Tag: Darkness

Know that I am God

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!”

Psalms 100:3  Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalms 95:3     For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Deuteronomy 4:35     To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.

Deuteronomy 4:39     know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

John 17:3     And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Acts 17:23-24     For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.  The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

2 Corinthians 4:6     For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 4:8-9     Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

From John Gill’s exposition:

if the Lord has made us, and not we ourselves, then we are not our own, but his, and ought to serve and glorify him: we are his by creation; “we are also his offspring”, we are his people; by choice and covenant; by his Father’s gift, and his own purchase; and by the power of his grace, bringing to a voluntary surrender and subjection to him; even the Gentiles particularly, who were not his people, but now his people, and the sheep of his pasture; his sheep also by gift and purchase, called by him, made to know his voice, and follow him; for whom he provides pasture, leads to it, and feeds them with it himself.

Earth shall be filled

“the whole earth is full of his glory!”

Psalms 97:6  The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.

Psalms 67:4    Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.

Psalms 98:3    He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Numbers 14:21  But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD,

Habakkuk 2:14     For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 60:2-3     For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.

We see a mere glimpse of His glory, and yet, being blind to this glimpse of the glory of God comes at a great cost.  In His glory we see His power, strength, might, and   love.  In His glory we understand His promises of being our hope, joy, peace, refuge, and rock. Do not let the false flashes of temporary things of this life blind your eyes to the glory of our Lord each day being manifested in and through His creation.

Most high over all the earth

Psalms 97:1  The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.  All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD.  For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.  O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.   Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

I am not sure of the author but I was intrigued (and convicted once again) by this short conversation and his comments on this Psalm. Why do I grumble at the circumstance I am in?  Why do I not trust God in all things? Why do I speak of His power, might, strength and control over all there is and then fall into the trap of not believing it?  Forgive me.

When Bulstrode Whitelock was embarked as Cromwell’s envoy to Sweden, in 1653, he was much disturbed in mind, as he rested at Harwich the preceding night, which was very stormy, as he thought upon the distracted state of the nation. It happened that a confidential servant slept in an adjacent bed, who, finding that his master could not sleep, at length said: —

“Pray, sir, will you give me leave to ask you a question?”

“Certainly.”

“Pray, sir, do you think God governed the world very well before you came into it?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“And pray, sir, do you think that He will govern it quite as well when you are gone out of it?”

“Certainly.”

“Then pray, sir, excuse me, but do not you think you may trust him to govern it quite as well as long as you live?”

To this question Whitelock had nothing to reply; but turning about, soon fell fast asleep, till he was summoned to embark. –G.S. Bowes, in “Illustrative Gatherings.” 1862. The reign of the Lord in the saints.

First, This kingdom that God is now setting up is his everlasting kingdom. It will not be administered by the weakness of man, but by the power of God; not by the folly of man, but by the judgment of God. God will, in this kingdom, nakedly manifest his own righteousness, his own compassion and pity; his own love, his own peace: he will do all things immediately by his own self. And therefore all the pride and ambition, all the oppression and tyranny, and miscarriages that have been in the government of men, shall be wholly taken away. Pure righteousness and judgment and equity shall be infallibly dispensed; and infinite power, strength, holiness, goodness, and authority shall shine forth nakedly in the face of God; and that shall be the judge of all men. We shall no longer be abused and oppressed by the will of men, by the lusts of men. The poor people shall no longer groan under the burden of men’s lusts, nor sweat for the pleasure and contents of men; nor their faces any longer be ground by the hardness of the spirit of men; but they shall be under the protection of God. The great cry now of the people is, “Let’s have a King!” Ye shall have one, one that will “reign in righteousness”, the LORD himself.

Attacks, Doubts, and Upheld

Psalms 94:12  Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law,  to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.  For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;  for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.  Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers?  If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.  When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.  When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Psalms 17:5     My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

Psalms 37:23-24    The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.

Psalms 38:16    For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!”

Psalms 119:116-117     Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope.  Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually!

Psalms 121:3    He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

1 Samuel 2:9    “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.

Isaiah 41:10     fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Peter 1:5    who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Have you ever been in a situation where it seems you are in way over your head with no way out?  During times like this our mind is open to the lies of Satan.  He speaks doubt, fear, panic, and hopelessness into our thoughts.  He wants us in despair to keep us from trusting in, clinging to, and relying on God.  Recognizing these attacks is essential.  Last evening some of these thoughts were running through my head.  I prayed “God please protect me from these thoughts and remove them”. He took them away as immediate as they came.  Rest comes hard enough in times of trouble but in Him rest comes, peace floods, and our heart, mind and soul are refreshed.  God is ever present, ever-loving, and can do more than we ask or can imagine.

Jealous and Avenging

“Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.”

Psalms 94:1  O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!  Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!  O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?  They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.

Deuteronomy 32:41-42     if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me.  I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh— with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.’

