,

(Psalms 78:6 ESV) that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,

(Psalms 78:7 ESV) so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;

(Psalms 78:8 ESV) and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

What does Psalms 78 teach? It’s a hymn for the home. That is, this psalm reminds us to teach our children, to teach the next generation. This has been a great breakdown in our current society. The number one responsibility of each parent or grandparent is that our kids and grandchildren know God’s Word. They need to understand that the key to success is to know the Lord, to love Him, and to be obedient to Him.

1.  We Need To Teach Our Children the Greatness of God: (Ps.78:1–4) 

When I hear a lot of testimonies they always seen to include a praying mother or grandmother. Many include a mother or grandmother who made sure the children and grandchildren where in Sunday School and Church Service on Sunday morning. 

The Psalm begins by encouraging us to continue the tradition of passing on the record of God’s marvelous works from one generation to another. In verse 1 the Psalmist asks for our attention. It was like he was shouting, “Don’t touch that dial! Pay attention! This is important stuff!” 

Verse 2 is quoted by Matthew to show that Jesus’ speaking in parables was a means of uncovering things long hidden by God.  This is the purpose of the Ps.78: to clarify the riddle of the past so that it becomes a lesson for the present and the future for families.

Verse 3 sums up the best learning that lives and history have to offer the future. “Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.”

God’s people, especially moms, typically have always made a commitment to bringing up the next generation in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Throughout the Old Testament there is continual exhortation for parents to teach the faith to their children.

We speak a lot about church life however the original institution for teaching children about God has been the home. As parents had received from their fathers, so now the present generation would pass the history of God’s working on to their children with greater understanding. Parents learn from the Lord who reveals Himself and pass their knowledge on to their children.

In verse 4 the first principle that we are to pass on to the next generation emphasizes God’s greatness. To neglect to teach our children the Word of God is to deprive them of God’s precious truths. In God's Word we learn the truth about God, truth about life, and the truth about ourselves.  We need to provide our children with every opportunity to come to know God through the revealing of Him through His divine revelation.

The practice of passing from one generation to the next the testimony of God’s great works is a key part of our parental duty. Notice that we are to tell of His praiseworthy deeds and the awesome things God has done. We are to tell of His power which is far above all other powers. We are to teach our children about God's wonders, for He is a God of miracles. 

There is more I can say about Psalms 78 however I want to close. I want to applaud you mothers who take the task seriously of making a spiritual impact in the lives of your children.

(Proverbs 31:28 ESV) Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

Thank you Moms. Happy Mother’s Day.

This is post #12 on the blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the first 11 studies of the atonement we have looked at the blood bringing about 10 wonderful Biblical life-changing truths.

The #11 truth concerning the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is "THE NEW BIRTH." I hear these labels or identifying statements for believers all the time:
"Born again Christian"
"Saved Christian"
"Real Christian"
"Fully saved"
I even heard the statement a couple months ago, "He was a Born again Preacher" 

I asked a guy not to long ago if he was save, ever been born again. He said that he was half-way saved.

What is up with all this? Either someone has had a "born again" experience or they have not. I know we live in a society that identifies anything that we can't put in some other religious group as "Christian" but we need not fall in line with the grouping of the world. Someone who is born again is a Christian. Someone who is a Christian is born again.

At the risk of leaving a mental picture that you won't be able to erase, I need to share this. A lady is pregnant and finally reached her 9th month and starts going into labor. The doctor says this is going to be a hard delivery. The mother says that she does not want a full delivery but just a half-way event. She has enjoyed carrying the baby and don't want it full delivered or completely born out in the world. I know this sounds insane, however, we have people who have this type of thinking when it comes to being called a Christian. 

We may find ourselves getting into the mode of what I call "watering down" the status of the lost, or those who are NOT born again. We call them "unsaved," or "not fully a Christian," or "almost a Christian." They are LOST! They are hopeless and without hope outside of Christ! According to the Word of God they are already condemned to judgment and hell. We need to read the verses after the John 3:16 verse which we all memorized in Sunday School class back in the day.

