Tag: Heart

It is a choice….

Exodus 16:4   Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”

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.

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.”

It is a choice to make between serving God and serving self.  It is a choice to be humble when pride is knocking at your door.  It is a choice to seek God first when everything in you says to handle it yourself.  It is a choice to wait on God’s perfect plan and purpose when timing of our trial/trouble is weighting us down.  It is a choice to trust in, rely on, and cling to God when chaos fills our lives.  It is a choice to desire Him rather than a fix to our problems.  It is a choice to want to spend time in His word and hear Him speak to our heart when we seem to be burdened with busyness.  It is a choice to not grumble.  It is a choice to keep unity.  It is a choice to allow yourself to be wronged.  It is a choice to forgive others.  It is a choice to be joyful.  It is a choice to say no to things of this world that replace God in our lives.  It is a choice to do what is right even when others are not.  It is a choice to make disciples.  It is a choice to share the Gospel.  It is a choice to be kind.  It is a choice to be generous.  It is a choice to praise and worship God.  It is a choice to dwell on things of God.  It is a choice to be thankful.  It is a choice to encourage others.  It is a choice to find refuge in God.  It is a choice to used by Him.

Choose this day whom you will serve.  But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

None Like Him

“To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?”

Exodus 15:11   “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Deuteronomy 3:24     ‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?

1 Samuel 2:2     “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

2 Samuel 7:22     Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

1 Kings 8:23     and said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart;

Psalms 35:10    All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

Psalms 86:8     There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.

Jeremiah 10:16    Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name.

Jeremiah 10:6    There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might.

Isaiah 40:25     To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

Psalms 89:6-8     For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,  a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?  O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?

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.

We try to imagine what God is like so we can comprehend Him.  Yet there is none like Him.  He inhabits eternity and dwells in a high and holy place.  Scripture does not stop there, it also says that God also dwells with those having a contrite and lowly spirit.  There is none other like Him.  None mighty as He is.  None loving as He.  None who reached out to His creation with a redemptive plan of salvation like Him.  None who promised eternal life like Him.  None who can forgive sin like Him.  None who has steadfast love like Him.  None who strengthens our spirit like Him.  None who knows our thoughts like Him.  None who can give us peace like Him.  None who can lift up the weak and make the strong fall like Him.  None who can move nations like Him.  None who can soften a heart like Him.  No there is none like Him and we do well to live, act, speak and think in all our ways, to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, and obey Him.

“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”

Exodus 14:10   When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

Isaiah 7:2     When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.

Matthew 8:26    And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

1 John 4:18     There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

It is hard to deny fear coming into our lives.  Sudden fear at an impending outcome takes over and that is all we can think about.  All of the negative outcomes.  All of the worst possible scenarios. All the bad and troubling things we think are awaiting our downfall.

The Israelites looked up and saw a massive well armed army approaching, they were hemmed in by the sea and no way of retreat.  The first thing they did was fear, then they cried out to the Lord, then they lost all hope.  They then spoke to Moses “What have you done?” “Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone?”

It is important to note human nature in responses to this crisis immediately after they had witnessed many miraculous wonders, signs and power of God over many days. Staff into a snake, river into blood, frogs, gnats, flies, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and firstborn deaths were all witnessed by the people.  It was not at the word of one to another, they all saw the Mighty work of God.  And, yet, they still fell into fear, doom, gloom, blaming, and hopelessness.

Think back in your life.  Are you any different?  Do you give up on seeing the Mighty hand of God work?  Do you even want to be in a situation where you see it?  Having any easy life does not do us any favors when it comes to serving God.  In fact it actually takes you down a path that sees no need for God in everyday life.  It places God on a back burner for sometime in the future when needed.

Our lives are to be set apart to seek and desire to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, praise, follow, and obey Him.  It is sad to say, but fully true  “We are weak and pitiful followers.  We lack intentional commitment, earnest desire, and the want to be in His presence.”  It seems as though we not only want, but expect, Him to be watching over us and bubble wrapping our lives from trials and trouble, without giving Him a second thought throughout the day.

If you do not have an ever present desire to seek to honor Him, how is it that you will know of His promises, power, might, strength, peace, joy, and hope when trials and trouble come?

We never know when God’s plans and purposes for our life will include trials and trouble.  We do well to be intentionally walking closely to Him, always seeking and desiring to hear His whispers and see His might work in our life.

