Tag: Eternal Life

1.m. Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be strong and courageous.

1 Chronicles 28:20  Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

1 Chronicles 28:10    Be careful now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”

1 Chronicles 22:13    Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:7-8    It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Joshua 1:6-9    Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 16:13    Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

It is one thing to be strong and courageous when there are no trials and troubles raining down on our head.  It is another to apply when you are neck-deep in them and another huge wave is ready to crash down on you all kinds of anxiousness, worry, heart pain, sleeplessness, unhappiness, and hurt.  These attacks come in many forms; financial, health, friendship, family, culture/society approved norms.  We normally don’t even get a fair warning that the storm is coming, it just blows up out of nowhere and we are carried away by the currents of each wave that powers over us.  So what are we to do?  How do we keep from being swept away into an unforgiving sea of worry and doubt?

Stay close to Jesus all the time and trust Him, cling to Him, and rely on Him.

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”

“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

“Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.”

“ Call to me and I will answer you”

“ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?”

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,  keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”

The word of God is full of precious promises for our faith to stand firm on.  Do not let things of this world and things this side of eternity rob you from a Jesus honoring victorious life through the current and waves of trials and troubles.

169. Pro-Choice

Revelations 3:20  Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

John 14:23  Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.

Luke 12:37  Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching:

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil.…

I recently saw a posting that said “Just because I am Pro-Choice does not mean I am Pro-Abortion.  It means I understand your choice is none of my business, and I will always fight for your right to choose”  I wonder if this logic holds true for incest of children or physical/mental abuse of children.  Aren’t these parents just choosing what to do with their child?  If a neighbor, friend, or relative knew of incest or other physical abuse and did not report it or did not try to stop it they would be considered cowards and outcasts for doing nothing.  We have laws that protect children from these abuses so people are prone to step up and report or intercede in other ways for the children.  Does it make sense then that life in the womb should not also be protected with the same moral/ethical cultural code?  Pro-Choice is how progressive societies handle the murder of unborn children and feel good about themselves by saying it is your choice so I am stepping out of this one.  I wonder if a person who is choosing to impact change on the laws concerning abortion would have the same support from the Pro-choice group.  Would the Pro-choice group say it is none of their business?  Or would they say it is none of my business?  You see how this plays out, don’t you?  Is Pro-choice only for those choosing abortion and not for those who are choosing to protect the life of the unborn?

If you were given an opportunity to choose and had means to affect the outcome of a parent about ready to commit sexual abuse on their child would you say “Pro-Choice” – none of my business, or would you affect the outcome by stopping it?  If you came into a culture where it was legal and condoned to sexually abuse children would you stand by and say “Pro-Choice” – none of my business or would to try to impact change to the laws and the moral convictions of the people?  Would you say this is not about “Pro-Choice” it is about sexually abusing children?  What if that culture said it was ok to pick and choose what children should live or die based on convenience, or financial need, or mistake………or whatever, would you still think this is about “Pro-Choice” or would you say this is about murdering innocent children?  How can we as a society come to a place in our thinking that we say one thing inside the womb “Pro-Choice” and another on the outside of the womb?

God is all about pro-choice.  He gives everyone the choice to believe in Jesus Christ or not. He says that if we choose Him He will never leave us or forsake us.  He says if we choose Him He will be our rock, refuge, strength, hope, and everlasting Father.  He gives everyone the choice to receive His grace, mercy, and love or not.  He gives everyone the choice to confess, repent, and become a humble servant.  He gives everyone the choice to honor, follow, trust, and obey Him.  He gives everyone the choice to commit to follow and love Him more than the world and what it has to offer.  He gives everyone the choice to read His word and desire to know and understand Him more.  He gives everyone the choice to choose to do good.  He gives everyone the choice to listen for Him speaking to their heart.  He gives everyone the choice to choose to be kind, forgiving, generous, peaceful, truthful, joyful……..  He gives everyone the choice to choose and lets them know if they choose wrong (rejecting His Son) they will be judged and condemned to torment for eternity.  He gives everyone the choice to choose to open the door to their heart and soul to Him.   

Turning a blind eye and deaf ear to God’s choice(s) will ultimately allow society to form thoughts that see no wrong in killing the unborn.  Tolerance to this injustice in the name of “Pro-Choice” is absurd!

32. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come;

Numbers 23:19   God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Habakkuk 2:3     For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

Malachi 3:6     For I the LORD do not change

Luke 21:33     Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Titus 1:2    in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

Hebrews 6:18    so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

James 1:17     Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God does not lie, He does not change, and what He promises will take place.  Think about what He has promised: Savior Jesus Christ, Steadfast love, Purpose, Justice, Power, Refuge, Courage, Hope, Love, Peace, Joy, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Forgiveness, Salvation, Rebirth – Born Again, Eternal Life, Resurrection, Heaven

He has also promised: Judgement, anger, wrath, Hell, torment, agony, separation, foolishness, disaster, chaos, turmoil, unrest, justice, eternal damnation

What separates these two paths of all of mankind?  Choice!!!  Choice in what we believe.  Choice in who we believe.  Nothing is more clear than what is stated:

John 3:16-21  “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. 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.”

Romans 1:18-21  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. 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. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Revelation 20:11-15  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.

31. We wait for it with patience.

Numbers 21:4  From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Psalms 106:43-45   Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.  Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry.  For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

1 Corinthians 10:9     We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,

John 3:14-15     And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

John 12:32     And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Isaiah 45:22    “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

John 6:40     For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

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.

“And we loathe this worthless food”,  How many times have we read about the grumbling, impatient, rebellious ways of God’s chosen?  God did miracles, wonders, and signs before their very eyes.  His presence was before them in fire by night and smoke by day.  He provided for them.  He protected them.  He supplied their needs.  He told them of His plan and purpose for them.  He gave them promises.  He gave them commands to live by.  He chose them.  He loved them.  They wanted a remedy to their problem, in their time, in their way, and did not want to believe in or wait for God’s perfect plan.  They closed their heart and mind to believe.  They opened their heart and mind to impatience, rebellion, unthankfulness, and grumbling.

Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Isaiah 30:18 – “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Romans 12:12 – “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Romans 8:25 – “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Jesus is not honored by impatience, unbelief, neglect, complacency, unthankfulness, pride, greed, lust, hate, or unforgiveness.  He is honored by obedience, hope,  patience, love, reliance, trust, and faith that does not shift with circumstance but remains firm and steadfast.  Nothing tests the steadfastness of our faith and belief more than trials.  In these troubles, our faith and hope are demonstrated as either being refined and becoming more and more dependent upon God or to impatience, grumbling, unthankfulness, and rebellion.

Wait upon Him, trust Him, rely on Him, and cling to Him.

Isaiah 40:31 -“but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

6. What must we do

Mark 10:17  And as Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

John 6:28    Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Acts 2:37     Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Acts 16:30    Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Romans 10:2-4    For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

John 6:27     Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.

We see this young rich man who went away sorrowful and disheartened.  Why, because he could not give his all to follow Jesus.  We see others who asked what must we do to be saved.  We see the disciples asking what must we be doing to do the works of God.

The works we must do is to “Believe” and to believe is translated “Cling to, Rely on, and Trust in.”  Sometimes I think believe means something less to people.   It does not carry the weight of clinging total reliance and trust.

It is one thing to come to the knowledge of saving grace and another to live so that God is honored through continual reliance, obedience, and trust.  When we give belief a lesser application we will find we are thinking we are better off than we are.  We end up at a place where we think we are good enough and doing enough – we’re ok enough.  In reality, we become dull to the Holy Spirit, blind and deaf, as though we were asleep.  When we are to be spirit-filled we are spiritless.  When we are to be reaching out to a lost world we are hiding.  When we are to be listening and obeying we are deaf and doing what seems right to us.  When we ought to be seeking God we are neglecting.  When we are to be drinking the living water and bread of life from His word we are starving and dying from thirst. And don’t even know it!

We are called to active humble service to God, at His leading and at His timing.  The word “Called” is better translated as summoned.  When we see the word just as called it gives way to say yes or no.  When we see the word as summoned by God there is no room for denying action on our part.

It is a choice to commit heart, mind, and soul to God every single day.  It is a choice to be led by Him.  It is a choice to listen and obey Him.

Thinking you are ok enough leads to being asleep and deaf to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

What must you do?

Fallow Ground

Hosea 10:12  Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors,

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.

