Be Creator wise

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

“(For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)”

Psalms 102:25  Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away

Job 38:4-7     “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.  Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?  On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,  when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Proverbs 8:23-36     Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.  When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,  before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.  When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,  when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,  when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,  then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,  rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.  “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.  Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.  Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.  For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,  but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Jeremiah 32:17    ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Hebrews 1:10-12     And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;  they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,  like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

There are those who read these scriptures with an eye towards it being a fable or myth or hope of the unwise.  Yet to those who have had their heart, mind, and soul refreshed, it is the ultimate basis for their belief.  It guards their heart, mind and soul.  Their eyes have been opened from darkness and the light of His creation is seen.  Each day new mercies are seen.  Each day their spirit is refreshed.  Each day brings forth a new and continued revelation of how great and awesome is our God.  Each day there is hope for tomorrow.  Each day has purpose and meaning.  We have a choice each day to live in and thank God for having revealed Himself to us through His creation.  Read these scriptures again with eyes wide open to see our Creator and the wonder of His creation.  “Hear instruction and be wise.” “Listen to me.” “Nothing is too hard.” “By Your great power.” “Work of Your hands.” “Your years have no end.” “You are the same.” “Be wise.” “You laid the foundations.” “The builder of all things is God.” “In the beginning God create.”  Are you hurting – run to the Creator.  Are you lost without purpose – run to the Creator.  Are you lacking peace and joy – run to the Creator.  He says “Come to Me all who are heavy with burdens and I will give you rest” and also “Behold I stand at the door and knock, he that opens the door, I will come to him.”  Be Wise.!!!!!

People yet to be created

Psa 102:18  Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:  that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,  to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,  that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,  when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

Psalms 71:18    So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 78:4-6    We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

John 20:31     but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Romans 15:4     For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:11     Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction

2 Timothy 3:16-17     All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Write it down so that there is a record for future generations.  These generations then can be told and read of the Awesome Power, Love, Promises, Might, Saving Grace, Mercy and Holiness of God.  This scripture is not something from the mind and thought of mankind, but from God,  and speaks of that which brings purpose and direction to our lives this side of eternity.  It shines light into the darkness of lost hearts and souls.  It brings hope to the lost.  It brings the good news of salvation.  It brings praise, joy, and humbleness to those who choose to serve, honor, follow and obey the Creator and Author of all there is and will be.  Scripture has been given to us so that we can grow in our knowledge and understanding of the one and only true God.  It has also be given so that we are able to share it with others.  Blessed are the feet of those who bring good news.

Integrity of heart

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 101:2  I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.  A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

Psalms 119:106    I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21    Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.  And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Genesis 18:19    For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice

Deuteronomy 6:7    You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

1 Kings 11:4    For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

2 Chronicles 15:17     But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days.

Isaiah 38:3     and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

When David came to royal power, he didn’t say: “Now I can live the good life.” he said “I will ponder the way that is blameless. He understood that the sense of God’s presence was connected to obedience.  1 John 1:6-7: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  David understood life had to be real in his conduct within his own house.  You must not gauge your worth by what the outside world thinks and says about you.  David knew that one measure of a righteous life was what one chose to set before the eyes. There are many wicked things to set our eyes upon, and the lust of the eyes is a lure of this world.  Keep your heart, mind and soul tuned to God’s word with a deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.  Learn to know the ways of God and purpose to choose to walk in them.

Yet I wait

Psalms 100:5  For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 119:68    You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

Psalms 119:90-91     Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.  By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants.

Exodus 34:6-7    The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,  keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Deuteronomy 7:9     Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

Romans 15:8-9    For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,  and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”

Tit 1:1-3  their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word

When I read these verses of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to all generations I wonder what should be manifested in a life that believes this with all their heart, mind, and soul.  What thoughts come to mind when trials, troubles, and issues run full force into our lives?  Do I wait for the one who is my refuge, hope, rock, strength or do I fret, worry, and have thoughts of defeat and giving up?  See the depth of faith in time of great fear;  Habakkuk 3:16-18     I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.  Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,  yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Psalm 100:3

Psalms 100:3  Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Let us know then these seven things concerning the Lord and worship Him with all our heart, mind, and soul.  Written by Matthew Henry:

  • 1. That the Lord he is God, the only living and true God-that he is a Being infinitely perfect, self-existent, and self-sufficient, and the fountain of all being; he is God, and not a man as we are. He is an eternal Spirit, incomprehensible and independent, the first cause and last end. The heathen worshipped the creature of their own fancy; the workmen made it, therefore it is not God. We worship him that made us and all the world; he is God, and all other pretended deities are vanity and a lie, and such as he has triumphed over.
  • 2. That he is our Creator: It is he that has made us, and not we ourselves. I find that I am, but cannot say, I am that I am, and therefore must ask, Whence am I? Who made me? Where is God my Maker? And it is the Lord Jehovah. He gave us being, he gave us this being; he is both the former of our bodies and the Father of our spirits. We did not, we could not, make ourselves. It is God’s prerogative to be his own cause; our being is derived and depending.
  • 3. That therefore he is our rightful owner. The Masorites, by altering one letter in the Hebrew, read it, He made us, and his we are, or to him we belong. Put both the readings together, and we learn that because God made us, and not we ourselves,therefore we are not our own, but his. He has an incontestable right to, and property in, us and all things. His we are, to be actuated by his power, disposed of by his will, and devoted to his honour and glory.
  • 4. That he is our sovereign ruler: We are his people or subjects, and he is our prince, our rector or governor, that gives law to us as moral agents, and will call us to an account for what we do. The Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver. We are not at liberty to do what we will, but must always make conscience of doing as we are bidden.
  • 5. That he is our bountiful benefactor. We are not only his sheep, whom he is entitled to, but the sheep of his pasture, whom he takes care of; the flock of his feeding (so it may be read); therefore the sheep of his hand; at his disposal because the sheep of his pasture, Ps. 95:7. He that made us maintains us, and gives us all good things richly to enjoy.
  • 6. That he is a God of infinite mercy and goodness (v. 5): The Lord is good, and therefore does good; his mercy is everlasting;it is a fountain that can never be drawn dry. The saints, who are now the sanctified vessels of mercy, will be, to eternity, the glorified monuments of mercy.
  • 7. That he is a God of inviolable truth and faithfulness: His truth endures to all generations, and no word of his shall fall to the ground as antiquated or revoked. The promise is sure to all the seed, from age to age.

