Counsel – Page 2 – Praying Pint

19.q. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked”

Romans 6:21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

Proverbs 1:30    Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

Proverbs 5:13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors.

Jeremiah 17:10     “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Romans 1:32  Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Galatians 6:7-8    Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

The fruit of disregard, disobedience, indifference, and careless neglect of God, God’s Word, and things of God will fill the stomach of the hungering soul of the self-serving, self-worthy, and self-reliant. In their heart, they feed on that which is pleasing to themselves without a single thought of God’s ways. They determine within their own minds what is an acceptable and right way to live. The driving force behind every decision is to bring pleasure and satisfaction and purpose to themselves. They can appear to be good people and have others’ best interests behind their motives. Yet deep down there is no thought of God, God’s Word, or things of God. They are slaves to sin, their sinful nature, and to worldly passions. Paul sends this letter to Roman Christians and tells them; “What fruit did you reap while you were pleasing the desires of your sinful nature? You know very well that since you have come to the saving grace knowledge of Jesus Christ you became aware of how much you were enslaved to sin and when you look back at how you were living, you see it clearly and are ashamed of how selfish, self-reliant, self-worthy, and self-righteous you were.”

It is very hard to tell a slave to live like a free man, but certainly, you can tell a free man to keep from living as a slave. We should not revert back to sinful thoughts and actions. We have been set free from the bondage of sin. We have been set free to live to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. We have been set free to rely on, cling to, and trust in Jesus Christ. We have been set free to find purpose and satisfaction in Jesus Christ. We have been set free to find peace, hope, and joy in Jesus Christ. We have been set free to know the difference between things of God and things of this world. It is in this freedom we choose what master we will serve. We have been set free and we would do well to ask God every morning to expose what He sees in our heart that is not pleasing or honoring to Him, and to lead us on single-purpose paths away from sin and toward bringing Him honor and glory.

13.n. “Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.”

Zachariah 7:8 And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. “‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’”

2 Kings 17:13-15    Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”  But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God.  They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.

2 Chronicles 33:10   The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.

Nehemiah 9:29     And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey.

Proverbs 1:24-32     Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,  because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,  when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.  Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.  Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,  would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,  therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.  For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;

Jeremiah 44:16     “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you.

Hebrews 12:25     See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.

They refused to listen; they resisted the warners; they exhibited open contempt for them. They willfully were ignorant and would not consider nor want to understand. What level of contempt is it when a person sets their heart hard as stone so that their ears are deaf to the Word of God? Do you ever wonder if people consider the Word of God a burden? Is this why they harden their heart to God? Think about this. The Word of God proclaims a righteous, pure, and holy Creator God. It proclaims the fall of mankind. It exposes the sinful nature of man. It proclaims the separation between God and man due to this fallen sinful state. It proclaims God’s wrath, anger, and judgment. It proclaims God’s grace, mercy, and love toward mankind with promises of restoration, redemption, and salvation. It proclaims blessings. It is a guide and restraint to the sinful nature of our hearts. It proclaims the wonders and mystery of God. It proclaims the promises of God. It proclaims warnings. It yields hope, joy, peace, refuge, courage, power, kindness, forgiveness, and rest for those who have open hearts, minds, souls, and ears to hear, believe, obey, and trust in what God proclaims. It also yields hardened hearts, minds, souls, and ears to those who defy, deny, and resist what God proclaims. It promises eternity in heaven for those who believe. It promises eternity in hell for those who do not believe.

Is it a burden to live for God? Is it a burden to live holy, righteous, and pleasing to the God of all there is? Is it a burden to live to honor, glorify, worship, magnify, and praise to God? Is it a burden to live in loving kindness? Is it a burden to live showing mercy and grace to others? It is not a burden but a blessing to be loved by God and in a restored relationship with Him. What is the alternative to our lives should we choose to deny and defy God? Isn’t the true burden of life trying to live as though God does not exist? Every day Creation screams out the existence of God and every day the heart of the deniers must harden more and try to make sense and purpose of this life. Every day the burden of denial becomes heavier and heavier. The denying soul will find that the burden of life brings no pleasure or satisfaction even though they search diligently for it in the things this world has to offer. The Word of God is not a burden. It is a wondrous blessing from God to His creation.

