Tag: Mountain

46. Can a Christian life can be lived without any binding obligation?

Deuteronomy 9:13   “Furthermore, the Lord said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people. Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’ So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. And I looked, and behold, you had sinned against the Lord your God. You had made yourselves a golden calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the Lord had commanded you. So I took hold of the two tablets and threw them out of my two hands and broke them before your eyes. Then I lay prostrate before the Lord as before, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin that you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure that the Lord bore against you, so that he was ready to destroy you. But the Lord listened to me that time also. And the Lord was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. Then I took the sinful thing, the calf that you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust. And I threw the dust of it into the brook that ran down from the mountain.

Romans 2:5   But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

Joshua 11:20     For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

1 Samuel 6:6     Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts?

2 Chronicles 30:8    Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

Proverbs 29:1    He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.

Isaiah 48:4    Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass,

Ezekiel 3:7     But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.

Hebrews 3:13    But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Do you ever think about the wrath of God?  Do you think there is a time of unleashing His wrath?  Do you ever wonder on whom His wrath will fall?  God’s silence does not mean indifference, but the desire to give an opportunity to repent.  We hear of the grace, mercy, and love of God.  We speak of joy, peace, hope, comfort, strength, courage, and refuge but, are they taken the light that though our redemption is through Christ alone and without His sacrifice every last one of us would be separated from God and certainly in a direct path of His wrath.  We can do nothing to deserve this redemption from our sin and sacrifice for our sin.  This is a gift of God.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

I think we make a hard stop on grace and mercy and give no thought to obedience.

Here are a couple of excerpts from Steve Lawson:  “Many who profess Christ today emphasize a wrong view of grace that makes it a free pass to do whatever they please. Tragically, they have convinced themselves that the Christian life can be lived without any binding obligation to the moral law of God. In this hyper-grace distortion, the need for obedience has been neutered. The commandments of God are no longer in the driver’s seat of Christian living but have been relegated to the backseat, if not the trunk—like a spare tire—to be used only in case of an emergency. With such a spirit of antinomianism, what needs to be reinforced again is the necessity of obedience.

For all true followers of Christ, obedience is never peripheral. At the heart of what it means to be a disciple of our Lord is living in loving devotion to God. But if such love is real, the acid test is obedience. Jesus maintained, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Genuine love for Christ will always manifest itself in obedience.

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

In this heart transplant, God causes the believer to pursue Spirit-energized obedience.

When John says believers “keep” the commandments, this pictures a guard or watchman watching over a priceless treasure. In like manner, the one who knows God will keep a sharp watch over all that His Word requires. “And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3), but they are a blessing (Ps. 1:1). Every step of heart-prompted obedience leads to experiencing abundant life in Christ. Conversely, every step of disobedience takes us away from the joy of divine goodness. Far from being optional, grace-fueled obedience is absolutely necessary for Christlikeness.”

3. To obey and listen is better than sacrifice

Exodus 19:1   On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.

Exodus 23:22    “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

Exodus 24:7     Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”

Deuteronomy 28:1    “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

Joshua 24:24    And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

1 Samuel 15:22    And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

How many times do we try to do good as a means to gain or earn God’s favor?  Doing something with the hope or expectation of a reward for good behavior is much different than doing it as an honor to the person without expectation.  Note the words in Samuel; “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”

Listening and obeying are signs of a life honoring God.  We can do all the good we want to do but if it is not for the honor and worship of God it is in vain.

How is a person to listen and obey if they are not in His word, or not intentionally choosing to listen and be guided by God.  Performance is different from humble service.  Stay in His word each day with the expectation of knowing more, understanding more, and learning more of Him and His ways, love, promises, and purposes for your life.

Let him return to the LORD

Hosea 6:1     “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

James 5:11-16     Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.  But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.  Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.  Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Hosea 14:1     Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

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.

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.

Lamentations 3:40-41     Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!  Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:

Job 5:18     For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.

Psalms 30:7    By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

Lamentations 3:32-33    but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

There is always two sides to scripture.  One side is where we think we are and the other where we actually are.  Where we think we are is influenced by what feeds our understanding and knowledge of what it means to walk with God.  We may spend little time with God’s word, little time thinking about it, little time trying to understand it and applying it to our life, so little comes into our heart that it is as though we are blind to it and it has no impact in our life, so little is read that the whispers of God fall on deaf ears,  so little comes in that the worldly things we read and hear over shadow the wisdom found in His word.

