Tag: into your hand

2.c. You did not rely on the Lord your God

2 Chronicles 16:1  In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king’s house and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying, “There is a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and let his work cease. Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built Geba and Mizpah.

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. 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. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time.

We can learn so much from this about God and our natural intents.  Here is Asa a man who was wholly true to God and when he needed help he went to man, not God.  He trusted in his own wisdom and cunning to overcome the issue at hand and it worked.  I doubt he even knew he walked down a path apart from God until the seer spoke to him.  It is never good for us to walk apart from God.  It is always good to seek God in decisions we are thinking about making.

Look at Asa’s reaction.  He was angered, retaliatory, and mean spirited.  He did not even seek the Lord for his physical problem.  We all have to be mindful of our ability to become neglectful and complacent with our service and honor to God.  One day, one decision, one moment away from the presence of God and we can take a path away from Him.  Paul told us to be on guard and to put on our whole armor for each day will be a battle with self.  We are to renew our mind each day.  We are to study His word and be a workman approved by Him.  We are to open the door of our heart and mind to Him every single moment of each day.  We are to seek and desire Him more and more each day.  We are to grow in this knowledge and understanding each day.  We are to confess our sins each day.  We are to live by faith each day.  We are to desire to hear Him speak into our life each day.  We are to seek to honor and glorify Jesus each day.  We are to deny self each day.  We are to forgive each day. We are to be generous each day.  We are to keep our eyes focused on Him each day.

Be mindful of how easy it is to trip, slip, and drift away from God.  It is never God drifting away.  It is always us when we do not keep a daily intentional choice to live to humbly honor, serve, glorify, follow, trust, and obey Him.

Walk Blameless

“I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,”

Genesis 14:17  After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)  And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;  and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.  And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.”  But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth,  that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’  I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

1 Kings 13:8     And the man of God said to the king, “If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place,

2 Kings 5:16     But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

Walking blameless before God.  In a  society and culture there are obviously insights to what is right and wrong gained through childhood and youth depending on the influence of others.  When a generation takes a small step away from God it is not long before the next takes steps so far away that God no longer is given thought.  What was taught to children as truth from parents, teachers, society and culture can erode fast when honoring and living for God is looked at as a threat to society.  Enlightenment and teaching of liberal worldly wisdom  as truth and God as false hope for the weak has to certainly confuse impressional minds of the young.  How is the next generation to have hope of walking blameless if they are not given guidance while they are young so that in the time of choices they choose to walk blameless before God not man. There are many wide paths and worldly lies, and false or partial truths – none of which will guide a person to humbly walk before God.

In our life of choices we undoubtedly will find ourselves in situation where we choose to take a stand and walk blameless or follow others.  It will never end well when we follow those with worldly wisdom and speak of things of God as though they are not.

It takes daily desire and commitment to walk and live a life of faith with and for God.   Walking blameless is not so much about do’s and don’ts, but rather loving God and serving Him, honoring Him, following Him, obeying Him and glorifying Him by what we say, think and do.   It is out of humble thankfulness of salvation, redemption, grace, mercy, and Love through Jesus Christ we choose to live a life to serve and honor God.

They follow Me

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

“Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.”

Joh 9:1  As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.  And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Ecclesiastes 9:1    But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God.

Luke 13:2    And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Acts 4:21     And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

Proverbs 16:3    Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

Isaiah 26:12     O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.

As much as we want to think we are in control and have it altogether, we do not.  We make plans, we do this and that many times without giving God a second thought.  While living this side of eternity our culture can convince us we don’t need God everyday.  In fact we might not even give Him a thought.  Satan would love nothing greater than to have us neglect God and become complacent in our walk with Him.  Our purpose is to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Him.  With this our purpose this side of eternity how is it possible if we neglect to seek Him, desire Him, listen for His whispers of guidance, and spend time in His word.  It is not possible and without placing God first in all we do, all the time, we live a lie serving only ourselves.  How do we encourage others in their walk if we do not start first with all our heart, mind and soul seeking Him.  Spend time in His word and listen for His whispers of guidance.

I have found a ransom

“What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?”

“His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom;”

“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 if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Psalms 49:15  But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

Psalms 31:5    Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

Psalms 56:13    For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Hosea 13:14    I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death.

Revelation 14:13   And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Psalms 16:10  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

Psalms 86:13   For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

It is clear that those who are redeemed by his might, mercy, and grace will not see the death reserved for all mankind – Sheol(Hell).  The question is asked – “What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?” No man can live and not see death.  This is our end.  But the question more important is who can deliver us from hell?  What are the requirements for this deliverance?  That too is clear.  Believe in the redemption in and through Christ.  Too many stop at this and say I believe but there is no deliverance in the way they live other than going to church once per week.  They are consumed by the things this world has to offer and so easily lose sight of humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following, and obeying God each day.  Little time is spent in His word, meditating on it, or listening to Him speak through His word into their heart, mind, and soul.  Ask yourself how much do you want God into your daily life.  if the answer is more – then commit to spend more time in His word and living each day as He directs.