Soothing Words
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· 45 viewsGod rejoices in the well-being and faithfulness of his covenant people, and in the repentance and conversion of sinners. He brings joy to his people, who rejoice in his presence and faithfulness.
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The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah
17 The Lord your God is in your midst,
English Standard Version Chapter 3
17 The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
a mighty one who will save;
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
Words are a powerful thing. Say the wrong combination of words and you can you bring about distortions, damage and destruction. Say the wrong thing relationships may be lost. Likewise if you say the right combination of words there is much to be gained. Words can give hope, courage, inspiration, imagination and insight.
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
(Illustration)
he will exult over you with loud singing.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Zep 3:17). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
- Michelle saying I love you.
- Coach saying you have the stuff to be on the varsity team as a sophomore.
I want to share with you today the idea of soothing words. Words that can make the wrongest this right. Words that can bring clam to the biggest storm and stop the strongest winds.
Before we can drill down in the the words of the Lord we must go on a little joy journey. It is a journey that determines how we are able to come to the place where we find ourselves positioned to have the Lords soothing words spoken over us.
Our first stop on this journey is coming to terms with the fact that God is the source of joy.
God is the source of joy
God is the source of joy
God is the source of joy
God is the source of joy
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Don’t Be Worry, Be Joyful
Don’t Be Worry, Be Joyful
How can we rejoice?
Can I Have Joy in My Life? How Can We Rejoice Always?
Every Christian is to manifest all of the fruit of the Spirit, and the more we grow in grace, the further we progress in our sanctification, the more gentle we should be, the more patient we should be, the more faithful we should be, and, obviously, the more joyful we should be.
In simple terms, this means that the Christian life is not to be marked by dourness or a miserable attitude. We all have bad days, but the basic characteristic of a Christian personality is joy. Christians should be the most joyous people in the world because we have so much to be joyous about. That is why Paul does not hesitate to command his readers to rejoice.
How do we recover lost joy?
Can I Have Joy in My Life? The Way to Recover Joy
Paul’s admonition to believers to be joyful presupposes that believers can do something if they find themselves lacking in joy. He is right, of course, and the New Testament is filled with teaching on how to be joyful. The most basic method is to focus our attention on the ground of our joy, the source of our joy.
Can I Have Joy in My Life? The Way to Recover Joy
This is a call to meditate upon the things of the Lord, to turn our attention to the things of God. When we find ourselves depressed, down, irritated, annoyed, or otherwise unhappy, we need to return to the source of our joy, and then we will see those circumstances that are sapping our joy in perspective. The circumstances of this life will pale into insignificance when compared to that which we have received from God.
Can I Have Joy in My Life? The Way to Recover Joy
When I have things in perspective, I know that if I never experienced another blessing in my entire life other than the blessings I already have received from the hand of God, I would have no possible reason to be anything but overflowing with joy until the day I die. God has already given me so much to be thankful for, so much to provoke my soul to delight, gladness, and joy, that I should be able to live on the basis of that surplus of blessedness and remain joyful all of my days.
Of course, the good news is that God will not stop manifesting His care and giving us His tender mercies and blessings. He continues to do that, and that means that every day we live as Christians we have more reason to rejoice than we had the day before. We have spent one more day receiving His love and all the benefits that He pours out on us, all those things that make us joyful.
There are a few things that we can our focus on that will keep us drinking for the source of our joy.
1) God’s Character - God is true to Himself. He will always do what His will suggest.
2) Remember the Holy Spirit - We can do nothing but rejoice when we are being lead by the Spirit of God.
3) Be glad in the work of Jesus - A great definition of a Christian is Somebody who worships in the Spirit of God, rejoices in Christ Jesus and puts no confidence in the flesh ()
My favorite definition of a Christian? Somebody who worships in the Spirit of God, rejoices in Christ Jesus and puts no confidence in the flesh ()
4) Spiritual Blessing - We are told in the book of Ephesians that God gives us everything we need out of the abundance of His riches. There’s only one reasonable response to that and that is joy, deep down joy.
Paul tells the Ephesians that God gives us everything we need out of the abundance of His riches. There’s only one reasonable response to that and that is joy, deep down joy.
5) Divine providence - Because God is a God of complete sovereignty providence, we can rejoice because nothing is outside His plan.
6) Prayers that are answered - We can rejoice that God answers prayer (). That in itself is enough to keep the joy flowing.
