Tag: fathers

My flesh trembles

“You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, For their deceit is falsehood.”

Psalms 119:120  My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

1 Samuel 6:20     Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?

Hebrews 12:28-29    Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,  for our God is a consuming fire.

Philippians 2:12    Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Isaiah 66:2    All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

2 Chronicles 34:27     because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants,

2 Chronicles 34:21    “Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

The Psalmist considered the righteous judgments of God, he looked to his own life and understood that it was more in the hands of God than the works of man. He used God’s word as a measuring line for viewing thoughts and actions of his own life.  He realized condemning judgements come upon those who reject and stray from His word and the principles revealed in them.  He understood that without a heart, mind, and soul deep desire to seek and know God, longing to please Him, yielding to His leading and directing, humbly serving, and obeying Him – man is prone to desires that are not God honoring.  He knew God’s judgements against man for their neglect and complacent view of His word and application in their life.  He knew that just below the surface of every heart is a desire to serve self first rather than God.

How are we to know God apart from His word?  How much more patience will God have on us for being complacent and neglectful?  How are we to know what pleases God, apart from His word?  How are we to know what displeases God, apart from His word?  Neglecting the His word, that is ever available before us, gives no excuse for not knowing.

The world has a way of distorting our perception of what it means to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God.  Through His word we find what is pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God.  We have a choice each day to seek and serve and obey His leading.  I just don’t see how we do this without the continual feeding of our heart, mind and soul with His word. We ought to tremble at the thought of how complacent our lives have become, how much time we neglect thought of Him, how many times we are even listening for that quiet small whisper of leading from Him.

“It is only as we tremble before the exalted and holy God that we will ever see the world and its distorted values to be the empty things they are. If we do not tremble before God, the world’s system will seem wonderful to us and consume us pleasantly.” (Boice)

Incline my heart

Psalms 119:112  I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

Psalms 119:36     Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!

Psalms 141:4   heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!

Joshua 24:23    He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

1 Kings 8:58    that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers.

Philippians 2:13    for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, to the very end: The theme is once again emphasized. The Psalmist would never forsake God’s word; never stop reading, learning, meditating, and especially obeying it.

“Observe where he begins his work – not with the eye – the ear – the tongue – but with the heart.” (Bridges)

“The believer feels that every step is dangerous; this is why he cried out fro the lamp to his feet and the light to his path. With every step dangerous, how can he ever hope to endure forever, to the very end? Because the same God who lights and sustains him for one step can do it for every step, to the very end.”

Choosing to incline your heart is the beginning, committing to it for every step, of every day, of every moment requires fuel for that commitment.  The Psalmist new something about the natural heart – it is not inclined to God.  It is inclined to self, self interests, and self reliance.  Choosing to humbly honor, glorify, sever, follow and obey to the very end will require fuel for the heart, mind and soul.  God’s word to the very end.  Let it overflow your thoughts and actions.

This hymn calms my heart and puts a softness to this journey with Christ:

I come to the garden alone. While the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear, falling on my ear. The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me. And He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of His voice. Is so sweet the birds hush their singing. And the melody that He gave to me. Within my heart is ringing

And He walks with me. And He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known

I’d stay in the garden with Him. ‘Tho the night around me be falling. But He bids me go; through the voice of woe. His voice to me is calling

And He walks with me. And He talks with me. And He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there. None other has ever known

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.

Give Thanks for He is good

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

“I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

Psalms 107:1  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

 1 Chronicles 16:34    Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

 Psalms 119:68   You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

Psalms 136:1-9    Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who alone does great works, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who by wisdom made the heavens, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who spread out the earth upon the waters, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  Give thanks to Him Who made the great lights, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  He made the sun to rule during the day, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.  He made the moon and stars to rule during the night, for His loving-kindness lasts forever.

 Psalms 103:17    But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,

 Deuteronomy 7:8    but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

 Jeremiah 15:21    I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

 Isaiah 43:5-6   Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you.

