fear Your name – Praying Pint

11.d. “Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness”

Micah 6:9 The voice of the Lord cries to the city—and it is sound wisdom to fear your name: “Hear of the rod and of him who appointed it! Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed? Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Therefore I strike you with a grievous blow, making you desolate because of your sins. You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger within you; you shall put away, but not preserve, and what you preserve I will give to the sword. You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine. For you have kept the statutes of Omri, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you have walked in their counsels, that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing; so you shall bear the scorn of my people.”

1 Kings 16:25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did more evil than all who were before him.

1 Kings 16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him.

Do you ever think about what “counsel” you are walking in? What counsel is guiding your thoughts and actions? What counsel do your heart and mind listen to? Where are you finding direction for your life? In the times of Omri and Ahab, the people took counsel from their king even though what the king was doing was wrong in the sight of God. They blindly followed and eagerly joined in. Such is what happens when the Word of God is neglected, abandoned, disregarded, undervalued, unappreciated, and replaced by the counsel of the wicked. It is not as though you made a conscious choice to seek wick counsel but you did make a conscious choice to stay out of His Word. In the absence of God’s Word, what is it that fills our hearts and minds? I can tell you, it is worldly counsel. Counsel void of God’s Word. When there is this void, mankind will fill it with whatever seems right in their own eyes. Do you ever wonder how long God should wait until He calls into account all who have shunned Him and disregarded His Word? Godly counsel will fill a hunger in your soul. Godly counsel from God’s Word will revive your heart and soul. Godly counsel from God’s Word, that is obeyed, will bless your heart, mind, and soul. God’s Word is counsel to the wise and foolish to those who reject it. Spend time in His Word.

7.k. The nations raged, but your wrath came

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

We see the 7th trumpet is blown. This is at the time just following the death and resurrection of the two witnesses. People had no more been celebrating the death of these two when the seventh trumpet is sounded. People were foolishly thinking that by killing the two witnesses they could destroy God’s Word against their sin. They think they could escape punishment by killing those who tell them of the coming judgment/punishment.

We are shown what is taking place in heaven when the 7th trumpet is blown. It is as if those in heaven before the throne are aware of the significance of this 7th trumpet. They seem to know that the kingdom of God on earth is imminent. “for you have taken your great power and begun to reign” – “the nations raged but your wrath came” – “time for the dead to be judged” – “for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear you name” – “for destroying the destroyers of the earth”. This is or seems to be, a summary of what is to come with the sounding of this 7th trumpet. There is the worship of God knowing the final stages of the tribulation period has been put into motion. There are many things and judgments to take place in these last three and one-half years of the tribulation period before the end actually comes. God’s plans and purposes are so certain that the hosts of heaven are essentially saying “it is here”. Christ will reign forever and ever.

We will see in the coming chapters that man will still reject and fight Christ. All they have seen of His great power being displayed both by wonders and signs and judgment will be rejected and they will harden their hearts more if that is possible. Harden hearts and rejection of Christ and salvation are signs of and the manifestation of sin in mankind. Denying the need for forgiveness and rejecting the great sacrifice Jesus Christ paid on the cross will be at an all-time high. Right now, in our time, it is a passive rejection, where people know of the need and but deny the need for themselves. How tragic it will be for their soul. Just because we live in a time of prosperity and presence of the Holy Spirit on earth does not for one second deny the need for salvation. Far too many miss this personal need in their life. Far too many passively go about their lives rejecting the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and think because there is still time in the future to “get right” with God, or that they are good enough. They deny their whole heart, mind, and soul commitment and surrender to Jesus Christ. So, what we see is that during the time of great blessing through the presence of the Holy Spirit, at time of grace, mercy, and love, and during the time of great judgment, wrath, and anger, people reject salvation, forgiveness, redemption, and will suffer the full wrath of God for this rejection. When you look deep into your heart is it filled with a desire to humbly serve, honor, worship, follow, trust, and obey Jesus Christ, if not, make an intentional choice to surrender to Him.

3.o. When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Ezra 6:19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Proverbs 16:7     When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Proverbs 21:1     The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.

Nehemiah 1:11  O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

Daniel 4:35     all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

We serve a mighty and awesome God. He is not stopped or limited by anything in creation. He is not limited by the wicked, mean, proud, hateful, or greedy. His will will be done. In Him, we can rest and find peace knowing He can move mountains as well as hearts of men to do His will and accomplish his purpose.

We do not need to fear what seems impossible. We do not need to think all is lost. We do not need to think we have lost the battle. We do not need to think we have no future. All is possible for God. The battles are His alone. Our future is in His steadfast and loving hands. There are no doors closed so tight that God can not open. Honor and glorify Him, lay your burdens at His feet believing in is mighty power, plans, and purpose. Be at peace with His will whatever it may be. Trust “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” Wait for His will to be accomplished. Watch for His hand at work and give Him all honor, glory, and praise, for He alone is worthy.

Let me hear in the morning

“True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.”

“I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth,”

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

Psalms 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalms 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

Psalms 25:4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.

Psalms 25:12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

Psalms 27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.

Psalms 119:73 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

Psalms 143:8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Job 34:32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

John 6:45-46 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

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

Jeremiah 32:38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.

Matthew 6:23 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The call to us is to have a heart, mind, and soul that desire God and to serve Him in a way that honors and glorifies Him. Notice the heart of the men in scripture who comment on their want to be led by God. Teach me, show me, lead me, guide me, deliver me, show me, and instruct me. How are they different than the way we are looking at God. It appears they had a deeper desire and longing to honor and glorify Him. Our lives seem to be so much easier than theirs. Technology allows us many benefits that were not part of their daily lives. The ease in our life made by travel, communication, medicine, heating, cooling, freezing, computers, clothing……. should make us more thankful and grateful for God allowing industrialization and technology to flourish. We seem to think this is all done with the hands and mind of man. All of this seems to have moved us further and further away from God to the point He is a second thought in times of trouble rather than the first thought. There is so much in our culture that says “you don’t need God” but the fact remains we do. What does it mean to have a heart, mind, and soul desiring Him? Read these scriptures again and see where others before us have put God in their lives. The importance of this should not go unnoticed. Seek Him, Desire Him, Honor Him, Worship Him, Listen to Him, Follow Him, and Obey Him.

Teach me

“True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.”

Psalms 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalms 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

Psalms 25:4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.

Psalms 25:12 Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

Psalms 27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.

Psalms 119:73 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

Job 34:32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Having the right mindset is key to fearing God and seeking His way for your life. How many times can you give stories on people who have the mindset they can figure it out themselves and do not ask to be taught? It is easy to fall into the trap believing the current amount of biblical knowledge and understanding is all that is needed when things seem to be going fine and without many issues. This easily leads down a path of complacency and neglect. Note these scripture references; “Teach” me – let me “Hear” – make me “Know” – give me “Understanding” – “lead” me – He will “Instruct”. The heart, mind and soul of these people were humbly seeking God. They did not necessarily set time aside to give thought to God and about God, but rather this was their mindset foundation and permeated every second of their life. With this foundation their mind, heart, eyes, and ears were open and actively seeking to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God’s purpose in and through their life. Trying to please God with our own purposes on our own path takes us further away from God rather than closer. Desire, seek, and choose to be led by Him.