The Lord Supports All Who Fall

And Raises Up All of Those Who Are Bowed Down

Chapter 1

The title is from Psalm 145, verse 14.

Here are Psalms 145, 146, and 147 from the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version--

___Psalm 145

1 I will extol you, my God, O king, and I will bless your name forever and always.

2 Every day I'll bless you, and I'll praise your name forever and always.

3 The Lord is great, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

5 I'll speak of the glorious honor of your majesty, and of your wondrous works.

6 And men shall speak of the might of your terrible acts, and I'll declare your greatness.

7 They shall abundantly tell the memory of your great goodness, and shall sing about your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy.

9 The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.

10 All your works shall praise you, O Lord, and your saints shall bless you.

11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk of your power,

12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

14 The Lord supports all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all wait on you, and you give them their food in due season.

16 You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

18 The Lord is near to all those who call on him, to all that call on him in truth.

19 He'll fulfill the desire of those who fear him, he'll also hear their cry, and will save them.

20 The Lord preserves all those who love him, but all the wicked he'll destroy.

21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and always.

___Psalm 146

1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.

2 While I live I will praise the Lord, I will sing praises to my God while I have any being.

3 Don't put your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there's no help.

4 His breath goes out, he returns to his earth, in that very day his thoughts die.

5 Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God,

6 Who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that's in it, who keeps truth forever,

7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free,

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind, the Lord raises those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous,

9 The Lord preserves the strangers, he relieves the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.

10 The Lord shall rule forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord.

___Psalm 147

1 Praise the Lord, for it is good to sing praises to our God, for it is pleasant, and praise is attractive.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem, he gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the broken in heart, and bandages their wounds.

4 He tells the number of the stars, he calls them all by their names.

5 Great is our Lord, and of great power, his understanding is infinite.

6 The Lord lifts up the meek, he throws the wicked down to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving, sing praise on the harp to our God,

8 Who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the mountains.

9 He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens that cry.

10 He doesn't delight in the strength of the horse, he doesn't take pleasure in the legs of a man.

11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his mercy.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise your God, O Zion.

13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates, he has blessed your children inside you.

14 He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sends out his commandment on earth, his word runs very swiftly.

16 He gives snow like wool, he scatters the hoarfrost like ashes.

17 He throws out his ice like morsels, who can stand before his cold?

18 He sends out his word, and melts them, he causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19 He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his judgments to Israel.

20 He has not dealt so with any nation, and as for his judgments, they haven't known them. Praise the Lord.

Chapter 2

Another scripture says, “A righteous man falls seven times, and rises back up.”

Someone might say, “But I’m not sure I have righteousness, so how do I get it?”

O.K., here’s how you get righteousness in the sight of God: YOU GET BORN AGAIN. (John chapt 3)

“But how does getting born again make me righteous?”

After you get born again, now you’re a Christian, so the blood of Jesus has washed away your sin.

The Bible says “the life is in the blood.”

The Roman soldiers shed the blood of Jesus on the cross of crucifixion when they pierced his side with a sword, and out came blood and water.

And the Disciple, Thomas, saw the hole in Jesus side after Jesus rose from the dead.

But it doesn’t count for you unless you say “Yes” to Jesus’ free offer of salvation. (Revelation 3:20)

Pray this prayer: “Jesus, save me!”

The Bible says, “All that call on the name of the lord shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32)

Here is another scripture passage on salvation—

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you’re saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation.” (Rom 10:9,10)

Now then, once you’re a Christian, you are now the beneficiary of exceedingly great and precious promises.

But remember to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” as we are admonished to do by the Apostle Paul in Phil 2:12

The Psalmist David went through some difficult things. After David had defeated Goliath, and made an even greater name for himself by leading Israel’s army to victories over the enemies, King Saul wanted to kill David.

David had to flee for his life. And David had some of his followers with him.

So how did that turn out?

Saul’s time to die in battle came, and the Lord promoted David to be the second king of Israel.

