Punished us less than deserved

Psalms 103:10  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Daniel 9:18-19     O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.

Ezra 9:13     And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,

Job 11:6    and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

Ephesians 2:4-7     But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 45:6     that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.

Isaiah 43:25    “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

Micah 7:18     Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Jeremiah 31:34     And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

It is hard to understand the grace and mercy of God if we do not have a means to judge our sinfulness.

“I cannot overemphasize the importance of examining the Word of God. Examination requires the use of our minds, and the Bible exhorts believers to use their minds to honor God.” “If we fail to eat well-balanced meals on a regular basis, we will eventually suffer the physical consequences. What is true of the outer man is also true of the inner man. If we do not regularly feed on the Word of God, we will suffer spiritual consequences.” In order for us to apply God’s directions to our every-day lives, we must first listen carefully as God speaks to us personally through His Word. Like Samuel, we should say, “Speak, [Lord,] for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10, emphasis added).One of the most amazing aspects of Scripture is that it is alive and active, not dead and dull. Indeed, God still speaks today through the mystery of His Word. The Holy Spirit illumines our minds to what is revealed in Scripture. The Holy Spirit makes us “wise up to what is written, not beyond it.” (Hank Hanegraaff)

We do well to read His word and seek understanding, knowledge, and wisdom from it.  We gain insight into His holiness, our sinfulness, His power, our weakness, His truth, our lies, His peace, our anxiousness, His joy, our dread, His love, our lack there of, His promises and purpose, our disbelief and lack of direction.  His word is a lamp unto my feet and comfort to my soul.

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.

There is no God but Me

“I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God”

Hosea 13:3
But I am the Lord your God
from the land of Egypt;
you know no God but me,
and besides me there is no savior.
It was I who knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought;
but when they had grazed, they became full,
they were filled, and their heart was lifted up;
therefore they forgot me.
So I am to them like a lion;
like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.
I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs;
I will tear open their breast,
and there I will devour them like a lion,
as a wild beast would rip them open.

Isaiah 43:11
I, I am the Lord,
and besides me there is no savior.
I declared and saved and proclaimed,
when there was no strange god among you;
and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.
Also henceforth I am he;
there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work, and who can turn it back?”

Exodus 20:3
“You shall have no other gods before me.”

Isaiah 45:21
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.

Deuteronomy 8:12
I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God.

Doesn’t this seem to be a reoccurring theme?  Trouble – Seeking God – God saving – Serving God – Blessed by God – Forgetting God – Trouble. How many times do we need to hear this from scripture and are convicted to examine our lives in light of His word?  It seems mankind is content on only serving God after there is an event bringing trials into their lives.  Where does our lives and commitment line up to what God expects in light of “Love me with all your heart, mind, and soul.” “Desire me.” “Serve me.” “Seek me.” “Honor me.” “Glorify me.” “Worship me.” “Love me.” “Praise me.” “Walk humbly before me.” “Pray to me.” “Give to others for me.” “Be kind to others for me.” “Be generous to others for me.” “Be patient with others for me.” “Take care of widows for me.” “Love others for me.” “Take care of orphans for me.” “Encourage others for me.” “Make disciples for me.” “Tell others about me.” “Trust me.” “Rely on me.” “Cling to me.” “Believe in me.” “Seek to know and understand me.” It does not take a quantum theorist to figure this out.  If we choose to spend time in His word with a passion to desire to know and understand Him,  and do all of these and more for the single purpose of honoring and glorifying God with all our heart mind and soul – the world around us will grow very dim as He becomes our everything.