(John 3:18 ESV) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

(John 3:19 ESV) And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Only the new birth will change this status of being lost. Over the years I have asked people if they are Christians and I get answers like "I am a church member." If I put a wheel barrel in my garage and pray over it, throw 4 tires in it, and place a gas can in it, it will still be a wheel barrel. It will never be a car. We need the NEW BIRTH and that is brought about through the BLOOD ATONEMENT of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have been covering the key verses in a chapter and all that is reveals. In Part 1 we looked at three small words from Gen.1:1 "IN BEGINNING, GOD." Then in Part 2 we looked at another key word in Gen.1:1 "CREATED."

In continuing investigation of the word CREATION, I want to show that there were only three acts of creation instead of the six days of creation that we have been taught in Sunday School or from a Church service. We saw in Part 2 that the word for CREATION is not the same as the word for MAKE. To make is to form out of pre-existing material and to create is to bring forth something from nothing. In Gen.1:1 was the first act of CREATION.

Genesis 1:1 ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Before getting into the creation of time, space, and matter I would like to share sometime else about the word "God" in Gen.1:1. This is because of the questions coming from those with an unbelieving heart. Questions like, "Where did God come from?"

In Part 1, I shared that the word for God in this verse is ELOHIM, and means The All Powerful One, or the Almighty One. It is important to know that the name ELOHIM is singular in Person but plurality in Godhead. In other words there is only ONE God and He is seen and manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All of this is wrapped up in one word...ELOHIM.

Moses, under the leadership of the Person of the Holy Spirit penned Gen.1:1. In it God allows the reader to assume the existence of God by faith, for He alone is in the beginning of creation and He alone can create.

The Bible assumes His eternity, for He is before all things, the Alpha and Omega, He always was. That is why He is God and we are not. We had a beginning in time and space. There was never a time that God was not and because of this He does not own His creation an explanation of what He was doing for trillions of years before He started His creation processes.  

For those who deny the existence of God, must understand that we cannot have something coming forth from nothing. He Himself must have always been, therefore something can come forth from someone who can create. Gen.1:1 starts out with the knowledge of God's omnipotence for He creates the universe and all the things needed within it.

In Gen.1:1 we see God's absolute freedom of righteous choice. This means that He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, and it will always be righteous and line up with His perfect nature. Gen.1:1 does not reveal what God was doing in eternity past, it starts out with (according to our limited understanding), His new course of action. Which is not new because it was always in His heart to create the heavens and earth and create man in His image.

Gen.1:1 not only implies that God is All-Powerful but implies that He is All-knowing and displays infinite wisdom. When one studies the nature of the cosmos one can see perfect order of matter, space and time, and a complete harmonious system that relate and need one another. This could only come from a being of absolute intelligence. 

Gen.1:1 implies God to be beyond all limit of time and space, since He is before time and space. He created time and space in Gen.1:1, therefore before that act there was no time and space, there was only God. The reason we call the past and future with God "eternity past" and "eternity future" is because both transcend our concept of time.

Gen,1:1 implies that everything existed within God the Father. In one decision He spoke forth existence in the natural of that which only existed within His mind. Gen.1:1 asserts the creation of the heavens and the earth which means all that composes the natural place of time, space and matter was also created. 

This one verse reveals the act of creating by an Omnipotent God in giving existence to things which before had no existence.  Science of today can only observe things as they are in their existence and attempt to find some origin outside of God. They cannot explain things before their existence. No matter how hard science tries and how many great "breakthroughs they accomplish," they will never be able to touch the beginning or the end. Only God experiences both at the same time.

Therefore, we have the first act of creation. 

Revelation 1:8 ESV "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

I love the key verses in Bible Book chapters. One of the insights I see is the key verses in each chapter that seem to "set the stage" for the chapter. Such as Jn.3:16 sets the stage for not only John chapter 3 but also for the complete Book of John. I would like to share some insights from GENESIS 1 from the key passages.

Genesis 1:1 ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

In part 1 we looked at "In beginning, God". Now for the rest of the verse.

Many believers embrace a teaching that there were 6 days of creation and then 1 day of rest. However that would be incorrect according to the Hebrew language and the Word of God.  There is a BIG difference between something being CREATED and something being MADE. To create something means to call it forth from nothing. To make something means to fashion from pre-existing material. Let's explore these two words, create versus made.

We know that the word in Gen.1:1 is created. In the Hebrew the word is "bara" pronounced "baw-raw" and is used 56 times in the Old Testament. The context of its use declares its meaning. In Gen.1:1 it means "to create," or call something forth from nothing.  

To create means that it is not formed out of something already in existence but the coming forth of something new that never existed. It is to give being to something new. It is a point in time when something that did not exist come forth into existence.

The act of creation always has God as its subject because only God can create or call into existence that which never existed except for being inside the mind and heart of God.

The 6 days of what we call creation was actually 6 days of things being made.

The Hebrew word is "asah" and is pronounced "aw-saw" and means to make from pre-existing material. In other words, God created or spoke into existence time, space and matter in Gen.1:1 and then in the 6th day took that which He created in Gen.1:1 and made what we know today.

More later as we look at the three acts of CREATION.

In reading the Word for over 40 years now I am still amazed at the new things I see each time I read no matter how many times I read over it before. One of the insights I see is the key verses in each chapter that seem to "set the stage" for the chapter. I would like to share some insights from GENESIS 1 from the key passages.

Genesis 1:1 ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

I mean who don't just love Gen.1:1 and the total awesomeness of the passage? In the original language there was no use of the definite article "the". The Hebrew language did not have the definite article therefore the actual start of our Bible in the original language would be "In beginning, God." What a great way to start.

In the New Testament the Greek language has the definite article "the" however there are times it was placed in Scriptures that was not in the original. One just verse is the New Testament version of Gen.1:1, which would be Jn.1:1. Although the definite article is not in the original it does not change or take away from by including it.

John 1:1 ESV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (In the Greek this would be "In beginning was").

The same was done in 1 Jn.1:1 & Mk.10:6 with the adding of the definite article.

1 John 1:1 ESV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— (In the Greek this would be "That which was from beginning").

Mark 10:6 ESV But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' (In the Greek this would be "But from beginning").

The Hebrew word for beginning is "reshiyth" pronounced "ray-sheeth". It means the first, in place, time, order or rank. It is the firstfruit. It is the principal thing.

Now we come to one of the greatest words known to mankind, "God".

In this first mention of God in the Bible we should know the Hebrew meaning. The word is "elohiym" and is pronounced "el-o-heem".  The word ELOHIM means "the All-Powerful One." "The One who is Mighty."

Our God is a great God and He carries many names within the Scriptures whereby He identifies Himself. We do not have the right to attribute names or titles to God that are not identified within Scriptures. I have heard Christians try to assign names of the gods of other religions to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is not to be done. There is only One True God and He has given us names whereby we are to know Him. One of those names is ELOHIM.

It is important to know that the name ELOHIM is singular in Person but relates plurality in Godhead. In other words there is only ONE God and He is seen and manifested as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All of this is wrapped up in one word...ELOHIM.

All of this from "In beginning, God!"

We live in a digital information era. If anything, we have information and data overload. One thing that most all of us feel and think is that a lot of information, especially from our news media cannot be trusted. It might not be a complete lie, but it will be half-truths with a political slant and bias. What can we believe?

IN A TIME OF DECEIT, WHAT IS TRUTH AND WHO IS TRUTH?

In light of some of our currents events I am driven in my spirit to write about TRUTH. This will be about four or five parts long and will give first Scriptures about truth and then I will share some thoughts about how I see Truth versus the falsehood we are experiencing.

We as believers say that we stand for truth. With the way things are happening in the world in which we live we will get a chance to prove to God, to our Christian brothers and sisters, and to ourselves if truth is really important to us and if we really embrace it.

WHO IS TRUTH? These are ABSOLUTE in TRUTH:

1.  GOD IS TRUTH:

**Well we know from the Word of God that God is truth and there is no error in Him at all. Not only does He not lie but He cannot lie.

(Numbers 23:19 ESV)  God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

**The only standard whereby we can seal a promise is by the One who is the God of Truth.

(Isaiah 65:16 ESV)  So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.

