Route 66: Day 32
Psalms 32 | Mark 4 | Genesis 32 | Esther 9
A forgiven financial debt is nothing compared to a forgiven sin debt.
How does one distinguish the chosen people of God who are blessed? They are the forgiven. While we can bless others by forgiving the sins they commit against us, our blessing cannot forgive their sins against God, who alone forgives His chosen.
Psalms 32:1-2 KJV Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
Confess while you can.
Man goes to great lengths to conceal his sins from others, but his sins are never hidden from God. Confession does not require a priest; rather, it requires a transparent and humble heart that seeks to be right with God.
Psalms 32:5 KJV I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Many prayers are spoken, but not all prayers are godly.
Psalms 32:6-7 KJV For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Jesus is truly the “Apple of God’s Eye,” serving as the perfect reflection and express image of God, the singular focus of the Father’s immense love and joy. Because of His forgiveness and grace, we become one in Christ—the Israel of God. Upon our redemption, when God gazes upon His Son, He sees our reflection in Him, the very pupil of His eye. Just as the Lord instructed, guided, and kept Remnant Israel as the apple of His eye in Christ, even bearing them on eagle’s wings, He now leads and guides us, His people, with that very same eye. This is evident in our desire to obey His commandments, which lead us on the path of life, where our cries to Him are heard, knowing that those who would dare touch us, touch the very apple of God’s eye.
Psalms 32:8 KJV I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Hebrews 1:2-3 KJV Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Deuteronomy 32:9-10 KJV For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
Deuteronomy 32:11-12 KJV As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
Proverbs 7:2 KJV Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
Lamentations 2:18 KJV Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
Zechariah 2:8 KJV For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
Fellow Christians, we can obey the will of God the easy way or the hard way.
Many prayers have not made it past the bit and bridle, for they lack both understanding and true faith.
Psalms 32:9 KJV Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
The mercies of the LORD are new every day, therefore I will rejoice and be glad in Him!
Psalms 32:10 KJV Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Psalms 32:11 KJV Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
“Andrew, why do you teach from the wilderness?”
If you understand why Jesus taught by the seaside, you will understand why I teach from the wilderness.
Mark 4:1 KJV And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
If the saving belief of another has not been touched by your belief, do you truly have a saving belief? True faith is quite contagious.
Mark 4:8 KJV And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
If your daily focus is not on the Kingdom of God and our King, you have yet to be converted.
Mark 4:11 KJV And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mark 4:12 KJV That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
If you sow not the Word, what is it that you sow?
Mark 4:14 KJV The sower soweth the word.
Hocus-pocus prayers save no one. Faith comes by the Word of God, a seed that is sown. The seed that finds good ground is the gift of God.
Mark 4:26 KJV And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Someone says a prayer, and immediately there is no change in their life.
Mark 4:15 KJV: And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Someone says a prayer and is excited until someone hurts their feelings, and they abandon their initial commitment.
Mark 4:16 KJV: And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
Mark 4:17 KJV: And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
Someone says a prayer but then they determine that the world is more important to them.
Mark 4:18 KJV: And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
Mark 4:19 KJV: And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Then there is someone who says a prayer, and they are born again.
Mark 4:20 KJV: And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Our work in Christ, no matter how and where it is accomplished, is never in vain, even if we do not see the fruit; all that matters is that God sees it all.
Mark 4:24-25 KJV And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
Spiritual gifts require exercise too.
Mark 4:25 KJV For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
To those lost without Christ, the Bible is just a collection of parables. To those who are in Christ, His disciples, it is the Word of God.
If you are a part of the Apple of God’s Eye, you are a student of Christ and His Word. If you want to understand His Word in detail, spend much time with Him alone.
Mark 4:33-34 KJV And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
The things we stress on, the Lord sleeps on.
Mark 4:38 KJV And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
Mark 4:39 KJV And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
No faith results in the fear of the world.
Mark 4:40 KJV And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Faith results in the fear of God.
Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
All I know is that if God and His angels be for us, who can be against us?
Genesis 32:1 KJV And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
Romans 8:31 KJV What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Jacob sought the LORD in times of distress. At this particular moment, he feared that a reunion with his brother Esau would go badly.
Genesis 32:9 KJV And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:
Genesis 32:10 KJV I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
Jesus is the Prince who has power with God and man, for He has all the power of heaven and earth. He is the Israel of God, along with those who reside in Him by faith.
Genesis 32:28 KJV And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
The fear of the Jews back then is not the same as the fear of the Jews today.
Esther 9:1 KJV Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
Esther 9:2 KJV The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.
Esther 9:3 KJV And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
Esther 9:4 KJV For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
Esther 9:5 KJV Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
Father, may we fear your power and glory instead of fearing men. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