Divine providence. Because God is a God of absolute sovereign providence, I rejoice because nothing is outside His plan.
7) The truth of Scripture - When the Word of Christ dwells in me richly, I end up speaking in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody and rejoicing in my heart because of the truth ()
rejoice that God answers prayer (). That in itself is enough to keep the joy flowing.
7. The truth of Scripture. When the Word of Christ dwells in me richly, I end up speaking in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody and rejoicing in my heart because of the truth ()
8) Fellowship - There is something about being with believers because there is a level of joy that I don’t experience with non-believers ()
“The joyful Christian thinks more of his Lord than his personal difficulties, more of his spiritual riches in Christ than his poverty on earth, and more of his glorious fulfillment in heaven than his present pain. Therein lies our joy.” John Macarthur
What are the ways you see God as your source for joy?
In what ways is it hard to see God as your source? What is true? What is false?
See also ; ; ; ; ;
God rejoices in the restoration of his people
God rejoices in the restoration of his people
I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.
We tap into joy by hanging out with God! When we are in His Presence, we come out with a new spring in our step, a new song in our heart. When we’re hanging out with Him, we take on His characteristics.
And God is happy!
You may have been through some trouble, but God is the One Who brings restoration. says, “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.”
God is saying, “You’re working for Me. You got hurt in the service of the Lord. And I’m going to give you worker’s compensation. I’m going to give you double for your trouble.” Glory to God!
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
Joel 2:25
Some of you have been down with a lot of “worms” in your life. Some of you have lost years to a bad marriage. Some of you have lost years to health problems. But the Lord put something in my heart. He said, “My mercy is greater than your mistakes, and I am a Master at fixing any disaster.”
God loves us that much. Whether we’ve done things that are our own fault, or whether it is the enemy who has stolen from us, God is still the Restorer!
God is saying, “You’re working for Me. You got hurt in the service of the Lord. And I’m going to give you worker’s compensation. I’m going to give you double for your trouble.” Glory to God!
See also He rejoices as does a bridegroom; ; He rejoices as does a father
Joy can be found in the heavenly presence of God
Joy can be found in the heavenly presence of God
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
And God is happy!
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
Shadow of your wings
Shadow of your wings
You may have been through some trouble, but God is the One Who brings restoration. says, “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.”
There is a couple of things that would be good for us to understand about this phrase, “shadow of your wings.”
God is saying, “You’re working for Me. You got hurt in the service of the Lord. And I’m going to give you worker’s compensation. I’m going to give you double for your trouble.” Glory to God!
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
says, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm.” Some of you have been down with a lot of “worms” in your life. Some of you have lost years to a bad marriage. Some of you have lost years to health problems. But the Lord put something in my heart. He said, “My mercy is greater than your mistakes, and I am a Master at fixing any disaster.”
a. In the scriptures the phrase "under my wing" is a metaphor, or figure of speech. But yes, Jesus did have wings! says, "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings"
God loves us that much. Whether we’ve done things that are our own fault, or whether it is the enemy who has stolen from us, God is still the Restorer!
b. In the time of Jesus most people were familiar with that scripture. In those days men wore an outer cloak or mantle. The four corners of the cloak were called "wings". On each corner was a fringe or tassel called a tzitzit. The tassel was made up of white linen threads with one single blue thread running through it. It was to remind them of the Commandments. ()
c. TODAY: We have the Word and our faith to remind us of the promises of God. Sometimes our faith comes hard. Thats why its good to look in the Word to see the faithfulness of God, both in the O.T. and the N.T.
God is saying, “You’re working for Me. You got hurt in the service of the Lord. And I’m going to give you worker’s compensation. I’m going to give you double for your trouble.” Glory to God!
TODAY: We have the Word and our faith to remind us of the promises of God. Sometimes our faith comes hard. Thats why its good to look in the Word to see the faithfulness of God, both in the O.T. and the N.T.
TODAY: We have the Word and our faith to remind us of the promises of God. Sometimes our faith comes hard. Thats why its good to look in the Word to see the faithfulness of God, both in the O.T. and the N.T.
It is not hard for us to consider the importance of coming under the shadow of His wings.
- When we are under the roofs of our homes we feel a measure of protection from the outside elements.
God loves us that much. Whether we’ve done things that are our own fault, or whether it is the enemy who has stolen from us, God is still the Restorer!
