Tag: Fear the Lord

46.e. “Wilderness” – 10.k. “So shall they put my name upon the people”

 

Num 6:27  “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

 2 Chronicles 7:14   if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

 Isaiah 43:7    everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

 Jeremiah 14:9    Why should you be like a man confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet you, O LORD, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us.”

 Daniel 9:18-19    O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

 Numbers 23:20    Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

 Psalms 5:12   For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

 Psalms 115:13    he will bless those who fear the LORD, both the small and the great.

 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,

Aaron was commanded to pronounce this blessing over the people of Israel – not over the other nations. Though God blesses all mankind, there is a definite and strong sense in which He has blessing only for His people. We have to join ourselves to Him to gain that blessing. To be blessed by God is to have His name on you – to be identified with who He is and all His nature. This was a great gift, to have God’s name upon us. (Guzik)

 “When God saith, ‘I will,’ all the devils in hell cannot turn aside the blessing, and all the ages of eternity cannot change the King’s word. The Lord has blessed his people, and he would have them know it. He has blessed them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and it is his wish that they should experience the fullness of this blessedness. Are any of the Lord’s people without a sense of this blessing? It is not the will of God that you should continue in this low condition.” (Spurgeon)

I will bless them; really and truly bless them bless them with blessings indeed; with all sorts of blessings temporal and spiritual; with solid and substantial ones; and such are blessed, and will remain so, these blessings are irrevocable and irreversible. Unless the Lord blesses, the blessings are in vain. (Gill)

How is a person to receive blessings from the Lord when their heart and mind are fixed on things of this world? Doesn’t God’s Word say that He will turn His face from those who harden their hearts and minds? How many seek the blessing from God but are only giving Him lip service and their hearts and minds are far from desiring to honor and glorify Jesus Christ? 

Sometimes God’s blessings are tangible; jobs, financial, relational, and material, but I can think of no greater blessing God can give to man than wisdom and understanding of who He is and His holiness, grace, and mercy in the light of our sin and sinfulness.

43.g. “Wilderness” – 7.n. Sinai – “Now when all the people saw”

Exodus 20:18  Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

 Psalms 139:7-8    Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

 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.

 Deuteronomy 13:3   For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

 Deuteronomy 8:2   And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

 Job 28:28     And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

 Proverbs 1:7    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

 Proverbs 3:7   Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

 Joshua 24:14  “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.

 Deuteronomy 5:5    while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD. For you were afraid because of the fire

 Psalms 97:2    Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

 1 Timothy 6:16   who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. 

Deuteronomy 5:23 explains why the mountain smoked; it says the mountain was burning with fire. The awe of all the phenomenon did nothing to draw the people closer to God; it only made them stand afar off. One might think that Israel loved the dramatic experience at Mount Sinai, and especially the honor of hearing God’s voice like a loudspeaker from heaven. Instead, because of the great awe and dread they felt, they wanted God to stop speaking to them directly. This is a typical reaction of those who came into the presence of God, such as Isaiah who felt undone before God (Isaiah 6:1-5) and John who fell as a dead man before the Lord (Revelation 1:17). The people promised to hear and (by implication) obey the word of God that came to them by Moses. In following generations, Israel interpreted the law downward, so it could be more easily obeyed, removing the heart and intent of the law. Jesus exposed this shallow understanding of the law in His Sermon on the Mount.

The people of Israel wanted to separate themselves from the manifest presence of God, but God meant it for good to test them. The test revealed to them what kind of God they served: a God above nature, personal, good, and holy. The test revealed to them their own weakness and need for God’s grace, help, and rescue. The test revealed to them what God’s expectations were, that God is a moral God who expects moral behavior from His people. That His fear may be before you speaks of the attitude of honor and reverence that leads to respect and obedience. Though it is better to obey God out of fear than to disobey Him, God’s ultimate motivation for obedience is love. This is clear from 1 John 4:18-19: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. Moses had a relationship with God the common man in Israel did not have. Through the circumstances of his life and the direct revelation of God, Moses was aware of both God’s holy power and also of God’s glorious grace. (Guzik)

This law, which is so extensive that we cannot measure it, so spiritual that we cannot evade it, and so reasonable that we cannot find fault with it, will be the rule of the future judgment of God, as it is for the present conduct of man. If tried by this rule, we shall find our lives have been passed in transgressions. And with this holy law and an awful judgment before us, who can despise the gospel of Christ? And the knowledge of the law shows our need of repentance. In every believer’s heart sin is dethroned and crucified, the law of God is written, and the image of God renewed. The Holy Spirit enables him to hate sin and flee from it, to love and keep this law in sincerity and truth; nor will he cease to repent. (Henry)

The Israelites drew near to the mountain. They were intrigued by what they saw and heard when the 10 commandments were given. Now in closeness to God and the power and might of presence, they heard and saw and felt the holy awesomeness of God and feared for their lives. 

