Tag: not faithful

44.x. “Wilderness” – 9.c. “‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you.”

 

Exodus 33:1  The LORD said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.’” Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

Numbers 14:12   I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

 Ezekiel 3:19   But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

 Deuteronomy 9:6-13    “Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.  Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.

Psalms 78:8   and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

 Acts 7:51    “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Luke 17:26-30  And just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the time of [the second coming of] the Son of Man: the people were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, [they were indifferent to God] until the day that Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as it was in the days of Lot. People were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building [carrying on business as usual, without regard for their sins]; but on the [very] day that Lot left Sodom it rained fire and brimstone (burning sulfur) from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

This was a challenge to Moses and the nation as a whole. God told them they could have the Promised Land, but He would not remain with them in a close, personal way. “It is clear that the people felt that the promise of an angel to be sent before them was the lowering of a privilege.” If they were satisfied with that arrangement, it would prove they only loved God’s blessings and not God Himself. If they challenged God – pleading with Him for His presence, not only His blessings – it would show a genuine heart for God Himself. This was the first step towards spiritual restoration and revival in Israel. “To be given every other blessing is of no value if God is not with you. What is the value of Canaan? What is the value of milk and honey? What is the value of having possessions, if God was not with them? They saw that the realization of the presence of God, having this fellowship and company, was infinitely more important than everything else.” (Guzik)

Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. Let them go forward as they are; this was very expressive of God’s displeasure. Though he promises to make good his covenant with Abraham, in giving them Canaan, yet he denies them the tokens of his presence they had been blessed with. The people mourned for their sin. Of all the bitter fruits and consequences of sin, true penitents most lament, and dread most, God’s departure from them. (Henry)

At length there was an end of ambiguity – God’s purpose was made plain – the people had shown themselves unfit for his near presence, and he would withdraw himself. So it would be best even for them; since, if they were about to show- themselves as perverse in the future as they had in the past, his near presence could only lead to their entire destruction. Some day they would so provoke him, that he would consume them in the way.  (Unknown)

What would our lives be like if we would understand that the indwelling Holy Spirit is “God With Us” and “God In Us”? Do we go about our lives as if His presence is not there? Do we join in social and cultural worldly paths, pleasures, and non-God-honoring ways? Do we put on worldly ornaments of pleasure and act as if somehow we are honoring God? Do we act like those in the times of Lot and Noah who went about life without giving God and things of God a second thought? Are we neglectful and complacent? Can we expect the presence of God to bless our lives while we live for things of this world? 

Oh that we would cherish the presence of God in such a way that every day we desire to know Him more and more so that we might honor and glorify Him more and more.

44.o. “Wilderness” – 8.u. “Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.”

 

Exodus 32:8-10  They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

 Exodus 20:23    You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.

 Deuteronomy 9:16  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.

 Judges 2:17   Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so.

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

 Zechariah 7:11-12     But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.  They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.

 Psalms 78:8    and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Quickly after the law was given to them, and they had promised to obey it; quickly after God had done such great things for them, and declared his kind intentions to do greater. Untractable, willful, and stubborn; unapt to come under the yoke of the divine law, averse from all good, prone to all evil, incorrigible by judgments, and obstinate to all the methods of cure. (Benson)

How easy is it to fall away from intentional obedience to God and things of God? How easy is it to keep that unholy thought just a few more seconds in your mind? How easy is it to be tempted by things and thoughts of this world and what it establishes as important? How easy is it to not eat or drink from His Word? How easy is it to be influenced by things in this world? 

Take time and think about your past week and how much time was spent between worldly and Godly pursuits. There is no time like right now to affirm a new intentional choice to spend more time studying and meditating (thinking) about things of God, holiness, and the sinfulness of sin.

14.e.  “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Malachi 3:7  From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

Deuteronomy 9:7-21     Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.  Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you.

Deuteronomy 31:20    For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.

Deuteronomy 31:27-29     For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death!  Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them.  For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

Nehemiah 9:16-17    “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

Acts 7:51-52     “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Psalms 78:8-10    and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Ecclesiastes 11:9    Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Romans 10:3     For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Isaiah 65:2    I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices;

James 4:8     Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Jeremiah 3:12-14   Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever.  Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the LORD.

Romans 10:21   “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

When I think about COVID and all the fear that has been instilled by continual over-reporting and misreporting from virtually every national news outlets and how the nation, states, cities, businesses, and people have reacted, I wonder if this is all it takes to turn reason and logic into fear, anger, worry, panic, stress, tension, unrest, suspicion, nervousness, etc….  Continually spreading and broadcasting pessimistic, gloomy, alarmist, hopeless, and despairing news appears to be all it takes to move nations, states, cities, businesses, and to get people to think un-rational and illogical.  At some point, individuals begin to believe it so much that anyone who thinks differently than this narrative is censored, ostracized, ignored, banished, shut out, and rejected.