Isaiah 35:4    Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Isaiah 59:17     He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

Nahum 1:2    The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.

Romans 12:19    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8    in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 10:30     For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Revelation 20:11  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

John 3:18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

A day is coming when all mankind will be judged.  Dying without trusting in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin will be eternal torment.  Those with Christ shall be with Him the minute they die.  Those without Christ will realize what total separation from God’s love, peace, rest, joy, holiness, righteousness, patience, and every loving steadfast presence. They enter a place of fully understanding their error, but it is too late.  They see clearly what their ultimate doom to come will be.  If for a second they think the separation from God is bad, it only gets worse. This is compounded an infinitesimal  times worse.  At the final judgement they are cast into the Lake of Fire where they experience torment for eternity.  Never dying, only forever torment of the worst kind.    The proud say there is no God.  The foolish say I will wait.  The hypocrite says I am good enough.  The complacent and neglectful always think there is sometime in the future when they will commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  Their doom awaits. The wrath of God is to be feared.  His vengeance is to be feared.  His anger is to be feared.  Rejecting His Son, who gave His life to redeem those who would believe is a very big mistake with eternal consequences.  Those who  trust in Christ, rest in God’s grace, mercy, love and promise of eternity with Him.  Forever in His presence. Be a light of the gospel of good news.  Speak the saving grace of Jesus Christ into their lives.  Be a a light used by God for His choosing, calling, and direction.

My shelter

Psalms 91:1  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,  nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.  Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—  no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.  “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.  When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.  With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

 

Thoughts by Charles H. Spurgeon:

The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God. Every child of God looks towards the inner sanctuary and the mercyseat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence. Those who through rich grace obtain unusual and continuous communion with God, so as to abide in Christ and Christ in them, become possessors of rare and special benefits, which are missed by those who follow afar off, and grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Into the secret place those only come who know the love of God in Christ Jesus, and those only dwell there to whom to live is Christ. To them the veil is rent, the mercyseat is revealed, the covering cherubs are manifest, and the awful glory of the Most High is apparent.  Those who are the Lord’s constant guests shall find that he will never suffer any to be injured within his gates. The Omnipotent Lord will shield all those who dwell with him, they shall remain under his care as guests under the protection of their host.  his protection is constant–they abide under it, and it is all sufficient, for it is the shadow of the Almighty, whose omnipotence will surely screen them from all attack. No shelter can be imagined at all comparable to the protection of Jehovah’s own shadow. The Almighty himself is where his shadow is, and hence those who dwell in his secret place are shielded by himself. What a shade in the day of noxious heat! What a refuge in the hour of deadly storm! Communion with God is safety. The more closely we cling to our Almighty Father the more confident may we be.

distinction between those who serve God and those who do not

Psalms 89:5  Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!  For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,  a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?  You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.  You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.  The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.

Daniel 7:10    A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

Psalms 96:11     Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;  let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy  before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Malachi 3:16     Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.  “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.  Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Revelation 20:11     Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Isaiah 30:27    Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire;

Isaiah 66:15     “For behold, the LORD will come in fire, and his chariots like the whirlwind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.  For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment, and by his sword, with all flesh; and those slain by the LORD shall be many.

Nahum 1:5    The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.  Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

John 3:18  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

There are times we just don’t feel good enough to be considered worthy, fruitful, or for that matter saved. For some reason the redemptive work of Christ does not seem real and effective for our life.  We believe but do not have a victorious heart and mind. Why is that?  We are in battle(s) – the battle with our conscious where we are self convicted – the battle with what others tell us and we are convicted by others – the battle where satan convicts us by telling us we are worthless and not good enough for God – the battle where we do think we are good enough on our own – the battle our sinful nature has with the Holy Spirit when we are convicted on our actions and thoughts in light of God’s word.  Our conscious and others conviction may or may not be true.   Satan is the father of all lies and will continually convict us with these lies and half truths.  However, the Holy Spirit will convict us with absolute truth.  It is easy to fall into the trap of unworthiness or good enough and end up ineffectual in our Christian walk.  Both of these end in either complacency or neglect.  When we catch of glimpse of God’s Holiness and our sinfulness it is easy to feel unworthy and you are right.  We are unworthy.  That is all the more reason to shout for joy and give thanks to Jesus Christ who, though we were sinners and have a sinful nature, went to the cross and died for our sins.  He did this to redeem us and make our sin as white as snow to all who believe in Him.  At the moment of believe and trust in Jesus Christ our sins were no more.  Some may feel they are not worthy of this redemption, believing they are not good enough or they are too bad to be forgiven.  God’s word is true!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

We are never good enough to be saved.  Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners.  He takes us as we are, right where we are at in life – full of guilt and shame. Are we sinless, no but they are forgiven.  Do we stop sinning, no but if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive our sin.  God is truth and His word is true.  If our sins are forgiven they are no more before God’s eyes.  We can be certain of His word of truth.  We can be victorious.  We can have joy and peace.  Satan would have us believe it is a lie.  It is not a lie.  How can we know?  Stay in His word and live to honor, glorify, serve and obey Him.  You are whiter than snow, confessed sin to God is forgiven. Stop living defeated, complacent, and neglectful.  You can live victorious for God through His word.