What would our lives be like if we would have a reverent, trusting, and reliant fear of God? Would it be different than it is now? Would we fear, hate, anger, and be anxious less? Would we rejoice, praise, and worship more? Would we be content? Would greed, pride, and unkindness be not found in our lives? Would we run to the mountain of God or would we retreat to what we believe is a safe distance? Would we desire to be in the continual presence of God? Would we want to hear His voice with a desire to obey it for His honor and glory? Would things of this earth become less distracting and things of God become more encompassing? Would we know joy and peace that passes all understanding? Would we be more generous? Would we discern the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit leading us? Would the Word of God be precious to us? Would our thoughts, words, and actions be in line with honor and glory to Jesus Christ? Would we hunger and thirst for His Word and leading so that this honor and glory would be pure?  Would we??????

196. “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”

2 Kings 23:1  Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him. And the king went up to the house of the Lord, and with him all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the prophets, all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.

Exodus 24:3     Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”

Joshua 24:24     And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

Deuteronomy 10:12    “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 8:19    And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.

After some 70+ years, the word of God is read to all the people.  This would mean an entire generation had never heard it read.  They may have heard some speak about it but never read.  The laws, the covenant, the warnings, the power and might of God, and expectations/promises were read out loud.  King Josiah called all of the people together to hear it and upon hearing it Josiah made a public covenant before the Lord and all the people to walk after the Lord and to keep His commandments, testimonies, and statutes with all his heart and soul.

When our heart opens up to God’s word our mind and soul are moved to action.  When our heart is open, our eyes will no longer be blind to see and our ears will no longer be deaf to hear the Holy Spirit of God speaking, leading, guiding, encouraging, strengthening, empowering, and the love of God towards those who come to Him with their whole heart, mind, and soul.

101. Consider what great things He has done for you.

1 Samuel 12:6  And Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your fathers. When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried out to the Lord and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. But they forgot the Lord their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. And they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.’ And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety. And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.” So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

How does a nation fall away from God?  You have to know that there was the first person who laid the idea, thought, and groundwork for the path leading away from God.  Then others just joined in and soon you have a society modifying God’s word/teachings to fit what they think best.  God’s word does not change.  Expectations, rules, statutes, precepts, commands, promises are all the same.  When the church, individuals, believers, spend less and less time in His word, and more and more time being influenced by culture, society there is a drifting away from God that takes place so secretly that the person does not even recognize it happening.  Tozer said; “We do well to admit this is happening, but we should not accept it as normal, and we should not accept it as inevitable that we are shaped by the world.”  Paul said; “Be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Tozer: “That we have to some extent conformed to the world is proof of our weakness.”  We must recognize our neglect, repent, turn back to God and His word, and through obedience to His word, and with thankful hearts of the grace and mercy shown to us through the sacrifice, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, live humbly serving, honoring, worshiping, following, and obeying.  Through His word, we will find truth and this truth will set us free from the clutches of the worldly passions and desires that rob us of victoriously living for Jesus Christ who is worthy of all praise, honor, and glory forever.

62. I will teach you the fear of the LORD

Deuteronomy 31:12   Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

Deuteronomy 29:29    “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Psalms 34:11-14     Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.  What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?  Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.  Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

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.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7     And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  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.

I have thought often about “The fear of the LORD”.  Many times I come up with both reverence and afraid and see both in scripture.  I found this explanation from Ligonier Ministries.

We need to make some important distinctions about the biblical meaning of “fearing” God. These distinctions can be helpful, but they can also be a little dangerous. When Luther struggled with that, he made this distinction, which has since become somewhat famous: He distinguished between what he called a servile fear and a filial fear.

The servile fear is a kind of fear that a prisoner in a torture chamber has for his tormentor, the jailer, or the executioner. It’s that kind of dreadful anxiety in which someone is frightened by the clear and present danger that is represented by another person. Or it’s the kind of fear that a slave would have at the hands of a malicious master who would come with the whip and torment the slave. Servile refers to a posture of servitude toward a malevolent owner.

Luther distinguished between that and what he called filial fear, drawing from the Latin concept from which we get the idea of family. It refers to the fear that a child has for his father. In this regard, Luther is thinking of a child who has tremendous respect and love for his father or mother and who dearly wants to please them. He has a fear or an anxiety of offending the one he loves, not because he’s afraid of torture or even of punishment, but rather because he’s afraid of displeasing the one who is, in that child’s world, the source of security and love.

I think this distinction is helpful because the basic meaning of fearing the Lord that we read about in Deuteronomy is also in the Wisdom Literature, where we’re told that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The focus here is on a sense of awe and respect for the majesty of God. That’s often lacking in contemporary evangelical Christianity. We get very flippant and cavalier with God as if we had a casual relationship with the Father. We are invited to call Him Abba, Father, and to have the personal intimacy promised to us, but still, we’re not to be flippant with God. We’re always to maintain a healthy respect and adoration for Him.

7. Run to the forest of God’s word

Exodus 23:25  You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.