- When our children come under the embrace of our hugs they know a level of comfort they can get no other place.
When a hurting family is surrounded by caring people they find hope.
_ w
When Jesus used the phrase "under my wings" it was a reference to an ancient custom thats still practiced today in some parts of the world. Its the idea of coming under the covering of someone or some thing for protection and provision. Lets pretend for a little while and go back to Old Testament times.
This is important to you and I because we are being reminded that we have been taken in. We have been gathered under God’s protection. Like a hen gathers its little chicks to lead them, guide them, guard them and nurture them. God is this for us and so much more.
God is always with us, how often do we recognize His presence?
, "Keep me as the apple of Your eye, hide me under the shadow of Your wings".
a. Keep: The word "keep" comes from a "keep" in a castle. It was the high tower where you would go for safety when attacked by an enemy. You could look down at your enemy below and laugh at him because he couldn’t touch you.
b. The "Apple of my eye" was a Jewish way of saying, "protect me just as you would protect the pupil of your own eye."
c. "Hide me under the shadow of thy wings". In other words, David is saying, "I have come under the shadow of your roof through Abraham." We have come under the shadow of God’s roof because of Jesus Christ.
There are more 50 plus verse that deal with the presence of God in one form or another. I stopped at 50 but there were many more to read through. Everything from...
Singing in His presence to going before the Lord to being still to His light shining to this verse that I really like.
“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away?
How often do you recognize God’s presence? What does it like like to you?
At creation:
At creation:
over sinners who repent
God Causes joy
God Causes joy
His own works
His own works
but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
The specific statement "The oil of joy” (ie. gladness) is a revelation of what joy does for us. Listen if you love what God loves, if you want the kind of joy that God causes. The oil and what it accomplishes will be apparent. This symbolic language reveals a few very specific results/symptoms of joy in and on our life.
The specific statement "The oil of joy” (ie. gladness) is a revelation of what joy does for us. Listen if you love what God loves, if you want the kind of joy that God causes. The oil and what it accomplishes will be apparent. This symbolic language reveals a few very specific results/symptoms of joy in and on our life.
The Oil of Joy should produce:
a. Oil that softens - I have noticed that some believers become, grumpier or become, less fun. When we are anointed with joy we should be softer folks. Our hearts of stone should be turned to soft hearts of flesh! We should not be people that say, “I’ve got the joy of the Lord” but we walk around like no one has told our face.
b. Oil of aroma - When we are anointed with joy we ought an aroma the is noticed! People should you are in their presence because of our spiritual aroma. Our lives should have a different fragrance. It should cause a spirit of welcome upon our arrival rather than dreading our appearance.
- A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
His chosen servant
His chosen servant
; ; ;
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
;
The restored temple
The restored temple
Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.
His people and their worship
His people and their worship
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones. Praise the Lord!
See also
Repentance
Repentance
The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers,
Obedience, honesty and integrity
Obedience, honesty and integrity
;
See also ; ; ;
God’s face shining on his people
God’s face shining on his people
When God’s face shines on his people his divine pleasure and joy is implied.
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
See also; 80:19; 119:135
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
- Michelle saying I love you.
- Coach saying you have the stuff to be on the varsity team as a sophomore.
Sophomore
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save:
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save:
The Lord your God is in your midst,
He is the on that is all, in all, created all, and knows all is in our midst.
a mighty one who will save:
We are to rejoice in verse 15, telling us that since God is in our midst, that means the judgments against us ARE TAKEN AWAY. The judgments against us is the guilty verdict from God which we deserve for breaking His commandments. But Zephaniah tells us to REJOICE because they ARE TAKEN AWAY. Though it wouldn’t take place for another 650 years, it was as good as done because God had promised to send a Savior who would atone for the sin of the whole world. Therefore, rejoice, for Christ has been born to take away the judgments against us.
Imagine for a moment being on a battle field against a noisy and powerful looking enemy. It seems that you are outnumbered and outgunned. They have more soldiers on their side and superior weaponry. So far, it doesn’t look good. But before you head into battle, word arrives that the battle is over and you have already won, even before you were able to get a shot off. Furthermore, you learn that their weapons can’t penetrate your armor and all they can do now is make lots of noise to scare you. Who would ever be afraid of such an enemy?