Psalms 33:16    The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

Psalms 52:7     “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Psalms 62:10     if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Ecclesiastes 9:11    Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

Charles Finney had some very good thoughts fallow ground

The expression, “Break up your fallow ground” – break off all your evil habits; clear your hearts of weeds, in order that they may be prepared for the seed of righteousness. Land was allowed to lie fallow that it might become more fruitful; but when in this condition, it soon became overgrown with thorns and weeds. The cultivator of the soil was careful, to clear the field of weeds, before sowing seed in it. So says the prophet, “Break off your evil ways, repent of your sins, cease to do evil, and then the good seed of the word will have room to grow and bear fruit.”

Hosea addresses them as a nation of backsliders, but uses words that farmers and shepherds are familiar with. He rebukes them for their idolatry and sharply warns them of the impending judgments of God.

Fallow ground is ground which has once been tilled, but has gotten hard and now lies waste. It needs to be broken up and made soft again, before it is ready to receive seed. If you mean to break up the fallow ground of your heart, you must begin by looking at your heart – examine carefully the state of your mind and see where you are. Many people never even seem to think about doing this. They pay no attention to their own hearts, and never know whether they are doing well in their walk with the Lord or not – whether they are bearing fruit or are totally barren. Now you must draw off your attention from all other things and look into Self-examination now!

Self-examination consists of looking at your life, considering your motives and actions

Sins of omission (things you didn’t do that you should have).

Unthankfulness.  where you have received great blessings and favors from God for which you have never given thanks.  Lack of Love for God. Think how grieved and alarmed you’d be, if you suddenly realized a great lack of affection for you in your wife, husband, or children – if you saw that someone else had captured their hearts, thoughts, and time.  Neglect of the Bible. God’s Word was not a pleasure to you. Unbelief.  Not believing God’s promises – in essence calling Him a liar Lack of Prayer. Neglect of Fellowship. When you have allowed yourself to make small and foolish excuses.  Lack of Watchfulness Over Your Witness. Neglect of Family Duties.  Neglect to Watch Over Your Brethren.  Neglect to Watch Over Your Brethren.

Sins of commission (Things you choose to do without regard to God’s word)

Love of Love of Things and Possessions.   Vanity.  Envy.  Bitterness.  Gossip.  Lying.  Cheating.  Robbing God. (time, money, heart, mind, soul)  Hypocrisy.  Anger.

Without searching our heart, mind, and soul with earnest desire to honor and glorify God, there will be weeds and thorns.  Our fallow heart must be made soft again to be planted afresh and reap fruit that honors and glorifies God.

Warning of fallow ground

“if riches increase, set not your heart on them.”

Hosea 10:11Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,

Proverbs 1:31  therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

Psalms 52:7  “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

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.

Isaiah 31:1  Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

Isaiah 55:6  “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Luke 13:24  “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Jeremiah 29:12-14  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD,

When it comes to full commitment to God, fallow (unsown; unused, dormant, resting, empty, bare, stagnant; barren, unproductive) ground has no place in our heart and mind.  Yet, it seems the place where most comfort is found and why so many lack God’s power, strength, peace and rest for their lives.  Life is easy when we can do what seems best in our own eyes. 

When we void ourselves of God’s word and it’s affect on and in our life, how is faith to grow, how can true kindness be displayed, how is generosity glorifying to God, how is God’s love understood, how is sin made known, how is the need for forgiveness and salvation understood, how is the need for repentance seen, how is God praised, how are eyes able to see His might and awesome work, how are spiritual gifts used, how are others to hear, how is Christ proclaimed, how is the love of God proclaimed, how is worship meaningful, how are we to hear His whispers of guidance????????

Keep the word of God in your daily routine.  Keep prayer and communication with God active.  Keep your ears open to His leading, correction, and promises.  Keep you eyes on His active working in the world around you.  Keep nurturing and growing your faith.  Keep the light of Christ’s love ever shinning.

There is no time to wait for another day to start being intentionally committed to His word every day.  Humbly serve, honor, glorify, praise, worship, follow and obey Him.

God is greater than what you fear

Genesis 28:15   Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6     Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Jeremiah 1:19     They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.”

1 Kings 8:57     The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us,

John 10:28-29     I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Hebrews 13:5-6    Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Psalms 121:5-8     The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.  The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Romans 8:31-32    What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

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.