**God is not only truth but He is also unchangeable. There is no wavering in His Word, His promises or His character.

(Hebrews 6:17 ESV)  So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,

(Hebrews 6:18 ESV)  so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

**Our Lord Jesus Christ declares that God is true and that His words are true.

John 3:33-34 ESV  Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.  (34)  For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

John 7:28 ESV  So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.

**Our eternal life is because we know the ONLY TRUE GOD, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 17:3 ESV  And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

We are still looking at the blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

In the first 10 studies we looked at the blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ bringing about...

1. ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL: 
2. REMISSION OF SINS:
3. LIFE AND PEACE:
4. REDEMPTION:
5. JUSTIFICATION:
6. WE ARE MADE CLOSE:
7. A PURE CONSCIENCE:
8. CLENSING FROM SIN:
9.  SANCTIFICATION:

The 10th truth concerning the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is "THE NEW COVENANT."

Covenant is a great word. It is where we get the word "Testament" for the Old and New Testament. It means "will" as in writing out a will to see who will get our estate after our death. It means a contract or agreement such as taking a loan or buying a car or house.

The blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ established a Testament, Covenant, Will, Contract, and Agreement with us. Usually it takes two parties to establish this but we had nothing to bring to the agreement.

Like the story of Abraham and the covenant agreement between him and the LORD. Abraham was asleep when the contact was established by blood. The Testament, Contract, Will was unconditional in that man did not deserve it, nor could he add anything to it.

(Genesis 15:12-13 ESV) As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.

(Genesis 15:14-16 ESV) But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.  As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

(Genesis 15:17-18 ESV) When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

The Lord wrote a will, a Testament, as owner of all things and with all the riches of heaven. He made us, the believers, the beneficiary of the will. But to enact the will, the writer of the will had to die. So our Lord died to exact the will. Then the enemy came along and opposed the will. Our Lord rose from the dead and sit down at the right hand of God the Father as mediator and judge of the will to ensure that we got all that HE promised in the will. All of this because of the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Hebrews 9:14 ESV) how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

(Hebrews 9:15 ESV) Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

(Hebrews 9:16-17 ESV) For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

REASONS WHY WE SHOULD PRAISE GOD:

Revelation 4:11 ESV "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

Why should we thank God and praise God?

1. He told us to do it: (rejoice, praise, exalt His name, and worship the Lord): (Romans 15:9-11)

Romans 15:9-11 ESV and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name." (10) And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." (11) And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him."

2. He is God and He is worthy.  Our creator, sustainer, made the heavens and earth, gives us our every breath, and every good gift.

3. Praise is an acceptable sacrifice to Him.   If done properly with right attitude.  I can give to the Creator praise, worship and honor because of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Person of the Holy Spirit:

Hebrews 13:15-16 ESV Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. (16) Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Revelation 8:3-4 ESV And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, (4) and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

(1 Peter 2:5 ESV) you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

(1 Peter 2:6 ESV) For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

(1 Peter 2:7 ESV) So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,"

(1 Peter 2:8 ESV) and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

(1 Peter 2:9 ESV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

(Psalms 27:6 ESV) And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

As lawlessness abounds in the world and in the church we will see foundational doctrines of the faith under heavy attack. WHY? Simple actually. The main and sometimes the only thing the enemy wants in our lives is our faith. He does not care if we read our Bible, pray, go to church as long as we do it as a religious activity.

Why does the enemy want our faith? Because it is the only way the Christian can please the Father. The Father is not impresses if we go to church, read our Bibles,, and pray if it is done in the flesh and not in the Spirit with a heart of faith.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Romans 8:7-8 ESV For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. (8) Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

When we hear the Word either through preaching, reading the Scriptures, or having a friend share it with you, it does not bear fruit if it is not mixed with faith.

Hebrews 4:2 ESV For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

In the first 9 studies we looked at the blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ bringing about...
1. ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL; 
2. REMISSION OF SINS;
3. LIFE AND PEACE;
4. REDEMPTION;
5. JUSTIFICATION. 
6. WE ARE MADE CLOSE;
7. A PURE CONSCIENCE
8. CLENSING FROM SIN

The 9th thing concerning the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is "SANCTIFICATION".

