“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” (Psalm 85:6 ESV) 

Bowing the knee: Bowing and kneeling have long been associated with worship and reverence. The Hebrew word for “worship” actually means “bow down.” 

No one but God must be worshipped

“You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me.” (Exo. 20:5 ESV)

“You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 26:1 ESV)

“For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols.” (Psalm 78:58 ESV)

Every knee will bow before Jesus

“It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'” (Rom. 14:11 NIV)

“But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.” (Psalm 5:7 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11 ESV)

“You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You.” (Neh. 9:6 NASB)

Quote: 

“You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.” - Jesus Christ (Luke 4:8 NKJV)

“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.” (Isa. 58:10 ESV)

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Prov. 11:25

A powerful biblical principle is found in the two verses above

A few years ago my brother, David, came to live with us. He was very sick and extremely depressed. He spent most of his time curled up in bed. At that time our son, John, was helping with a ministry called “Salt on the Street”, where he handed out needed items to the homeless on the streets and under bridges. One day, John was about to leave our house to go do it and David was nearby. John invited him to tag along with him. David didn’t want to go but I strongly “encouraged” him to go along, and he very reluctantly went. Later, when they returned, I could hardly recognize David. His depression  had completely lifted. He was so happy that he had gone. He had handed out socks and sandwiches to those who were in great need (many had thanked him). It was a great turning point for David and things went uphill for him from there. 

Help the poor, the weak, the needy, widows and the fatherless 

“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’” (Deut. 15:11 ESV)

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27 ESV)

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” (Isa. 1:17 ESV)

“And the crowds asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’ And he answered them, ‘Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.’” (Luke 3:10-11 ESV)

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35 ESV)

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Rom. 15:1 ESV)

Warning

“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.” (Prov. 21:13 ESV) 

Therefore…

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2 ESV)

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal. 6:9 ESV)

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Prov. 19:17 ESV)

Quotes:

“The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But…the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”  - Martin Luther King, Jr. 

“When you become detached mentally from yourself and concentrate on helping other people with their difficulties, you will be able to cope with your own more effectively. Somehow, the act of self-giving is a personal power-releasing factor.” - Norman Vincent Peale

“You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough people get what they want in life.” - Zig Ziglar

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.”

(Isa. 55:8 NIV) 

When bad thoughts invade your mind 

Sometimes bad thoughts enter our minds, but we don’t have to continue thinking about them.The Word of God helps us to recognize our thoughts for what they really are, and how to act (or not act) upon them.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12 NIV)

Capture every thought 

“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5 NIV)

Guard your heart 

“Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.” (Prov. 4:23 NIV)

Overcome evil with good 

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21 NIV).

Fill your mind with good 

“My friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable. ” (Phil. 4:8 GNT)

Therefore…

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV)  

 “You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.” (Psalm 139:1-2 NIV) 

Quote: 

“You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” - Martin Luther

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24 ESV)

Finding a wife is finding a good thing

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” (Prov. 18.22 ESV)

“House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” (Prov. 19:14 ESV)

Each man and woman should have their own mate

“But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.” (1 Cor. 7:2 ESV)

Let the marriage bed be undefiled

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Heb. 13:4 ESV) 

Therefore… 

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Eph. 5:22-33 ESV)

Quotes:

“There is no more lovely, friendly or charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage.” - Martin Luther

“Marriage was ordained for a remedy and to increase the world and for the man to help the woman and the woman the man, with all love and kindness.” -  William Tyndale

“But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.” (Job 32:8 ESV)

 Call to God for understanding

 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jer. 33:3 NIV)

Unfold God’s Words to get light and understanding

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130 NIV) 

A warning 

 “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” (Prov. 18:2 ESV)

Need understanding on a matter? Ask God for revelation

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Eph. 1:17 NIV)

Therefore…

“Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” (Prov. 2:2-5 ESV)

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” (Prov. 4:7 NIV) 

Quote:

“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

“For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?” (Psalm 18:31 NIV)

 He is the rock

“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” (Deut. 32:4 NIV)

 There is no rock like our God

“No one is holy like the LORD ! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” (1 Sam. 2:2 NLT) 

Look to the rock

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn.” (Isa. 51:1 NIV)

Therefore…

“The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!” (Psalm 18:46 NIV)

“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.” (Psalm 71:3 NIV)

“Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 62:2 NIV)

 “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2 NIV)

 Quote:

“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” - Edward Mote

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8 NIV)

God grants sleep

“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.” (Psalm 127:2 NIV)

 Your sleep will be sweet

“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” (Prov. 3:24 NIV)

Therefore…

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1 NIV)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30 NIV)

Quotes:

“God gave us sleep to remind us we are not him.”  - Charles Spurgeon

“If you can’t sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It’s the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep.” - Dale Carnegie

“You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless.” (James 2:19-20 NLT)

Different kinds of believing

The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31). Yes, this is certainly true, but there are different kinds (and levels) of believing. For instance, you can believe that God exists, but this isn’t enough to receive salvation. The above passage tells us that demons believe this fact, yet they tremble in terror. Believing with faith is more than just intellectual knowledge, it’s something you do.

Active, not passive, belief

“Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”

• Declare with your mouth and believe in your heart

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9 NIV)  

• Good deeds follow believing 

In the passage at top, action is expressed by good deeds that follow one’s believing. “…faith without good deeds is useless.” (James 2:20). 

• Changed heart with actions

“…Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house…” (Luke 19:8-9 NIV)

Warning: This doesn’t mean we can earn our salvation

Our belief and commitment to Jesus is reflected in the things we do. Our good deeds are evidence of our real and trusting faith.

 “For it is by grace [we] have been saved, through faith . . . not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

Therefore…

“Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love” (1 Cor. 16:13-14 NLT).

Quote:

“Faith is something you do. It’s active, not passive. Real faith involves making a commitment to trust in Jesus.”– Rick Warren

”Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:2 NLT)

Reacting positively to troubles

 You cannot escape troubles (problems and difficulties).Jesus said, “In this world  you will have trouble.” But how you react is what’s important.You May not be able to control when negative things happen to you, but you can control your response, positively or negatively. The choice is entirely yours.The passage at top says to consider your troubles to be an “opportunity for great joy”. Unfortunately, most people do not see their troubles as opportunities for great joy, but rather, react negatively to them. Many successful people see problem solving as a critical ingredient to growth and success. Problem solving is the act of defining a problem; determining the cause of the problem; identifying, prioritizing, and selecting alternatives for a solution; and implementing a solution. Wise people face their troubles and problems straight on and actively work to find positive solutions.Therefore, they learn, grow, improve and move head through the process. 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:3 NIV)

See things from God’s perspective 

“Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:17-18 NIV)

Therefore…

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” (Psalm 50:15)

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” (Psalm 107:103 ESV)

“Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.” (Psalm 119:143 ESV)

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:17-19)

 Quotes:

“We must never despair; our situation has been compromising before, and it has changed for the better; so I trust it will again. If difficulties arise, we must put forth new exertion and proportion our efforts to the exigencies of the times.” - George Washington

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” - Charles R. Swindoll