Oh to be walking so closely to Him that in the face of trails and almost certain major unfavorable outcome we can speak like :Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”

When doubts and fear cloud your day, remember to continually say over and over again; “My God is able to do more than the trial and trouble before me.  If He chooses to not show His mighty hand, I still will not fear.  I can rest in His loving hands and know I am in His perfect plan.”

20. Worthless men

Exodus 5:2  But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.

Psalms 10:4    In the pride of his face the wicked

Psalms 14:1   The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

Proverbs 1:22    “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

Romans 1:28    And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

1 Samuel 2:12    Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.

John 16:3     And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.

Jeremiah 44:16-17    “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you.

Isaiah 3:9    For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

How we can read these scriptures and not wonder if anything at all has changed in the world we live.  Culturally, socially, and educationally the door opens wider and wider to the gates of hell.  Fear of God has been replaced with man’s own wisdom and denying God exists.  Love for God has been replaced with love of self also in denial of God existing.  Time in God’s word has been replaced with, well everything else that busies our lives and keeps us from thinking about humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following and obeying God.

It is easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to those who deny God and think we are better or not as bad.  We think by comparison that we are made right in God’s eyes.  By comparing what we do and say to those who deny God we end up thinking wrongly about a God honoring life. Comparison is easy.  We don’t need to do anything more and can still feel good about ourselves.  Instead of seeking God and desiring to know Him more and grow in understanding of Him, we sit idly by complacently thinking all is good.

How can we be light unto a dark world if the light of Jesus Christ is not humbly and thankful remembered each moment of everyday?

How can we be led by God if we neglect time in His word?

How can we grow in faith, love, patience, mercy, grace, peace, rest, and joy if we don’t know what precious promises are in His word?

How can we warn others of God’s judgement?

How can we tell others of the Good News of Jesus Christ?

The answer to each of these – be intentional in our daily commitment to seek and desire to honor God.

I will harden his heart

Exodus 4:21  And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

Deuteronomy 2:30-33     But Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might give him into your hand, as he is this day.

Joshua 11:20     For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

Psalms 105:25    He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.

Isaiah 6:10     Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand wit

Isaiah 63:17     O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage.

Romans 1:28    And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Romans 9:18    So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

Romans 11:8-10     as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12     and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,  in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

1 Peter 2:8    and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

Ezekiel 3:6-11     not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you  But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.  Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”  Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.  And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

One of the more difficult biblical concepts to understand is that of God hardening the hearts and minds of certain people. What are we to make of texts like these, which explicitly or implicitly speak of God hardening the hearts of people? These questions involve very deep mysteries, mysteries about God’s sovereignty and how it interacts with our freedom.

There was a time when people thought that God was at the center of all things and they instinctively saw the hand of God in everything—even terrible things. Job said, The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised … if we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil? (Job 1:21; 2:10) Thus the ancients would commonly attribute everything as coming from the hand of God, for He was the “first cause” of everything that happened.

The ancients were thus much more comfortable attributing things to God than we are. In speaking like this, they were not being superstitious or primitive in their thinking; rather, they were emphasizing that God was sovereign, omnipotent, and omnipresent, and that nothing happened apart from His sovereign will. They believed that God was the primary cause of all that existed.

We need to understand that the ancient biblical texts, while often speaking of God as hardening the hearts of sinners, do not mean to say that man had no role, no responsibility. Neither do they mean to say that God acts in a merely arbitrary way. Rather, the emphasis is on God’s sovereign power as the first cause of all that is. Hence He is often called the cause of all things and His hand is seen in everything.

 In man’s enlightened, superior, highly educated, and self-reliance, man moved himself to the center and God was gradually “escorted” to the periphery. Man’s manner of thinking and speaking began to shift to focusing on secondary causes (those related to man and nature). If something happens we look to natural causes, or in human situations, to the humans who caused it.

We are dealing with the mysterious interrelationship between God and Man, between God’s sovereignty and our freedom – Mysteries.   In the face of such mysteries we have to be very humble. We ought not to think more about the details than is proper for us, because, frankly, they are largely hidden from us.

Therefore, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”

None of us can demand an absolute account from God for what He does. Even if He were to tell us, could our small, worldly minds ever really comprehend it? My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways, says the Lord. Yet we try to put God in a box we can humanly understand.

