Life – Page 3 – Praying Pint

28.s. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”

Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalms 29:11   May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!

Isaiah 26:3   You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you

Psalms 85:8   Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.

Isaiah 48:18    Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;

Luke 1:79   to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

John 14:27   Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Romans 5:1   Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:6     For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

2 Thessalonians 3:16    Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Peace of mind. How people are able to rise above fear, worry, anxiousness, confusion, hatred, and anger? Everywhere we turn we are bombarded with fear, worry, anger, confusion by mainstream media news outlets and various social media outlets. They tell us what we should be fearful of. They tell us who to hate. They tell us we should be angry. They tell us we should be anxious. They tell us we should worry and what to worry about. These are all from the voice of those in darkness, without hope, and under the influence of Satan’s lies and deceitful deceptions. This is what this world has to offer. It truly is a shame when Christians are influenced by these worldly thoughts. Paul is saying our lives will have trials and troubles and when we are blindsided our practiced response should be in humble prayer to God. Why? Because we trust, rely on, and have faith in God, the Creator, All-Powerful, All-knowing, and All-capable, Holy, Loving, Merciful and full of Grace… God. There is a peace that passes all understanding. It can be found nowhere else but in God. And yet, Christians buy into the fear, worry, anxiousness, confusion, anger, and hate seemingly without one thought of God. Have we drifted so far from Him that we have lost the ability to have peace in our lives? It is shameful to hear some of the thoughts and witness some of the actions Christians are doing. Is God ever limited? Is anything beyond the control of God? Do we even believe in the power of God? This world will offer many things to convince us where we can find peace. It will tell us to listen and to follow them down paths with the promise of peace. When we allow ourselves to be influenced more by the world than by trust, reliance, and faith in God we are walking in darkness on a slippery slope of false hope that will lead to great grief, worry, fear, anxiousness, and certainly no peace. We replace what God is able to do in our lives with false hope in what the world has to offer. Does this make any sense? Will we ever find peace for our hearts, minds, and souls apart from God? Will God give peace to those who trust in and make peace with what the world has to offer. Oh that our eyes were more on the heavenly, holy, and eternal rather than on lies and deceptions the world proclaims. God is not limited in anything. He is more than able to carry us through this life and into eternity with peace of mind no matter what occurs in this life. It is by intentional faith, trust, reliance, and obedience in Jesus Christ there is the hope of salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life. This is the beginning and completion of where we find and experience true peace.

28.p. “Practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Matthew 6:25-33 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

It is not easy to stay away from falling into the trap of anxiousness. It sneaks up on us and floods our hearts and minds with all sorts of fear, worry, and paralysis. It is common to all of us but some seem to rise above it and are able to have peace and hope through it. Where do this peace and hope come from? It comes from and through Jesus Christ. In God’s Word, we find the reason for hope, trust, and refuge, but it is so much more than reading about it. It must be believed, trusted, and relied upon. It must be what feeds our hearts, minds, and souls. Some may think they can live a worldly life and chase after worldly things and keep Jesus Christ and the Word of God in their back pocket for when things in life go bad. This person will never enter a time of trial or trouble with any foundation and when their life is sideswiped they fall pray to a host of heart defeating depressing days. It is far better to be intentionally walking in trust, reliance, and hope in Jesus Christ when trials and troubles come.

28.f. “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness”

Philippians 1:27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,

Colossians 1:10    so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

2 Peter 3:11  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12   For you know how, like a father with his children,  we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Walking in a manner worthy of God totally depends on how we know, understand, and see God. If we see Him as absent and far away, or if our understanding of Him is nothing more than a concept, we fail in our knowledge of Him. If we see Him as far away (not present) we will allow sinful thoughts, spoken words, and actions into our daily lives. If all we understand of Him is conceptually (theoretically) then we have no mature knowledge, faith, hope, trust, or reliance. When we see, understand, and grow in our knowledge of God omniscient – all-knowing, God omnipresent – present everywhere, God omnipotent – all-powerful, we will start to understand why Jesus, Paul, David, Peter, James, Job, Abraham, Moses, Elijah. Elisha, etc…… keep reminding over and over again who God is and why it is important to walk in a manner worthy of Him. How this life-walk manifests its self in our lives is a direct reflection of our maturity, understanding, and knowledge of Him. It is sad to say many Christian’s walks paints a very shallow understanding and knowledge of Him. The words they speak and the actions of their lives reflect much closer to a person who does not give God a passing thought than a child of God. Meditate on His Word, read it, study it, write down your thoughts with a desire and seeking that God will and does open up the eyes to our hearts and minds of Him.

