Tag: leading

34.p. ” In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe”

 

Hebrews 11:6    And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

 Hebrews 3:12     Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

 Hebrews 4:2    For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

 Hebrews 4:6   Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,

 Revelation 21:8   But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur

 Numbers 14:11    And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

 John 3:18-19   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 this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

 Psalms 78:22   because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

 Psalms 78:32    In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.

 Proverbs 11:18     The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

 Jeremiah 29:13-14   You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD,

Brethren, we call ourselves Christians; let us be honest with ourselves, and rigid in the investigation of the thoughts of our own hearts. Is there a wish for God there? Is there an aching void in His absence, or do we shovel cartloads of earthly rubbish into our hearts, and thus dull desires that can be satisfied only with Him? These are not questions to which any one has a right to expect an answer from another; they are not questions that any Christian man can safely shirk answering to himself and to God. The measure of our seeking is actually settled by the measure of our desire. (MacLaren)

Having one eye of our hearts and minds tuned into and seeking and desiring what the world has to offer, and having the other eye turned toward heaven will not find a place for things of God. The things of earth will eat away any desire and seeking that our hearts and minds would have for things of God. Whatever this world may shout loud and strong into the ears of any who would listen will influence their path in life and hinder any things of God from being heard or seen. The heart of man must want to see and hear things of God above what this world has to offer or they will blindly and deafly follow after what seems right in their own eyes and social norms. 

Seek to have God open His Word and give you understanding, knowledge, and wisdom of His grace, mercy and love.

Hope in weakness

“Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge”

“For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Psalms 31:1   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!  For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

Romans 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Isaiah 49:23  Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

Proverbs 22:17  Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

2 Samuel 22:3  my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

Psalms 71:3  Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Jeremiah 14:7   “Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.

2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Timothy 2:24  And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

At the time we are asking God to be our refuge, fortress, strength, power, rock, savior, shield, and come speedily to our rescue we also have to know too that His power is made perfect in our weakness.  It is in this weakness we find hope.  This hope comes to us as we finally get to a place where we have exhausted all of our own efforts to see that what we are facing is much bigger and complex than we can have influence on.  I recently heard a person say “I finally turned it over to God, and when I did I had this peace come over me.  I am fine with whatever comes”.  Why is it we are slow to bringing it to God and quick to try to keep it in our own power?  We don’t find peace in our own power do we.  It is only when we have surrendered it fully to God do we find hope, peace and rest.