Zephaniah writes that the LORD HAS cleared away your enemies. Jesus would engage our sins and the sins of the world, head-on upon the cross. He would clear away our sins by taking them on Himself and dying with them. He would then engage in battle the fiercest of enemies—death itself. On the cross He would yield up His spirit and die and be buried. But on the third day, He rose! Christ has cleared away all your enemies! Therefore REJOICE! God is in our midst and has cleared away your enemies. Death and the devil is now just a noisy enemy that cannot harm you.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
We see God’s love for Israel, as it is His fervent desire to rescue Israel, swoop her off her feet and rapture her away to a place where He can “rejoice over [her]. Matthew Henry tells us that this takes place “as the bridegroom does [with] his bride.” What we have here is wedding imagery, and a beautiful picture of the bridegroom waiting to steal his bride away. communicates this to us.
For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
Isaiah 62:5
He will quiet you with His love.
He will quiet you with His love.
He will quiet you with His love.
He will quiet you with His love.
Have you ever been knee- deep, neck-deep buried with the things of life? You know what I am talking about, family needs, friends concerns, work due dates, school assignments running up on you and every other work on earth.
There may be things things threatening on all around…..too many to mention – there’s an overflow of problems; besides all of this, there may very well a health issue that is nipping at your heels as well. Let me out in front of us one thing, all the above become ‘little and insignificant’ when our Big God opens wide His capacity. The Word of God is a tonic, a soothing ointment of relief, the healing for pain!
When we take the time to enter the prayer room. When we endeavor to get locked up with Him, reading the word and praying. Taking the time to listen for His voice. He will speak! His voice will quiet you with His love. His voice will stir you anyway that no other voice stir. It will reach down deep with in and quiet to you. In the quieting that God He tells us that He’s got us as it is stated in Isaiah 41:13.
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”
What are the areas in your life that God needs to quiet with Hiss love?
He will exult over you with loud sining.
He will exult over you with loud sining.
Did you know that God has a voice?
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
16
Not only is He with us, desiring to come near us, be in relationship with us, He is mighty to save! It is a picture of a mighty warrior who’ll overcome all odds to defeat the enemy. The hebrew “to save” gibur – is said with an emphatic ommph – God will be evident in His saving power, He’ll win in the struggle.
God sings a love song for His beloved. Imagine the song that God sings for us. He created the entire universe by only speaking, so imagine what would happen if He began to sing.
- There is no other song that could compare with the wonder of this song or the One singing it.
- No other voice could even begin to compare to the beautiful tone and quality of His.
- No other melody or lyrics could challenge the beautiful tune that poured forth from His precious mouth. He sings over us with loud singing.
He does not sing over us for anything we have one but because of His great love for us.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
He made us alive because of His great love for us rather than anything we have done. We were dirty and ugly, but He made us pure and beautiful and sings over us because of the great work He has done in us and because of the great love He has for us.
Take home with you today this gift… a picture of God singing over you with joy, who’ll do what it takes to win you and preserve you, who is satisfied and content with you for coming back to Him and receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior and God. Start sharing this joyous picture with others, allow the joy of God in your heart today, to be the witness to their hearts of the incredible love of God.
Our Lord God is the mighty one. He is our Shepherd and quiets us with His love. He takes delight in us and even rejoices over us with singing. Let us be a people that SINGS. Our God has become our Savior. This miraculous fact causes us great joy and rejoicing. Sing, shout aloud, be glad, and rejoice! This is not a new message. ()"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."
When God is in in our midst we should be encouraged that we are not alone. We are the Holy Ones treasured crated ones. We are the ones the Mighty One desires to be in relationship with. He is mighty to save! Mighty to protect! Mighty to overcome! He is the Great I AM! He is greater, bigger, stronger then anything we will ever have to walk through.
Allow our text to be the word that sends you into this new week...
The LORD your God is with you,
- He is mighty to save.
- He will take great delight in you,
- He will be quiet you in his love,
- He will rejoice over you with singing.
Do you believe that God takes great delight in you? Why or why not?
How does knowing that God rejoices over you with gladness produce hope in your current situation?
How might our “shame issues” cloud the fact that God celebrates over us with great joy? Is this true for you or someone you know?
for you or someone you know?
Read . In what ways is hope an anchor for your soul? What steps can you take to strengthen the hope that you have in Christ? In what ways can a small group deepen your hope in Christ?
Read . In what ways do you wear the “hope of salvation as a helmet”? What are specifics thoughts that you need to change that are affecting your hope? How does the helmet of salvation relate to your hope?