11.z. “He has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.”

Habakkuk 1:2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.

Psalms 13:1-2    How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?  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?

Revelation 6:10     They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Psalms 94:3    O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?

Psalms 74:10     How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?

Psa 22:24  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.

Habakkuk prophesied and cried out “how long shall I cry for Help?” He saw iniquity and asked, “why do you make me see this and then sit idly by?” David cried out “how long?”, “Will you forget me forever? Those who were martyred for faith in Jesus Christ during the Tribulation period cried out “how long before you judge and avenge our blood?” David cried out “how long will the wicked be exalted?” If you are a believer and God has opened your eyes and ears to the wicked things of our society that are called and believed to be alright to do, Pornography – (which the thesaurus uses words like improper, indelicate, crude, vulgar, dirty, filthy, corrupting and immoral) for which our society calls “Adult Entertainment”, Abortion – (which is child murder, assassination, homicide, depraved execution, fetal homicide) for which society calls “Women Rights”, Petaphilia – which is called alternative sexual preference, LGBTQ – which is called progressive lifestyle. These are just a tip of the iceberg of what lost souls are being temped with and are buying into it. How long oh Lord? We can see it and be appalled by it but we seem powerless in of ourselves to do anything about it. Remember this “Jesus Christ died for sinners!!!!” He died for each of these with the same amount of grace, mercy, and love He has given to us. Were it not for the Holy Spirit softening our hardened hearts with the Good News of Jesus Christ, we too would be as guilty as any of these. Are they so far lost that they cannot be saved – No they are not. I think we would do much better praying for them and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ rather than calling on God to judge and avenge. That time will certainly come but for now let us remember “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” and keep our focus on advancing the body of Christ by living and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. Who knows what the Holy Spirit will do. A heart and soul may be softened and the person repents, seeks forgiveness, and trusts in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse them from all unrighteousness.

11.p. “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.”

Nahum 1:9 What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time. For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried. From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor. Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.”

Psalms 2:1-4   Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,  “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Ezekiel 38:10-11    “Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme

Isaiah 8:9-10    Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered.  Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Proverbs 21:30    No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.

Who knows the hearts of man, but God? Who knows the intents of actions taken by man, but God? Who speaks with worldly wisdom and knowledge to give counsel to a man that leads them astray? Why is it that man chooses to listen to and follow these worldly leaders giving false promises? Each person chooses to listen and follow after that which fills their heart. The sad part of this is most choose to deny God and willfully will not follow after Him. Proclaiming God does not exist does not free anyone from the consequences of denying to honor, follow, trust, obey and rely on Him. Proclaiming and believing God is love and all mankind will go to heaven upon death will lead many straight into hell. Wide is the doorway to hell and the path is lined with everything to falsely satisfy the earthly soul, totally apart and separated from God. When there is no conviction of sin in the heart of man, there will be no need for a savior, redeemer, and forgiver. When there is no preaching of sin and the need for repentance there will be neglect, complacency, and lukewarm following after and trusting in Jesus Christ. There will be no humble thanksgiving for the atonement and forgiveness of sin. When there is no hunger and thanksgiving for God’s Word and to know and understand the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ more and more, people will become shallow in their belief, understanding, and application of God’s Word in their lives. Hearts and minds that choose to walk in blind, limp, and shallow commitment to Jesus Christ will easily be taken in by those who distort the truth or deny the active power of Jesus Christ in the world today. We do not have to look very hard at the things that are happening in the world today to know the return of Jesus Christ will come and the end is fast approaching. Denying we are in the end times does not make it so, just like denying sin and the need for Jesus Christ does not make it so, just like denying each man will be judged by God does not make it so. If you listen to news media for any short period of time you will seldom or never hear the need for God. You will not hear of living to humbly serve Him. What you will hear is worldly counsel, plots of man, fear, division, confusion, and utter lack of the fear of God. I wonder what our lives would be like if we spent as much tie in God’s Word as we do listening to the meaningless drivel on local and national news. Would our lives be changed? Yes, they would.