We should be careful to admit the limits of our knowledge when it comes to interpreting “hardening texts,” in which God hardens the hearts of certain people. These must be approached carefully, humbly, and with proper distinctions as to God’s sovereignty, our freedom, His mercy, His justice, His plans, and His purposes. (Charles Pope)

We do well to put God in the center of all things and man’s existence totally subjective to His sovereignty.

You provoked the LORD to wrath

  Exodus 4:14  Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses

2 Samuel 6:7    And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error,

1 Kings 11:9     And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD,

1 Chronicles 21:7    But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel

Numbers 12:9     And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them

Deuteronomy 3:26     But the LORD was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the LORD said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again

Deuteronomy 9:8     Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you.

Psalms 78:58-60   For they provoked him to anger with their high places; they moved him to jealousy with their idols.  When God heard, he was full of wrath, and he utterly rejected Israel.

Philippians 2:21    For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 4:10    For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.

Proverbs 4:23    Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Anger of God.  Wrath of God.  We hear much preaching and devotionals of God’s grace, mercy, and love but do not hear that much about His anger. 

“Colin Smith” wrote an interesting devotional about this and after I read it I deleted what I wrote and shared his with you.

As peace is a truth widely loved, wrath is a truth widely loathed. Many in the history of the church has been embarrassed by God’s wrath and have wanted to revise this biblical truth.Yet, this theme of the wrath (or anger) of God toward sin and sinners is clearly and widely taught in the Bible. This truth is so interwoven with the hope of our peace with one another and with God that if we lose our grasp on the one, we lose our hope of the other.   

1. The anger of God is not like our anger.

When we speak about the wrath of God, remember that it is the wrath of God.  So everything we know about God—he is just, he is love, and he is good—needs to be poured into our understanding of his wrath.

The words “anger” and “wrath” make us think about our experience. You may have suffered because of someone who is habitually angry, loses his temper, or flies into a rage. Our anger can often be unpredictable, petty, and disproportionate.

Although these things are often true of human anger, none of them are true of the anger of God. God’s wrath is the just and measured response of his holiness toward evil.

2. God’s wrath is provoked.

The anger of God is not something that resides in him by nature; it is a response to evil. It is provoked.

The Bible says, “God is love.” That is his nature. God’s love is not provoked. He does not love us because he sees some wisdom, beauty, or goodness in us. He loves you because he loves you, and you can never get beyond that (Deuteronomy 7:7).

But God’s wrath is different, his holy response to the intrusion of evil into his world. If there was no sin in the world, there would be no wrath in God. So the Bible’s teaching about the wrath of God is different from ancient mythologies, gods who run around frustrated and fuming. God’s anger is his settled resolve that evil will not stand.

3. God is slow to anger.

Why does God allow evil to continue in the world? Why does he not wipe it out?

God holds out the offer of grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:9). People are coming to him in faith and repentance every day, and God patiently holds open the door of grace. The day of God’s wrath will come, but God is not in a hurry to bring it because then the door of grace will be closed.

4. God’s wrath is revealed now.

How does God reveal his wrath when sinners suppress the truth about him, exchange the truth for a lie, and worship created things rather than the Creator? God gives them up (Romans 1):

  • Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity (1:24).
  • For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions (1:26).
  • God gave them up to a debased mind (1:28).

One writer states, “Paul is not teaching that one day God will punish Roman civilization for its vice and decadence. On the contrary, the vice and decadence are themselves God’s punishment…Their punishment was their greed, envy, strife, deceit, violence and faithlessness.” [2] When we see the moral fabric of our culture being torn, then as Christian believers we should cry to God for mercy.

5. God’s wrath is stored up.

The whole Bible story leads to a day when God will deal with all evil fully, finally, and forever. This will be the day of wrath, when God will recompense every evil and bring to judgment every sin.

God will do this in perfect justice. The punishment for every sin will match the crime. When the judgment is done, every mouth will be stopped because everyone will know that God judged in righteousness and justice. Then God will usher in a new heaven and a new earth, which will be the home of righteousness.

6. God’s wrath is on sinners.

In John 3:36, he does not say, “The wrath of God will come on [the disobedient].” He says, “Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remainson him.” It is already there. Why is it already there? By nature, we are children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). It is the state in which we were born.

What, at the end of the day, is the greatest human problem? It is not that we are lost and need to find our way on a spiritual journey. It is not that we are wounded and need to be healed. At the core of the human problem is that we are sinners under the judgment of God, and the divine wrath hangs over us unless and until it is taken away.