27.r. “But now you must put them all away”

Ephesians 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Romans 1:32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Colossians 3:5-8 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Galatians 5:21 I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

We should walk in a different way than the world around us does. There seems to be consistency for Christians to portray themselves as not so different than the world around them. We are not to have a spirit of compromise with the world. There ought to be something different about us. When there is fear, worry, anxiousness, and confusion we should be a reflection of the light of Jesus Christ displaying, peace, joy, understanding, and love. What kind of conversations do we allow ourselves to get into? What kind of things do we say that we would never say in church? What kind of things do we listen to or watch? How do we treat others? How kind, generous, forgiving…… are we outside of church? Sadly I fear that many Christians reflect they are much closer to things that are more worldly than things Godly. Do we forget that in all we say, think, and do we are to honor and glorify Jesus Christ? How much of what we think, say, and do throughout the day is accomplished without giving a single thought to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ?

Die to self – Live for Christ

27.l. “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?”

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.

Jeremiah 32:17   ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Daniel 3:17   If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

Jeremiah 32:27   “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

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.

John 10:29-30   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.

John 10:10   The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

“Exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” “Great power”, “Nothing is too hard for You”, “Greater than all”, “Is anything too hard for Me” – Our God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and always present everywhere. He created all there is. He is steadfast in His love for us. He has given us great and precious promises. He gave His Son as a ransom for our sins. He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within each and everyone who believes in, trusts in, relies upon, and clings to Jesus Christ. He has reached out to His creation through what can be seen in creation, His written Word, Jesus Christ, and has written it on our heart. He is all truth and in Him is no falseness. Heaven awaits those who answer His voice and are saved. Hell awaits those who reject His calling.

Have you ever just thought about what is stated in “He can do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think.” The toughest problem with the most confusing issues, the worst situation without any hope, the worst hateful person, the unfathomable, the spiritual dimension in human life, the depths of the whole universe, and His grace, mercy, and love, are hard to understand yet alone influence, and God knows more than we can think and more than we can ask. He is limitless. This is our Heavenly Father, redeemer, refuge, fortress, and our place of rest. Why is there worry or fear in our hearts and minds about certain things? What is impossible for man is not with God. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think! Don’t let your hearts be troubled – trust God! Don’t worry – trust God! Don’t fear – trust God! He is more than able to handle whatever relationship, job, health, or other pressing issue or problem we have and see no way out of.

26.u. “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things”

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!

“The general desire expressed in this division is that for guidance. It is not an appeal for direction in some special case of difficulty, but rather for the clear manifestation of the meaning of the will of God.” (Morgan) Without this understanding, the psalmist could not follow the desire of his transformed heart. We need the understanding to persevere in faith, obedience, humbleness, and loving-kindness. Spurgeon said God’s Word reveals the majesty of God and convinces the heart of His power, glory, grace, mercy, and love. How sad is it to have a heart to read God’s Word and not a desire to understand and know God more through it, or how to apply, or how to glorify and honor Him? How sad is it to be distracted away from it so that our desires are shamefully shallow for things of God and amazingly deep for things of this world without a care if it honors or glories Him? We certainly do not need instruction in the way of sin. We do, however, need instruction in righteousness, holiness, and knowledge, and understanding of God and things of God. When our heart is inclined toward God’s Word more than things of the flesh or this world, worldly stuff will not find a place of rest in your heart to breed covetousness. Do I cherish God’s Word more than what the world has to offer? Do I fear things of this world more than trusting in God’s power, plans, and will? How many days are wasted on worthlessness? How many are unable to turn their eyes away from what the world deems important? Technology, modern media, social media outlets, and entertainment technology sets before us an endless ocean of worthlessness to occur not only in our eyes and ears but also in our hearts and minds. This world will try to tell you what is worthy, important, to fear, to be anxious about, what to watch, what to read, what to buy, what to think, what to do, how to be happy, how to be rich, how to find purpose, how to be satisfied, etc….. Most of it is foolishness, rubbish, and a distraction away from things of God. They are not good, they do not last, they help no one else, they build no faith, hope, or love, they distract, temp, and carry us away, and they have nothing to do with Jesus Christ and His honor and glory. We have a natural tendency toward the worthless and must cultivate a heart toward the pricelessness of the Godly. You, we, have control over what we allow into our hearts, minds, and soul. We intentionally choose. We make these choices every day. We choose – covet, lust, fear, lies, anger, pride, greed, just as we choose to neglect and become complacent in things of God. We choose worldly or Godly. We choose to spend time in God’s Word or not. We choose to want to be led by Him, to honor Him, to glorify Him. These choices happen hundreds/thousands of times each day. Ask God to show and give you discernment between worthless things of this world (which includes fear of whatever this world deems us to be fearful of) and things that will honor and glorify Him. Asking is the first intentional choice toward God-honoring living. Humbly and faithfully wanting to be led is an intentional choice that will fill the moments of each day like a refreshing rain to a barren dry land.

26.r. “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed”

Galatians 5:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Romans 14:1   As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

Romans 8:6     For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 15:1   We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

1 Corinthians 3:1    But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.

Ezekiel 34:16    I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

James 5:19-20    My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,  let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Jude 1:22-23     And have mercy on those who doubt;  save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Paul’s wording here speaks not of a determined and hardened sinner. Instead, the idea is of someone who has fallen into sin, finding themselves trapped in a place they never thought they would be. Overtaken “Contains the idea of falling. It is not the deliberate, the planned, aspect of sin that is stressed here, but rather the unwitting element. Mistake rather than misdeed is the force of the word, though without absolution of responsibility.” (Ridderbos)

When a person is overtaken through the weakness of the flesh, the seduction of the worldly, or temptations of Satan, the outcome is a time in a person’s life where the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit are being hushed and Jesus Christ is not being honored or glorified. Restore them. This job of restoration is often neglected in the church. We have a tendency to either pretend the sin never happened, or we tend to react too harshly towards the one who has sinned. The balance between these two extremes can only be negotiated by the spiritual. It should be normal to do what God says here, but it isn’t. It is all too easy to respond to someone’s sin with gossip, harsh judgment, or undiscerning approval. (Guzik)

“Let the ministers of the Gospel learn from Paul how to deal with those who have sinned. ‘Brethren,’ he says, ‘if any man is overtaken with a fault, do not aggravate his grief, do not scold him, do not condemn him, but lift him up and gently restore his faith.” (Luther)

Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 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. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

We are not to turn a blind eye to a wandering brother. We are not to neglect a brother fallen to temptations of the flesh. We should recognize it but not embrace it. We should, with love, patience, gentleness, and kindness walk alongside them and through the Holy Spirit’s leading, guide them away from their wandering. How many times have you heard parents tell you about how their teenage child has seeming rejected all of what they had taught them? They do not abandon their child, they still love them, they are patient with them, and they pray for them. Parents who have gone through this will tell you more often than not that their adult child later came to them and apologized for how they acted. Very similar to the parable about the prodigal son.

Where there is spiritual weakness, knowledge, understanding, and true brotherly fellowship in the things of God, in the body of the church, more than likely the ability to recognize yet alone guide that person back. Neglect and complacency in God’s Word will hinder your walk with Him and will always put you on paths that do not honor or glorify Jesus Christ.

26.p.

Galatians 4:12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

I heard a song the other day which had the line; “Spirit fall on us”. Is this a proper statement for a Christian to say? When the eyes to your heart, mind, and soul are opened to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and by faith you believe, trust, and rely on Him alone you are saved, born again, a new creation, and the Holy Spirit makes residence in you. When does the Holy Spirit leave you? It does not ever leave. You can close the ears to your heart, mind, and soul. You can disregard what the Holy Spirit is encouraging you do to. You can deny what the Holy Spirit is telling you to do. You can say no to what the Holy Spirit is telling you to do. You can neglect the Holy Spirit living in you. Yes, you can reject those quiet and not-so-quiet whispers to your heart from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God dwells in each and every person who is born again.

