Law – Page 7 – Praying Pint

Out of the heart of man

Psalms 119:113 I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

Psalms 94:11 the LORD—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.

Isaiah 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Jeremiah 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?

Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Double-minded people are people who know about God but are not fully determined to worship and serve him only. There are those who want both God and what the the world has to offer. They want all the benefits from God but without committing to Him with their whole life – every part of their life. They turn blind eye to their sin.

Being complacent in study of His word – leaves an opening to have wrong thoughts and understanding of what it means to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow and obey Him. Neglecting food from His word starves the soul of meaning and purpose of life, both this side of eternity and eternity forever.

How are we to gain knowledge and understanding of God without His word? How are we to know what pleases Him? How are we to know right from wrong, true and false, or pride, greed, selfishness – Sin! How are we to know what is pure, holy, and God honoring? How are we to know His plans and purpose? How are we to find hope, joy, peace, strength, refuge, courage? How are we to know what true love is?

Apart from His word in our lives we are left to the cunning warped thoughts of others and societies that embrace their folly. Just because the culture approves of certain laws and rights does not make it right before God. “Our ways are not His ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts.”

Paul said “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” James put it this way about a double minded person in their faith. “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Peter put it this way: “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, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 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.”

We should make no room for complacency and neglect of God’s word and the application of it in our lives.

Still not ready

Psalms 119:97 Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

“This is a pure song of praise. It contains no single petition, but is just one glad outpouring of the heart.” (Morgan)

The superficial Christian may read and understand and even, in an outward sense, obey the word of God. But only the spiritual man loves it; they live as if they could not live without it. To the superficial Christian it is a duty to satisfy the conscience; to the believer it is food and medicine, light and comfort – the word of God is life.

If one wants to, they can increase their love for God’s word. You can’t make yourself love something or someone; but you can cultivate love towards someone or something.

· Give it your time; set it before you constantly.

· Give it your attention and care; look after the word of God (it is my meditation all the day).

· Give it a truly listening ear.

· Give it your honor and your obedience.

· Give it your appreciation; value it for all the good it has done for you and be thankful for all that good.

· Give it your dependence and trust; let it care for you.

· Give it your praise; speak highly of it before others.

When we truly love someone, we don’t wish to change them. “You cannot bend the Bible to your mind; how much better it would be for you to bend your mind to the Bible, and to say, ‘O how I love thy law, – the doctrines of it, the precepts of it, the promise of it, the ordinances it enjoins upon me, the warnings it sets before me, the exhortations it gives me!’ Love the whole Bible from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, and be prepared even to die rather than to give up half a verse of it.” (Spurgeon)

“I beseech you to let your Bibles be everything to you. Carry this matchless treasure with you continually, and read it, and read it, and read it again and again. Turn to its pages by day and by night. Let its narratives mingle with your dreams; let its precepts color your lives; let its promises cheer your darkness, let its divine illumination make glad your life. As you love God, love this Book which is the Book of God, and the God of books, as it has rightly been called.” (Spurgeon)

“We may hear the wisest teachers and remain fools, but if we meditate upon the sacred word we must become wise. There is more wisdom in the testimonies of the Lord than in all the teachings of men if they were all gathered into one vast library. The one book outweighs all the rest.” (Spurgeon)

Boice tells a story about the life of Harry Ironisde, the pastor and author and Bible commentator. Ironside went to visit a man near death, suffering from tuberculosis. The man was almost dead and could barely speak. As Ironside spoke to him he asked, “Young man, are you trying to preach Christ, are you not?” Ironside said that he was, and the man replied: “Well, sit down a little, and let us talk together about the Word of God.” Then the man opened his Bible and spoke with Ironside until his strength was gone; he shared insights from the Bible that Ironside had not appreciated or even seen before. Ironside was stunned, and he asked the man: “Where did you get these things? Can you tell me where I can find a book that will open them up to me? Did you get them in seminary or college?” The old man replied: “My dear young man, I learned these things on my knees on the mud floor of a little sod cottage in the north of Ireland. There with my open Bible before me, I used to kneel for hours at a time and ask the Spirit of God to reveal Christ to my soul and to open the Word to my heart. He taught me more on my knees on that mud floor than I ever could have learned in all the seminaries or colleges in the world.”

The Bible is the description of our heavenly inheritance.

The Bible is the instruction manual for wise and blessed living.

The Bible is a telescope where we see the heavenly city that is our destination.

1 Corinthians 3:2 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. I gave you milk,not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still worldly.

His plan and purpose for our life

Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Psalms 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.

Psalms 94:12-13 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.

1 Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Hebrews 12:10-11 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

“I, for my part, owe more, I think, to the anvil and to the hammer, to the fire and to the file, than to anything else. I bless the Lord for the correctives of his providence by which, if he has blessed me on the one hand with sweets, he has blessed me on the other hand with bitters.” (Spurgeon)

“ ‘I never’ – said Luther – ‘knew the meaning of God’s word, until I came into affliction. I have always found it one of my best schoolmasters.’” (Bridges)

“Yet we must guard against the misunderstanding that seasons of affliction automatically make one better or godlier. Sadly, there are many who are worse from their affliction – because they fail to turn to God’s word for wisdom and life-guidance in such times.”