Exodus 23:33   They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Deuteronomy 10:12     “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 10:20    You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him,

Deuteronomy 11:13-14     “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.

Deuteronomy 13:4    You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

Deuteronomy 28:1-6    “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God.  Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.  Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.  Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.  Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

Joshua 24:24    And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

1 Samuel 12:24     Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.

Do you ever wonder what interferes with serving God with all your heart and with all your soul?  Scriptures say “obey the voice of the Lord your God” and then it says to “serve Him with all your heart and soul.”  You have heard  of the question “Does a tree falling over in a forest makes a sound if no one is there to hear it.”  If it is not perceived by someone does not mean it did not make noise.

If we don’t spend time in the forest of God’s word there is no chance we will hear His voice, let alone, be able to follow and obey it with our whole heart and soul.  Spending time in the forest of God’s word allows us to see the massiveness as well as the singularity of it.  It allows us to see the beauty, promises, strength, power, might, and steadfast grace, mercy, and love of God.  Paul speaking to unbeliever said it this way – “how are people to hear unless someone tells them.  but Peter speaking to believers said it this way – “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

Believers should desire and seek the forest of God’s word.  They should run to it each day to hear the voice of God speak into their lives.  They want to hear Him speak so they can serve, follow and obey.

I think people stay out of the forest of God’s word because they have seen all they want to see from a distance.  By staying outside of the forest there is little chance they will need to listen and because they are close enough to see it, they think they are ok enough.

Do you want to see truth and beauty – Run to the forest of God’s word with a desire seeking to hear Him speak into your life.  Blessing comes to those who spend time in the forest listening and obeying Him speak.

 

Hear and Learn

Deuteronomy 31:12  Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

Psalms 78:4-8     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.  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,  that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,  so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;  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.

Proverbs 22:6     Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Ephesians 6:4   Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 11:2     And consider today (since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it), consider the discipline of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm,

We have an awesome responsibility and privilege to speak of God and live for Him so that others might hear and see the hope we have in the power, might, strength, grace, love, and mercy of God.

We should not take this lightly for each day gives us opportunity to bring glory, honor and praise to Him.  God’s word spoken will not return void, our prayers will not be unheard, and a softening of their heart can take place.  Yet at the end of the day it each persons choice to believe in God and through faith come to salvation through Christ.

When we believe, and are saved, redeemed, forgiven and have heart, mind, and soul deep knowledge and understanding of God and the everlasting light He has opened up to us, it is hard to make sense of how we lived and believed before.  We are born again, a new creation, where all things are new and morning by morning new mercies we see.

God’s word in our lives each day will have purpose for growing our love for Him and faith in Him.  Many will try to make sense of the world through wisdom of man, denying God.  Be mindful we too were once lost and without hope.  Live to bring light of God to those still living in darkness.  You never know who those  who choose to live in darkness will have their heart softened by God through you.  Tell of all of his glorious works, wonders, might, and ever lasting love for those who call upon Him.

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.

Thankful – God will supply all our needs

“Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?”

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered”

Psalms 84:4  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!  Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.  As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.  They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.  O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!  Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!  For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! 

Philippians 4:19     And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Psalms 34:9     Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!  The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

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

Proverbs 28:6    Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

Have you ever thought of what it is that hinders walking with God?  Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, greed, and pride all lead down a path of ever wanting and never finding.  These are all temporary satisfactions that have no end and will never satisfy the heart, soul and mind.  Satisfaction the world offers is tied to that which cannot satisfy the heart and soul.  Searching for satisfaction outside of God is like chasing the wind – (never caught – only a temporary sensory feeling – always changing direction). Those who desire and seek God choose to be humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Him.  Their eyes are on Him and eternity promised.  Holiness, purity, genuine love, kindness, faith, hope, generosity, obedience, service, and humbleness replace complacency, neglect, lust, greed, and worldly satisfaction.  Their hope is in the Lord.  Their trust is in the Lord.  Their strength is in Him.  Their peace is in Him. Their want is to honor Him.  Their desire is to serve, follow and obey Him. Their wisdom and food for life this side of eternity is found in His word and promises.

Number my Days

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.”

“making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Psalms 39:4  “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!  Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!

Psalms 90:12   So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Job 28:28   And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Proverbs 2:2  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Proverbs 3:13  Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,  for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.  She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.  Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.

Proverbs 4:5   Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 4:7    The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

Proverbs 7:1  My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;  keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;  bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.  Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend,

Proverbs 8:32  “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.  Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.  Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.  For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD,  but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Proverbs 16:16   How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Proverbs 22:17  Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

How are we to gain this understanding and wisdom? It comes from choosing it, applying it, seeking it, listening for it, holding firmly to it, and making the best use of our time.  Note David asking got to show how fleeting his time on earth is.  And again he asks God to teach us to number our days.  Why?  Because life teaches us (the older we get) that life is short and we find our path is much better, our lives more fuller, and our purpose more clear when we choose to stay close to God.  When we seek more than anything else to humbly serve, honor and obey Him. Keep these scriptures close  and review them often.