It is sad isn’t it?  We have been given His word and it gets neglected and pushed to the back of our list of things to do rather than being food and water for our heart, mind, and soul.  We find we are too busy to find time.  Aren’t we the managers of our time?  Aren’t we the ones who allow what gets to occupy our time?

Of course we are.  We choose to be intentional about growing in what it means to humbly, serve, honor, worship, glorify, follow, and obey God.  We choose to make sure He has our heart, mind, and soul.  We choose to seek Him and His plans and purposes for our life.  We choose to hear Him speak into our life.  We choose to desire His searching of our heart, mind and soul.  We choose to place all of our trust in Him and His promises.  How can we trust in God when we spend so little time with Him?  How can we grown in service to Him if we neglect time with Him?  How can we run to Him when we push Him away day after day?

Run to Him

Return to Him

Lift up your hearts to Him

Confess your sins to Him

Be taught by Him

Pray to Him

Examine your ways in light of His word

Sing praise to Him

Examine your thoughts in light of His word

Remain steadfast to Him

Who am I

Exodus 3:11   But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

2 Samuel 7:18    Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

1 Kings 3:7    And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.   Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

Isaiah 6:5-8    And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

2 Corinthians 3:5     Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

Who am I is a very good question to ask ourselves.  Who am I? Casting Crowns song captures some thoughts to “Who am I?”

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth. Would care to know my name. Would care to feel my hurt?. Who am I, that the bright and morning star. Would choose to light the way .For my ever wondering heart? Not because of who I am. But because of what You’ve done. Not because of what I’ve done. But because of who You are. I am a flower quickly fading. Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean. A vapor in the wind. Still You hear me when I’m calling. Lord You catch me when I’m falling. And You told me who I am. I am Yours, I am YoursWho am I, that the eyes that see our sin. Would look on me with love. And watch me rise again? Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea. Would call out through the rain. And calm the storm in me?. Not because of who I am. But because of what You’ve done. Not because of what I’ve done. But because of who You are. I am a flower quickly fading. Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean. A vapor in the wind. Still You hear me when I’m calling. Lord You catch me when I’m falling. And You told me who I am!

We are nothing in of ourselves but in Christ we are a child of the King.  Satan would have us wallow in self doubt, self worth, and try to overwhelm us with fear.  In Christ we are born again, not of perishable flesh but born in Spirit. I am a new creation, child of the King, forever His child, forever in His grace, love and mercy.  Forever forgiven.  Looking forward to eternity with my heavenly Father.  I belong to a new family – the family of God. This is who I am.

And they did not believe them.

Genesis 19:12  Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place.  For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.”  So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

Numbers 16:26    And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.”

Revelation 18:4-8     Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues;  for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.  Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.  As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’  For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”

2 Chronicles 36:16    But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, until there was no remedy.

Proverbs 29:1    He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.

Isaiah 28:22     Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord GOD

Jeremiah 5:12-14    They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine.  The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them!’”  Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: “Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.

Luke 17:28-30     Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,  but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—  so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Luke 24:11    but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

1 Thessalonians 5:3    While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them

Disbelief has a way of capturing the hearts and minds of many.  What starts out as disbelief soon turns to scoffing and trying to prove all things of God false.  No urgent warning will be listened too.  No pleas for turning to God will be acted upon.  No promise of God believed.  It is sad to think of and yet we must be mindful of the lies and deceptions of the father of all lies who whittles away truth one small lie or seed of doubt at a time.

Matthew Henry stated it like this: An unbelieving heart was at the bottom of all this. All disobedience to God’s laws, and distrust of his power and goodness, flow from disbelief of his word, as all true obedience springs from faith. It is profitable for us to divide our past lives into distinct periods; to give thanks to God for the mercies we have received in each, to confess and seek the forgiveness of all the sins we can remember; and thus to renew our acceptance of God’s salvation, and our surrender of ourselves to his service. Our own plans seldom avail to good purpose; while courage in the exercise of faith, and in the path of duty, enables the believer to follow the Lord fully, to disregard all that opposes, to triumph over all opposition, and to take firm hold upon the promised blessings.

