Tag: evil way

12.v. ” I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents”

Zephaniah 3:6  “I have destroyed nations; their strongholds are demolished. I have left their streets deserted, with no one passing through. Their cities are laid waste; they are deserted and empty. Of Jerusalem I thought, ‘Surely you will fear me and accept correction!’ Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed, nor all my punishments come upon her. But they were still eager to act corruptly in all they did. Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.

Isaiah 5:4     What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?

Jeremiah 8:6    I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents of his evil, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turns to his own course,

Jeremiah 36:3    It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Luke 19:42-44    saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side  and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

2 Peter 3:9    The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God brought His justice to the nations around Judah, and it should have warned Judah what would happen if they rejected God. Instead of learning from the surrounding nations, they dedicated themselves to ungodliness all the more.  Being blind to things of God comes as a consequence of an intentional choice to neglect Him and His Word.  Hearts are somehow easily turned away from God.  Some blatantly, some casually, but they both defy and deny God.  One says surely there is no God and because of this I can do what I want without consequences.  The other says I am a good enough person and does not give any more thought to the consequences.  God shows His hand over nations, toppling them down and people are blind to the fact that it was at His hand they fell.  Rulers, Dictators, and Presidents have been removed from their lofty positions of wealth and power and yet people are still blind to the hand of God directing the course of nations and the paths of man.  When eyes are blinded to things of God, both the promises of blessings and judgments are lost from their vision.  When God is denied and defied eyes and ears are blind and deaf to Him, and yet there is still hope.  Perhaps their heart will soften and their eyes will open and their ears will hear of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  It happened for each of us who were once lost but now are found.  It is not as though we can claim any part of this as our effort other than to say somehow the Word of God pierced my heart and I fell on my knees and surrendered to Jesus Christ.  The scales were taken off the eyes to my heart and mind and I saw a glimpse of the Holiness of Jesus Christ and my sinfulness.  There was no personal effort in this as it was all of Jesus Christ and our believing, yielding, surrendering, repenting, turning away, and trusting.   Somehow there is given to man the free will choice to choose to surrender/yield to God or to defy and deny Him and His grace, mercy, and love.  We get to intentionally choose whom we serve, honor, glorify, follow, obey, and trust.  Sad to say but millions upon millions choose to serve self, honor self, glorify self, obey self, and trust in self.  This is an intentional choice.  Every single moment of every day we are given this choice to make – honor Jesus Christ or self,  glorify Jesus Christ or self, follow Jesus Christ or self, obey Jesus Christ or self, trust Jesus Christ or self, or rely on Jesus Christ or self.  We do well to ask God to show us each day to whom we have surrendered our lives, actions, and thoughts to, Jesus Christ or themself.

10.u.”The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart”

Micah 2:7  Has the Lord grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?

Psalms 19:7-11    The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;  the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;  the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Proverbs 2:7     he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

Proverbs 10:29     The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.

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

Jeremiah 15:16     Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

Psalms 119:99-103   I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.  I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.  I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me.  How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

God’s word is a light unto our path, a beacon to our soul, a delight to our heart, wisdom to our mind, shield against our fears, a stronghold of courage, a fortress of rest, joy, and peace, and a sure foundation throughout eternity.  Through His Word, we find hope, and our faith is continually strengthened.  His Word exposes the intent of our hearts and leads us onto paths that honor and glorify Him.  His Word will revive a tired and broken soul.  His Word will convict our hearts.  His promises become our stronghold against the devil.  Spend time in His Word, hungering, and thirsting for His truths to be revealed to your heart, mind, and soul.  In them, the things of this world grow strangely dim and eternity grows brighter than the sun.

148. Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences

1 Kings 13:33  After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places. And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth.

At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.”

Jeroboam’s wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. And the Lord said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you say to her.”

When she came, she pretended to be another woman. But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you. Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken it.”’ Arise therefore, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover, the Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam today. And henceforth, the Lord will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.

Isaiah 44:20   a deluded heart has led him astray

Psalms 50:17     For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.

Nehemiah 9:26    “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.

Ezekiel 23:35   Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences

Not listening to a warning does not end well.  Rejecting the word of God and its application in your life does not end well.  Closing your heart and mind to things of God does not end well.  Leaning on your own understanding, knowledge, wisdom does not end well.  Living with God at arm’s length away does not end well.  Not spending time in God’s word each day does not end well.  Thinking God is only there for you to call on Him when in trouble and not needing Him other times does not end well.  Not being intentional each day with the choice to humbly serve, honor, follow, trust, and obey God does not end well.  Thinking there is another time in the future where you will commit more, serve and trust more fully does not end well.  Thinking you are good enough does not end well.  Thinking you can find satisfaction apart from God does not end well.  Being lukewarm in your walk with God does not end well.  Being neglectful and complacent does not end well.  All of these lead us down false paths of hope and peace but they are able to give nothing.  They all encourage you to cast God’s word behind your back.

Stay in His word. Choose to keep it in front of you.  Do not cast it behind your back.  Choose to seek him in the morning, mid-day, and evening.  Keep His word close to your heart and live to honor and glorify Him.

Walking Blameless

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,”

“there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.”

“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

“ They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common,”

Malachi 2:7   True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.   But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts,  and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Hosea 4:6    My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Jeremiah 23:22    But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds.

Acts 26:18    to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

James 5:19  My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,  let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Psalms 37:30    The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

2 Timothy 2:15  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.  But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

Titus 1:7-9   He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

What does it mean to walk blameless before God?  How do you know if you are? How do you know if you are a worker who has no need to be ashamed?  How do you know if you speak wisdom?  What is a persons life like if they have wondered from the truth?  What does it mean to stand in the council of God?  What is proper instruction?   These questions come to mind when reading these scriptures today.  The answers to these are as many as the stars in the sky.  However the foundation for answering them is found first in believing in God, having reverence for Him, knowing you are a sinner and in need of redemption, looking to and trusting in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, repenting and truing away from sin, and choosing to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God.  Staying in His word will continue to refine the answers asked above.