COVID test and Psalm 32

COVID test and Psalm 32

Recently we needed to get the COVID test done. We were somewhat nervous, but the swab-taking wasn't a problem. We had to wait about 24 hours to get the result. When we saw the negative result, we had great relief and joy! Have you experienced that joy? The declaration from the health authorities, 'COVID-19 virus was NOT DETECTED' is what we desire to hear! We were then free to move around without any restrictions!

In Psalm 32 David is speaking about the experience of a similar, much greater joy when we confess our sin and let the LORD take away our guilt and fear! Our soul is set free to live the life GOD has purposed for us and we experience joy and fulfilment.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. 

Selah I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. 

During this period of grace before GOD'S wrath is poured on this earth, let us come before Him humbly. Let us allow the LORD to search our hearts. Let us respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Let us confess our sins to Him and turn away from all wickedness. Then we will experience His protection, peace, guidance and joy in the midst of the turmoil around us!

Let us not become preoccupied in our minds researching the origin of the corona virus. Let us beware not to allow the enemy to lead us into arguments about the controversies regarding the vaccine, the levels of restrictions imposed, or even authorities like President Joe Biden or Trump, causing rifts between us, spoiling our relationships! Let us not try to figure out whether we should have the vaccine and if so which one to go for. Let us focus on the LORD. Keep our hearts right with Him. Strengthen our faith by studying the word of GOD. Build our relationship with each other.

Selah For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.

He will then clearly direct our path. We will rejoice in the LORD. We will bring joy to His heart and glory to the name of the LORD JESUS. We will be a blessing to others. 

 Selah I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Psalm 32:1-11

Oil in their vessels..

OIL IN YOUR VESSEL

 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Matthew 25:1-13


The only difference between the wise and the foolish virgins was the oil in the vessel. The wise had it and the foolish did not have it! That 'Extra Oil' made all the difference!

Oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. When a lamp is lit, it keeps burning as long as there is oil in it. The oil in the vessel symbolizes the active presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

Does the Holy Spirit have authority over my soul? Do I submit to His promptings? Do I yield my thoughts and ideas to Him? Does my body submit to Him by promptly doing what He instructs me to do?

Overcome

 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." '
Revelation 2:7

We must overcome every obstacle that is from within ourselves and without. Overcome means come over all obstacles. Diligently seek the 'Way of escape' the LORD shows you in difficult situations. Don't go out the easy way but go in the right way. The word of GOD shows you that right path and the Spirit of GOD will guide your next step. The LORD will lift you high on eagle's wings and enable you to come over the obstacle victoriously!

 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Let us learn how to overcome the systems of the world to live a victorious life.

 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Colossians 2:6-10

Like the wise virgins:

Let us trade our worldliness for Godliness.

Let us trade the world for JESUS.

By the time the foolish virgins learnt this, it was too late!

 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
Proverbs 23:23

 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24

Overtake

 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

In a race, the one who overtakes everyone else wins. In our spiritual race, we don't verse each other. We verse our self. The spiritual verses the carnal. The body can rule our lives; the soul can rule by being in control; or the Spirit can be given control over the soul and body.

Let us learn how to give control of our lives to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to overtake our selfishness. Let us train like an athlete to overtake self constantly so we may live a victorious life.

 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, 

"Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" 

And He answered him, 

"Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all."
1 Samuel 30:8

 Arise, shine; 

For your light has come! 

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 

And deep darkness the people; 

But the Lord will arise over you, 

And His glory will be seen upon you. 

The Gentiles shall come to your light, 

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah 60:1-3

ARISE, SHINE!

 Arise, shine; 

For your light has come! 

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 

For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, 

And deep darkness the people; 

But the Lord will arise over you, 

And His glory will be seen upon you.

Isaiah 60:1-2

Imagine many people seated in a big hall.

The hall is well lit with ceiling lamps.

Every individual has a candle in his hand.

It is almost impossible to see which ones are lit 

and which ones are not.

Suddenly all the ceiling lights are put out.

Immediately those with candles lit shine forth!

They clearly stand out 

from those that have candles that are not lit!

Since covid 19 began, darkness has spread across the nations,

around the world.

The torment of sickness, the fear of sickness,

the insecurity and fear of the future, 

the fear of lack of provision

in the midst of shut-downs:

All these comprise the thick darkness over the world.

This darkness has blocked the light from GOD

reaching the world.

The darkness has separated man from GOD,

Who is the source of light!

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 

and the Word was God. 

He was in the beginning with God. 

All things were made through Him, 

and without Him nothing was made that was made. 

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 

And the light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 

This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, 

that all through him might believe. 

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 

That was the true Light 

which gives light to every man coming into the world. 

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, 

and the world did not know Him. 

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 

But as many as received Him, 

to them He gave the right to become children of God, 

to those who believe in His name: 

who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, 

nor of the will of man, but of God. 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, 

and we beheld His glory, 

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 

full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-14

The LORD JESUS said,

 "  ...As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
John 9:5

 You are the light of the world. 

A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 

Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, 

but on a lampstand, 

and it gives light to all who are in the house. 

Let your light so shine before men, 

that they may see your good works 

and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16

 For it is the God 

who commanded light to shine out of darkness, 

who has shone in our hearts 

to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God 

in the face of Jesus Christ. 

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 

that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7

During this period of darkness when the ceiling lights appear to be switched off, GOD'S call comes to His children loud and clear through the darkness,

"Arise and shine!"

Let not the copious information about the virus, vaccine and statistics of the pandemic cloud our minds.

Let not the ever flowing news of rules and instructions distract our minds from our focus on the LORD. Let us heed His instructions from His word. Let us be sensitive to hear the gentle voice of His Spirit.

 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105

 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; 

I will guide you with My eye.
Psalm 32:8

Be diligent to protect your light.

Let not the darkness separate you from the LORD.

 Be sober, be vigilant; 

because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, 

seeking whom he may devour. 

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, 

knowing that the same sufferings 

are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9

Receive the truth of GOD'S word which is light.

Meditate on His word and listen to what the LORD is saying.

Reflect that word by speaking to others about it.

Resist the temptation of constantly filling your mind with worldly information,

and being preoccupied with it. Avoid constantly discussing this information with others. Take every opportunity to speak life-giving words of encouragement to brethren and to share the Good News of Salvation through JESUS to non-believers.

Thus you will surely 'Arise and Shine' in this darkness!

Then, the darkness will not overwhelm or comprehend you!

You will be an overcomer and you will help others to overcome this period of darkness!

Let us 'Arise and Shine'!

 

PLAGUES

PLAGUES

  Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Exodus 12:13

On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord." Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces. So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun." Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.
Numbers 16:41-50 

Aaron and Phinehas were a point of GOD'S Grace.

The man of Israel and the woman with whom he committed harlotry were the point of GOD'S wrath.

Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.

Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.' "
Numbers 25:1, 7-13 

 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
Revelation 18:1-8