Tag: His ways

51.e. Wilderness – 15.k. “‘You shall open wide your hand”

 

Deu 15:9-11  Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

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

 Jeremiah 17:10    “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

 Matthew 15:19    For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

 Mark 7:21-22    For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

 Proverbs 28:22    A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

 Proverbs 21:13     Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

In the heart and mind resides the vilest of thoughts and intents. The output is in the form of action or the lack of action. These souls are bound for doing what is right in their own eyes, what pleases them, what gives them satisfaction or the chase after satisfaction, what gives them purpose, how they treat people, how they speak to people, and there is no thought of honoring or glorifying Jesus Christ. You might look at these people with disdain or disgust or hate or anger, and for some of their actions, we can see it this way. God does. He sees it all. The thoughts. The intents. The actions. 

Scripture tells us that God is angry and wrathful over such people. It also says that He is withholding His wrath and anger so that all might come to the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, repent, believe, trust, obey, follow, and rely upon Him for the salvation of their souls. God’s grace, mercy, and love are showered down because that is His plan to offer redemption and salvation to every person ever born. 

We see people who are worldly and follow the lusts of their hearts. We see boastfulness, anger, hate, arrogance, theft, jealousy, lying, unkindness, greed, immorality, etc…… God sees them much more clearly than we do. He sees their thoughts and intents before any action has been taken. And yet, He offers the gift of eternal life. 

How should we view these people to whom we want to justly hate? With love. Everything we say about an evil and lost person above applies to us but by the grace and mercy of God. We do well to remember that and the needs of others. It can be some need, physical, material, monetary, or spiritual. If our eyes are open and our ears attentive we will hear and be led by the Holy Spirit with the right spirit within us to help this in need. 

19.g. “O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;”

John 21:25   Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

 John 20:30-31    Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;  but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

 Psalms 71:15   My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.

 Job 26:14   Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

 Psalms 40:5    You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

 Ephesians 3:20  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us

If it were possible to write volumes of books that contained the works of Jesus, the world could not contain them.  The righteous acts of God and His deeds of salvation exceed our knowledge. Though we have been given God’s Word, it appears to be a vast writing with unlimited knowledge of God.  We could spend a lifetime reading it and our understanding of God would still be but a whisper of who and what God is, let alone His power, might, strength, grace, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, ………..  Understanding of God can not be something that is read and understood, it must be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.  “To whom will he teach knowledge,

and to whom will he explain the message? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

God has given deep in our hearts a beginning knowledge of Himself.  He has revealed Himself to us through creation.  He has revealed Himself through His Word.  He has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ.  He has revealed Himself through mighty and wondrous works of His power.  He has revealed His grace, mercy, and love through Jesus.  When we think of the limitlessness of God, then His Word and what we can see of His Creation speak but a whisper to our minds.  What He has revealed should not be considered a whisper though.  It should be considered a SHOUT, a thunderous SHOUT to each and every soul.  It is a SHOUT of love and of warning.  It is a SHOUT of eternal life and eternal torment and hell.  It is a Shout of the Heavenly and worldly.  It is a SHOUT of righteousness and wickedness, good and bad, faithful and unfaithful, truth and lies.  It is a SHOUT of hope, refuge, power, strength, and courage, and of fear, anger, hate, and confusion. It is a SHOUT of redemption, salvation, and forgiveness, and of judgment, condemnation, and rejection. 

It is a loud thunderous SHOUT to every soul.  On judgment day no one will be able to say I didn’t know or I never heard for it will be clear to them than just how many times in their lives they rejected and denied the thunderous SHOUTS of God’s warnings and love. 

116. Woe to them when I depart from them!

1 Samuel 28:8    So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.” Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel.

1 Samuel 18:12    Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul.

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.

Psalms 51:11    Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Hosea 9:12   Woe to them when I depart from them!

Proverbs 14:14    The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,

Jeremiah 2:17-18     Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God, when he led you in the way?

Charles Ryrie – The Spirit leaving Saul here is God removing His blessing on Saul as king of Israel. He gives His Spirit to David, the man He has chosen to replace Saul as king. The removal of the Spirit from one and the giving of the Spirit to the other was God’s supernatural declaration that the throne had been taken from Saul and given to David. Saul may cling to His crown for a time, but God was no longer with him nor blessing his leadership. Israel had a new shepherd. God had raised up a new leader for his people. David was now God’s chosen king.

Prior to Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit had a “come and go” relationship with people. The Holy Spirit indwelt King Saul, but then departed from him. Instead, the Spirit came upon David. After his adultery with Bathsheba, David feared that the Holy Spirit would be taken from him. The Holy Spirit filled to enable him to produce the items needed for the tabernacle, but this is not described as a permanent relationship. All of this changed after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Beginning on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit began permanently indwelling believers. The permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of God’s promise to always be with us and never forsake us.

While the Holy Spirit will never leave a believer, it is possible for our sin to “quench the Holy Spirit” or “grieve the Holy Spirit”. Sin always has consequences in our relationship with God. While our relationship with God is secure in Christ, unconfessed sin in our lives can hinder our fellowship with God and effectively quench the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives. That is why it is so important to confess our sins because God is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. So, while the Holy Spirit will never leave us, the benefits and joy of His presence can, in fact, depart from us.

47. What does the LORD require of 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, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God,

Jeremiah 7:22-23  But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’

Micah 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 11:29-30  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1 John 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Obey my voice!  Serve God with all your heart and soul.  Keep His commandments.  Be no longer stubborn. Walk in the way that I command you. Walk humbly with God.

What does it mean to serve Him with all your heart and soul, to keep His commandments, to be no longer stubborn, and to walk humbly?  I am certain it will require emptying oneself of what is more precious and consuming time in their heart, mind, and soul.  During Christmas, we hear of how there was no room in the inn for Mary to give birth.  It seems to ring true today with no room in our busyness for Jesus to reign fully.  Making room would indicate that something has to be purposely moved out.   What is consuming your heart and soul leaving no room for Jesus?

We can say we are doing all we can with the busyness of our life, family, job, etc…. By saying we are doing all we can means we have intentionally chosen to give our time (heart, soul, mind) to something else.  We choose to believe we are doing what God wants for us to do.  How can that be true if Jesus is not #1 in our heart?  How can that be true if we give His word nothing more than a glance every once in a while?

In Joshua 22:5   It says, “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.”  In Psalms 81:13    it says, “Oh, that my people would listen to me”.   In Titus 2:11-12   it says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age”

There has been no other time in history where God’s word has been so readily available.  There has never in history been so much neglect of His word than what is presently being done.  Never in history has there been this much complacent behavior by those supposedly called by His name.  Our lives should not and do not have to be like this.  We aren’t forced into it.  We choose it to be this way.

We can choose to not be this way.  We can choose to repent, confess, return and commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  We can start by intentionally committing to reading His word each day.  We can intentionally seek and desire for Him to lead us closer to Him through more understanding and knowledge of Him and what it means to give Him all our heart, mind, and soul.

Doer of Good

“But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him”

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalms 106:1  Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?  Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

 Romans 11:33    Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

 Job 26:14     Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

 Job 5:9     who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:

 John 14:23     Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

 Romans 2:7    to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 

 Galatians 6:9    And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 Revelation 22:14    Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

 James 1:25    But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

God is powerful and mighty.  His steadfast love endures forever. He does so much more than we can comprehend.  What we see of Him is but a vapor of His unsearchable wisdom, knowledge, and majesty.  His promises are to those who love and honor Him.  We are encouraged in scripture to have patience in doing good, not growing weary of doing good, and to not just be hears of His word but doers with action.  Give thought today on hearing the whispers of guidance from God and being a patient doer of good for His glory and honor.

Anointed me to bring Good News

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

“and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”

“And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,”

John 1:35  The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,  and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”  The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.   Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”  He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.  One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.  He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).   He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)

2 Kings 7:9   Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.”

1 John 1:3   that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

The verses that stands out today are “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” and as well “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news.”   both speak of the urgency people had to tell others things of God.  How are people to hear of this Good News if we do not speak of it?  When we do speak of this Good News others are changed.  Do not lose sight of our urgent calling to proclaim the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

They soon forgot

“then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.”

“They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,”

“Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.”

“They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,”

“they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.

Psalms 78:35  They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.  But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.

Deuteronomy 32:4    “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

Deuteronomy 32:30  How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up?  For their rock is not as our Rock; our enemies are by themselves.

Isaiah 29:13   And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

Ezekiel 33:31   And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Reading these scriptures should challenge our heart and mind to faithfully serve God with our whole heart mind and soul.  Just as those from years gone by have done, we too need to be certain our mouth is not saying one thing and our heart is serving another – more than likely (Me, Myself, and I).  His word tells us that people easily forget God and what it means to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him.  It is hard to tell who these people are because many times all we hear is what comes from their mouth.  “they honor me with their mouth but their heart is far from Me”.  I wonder if it is our lack of spending time in knowing and understanding His word.  I wonder if we judge our walk by how others walk and in doing so we end up at a place where our faith is nothing more than words spoken.  This is a place where there is no heart deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God but rather just words stating it.  God sees our heart and knows our thoughts and intents.  Many will enter eternity and when standing before God will hear depart from Me for I never knew you.  Be mindful of what it means to be redeemed and to follow and obey Him with all your heart, mind and soul.