There is much happening in our lives, neighborhoods, schools, work place, states, country, and the world that can and at times does give us reason to fear what is happening.  I think this is natural.  The nature of man, without God in their life, ought to be fearful and afraid.  Lying, fighting, partial truths, global warming, natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, volcanos, hurricanes, wildfires), sickness, cancer, law suits, pornography, godlessness, financial troubles, jobs, hacking, stealing, death, divorce, bias news, child abuse, wife abuse, foster care, pride, greed, sex trafficking, pedofiles, murder, shootings, etc… are all things that can and do happen frequently.  Who in their right mind would not have fear knocking at their minds door?

Fear is a natural response to a belief concerning something dangerous or unwelcome may happen.

Are any of these greater than God?  Can any of them thwart God’s plan’s and purposes?  Can any of them take God by surprise?  NO!!! they are not and can not.  God is sovereign and King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God above all things.  He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  He knows all, sees all, above all, and in control of all the things that have potential to bring fear into our lives.

He promises to be with us, help us, uphold us,, keep us, never leave us, shelter us, encourage us, go before us, and deliver us.  He has given many examples of these through scripture; creation, flood, ark, Red Sea, manna, fiery furnace, lion’s mouth, serpent’s, blind, deaf, dead, chains, walls, rivers, mountains, and many more.  What do we have to fear?

Fear of the unknown has a way of robbing us joy.  It takes live from our soul.  It confuses our heart and mind.

As much as we want to think that we are strong and fear will not have a place in our heart and mind, it seems to find a place when we least expect it.  This is when faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God must engage.   It is natural to have sudden fear but, once recognized, it needs to be put into it proper place – subjected to faith, trust, reliance, and hope in God.  Recognizing it for what it is “natural fear” and laying it at God’s feet, and trusting in His ever present power, might, strength, and love is where we see fear defeated and God glorified.

The one example I always look at is when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would not bow to the great idol even with threat of being cast into fire.  They said they would not bow and that their God was able to keep them from harm and even if He didn’t they would not bow.

God’s will, God’s plan, God’s purpose, God’s timing, God’s protection, God’s love are never wrong.

Rely on, cling to, and trust in Him whatever may come your way.

Sin is crouching at the door

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin”

Genesis 4:7  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13    Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.  But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Isaiah 3:10-11     Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds  Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

Romans 2:7-10     to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.  There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,  but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

Romans 12:1     I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Desire, want, pride, coveting, self-seeking all have root in our very nature.  We are born with this and it is never far from coming to the surface.  Even when we seek to do good there can be wrong motives.

How do we become aware and expose these.  It is hard when the culture we live in lives by different rules and expectations.  Pornography is labeled adult entertainment, abortion is legalized and a right, and christian values are mocked.  Though these are easily recognized as wrong by many with a background of bible teaching, they are not even close to being seen wrong by the culture that has no background of the bible.

Scripture speaks of both sin and righteousness.  The difference though should be clear as night and day, are not when God is not placed number one in our heart mind and soul.  When humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God is not a desire everyday we are easily influenced by what seems right in our own eyes.

We can not rightly fight sin in our lives without a basis of knowledge and understanding of what it is.  Our thoughts, intents, and actions are all places where sin takes root.  How can we grow in this understanding of sin? Only by an understanding of God’s Holiness, grace, mercy, patience, justice, anger, wrath, and steadfast love.

As we read God’s word it exposes more and more of His holiness to us.  It peels away layer upon layer of false truths, fake lives, and self centered lukewarm living.

Do not neglect His word.  Do not become complacent in living each moment for His service and direction.  Godly and holy knowledge and understanding do not just happen without effort.  Effort does not exist when there is no desire.  Where there is no desire the heart, soul and mind starve of the very essence of life.  Choose to live this and everyday with His word in your heart, mind, and soul, to grow in your understanding and knowledge of serving and obeying Him.

How sad is the state of the culture when God’s word is at each person’s finger tips 24/7 and it is neglected days on end.

Doer of Good

“But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him”

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalms 106:1  Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?  Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

 Romans 11:33    Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

 Job 26:14     Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

 Job 5:9     who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:

 John 14:23     Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

 Romans 2:7    to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 

 Galatians 6:9    And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

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

 James 1:25    But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

God is powerful and mighty.  His steadfast love endures forever. He does so much more than we can comprehend.  What we see of Him is but a vapor of His unsearchable wisdom, knowledge, and majesty.  His promises are to those who love and honor Him.  We are encouraged in scripture to have patience in doing good, not growing weary of doing good, and to not just be hears of His word but doers with action.  Give thought today on hearing the whispers of guidance from God and being a patient doer of good for His glory and honor.