Acknowledge Before My Father

The eyes of the LORD are in every place

“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Genesis 16:13 So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

Genesis 31:42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

Psalms 139:1-12 O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Proverbs 5:21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

Jeremiah 32:19 great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

Job 34:21-22 “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

Jeremiah 16:17 For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.

Ask most parents about how much they keep their eyes on their infants and young children and they will tell you all of the time. Why do parents do this – to protect from harm of others or themselves, encourage and teach. Parents know all to well how fast little ones will find opportunity to make a mess, do something unsafe, or something else. Some of these moments are captured on social media and we all get a scare or good laugh. As much as parents want to think they are always there to watch and protect they just can’t be everywhere all the time, nor can they know the thoughts their young children had leading up to what ever goes wrong, or they would have interceded and stopped it.

God watches all, knows all, and sees all the thoughts and actions of man. It is almost unfathomable to think how this is possible but it is with God. Those seeking to learn of Him and walk in His ways will find God’s hand leading them and life fulfilling. Those that disregard Him and choose to live according to their own ways will find life lacking, without purpose, and a burden.

Those who know Your name

“ And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”

“ for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”

Psalms 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Psalms 142:1 With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.

Psalms 56:1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;

Psalms 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

Psalms 119: 76 Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Psalms 125:1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

Psalms 17:7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,

Psalms 36:7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalms 61:4 Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

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.

Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Zechariah 1:4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.

Nehemiah 9:30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,

You can see the heart of man that calls out to God, has these attributes: relies on God, trusts in God, clings to God, believes in God, obeys God, seeks God, delights in God, and finds comfort, rest, peace, joy and hope in God. On the other hand we can see the heart of those who choose not to stay close to God and do exactly the opposite. How much do we rely on God? Do we delight in His word and the direction it gives to our daily lives? Do we discern what it is saying and rejoice in the promises of God? Do we acknowledge God’s reproof and conviction in our lives? Do we choose to hear His voice? Do we seek His leading? Replace the “We” in all of the questions above with “I”. Truthful answers will expose where we are lacking in humbly serving, giving, following, honoring, and obeying God. Every commitment starts with a purpose/goal and choice to change and prioritize time for it, frequent reflection and focus. Commit to Him and His word. Commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, obeying Him with all you heart, soul, and mind.

Words Without Action

They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works

Matthew 26:69
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath:“I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Matthew 10:32
So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven

John 18:25
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed

Proverbs 30:8
Two things I ask of you;
deny them not to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God

What is it like to look into the mirror and know you have denied God? I wonder if we even truly consider this as part of our daily work with Him. We aren’t persecuted here for our belief like other place of the world. However I think we still deny Him in other ways. Love your neighbor as yourself, give generously, be kind, be humble, Love your God with all your heart mind and soul, be joyful, be a servant, make disciples, live victorious, trust God in all things, live by faith, continually grow in knowledge of God, live in the power and strength of God…… the list goes on and on if we read only but a little of scripture. We look in the mirror and say we do not deny Him yet on the other hand I don’t think we look close or deep enough. How appropriate is this scripture:

Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting