Honor – Page 2 – Praying Pint

35.d. “A prudent wife is from the LORD”

Genesis 2:18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Proverbs 18:22    He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.

1 Corinthians 11:11-12    Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.

Proverbs 19:14   House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

Hebrews 13:4    Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

A new and final need of man is stated. The Creator himself, in whose image he was made, had revealed himself to him in language. This, among many other effects, awakened the social affection. This affection was the index of social capacity. The first step towards communication between kindred spirits was accomplished when Adam heard and understood spoken language. Beyond all this God knew what was in the man whom he had formed. And he expresses this in the words, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” He is formed to be social, to hold converse, not only with his superior, but also with his equal. As yet he is but a unit, an individual. He needs a mate, with whom he may take sweet counsel. And the benevolent Creator resolves to supply this want. “I will make him a helpmeet for him” – one who may not only reciprocate his feelings, but take an intelligent and appropriate part in his active pursuits. “Barnes“

God, as her Father, brought the woman to the man, as his second self, and a help meet for him. That wife, who is of God’s making by special grace, and of God’s bringing by special providence, is likely to prove a help meet for a man. See what need there is, both of prudence and prayer in the choice of this relation, which is so near and so lasting. “Matthew Henry“

“Help meet,” which has become a recognized English word, fails to give the full sense of this passage from which it is derived. Man will find help from that which is in harmony with his own nature, and, therefore, able adequately to sympathize with him in thought and interests. It is not identity, but harmony, of character which is suggested. “Cambridge Bible“

The expression, “Help meet”indicates that the forthcoming helper was to be of similar nature to the man himself, corresponding by way of supplement to the incompleteness of his lonely being, and in every way adapted to be his co-partner and companion. All that Adam’s nature demanded for its completion, physically, intellectually, socially, was to be included in this who was soon to stand by his side. Thus in man’s need, and woman’s power to satisfy that need, is laid the foundation for the Divine institution of marriage, which was afterwards prescribed not for the first pair alone, but for all their posterity. “Pulpit Commentary“

God ordained man should be created first, and then the woman from the body of the man. By this the priority and superiority of the man, and the dependence of the woman upon the man, are established as an ordinance of divine creation. This ordinance of God forms the root of that tender love with which the man loves the woman as himself, and by which marriage becomes a type of the fellowship of love and life, which exists between the Lord and His Church. “Keil and Delitzsch “

Men thought ages have certainly perverted this which was ordained to be a holy union into a self-serving relationship of Master and servant rather than husband and wife. Men and women alike have perverted their God-given roles and purpose. All of this foolishness about transgender, homosexuality, gay pride, and lesbianism that is being discussed, promoted, and approved by cultures and societies is not of God nor of God’s purpose for mankind. Any confusion about this comes from arguments made by men to justify their sin and rejection of God. Scripture is more than clear on God’s plan and purpose for men and women, male and female. Rest assured perversion of this is all of man’s doing and has no hand of God in it.

34.z. “They shall not enter my rest.”

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Exodus 20:11    For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 23:12   “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.

Exodus 31:17    It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

Deuteronomy 5:14  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

Isaiah 58:13   “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;

Hebrews 4:4-10   For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.”  And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”  Since therefore it remains for some to enter it,six days and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,  again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”  For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.  So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,  for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Colossians 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

God did not need rest on the seventh day because He was tired. He rested to show His creating work was done, to give a pattern to man regarding the structure of time (in seven-day weeks), and to give an example of the blessing of rest to man on the seventh day. God sanctified the seventh day because it was a gift to man for rest and replenishment, and most of all because the Sabbath is a shadow of the rest available through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Though we are free from the legal obligation of the Sabbath, we dare not ignore the importance of a day of rest. God has built us so we need one. But we are also commanded to work six days. “He who idles his time away in the six days is equally culpable in the sight of God as he who works on the seventh” (Clarke). In our modern world of four or five-day workweeks and generous vacation time, surely more “leisure time” can be given to the work of the LORD. The description of each other day of creation ended with the phrase, so the evening and the morning were the… day. However, this seventh day of creation does not have that phrase. This is because God’s rest for us isn’t confined to one literal day. In Jesus, God has an eternal Sabbath rest for His people. (Guzik)

“God, having completed His work of creation, rests, as if to say, ‘This is the destiny of those who are My people; to rest as I rest, to rest in Me.’” (Boice)

The seventh day is distinguished from all the preceding days by being itself the subject of the narrative. In the absence of any work on this day, the Eternal is occupied with the day itself, and does four things in reference to it. First, he ceased from his work which he had made. Secondly, he rested. By this was indicated that his undertaking was accomplished. When nothing more remains to be done, the purposing agent rests contented. The resting of God arises not from weariness, but from the completion of his task. He is refreshed, not by the recruiting of his strength, but by the satisfaction of having before him a finished good. (Barnes)

God rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had made: not as though weary of working, for the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, nor is weary, Isaiah 40:28 but as having done all his work, and brought it to such perfection, that he had no more to do; not that he ceased from making individuals, as the souls of men, and even all creatures that are brought into the world by generation, may be said to be made by him, but from making any new species of creatures; and much less did he cease from supporting and maintaining the creatures he had made in their beings, and providing everything agreeable for them, and governing them, and overruling all things in the world for ends of his own glory; in this sense he “continues working”, as Christ says, John 5:17. (Gill)

There was holy perfection in what God created, even the day of rest assured and promised to it. Before Sin entered the world there was a blessed rest that comes from God. Man will never find this rest on their own though they may cease the work of their hands and find sleep easy and refreshing. This rest is for the body and seeking rest that is for and deep into the soul of man. It is in this rest we find purpose, peace, joy, and hope. This perfect rest is found in Jesus Christ and through our complete trust, reliance, belief, and obedience in Him alone. We may try hard to find rest for our weary souls by “sleeping” but though we may sleep we wake with anxiousness, confusion, anger, and fear. Why? – Our souls still hunger for the “rest” that only Jesus Christ can fulfill.

34.q. “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out”

Matthew 26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Romans 7:18-20 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

What can a person do when they have intentionally chosen to do that which they have said they would not? Some may deny the act or give it no thought. Its significance of it to them is like a passing of a gust of wind, they felt it but give it no thought. They may even give an excuse for it – I had no choice, I was just following the crowd, it wasn’t my idea, it really isn’t that bad, It didn’t adversely affect anyone else, no one saw me do it, etc…….. People like this may come to a place where they are sorry but never come to a place where they repent.

There are then those who become aware of the fact that they did exactly what they said they would not. Their heart is ripped in two and their sorrow is soul deep. Oh, that we would have hearts so tender as to be broken easily for the sins we commit. How sad is it if you are not aware of the sins you are committing? If our sole purpose in this life on this side of eternity is to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, then being aware of how we may be falling short would be a good thing to know and repent of. Having a tender heart that is open at all times to the leading and correcting Spirit of God will always lead us down paths of growth, maturity, grace, love, mercy, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding – And yes, it will lead us down paths of repentance if we would.

Our strength is not in ourselves but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

35. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 22:26-27    But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.  For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Galatians 5:13   For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Philippians 2:5-8    Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Psalms 138:6    For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Proverbs 15:33   The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16:18-19    Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.  It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

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.

And whosoever shall exalt himself,…. Above his fellow Christians, or fellow ministers, by entertaining too high an opinion of himself, by boasting of his gifts, as preferable to others, and as if he had not received them; by assuming, or eagerly coveting titles of honour among men, or by affecting honour that do not belong to him, or, abusing what he has: “shall be abased”; or humbled by God, or men, or both; such shall lose the honour they have, and come greatly short of what they are ambitious of; they shall fall into disgrace with men, and are abominable in the sight of God: “and he that shall humble himself”; by entertaining low thoughts, and a mean opinion of himself, behaving modestly among men; not being elated with his gifts, but acknowledging that they are owing to the grace and goodness of God; and using them in an humble manner, for, the advantage of others; not coveting honour from men, nor lifted up with what is conferred on him: “shall be exalted”; by God, or men, or both; if not in this world, yet in the world to come: and indeed, generally speaking, such modest, humble, persons, are most esteemed among men; and God gives more grace unto them, and will at last give them glory. This is a saying, often used by our Lord on different accounts, both with respect to his disciples, for their instruction, and with regard to the scribes and Pharisees, for their embarrassment and humiliation. (Gill)

Normally, people estimate greatness by how many people serve and honor them. Jesus reminded His followers that in His kingdom it should be different, and that we should estimate greatness by how we serve and honor others. (Guzik)

Humbleness can be something that eludes the hearts of many in a high position of responsibility, authority, and power. Some may even, under the guise of serving and protecting, yield to pride and wield their authority and power in such ways that harm the people they are supposed to serve. They will find a reason to listen to false data, choose to deny facts, and succumb to their own pride-filled hearts while forcing others to their will. This false servitude is discernible by God and to Him, they will answer on the day of judgment. Their own pride-filled hearts guide them down destructive paths. The problem is that many will blindly follow these people and condemn those who do not. Even with a humble heart, a person can say, no to the wishes of these people filled with hunger and desire for authority, power, and pride.

We do well to have the eyes to our hearts and minds filled with discernment that only the Holy Spirit can give and use this discernment in humble boldness to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy, and love.

34. “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Matthew 17:24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Matthew 3:15    But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

Matthew 22:21   They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Romans 13:6-7    For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.  Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

This was a tribute or payment of a peculiar kind, being half a shekel, (that is, about fifteen pence,) which every master of a family used to pay yearly to the service of the temple: to buy salt, and little things not otherwise provided for. It seems to have been a voluntary thing, which custom, rather than any law, had established. Peter is asked for this tax and he is going to ask Jesus about it, but Jesus spoke first. “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” Do they ask of this tax from people belonging to their family or of people not belonging to their family? The obvious answer is, of those not belonging to their family. This tax was for the purpose of the use of the house of God – the temple. Jesus being the Son of God would therefor be free from any obligation of paying this tax. Rather than give these people occasion to say He was disposing the temple and its service, and as well teaching His disciples to do the same, He sends Peter on a fishing trip.

How illustrious a degree of knowledge and power did our Lord here discover! Knowledge penetrating into this animal, though beneath the waters; and power, in directing this very fish to Peter’s hook, though he himself was at a distance! How must this have encouraged both Peter and his brethren in a firm dependance on Divine Providence! “Jesus chose to provide this tribute-money by a miracle, either because the disciple who carried the bag was absent, or because he had not as much money as was necessary. Further, he chose to provide it by this particular miracle, rather than any other, because it was of such a kind as to demonstrate that he was the Son of the Great Monarch worshipped in the temple, who rules the universe. Wherefore, in the very manner of his paying this tax, he showed Peter that he was free from all taxes; and at the same time gave his followers this useful lesson, that, in matters which affect their property in a smaller degree, it is better to recede somewhat from their just rights, than, by stubbornly insisting on them, to offend their brethren, or disturb the state.” — Macknight.

33.c. “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards”

Mat 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 13:53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Matthew 11:6   And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Isaiah 53:3    He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Mark 6:3    Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Luke 7:23     And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

John 6:42    They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

1 Corinthians 1:23-28  but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

A miracle conception, humble birth, the Son of God, with brothers and sisters of a carpenters family, in a small village of little recognition, Nazareth and spoken of by prophets is where Jesus seems to have the same type of rejection as was from the Jewish leaders. Their unbelief limited the mighty works that He had done in other villages. They were offended that He was teaching them as one with authority, wisdom, and understanding. They could only see Him as Jesus the son of Joseph and Mary. Who was He to come back home and proclaim things of God?

Rejection of Jesus results in a continuation of life without Him. Many think life is fine this way and they close their ears and eyes to things of God. Like these people from His hometown who rejected Him personally are those who now continually reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They say it is a made-up story, a fairytale. They seem to have made up their minds and become firmer and firmer in their rejection of the Son of God. They find no value and purpose in Jesus in their lives.

To those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, He is more than just the Son of God. He is their redeemer, friend, power, strength, joy, peace, courage, and rest. He gives them life, a life more abundant and purposeful. He has given them hope of eternal life. He gives them strength to face all trials and troubles because He said He would never leave them or forsake them. He gives them peace that passes all understanding. He gives them light in a dark and lost world. He guides their paths through this life. He has promised that He will be with them forever and ever. Though He cannot be seen, He is more real than what we can see and touch. He is able to redeem the vilest and lost person and give that person new life. How can anyone reject Jesus Christ and the gospel of redemption, salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life? We do well to remember to honor and glorify the Son of God, Jesus, in all we say, think and do.

30.p. “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 5:2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Job 42:6  therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Psalms 34:18    The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Proverbs 16:19    It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Psalms 51:17    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Isaiah 66:2   All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Proverbs 29:23   One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

James 2:5   Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

Jesus had been teaching and healing every disease and demon possession. There were multitudes following Him and he goes up onto a mountain, sits down, the disciples come, and begins to teach them. We know this first part of the teaching to be the beatitudes. Someone has said that it is more like “Be – Attitudes” the attitudes every believer should “be.” It has been said if you took all the good advice for how to live ever uttered by any philosopher or psychiatrist or counselor, took out the foolishness and boiled it all down to the real essentials, you would be left with a poor imitation of this great message by Jesus. It expresses the spiritual implications of the rule of Jesus in our lives and tells us how we will live when Jesus is our Lord. All of these character traits are marks and goals of all Christians. It is not as if we can major in one to the exclusion of others. Blessings which have its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and changes of life.” (Barclay) “Note, also, with delight, that the blessing is in every case in the present tense, a happiness to be now enjoyed and delighted in. It is not ‘Blessed shall be,’ but ‘Blessed are.’” (Spurgeon)

