Tag: Knowledge

Fallow Ground

Hosea 10:12  Sow 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,

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.

Psalms 33:16    The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

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!”

Psalms 62:10     if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

Ecclesiastes 9:11    Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.

Charles Finney had some very good thoughts fallow ground

The expression, “Break up your fallow ground” – break off all your evil habits; clear your hearts of weeds, in order that they may be prepared for the seed of righteousness. Land was allowed to lie fallow that it might become more fruitful; but when in this condition, it soon became overgrown with thorns and weeds. The cultivator of the soil was careful, to clear the field of weeds, before sowing seed in it. So says the prophet, “Break off your evil ways, repent of your sins, cease to do evil, and then the good seed of the word will have room to grow and bear fruit.”

Hosea addresses them as a nation of backsliders, but uses words that farmers and shepherds are familiar with. He rebukes them for their idolatry and sharply warns them of the impending judgments of God.

Fallow ground is ground which has once been tilled, but has gotten hard and now lies waste. It needs to be broken up and made soft again, before it is ready to receive seed. If you mean to break up the fallow ground of your heart, you must begin by looking at your heart – examine carefully the state of your mind and see where you are. Many people never even seem to think about doing this. They pay no attention to their own hearts, and never know whether they are doing well in their walk with the Lord or not – whether they are bearing fruit or are totally barren. Now you must draw off your attention from all other things and look into Self-examination now!

Self-examination consists of looking at your life, considering your motives and actions

Sins of omission (things you didn’t do that you should have).

Unthankfulness.  where you have received great blessings and favors from God for which you have never given thanks.  Lack of Love for God. Think how grieved and alarmed you’d be, if you suddenly realized a great lack of affection for you in your wife, husband, or children – if you saw that someone else had captured their hearts, thoughts, and time.  Neglect of the Bible. God’s Word was not a pleasure to you. Unbelief.  Not believing God’s promises – in essence calling Him a liar Lack of Prayer. Neglect of Fellowship. When you have allowed yourself to make small and foolish excuses.  Lack of Watchfulness Over Your Witness. Neglect of Family Duties.  Neglect to Watch Over Your Brethren.  Neglect to Watch Over Your Brethren.

Sins of commission (Things you choose to do without regard to God’s word)

Love of Love of Things and Possessions.   Vanity.  Envy.  Bitterness.  Gossip.  Lying.  Cheating.  Robbing God. (time, money, heart, mind, soul)  Hypocrisy.  Anger.

Without searching our heart, mind, and soul with earnest desire to honor and glorify God, there will be weeds and thorns.  Our fallow heart must be made soft again to be planted afresh and reap fruit that honors and glorifies God.

I am sending you

Exodus 4:10   But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.

1 Corinthians 2:1-4     And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,  and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

2 Corinthians 11:6     Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

What is it that keeps us from proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.  Coming up with excuses is nothing new.  Note Moses when he said “they will not listen to me” and again when he said “I am slow of speech and of tongue”.  We can come up with all kinds of excuses not to do what the Lord has asked us to do.

John 15:16  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide,

John 20:21  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Luke 14:23  And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

Matthew 28:19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

Psalms 96:3  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

Acts 1:8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Knowing ourselves and what we think we are capable of, what we have done in the past, how we have failed and fallen short, how we listen to the doubt satan has put into our head, and not wanting to be rejected, all can lead us down an excuse path.  In reality it is just us with fear of not saying it right, not knowing it right, not knowing it good enough, and thinking we are not good enough and that if the good news message we proclaimed is rejected  we did it wrong or we will be perceived as foolish and weak.

Replace the thoughts that lead to excuses with promises and commands from scripture.  Beyond these you only need 3 seconds of courage to speak the first word of the Good New of Jesus Christ.  It is God who works in the hearts of mankind to soften it to hear the need of redemption and forgiveness of sin.  It is not how well we speak or know the entire bible.  It is not with eloquent words but by the simple truth and mighty work of God that a person comes to either believe or reject salvation – our calling is to proclaim the Good News.

“I am with you”

“I will never leave you”

“I chose you”

“I appointed you”

“You will receive power”

“I am sending you”

“Go and make disciples”

“Declare His glory”

“Compel people to come”

Sufficient in ourselves?

“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,”

Genesis 41:15  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

2 Kings 6:27     And he said, “If the LORD will not help you, how shall I help you?

Daniel 2:18-23     and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.  Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.  Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.  He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;  he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.  To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Daniel 2:28-30    but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:  To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.  But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Acts 3:12    And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?

