Tag: burden

26. “Even though I am nothing”

2 Corinthians 12:11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

Luke 17:10    So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Ephesians 3:8   To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Romans 15:18-19   For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,  by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;

What would our lives be like if we would look at all we do, all we are able to do, and all we have done and know in our heart that we are nothing and it is by the grace of God that we exist and are able to do anything at all. Would we act differently? Would we be more thankful? Would we be more humble? Would we be more helpful to others? Would we see others in a different light? It is not a though we should be walking around with our head hung low and seemingly pouting or self-deprecating. Rather, we should walk with our head on straight with the knowledge that we are nothing in the flesh but in the spirit, we are a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In the flesh we are but a tool of our Lord, that is if we keep the influences of fleshly desires and worldly temptations out of our mind. This is not easy when there is so much technology that feeds anti-christian worldly ideas at lightning speed continuously. There is but one way to keep from being drawn away. Staying in His Word. I am not saying this lightly but that it should be a desire of your soul. Why is this important? Because without feeding and digesting His Word the world has a way of dragging you into its lifestyle and way of thinking. Feeding and digesting His Word will manifest humbleness, trust, obedience, faith, hope, praise, honor, worship, and reliance in Him alone in your life.

12.y.O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you”

Zephaniah 3:14    Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.

Psalms 42:2-4    My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Psalms 63:1-2   O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Jeremiah 31:9    With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Romans 11:25-26    Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.  And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

Even in our trials and troubles, God is with us.  “Be glad and rejoice with all your heart”. “The Lord is with you”, “I will rescue”, “I will gather”, “I will bring you home”, “I will give”, and “I will restore”.  These are all from God.  When all around us may be failing and falling apart, God has not changed and His promises are true, His grace, mercy, and love are steadfast, His presences is ever-present, His power to do more than we ask or can imagine is never limited, and all His foes, defiers, and deniers will be defeated and their plans destroyed.  Our God is greater.  Our God is all-powerful, Our God is all-knowing. Our God is all-in-all.  He is our God.  Do not allow fear, confusion, and worry place a cloud over you, blocking you from standing in the light of Our God, savior, redeemer, and King of kings.  He is God Almighty.

9.u. “For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?”

Amos 3:1  Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it? “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Genesis 50:20    As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Isaiah 14:24-27     The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stan  that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.”

 This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.  For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?

Isaiah 45:7   I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.

2 Kings 22:13     “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

God is saying; “Will there be any evil, or calamity inflicted on a wicked city, which does not proceed from me, as the effect of my wrath?” These the examples were intended to convince the people that they had cause for alarm, as their monstrous iniquities called down the vengeance of God to punish them with these calamities. Time after time prophets were sent to warn the Israelites of pending action from God.  This warning came with a call to repent and turn away from their sinful ways.  I am sure there were those who did take this seriously even while most others did not.  Such is the way of mankind when the Word of God is void and humble service, honor, praise, worship, trust, obedience, and reliance no longer are even a thought in their mind.  The process of blindly following after that which is not pleasing to God will always start with losing desire, hunger, and thirst for God’s Word.   When this happens that void is filled with what the world has to offer.  That first day of thinking you are to busy to spend time in God’s Word is a slippery slope of more days to follow.  At first, there may be some void that is felt somewhere in your soul but after repeated days this void is no longer felt.  It has been replaced by things of this world that we so easily claim bring satisfaction into our life.  I heard on the radio that some governors are proclaiming that abortion is not an elective procedure and federal judges are agreeing.  I have a friend who needs a triple by-pass and that is deemed elective, some prostate and cancer surgeries, for the most part, are called elective, as well, some knee, hip, and other orthopedic surgeries.  Think about this: taking the life of an unborn and healthy child is deemed medically necessary while treating other life-enhancing surgeries not.  When has a nation that tolerates pornography (adult entertainment) ever survived judgment coming from God over it?  When as a nation that promotes, supports, and tolerates homosexual activity survived coming judgment from God?  There has not been any since the creation of the world.  Denying God and that He exists does not mean it is true.  It does not protect a nation or person from His judgment.  “For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our father have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us”

2.g. “Therefore hear the word of the Lord

2 Chronicles 18:14  And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And he answered, “Go up and triumph; they will be given into your hand.” But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you.”

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?” And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and say, ‘Thus says the king, Put this fellow in prison and feed him with meager rations of bread and water until I return in peace.’” And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”

Numbers 16:29     If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me.

Amos 9:10     All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.’

Jeremiah 23:36    But ‘the burden of the LORD’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man’s own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.

