Thoughts From the Bible

Read Mark 1 1:   1-11-   Jesus told the disciples where they would find a colt and what would happen when they did. Everything happened just as He said. Even though you had seen many wondrous things, w ouldn’t that slap you to attention to who Jesus really was? Then in verses 9 and 10 we read,  ‘(9) Then those who went before and those who followed crie d out, saying, “Hosanna! Blessed is He whom comes in the name of the Lord! (10) Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”’   After reading this passage of scripture, when was the last time I exclaimed, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!?” I  must  examine myself and I find my worship and praise of  Jesus wanting. I need to find the excitement the people in Jerusalem found when Jesus came and they threw their clothes and palm branches in front of Jesus.  Am I simply praising Jesus the ways  I should?    Prove...

Read M atthew 21: 6- 11 -   Verse 9 of this passage of scripture says,  ‘And the crowds that went before Him and that  followed Him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”’   Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem became quite the event. This may have been the largest celebration of who Jesus really was since His birth when the angels sang and the shepherds worshipped.  When was the last time I worshipped and sang His praises with such vigor? The people  were excited and that is something we need to remember as we  go through our Christian lives. We have so much to be grateful for in our lives with Christ. We need to not lose the excitement that  comes with knowing Christ loves us.  

Read Matthew 15: 28-   31 - There were many people fol lowing Jesus through the country. Jesus was performing miracles. He was doing things no one had ever seen before. Jesus was also teaching them things the religious leaders were not .  The key thing that was written about all that Jesus was doing was what was written in the 31 st verse, ‘ so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.’ When we see the hand of God mo ve in our lives or the lives of others, we need to do as these people did and glorify God.  

Read Revelation 19: 6- 10- This is an exciting passage that again emphasizes the worship of God over all that has happened in the world. The world is beginning to see the return of Jesus Christ to rule and reign supreme . This passage shows us where our priority should be.  We should be focused on God and the person of Jesus Christ above all of the miraculous and heavenly things that exist. Verse s 9 and 10 say, ‘And the angel said to me, “Write this; blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are t he true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. ’   As we should do during each and every day of our lives, we should continue to focus on who Jesus is and praise Him in our work and how we live our lives. As we...

Read Revelation 19: 1- 5- This is a chapter of praise and triumph.  This chapter starts with prais e to God for His hand on the people and the events of this world.  This is a good example of how we should be working to develop a heart of praise that is a persistent state with us, not an event that we assume on Sundays or at time when Christians gather together.   Verses 4 and 5 says, “And the twenty-four elder s and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who was seated on the throne, saying, ‘Amen, Hallelujah!’ And from the thron e came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him small and great.”   Much like this chapter, when we praise and worship God, our lives get better and our minds more focused on the proper things of life.  This chapter gets better as will our lives aft er we worship God.

Read Revelation 15: 1-4- I think this is interesting. In the face of plagues coming from the hand of God to subdue Satan , there are Christians who begin to proclaim the omnipotence of God.  Verse four stands out, “ Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” This is a lesson we need to take and move into our lives.  When bad things are happening, we need to know God is still there and it is our place to continue to praise the God of the universe .

Read Revelation 5: 13- 1 4 - “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever.’”   We are living in a time when inclusion is something that is important to some people and is discussed by many people.  I am taken back by the inclusion I read in the 13 th verse of this chapter.  This message from God says every creature will be praising Him.  It doesn’t matter who they are or where they are. They will all be praising God.   We need to work to make sure we are prepared for an event we can probably not be prepared to experience.  We can only imagine.