Acts 14:14-15     “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

As a christian believer how many times a day do we think our accomplishments are the work of our strength, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding?  How many times do we look at the work of our hands and proudly claim it as such.  Are these not given to us by God?  Are they not given to us so that God is glorified and honored?

Me, myself, and I are always under the surface of our sinful nature trying to be first for praise, first for credit, first for acknowledgment.  We must be aware of this.

Placing Him first is a daily choice of the heart and mind.  It is a moment by moment choice.  Placing God first is a direct result of a desire to do so.  We would be hard pressed to keep Him first apart from daily seeking Him, needing to be fed by Him, wanting to honor and glorify Him, desiring to hear His whispers, and seeking to follow and obey Him.

It is not so much about reading His word every day (though this is always a good thing to do) but the want, need, desire to do so that will keep (me, myself and I) at bay.  “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”.  “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.”  “My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”  “my soul thirsts for you like a parched land”  “ My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.”  “my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning”

Good old age

Genesis 15:15  As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age.

Genesis 25:8     Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years,

Acts 13:36  For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers

Judges 2:10     And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.

Job 21:14     They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

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.”

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

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.

Isaiah 5:12     They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

Galatians 4:8-9     Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

Titus 1:16    They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

We know one thing for sure – we do not get out of this life alive.  How blessed to live to a ripe old age in peace.  There is a peace that passes all understanding that comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit and can only be understood when experienced first hand.  Though life may throw trials and trouble our way, peace is found in trusting God and putting it in His hands.

How sad would it be to go to your grave knowing that the next generation would not know God or that if they did know Him they would choose not to regard Him or righteous living to honor Him.  Sadder yet would be to know of Him and choose to disregard and neglect Him.

We are called to be a light – be that light, used by God, to encourage others to walk a life worthy of honor and glory to God.  Let it be on our head should we choose to neglect this calling from God of proclaiming salvation and the wondrous works of God.

Choices of others are not our responsibility but the choices we make are.  Complacently is a choice to lukewarmly follow God.  Be on guard of being so busy that God is but a second thought and  the peace, joy, power, strength and hope found in serving Him are not experienced, proclaimed and cherished.

Living for God is intentional

Genesis 6:11  Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.  And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

Genesis 7:1     Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 13:13     Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.

Ezekiel 8:17   Then he said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that they should fill the land with violence and provoke me still further to anger?

Hosea 4:1-2     Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;  there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Psalms 11:5    The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

Romans 2:13     For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Deuteronomy 6:3    Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

2 Chronicles 34:27    because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.

Deuteronomy 30:12-14     It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’  Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’  But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

James 2:21-25     Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;  and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.  You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

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

One would think that the more wrong a person sees being done that they would become more and more concerned about doing what is right.  Yet it seems as though the more we see and hear of wrong it just sets a new norm and dilutes and clouds and blinds us to what is right.

In the early 80’s I can remember an older pastor friend telling me that something troubled him.  He said that he had realized that the church (christians) always seemed to be 10 to 15 years behind what the culture was adopting.  What was not acceptable became questionable which became acceptable over time.

As a culture walks blindly further and further away from God, it seems to drag, pull and entice the church (individual christians) along the same path.  The path of what a life of humble service, heart honoring, mind and soul following, and heart deep obeying God, is over grown with false truth, false hope, and false behaviors.

What must happen to capture the hearts of individuals to keep pure to the truth of God’s word.  The serpent said it cleverly “did not God say…” using enough of God’s word to make sense of a lie and entice Adam and Eve to sin.  There are plenty in this world who can twist the word of God into lies and leave many questioning what is true and honorable in the sight of God.

How do we stay unpolluted from a culture that is running at warp speed away from God?  Reading His word with a heart like David when he said

“Search me, God, and know my heart;
 test me and know my anxious thoughts.
 See if there is any offensive way in me,
 and lead me in the way everlasting.”

With so much technology and immediate sharing of thoughts and ideas through media outlets, it is no wonder confusion to what is pure, holy, right and true happens.  One would think the easiest way to stop this downward spiral would be to get back to a simpler life without all of the technology.  History would tell us this is not true, for the heart of man seems to have always been set on satisfying self and denying God.

One would think that seclusion away from interference and influence of others who do not know God might help.  We only have to look at Adam and Eve,  Cain and Able, and the 40 years of God’s people in the wilderness to know that the heart of mankind, when yielded to, will choose to follow what is right in their own mind and for their own satisfaction whether for good or evil.