Joseph had some very disappointing reversals. At least, he might have taken it that way.

Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him as a bond servant into Egypt.

In Egypt, Joseph was doing a good job for his master, but he was thrown into prison for something he didn’t do.

So did Joseph say, “Well, I guess the Lord doesn’t like me. Bad things happen to me. When will it end?”

No, Joseph didn’t talk like that, but held tightly to his faith in the Lord, and his belief that the Lord would put things right for him.

He did such a good job in prison that they pretty much put him in charge.

Not long after, Pharaoh promoted Joseph to second in command in Egypt. Only Pharaoh was greater in Egypt.

Joseph’s faith brought him through, and brought him out of his difficulties.

Moses later had trouble with a different Pharaoh. And Moses’ people, the Children of Israel, weren’t as cooperative with Moses as they could have been.

But the Lord brought Moses and the Children of Israel out of Egypt, sending great plagues against Pharaoh.

Moses, you see, had made his choice to be with Israel, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, as the adopted Son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

Then Joshua led the Children of Israel into the promised land.

It wasn’t so easy for Jesus to carry out his earthly ministry.

At one point, Jesus asked his adversaries, “Why go ye about to kill me?” In other words, “Why are you trying to kill me?”

They answered, “You have a demon, who’s trying to kill you?”

These days, they would have said, “You’re Paranoid, who’s trying to kill you?”

But Jesus didn’t have a demon, nor was he Paranoid.

They really were trying to kill him, though they pretended not to be. And with the help of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, they were successful in killing Jesus.

Jesus could have called legions of angels to his defense, but it was necessary that he die on the cross for the sins of the world.

Jesus was the only one that could be Savior of the World (the Messiah, Yeshua, ha Meshia).

The reason that only Jesus could be savior is that under God’s laws, given to us through Moses, the sacrificial lamb had to be without spot or blemish.

Jesus is the only one who lived a sinless life.

Everyone else has sinned. (Rom 3:23)

Jesus is the (sacrificial) “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

And now, Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who saved mankind with the shedding of his blood at the cross of crucifixion.

The Apostle Paul went through many trials and tribulations—shipwreck, stripes from the whip, imprisonment.

And yet, Paul managed to write more than half the number of books in the New Testament portion of the Holy Bible.

One time, Jesus told his twelve disciples, “You’ll sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

So then, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus will be one of the Judges?

Certainly not. Judas hung himself and went to hell.

But that leaves a gap, doesn’t it? Who will replace Judas as one of the twelve Judges?

I believe the Apostle Paul is the replacement Judge.

But Judgment Day is coming, and we’ll see what the Top Judge, Jesus, says about it.

The three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were thrown into a fiery furnace because they wouldn’t bow down to the king’s idol.

The furnace was so hot that it killed the men who did the throwing of them into the furnace.

But the Lord brought them out of the furnace, without even the smell of smoke on them. (Book of Daniel)

When God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of men’s hearts was only evil continually (Gen chapt 6), it was Noah who found grace in the sight of God.

God had Noah build an ark.

Noah and family went in, and the animals, and the birds. God shut the door.

Then God wiped out everyone but those on the ark with a colossal flood of waters that covered the tallest mountains, while preserving Noah and his descendants such as you and me.

Put your trust in the Lord, and he will bring you through.

There is no wisdom or advice that will prevail against the Lord. There is no adversary that will prevail against Him.

If you’re one of the Lord’s, you’re on the winning team, my friend.

___James chapter 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.

2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,

3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.

11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.

18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.

21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,

24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2

1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,

3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"

4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?

7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?

8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,

9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.

12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.

14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,

16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?

17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."

19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."

24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3

1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.

4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.

5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,

8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be.

11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4

1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?

2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.

3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.

5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"

6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.

11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?

13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"

14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."

16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5

1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.

6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.

8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.

9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.

10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.

13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms.

14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.

16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.

17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,

20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.