Know that I am God

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!”

Psalms 100:3  Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalms 95:3     For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Deuteronomy 4:35     To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.

Deuteronomy 4:39     know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

John 17:3     And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Acts 17:23-24     For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.  The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

2 Corinthians 4:6     For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 4:8-9     Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

From John Gill’s exposition:

if the Lord has made us, and not we ourselves, then we are not our own, but his, and ought to serve and glorify him: we are his by creation; “we are also his offspring”, we are his people; by choice and covenant; by his Father’s gift, and his own purchase; and by the power of his grace, bringing to a voluntary surrender and subjection to him; even the Gentiles particularly, who were not his people, but now his people, and the sheep of his pasture; his sheep also by gift and purchase, called by him, made to know his voice, and follow him; for whom he provides pasture, leads to it, and feeds them with it himself.

In His presence

Psalms 100   Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!  Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!  Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!  For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 32:11     Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalms 66:1   Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

Psalms 66:4     All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.”

Psalms 95:1-2     Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Isaiah 24:14-16     They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west.  Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.  From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One.

Zephaniah 3:14     Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Luke 19:37     As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,

Psalms 67:4     Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.

Psalms 68:32     O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord,

God first. God only. God above self.  I read these verses and am reminded of the gene that was deleted in my birth.  I have joyfulness but if I were to sing, it certainly would not be joyful to anyone hearing it.  There were and are those who are gifted with this ability, however it is the heart, mind and sole that burst forth with joyfulness in what God has done, is doing, and will do.  Wise is the man that numbers his days and chooses to joyfully humble, honor, serve, follow and obey.  Our change is on the inside and is reflected on the outside.  Have a joyful day in our Lord and savior.

Followed me fully

“ See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

Psalms 99:8  O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings

Psalms 89:33    but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 9:19     For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure that the LORD bore against you, so that he was ready to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me that time also.

Jeremiah 46:28     Fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the LORD, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.”

Zephaniah 3:7     I said, ‘Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction. Then your dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.’ But all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.

Exodus 32:34-35     But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

Numbers 14:20-34    Then the LORD said, “I have pardoned, according to your word.  But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD,  none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice,  shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.  But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.

Romans 1:21     For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”, ” I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished”, “all that I have appointed against you.”, ” none of those who despised me shall see it.”  What comes to mind when you read these?  When I read these from scriptures above I see a people who chose to either follow fully or those who chose to be complacent or those who willfully chose to disobey.  None were above being disciplined by God.  None seeking forgiveness from God were left wanting.  None disregarding God were pardoned.  Sin has always been in  our heart.  Sin has a way of taking over if we are not actively at battle with it.  If I think there is no God, or that there is a God and He is not going to hold me accountable – sin has darkened my heart to scripture truth.  If I think I can live on the fence  living for self sometimes and neglect obedience to God  – sin has darkened my heart.  If I think I can keep ledger of my good and bad, and this will in anyway have influence on God – sin has darkened my heart.  If I trust in, cling to, rely on the promises of God through Jesus Christ – the light of the gospel has exposed my heart, mind and soul to the grace, mercy, and love of God.  “and though your sin be as scarlet it will be washed white as snow”

Psalm 99

Psalms 99:1  The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.  Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.   Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!  Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them. In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.  O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.  Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!

Matthew Henry Commentary:

Still we are celebrating the glories of the kingdom of God among men, and are called upon to praise him, as in the foregoing psalms; but those psalms looked forward to the times of the gospel, and prophesied of the graces and comforts of those times; this psalm seems to dwell more upon the Old-Testament dispensation and the manifestation of God’s glory and grace in that. The Jews were not, in expectation of the Messiah’s kingdom and the evangelical worship, to neglect the divine regimen they were then under, and the ordinances that were then given them, but in them to see God reigning, and to worship before him according to the law of Moses. Prophecies of good things to come must not lessen our esteem of good things present.

I like how Matthew ends this commentary with the statement of good things to come and good things present.  Sometimes we get overwhelmed with the present and which, somehow, we were ushered into the presence of Jesus, leaving this world behind.  Our God reigns and we are not to forget that even in the present and what overwhelms us, we are to turns our eyes to Him alone.  He has said to lay our burdens on Him, we are to trust Him.

3 He is coming

Psalms 98:9    for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Psalms 96:10     Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 96:13     before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Revelation 1:7     Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen

Psalms 67:4     Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.

Acts 17:31     because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Romans 2:5-6    But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.  He will render to each one according to his works:

He is coming.

He has fixed a day.

He will judge.

Every eye will see him.

He comes to judge the earth

God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

He will render to each one according to his works

Some will cry and wail at His coming for they have rejected Him and the light of salvation knowing they have chosen to live in darkness.  Others will be glad and sing for joy for they have heard His calling and have chosen to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.  Our Holy Creator lives and is coming again to bring His chosen into eternal fellowship with Him.  He also is coming to exert His stored up wrath and anger on those who have rejected Him and His plan for salvation through faith in the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ.