Hope in His steadfast love

3.s. But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

Ezra 8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

2 Chronicles 16:9    For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him

Psalms 33:18-19   Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,  that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

1 Peter 3:12    For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.

Zephaniah 1:6    those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.”

Hebrews 10:38    but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Faith in action. It takes a very close humble walk with God to have this kind of faith, where you are ashamed to ask for protection from the king, who is more than willing and able to supply the protection, because in your heart you know God is more protection, more powerful, more awesome, and no one can defeat what He has put into motion. I am reminded once again of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they told the king that our God is able to protect us from your threat, but even if He does not we will not bow down and worship your image. Ezra is saying about the same thing when he purposed not seek the king’s help and protect but chose faith in God. He was ashamed to have even thought the thought of asking the King.

If we were true to ourselves and asked how many times do we seek help outside of seeking and trusting God, what would that number be? Trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation is a little easier as there is no other savior who can save us. However, when we come down to living out our daily lives and see we can get help outside of asking Jesus we easily turn toward a non-faith, non-Jesus, solution. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Our faith will only mature as we grow closer to Jesus. Our closer walk with Jesus will only mature when we spend time in His word. Time in His word will only mature when we intentionally/daily commit with our whole heart, mind, and soul to humble service, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, trusting, and obeying Him. Our maturity will then happen line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. When we see Jesus Christ as our all in all for every moment of every day we will begin to grow and mature in our faith.

3.m. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love

Ezra 5:1 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?” They also asked them this: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.

2 Chronicles 16:9   For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

Psalms 32:8    I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Psalms 33:18    Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

1 Peter 3:12   For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Psalms 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

There are always going to be those in opposition to the work, plans, and purposes of God. They cry foul, make accusations, and try hard to stop this work. God’s word is full of examples of men in opposition. They only succeed when it is in God’s plan and for His purpose. Sometimes it is for our testing so that we know what is in our heart. Other times it is in God’s wrath to the fallen and deliberate hardened heart of those who choose to be neglectful and complacent in their walk with Him.

When we are faced with opposition let our eyes, ears, heart, mind, and soul be focused and trusting in God. Praise and trust in His promises of steadfast love, power, strength, refuge, peace, and rest. Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

We are never alone. God’s eyes are always on us.

107. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes.

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Psalms 147:10-11     His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man  but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Isaiah 55:8-9     For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Peter 3:4    but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

John 7:24     Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

1 Kings 8:39    then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind),

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

Proverbs 16:2     All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.

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.”

Hebrews 4:13     And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Revelation 2:23    And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Appearances can deceive. They can fool us into thinking someone is upright, truthful, kind, nice, and patient. We can look at the wrong thing(s) and see something that is not there. How they dress, how they talk, where they live, what they drive, and the places they go can all give us a false impression. We think this gives us a pretty good look at their worth. The problem with this mindset of assessing people this way is that it can also be a way that we look at ourselves and be deceived about our walk with God. We can look at prosperity, health, position, and think we are right with God because of what we have and forget to look at our heart, mind, and soul. God looks at our heart, our intentions, and our thoughts. Do not be deceived Gal 6:7 “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.”

The word of God speaks about the things that lead us astray, like, fleshly desires, pride, lust, greed, and lack of desire for humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Jesus Christ. It is very hard to humbly serve and follow someone with whom you spend little time. It is hard to change a pattern of worldly thoughts if there is nothing there to replace them. The word of God is active and can be active in our heart and mind if we would just spend time with it.

Charles Pope: OK, clear enough? Do not be deceived; do not be carried away or carried off by errors or by the sinful lies of this present evil age. As St. Paul says elsewhere, Test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess 5:21-22). Yes, square everything with the Word of God in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Know the catechism; know your faith. Know the true Lord, the real Jesus of Scripture (not the fake Jesus of convenience). Test everything, everything by these standards. Do not be deceived.

For the preacher, the teacher and the parent comes this instruction from St. Paul: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ²preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. ³For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, ⁴and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. ⁵

Knowing God is not the same as knowing of Him

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

Psalms 139:14-16 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Psalms 92:4-5 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Psalms 100:3 Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalms 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.

Ecclesiastes 7:29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

“The workings of the human body are stunning in their design and execution. We know far more than David ever did about how we are made, and it should make us full of more awe and praise than David ever had.”

“If we are marvelously wrought upon even before we are born, what shall we say of the Lord’s dealings with us after we quit his secret workshop, and he directs our pathway through the pilgrimage of life? What shall we not say of that new birth which is even more mysterious than the first, and exhibits even more the love and wisdom of the Lord.” (Spurgeon)

Knowing of God and knowing God is very different. Knowing of Him gives no personal relationship. It gives no understanding of His steadfast mercy, grace and love. It gives no secure place of refuge, hope, peace, joy, or rest. It keeps God at arms distance. It falsely allows us to form our own thoughts on what is right, wrong, good, bad, and possibly thinking we can do something to earn His favor. Knowing of God keeps a void filled with uncertainty and no fulfilling meaning or purpose in life .

Knowing of God keeps a void.Know God gives hope, peace, holy desire, joy, refuge, healing, forgiveness, love, kindness, gentleness, strength, encouragement, power, patience, growing faith, desire to know and understand Him and His plans and purposes in life, and desire to hear His quiet whispers of leading. Knowing God fills the void with absolute assurance and, through faith, a much deeper and fulfilling purpose in life.

He has given us His word so that by it and through it we gain a basic understanding of how awesome, glorious, majestic, merciful, gracious, loving, and all knowing His is. It gives us wisdom into the work of His hands.

Choose to know Him. Desire and seek to know Him. Commit to know Him. He stands at the door of our heart, mind, and soul wanting for us to open it and ask Him in. Your life will never be the same.

Joy & Sorrow

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. “

Psalms 13:1
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Jude 1:21
Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

Isaiah 12:2
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Psalms 147:11
but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Habakkuk 3:18
yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Psalms 119:81
My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.

Psalms 36:7
How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

“I hope in your word”. What have you read in God’s word lately that gives you hope, a place of joy, a refuge, trust, and a reason to rejoice? God’s word says He gives “perfect peace to those whose mind is stayed on Him”. His word is a place we can run to in times of trouble and find peace, hope, joy, strength, mercy, grace, and love. Yet, would’t it be better to have these words in our heart and mind already? Wouldn’t it be better for us to be clutching these promises while in the beginning of our trial rather than searching for something to hang on to? Wouldn’t it be better to have these anchored so that when we encounter someone hurting we can be used by God to encourage them? Purpose to keep His word alive in your heart and mind each day. Always be ready to give account for the faith and hope you have be given in His word.