Daryl Pint – Page 239

Praise and Judgement

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”

Psalms 26:12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

Psalms 27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Psalms 40:2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

1 Samuel 2:9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.

Proverbs 10:9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

Psalms 26:7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Psalms 22:22-25 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: You who fear the LORD, praise him!

Psalms 107:32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Psalms 111:1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Three points interest me today. First: It is God who sets our feet on the right path. He will lead and guard us on this path if we choose to allow His leading and follow it wherever He purposes. Second: Praising God should be an automatic reaction to all we see Him doing in our lives. We need to be on the path He directs to be able to see His hand at work in our lives. This direction comes from His word which speaks into our lives, convicting, confirming, leading, and encouraging us every moment. God is not limited to just His word but will also use others to speak into our lives. Everyday we can thank and praise Him for what He is teaching us, how He is leading us, how He blesses us, how He encourages us, how He loves us, how He places others in our life, how He intercedes before us, how He promises us steadfast love, mercy and grace, and how He has drawn us toward Him. Third: Warnings are also listed. Those who do not choose to follow Him will not have there feet on solid ground. It may seem solid but in the end it is a slippery slope to destruction. They have no place to hide for they will be found out. God knows all of our thoughts and sees every action we take and the intent of our heart. Nothing is hidden from Him. Narrow is the way to walking with and following God. Wide is the path that leads to destruction. Just because there are many people on this wide path should not give one bit of comfort to any soul that is on it. Just because many others walk and talk the same path of unbelief does not make it the right. God word is clear on this that “there is a way that seems right to man but in the end it leads to destruction” and again when it says With itching ears they seek out and listen to lies proclaiming there is no God and there is no judgement coming. God’s word also says “they are condemned already because the did not believe and chose to believe a lie”. To reject Him and His son, through whom we have salvation, is no small rejection and has everlasting consequences.

Model of Good Works

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned,”

” please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart”

Psalms 26:1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.

2 Corinthians 1:12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.

Titus 2:7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Acts 20:33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 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.’”

2 Kings 20:3 “Now, O LORD, please 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.

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!

Proverbs 29:25 ……but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

What would our lives look like if we showed integrity, dignity, sound speech, or did not covet another money or position, working hard, helped the weak, walked in faithfulness, trusted God fully, and did not waver in our purpose to humbly serve, honor and obey God? These all are aspects of growing in understanding and knowledge of God and choosing to apply them in our lives. There has to be commitment, sincerity, and desire that is more than a thought. It has to be a continually growing heart deep desire. The confusion in this life-walk is to often the food that fuels our actions and is derived from what our mind takes in. How much daily time is given to reading God’s word, meditating on it, praying, seeking Him and His purpose, listening to what His word is speaking to your heart, and discerning what is right? James says if we read it and do not have works aligned with what we have read it is like looking into a mirror and forgetting what you look like. Our lives should be a reflection of what we have read, God’s leading and our obedience to follow and apply/obey.

Integrity

“O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.”

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

Psalms 25:20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

Psalms 121:7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

Psalms 71:1-2 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!

Joel 2:26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them

Acts 24:16 So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

Psalms 18:20 The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

Psalms 7:8 The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

Psalms 26:11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.

Having strong moral principles and being honest deserve some thought. How do we judge our moral principles (integrity)? By what standard do we use or should we use to know our moral compass has the right heading? If the culture of our society says murder is ok would we have moral principles if we agreed with this? One example; Worldwide 40-50 million living babies in the womb are killed every year. Do our moral principles say this is wrong or right? It is critical to understand what we base our principles on. It can get very confusing. Social media at our finger tips can easily play into defining our moral stance. Where do we find solid ground? How do we stay grounded and not moved? God’s word says that His laws have been written on every mind and heart. For the most part we know wrong from right but for some reason we seem to want to define our own wrong and right – we justify it in our mind. If we question our stance, as it may be contrary to what God is speaking to our heart, we search out others who think the same and then justify our stance on like minded people. David said he the ways of the Lord, and God’s rules and statutes were never put away. He kept them before himself. Writing them on his heart and mind, meditating on them when the sun rose and set. God’s word is truth – if you don’t start here you will never have a basis on which to stand that has eternal benefit. Every person gets to decide if they will believe in God, believe He will judge every man, believe there is nothing hidden from God, believe He alone has salvation, believe God will lead and direct them, believe God will protect them, believe God will be their salvation on the day of judgement, believe there is both heaven and hell, believe God will hear their prayer, believe God is living and ever present, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO BASE THIS ON HIS WORD.

