Faithfulness – Page 6

I have chosen the way of faithfulness

Psalms 119:30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.

Joshua 24:15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Proverbs 1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

Luke 10:42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

John 3:19-21 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 8:45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

If we are to be kept from sin, it must be by the grace of God exercised through the teaching of his Word.” (Boice)

“Men do not drop into the right way by chance; they must choose it, and continue to choose it, or they will soon wander from it.” (Spurgeon)

The fact that we have free will in “Choosing” our thoughts, actions, and what we say, means we have more than one path in life to pick from. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter.” The wide gate and broad road are all decisions we make. These choices are decided upon what is influencing our heart, mind, and soul.

Our sinful nature has many “non-God serving, honoring, following, and obeying thoughts and actions to pick from – “Wide Gate” “Broad Road“. Paul says to take every thought captive. Our sinful nature has a way of throwing some very non God like thoughts into our head. Being able to discern that it is not God honoring and taking it captive means we have something to compare the thought against. “God’s word”.

We are not going to stop all of these thoughts from popping up, but what we do with them we can. Why does God tell us to “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,“? So we can recognize these non-God honoring, serving, following, and obeying thoughts captive in and through His word.

Pride, hate, selfishness, lust, greed, self-reliance, anxiousness, worry, all have ways of manifesting themselves in reactionary thought. Having God’s word in our heart, mind and soul – meditating on it in the morning and evening, teaching it through out the day to our children, giving thought to it with the purpose of honoring God at all times will reduce the non-God honoring thoughts and keep our heart, mind and soul from choosing to walk through the wide gate and broad road.

I acknowledged my sin to you

Psalms 119:25 My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!

Psalms 71:17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

Psalms 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Psalms 38:18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

Psalms 51:1-19 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

“Can each one of us now say, in this sense, ‘I have declared my ways’ to the Lord? For this should be done, not only at our first coming to him, but continually throughout the whole of our life. We should look over each day, and sum up the errors of the day, and say, ‘I have declared my ways,’ — my naughty ways, my wicked ways, my wandering ways, my backsliding ways, my cold, indifferent ways, my proud ways.’” (Spurgeon)

Sin seems to find new and creative ways into our heart and mind. None of us are immune to it. None can stand before God and declare I have no sin. Turning a blind eye to God’s word, leading, whispers of teaching, warning, insightful revealing of His word should give no sense of calm to our soul. Neglect and complacent approach to His word allows a thick cloud to form over wisdom, understanding and knowledge of God, His holiness, and our purpose – “To humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.”

God’s word speaks to the heart and soul of those who will listen. It has the power to open our eyes to holiness and sin, forgiveness and renewal, weakness and power, sadness and joy, helplessness and courage, anxiousness and peace, wisdom and understanding, humbleness and pride, all for the purpose of knowing, serving, honoring, following and obeying God.

Reviving the soul

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;”

“He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,”

Psalms 111:7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;

Psalms 85:10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Psalms 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

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.

Deuteronomy 32:4 “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

Revelation 15:3-4 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Psalms 119:160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

When you think about the attributes of God expressed in these verses, isn’t your heart, mind, and soul lifted up? This is the God who reach out to you, revealed Himself to you, loved you so much that He sent Jesus to redeem you, and opened your heart and mind to His love, power, might, strength, joy, peace, grace, mercy, hope, and eternal life. Trust in Him is never a waste, hope in Him is never meaningless, faith in Him is never pointless, waiting for Him is never a sign of weakness, humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying is never in vain.

Who is a God like you

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,”

Psalms 108:1 My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

Micah 7:18-20 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 51:2-11 For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song. “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples. 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. “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings.

11 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Who is like God? When we think of His love, grace, and mercy do we put it in context of “Our Sin”? When we think of His anger, judgement, wrath do we think of it in the context of “Others Sins”? One of these views results in joy, peace, safety, hope, strength, courage, rest, and praise to God. The other view results in a life critical of others, complacent neglect because the inner self is not examined. Praise to God does not come from looking at others sins in light of our perceived righteous actions, no it comes from knowing God, His holiness, and a deep understanding of our sinful nature. We find this in and through His word. God’s word is sharper than a two edged sword, able to divide the thought and intents of man. Spend time in His word and let it speak to your heart, soul and mind. In and through it and His promises we find hope and peace.