Sanctification is a multi-facted process. The first is the idea of BEING SET APART UNTO THE LORD. When the Lord called Moses to go into Egypt to set the captives free, the idea was not just "bringing the Jews out". God brings His people out of Egypt so that He can bring them into Canaan. God called us out of the world so that He could bring us into His promises and His Kingdom. We are "set apart FROM the world and set apart FOR the Lord.

John 18:36 ESV Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."

1 John 2:15-17 ESV Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (17) And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

We are vessels of honor in HIS hands. We are set apart to bring HIM glory. The second idea of sanctification is that of being HOLY. In the spiritual we are as holy and righteous as the Lord Jesus Christ because we are robed in HIS righteousness. However we are to walk out that righteousness in our daily practical lives. This is the process of sanctification. In other words, we are holy and we are being made holy.

1 Thessalonians 4:4 ESV (4) that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

1 Timothy 4:4-5 ESV For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, (5) for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

1 Peter 1:14-16 ESV As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, (15) but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

IT'S TIME TO PRAISE:
Worship is not praise...praise is not worship. And brothers and sisters, it is time for us to PRAISE.

To PRAISE is far more than having a "Praise team with a Praise song." There are over 20 words in the Bible for ways to PRAISE.

Here are some of the Hebrew words for PRAISE:

#1 Towdah - See Strong's #8426
This word means "thanksgiving."  In Hebrew texts such as the Psalms especially, it often appears in songs of thanksgiving and praise, which David offered in the midst of many of his trials. It can also sometimes denote an "offering or sacrifice of thanksgiving." It will be helpful to remember to offer this form of praise especially in the hard times. Thank God for his sovereignty, power, and might.

#2 Yadah - See Strongs #3034
The root word of this form of praise, which is "yad," is a word meaning "hand." Yadah is very literally the "lifting of hands in praise, reverence, and worship." The meaning conveyed is one of outward expression of love towards God, for others to see.

It also means "confession," but not necessarily in the general English sense that you and I are used. When used or translated as "confession," it means an "outward confession of praise or worthiness" to God.

Since Yadah involves the lifting of hands, one may understand it also with some connotations of "surrendering" or "confessing authority to" (as one under arrest puts up his hands to show submission to an officer).

#3 Baruch - See Strongs #1288
This is a word which very commonly is known to mean "to bless" or "blessed" (if you have ever heard the beginning of a Hebrew blessing, 'Baruch Atah Adonai…' which means “blessed are You, Lord.” 

It also carries a secondary meaning, in some contexts, of "kneeling" or "bowing" as well. Baruch is usually the Hebrew word behind most blessings given in the Old Testament, either from God towards men (blessing), or men towards God (praising and bowing). Baruch is important to distinguish as strictly a verb (an action), not a noun (thing).

#4 Shabach - See Strong's #7623
Shabach is a simple Hebrew word which literally means "to shout." In the context of praise, it's giving a shout of praise for the Lord!

#5 Zamar - See Strong's #2167
Zamar is a cool word which means basically the playing of an instrument, or "making music" to glorify the Lord, accompanied with singing. Personally, this is one of my favorite ways to praise!

#6 Halal - See Strong's #1984
This is one of the most active words I came across as a form of praise. Halal means "to make a show, rave, or boast." When used in the Bible in reference to the praise of the Lord, it is said that the sun, moon, stars, heavens, waters, and all creation "boast" of the Lord most High, proclaiming His Name and His glory to all the earth. Likewise we too, as humans, are called to boast of the Lord and His mighty works. Isaiah the prophet referenced this form of praise as being called for during times of festivals to the Lord. This method of praise might also incorporate dancing, leaping, and twirling (making a show!) before the Lord too, because of the tremendous excitement of love to God that it conveys. It is the root of the expression "Hallelujah!"

#7 Tehillah - See Strong's #8416
In a short summary, the word "tehillah" is somewhat of a combination of all the previous words and meanings of praise! Depending on its usage grammatically in the Bible, it refers to all kinds of praise and worship activity. Strong's defines it as meaning "glory, praise, song of praise, or praiseworthy deeds."