So I sit here this morning and wonder what it would be like if the Word of God was broadcasted, reported, declared, distributed, transmitted, and spread in the same way and manner?  Would people’s hearts, minds, and souls be moved and turned toward God?  Would people believe in Jesus Christ?  Would people repent? Would people fear God?  Would they lose interest in things of this world and have their hope and trust in Jesus Christ and eternity?  Would truth, justice, mercy, grace, and love become a way of life and the “New Normal”?  If nations, states, cities, businesses, and people can be led by lies, half-truths, and fear would they just as easily be led by truth?

People want the truth so bad that they will believe lies to think they have it.  It is as if they will believe lies and half-truths easier and much faster than truth.  In fact, it appears as if they choose lies over truth.  And such it is with mankind where there is an intentional choice to deny, defy, neglect, and reject the truth.  Some of this denial, defiance, and rejection come from and out of a want for truth but rather than listening to the truth they turn away from it and choose to believe lies.  However, the real reason there is denial, defiance, and rejection of the things of God is within the heart of man.  I think this is why there are so many warnings in the bible to seek Jesus Christ first.  When He is first everything else can be viewed within the context of worldly and heavenly, present and future, right and wrong, truth and lies.  There should be no fear, worry, helplessness, pessimistic thoughts, panic, anger, panic, and unrest in the hearts of those who trust in Jesus Christ.  Do not let things of this world blind your hearts, minds, and souls from the truth that is eternal life-giving.  Seek Jesus, for today is the day of salvation, hope, joy, peace, power, and courage.

68.   For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off

Joshua 4:6   that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

Exodus 12:26-27     And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’  you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Exodus 13:14     And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

Deuteronomy 6:20-21    “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’  then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Deuteronomy 11:19     You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Psalms 44:1    O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:

Psalms 71:18     So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 78:3-8     things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.  We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,  that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,  so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;  and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Acts 2:39     For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

When you children ask in time, you have heard and know,, teach to their children, fathers have told us, asks you, and when your children say to you…. all indicate that your children will see something in your life, something you do, something say, something you set aside, something you don’t do, something you don’t say, something you give away and they will ask you about it.  Obviously they as well as others should see something different in our lives.  They might even ask us why.  We might be given chance to tell them the reason for the hope that we have, the reason for the way we act, speak and think, the reason we give, the reason we forgive, the reason we study His word, the reason we pray, the reason we have belief, trust and faith.  Spending time in God’s word will give you reason, purpose, and meaning.

45. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are.

Deuteronomy 9:6   “Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord.

Deuteronomy 31:27     For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death!

Exodus 32:9    And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

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.

Psalms 78:8    and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Zechariah 7:11-12     But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.  They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.

Acts 7:51    “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Moses called the people to remember.  He wanted them to remember their rebellion, stubbornness, folly, and how they provoked the Lord.  He called them out time and time again about their lack of reverence, love, trust, faith, and hope in the Lord.  They so easily forgot the great things God did with His mighty hand and chose to mock Him with their disbelief, even though they saw with their own eyes all that He did and said.

Jesus called the religious ones, hypocrites, stiff-necked, self-righteous, prideful, blind, deaf, without understanding and true knowledge of God.  Note He spent little time with them but did spend much of His time with the lost who had no hope.  Jesus died for sinners.  He had little time for those who thought they could earn their righteousness before God by what they did.

Be mindful of your heart.  How do you know if you are provoking God or if your heart has grown stone hard to Him?  How do you know if you are faithful if God’s word is not leading you to a deeper faith?  If God’s word is not feeding your heart, mind, and soul something else will and that something else always turns our heart, mind, and soul, away from God.  Our ears soon resist hearing what God is speaking into our life.  Our resolve to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey is soon lost and replaced with that which seems right in our own eyes.

10. They turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers

Exodus 32:7 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

Genesis 6:11-12  Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.  And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

Judges 2:19  But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.

Hosea 9:9  They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins.

Isaiah 24:5  The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 31:6  Turn to him from whom people have deeply revolted

Psalms 78:8  and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

The natural intent of our heart is rebellion, stubborn, unfaithful, corrupt, easily turned aside, stiff-necked, and not steadfast in serving God.  How are we to recognize the intent of the heart when the society/culture has put its stamp of approval on the very things that oppose God?  This makes it very hard to see it for what it is when there is nothing to counter their truth.

Think about it. Mainstream media is calling bi-sexual, homosexual, transgender lifestyles as being “Progressive”.  They call pornography “Adult Entertainment”.  They call abortion “Choice”.  They call God-fearing people as “Weak and Uninformed”.  They call creation “The Big Bang”.  They call faith “Wishing Upon A Star”.  They call God a “Myth”.  They call Jesus Christ a “Good Man”.  They call God, if He exists, “Unloving”.  They call hell a “Stick to get followers”.  They deny a “Final Judgement”.  They say the Bible is  “Man Made Stories”.  They say, because God does not exist, “Sin is not real”.  They say, if a god exists,  “All Religions Point to Him”.

It is very hard to recognize our sinful behavior if we do not believe, desire, seek, serve, follow, and obey God.  It is hard to obey God when there is no input of His word into our lives.  It is hard to confess sin when neglect and complacency replace daily time in His word.

Do you want to please God?  Commit to humbly serving Him.  Be intentional in daily time in His word.  Seek thoughts, words, and actions that which honors and glorifies Him.

Stubborn and rebellious

“Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.”

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

Psalms 106:6  Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.  Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

 Psalms 78:8    and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

 Leviticus 26:40    “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,

 Numbers 32:14    And behold, you have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the fierce anger of the LORD against Israel! 

  1 Kings 8:47     yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’

 Ezra 9:6-7     saying: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.

 Nehemiah 9:16     “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

 Daniel 9:5-8     we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.  We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame,  

Acts 7:51-52     “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.

Stiff-necked, open to shame, not obeying, turned heart, walking contrary, resisting, not listening, unfaithful spirit, rebellious, and stubborn, all speak of the conditions of man in relationship to God when neglect and complacency creep into everyday life.  Some how cares of this world, pride, and lust close our heart, mind, and soul to God.  Everyday is a choice to open up to the leading of the Holy Spirit and hear the quiet whispers of God that leads us to humbly serve, honor, glorify, listen to, follow, and obey Him.  His word is gives light in darkness, guides our path, and is full of wisdom, power, truth, encouragement, strength, and hope.  Feeding on His word gives food to our heart and soul.  It keeps us ever learning of His awesome power, might and steadfast love to those who choose to humbly serve and follow Him, and His fierce anger and wrath to those who choose to live each day for their own purpose, their own gain, their own wants, their own pleasure, and their own honor without regard of God.  How do we know of sin, or if we are pleasing God, or if we are leading our children (the next generation) away from God, or if we are doing things contrary to His will, if we are committed fully each day to serving Him and His purposes, not spending daily time in His word, and not listening for and to His whispers of guidance.  How are we to know of our sin and get to a place in our heart and soul where we are ashamed and confess, if His word is not feeding them?  Through His word we find purpose for living each day.  Apart from His word we see only that which leads us astray and on a very slippery slope away from Him.  How can we understand God’s grace, mercy, and love if we have no understanding of sin? How do we know the need for forgiveness if we have no understanding of sin? How can we have an understanding of sin and what is pleasing and unpleasing to God apart from His word? How do we have a hope for eternal life apart from His word.  How do we know our sins are forgiven apart from His word?  Forgiveness is given to those who have had their heart and mind opened by God’s word and see their sinfulness and need of forgiveness and then believe in and trust in and cling to and rely on Jesus Christ.  Their hope of eternal life with Christ is build on nothing else.

They soon forgot

“then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.”

“They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,”

“Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.”

“They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,”

“they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.

Psalms 78:35  They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.  But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.

Deuteronomy 32:4    “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

Deuteronomy 32:30  How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up?  For their rock is not as our Rock; our enemies are by themselves.

Isaiah 29:13   And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

Ezekiel 33:31   And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Reading these scriptures should challenge our heart and mind to faithfully serve God with our whole heart mind and soul.  Just as those from years gone by have done, we too need to be certain our mouth is not saying one thing and our heart is serving another – more than likely (Me, Myself, and I).  His word tells us that people easily forget God and what it means to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him.  It is hard to tell who these people are because many times all we hear is what comes from their mouth.  “they honor me with their mouth but their heart is far from Me”.  I wonder if it is our lack of spending time in knowing and understanding His word.  I wonder if we judge our walk by how others walk and in doing so we end up at a place where our faith is nothing more than words spoken.  This is a place where there is no heart deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God but rather just words stating it.  God sees our heart and knows our thoughts and intents.  Many will enter eternity and when standing before God will hear depart from Me for I never knew you.  Be mindful of what it means to be redeemed and to follow and obey Him with all your heart, mind and soul.

The next generation

“Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.”

Psalms 78:5  He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,   that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,   so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Psalms 71:18   So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 102:18    Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:

Psalms 145:4   One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Esther 9:28    that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation,

Deuteronomy 4:10   how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’  

Joel 1:3    Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.

Our responsibility is clear to tell the next generation about God and His glorious mighty power and steadfast love.  Do you ever stop to think about all the acts of blessing, mercy, love, and power God has done in your life?  We ought to record these and share them with our children, families and friends.  We are not only to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God, but also to tell others of what He has done in the past, what He has done in our lifetime, and the hope of our salvation.

Tell the next generation

“He who has ears, let him hear.”

“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”

“But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.”

Psalms 78:1   Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!   I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,   things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.   We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.   He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,  that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,   so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;   and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Proverbs 8:4  “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.  O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.  Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,

Isaiah 51:4    “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.

Isaiah 55:3     Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Deuteronomy 11:19    You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

It is up to us to proclaim the grace, mercy, love, hope, might and power of God.  It is a light to those who like us were in darkness.  When are we to speak of God?  When we are sitting in our homes, when we are walking, when we lie down and when we rise up.  The pace of our lives seems to be able to distract us from this.  We need to be mindful of that which distracts us and hold fast to Him and His word.  Practice putting His word into your mind. Read His word and then meditate on it through out the day.  Speak about it and discuss it.  Praise God through your life being lived out in honor and service to Him.  Set all your hopes in and on Him.