God does not change and His love is steadfast even though we walk paths apart and away from Him.  This call to give thanks includes creation, mighty awesome deeds of protection, and redemption.  We deserve none of it.  We all like sheep have gone astray seeking satisfaction and purpose apart from God.  Giving thanks should call to remembrance all that we know about God and what He has done, is doing, and will do.  Give thanks at all times and in all situations for He is worthy.

When God speaks through trials

“Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.”

Psalms 106:7  Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 

 Psalms 106:12  Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

 Psalms 106:20  They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,  wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 

  Psalms 106:24  Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD. 

 Psalms 106:28  Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them

Psalms 106:32  They angered him at the waters of Meribah,

 Psalms 106:34  They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.  They served their idols, which became a snare to them.   They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;

 Psalms 106:39  Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

 Psalms 106:43  Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.

I don’t have to look back very far to see that I, too, have done many of these same things.  I have not waited, had little faith, forgot His past works in my life, and did not remember He is the all powerful, every loving, and always in control, God.  In the heat of issues, problems, troubles, and when despair and doubt overwhelms, I seem to forget God loves me, He is in control, and I don’t have to be anxious or worried about what lies ahead.   It seems so easy to fall into this trap.  Is it a test?  Is it to teach and grow my faith?  Is it to show me my sinfulness?  I think the answer to all is yes. Daily, I spend time in His word to proclaim the very things I am neglect in believing.  I am not sure if this is common to all but God seems to be laying this heavily upon me.  Fatih is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Forgive me Father for my lack of trust, reliance, and faith  and for not placing them fully in your every capable and loving arms.

Stubborn and rebellious

“Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.”

“Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.”

Psalms 106:6  Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.  Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

 Psalms 78:8    and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

 Leviticus 26:40    “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,

 Numbers 32:14    And behold, you have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel! 

  1 Kings 8:47     yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’

 Ezra 9:6-7     saying: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.

 Nehemiah 9:16     “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

 Daniel 9:5-8     we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.  We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame,  

Acts 7:51-52     “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Stiff-necked, open to shame, not obeying, turned heart, walking contrary, resisting, not listening, unfaithful spirit, rebellious, and stubborn, all speak of the conditions of man in relationship to God when neglect and complacency creep into everyday life.  Some how cares of this world, pride, and lust close our heart, mind, and soul to God.  Everyday is a choice to open up to the leading of the Holy Spirit and hear the quiet whispers of God that leads us to humbly serve, honor, glorify, listen to, follow, and obey Him.  His word is gives light in darkness, guides our path, and is full of wisdom, power, truth, encouragement, strength, and hope.  Feeding on His word gives food to our heart and soul.  It keeps us ever learning of His awesome power, might and steadfast love to those who choose to humbly serve and follow Him, and His fierce anger and wrath to those who choose to live each day for their own purpose, their own gain, their own wants, their own pleasure, and their own honor without regard of God.  How do we know of sin, or if we are pleasing God, or if we are leading our children (the next generation) away from God, or if we are doing things contrary to His will, if we are committed fully each day to serving Him and His purposes, not spending daily time in His word, and not listening for and to His whispers of guidance.  How are we to know of our sin and get to a place in our heart and soul where we are ashamed and confess, if His word is not feeding them?  Through His word we find purpose for living each day.  Apart from His word we see only that which leads us astray and on a very slippery slope away from Him.  How can we understand God’s grace, mercy, and love if we have no understanding of sin? How do we know the need for forgiveness if we have no understanding of sin? How can we have an understanding of sin and what is pleasing and unpleasing to God apart from His word? How do we have a hope for eternal life apart from His word.  How do we know our sins are forgiven apart from His word?  Forgiveness is given to those who have had their heart and mind opened by God’s word and see their sinfulness and need of forgiveness and then believe in and trust in and cling to and rely on Jesus Christ.  Their hope of eternal life with Christ is build on nothing else.

Establish the work of our hands

“so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

Psalms 102:28  The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Psalms 22:30-31     Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;  they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Psalms 45:16-17     In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth.  I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

Psalms 69:35-36      For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Isaiah 53:10    Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 59:20-21     “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD  “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

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.

