When God speaks through trials

“Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.”

Psalms 106:7  Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 

 Psalms 106:12  Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

 Psalms 106:20  They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,  wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 

  Psalms 106:24  Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promiseThey murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD. 

 Psalms 106:28  Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them

Psalms 106:32  They angered him at the waters of Meribah,

 Psalms 106:34  They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.  They served their idols, which became a snare to them.   They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;

 Psalms 106:39  Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

 Psalms 106:43  Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.

I don’t have to look back very far to see that I, too, have done many of these same things.  I have not waited, had little faith, forgot His past works in my life, and did not remember He is the all powerful, every loving, and always in control, God.  In the heat of issues, problems, troubles, and when despair and doubt overwhelms, I seem to forget God loves me, He is in control, and I don’t have to be anxious or worried about what lies ahead.   It seems so easy to fall into this trap.  Is it a test?  Is it to teach and grow my faith?  Is it to show me my sinfulness?  I think the answer to all is yes. Daily, I spend time in His word to proclaim the very things I am neglect in believing.  I am not sure if this is common to all but God seems to be laying this heavily upon me.  Fatih is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Forgive me Father for my lack of trust, reliance, and faith  and for not placing them fully in your every capable and loving arms.

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. 

Praise Him

“But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.  Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.”

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,  and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”  But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?

Psalms 33:1  Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.  He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

Psalms 97:12   Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

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

Psalms 147:1  Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

Psalms 135:3   Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

Isaiah 42:10  Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the earth

Psalms 98:1  Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

Ezekiel 33:31  And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Isaiah 29:13  And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

Deuteronomy 5:28  “And the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the LORD said to me, ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken.  Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

Psalms 106:12  Then they believed his words; they sang his praise.  But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

Praising God, shouting for joy, singing a new song, being glad, rejoicing, and giving thanks are all actions that come from a heart and mind serving God with reverence, awe and wonder.  We choose to do these actions and at the same time they are a natural outpouring of our soul to God for the great compassion and love He has shown and will continue to show to those who seek, serve and follow Him.  Do you find these actions a natural outpouring in your life?  They should be.  If they aren’t ask God to open your eyes to the many wonders and blessings given to us.  The blessing of promises that He will guide us, lift us up, protect us, be our strength, our hope, our joy, our peace, our place of rest.  The blessings of His word. The blessings of fellow believers.  The blessings of the Holy Spirit.  The blessings of salvation through Jesus Christ.  The blessings of forgiveness.  The blessings and wonders of creation.  The list of blessings is endless.  Praise His name, shout for joy, sing, be glad, rejoice, and give thanks.