Secondarily, it also can be a technical-musical term (as in, David's song of tehillah, Ps. 145) Strong's even notes that the actual Hebrew name for the book of Psalms, for example, is the word "Tehillim" (the plural form of Tehillah, meaning "praises") and probably more accurately reflects the contents of the book.

To be continued

Our Lord Jesus Christ that the food or meat that He eats is to do the will of the Father. And in doing the will of the Father He would accomplish the work of the Father.

The two main prayer requests that I get from all over the world are "Pastor, pray for me because I want to hear God's voice" and "Pastor, pray for me because I want to know God's will. I wrote 2 books on hearing God's voice. However, the key topic of this study is how to know and do God's will. It is important to see that these two topics go hand-in-hand. Hearing God and doing His will are mutually inclusive.

In Part 1 we looked briefly at...
1.  Realizing the responsibility of knowing and doing the will of the Father. (Ps.40:8).
2.  Realizing that we need to ask God to teach us to do His will. (Ps.143:10)
3.  The importance of doing the will of the Father? (Matt.7:21, Mk.3:33-35, 1 Jn.2:17).

If I am to do God's will then it would stand to reason that the Father is not going to keep us in the dark about it. God does not play the game of hide-n-seek when it comes to us knowing His will and doing it. He does not set us up for failure. He is more concerned and committed with us knowing His will and His work then we are. Therefore He has placed some clear instructions in His Word concerning His will for us to get us started in the area of hearing and obeying His will.

What do the Scriptures say concerning the will of the Father that we are commanded to accomplish? These should be so important to us that they are the bread of life which sustains us.

SCRIPTURE #1 OF GOD'S WILL FOR US: It is God's will that we give thanks IN ALL circumstances no matter what they are or what they look like or what they cost us. We are not commanded to have a heart of thanksgiving FOR them, but we are to have a thankful heart IN the midst of them.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV (18) give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

SCRIPTURE #2 OF GOD'S WILL FOR US: It is God's will that we be pure and holy and free from sexual sins. I will break this 1 Thess.4:3 passage down word by word.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV (3) For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

The Greek of 1 Thess.4:3 would say that the will of God is that we walk in sanctification, purity, holiness. In doing so we should abstain, refrain from, and hold oneself off from, sexual immorality. The sexual immorality of this verse is in word, deed, and thought and includes, sex outside of marriage (fornication), harlotry (adultery and incest), and idolatry (spiritual fornication).  The Greek word here for sexual immorality is "porneia" and is pronounced "porniah". It is where we get the English word porn and pornography.

So, here are two areas of God's will that we can take to the Father, confess, hear with the intent to do, then be obedient and do.

I have posted 8 studies on the atonement and how it is under attack.  It may help to go back and read the first 8. The doctrine of the blood atonement is under great attack by both the lost world and also the liberal church. It is hard to believe that there are Pastors preaching that the cross was not necessary and that Jesus died needlessly. However, this heresy is becoming more and more popular among the false teachers and pastors that are influencing believers everywhere. 

In the first 8 studies we looked at the blood atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ bringing about...
1. ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL; 
2. REMISSION OF SINS;
3. LIFE AND PEACE;
4. REDEMPTION;
5. JUSTIFICATION. 
6. WE ARE MADE CLOSE;
7. A PURE CONSCIENCE

The 8th thing concerning the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is "CLEANSING FROM SIN". We sing the song "What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus." Yet, many believers continue to live in sin, live in the gult of sin, be held in bondage to their sin, or try to earn cleansing of sin by some religious act. I can't even imagine a cross-less Christ. The whole purpose of Him coming in the flesh of man was to die so that He could pay the ransom and redeem us.

If we continue in sin there is no more sacrifice that can be given. We need to apply the poured out blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for our sins to be cleansed.

1 John 1:7 ESV But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 Peter 1:18-19 ESV knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

Hebrews 9:22 ESV Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

We hear the old saying, "When it rains, it pours." This means that when difficult things happen, it happens in multiple ways. Have you ever stopped and said, "God, what else can happen? I don't think I can take another thing?" You know the times. In a matter of just a few days your child gets sick, the car won't start, and you get laid off from your job.

Soon, the nation will reopen from our "lock-down" due to the Coronavirus. People can go back to work. But wait! Will there be jobs to go back to? What about our food supply? Will there be food storages for a time until our food packaging plants reopen? There are still hard times in front of us.

"When it rains, it pours."

This is actually true and can be found in the Word, although stated differently. James 1:2 is clearly one such parallel Scripture.

James 1:2 ESV Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

The Greek translation would make this verse say...
You are to command joy and have the rule over and govern joy when you are surrounded with various and manifold evil experiences and adversities. 

This means that we will face adversities and evil experiences that are many different sizes and shapes and in number ALL at the same time. It is a Biblical truth. Some will come as God allows our faith to be tested to grow us up. Some will come as a result of our own disobedience and sin. Either way they will come.

There is another saying that is common among mankind, "that's the last straw that broke the camel's back." Basically this old proverb says that we have a mental and physical breaking point when we face adversity and hard times and that we cannot go on. It assumes that we know what that breaking point is. However, God says that He knows the temptations we face and will make a way for us to escape before we reach the breaking point.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV (13) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  

WORSHIP: We have established that we are called to worship God the Father and God the Son. We have established in parts 5-9 what true Biblical worship is not. In parts 10-12 we established what worship is.

TO WORSHIP MEANS:
We found that the Old Testament Hebrew words for worship means:  To prostrate before; to bow to pay homage to royalty or to God; To bow down, crouch down, or fall down flat in humility; To revere in the heart and with physical body; to stoop to; to adore.

We found that the New Testament Greek words for worship means: To kiss like a dog licking his master's hand, to crouch down, to prostrate oneself in homage to reverence and to adore.

This definition is what it means to worship in Spirit and Truth in John 4:23-24 and has nothing to do with music, a team, or a time. It is a position of the heart and the body.

John 4:23-24 ESV But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (24) God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

TRUE BIBLICAL WORSHIP IS AN EXPRESSION OF HUMILITY:

We see in Jn.4:23-24 that there is a worship which God would accept and be well pleased with. We are fooling ourselves thinking that the Father is under obligation to accept whatever we present simply because we place a "religiously holy and acceptable" name on it. Just because we call what we are doing worship does not mean that it meets the Bible standard for worship nor does it mean that the Father has to accept it. There are two key words in Rom.12:1 that we often miss. "Holy and Acceptable". He is not under obligation to receive a sacrifice that is other than holy and acceptable.

Romans 12:1 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

This word is used 12 times in the New Testament concerning the status of what we bring to the Lord.

In Jn.4:21-24 our Lord Jesus Christ declared that worship is not tied to a PLACE but to a position of heart and body.

John 4:21 ESV Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

In Jn.4:21-24 our Lord Jesus Christ declared that worship is tied to a time and is now upon us.

John 4:23 ESV But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

In Jn.4:21-24 our Lord Jesus Christ declared that worship was divided between those who were true worshippers and those who had a form of worship but it was ceremonial and hypocritical.

John 4:23 ESV But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

In Jn.4:21-24 our Lord Jesus Christ declared that worship would have the Father as the object of worship. The object of worship will not be a music team, a building, a popular personality. Watch the crowd of a Christian music concert of a well known popular group and honestly ask yourself, "who is being exalted and glorified?"

John 4:23 ESV But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

In Jn.4:21-24 our Lord Jesus Christ declared that worship would be in spirit and truth. This means that out of the mind or thoughts, the emotions or feelings, and the will or choices a person brings forth true worship. It is an act of humility to bow the head, the body, the knees, or to lay flat before the Father while having the whole inward man also in a position of bowing before the Father. To worship in truth is to worship according to the Word which is TRUTH, coming to the Father though the Lord Jesus Christ who is TRUTH, and in the power of the Holy Spirit who is TRUTH.

In Jn.4:21-24 our Lord Jesus Christ declared the WHY of true Biblical worship. It is not difficult. We always speak about us seeking after God but never address what the Father is seeking after. We worship in spirit and truth because the Father is SEEKING for those who will dare to worship in spirit and truth.

John 4:23 ESV But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.