Salvation came at a great cost

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

John 19:31  Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.  So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.  But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.  He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.  For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”  And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Luke 23:39     One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”  And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

1 John 5:6     This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Zechariah 13:1    “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

1 Corinthians 6:11     And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Titus 2:14     who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 3:5-7     he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 9:13  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 10:19     Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 John 1:6    If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  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.

Revelation 1:5    and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

The crucifixion of Jesus had a single purpose: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” This redemption came at the cost of His life and is to be understood, believed, and with a thankful and contrite heart trusted in, by faith, for the forgiveness of sin.  What manner of person should we be in light of this act of mercy and grace?  We ought to remember the sacrifice of Jesus and live in humble service to Him.  Our mind should never lose thought of the cost He paid.  Our lives should be lived out in thankfulness.  In remembrance our thoughts and actions should bring honor and glory to Him.  The first step in this honor is a heart and mind deep desire to know Him.  We do this through actively reading and meditating on His word. Day by day in His word, with a willing heart and mind to be led, will yield a life that chooses to honor and glorify Him.  Spend time in His word.  Meditate on it.  Listen for His whispers of guidance. Choose to life for His purpose and plans.

Before the rooster crows

“Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”

“And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

“Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.”

“bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the LORD my God.”

John 18:15  Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest,  but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.  The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”  Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

Matthew 26:69     Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.”  But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.”

Luke 22:56     Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.”  But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”

Joh 18:25  Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

Luke 22:60     But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”  And he went out and wept bitterly.

Zechariah 12:10    “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Psalms 126:5     Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!  He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalms 130:3     If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

Psalms 143:1    Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!  Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.  For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.  Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.

I wonder how many times a day I deny Christ.  How many opportunities are theres to speak Christ into the lives of others that I pass on?  How many times do I deny by closing my ears to hearing His whispers of guidance?  How many times to I close my eyes to seeing His hand at work?  How many times do I look at my accomplishments and deny they are all at the hand of God?  How many times do I deny the conviction of the Holy Spirit?  How many times do I only think of me first and deny Jesus Christ as Lord putting aside humble service, honor, following and obedience to Him?  It is sad to think about the amount of time wasted on self, self concerns, self interests, and self wants at the cost of knowing and serving Jesus Christ.  Purpose, this side of eternity, is for serving, honoring, living for, following, and obeying Jesus Christ.  Oh that my heart and mind would be desiring and seeking God as David said “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Hearts far from God

“Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me,”

“the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.”

John 15:22  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

John 3:18     Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

John 9:41    Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

John 12:48     The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

Ezekiel 2:5     And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house)

Ezekiel 33:31     And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.  And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.

Acts 17:30     The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Hebrews 6:4     For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,  and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,  and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.  For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.  But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

James 4:17     So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Romans 1:20     For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 2:1     Therefore you have no excuse

1 Peter 2:16     Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Revelation 3:15  “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

How do we know if our heart is hard? How do we know if we are only serving God with our mouth and not our heart, mind, and soul?  What are we going to be held accountable for?  What does it mean to be without excuse?  What does it take to be rejected or, for that matter, restored?  How do we know if we are lukewarm?   I remember it being considered normal to attend Sunday morning bible study, then worship service, then Sunday evening study, having a couples bible study during the week, Wednesday evening prayer meeting, and a mens bible study one morning during the week.  Being in God’s word throughout the week.  It does not seem this is the norm any more.  In fact it appears that if we are attending Sunday morning worship service every week we are considered a fanatic.  The expectation for what it means to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey God has dropped to a very low expectation in our culture.  We need to be mindful of our heart, mind and soul and the influence of the world and it’s expectation making us think we are in some way serving God with a lukewarm life.  We are meant to be a light shinning in the darkness, making disciples, serving God,  feeding on His word,  knowing His word, meditating on His word, hearing His whispers of guidance, being led by the Holy Spirit, finding purpose each day seeking to honor Him.  How is this done if our we neglect His word?  Scripture is clear we are without excuse for being complacent.  Praise be to God that He pursues us and draws us back to Himself.  Praise to Him for not leaving us in a state of being lukewarm.  Praise to Him for standing at the door of our heart knocking.  Praise to Him for His steadfast love.  Forget doing right and wrong and thinking this in someway makes it right with God.  Come to Him broken and seek His building you up into a humble servant.  Seek to honor Him.  Desire to follow and obey Him for the purpose of glorifying Him.  Run to Him for His leading in your life.  Yield fully in service to Him.  SPEND TIME IN HIS WORD