10.c. “Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”

Amos 8:11 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.

1 Samuel 3:1    Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Ezekiel 7:26    Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.

Romans 11:7-10    What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,  as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

Isaiah 30:20-21    And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.  And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

2 Timothy 3:7     always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

“Behold, the days are coming”. Amos proclaimed a day when there would be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. A day when the people were hardened. A day when the Teacher does not hide and ears will hear Him speak to their heart, mind, and soul. They will hear “this is the way, walk in it”. Don’t you wonder if people will listen and walk in it? Or will they harden against it? “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and water of affliction” they will either listen or not.

I am sooooo tired of hearing people blaming China, the President, governors, mayors, and anyone else for the current pandemic. As if they could do anything to stop the spread of this. If we do not see God sovereign over this bread of adversity and water of affliction then I guess you end up looking for someone to blame. Could God be speaking to the world one last time before the end of days. Could He be graciously reaching out through this to call the hearts, minds, and soul of man to Himself. How long will He wait? I wonder how many during this time will reject His calling out. I wonder for how many this will be their last chance to hear His calling. We never know when our last day is. We never know the moment we will enter into eternity. Life never gives us a heads up. Hear today and all is good and then bam, eternity. Know this there is no second chance apart from while we are alive on this side of eternity. Sin must be recognized and owned or there will never be seen the need of Jesus Christ, redemption, forgiveness, salvation, and repentance. As the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ perishes from a society, nation, and culture there will be no hope, peace, or rest for the people. Come to Him, confess your sin, repent and turn away from it, and believe in the work Jesus Christ did on the cross to redeem you. Follow, trust, and obey Him. Eternity is nearer than you think.

5.j. It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

Job 12:13 “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him are strength and sound wisdom;

Psalms 147:5    Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

Proverbs 2:6-7   For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;  he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

Jeremiah 10:12   It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

Colossians 2:3    to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

James 1:5    If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Isaiah said this about God; “ Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” When you think about this and know that God consulted with no one. He was not taught these things. He created all there is by speaking them into existence. It is hard for us to imagine just how all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present God is. His majesty is beyond our deepest knowledge and understanding. His holiness is greater than purity. His power is greater than all the forces of man and all of nature. Yet, this same one and only God chose to send His son to redeem us, to create a new spirit within us, to give us peace, joy, rest, hope, love, and courage, to give us hope in eternity, to give us hope this side of eternity, and to know our sins are forgiven and removed as far as the east is from the west. God chose us. He called to us. He drew us close. He softened our hearts. He gave us the wisdom to know of both the need for salvation but also the Savior. He said, “come unto me all who are heavy with burden and I will give you rest”. Think about this for a while; the Creator of all there is leaves an open invitation for salvation and help. The do we wait to run into His wide-open arms?

3.v. But even now there is hope

Ezra 10:1 While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath.

Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem, and that if anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles.

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said. But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. Let our officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us.” Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them.

Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of fathers’ houses, according to their fathers’ houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter; and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.

In Chapter 9 Ezra became aware of the sin and now, in chapter 10 he confronts it head-on with the people. People wept bitterly when Ezra spoke of the sin. Ezra called out the sin, the people were convicted, and he spoke of making it right. “We have broken faith with God but even now there is hope for us”. This sin problem was not just with common folks but with the leaders who were in Jerusalem. With hearts raw from Holy Spirit conviction and given hope the leaders called for a meeting of all the people within three days. This was a mandatory meeting for all. Note, if anyone did not show up they would forfeit their land and be banned. People came and sat in the square trembling because of this and it was raining. No rain delay, no rain check for another day. It was rain or shine open-air mandatory meeting. The sin issue was so big and personally complicated that, not to mention the rain, that a decision was made to meet with each city official 10 days later to fully assess the magnitude and take note of all who had taken the foreign woman as wives. Within two months they had reported that all the men who had married foreign women had taken care and followed through on their commitment to God.

