Believe – Page 8 – Praying Pint

Known God and unknown god

“O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”

John 4:19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

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.

2 Kings 17:27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the LORD. But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived.

Acts 17:23 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.

Zephaniah 3:16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Do you see the words of Jesus “You worship what you do not know”; and those of Paul “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” Do you ever think about how you perceive God? It is a direct reflection of what you know about Him. The words of Jesus and Paul are easy to understand for us and we would tend to interpret this is speaking to others who worship false gods and false religions. Is it possible that we may fall into this same category because we neglect knowledge of God. We hold on to a few verses and do not spend time in His word to know Him more. We give little to no time thinking about Him. We only seek Him for help rather than seeking to know how we might better worship, serve, honor, and obey Him. In essence worshiping a God we do not know. God gave us a precious recorded history so that by this and with a heart, mind, and soul, we might continually grow in knowing Him more and more each day.

Seek and to Save

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

“And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

John 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

These comments are not mine but I found interesting and share them with you. All are called but many reject the calling outright. It is not a slight thing to refuse the summons of God through his messengers. God will hold those who refuse that summons responsible on Judgment Day. There is a more subtle way to refuse the summons. One may pay lip service to the external call but never truly embrace Jesus internally as offered in that call. This refusal subjects us to God’s just judgment. The bad news is we have no power in ourselves to change our rebellious hearts. The good news is God is pleased to change rebellious hearts by the invincible power of his Spirit. If we have responded to the external call in repentance and faith, it is only because God has first been at work in us to turn us to himself in Christ. Salvation is truly by grace alone. This truth is unsettling, but Jesus unsettles us for a reason. He wants us to find salvation and life in him alone, by grace alone. And only in Christ may we find an everlasting, unshakeable foundation.

I send My messenger

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

John 3:28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’

Isaiah 40:3-5 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

Matthew 3:1-11 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Mark 1:1 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 13:24 Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

John came to prepare the way before Christ and preached repentance and baptism. He bore witness to Christ. John’s purpose was to prepare the way for Christ (the anointed one). It is important to note that there were those who were cut to the heart by what they heard. Some, who were so moved, confessed their sin, repented and were baptized. Others who were also so moved did not. They chose to deny the conviction in their heart and became stiff necked and hard hearted to the hope being offered. Not much has changed with mankind. Their are still those who believe and those who do not. We were given a great command – go into all the world telling them the Good News (gospel) making disciples. We are to be a reflection of the light of Christ – A reflection of the hope, love, grace, mercy, joy, peace, power, strength, and might of God. Each day we have opportunity to read His word and reflect this light. Each day we have opportunity to speak of these. Look for this opportunity today.

Light shinning in the darkness

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”

John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

John 12:36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, “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.”

Job 24:13 “There are those who rebel against the light, who are not acquainted with its ways, and do not stay in its paths. The murderer rises before it is light, that he may kill the poor and needy, and in the night he is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he veils his face. In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves up; they do not know the light. For deep darkness is morning to all of them; for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.

Proverbs 1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,

1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

God’s word is a light unto our soul and a path for our feet. In our homes we have lights and as it approaches night we turn them on so we can over come the darkness. We choose to turn the light on because we see benefit from being able to function as though the darkness is not there. There is much darkness in our world. Some of this darkness is right there in our face and some of it is hidden and just below the surface. The light of God’s word pulls us out of this darkness, lighting up the path for our feet to walk on daily. It lights up hope, joy, love, grace, mercy, courage, strength, peace, within our soul. The light of God’s word – The light of God’s word – The light of God’s word….. Reading God’s word turns on this light and the more this word is read and remembered and thought about the brighter it gets. Can you imagine a person who would turn the lights on at night only on Sunday and then trying to remember what that light illuminated the rest of the week. They would be walking in darkness fooling them selves with this false hope of remembrance of the light. We need the light of God’s word in our lives each day if we are to commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.

Safe yourselves from this crooked generation

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Psalms 22:16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;

John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Corinthians 7:9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.

Old and New testament records, 100’s of years apart foretell of Christ and His death and resurrection. “They will mourn and weep bitterly” and “What shall we do?” describes the heart of those who understand the sacrifice and the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Note also the scripture “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” Can you imagine the love that it would take to willingly go to the cross and endure the pain and shame for those who reject you? God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him will be saved. We were bought with a great price so that we might live a life free from guilt and shame. We were given great promises of love, joy, peace, mercy, refuge, power, strength, hope, faith, courage, protection, and eternity with Him. Our lives should be lived in light of remembering the price that was paid and the promises given to all believers. Let your light shine through humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God.

So many signs

“because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.”

Psalms 78:31 But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel. In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe. So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror. When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly. In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe. So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror. When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly.

Numbers 11:33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague.

John 12:37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,

Proverbs 1:32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;

Numbers 14:35 I, the LORD, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

Judges 3:9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel

Judges 10:10 And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.”

Hosea 5:15 I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.

Hosea 7:14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.

It is our tendency to live for self and deny God access to leading our daily lives. History is full of examples where man, in the midst of God’s hand at work, turns away from God and doing what seems right in their own eyes. We so easily follow that which is not of God. Do we think God has somehow changed and no longer requires our whole heart, mind and soul? Do we think we are different and God’s commands to humbly serve, trust in, rely on, cling to, honor, follow and obey Him do not apply? Do we think He has watered down what a dedicated life to Him should look like? I can remember when you were thought to be a Jesus follower if you went to Sunday School, Sunday morning church, Sunday evening church, Wednesday evening bible study, another bible study during the week, and spoke frequently about God in your life. Now it seems you are considered a Jesus follower if you attend Sunday morning church once per week. It seems as though the church has adopted this lower expectation and I fear it is at the cost of many souls forever lost. Now is the time to repent, return and follow God with an earnest desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.

Those who listened

“ Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder,”

“If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.”

Psalms 78:22 because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

Psalms 106:24 Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.

Hebrews 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

Hebrews 3:18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Jude 1:5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

I have been thinking lately about those that are saved and those who are lost without hope in the Living God. There are those who are lost but do not know they need saving and there are those who know they are lost and choose not to be saved. In Romans is says “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie” and in Thessalonians “Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,” We are to be light unto those who walk in darkness.

I must decrease

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.”

“A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Mark 1:2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’

Luke 7:26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

John 3:28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Acts 13:24-25 Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

There was a 400 year gap between the last prophet and the coming of Christ. God sent a messenger to prepare the way and His name was John. John preached repentance in line with humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God. This was the single purpose in John’s life. Honoring God through complete submission to His will. Notice how John new his place – “I must decrease” and again when he says “I am not worthy to untie His sandals.” John committed to God. He served Him with his whole heart, mind and soul. It would be good for each of us to remember to be humble and allow God in our lives to increase and our fleshly desire to decrease. Think about and seek God in what areas of your life He should increase.

Come, Listen to me

“Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

Psalms 66:5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

Psa 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Psalms 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.

Psalms 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.

Psalms 126:1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.

Psalms 34:2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.

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.

Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.

1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Psalms 22:23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found

“Come and see”, “Come and hear”, and “Come behold”, His works, awesome deeds and what He has done for my soul. These are invitations to us from God’s word. It is an offer that must be accepted or rejected/turned down. An invitation does not force us to accept it. There are consequences either way. There are visible actions in the lives of those who choose one or the other. “Great are His works and studied by those who delight in them”. His works are studied by those who delight in them. One outcome here would be reading His word and thinking about what has been read. Another outcome would be to believe in Him and having a desire to see His handiwork in creation. Other outcomes would be; humble service, listening for His whispers of guidance, wanting to be lead by Him, learning what honors and glorifies Him, praying to Him, telling others of Him and His what He has done not only historically but what He is currently doing in their life, looking forward to eternity with Him, praising Him, etc….. On the other hand, for those who reject these invitations we see; little to no time spent in His word, no speaking of Him, not hearing His whispers of guidance, not seeking to be led by Him, self satisfaction, not looking at His handiwork in creation, no thought of eternity, no speaking to others about Him. Commit to accept His invitation and spend time in His word learning of His steadfast love, power, grace, mercy, and might. Be aware of the consequences of accepting or rejecting His invitation. “Behold I stand at the door and knock” Can you hear Him knocking at your hearts door? Choose to open your heart’s door to Him and commit to humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying Him.

Strengthened Himself

“Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.”

“But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.“

Psalms 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalms 27:13-14 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Psalms 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Psalms 55:4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.

Psalms 61:2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,

Psalms 142:2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.

Psalms 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Psalms 56:11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

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.

Lamentations 3:24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Romans 4:20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,

Psalms 91:15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

There times we all hit a wall of despair, worry, and our heart is troubled. Life this side of eternity will throw this at us when we least expect it. We have God’s promise that when we call to Him He will answer. When we are in trouble He is with us. He will rescue us. Do not allow unbelief to sink in. Hold firm, trust God, and wait for His steadfast love to lift you up. Not everyone is going to be able to strengthen themselves. We each have opportunity to be used by God to help lift up those who are in times of trials. Keep your ears open to His leading and be willing to listen and obey. Being used by God to encourage others in times of trial is what our walk with God should include. Knowing His word and rightly applying it helps us to encourage and support others with His honor and glory in focus.