Tag: Not Forsaken

53.w. Isaiah 26:3-4

 

 

Isa 26:3-4  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

 Isaiah 57:19-21    creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal him.  But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.  There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

 Psalms 85:7-8   Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.  Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.

 Micah 5:5     And he shall be their peace.

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

 John 16:33   I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

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

 Ephesians 2:14-16     For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility  by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,  and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

 Philippians 4:7    And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 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!

 Psalms 9:10     And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

 Jeremiah 17:7-8    “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

 Romans 4:21   fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

 That day, seems to mean when the New Testament Babylon shall be levelled with the ground. The unchangeable promise and covenant of the Lord are the walls of the church of God. The gates of this city shall be open. Let sinners then be encouraged to join to the Lord. Thou wilt keep him in peace; in perfect peace, inward peace, outward peace, peace with God, peace of conscience, peace at all times, in all events. Trust in the Lord for that peace, that portion, which will be for ever. Whatever we trust to the world for, it will last only for a moment; but those who trust in God shall not only find in him, but shall receive from him, strength that will carry them to that blessedness which is for ever. Let us then acknowledge him in all our ways, and rely on him in all trials. (Henry)

‘Peace, peace;’ the repetition of the word denoting, as is usual in Hebrew, emphasis, and here evidently meaning undisturbed, perfect peace. That is, the mind that has confidence in God shall not be agitated by the trials to which it shall be subject; by persecution, poverty, sickness, want, or bereavement. (Barnes)

The word “perfect” is not in the Hebrew text, it is there “peace, peace”; which is doubled to denote the certainty of it, the enjoyment of it, and the constancy and continuance of it; and as expressive of all sorts of peace, which God grants unto his people, and keeps for them, and them in; as peace with God and peace with men, peace outward and peace inward, peace here and peace hereafter; and particularly it denotes the abundance of peace that believers will have in the kingdom of Christ in the latter day. (Gill)

52. You shall be called Sought Out

Deuteronomy 14:2   For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Exodus 19:5-6    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.’

Leviticus 11:45    For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Leviticus 20:26     You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.

Isaiah 62:12    And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

Titus 2:14    who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1 Peter 2:9     But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Redeemed, chosen, a treasured possession, sought out, and separated for good works describe those called by God.  We are sought out and chosen by God.  This is not because of who we are but because of who He is.  This is not because of something we did to deserve it but because of what He has done.  Just think, God of creation has sought you out, chosen you, redeemed you, and sees you as a treasured possession to be separated and set aside for good works.

Being sought out and chosen by God is no small thing and should not be viewed as small, trivial, insignificant, inconsequential, unimportant, or of no importance.  This is God’s love demonstrated and extended to His creation.  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God’s steadfast love and external call go out to all mankind.  He demonstrated love and sacrifice so great and all-encompassing that all are called (chosen) – but not everyone chooses to accept the call of being chosen.  “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

It is important to hear the call but much more important to respond to that call.  Remember response to this call is not an ending but rather a new beginning of being a chosen, redeemed, treasured possession, sought out and separated for goods work child of God.  The response to God is every minute of every day.  Be ever listening to His leading and ever obedient to His word.

Not Crushed

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed”

 

Psalms 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

Psalms 34:17  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Isaiah 65:24   Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Acts 12:5  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.  Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.  And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”  And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.  When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.  When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

Hebrews 11:33  who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,  quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.  Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—  of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. God is ever present in the lives of those who seek Him.  He hears their cry for help.  He heals their broken heart.  He delivers them out of their troubles.  Know how much God loves us and how much He wants to direct our path and how His path is perfect for us, why do we keep Him at arms length.  Why do we keep our focus on only what we can see in this world?  Why is our heart, eyes and ears so easily turned away from God?  If His word is not present in our lives everyday it is easy to lose connection.  It is like having a new puppy that every shinny thing captures it’s attention.  We seem to find the shinny things of our busy lives more important than the peace, rest, joy, hope, love, strength, and power of God.  Spend time in His word today for 5 minutes.  Spend 5 more minutes thinking about what you just read.  I think you will find that God will call these into your mind through out the day as your focus turns from temporary to that which is eternal.

 

Worship God

And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law

Nehemiah 8:3
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground

1 Timothy 2:8
I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling

2 Chronicles 20:18
Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord

Exodus 4:31
And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped

Genesis 24:25
The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master

I wonder if we have lost sight of the reverence we should have to God.  Most of us were taught to bow our heads to pray but the reason behind it was not reinforced or explained.  God, the creator of all there is, is a Holy God far above our understanding. Yet He has reached out to His creation in steadfast love and we mediocarlly approach His holiness and this love.  Are we in a state of thankfulness, humbleness, reverence, hopefulness, willingness, faithfulness, seeking to continually worship Him or do we see Him as the great ATM machine where we stick in our wanting prayer expecting answered prayer to come out.  Our God is deserving of so much more from each one of us.  Our days should be filled with desire to worship Him with our whole mind, heart and soul for the purpose of honoring and glorifying Him.  Lift up your hands, bow your knee and head – give Praise to the Great I Am – God.