Tag: Obey

Therefore it shall be a witness against you

Psalms 119:57   The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.  I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.  When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies;  I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.  Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.  I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.   The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!

Psalms 16:5    The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

Psalms 73:26     My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalms 142:5    I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Lamentations 3:24     “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

“Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.”

Joshua 24:15     And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Deuteronomy 26:17-18     You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.  And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,

“You are my portion, O Lord: These are the words of a satisfied soul. The Psalmist is satisfied with the portion received, and that portion is the Lord Himself.”

“The Lord Himself is satisfaction to the Psalmist because God has come to him through His word. It isn’t as if the word of God was in one place, and the Psalmist must go another place for experience of and satisfaction found in God. He can say, “You are my portion, O Lord, and I have received that portion as You meet me in Your word and I live it out.”

“He is an exceedingly covetous fellow to whom God is not sufficient; and he is an exceeding fool to whom the world is sufficient. For God is an inexhaustible treasury of all riches, sufficing innumerable men; while the world has mere trifles and fascinations to offer, and leads the soul into deep and sorrowful poverty.”

“A close connection with God that receives and enjoys Him as one’s portion also receives strength to keep His words.”

“But if we take the Lord as our portion, we must take him as our king. . . . Here is the Christian complete – taking the Lord as his portion, and his word as his rule.” (Bridges)

“I have said; I have not only purposed it in my own heart, but have professed and owned it before others, and I do not repent of it.” (Poole)

Do you ever take notice of how active God’s word is in your life, where you actually reflect on it at the end of the day?  It is easier to notice if time is spent in His word with a heart deep desire to humbly serve, honor, praise, glorify, follow and obey Him.  Being filled with His living word will satisfy the darkest soul and give light to their day.

Secretly serving God is not an option.  Publicly professing and owning it before others is a basic foundation for commitment and service to Him. Scripture adds to this where it says words of faith without deeds (action) is dead and are nothing more than a clanging noise.

Active faith has proclamation/profession and action.  I wait for the Lord, I hope in the Lord, I trust in the Lord, I rely on the Lord, I believe in the Lord, I believe in eternity, I believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I know I have been forgiven, I honor the Lord, I hope in Him alone, I love His word and application in my life, I keep His word, I listen for His whispers of guidance…….. All of these are proclamations and have no meaning if there is no active influence in the actions of the person proclaiming them.

Jealous and Avenging

“Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.”

Psalms 94:1  O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!  Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!  O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?  They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.

Deuteronomy 32:41-42     if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me.  I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh— with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.’

Isaiah 35:4    Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Isaiah 59:17     He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

Nahum 1:2    The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.

Romans 12:19    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8    in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Hebrews 10:30     For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Revelation 20:11  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

John 3:18  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.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

A day is coming when all mankind will be judged.  Dying without trusting in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin will be eternal torment.  Those with Christ shall be with Him the minute they die.  Those without Christ will realize what total separation from God’s love, peace, rest, joy, holiness, righteousness, patience, and every loving steadfast presence. They enter a place of fully understanding their error, but it is too late.  They see clearly what their ultimate doom to come will be.  If for a second they think the separation from God is bad, it only gets worse. This is compounded an infinitesimal  times worse.  At the final judgement they are cast into the Lake of Fire where they experience torment for eternity.  Never dying, only forever torment of the worst kind.    The proud say there is no God.  The foolish say I will wait.  The hypocrite says I am good enough.  The complacent and neglectful always think there is sometime in the future when they will commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  Their doom awaits. The wrath of God is to be feared.  His vengeance is to be feared.  His anger is to be feared.  Rejecting His Son, who gave His life to redeem those who would believe is a very big mistake with eternal consequences.  Those who  trust in Christ, rest in God’s grace, mercy, love and promise of eternity with Him.  Forever in His presence. Be a light of the gospel of good news.  Speak the saving grace of Jesus Christ into their lives.  Be a a light used by God for His choosing, calling, and direction.

Abounding in Steadfast Love

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”

Psa 89:1   I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”

Psalms 36:5     Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

Psalms 92:2     to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,

Isaiah 25:1     O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

Numbers 23:19    God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Titus 1:2     in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

Psalms 119:90     Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

Psalms 146:6     who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever;

Nehemiah 1:5    And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Nehemiah 9:17    They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

Luke 1:50     And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

Hebrews 6:18     so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Do you ever question God’s faithfulness, promises, steadfast love, mercy, and truthfulness?  Keeping a proper mindset toward God requires us to have a continual desire to know and understand Him more and more.  Having a hunger and thirst for Him that is not quenchable.   Having heart, mind and soul choice to honor and obey Him because of who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised to do.  When you read His word believe it.  When you read His word praise Him.  When you read His word trust it.  When you read His word rely on it.  When you read His word cling to it. When you read His word obey it.  Praise the creator and author of all there is because He has reached out to His creation and offered eternal life to all who would choose to be forgiven of their sin through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Listen and Obey

“And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’”

““But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.”

“Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left.”

Zechariah 5:1  Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll!   And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”  Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side.   I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.”

Jeremiah 36:1  In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:  “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.  It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Jeremiah 36:20  So they went into the court to the king, having put the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, and they reported all the words to the king.  Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary. And Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king.  It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him.  As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot.  Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.

It is not a good thing to get a scroll written from God and read to you if you are not going to take care to what is being communicated.  I wonder if this might be the same as what is written in the bible and we do not open our heart, mind, or eyes to what is being communicated.  Being aware of what God is saying and then turning away from it or hardening our heart to it, or stiffening our neck against it can only end in judgment.  Look at what is said here “Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.” And “all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’”  Do we actually think it will end well for us in light of what God says He will do to those who neglect to hear, act and obey His word?  How much warning must be given?  Do we think God will count to 10 and we have until then to react, repent, and turn away?  Now is the time to take His word serious.  Now is the time to commit to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Him.  Spend time in His word and live in true peace trusting in Him and not on our own understanding and wishfully thinking we can coast through life without commitment to our heavenly Father.

Don’t end up cut off from God

“ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

“But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.”

“Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’”

“Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.”

Zechariah 1:6  But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they repented and said, ‘As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.’”

Numbers 23:19   God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Ezekiel 12:25  For I am the LORD; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord GOD.”  And the word of the LORD came to me:  “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’  Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be performed, declares the Lord GOD.”

Daniel 9:11   All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.  He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.

Lamentations 1:18   “The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word; but hear, all you peoples, and see my suffering; my young women and my young men have gone into captivity.

Lamentations 4:11  The LORD gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations.  The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world

Deuteronomy 28:20     “The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me.

I wonder if we believe all of God’s word is truth and that what is spoken will come to pass.  We tend to lean on His grace, mercy and love but do not listen to words of warning, anger, and wrath.  God will not be mocked “what a man sows so shall he reap” False belief is no excuse.  Neglect of His word is not excuse.  Being to busy is no excuse. Romans says man is without excuse because God has made very clear to them through what He has created and what He has written on their hearts and minds.  We need to take living for Him very serious with our whole heart, mind, and soul.

They did not Listen

“Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.”

“But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.”

Malachi 2:1  “And now, O priests, this command is for you,  If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts.

Deuteronomy 28:15  “But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.

“All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you.  They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever.  Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,

Your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread and have no assurance of your life.  In the morning you shall say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and at evening you shall say, ‘If only it were morning!’ because of the dread that your heart shall feel, and the sights that your eyes shall see.

Isaiah 30:8  And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.  For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD;  who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,  leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”  Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them,  therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant;

With all of the promises in God’s word for blessings I wonder if we overlook the warnings.  Notice “if you do not listen”, if you do not take to heart”, and “because they did not listen” make known the warning and actions taken by God.  God is not mocked – what a man sows so shall he reap.  With God in our lives we have peace, hope, joy, comfort, and rest.  He is our rock, refuge, strength and power.  In Him we can do all things and endure all things.  Desire to know Him.  Commit to humbly serving Him.   Honor, follow, and obey Him.  Listen for the whispers of guidance as you read His word and contemplate it. Our purpose this side of eternity is to serve Him fully.

Open Ear Warnings

“then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings,”

Psalms 40:6  In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.

Psalms 51:16   For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

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.

Isaiah 1:11   “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.

Jeremiah 7:21  Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh.  For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.  But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’

Hosea 6:6    For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13   Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:7   And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

Hebrews 10:5  Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;  in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”  When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law),  then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second.  And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

John 7:15  The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”  So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.  If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.

Isaiah 50:4  The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.  The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.

Proverbs 15:23    To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!

God opens the ear of man and terrifies them with warnings!  He does this so that we freely choose to listen, follow, and obey Him.  How many times are we trying to make ourself right before God but in the end it is only right in our own eyes.  God wants willful obedience from us, not our attempts to cover up or atone for the things we are doing in disregard of Him.  Why is it so hard to deny self and live for Him?  We choose to open His word and read it.  We choose to stay close to Him.  We choose to listen to His leading.  We choose to follow His path and purpose for our life.  We choose to serve Him.  We choose to obey Him.  We choose to honor and glorify Him.  What choice are you making today?

Guilty

 “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty,”

“The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty”

 

Psalms 20:5  May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

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.

Matthew 12:31  Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Acts 5:31  God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Exodus 34:5-7 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.  The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Romans 4:7-8   “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Ephesians 1:7  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

1 John 1:9   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 2:4-9  Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works:  to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Isaiah 45:21   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.

Nahum 1:2-3  The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Read these verses again.  God’s steadfast love, forgiveness, slow to anger, pardoning, grace, mercy, and faithfulness are all proclaimed in light of our sin and His salvation.  Yet we also read  “the Lord will by no means clear the guilty,” and “He will render to each one according to his works.” How are we to look at such opposing outcomes?  Scripture tells us that we all have sinned and fall short.  It also says that God so loved the world that He gave is only son and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. The outcome of not believing we have any sin or need for God, which leads to no need for God or trusting/believing in the redemption/salvation of Jesus Christ.  We will not be cleared of our guilt based on God’s love, mercy, and grace without repentance, belief, and obedience.  Today is the day of salvation.  A day when God is withholding His wrath.  We know that when we die we enter into eternity and if we enter eternity without repentance, belief, and obedience we will certainly experience God’s wrath – thrown into a lake of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth forever and ever.  Scripture states it is fearful to fall into the hands of God’s anger. Our lives, (words, and actions), can be used to lead people toward God.  Stay in His word, listen for His leading, and obey.

Steadfast vs Meaningless

“I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.”

Hosea 6:6
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”

Isaiah 1:11
“The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?
Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.

Jeremiah 4:22
“My people are fools;
they do not know me.
They are senseless children;
they have no understanding.

Mica 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Matt 12:32
Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

I recently spent time in Roatan, Honduras and met some fine young men.  The one thing I was so encouraged about was their heart for God and how open they were to talk about it.  There was no desire on their part to impress or judge it was a pure heart to talk about God and their walk and struggles with this walk.  Their heart desire was to seek knowledge and understanding of His word and being able to apply it in their lives.  These young men have struggles that we can’t even comprehend.  Little or no father figure in their lives, cultural pressure from their friends, lack of consistent water, food, shelter, clothes, and yet they have chosen to serve, honor and glorify God.  They spoke openly about sometimes not walking close to  Him and I was so humbled by this openness.  When we talk about how we are doing in our walk with God we don’t seem to open up and speak about all that sets us back.  Even worse is sometimes we don’t even see how lacking we are.  We pretend or perform trying to make ourselves right before God and man in our own eyes.  The truth escapes us in this matter because we lack knowledge and understanding which comes from His word in our hearts and minds.  I wonder if our submission to Christ is nothing more than an insurance policy against eternity in hell.  How sad is this?  Rather than being open and honest about our time in God’s word and application of it in our thoughts and actions we shrug it off because we don’t  see immediate need or find time.   I am not sure if I will see these young men again – I certainly plan on it – their names are written on my heart “Bebe, Jorvick, Pablo, Menfy, Hubert, Richard, Jonny, Jason, Christopher, Bryan, Carry, Oral”.  Please keep them in your prayers of protection, guidance, and blessing from God.

Out numbered

“Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands”

Judges 7:9
Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.
Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”
His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”
When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon. ’”
Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords

Joshua 2:24
And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands”

Deuteronomy 28:42
The cricket shall possess all your trees and the fruit of your ground.The sojourner who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.
“All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you”

300 men were outnumbered by more than they could count.  Yet God fought their battle even before they arrived.  He had put fear and confusion into the hearts and minds of their enemy.  I love how God encouraged Gideon – if you are afraid take  take your servant with you and listen to how they are speaking.  As soon as Gideon heard the fear in their conversation he bowed down and worshiped God for he heard and realized God’s hand was with him.  Remember Gideon had said that he was least in his fathers house and his father house was least in their clan.  Listening to God and being encouraged by what He has done, will do, and is doing it is good for us to bow down and worship Him.  This is God’s battle not Gideon’s.  Sometimes we are in battles that are our own doing because we do not spend time in His word and have abandoned listening to His voice.  These battles are only overcome by bowing down and seeking forgiveness before God.  Other times God stirs our heart and leads us into areas we,  like Gideon, do not feel at all equipped to face.  These too are times we need to bow down and seek Him.  I keep being reminded of this questions “how are we to know Him and his power, strength, love, and mercy if we spend no time reading His word?”  “How are we to obey His leading if there is nothing from His word speaking into our heart?”  How are we to know His purpose for our life without seeking the source through His word?”