live by faith – Praying Pint

36.v. “Lest you be swept away.”

Genesis 19:26 But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:17    And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.”

Proverbs 14:14    The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

Luke 17:31-32    On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.  Remember Lot’s wife.

Hebrews 10:38    but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Her looking back indicated the place of her real treasure. She failed to trust whole-heartedly, or to obey. Lot’s wife lingering behind her husband, and looking back, contrary to the express command of the Lord, is caught in the sweeping tempest, and becomes a pillar of salt. His wife looked back, through curiosity, or unbelief, or desire of what she left, or from all these causes.

The temptations of the flesh and of this world are always within a finger’s touch away from thought and yearning for its pleasures and comforts. Be mindful of this always. They will always be at the doorstep of our hearts and minds, tempting and luring our souls with their satisfaction, gratification, fulfillment, delight, and enjoyment.

Let us be firm in our turning away and flee from every thought and sight that tempts and hinders our focus, service, obedience, following, and reliance on Jesus Christ and our eternal home with Him in heaven.

25.d. “In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling”

2 Corinthians 5:6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

1 Chronicles 29:15    For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow

Isaiah 36:4    And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours?

Hebrews 10:35   Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

Isaiah 30:15    For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,

Hebrews 10:38     but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Paul is bold enough to say, “We know.” “Not we think, or hope only, but We Know. Paul thinks of our bodies as tents – temporary structures that cannot be thought of as the whole person. If the tent is destroyed, we still have an eternal hope: a building from God, a house not made with hands. “Many people are in a great fright about the future, yet here is Paul viewing the worst thing that could happen to him with such complacency that he likens it to nothing worse than the pulling down of tent in which he was residing in for a little season.” (Spurgeon)

Salvation isn’t just for the soul or spirit, but for the body also. Resurrection is how God saves our bodies. We have a glorious new body to come. “The righteous are put into their graves all weary and worn; but as such they will not rise. They go there with the furrowed brow, the hollowed cheek, the wrinkled skin; they shall wake up in beauty and glory.” (Spurgeon)

It is hard to realize a body that does not fade away, or hurt, get sick, or die. Yet, this is exactly what happens to these mortal bodies (tents). If this was all there was to life, what a miserable life it would be. If this was all the hope we had was to live and then die what is the purpose, where is the meaning for our existence? There are certainties to remember about our bodies and how we live our lives: 1. The physical body will die; 2. The physical body will be raised again. 3. Everyone will face the judgment seat of Christ. 4. Those who by faith trust in Jesus Christ will live in eternity forever and ever with Jesus. 5. Those who have rejected Christ will be cast into eternity in hell.

Delaying to trust, follow, and obey Jesus Christ is to risk eternity in hell. Flat out rejection of Christ is certain eternity in Hell. This tent of a body will fade away and when Christ is rejected while this body is alive there is no hope of salvation.

19.e. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:14 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Psalms 78:11-22     They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them.  In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.  He divided the sea and let them pass through it, and made the waters stand like a heap.  In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light.  He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.  He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers.  Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.  They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.  They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?  He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?”  Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel,  because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

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 10:38-39   but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”  But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Thomas had doubts about what the other disciples to him about seeing Jesus. Thomas would have seen Jesus hung on the cross and watched His death and being stabbed with a sword to make sure. He was absolute in the fact that Jesus died. Now to have his fellow disciples tell him Jesus was alive made no sense what so ever. Thomas says I don’t care what you say, I saw Jesus die and there is no way you can get me to believe He is alive now unless I put my fingers in His side. Surely he would have heard from Peter and John that the grave was empty. He also would have heard Mary saying she saw Jesus. Thomas can not discount what he saw and override what he knows as truth, that once you are physically dead you do not come to life unless Jesus calls you to life. How can Jesus, who is dead, raise Himself from the dead? He did not care about the disciple’s witness or testimony. He can not believe it true without physical confirmation.

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Faith is the substance of things hoped for and proof/conviction of things not seen. Faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses. By faith, we are transformed, born again, made new, realize forgiveness, and inherit eternal life. Therein is where our hope rests by faith. We can not add anything to faith and make ourselves better. In fact, adding anything more to faith in the complete work (death and resurrection) of Jesus is to take away from what is rightly and solely glorified in Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” It is by faith alone. Faith alone. Faith. Our sins were paid in full by Jesus Christ if we believe (have faith) in Him alone. We can not allow thoughts of needing to be good enough to receive the gift of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness of our sins to block us from Faith (relying on, clinging to, and trusting in) in Jesus Christ alone. Faith casts out all doubt. Faith allows us to cast out the doubts of being good enough. By faith, we understand that we are not and will never be good enough and we surrender all of our hope in self-goodness relying fully on the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ

12.d. “But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

Daniel 4:37    Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Luke 18:14     For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Daniel 5:20-23     But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him.

