Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Psalm 37:25 ... Scripture: Shared by body of Christ

Psalm 37:25 ... I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Exhortation:  Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet


The "righteous" are not the religious people.  Jesus once told the people, 20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Mt. 5

Paul was a Pharisee of the Pharisees ... very religious ... knowing scripture ...keeping the laws of God from his youth ...  but not born again ..


Acts 8 ... 1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Acts 9 ... 1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.  
3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 


Now everything changes in the blink of an eye for Saul (Paul) because God has appeared to him.  He is now born of the Spirit of God.  He is no longer trying to be religious by his own learning.  Now it is God who is speaking to Paul.

Later Paul says ... 1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law,  blameless. 7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  Phil. 3


Paul went from being very religious to being born again.  Now Paul puts away all the fleshly learning and focuses on that which God says to him by HIS Spirit.  I Cor. 2 ... And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.


Now Paul follows the Spirit of God.  Now the Lord is Paul's shepherd.

Psa. 1 ... The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.   3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.


Thus the righteous are not forsaken nor their seed begging bread for they follow the Spirit of God into green pastures and beside the still water and their soul is restored by God.