“Very little is to be learned without affliction. If we would be scholars we must be sufferers. . . . God’s commands are best read by eyes wet with tears.” (Spurgeon)

“By affliction God separates the sin which he hates from the soul which he loves.” (John Mason)

Even trouble can be good if we allow it to teach and grow us in wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the word of God and His holiness.

“the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.” It is a continuing change worked by God in us, freeing us from sinful habits and forming in us Christlike affections, dispositions, and virtues. It does not mean that sin is instantly eradicated, but it is also more than a counteraction, in which sin is merely restrained or repressed without being progressively destroyed. Sanctification is a real transformation, not just the appearance of one.”

“Regeneration is birth; sanctification is growth. In regeneration, God implants desires that were not there before: desire for God, for holiness, and for glorifying God’s name in the world; desire to pray and worship; desire to love and bring benefit to others. In sanctification, the Holy Spirit “works in you, both to will and to work” according to God’s purpose, enabling His people to fulfill their new, godly desires”

Finding God’s will and purpose for our life will take us on many paths of His choosing if we but desire to follow. Sometimes we can get a bit sideways and in looking for His plan and purpose we loose sight of Him. I know this seems a bit confusing but I recently heard it preached this way; Instead of asking God to show you His purpose and plan for you life first – Seek to know and understand Him more. Instead of putting your want for His plan and purpose for your life defined and laid out – Seek to honor, glorify, worship, and praise Him first. Seeking/desiring to know and understand more and more of His holiness with a heart, mind, and soul deep commitment to honor, glorify, worship, praise and serve Him will open our eyes to His plans and purpose.

Your promise gives me life

Psalms 119:49 Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD. Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.

The Psalmist understood that God could never forget His word. Speaking in the manner of men, this was a plea for God to fulfill the promises stated in His word. God wants His people to plead His stated promises back to Him in prayer. “This is, as Augustine said of his mother, ‘bringing before God his own hand-writing.’ Will he not remember his word?” (Bridges) “When we hear any promise in the word of God, let us turn it into a prayer. Spurgeon said that he often carried with him a small book of God’s promises (“Clarke’s Precious Promises”) “If God’s word to us as his servants is so precious, what shall we say of his word to us as his sons?” (Spurgeon)

The Psalmist understood that his trust and hope in God’s word should not be credited to his own spiritual greatness or genius. It came because God worked in him to hope in His word. The word of God is worthy of such hope. When recalled how faithfully and powerfully God’s word had brought him life in the past, he found comfort in his present affliction.

There is no specific prayer for help. Instead, there are “statements by the writer that he trusts what God has written in his law and will continue to love it and obey its teachings. It is a way of acknowledging that suffering is common to human beings.” (Boice)

All should remember that the word of God gives life, hope, comfort There was specific comfort in remembering Your judgments of old, O Lord. So we are comforted and strengthened in hope as we remember how God has dealt with men and circumstances in the past. “The grinning of the proud will not trouble us when we remember how the Lord dealt with their predecessors in bygone periods; he destroyed them at the deluge, he confounded them at Babel, he drowned them at the Red Sea, he drove them out of Canaan: he has in all ages bared his arm against the haughty, and broken them as potters’ vessels.” (Spurgeon)

Does it ever seem like you run to God’s word in time of need, trials, testing, trouble, and then when reflecting back on your life you see how you kept it at arms length in times of blessing? Does this even make sense to act this way?

Imagine a good friend who you reach out to in times of stress and trouble. They are always there for you and help comfort you through that time in your life. They make time for you. They listen to you. They encourage you. They help in many ways. Now fast forward to the other side of valley you have walked through. Times are better and you, with the help of your friend, are back on your feet again. What kind of person would we be considered if, at that point, we stop speaking to our helpful friend? What kind of person would just use this helpful friend in times of trouble and not in times of blessings?

Do we do this with God? Do we seem Him as an ATM with an unlimited “Help” card that we can use at will? He is worthy of so much more. He wants to be Lord of our life. He wants us to see His mighty hand, steadfast love, and awesome power in both times of trials and blessings. He wants us to willingly and with a longing heart want to hear His quiet small voice. He wants us to do His will. He wants us to trust His plan and purpose for our life.

If you are in a time of trial, turn to Him. If you are in a time of blessing, run faster to Him each day. In all things give thanks. At all times Honor God. Do not forget He is worthy of all praise, honor, glory with our absolute humble service and obedience – ALL OT THE TIME

Integrity of heart

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 101:2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

Psalms 119:106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Genesis 18:19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice

Deuteronomy 6:7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

1 Kings 11:4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

2 Chronicles 15:17 But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days.

Isaiah 38:3 and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

When David came to royal power, he didn’t say: “Now I can live the good life.” he said “I will ponder the way that is blameless. He understood that the sense of God’s presence was connected to obedience. 1 John 1:6-7: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. David understood life had to be real in his conduct within his own house. You must not gauge your worth by what the outside world thinks and says about you. David knew that one measure of a righteous life was what one chose to set before the eyes. There are many wicked things to set our eyes upon, and the lust of the eyes is a lure of this world. Keep your heart, mind and soul tuned to God’s word with a deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey. Learn to know the ways of God and purpose to choose to walk in them.

Attacks, Doubts, and Upheld

Psalms 94:12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Psalms 17:5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.

Psalms 38:16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!”

Psalms 119:116-117 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope. Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually!

Psalms 121:3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

1 Samuel 2:9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.

Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Peter 1:5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Have you ever been in a situation where it seems you are in way over your head with no way out? During times like this our mind is open to the lies of Satan. He speaks doubt, fear, panic, and hopelessness into our thoughts. He wants us in despair to keep us from trusting in, clinging to, and relying on God. Recognizing these attacks is essential. Last evening some of these thoughts were running through my head. I prayed “God please protect me from these thoughts and remove them”. He took them away as immediate as they came. Rest comes hard enough in times of trouble but in Him rest comes, peace floods, and our heart, mind and soul are refreshed. God is ever present, ever-loving, and can do more than we ask or can imagine.

Salvation came at a great cost

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

John 19:31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

1 John 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Zechariah 13:1 “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 3:5-7 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 John 1:6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

The crucifixion of Jesus had a single purpose: “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” This redemption came at the cost of His life and is to be understood, believed, and with a thankful and contrite heart trusted in, by faith, for the forgiveness of sin. What manner of person should we be in light of this act of mercy and grace? We ought to remember the sacrifice of Jesus and live in humble service to Him. Our mind should never lose thought of the cost He paid. Our lives should be lived out in thankfulness. In remembrance our thoughts and actions should bring honor and glory to Him. The first step in this honor is a heart and mind deep desire to know Him. We do this through actively reading and meditating on His word. Day by day in His word, with a willing heart and mind to be led, will yield a life that chooses to honor and glorify Him. Spend time in His word. Meditate on it. Listen for His whispers of guidance. Choose to life for His purpose and plans.

Clean hands and pure heart

“For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalms 85:9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Psalms 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psalms 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalms 119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.

Mark 12:32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Acts 11:13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’

Zechariah 2:5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Exodus 34:6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ

Romans 3:25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Guilty, iniquity, wicked, transgression, sin, do not seek, false, deceit, and unclean heart are all words used to describe the heart and condition of man without Christ. Now look at what scripture says of God and what is found through Christ to those who believe; good, steadfast love, salvation, faithfulness, righteousness, peace, clean hands, pure heart, thanksgiving, understanding, strength, saved, grace, truth, forgiven, and justified. Open your heart and mind to His word and seek Him in times of peace and trials. There is no other place to find truth, happiness, and hope for eternity.

Known God and unknown god

“O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”

John 4:19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

Isaiah 2:3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

2 Kings 17:27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the LORD. But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived.

Acts 17:23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

Zephaniah 3:16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Do you see the words of Jesus “You worship what you do not know”; and those of Paul “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” Do you ever think about how you perceive God? It is a direct reflection of what you know about Him. The words of Jesus and Paul are easy to understand for us and we would tend to interpret this is speaking to others who worship false gods and false religions. Is it possible that we may fall into this same category because we neglect knowledge of God. We hold on to a few verses and do not spend time in His word to know Him more. We give little to no time thinking about Him. We only seek Him for help rather than seeking to know how we might better worship, serve, honor, and obey Him. In essence worshiping a God we do not know. God gave us a precious recorded history so that by this and with a heart, mind, and soul, we might continually grow in knowing Him more and more each day.

The Price is Paid

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

“For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.”

Psalms 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Isaiah 48:22 “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Ezekiel 18:27 Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.

Isaiah 1:11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Jeremiah 7:4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.

Matthew 7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Romans 2:17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.

Psalms 25:14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

Psalms 78:36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.

Jesus Christ went to the cross to redeem all who would come to him, believe in him, and trust in his sacrifice for their sin. Scripture says “for the joy set before him” he willingly bore our sin to redeem us. We come to this saving grace knowledge not by words but by a God drawn, Spirit led, Christ redeemed changed heart. The price paid was God’s only son. The price paid was freely and willingly given for the single purpose of redeeming those who would turn to him, trust in him, believe in him, cling to him, and rely on him alone for salvation of their soul. This is the most important decision ever made this side of eternity. It determines eternity with him in heaven or being forever tormented in hell. The time for this decision is NOW. The urgency of this decision is NOW. Your eternal life depends on this NOW. Seek him while he may be found. Making this decision is never regretted now and for certain forever but not making it will certainly be regretted forever. There is no better time than Now to trust in, rely on, cling to and humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.