Grieved His Holy Spirit

1.t. For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy

2 Chronicles 6:12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David.

“But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

Exodus 29:45-46     I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.  And they shall know that I am the LORD their God,

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Acts 17:24    The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

Psalms 139:7-10    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!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Jeremiah 23:24    Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.

Will God indeed dwell with man on earth? Can heaven and the highest heaven contain God? Do I not fill heaven and earth? Solomon prayed with wisdom and knowledge of who God is. He knew God was above all and that even heaven and the highest heaven could not contain Him. How many times in the bible does God remind us of who He is? Why does He do this?

Have God’s people had lost sight of God? His holiness, His majesty, His glory – has it all become very clouded. Have we lost sight of the majesty and holiness of God? Do we walk in reverential fear of God or has He become more like our buddy when troubles come our way and we need help? Have we diluted who God is to something so far away that we don’t even try to live for Him in such a way the glorifies and honors Him more than one day a week at best? If our thoughts of God and who He is is clouded and watered down, how will we actively seek and desire to listen for and to Him? How will we follow, trust, and obey Him?

God is “the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy.” We do well to intentionally choose to place Him first in our thoughts, actions, and words. We do well to seek and desire to know Him more and more so that we can live in such a way that we honor and glorify Him more and more each moment of every day.

27. Serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind.

Numbers 14:43 Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”

Judges 16:20    And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.

1 Chronicles 28:9     “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

2 Chronicles 15:2    “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

Isaiah 63:10    But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.

I read these two quotes today; “Today there seems to be a high-affection for salvation and blessings from God and a low commitment to live in line with His word.” “Evangelicals today may not have self-consciously entered into a Halfway Covenant, but they only seek that which benefits them when in need, neglecting what it means to fully honor and obey God.”

Think about this for a moment. Low commitment and halfway covenant. Do the words in these scriptures indicate in any way that God will tolerate a self choice to neglect and be complacent in our relationship with Him? Will we not be held accountable. Will we not be ever seeking and never finding that peace, rest and comfort found only in full commitment and obedience to God. I am sure neglect and complacency of His word will not be overlooked.

It seems as though our lives get over run with worry and things of this world. This world can give no peace and therefore can not take it away. Peace the world offers is tied to that which cannot satisfy the heart and soul. Searching for peace outside of God is like chasing the wind – (never caught – only a temporary sensory feeling – always changing direction). “Peace” that comes from God, “Peace” that passes all understanding, is comforting and encouragement to the soul. It strengthens us against the trials and troubles faced this side of eternity. It gives courage to face each day with hope, trust, faith, and reliance in our Heavenly Father.

A halfway covenant, low commitment, neglect, and complacency will rob our heart, mind and soul of the presence of God in our life.

Be Reminded

Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct

Joshua 22:1
“You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you. You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the Lord your God. And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them
Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Exodus 33:14
And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.
Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth.

Isaiah 63:9
I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
the praises of the Lord,
according to all that the Lord has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
And he became their Savior.
In all their affliction he was afflicted,
and the angel of his presence saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
But they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them

Can we ever be reminded enough times? I love how this is recorded in Joshua. After they had obeyed the voice of God and after their brothers had rest from their enemies they are told that God would now give them rest. And after receiving this word they are reminded: “to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul”. For years they have been obeying and yet they are reminded to Love God, Walk in His Ways, and Serve Him with their whole heart. I think the reason for this reminder is that while we are dealing with issues and battles of the heart, mind, and soul our eyes are focused on our source of strength – GOD. Where does our heart, mind and soul go to in times of rest? This is a good question to ask ourselves. Do we continue to seek God, desiring to hear His quite voice into our heart? How many times have you heard people testify to the closest they were to God was when they were yielding all control over to Him because the issue was greater than they could bear? It is good to be reminded to keep our heart mind and soul desiring God everyday. As well, it is good to ask our brothers and sisters how they are and if they are doing this in times of REST. I love the verse in the old hymn “Turn your eyes on Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”. Let this be a reminder to each of us for every season of our lives, in times of turmoil and blessing.