A disbelieving heart and mind  to God’s judgment, anger and wrath will  certainly hardened their heart to God’s grace, mercy and love.  Jesus gave the example of a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

How are we to see acts of God move mountains, earth shake, healing,  blessings, protection, courage, and grace, mercy and love without belief?  It is hard to have belief and faith in God unless time is spent with Him and His word feeding our heart, mind, and soul.  When the world is on a wide and easy path to judgment and hell it is more important than ever to be diligent in prayer, reading His word, growing in understanding, knowledge and faith, and proclaiming salvation and forgiveness of sin.

5 – The mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around

Psalms 91:11  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Psalms 34:7     The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

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.

2 Kings 6:16-17     So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Hebrews 1:14     Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation

Proverbs 3:6     In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Isaiah 31:1     Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

It takes time to learn that but when we are our weakest or in our lowest is when God is our all in all.  Likewise when we are our strongest and highest is when God is but a second thought.  What would our lives be like if He was all in all at all times?  What does it take to keep God all in all at all times?  Think about a weak or low time – how much of your day was occupied seeking, relying on, and clinging to God?  Now compare this to a time when you not low or weak – how much of your day was occupied seeking, relying on and clinging to God?  Our heart, mind and soul are in a battle with our sinful nature and humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  Praise God for His steadfast love that does not cast us aside like we do to Him.  Make commitment to desire and seek Him.

Trials and Trouble

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Psalms 81:7  In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah

Psalms 50:15     and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 91:14     “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.  When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.  

Exodus 2:23    During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.

Exodus 14:10    When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD.  

Exodus 14:30     Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Exodus 20:18    Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off  and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”  Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.”  The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

James 1:12     Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Troubles and trials come to all man.  None of us are immune to this.  We like to think it is not going to come into our life but it does.  So, when it comes how do we do? How do we respond?  Do we have a place of refuge, hope, and comfort to where we can run and find peace and KNOW without a doubt we are protected?  I am sure if we knew the hour at which it was to come we would prepare for it.  Yet the moment is unknown and never is.  The response can very.  Some may shrink back in despair.  Others may get mad, try to handle it on their own, or blame others, become vindictive, and retaliate.  We have seen many of these responses and some of them we have even had ourselves. I think the response is closely related to how close we are to God.  If we are living complacent to humbly serving Him, and if we are neglecting reading His word, and if our desire is more self centered than honoring, following and obeying Him there is a good chance we will find very little peace, hope, and refuge.  Yet if we purpose and desire to stay close to Him, humbly bow to His sovereign hand, acknowledge He is in control and will protect, comfort and lead us through the valley of the shadow of death our response will have a totally different beginning and journey through it.  Stay in His word.  Study it.  stay close to Him in prayer.  Commit each day to Him.  Ask Him to guide your path in a way that honors Him.  Ask Him to open your ears to hear His whispers.  Seek to follow and obey Him.  Trials and troubles will surely be part of our live this side of eternity.  Let them find you in His ever loving arms of comfort, refuge, peace, hope, strength, and love.

 

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.

Anointed me to bring Good News

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

“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.”

“And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers,”

John 1:35  The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,  and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”  The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.   Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”  He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.  One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.  He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).   He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)

2 Kings 7:9   Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.”

1 John 1:3   that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

The verses that stands out today are “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” and as well “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news.”   both speak of the urgency people had to tell others things of God.  How are people to hear of this Good News if we do not speak of it?  When we do speak of this Good News others are changed.  Do not lose sight of our urgent calling to proclaim the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Great Shepherd

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Zechariah 11:4  Thus said the LORD my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter.

Isaiah 49:4    But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.”  And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength—

Isaiah 40:9     Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”  Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.  He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Micah 5:4   And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

Matthew 15:24     He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus wants to be the shepherd of our lives.  He wants to lead us to safe pastures, guide us through life, and protect us from harm. We do well to listen to the whispers of the great shepherd and choose to follow Him in life.  There is so much distraction in our lives that, if we are not careful, it will put us on a path away from God.  Train yourself to stay close and listen to and follow this Great Shepherd.