John 3:36    Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Hebrews 10:38    but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Pride and arrogance are very dangerous for the soul. They will blind you in darkness and shut out any light of the working of the Holy Spirit of God. Satan, the Prince of darkness reigns and is the king of darkness, dark-things, dark-thoughts, dark-actions, dark-words, dark-wants, dark-pleasure, hatred, anger, jealousy, coveting, pride, arrogance, immorality, neglect, complacency, fear, defiance, etc…. Our sinful nature seems to have a great deal of this darkness attached to our heart, mind, and soul. This darkness has an appetite for more and more and, once tasted, hungers for more. The Word of God brings light into the dark places of our soul and exposes all darkness. It is very possible and probable that we have darkness in some areas of our lives. How can this be? We neglect His Word which will expose this darkness. We have closed the door to our hearts, mind, and soul for some areas of our life. Through neglect of His Word our hunger and thirst for humbly serving, honoring, following, obeying, and trusting Him leaves areas in our life in darkness. We need to be very mindful of the fact that there is no neutral state in a Christian’s life. There is either growth or decay. When our lives are stagnating, darkness festers and want for the Word of God is not to be found. The shadow of darkness grows bigger and bigger as we slide further and further away from the light of God’s Word. It is hard to see the light of Jesus Christ when the only light you have in life is that of darkness. It is also impossible for those areas of our life, where we have chosen to keep in darkness, to ever change if we are not humbly submitting our hearts, minds, and souls to the life-changing Word of God. Be ever conscious of the sinful nature within you that wants to keep some areas of your life darkness. Our faith will never grow in darkness, it needs the Light of God’s Word. We do well to have a heart like David and this be an ever-present prayer on our heart. “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!

3.s. But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

Ezra 8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

2 Chronicles 16:9    For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him

Psalms 33:18-19   Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,  that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

1 Peter 3:12    For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer.

Zephaniah 1:6    those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.”

Hebrews 10:38    but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Faith in action. It takes a very close humble walk with God to have this kind of faith, where you are ashamed to ask for protection from the king, who is more than willing and able to supply the protection, because in your heart you know God is more protection, more powerful, more awesome, and no one can defeat what He has put into motion. I am reminded once again of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they told the king that our God is able to protect us from your threat, but even if He does not we will not bow down and worship your image. Ezra is saying about the same thing when he purposed not seek the king’s help and protect but chose faith in God. He was ashamed to have even thought the thought of asking the King.

If we were true to ourselves and asked how many times do we seek help outside of seeking and trusting God, what would that number be? Trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation is a little easier as there is no other savior who can save us. However, when we come down to living out our daily lives and see we can get help outside of asking Jesus we easily turn toward a non-faith, non-Jesus, solution. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Our faith will only mature as we grow closer to Jesus. Our closer walk with Jesus will only mature when we spend time in His word. Time in His word will only mature when we intentionally/daily commit with our whole heart, mind, and soul to humble service, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, trusting, and obeying Him. Our maturity will then happen line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. When we see Jesus Christ as our all in all for every moment of every day we will begin to grow and mature in our faith.

Turn to Me and be saved

“I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

“they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Psalms 98:2 The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

Isaiah 45:21-23 Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

Isaiah 52:10 The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Luke 2:30-32 for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Romans 10:18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

I wonder if we forget that it is the Lord who has made known salvation. First through prophecy of a coming savior and then through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a light to eternal life. It is a light to a place of refuge, hope, peace, and courage. This life brings fulfilling purpose to our everyday lives. Having a light in the darkness is what gives us hope, builds our faith, and gives us courage to face tomorrow. Share this light to those lost and living in darkness. It is our calling.

And they turned back

“ If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!”

John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

2 Timothy 1:15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Hebrews 10:38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Many of His disciples turned away and no longer walked with Him. Scripture today gives examples of those who once had the appearance of walking with Jesus but deserted Him. How would you like to go down in history with your name in the bible for turning away. Worse than this is hearing “Depart from me for I never knew you”. Being complacent and negligent in humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God does not end well. There is too much distraction if we don’t place Him first in our life. When I say first I am not saying the first you come to when in a trial or situation but rather the first one you think of when you awake and your heart, soul and mind are seeking to know Him deeper every moment. Your heart seeks to see His hand at work in your life and your ears are open seeking to hear His leading for you each day. Open His word and feast on it. What is God speaking to your heart about through what you have read. Think about it through out the day.