Acts 20:30    and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things,

Hosea 14:9    Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

We see Ahab, King of Israel wanting to hear from God but only wanting to hear what he had determined already in his own heart and mind.  He surrounded himself and more than likely previously punished those who did not speak what he wanted to hear.  They were trained to speak in line with his wants and not what God would have him do.

When our heart, soul, and mind are not wholly for following and trusting in God there is an inner self that rules in His place.  This inner self will convince us we are following after God even though we are lukewarm, neglectful, and complacent. We can not serve both self and God.  We will serve the one we yield to.  We will serve the one that occupies our desires and wants.  We will serve the one we think will give us satisfaction and purpose.  Sad to say but many times this is self.

You have to imagine that at some point, at the beginning of our deception, where we began to listen to self over following God, we were aware of this and we chose to push this awareness away.  We were able to drown out the voice of God.  Our heart became hard, our ears deaf, and our choice to turn away was blinded from our mind.  Soon self became the only voice we listen to, the only thing we trusted in, and the only thing we found satisfaction in.

Remember the devil is a roaring lion seeking to deceive and draw us away from following God.  He will send many false hopes of satisfaction into our lives.  He will try to confuse us, entice us, and fill us with things of this world that will never satisfy but will always lead us away from seeking, trusting, relying on, following, honoring, glorifying, and obeying God.

The word of God is our stronghold, our hope, and our strength, for in it we find wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of God.  We see a glimpse of eternity and the love of God poured out to us through Jesus Christ.  Fill all your heart, mind and soul with the want and desire of and through Jesus Christ.  Stay in His word to find peace, joy, love, rest, strength, and hope for today and forever.  Do not allow self a second in your heart and mind for it will take this single second and turn it into a lifetime of deception.

Hear and receive instruction

Isaiah 58:13    “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;

Nehemiah 13:15-22     In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.  Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself!  Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?  Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”  As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.  Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.  But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.  Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

Jeremiah 17:21-27     Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem.  And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers.  Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.

Psalms 27:4     One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

Just as joy is more than the absence of sorrow, the Sabbath is more than cessation of labor. Resting in bed all day does not amount to a keeping of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is to be a delight and joy ( Isa 58:13 ).  Freedom and liberty seem to have a way to blind our eyes to what it means to walk with God, to hear His whispers of guidance, and to follow Him above all else.  In our culture each person must decide whether they will exploit freedom and  liberty or curtail them for intelligent and moral ends.  In freedom and liberty we choose to do as we will and it can be for the pleasure of ourselves,  humbly serving God, or the harm to others.  It is in this freedom and liberty that we have opportunity to honor God.

We don’t have to look far into our social culture and how it says; you are good enough and doing enough to please God by your lack of doing bad, that by attending church once per week you have fulfilled your requirement to hear God’s word for the week, setting in place laws where it is your legal right to kill an unborn child, and where pornography is redefined as adult entertainment.  The lack of God’s word in our heart and mind leave us wide open to using our cultural freedom and liberty as it pleases us rather than honoring God.  We have no knowledge and understanding of what it truly means to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.  We soon find the very freedom and liberty we cherish has slowly dimmed the light of God’s word in our heart to the point of darkness.

Let the light of God’s word feed your heart, mind and soul.  Let not a day go by without it being first on your mind in the morning and last thing in your heart at night.  Use your freedom and liberty to honor, serve, follow and obey God.  We have free will to choose and will be held accountable to Him alone.

God of Knowledge

“ Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.”

“knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.  They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

“Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.”

Malachi 2:17  You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

Psalms 95:9  when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.  For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.”

Isaiah 1:14     Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

Isaiah 43:24     You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.

Jeremiah 15:6    You have rejected me, declares the LORD; you keep going backward, so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you— I am weary of relenting.

Ezekiel 16:43    Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have enraged me with all these things, therefore, behold, I have returned your deeds upon your head, declares the Lord GOD. Have you not committed lewdness in addition to all your abominations?

Psalms 73:3  For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.  They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.  Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.  Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.  They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.  They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.  Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.  And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”  Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

Zephaniah 1:12    At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.’

Discerning the will of God is a life long process.  Each day we are led into new understanding of serving Him.   Each day we find new mercies and blessings given to us by the grace of God.  This we find when we have a heart desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.  However if we do not we will find ourselves like many in the past who have become complacent and turned away from full commitment to Him.  These scriptures today explain the mind and thoughts of man.  You can see the application of the word of God and service to Him being diluted by complacency.  They do not even see that the path they are on is not God honoring.  Let each of us learn from this.  He will reward those who fully delight and desire to serve Him.