Psalms 90:16-17     Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

“Establish the work of our hands” I think much of the time we think about this and only apply it to our jobs.  We ask God to bless us in what we do.  We try to find meaning and purpose in what we do.  There will be no blessing from God if we are pursing our own path in life.  We should not take a job anywhere if we are not confident this is where God wants us.  We will find no purpose in life if we go our own way, seeking what ever it is to please us.  Purpose in life and blessings in life come from being in God’s will and seeking to honor and glorify Him.  Seeking to hear His quiet small voice leading you in family and work will light your path and allow you to see blessing and give you purpose.  How can we expect to give our offspring and generations to come anything to hang on to if we are not clinging to, relying on, and trusting in, and proclaiming the mighty glorious power, love, grace,  and mercy of God.  We don’t have to look very deep into our society / culture to see that our lack of commitment and complacency toward humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God has terrible results upon our children and the next generation.  Our life can be one filled with purpose and blessing if we would seek Him alone with our heart, mind and soul.

Good news, happiness, salvation

“ My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.”

Psalms 96:2  Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

Psalms 72:17-18    May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!  Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.

Psalms 103:1-2    Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

Ephesians 1:3    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Revelation 5:13     And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Psalms 103:20-22     Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!  Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!  Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Psalms 145:1    I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

1 Chronicles 29:20     Then David said to all the assembly, “Bless the LORD your God.” And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and paid homage to the LORD and to the king.

Isaiah 52:7-8    How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”  The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion.

Romans 10:14-18    How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.  But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Great verses today extolling us to worship and give honor to God through Jesus Christ.  When we think about creation and the magnitude of everything on earth and in space our mind can not comprehend the awesomeness of God, who spoke all of this into being.  Think about this, at His word earth and everything on and in it was formed.  At His word space and galaxies were formed.  Laws of physics we are still trying to figure out He spoke into existence.  Angels in heaven worship Him.

When it comes to blessing and worshipping God, we can do this in heart mind and soul.  He is ever in our thoughts and actions.  We purpose to live according to our increasing knowledge and understanding of Him through His word.  Humbly we serve, honor, follow and obey.  As well let us not lose sight of “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” and “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation”  Speaking of His might, power, strength, love, salvation, holiness, steadfastness with awe and reverence is something I think pours out of a repentant, thankful, and humble follower.

Ask for the ancient paths

“For we who have believed enter that rest”

Psalms 95:11  Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”

Numbers 14:23     shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.   Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:  your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me,  not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Deuteronomy 1:34-35    “And the LORD heard your words and was angered, and he swore,  ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers,

Hebrews 3:18     And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

Jeremiah 6:16     Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Hosea 4:4-11     And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.  They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply, because they have forsaken the LORD to cherish  whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.

Matthew 11:28-29     Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Revelation 14:13     And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

The contrast of those who willingly disobey and those who choose to follow Jesus Christ is clear.  The line in the sand, as it were, is the choice – either ‘We will not walk in it.’ or “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls”  and  again in “Come to me,” / “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me“.   God promises rest for those who come to Him, ask, and seek to learn from Him.  Likewise He promises the opposite for those who choose not to.  This is either all in or all out.  There is no in between.  Be mindful of the choice being made – it has an eternal consequence.

Not ashamed

“Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

Psalms 95:7  For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,  when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

Psalms 48:14     that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

Psalms 67:6     The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.

Psalms 115:3     Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Exodus 15:2    The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him

Jeremiah 31:33     For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Romans 1:19  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.

Hebrews 3:7  Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,  where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.  Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’  As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’”  Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.  But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

“Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” – When I think about God not being ashamed, it makes me think a bit about my daily actions and thoughts.  some days it seems as though I am only giving a few nods Gods way.  This is not what life of honor, service, obedience, and full commitment should be like.  Trusting in, relying on, clinging to is not only for times of immediate need.  It is a way of life.