Integrity of heart

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 101:2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

Psalms 119:106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Genesis 18:19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice

Deuteronomy 6:7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

1 Kings 11:4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

2 Chronicles 15:17 But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days.

Isaiah 38:3 and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

When David came to royal power, he didn’t say: “Now I can live the good life.” he said “I will ponder the way that is blameless. He understood that the sense of God’s presence was connected to obedience. 1 John 1:6-7: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. David understood life had to be real in his conduct within his own house. You must not gauge your worth by what the outside world thinks and says about you. David knew that one measure of a righteous life was what one chose to set before the eyes. There are many wicked things to set our eyes upon, and the lust of the eyes is a lure of this world. Keep your heart, mind and soul tuned to God’s word with a deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey. Learn to know the ways of God and purpose to choose to walk in them.

In His presence

Psalms 100 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 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. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalms 66:1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

Psalms 66:4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.”

Psalms 95:1-2 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Isaiah 24:14-16 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west. Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One.

Zephaniah 3:14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Luke 19:37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,

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 68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord,

God first. God only. God above self. I read these verses and am reminded of the gene that was deleted in my birth. I have joyfulness but if I were to sing, it certainly would not be joyful to anyone hearing it. There were and are those who are gifted with this ability, however it is the heart, mind and sole that burst forth with joyfulness in what God has done, is doing, and will do. Wise is the man that numbers his days and chooses to joyfully humble, honor, serve, follow and obey. Our change is on the inside and is reflected on the outside. Have a joyful day in our Lord and savior.

3 He is coming

Psalms 98:9 for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Psalms 96:10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 96:13 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.

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen

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.

Acts 17:31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Romans 2:5-6 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works:

He is coming.

He has fixed a day.

He will judge.

Every eye will see him.

He comes to judge the earth

God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

He will render to each one according to his works

Some will cry and wail at His coming for they have rejected Him and the light of salvation knowing they have chosen to live in darkness. Others will be glad and sing for joy for they have heard His calling and have chosen to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey. Our Holy Creator lives and is coming again to bring His chosen into eternal fellowship with Him. He also is coming to exert His stored up wrath and anger on those who have rejected Him and His plan for salvation through faith in the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

98 Psalm

Psalms 98:1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 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. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

A excerpts from commentary in “TheVine” on the 98 Psalm – If the grace of God put a new heart into our soul, it will put a new song into our mouths. Let this new song be sung to the praise of God. Let us praise him for the discoveries made known to the world, work of redemption, and his salvation and righteousness fulfilling the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament wonders he has given to us. The Redeemer has overcome all difficulties in the way of our redemption, and was not discouraged by the services or sufferings appointed him.. In the purpose of His design, God raised up his Son Jesus to be a Light to all mankind. The Redeemer has overcome all difficulties in the way of our redemption, and was not discouraged by the sufferings appointed him for our sin. Surely it motivates us to inquire whether He has gotten the victory in our hearts, over the power of Satan, unbelief, and sin? If this be our happy case, we will sing songs of joy and thanksgiving; our lives will celebrate the Redeemer’s honor, glory and praise.

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.

Chosen, Planted, Rooted, Living Water

“Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.”

Psalms 92:12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Isaiah 65:22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,

Isaiah 61:3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Psalms 71:18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Job 17:9 Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

Isaiah 46:4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

Jeremiah 17:8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Psalms 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Philippians 1:11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Chosen by God and planted and rooted by living water bearing fruit into an old age. Being planted and rooted by living water does not secure us. Scripture also says that the axe is laid to the root of the trees that does not bear fruit. God has planted but how do we get watered? Through His word. If there is little to no fruit there is a very good chance there is little to no Living Water. Notice, in the scripture above, all of that which is an outcome of being planted, rooted and supplied living water for growth. Fruit in our lives. We see purpose in our lives. This living water gives us hope, joy, patience, gladness, kindness, peace and gentleness. This living water still nourishes us during times of heat and drought. When Christ met and spoke with the Samaritan woman by the well he said “I will give you living water from which you will never thirst again”. We need to be mindful of the fact that when eyes to heart and mind thirst for things of this world more than this living water we will always be thirsty for more. Drink daily from the Living Water.