Paul wanted to see the likeness of Christ being formed in these believers in Galatia. How does this happen? How is the likeness of Christ being formed in us? We must want to and be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. David gave a great example of this; “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!”, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!^”. When we desire and seek to hear and do what the Holy Spirit is leading us to do, we will continually be more and more resembling the likeness of Christ. A light the shine in the darkness and beacon of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The fruits of the Holy Spirit. What keeps us from experiencing these fruits? Love of self, love of worldly, and love of the flesh more than things of God and wanting to be led by the Holy Spirit. Our hearts, minds, and souls, are not seeking or desiring to hear or listen to the leading.

Think about how you are being fed. What is feeding your soul? What are you spending your time on? What consumes your time and thoughts? If we say, “I am going to spend more time in God’s Word” this is good but could very well be lacking in desire to be led. Our hearts, minds, and souls must hunger and thirst for leading and the sole purpose of this desire is out of sincere love for Jesus Christ and want to honor and glorify Him. Anything short of this will not find the heart, mind, or soul listening or willing to be led.

26.o. “Serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind”

Galatians 4:8 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? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

1 Thessalonians 3:5    For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

Romans 1:28    And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

1 Corinthians 1:21   For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom,

Ephesians 4:18   They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

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.

Legalism caters to and recognizes our flesh by putting the focus on what we achieve for God, not on what Jesus did for us. We can have a living, free, relationship with God as a loving Father based on what Jesus did for us and who we are in Him. Or we can try to please God by our best efforts of keeping the rules, living in bondage as slaves, not sons. Living that way makes the whole gospel in vain. Such is the battle we all face. We lean more toward what we can do to make ourselves right before God rather than what He has done through Christ, thereby resting, relying on, and trusting in this alone. It is when we recognize, take captive, and discard these thoughts of self-reliance we will truly be able to honor and glorify Jesus Christ through faith in Him alone. If there was an equation, to sum up, this type of thinking it would be; My works + the work of Christ = eternal life. This way of thinking literally says Christ’s sacrifice was not enough. Anything added to Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin = nothing, zero, failure. In Christ alone, there is forgiveness, salvation, redemption, and eternal life. Don’t be tempted or allow your mind to be tricked into thinking you can in any way add any benefit for your soul other than through Jesus Christ.

26.n. “Help me understand your instruction”

Psalms 119:33 Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them. Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart. Help me stay on the path of your commands, for I take pleasure in it. Turn my heart to your decrees and not to dishonest profit. Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways. Confirm what you said to your servant, for it produces reverence for you. Turn away the disgrace I dread; indeed, your judgments are good. How I long for your precepts! Give me life through your righteousness.

We should have the expectation of following God and His word to the end. “The end of our keeping the law will come only when we cease to breathe; no good man will think of marking a date and saying, ‘It is enough, I may now relax my watch, and live after the manner of men.’” (Spurgeon)

Without understanding, the psalmist could not follow the desire of his transformed heart. We need understanding to persevere in the faith. The psalmist had no doubt that God had given His word to us; his only fear was that he would not understand it (or be distracted from it). Yet he was utterly confident that God had spoken and that it could be understood rightly by the prayerful heart and mind. Despite his delight and desire for God’s word, the psalmist knows he cannot walk in God’s path without God’s empowering.

“He is asking God to turn his heart toward the Bible rather than allowing him to pursue selfish gain. For the first time he is confessing a potentially divided mind.” (Boice)

The psalmist rightly understood that some things, comparatively speaking, are worthless things. They are of no value for eternity and little value for the present age. He prayed that God would empower and enable him to turn away his eyes and attention from such things. Many lives are wasted because people find themselves unwilling or unable to turn away their eyes from worthless things. The modern world with its media and entertainment technology brings before us an endless river of worthless things to occupy not only our eyes and time, but also our heart and minds. He did not gouge out his own eyes or pray God to do it; instead he wanted to look another way, a better way. The best way to look away from sin is to look at something else. “The prayer is not so much that the eyes may be shut as ‘turned away;’ for we need to have them open, but directed to right objects.” (Spurgeon)

“As I desire that I may be dull and dead in affections to worldly vanities; so, Lord, make me lively, and vigorous, and fervent in thy work and service.” (Poole)