Choice has been given to each human.  This choice allows them determine to follow their sinful nature or to humbly submit to honoring, serving, following and obeying God.

Spend time in His word – live for Him – seek Him – desire Him – love Him -learn from Him – honor Him – follow Him – obey Him – listen to Him – worship Him – glorify Him – want to be lead by Him – Grow in knowledge and understanding of Him.

Living for self is natural.  Living for God is intentional.

I will give you a new heart

Psalms 119:33   Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.

Isaiah 54:13     All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.

John 6:45     It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

Job 28:28     And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

Proverbs 2:5-6     then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

John 7:17    If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

James 1:5    If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 3:13-18    Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Ezekiel 36:26-27     And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

God’s word profits the heart, mind, and soul of those who desire and seek to fully and humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God.  To others who reject it, it is nothing but a fairytale and those who desire and seek it are weak and powerless.

What is it that we want our children to know about life?  Do we want them to see the power of God through our lives? Or, do we want them to see?  A watered down version of luke warm service to Him.  A life that is neither hot nor cold for God?  A life without substance for Him?  A life that only comes to God when trouble or untimely circumstances arise?

Note the depth of the heart of this Palmist – “Teach me”   It is very hard to learn if you do not want to be taught.  It is even harder when you choose to believe the worldly understanding of what it means to follow God.

It seems as though the meaning of what a christian life should be continues to erode away.  When is the last time you heard “SIN” being talked about?  When is the last time  God was proclaimed as the LORD of your life?  When was the last time His word was hungered for knowledge and understanding of Him and not just for a quick refresher of His promises?  When was the last time He was spoken about freely, unhindered, unashamed?  When was the last time He was spoken about outside of the circle of church friends?

I was recently at a field trial and hunting dog training through the weekend with others from across the country.  12 of us and on Sunday morning the trainer calls us altogether out in front of the barn and begins to speak about His faith and what God has been doing in his life that morning.  His faith was not something that went back to some point in time and done, but rather was active and very real.  He spoke about how is heart and mind were in a very grouchy mood when he got an email from a friend who nearly died at his place a year ago.  He told us how God spoke to his heart about keeping things in perspective and to be thankful rather than grumpy or grouchy.

I tell you this because God was real in His life.  He wanted to be taught and he was listening for and to God.

Seek to be taught and choose to obey.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress

Psalms 112:6  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.

 Psalms 62:2    He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

 Psalms 62:6    He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

 Psalms 125:1   Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

 2 Peter 1:5-11    For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 Proverbs 10:7     The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

It is one thing to say God is my rock, my fortress, and I will not be shaken but, it takes great care to keep from being side tracked.  Sometimes we pray without trust in God and His plan, His purpose.  Our walk with Him will yield more peace, joy, hope, love, and rest if we would but fully trust in Him alone.  Christ prayed this way, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  For certain this life will throw us many trials and troubles.  Money, family, relationships, employment, etc…. will at sometime hit us hard.  It is in these times we find true peace and rest when it is in His hands.

Beginning of wisdom

“So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”

Psalms 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

 Job 28:28     And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

 Proverbs 9:10    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.  

 Proverbs 1:7    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

 Ecclesiastes 12:13     The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Psalms 1:3    He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

 Deuteronomy 4:6     Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

 2 Timothy 3:15-17    and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

 John 13:17     If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

I know “fear” can be misunderstood so I have copied this for a reference to help understand the meaning intended: “The Hebrew verb yare can mean “to fear, to respect, to reverence” and the Hebrew noun yirah “usually refers to the fear of God and is viewed as a positive quality. This fear acknowledges God’s good intentions (Ex. 20:20). … This fear is produced by God’s Word (Ps. 119:38; Prov. 2:5) and makes a person receptive to wisdom and knowledge (Prov. 1:7; 9:10)” (Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament, 2003, pp. 470-471”.    Without this reverence and respect for God, His word will be meaningless, His promises empty, His salvation rejected, and His purpose seems foolish.  Without this reverence and respect, our heart is hardened and though we may read or hear the word of God it will have no place to root in our heart.  Proverbs says the beginning of all wisdom is fear (reverence and respect) of the Lord.  The verses today speak of those who have this reverence and respect of God and those who do not.  Hold tight to this reverence and respect.  With this as a firm anchor in your life His word will have great impact and purpose in your life.

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.