Sin has a way to slide into our culture because we allow it. It comes in with one person defending that it is right and ok to do and then more and more people just buy into it. Sin feeds our self-centered interests and seems right in our own eyes. Do you ever wonder how this happens? Intentional commitment to God is not made. Whole heart, mind, and soul and strength are given to self and that what pleases self. Humbly serving, honoring, following, glorifying, trusting, and obeying God is nothing more than lip service as a result of neglecting God’s word. These all happen when we become complacent and turn our back and close our eyes and ears to God. It happens when things of this world are put in front of serving God with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. We do well to take inventory of where our heart, mind, and thoughts are spending their time. Be mindful of the pull this world has to try to draw you away from serving whole heartily committed to God. We do well to make a covenant with our heart, mind, and soul to humbly serve, honor, trust, and obey God and to make serving Him the reason and purpose of every day.

3.i. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,

2 Chronicles 36:11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel. All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem.

The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy.

Isaiah 28:22    Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD of hosts against the whole land.

Jeremiah 5:12-13     They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine.  The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them!’”

Proverbs 1:24-30    Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,  because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,  when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.  Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.  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 Thessalonian  therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

Proverbs 29:1     He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.

When I read these verses I wonder why it was that people chose not to hear the word of God and follow Him. What had hardened their heart like a stone? What filled the void in their life so full that was able to keep them from trusting, following, and obeying God? It is not as though they did not know what they were doing was wrong. It appears that they chose not to believe, not to trust, not to obey, not to serve, and not to humble themselves before God.

Then I looked back at my life and remembered how I lived apart from God, choosing to live like He did not exist. I can not understand the softening of my heart and the grace and mercy God showed toward me in this process of bringing me to a place where I was able to see my lost and sinful soul and His forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ. He opened the eyes of my heart, mind, and soul to fully see my need of redemption. He opened my mind to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He placed people into my life and led me to a place where I had to choose to believe or reject His grace, mercy, and love in and through Jesus Christ. Rejecting Him was not even a thought. Wanting and needing Him was the only choice. He was knocking at the door of my heart, mind, and soul.

I would like to say that I remained always obedient, always listening, always obeying, always honoring, always serving, always trusting, but this was not what happened. I bounced along life following and not following, obeying and not obeying, listening and not listening, honoring and not honoring, trusting and not trusting. Then something happened. I started to be in and read His word almost everyday. in His word the Holy Spirit began to expose the raw nerves of self-centered, self-interest, self-seeking, self-serving of my being. Everyday I am made aware of the great price that was paid for me, a sinner. I am made aware of God’s great power, might, strength, and the love, joy, peace, strength, power, and courage that He gives to those who choose to humbly serve, honor, follow, trust, and obey Him.

Eternity in hell comes to those who choose to disregard Jesus Christ. Eternity in heaven comes to those who choose to believe and obey Him. Now is the time of awareness. Now is the time of redemption. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month or year. Delaying this choice is very foolish in light of the punishment / reward. I wonder how many people die unexpectedly thinking they had more time to get right with God and end up in eternity apart from God and in torment forever.

Right now is the time to be conscious of the choice to believe, trust, follow and obey Jesus Christ.

2.w. But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?

2 Chronicles 25:14 After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. Therefore the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?” But as he was speaking, the king said to him, “Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

2 Chronicles 16:9     For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

2 Chronicles 19:2    But Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the LORD.

Judges 2:2    and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?

Psalms 96:5    For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

Jeremiah 2:5    Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?

We can read these verses and say to ourself that clearly, we would not have done as these people did, where they abandoned God and did things and followed after things that were foolish and apart from God. We don’t have to look very far into our thoughts and actions to know we too have the same tendencies, foolish ideas, lack of understanding, lack of wholehearted commitment. We get pulled and pushed aside by the tidal waves of self-interest, self-satisfaction, and self-serving busyness into the ocean of neglect and complacent service to God.

What changed in these people’s heart and mind that they so easily were drawn away? Have you ever cleaned and organized your garage and made a commitment to keep it that way, only to have the same type of mess 4-6 months later? You wonder how did it go from organized to mess? It is not as though you didn’t know what cleaned and organized looked like. It is not as though you intended it to happen or planned to have it happen. You did not set a commitment in your heart to make it happen, but yet it did. So what happened?

