Blessed – Page 16 – Praying Pint

Who is more Blessed?

“Blessed is the one who considers the poor!”

“It is more blessed to give than to receive”

Psalms 41:1 In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

Deuteronomy 15:10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

Acts 20:35 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.’

Luke 14:13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Matthew 25:34 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. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

Learn to Give out of a generous heart. Learn to Help out of a generous heart. Giving is an act of obedient responsibility but to many it is missing from their lives. There is blessing given deep into the heart of a generous giver. This blessing comes from God and it is knowing He has given to you and allowed you to be used by Him to share. He honors a generous heart with Joy in giving that can not be easily explained but it is very real in the lives of those who learn to listen to God and give generously and with purpose.

Establish your Heart

“For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.”

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”

“Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”

Psalms 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 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. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

James 5:7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

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

Psalms 119:133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me

Acts 2: 37 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.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Psalms 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s

2 Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 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,

Jonah 2:8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

What does it mean to establish your heart? When you read these verses today we can see many reasons why we should but what does an established heart look like lived out in everyday life? Does it worry or fret? Is it anxious or impatient? Is it angry or unforgiving? Does it look to others for resolution or refuge? Does it complain or whine? An established heart rests in God alone and gives all it’s cares to Him. This life seeks to grow in knowing more and more about God and His purpose for their life. Praise is on their lips. His word is always on their heart and mind. They have joy, peace, rest, comfort, hope, and a refuge that cannot be moved. Strive to have an established heart that is rooted deep in humbly serving, honoring and obeying God.

Gladness and Satisfaction

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

“Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.”

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Psalms 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Psalms 90:16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.

Psalms 90:17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalms 36:7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

Psalms 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

Psalms 65:4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

Psalms 103:5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

2 Thessalonians 2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

What gladdens your soul? What satisfies your heart, soul and mind? What do you see as blessings in your life? I have been blessed with colleagues who come from other corners of our globe. They have seen so much more about life outside of the United States. The struggles of existence, lack of means, minimal opportunities, and disparity are all familiar to them. When they see the culture of the US and what people complain about they are put back and see much of these complaints as foolishness. This should not surprise us. When our eyes are on what the world can offer, what we can take, and what others have these outcomes of thought are manifested in our lives. However, scripture is always pointing us to be thankful to God, trusting in God, hoping in God, believing in God, relying on God, clinging to God, loving God, serving God, honoring God, glorifying God, praising God, obeying God, and praying to God. Our culture and natural focus on the “here and now” robs us of a fulfilling, abundant, and purposeful life. Do you want to satisfaction, blessings, and gladness in your heart, mind, and soul? Choose to focus on Him alone who can – God

Number my Days

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.”

“making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Psalms 39:4 “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!

Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Job 28:28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Proverbs 2:2 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 3:13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.

Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4:7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

Proverbs 7:1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend,

Proverbs 8:32 “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.”

Proverbs 16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Proverbs 22:17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

How are we to gain this understanding and wisdom? It comes from choosing it, applying it, seeking it, listening for it, holding firmly to it, and making the best use of our time. Note David asking got to show how fleeting his time on earth is. And again he asks God to teach us to number our days. Why? Because life teaches us (the older we get) that life is short and we find our path is much better, our lives more fuller, and our purpose more clear when we choose to stay close to God. When we seek more than anything else to humbly serve, honor and obey Him. Keep these scriptures close and review them often.

Open my Eyes

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

“Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalms 3:4 I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill

Psalms 10:17 O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

Psalms 66:16-20 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

2 Kings 6:17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 19:35 And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

Daniel 6:22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Psalms 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

There are many examples of God working wonders beyond our imagination. I love the passage in 2 Kings where Elisha’s servant saw the enemy and shared fear and asked Elisha what should we do? Elisha responded with “Oh God please open his eyes that he may see”. The passage in Daniel where God shut the mouths of the lions is another example of God working beyond our imagination. How much do we limit God by our lack of faith in His unlimited power, strength and might? God does not change He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is mankind that continues down paths away from God. They no longer see need for they are blinded by their own self worth, self reliance, and self preservation. The bible says they have itching ears seeking to hear what it is that aligns with their wayward thoughts. They believe the lies of those who speak with authority about things which deny God and absolutely any need for Him. Scripture is also clear where it says by the world wisdom no one will find God. God calls this wisdom foolish. It is the holy spirit working in us to bring honor and glory to God. We do this by humbly submitting each day to Him, seeking to listen and obey His leading. Listen to David when he said “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” We do well to stay in His word with the same request.

In the Beginning

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

“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Psa 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Psalms 148:1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

2 Peter 3:5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,

Deuteronomy 4:19 And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Romans 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

In the beginning God!!!! I understand our desire to keep looking for more and more understanding of science but not at the cost of leaving God out of it. How many have dug so deep they are now a quest to prove how everything came into being without God. Theories and more theories abound trying to prove this. The end of this search is more and more searching. Can you imagine what these hearts would be like if that same desire was placed understanding God and thanking Him for His creation. We do well to keep our eyes on the creator.

What to Confess

“If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

“Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.”

“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”

Psalms 32:1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. 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; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.

Luke 11:28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Jeremiah 31:18 I have heard Ephraim grieving, ‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the LORD my God. For after I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh; I was ashamed, and I was confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth.

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.

Lamentations 3:8 though I call and cry for help, he shuts out my prayer;

Luke 16:15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Jeremiah 2:35 you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’

1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Psalms 38:18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

Psalms 51:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

There is much for us to learn about sin. Throughout our lives we continue to learn how we sin against God. That is, we do, if we stay in His word and seek to follow Him. How do we know if we sin if our heart, mind, and soul is focused on what our culture says is acceptable, permissible, and lawful if we are not feeding on God’s word with a desire to humbly serve, honor and glorify Him. Don’t we sound a lot like those who do not confess, do not acknowledge, try to conceal, or say I am innocent of sinning against God? Do we think we can plead ignorance when God’s word is so readily available? Certainly not. Look at those who cry out to God and have not acknowledged their sin before Him. “He shuts out my prayer”. Scripture says if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Believing in Christ also means following Him and following Him means we want to know how to serve, honor and glorify Him, and this means we want to know our sin, confess it and do it no more. Do you want to grow closer to God? Ask Him to show you your sin while you are reading His word, while you are thinking about His word, and while you are living out everyday.

Wipe away every tear

” He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.””

Psalms 30:11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

2 Chronicles 20:3 Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD,

2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

John 16:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

Revelation 7:14-17 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Ecclesiastes 3:4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Jeremiah 31:13-14 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the LORD.”

Nehemiah 8:10 And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Psalms 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Luke 6:21-25 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

There are times to mourn and weep and times to laugh and dance. Such is life this side of eternity. We know not when times of mourning and weeping will come but surely they are part of our life. They hurt and burden our heart to the point of despair. We are given words of encouragement for both our selves and friends in these times. We are to mourn with those who mourn and weep with those weeping. Times of despair seem to occupy everything aspect of our life, it consumes us and we seem to be carrying a burden so heavy it can break us at any moment. But God gives us hope, our despair will be turned in to joy and praise. Our tears will be wiped away and the darkness we are in will be turned in to light and our pain will be taken away. There is joy in the morning. This joy is found in seeking Him, waiting for Him, trusting Him and calling upon Him. There is no other with power to lift us out of our despair.

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.

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.