The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual “assets.” They know they are spiritually bankrupt. “Not what I have, but what I have not, is the first point of contact, between my soul and God.” The call to be poor in spirit is placed first for a reason, because it puts the following commands into perspective. They cannot be fulfilled by one’s own strength, but only by a beggar’s reliance on God’s power. No one mourns until they are poor in spirit; no one is meek towards others until he has a humble view of himself. If you don’t sense your own need and poverty, you will never hunger and thirst after righteousness; and if you have too high a view of yourself, you will find it difficult to be in need of salvation through Jesus Christ. If we were to be able to examine our souls in light of the holiness of God we would find our hearts so far removed from God that our only true response would be an attitude poor in spirit. We would see the huge difference and no possible means to gain it. We would be left void of any self-reliance and worth. All of our earthly treasures would vanish away in meaningless vapors. It is when we come to this “poor in spirit” in our lives that we begin to understand the mystery of salvation and the need for redemption.

30.o. “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul”

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

1 Peter 1:7   so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Psalms 42:11   Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Hebrews 6:12    so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:18 we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul

There is so much misunderstanding in the Christian world today about what faith is. Most people think faith is believing that God will do what they want Him to do. They think, “If I can just believe intently enough, then I will get that promotion, or God will heal my sickness, or He will save my marriage.” “Faith extends beyond what we learn from our senses, and the author is saying that it has its reasons. Its tests are not those of the senses, which yield uncertainty.” Faith has its reasons. The Bible doesn’t recommend a “blind leap” of faith. But the reasons can’t be measured in a laboratory; they have to be understood spiritually. Faith does not contradict reason, though it may go beyond reason. One may objectively prove the Bible is the most unique book ever published and has impacted society more than any other book. But only faith can prove that the Bible is the Word of God. Therefore, this is a belief beyond reason but not in contradiction to reason or against reason. Faith is not a bare belief or intellectual understanding. It is a willingness to trust in, to rely on, and to cling to. By faith we can wait on God for His perfect purpose in our lives. By faith we can surrender our requests before God and allow His will to be done. By faith we have assurance that God is in control and He exceeds our imagination in power, might, love, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. By faith we should want what God wants. By faith we have reason for hope. By faith we live so that all we say, think, and do honors and glorifies Jesus Christ. Surely God is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. By faith we find a peace and rest that passes all understanding.

28.x. “For all the nations of the world seek after these things”

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

2 Samuel 22:7   “In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.

Micah 7:7  But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Deuteronomy 8:3-4   And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Psalms 112:5-9   It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.  For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.  His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.  He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.

Luke 12:30-33  For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

1 Timothy 6:17   As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

What we want and what we need are two separate thoughts. What we want can turn us toward what we need, or it can keep us away from what we need. If we want (desire, hope for, set one’s heart on, long for, crave, cry out for) redemption, salvation, forgiveness, understanding, wisdom, and knowledge of God’s mercy, grace, and love in Jesus Christ, our want is in line with what we need. It is in this ever-growing and continually growing want that our need is fulfilled. Our lives become a light in the darkness. Our thoughts, words, and actions repeatedly honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

If however, we want (desire, hope for, set one’s heart on, long for, crave, cry out for) things of this world our wants will not give us what we need. These wants will lead us down paths of loneliness, selfishness, self-reliance, self-worth, proud, greedy, fear, anger, coveting, anxiousness, and confusion. We end up chasing after and wanting satisfaction and find neither.

I think we get confused on wants and needs. The world will try to tell us what we need and if we acquire what it offers we will find our needs fulfilled. It is a lie. What this world has to offer will never fill the void in our hearts and minds that only God can fill. Can you imagine what our lives would be like if we would truly wanted to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do?

26.d. “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own”

Galatians 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Mark 6:6     And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Psalms 106:13    But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

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,

Jeremiah 2:12-13     Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD,  for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Romans 10:3   For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

1 Peter 1:15     but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

2 Peter 1:3    His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

Someone brought this false gospel to the Galatians. False gospels don’t just happen. People bring them, and the people who bring them may be sincere and have a lot of charisma. It is not as though these deceivers make are proclaiming a new or different Savior. They twist the Gospel and its pure message into something different and that seems true.

The gospel offends our sinful nature of self-pride. It tells us we need a savior, and that we cannot save ourselves. It gives no credit to us at all for our salvation. The gospel offends our sinful nature of self-wisdom. It saves us by something many consider foolish. Third, the gospel offends our sinful self-knowledge. It tells us to believe something which goes against scientific knowledge and personal experience.

There is so much more to being a Christian than knowing about God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Knowing about something does not mean you believe in it, you just know about it. There is a big difference. When the gospel of Jesus Christ is watered down and diluted to the point where you can think that by doing something other than believing in, trusting on, clinging to, and relying on Jesus Christ alone, you are ignorant of the righteousness of God, and will seek to establish their own, not submitting to God’s righteousness.