The commitment faded. The desire changed. The ability to see the change was lost. Something else replaced that commitment. It is not that we intentionally chose to make the garage a mess again but rather we chose not to keep it in order. The same is true for humbly serving, honoring, following, trusting, and obeying God. It is not that we intentionally chose to keep our heart from Him but rather we chose to give our heart and mind to ourself. Keeping God first closes the door to self. Being mindful of the internal tidal wave of “Self” wants, desires, plans, and thoughts is a good place to start to keep the garage of our heart, mind, and soul clean. Being mindful of this requires us then to take appropriate measures to ensure they stay clean. For the example; you could commit to truly looking at your garage every night before calling it a day. You could commit to not allow yourself to go back inside until it was put back in order. You could commit to never leave your garage when something was out of place. You could take a picture of what organized looked like and then compare each area of organization against that picture to ensure you were not allowing yourself to drift.

You see the same is true with our commitment to humbly serving, honoring, following, trusting, and obeying Jesus Christ. We don’t choose to make our lives a mess. We choose not to keep them in line with God’s word. Herein lies the problem. This intentional choice to “Not” is going to yield every bit as bad results as if we have intentionally chosen to make our lives a mess. The commitment must be firm. Paul said “Stand Firm”. He also said to “take every thought captive.” And, to “put on the full armor of God”.

The picture we can compare our heart, mind, and soul garage too is the word of God. If we commit to comparing every thought, word, and action against this then we will have eyes and ears sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Do not allow drift in your life because you have been neglectful and complacent. We have brothers and sisters in Christ that can help us see drift in our lives when we have no longer found time to spend in His word. Each of us should commit to helping others in this struggle with self and point them always to the worthiness of Jesus Christ and the word of God.

2.a. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Chronicles 14:9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive, for they were broken before the Lord and his army. The men of Judah carried away very much spoil. And they attacked all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord was upon them. They plundered all the cities, for there was much plunder in them. And they struck down the tents of those who had livestock and carried away sheep in abundance and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

Isaiah 8:9-10    Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered.  Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Deuteronomy 32:39    “‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

Psalms 60:12   With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

1 Corinthians 15:57     But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Facing more than a million warriors from Ethiopia, Asa went out to do battle. It appears the first act was to call on the Lord God but in reality, their first act was “in Your name we have come against this multitude” and the second act was trust and reliance and the third act was crying out to God. But we really can’t put them in an order like this, can we? Without trust, there is no reliance. Without trust and reliance and an active seeking and desiring the presence of God and a willingness to act there would be no crying out to God.

Asa led the people in active and intentional worship and God-honoring living. This active and intentional want to be in the presence of God with all their thoughts toward humbly serving, following, trusting, obeying, and honoring Him.

Big battles are won before they begin when all of our heart, mind, and soul is seeking, desiring, and focused on God.

There is a big problem right now within the church, within our Christian culture, maybe even within us. We seem to live our daily lives apart from God until there is a battle line in front of us. Then, we cry out but our cry is not made with trust and reliance but rather with a last-ditch effort. We cry out because we have no hope in ourselves any and in this very surrender to God you would think we would learn this is the very place every waking moment our heart and soul and mind should anchor its self too.

In our full surrender, we find peace, joy, strength, power, might, and hope. You would think we would want to stay in this place and bask in the glory and holiness of God. You would think in this place is where we are satisfied and made whole and no other place would we find this satisfaction and filling of our heart, mind, and soul. But sadly we come into God’s presence and leave and come and go, come and go, rather than staying in His presence. We find Him all in all and then we leave. We find Him all-powerful and then we leave. We find Him steadfast in His love for us and we leave. We find Him sending Jesus Christ to redeem us and we come and taste the holiness of salvation and forgiveness but we so easily leave like a leave being carried away by a soft breeze.

Choose this day whom you will serve and be active and intentional about every moment of that day. Be sure every moment of that day reflects an active and internal choice to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in every word, thought, and action.