How God’s Wrath Is Removed

The Bible speaks about God’s wrath being poured out at the cross: “I will soon pour out my wrath upon you, and spend my anger against you” (Ezekiel 7:8). This takes us to the heart of what happened there: The divine wrath toward sin was poured out on Jesus. He became the “propitiation” for our sins (Romans 3:25), which means that the payment for our sins was poured out on Jesus at Calvary.

Don’t ever get the idea that God loves you because Christ died for you. No, it’s the other way round. Christ died for you because God loved you! He loved you even when you were the object of his wrath! God so loved the objects of his wrath that he spent the wrath on himself at the cross.

The outpouring of God’s wrath was the greatest act of love this world has ever seen.

[Tweet “The hope for sinners is that between us and the wrath of God stands the cross of Jesus.”]

The hope for sinners is that between us and the wrath of God stands the cross of Jesus. Sin was laid on Jesus and the Divine wrath toward it was poured out, spent, and exhausted in the darkness of Calvary. And when it was done, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished!” The wrath of God that will one day be poured out on all sin was spent at the cross with regard to all who are in him.

Then Christ rose from the dead, and he stands before you today, a living Savior! He offers to you the priceless gift of peace with God. He is ready to forgive your sins and fill you with his Spirit. He is able to save you from the wrath and reconcile you to the Father. He has opened the door of heaven, and he is able to bring you in.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 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.”

Denying pending judgement of God, denying the anger and day of wrath of God, and living as though there is no consequence to being complacent and neglectful to God, does not make it untrue or go away.  It just means your heart is of stone, your eyes are blind, and your ears are deaf to the holiness and righteousness of God and the ability to know of His grace, mercy and love.  Seek Him while He may be found.  Desire to have Him soften your heart, open your eyes and ears to knowledge and understanding of Him.

After that comes judgment

“ because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world”

Genesis 50:19    But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?

Deuteronomy 32:35     Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’

Romans 12:19    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Job 34:19-29     who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?  In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.  “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.  For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.  He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.  Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.  He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,  because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,  so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—  When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—

Hebrews 10:30     For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Hebrews 9:27  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Ecclesiastes 11:9     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

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

2 Corinthians 5:10    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Matthew 25:31-41    “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

The easiest way to get through life without out worry of judgement from God is to deny God exists.  To do this one must look at all of creation and believe it happened by chance.  They must deny the complexity of the vast galaxies down to a single atom.  They must deny Jesus Christ existed and that His purpose on earth was to redeem mankind.  They must deny the love of God.  They must deny existence of angels and demons.  They must deny the written word of God and that it was given to mankind through men inspired and led by God.  The denial of God has eternal consequences.

Denial of God can take on many subtle forms.  Neglecting His word.  Not being intentional in living for Him.  Not seeking to be led by Him. Not desiring Him.  Not listening to Him.  Not placing Him first in all your thoughts, words, and actions.  Not allowing or acting on the conviction of the Holy Spirit to walk blameless before Him.

How can we humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God if our walk with Him is shallow, self centered, and with our eyes focused on what this world has to offer?  How can we grow in our walk with Him when we think we are good enough as we are and in need of no change or understanding of what it means to walk with and humbly serve God?

Judgement is coming, but it is not for the judgement of God we seek to do right and good, but rather because of who God is and His love for us.  Some children grow up with the fear of punishment from their parents and this keeps them from doing wrong.  Others fear getting caught and that keeps them from doing wrong.  Others do not do wrong so as not to disappoint their parents.  Yet these are all self serving reasons.  Oh how great the child who not only seeks not to do wrong but chooses to do good to bring honor their parents.

Commit to living intentionally to bring honor and glory to God rather than advert judgement.

Walk in a manner worth of the Great Shepherd

Genesis 48:15  And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

Isaiah 53:6  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;

Psalms 16:8     I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Isaiah 30:21     And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

1 Kings 3:6    And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you.

Luke 1:6    And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:31    So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:12    we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Psalms 37:3    Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

“God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day”.  What does a shepherd do? They guide, direct, feed, tend, keep safe, lead, and care for their flock.  Not all sheep want to be led.  For a shepherd the weather can be awful and the sheep seem to have a death wish.  They have natural tendency to flock and when all seems well they will wonder away from the flock unaware of any danger.  They truly are dependant upon a shepherd for everything even though they do not recognize it.

Scripture uses metaphors of us being like sheep.  Lost and in need of a loving shepherd.

“ there is something a little disheartening about being described as a sheep. It is difficult to admit our likeness to animals that so depend on a shepherd for survival. We are much more accustomed to being shepherds in control than sheep so in need of leadership. Yet, when it comes to our relationship with God, Jesus understands our human tendencies better perhaps than we understand ourselves. When it comes to our faith, we are very much like sheep in need of a shepherd. Like sheep, we have the tendency to follow. Like sheep, we often confuse true leadership with the kind offered by hired hands (shepherds who are in it for the wrong reason). Like sheep, we are endangered by those who prey on our vulnerability, the spiritual wolves. Like sheep, we are perhaps most vulnerable to ourselves and our tendency to wander away from the care of the shepherd and the safety of the flock. We certainly need a good shepherd, like Jesus, who is willing to care and sacrifice for us. Accepting that we are indeed like sheep is the hardest part for many people. It is our human nature to want to be in control of our lives. Yet, to be a follower of Christ, we must accept our spiritual likeness to sheep and our need for a good shepherd. As we continue to ponder the great news of the resurrection, may we be ever aware that to fully experience Christ, we must allow Christ to be the shepherd of our lives.” Tracey Allred

We do well to walk worthy and by the leading of our great shepherd.

Warning of fallow ground

“if riches increase, set not your heart on them.”

Hosea 10:11Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,

Proverbs 1:31  therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

Psalms 52:7  “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Galatians 6:7-8  Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Isaiah 31:1  Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

Isaiah 55:6  “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Luke 13:24  “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Jeremiah 29:12-14  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD,

When it comes to full commitment to God, fallow (unsown; unused, dormant, resting, empty, bare, stagnant; barren, unproductive) ground has no place in our heart and mind.  Yet, it seems the place where most comfort is found and why so many lack God’s power, strength, peace and rest for their lives.  Life is easy when we can do what seems best in our own eyes. 

When we void ourselves of God’s word and it’s affect on and in our life, how is faith to grow, how can true kindness be displayed, how is generosity glorifying to God, how is God’s love understood, how is sin made known, how is the need for forgiveness and salvation understood, how is the need for repentance seen, how is God praised, how are eyes able to see His might and awesome work, how are spiritual gifts used, how are others to hear, how is Christ proclaimed, how is the love of God proclaimed, how is worship meaningful, how are we to hear His whispers of guidance????????

Keep the word of God in your daily routine.  Keep prayer and communication with God active.  Keep your ears open to His leading, correction, and promises.  Keep you eyes on His active working in the world around you.  Keep nurturing and growing your faith.  Keep the light of Christ’s love ever shinning.

There is no time to wait for another day to start being intentionally committed to His word every day.  Humbly serve, honor, glorify, praise, worship, follow and obey Him.

I am not worthy

““God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””

Genesis 32:10  I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant,

2 Samuel 7:18  Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Isaiah 6:5     And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

Isaiah 63:7     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.

Luke 5:8    But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Luke 17:10     So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

1 Timothy 1:12-15     I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,  though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,  and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

I can remember telling someone the more I read the bible and study God’s word the more I realize and see how unworthy I am and how thankful I am.   Being exposed to God’s holiness and truth will reveal how big the gap is, should we think that we could in anyway earn our favor with God.  Rooted deep within us is that sinful nature and it has a way of remaining hidden so that we do not see it.  Our life will change when it is exposed to God’s word with a humble heart and desire to be loved, corrected, educated, taught, led, and a want to honor, glorify, serve, follow and obey God.

It does not take much reading to understand how unworthy we are and how awesome God is.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  This is a gift of love from God and there is nothing we can do to gain the favor of this gift.  In fact “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”,  So while we were living in sin and apart from God, God in His love sent His son to redeem us.  We did nothing that would warrant such action from God.  “this is a gift from God, not by works, lest any man should boast” 

How many days are wasted trying to be good enough for God’s love when in fact He demonstrated this love through His son and the only work asked of anyone is to believe and repent.  The forgiveness of sin does not come through any work of man but through belief and faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.

When we come to recognize just how unworthy we are of God’s steadfast love and how much God has done, is doing, and will do out of His grace, mercy and love……our heart and soul will be humbled with gratitude, thankfulness and obedience.