Fill your heart, mind and soul

“and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Psalms 25:12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 2:5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16:6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Isaiah 50:10 Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

Acts 10:22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man,

Acts 13:26 “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.

Psalms 31:19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!

Proverbs 1:33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.

Matthew 11:28-29 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psalms 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Psalms 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;

John 3:20-21 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Are peoples lives, who have respect and reverence for God, different than those who do not? What would be seen in the lives of people who respect and have reverence (fear) of God? Would they read God’s word more? Would they give thanks more? Would they be more forgiving? Would they pray more? Are they more gentle and kind? Are they encouraging? Do they give more? Do they help more? Do they speak words of hope, love, grace and mercy? Do they have more inner peace? Are they more humble? Do they acknowledge God and His leading in their life? Do they reach out to the unsaved? Do they talk of what God is doing in their immediate lives? There is not a day when reading God’s word I do not see something new. Sometimes it teaches me more about who God is, or His promises, or convicts me of an area of my life that needs to change. Without His word I think our soul easily drifts and falls away from being able to hear His quiet voice speaking to our heart. Think about oxygen and the importance of it on every breath. If it were given to your lungs at the same frequency of being in God’s word would your life be hanging on by a thread or would you be declared dead? God’s word feeds our soul and in it we find know and understanding of God, peace, hope, help, strength, love, mercy, grace, faith….

Teach Me

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths”

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”

Psalms 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Proverbs 1:20-23 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

Proverbs 2:1-6 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 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. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Proverbs 9:6 Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

John 6:45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

Psalms 149:4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

He instructs, He teaches, He leads, He draws us to Him, He makes known, He calls to us, and He gives understanding and wisdom. Do you ever wonder how He does all of this? Or how are these actions made active and real in our everyday lives? Think about how you learned to walk, speak, read, ride a bike, drive a car, eat with manners, learn to cook, home repair, sew, etc…… For sure these just did not happen on their own. Some of the basics came from someone who loved you and took time to teach you. Others came from observing others. And still more came from reading and understanding what was being conveyed through text. When it comes to things of God, salvation, humbleness, kindness, faith, gentleness, love, mercy, grace, honoring and glorifying and obeying….. we learn these through someone telling us, watching others, or reading about it in scripture. Like anything else our understanding and application will continue to grow the more time we apply to it. Spend time in His word, listen for His voice, obey His leading and live to honor and glorify Him.

Transgressions Blotted Out

” Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”

“So they are without excuse. 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.”

Psalms 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Psalms 79:8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low

Psalms 109:14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!

Isaiah 38:17 Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

Isaiah 43:25 “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins

Isaiah 64:9 Be not so terribly angry, O LORD, and remember not iniquity forever

Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Proverbs 5:7-14 And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner, and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed, and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors. I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation.”.

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Ephesians 2:4-8 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— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

It scripture is very clear and people are recorded knowing they were without hope and dead in their sin unless God in His mercy: “blotted it out”, “remembered it no more”, “cast their sin behind His back”. They understood there was nothing they could do to remove this sin from before God. They had great understanding of God’s judgement of sin and they were helpless before Him. Before Christ they had faith in laying their sin at God’s feet and trusting His mercy to not count it against them. They confessed that they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God. We also read that all of mankind is without excuse because thought they new God they have chosen not to honor Him or give thanks to Him. So what is a person to do to be right with God? Confess you are a sinner, repent and turn away from your previous ways of living, believe, and trust in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, and then live your life with a heart, mind, and soul desire to humbly serve, honor, and glorify God in all you do, think, and say. “For by grace your are saved”!!!!!!

Make me Know

“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!“

Psalms 25:4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

Exodus 33:13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight.

Isaiah 2:3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Psalms 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you

John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.

Psalms 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.

Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

James 1:22-25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Statements like: “Make me to know your ways”, “teach me your paths”, “Lead me in your truth”, “please show me now your ways”, “Teach me good judgment and knowledge”, “unite my heart to fear your name”, “Come, let us go”, and “I believe” are all choices men made because they had respect, reverence for God. They understood their sinful nature, the need for forgiveness, and the only way possible was for God to teach and lead them. Do you ever think about questions like these? Do they come to you early in the morning and when you go to bed? God promises blessing for those who listen but the point here is the person must first have the desire and want for God to teach and lead them. This desire and want is a choice each of us must make if we want to learn and be lead by God. How many days go by without even a second thought of Him yet alone humbly serving Him? With all readily available access to God’s word, how do we think we will not be held accountable for neglecting His word? Every day we make a choice to learn from and be led by Him or to go it alone.

Let me Hear

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”

Psalms 25:1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Psalms 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalms 31:1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!

Romans 10:11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

1 Peter 2:6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Psalms 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalms 37:40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Psalms 13:2-4 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

Sometimes this walk of faith seems hard to bear. Look at what David said: “I lift my soul to You”, “I trust in You”, “In You I take refuge”, and yet David also says: “How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?” This walk with God will encounter trials and issues. Some of them are brought on by our own doing and other times they are the result of others. God did not promise us we would not have no trials, troubles, or issues but He did promise: “To never leave us or forsake us”, “He would be ever present in times of trouble”, “He would protect us from evil”, “He would guide us”, “He would give us peace of mind”, “He would bless us”, “He would be our strength”, “He would make known His path for us”…… What kind of faith is it that is never tested and refined? Hebrews says “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is built on God’s word, His promises, through Jesus Christ. How much of our faith is built on things of this world or on what others say? If it is built on anything less than God’s word, His promises, through Jesus Christ it certainly will fail to sustain us in times of trials and troubles of this world and most definitely in eternity. How do we grow in our faith? Is it possible to grow without knowing and feeding on God’s word? Read His word with expectation of Him opening your eyes, ears, and heart to His leading. Commit to humbly serving God more and more each day.

Reverence & Respect – King of Glory

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.”

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

“While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

Psalms 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!

Isaiah 6:3-5 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

John 12:40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Psalms 2:10 Now therefore, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. O kings, Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Luke 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

2Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Who is this King of glory – The Lord Of Hosts. Look at what Isaiah said after a vision of the Lord of hosts: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips”. Isaiah had a starting point “Fear of God”. I know “fear” can be misunderstood so I have copied this for a reference to help understand the meaning intended: “The Hebrew verb yare can mean “to fear, to respect, to reverence” and the Hebrew noun yirah “usually refers to the fear of God and is viewed as a positive quality. This fear acknowledges God’s good intentions (Ex. 20:20). … This fear is produced by God’s Word (Ps. 119:38; Prov. 2:5) and makes a person receptive to wisdom and knowledge (Prov. 1:7; 9:10)” (Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, 2003, pp. 470-471”. Isaiah began with a reverence and respect of God and who He is. Without this reverence and respect for God, His word will be meaningless, His promises empty, His salvation rejected, and His purpose seems foolish. Without this reverence and respect our heart is hardened and though we may read or hear the word of God it will have no place to root in our heart. Proverbs says the beginning of all wisdom is fear (reverence and respect) of the Lord. The verses today speak of those who have this reverence and respect of God and those who do not. Hold tight to this reverence and respect. With this as a firm anchor in your life His word will have great impact and purpose in your life.

Loving kindness of God

“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”

Psalms 24:5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Isaiah 51:5 My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

Romans 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Galatians 5:5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

Philippians 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

Psalms 128:1-5 Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.

Titus 3:4-6 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

When you think of “Blessings from God” what comes to mind? Is it peace of mind, material, shelter, comfort, rest, strength, love, health, protection, family, fellow believers, His word, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, wisdom…… The list can go on and on. Who are we that we should be blessed by God, the creator? Do we deserve it? Can we earn it? Righteousness and subsequent blessings are from God to those who, by faith in Jesus Christ, desire to humbly serve, honor, glorify, and obey Him. I doubt we fully understand what is means to “love God with all our mind, heart, and soul”. However continually seeking His will and purpose in our life will grow us in this understanding. Walking with God is so much more than faith in Him. It is a heart deep desire to serve and obey Him. We grow our understanding of Him as we spend time in His word, listening to what is says to our heart, and obeying God’s leading. Our blessing begin with our understanding of Him, His purpose for our lives, and a desire to serve and obey Him.