Cornerstone – Praying Pint

27.e. “Having no hope and without God in the world”

Ephesians 2:12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

19- So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Without Christ: These are terrible words, and the implications of them are the sum of the woeful condition of the lost man or woman. To be without Christ means to be: without spiritual blessings, light, peace, rest, safety, hope, a place of refuge, purpose, satisfaction, lasting joy, discernment, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and eternity in Heaven. Look around, be observant, and see if this is not true. Read or listen to almost any news being stated, listen to family, friends, government officials, and people at large, and you will see they lack the peace of God that only comes through Faith in Jesus Christ. In the worst of them, they are greedy, boastful, arrogant, fearful, liars, creating division, confusion, and hatred. In the best of them they are just plain lost and without a solid foundation that can only be found in and through Jesus Christ. They have a form of purpose, peace, satisfaction, and joy, but there is no depth and lasting foundation on which it can stand.

This is exactly where each of us was prior to believing in Jesus Christ. Lost and without eternal hope. We were alienated from God. We were tools of Satan. We were destined to eternal Hell. And, somehow, through God’s grace, mercy, and love, our hearts were softened and our minds understood the gospel, our sinful nature, being separated from God, deserving Hell, and without hope in anything we could do to be made right before God, and we repented from our sin, turned away from self-worthiness and self-reliance, and we trusted in and relied upon Jesus Christ alone, by faith in Him alone.

Paul is saying remember this. You were “without Christ”. In remembering this our hearts and minds should be in constant thankfulness and our lives surrendered to humbly serving Him for the single purpose of honoring and glorifying Him in all we say, think, and do.

13.r. “But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all. “

Zachariah 10:3 “My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle. From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler.

Isaiah 56:9-10    The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.  “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.”

Jeremiah 10:21    For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

Jeremiah 50:6    “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold.

Ezekiel 34:2   “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?

Ezekiel 34:7-10    “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:  As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep,  therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:  Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

The shepherds pretend to be guides of the people. They lead them astray. They do not feed them with the Word of God. They feed them idols. They feed them lies. They lead them on paths away from God. We can look at the shepherds being the religious leaders or the civil government leaders. Both will be held to account for how they led the people God had placed under their responsibility. These shepherds do not speak the truth but rather speak what the people want to hear. How is a person to be able to recognize false teaching leaders? How are people to know lies from the truth from the craftily worded teachings of their leaders? Too often preaching has turned into nothing more than saying what makes people comfortable, being afraid they might offend someone. Too often leaders say what people want to hear without giving a second thought about trying to fulfill what they promised. Without knowledge, understanding, and wisdom through God’s Word and Holy Spirit leading there is no way to see how blind we are to things of God. Complacency and neglect of God’s Word will always lead to confusion between right and wrong. In this confusion, people are easily led astray. in this confusion, people turn toward their shepherds/leaders and away from seeking Jesus Christ. In this confusion, people believe in everything other than what God’s Word proclaims. In this confusion, people place their hope and trust in worldly shepherds/leaders. There is no substitute for God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. There is no substitute that will fill the longing of our heart apart from God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. There is no Substitute that can take away the confusion, worry, and fear apart from God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. Do not look for answers to today’s problems, trials, and troubles apart from God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ.

Precious Promises

” by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

“I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.“

Psalms 36:5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. 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. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

Job 37:23 The Almighty—we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate.

Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

1 Peter 2:6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

Psalms 139:17 ,

2Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Hebrews 8:6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Great and precious promises have been given to us to escape the corruption of the world. What promises are coming to mind? David recorded it this way, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”. David found value in thinking about God, His thoughts and promises. He called them precious. Something very dear to his heart. He found comfort, refuge, strength, hope, peace, faith, love, joy, mercy…… and more staying close to God. His daily purpose was to know and serve God deeper and fuller each day. He had a heart desire to seek God in both times of trials and in times of blessings. We would do well to reflect each day on God, His promises, and how we to would know and serve Him fuller. Spend time in His word. Seek to know Him. Desire to serve Him.

Let me Hear

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”

Psalms 25:1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Psalms 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalms 31:1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!

Romans 10:11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

1 Peter 2:6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Psalms 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalms 37:40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Psalms 13:2-4 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

Sometimes this walk of faith seems hard to bear. Look at what David said: “I lift my soul to You”, “I trust in You”, “In You I take refuge”, and yet David also says: “How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?” This walk with God will encounter trials and issues. Some of them are brought on by our own doing and other times they are the result of others. God did not promise us we would not have no trials, troubles, or issues but He did promise: “To never leave us or forsake us”, “He would be ever present in times of trouble”, “He would protect us from evil”, “He would guide us”, “He would give us peace of mind”, “He would bless us”, “He would be our strength”, “He would make known His path for us”…… What kind of faith is it that is never tested and refined? Hebrews says “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is built on God’s word, His promises, through Jesus Christ. How much of our faith is built on things of this world or on what others say? If it is built on anything less than God’s word, His promises, through Jesus Christ it certainly will fail to sustain us in times of trials and troubles of this world and most definitely in eternity. How do we grow in our faith? Is it possible to grow without knowing and feeding on God’s word? Read His word with expectation of Him opening your eyes, ears, and heart to His leading. Commit to humbly serving God more and more each day.

Excuses

Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire

We can all come up with excuses as to why we did or did not do something. When it comes to honoring and glorifying God in our everyday lives do we do the same thing. Do I look to His word daily to find strength? Do I search scripture to know more how to live as a humble servant doing what honors Him? Do I desire to be used by Him however He wants to use me? Am I able to keep the culture around me from diluting my relationship with God? Do I make time for Him in my life? I can find myself coming up with excuses everyday for each of these questions. I’m to busy, I’m tired, to much work to do, school actives, shopping, to cold, to hot, to…….. It is so easy to come up with excuses. Desire to change and choose to live with purpose to honor and glorify God.

Matthew 21:42
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.

Luke 14:16
“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready. ’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused. ’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused. ’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. ’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame. ’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room. ’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.

Isaiah 5:3
What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes