Tag: Faints for You

Loving kindness of God

“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith”

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 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,”

Psalms 24:5  He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Isaiah 51:5  My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

Romans 3:22   the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

2 Corinthians 5:21   For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Galatians 5:5   For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

Philippians 3:9   and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

Psalms 128:1-5  Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!  You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.  Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.  Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.

Titus 3:4-6    But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,  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,

When you think of “Blessings from God” what comes to mind? Is it peace of mind, material, shelter, comfort, rest, strength, love, health, protection, family, fellow believers, His word, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, wisdom……  The list can go on and on.  Who are we that we should be blessed by God, the creator? Do we deserve it? Can we earn it? Righteousness and subsequent blessings are from God to those who, by faith in Jesus Christ, desire to humbly serve, honor, glorify, and obey Him.  I doubt we fully understand what is means to “love God with all our mind, heart, and soul”.  However continually seeking His will and purpose in our life will grow us in this understanding.  Walking with God is so much more than faith in Him.  It is a heart deep desire to serve and obey Him.  We grow our understanding of Him as we spend time in His word, listening to what is says to our heart, and obeying God’s leading. Our blessing begin with our understanding of Him, His purpose for our lives, and a desire to serve and obey Him.

Go Near and Hear

Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it

Joshua 3:7
And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

Deuteronomy 5:25
For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it

Psalms 42:2
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God

Psalms 63:1
O God, you are my God; earnesty I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you

John 7:38
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

I want to tell you scripture that means something very deep to me.  “heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire”.  8:00 a.m. Saturday, March 11, 1978 I was working as an apprentice plumber.  Another man, Lee, and I were scheduled to work in a house under construction. We arrived at the house a little before 8:00 and got set for what should take us about 4 hours of overtime to complete.  We were in the basement.  When Lee went to light his torch the house exploded in a ball of flames.  I remember getting up off the floor totally engulfed in flames. I was frantically trying to beat out these flames.  I was wearing a polyester winter coat.  The flames were melting this coat on to my skin when there was an audible voice that said “Daryl pull off your coat”.  And though I was burned the voice of God saved be from much more serious burns.  I must say at this time of my life I gave little or no thought of or about God.  God used this to get my attention.  He then placed people in my life who followed Him.  For over a year these people built relationships with me and continued to explain the gospel over and over again.  These people followed God’s calling in their life to make disciples.  On March 22, 1979 I came to the knowledge of God’s plan of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I knew without a doubt I was a sinner in need of forgiveness.  You may ask “forgiveness of what” – living for God and for His purpose – to honor and glorify Him.  It is impossible to do this on our own accord.  There is nothing we can do to make ourselves right in His eyes but to believe in the saving grace through the work Jesus did on the cross.  From this beginning our life will take a complete change.  Our hunger to do everything for ourselves and our benefit changes to a hunger and thirst to know God more and to seek to bring Him honor and glory.  Thirst for Him.