Ponder – Praying Pint

37.e. ” I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds”

Genesis 24:62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Joshua 1:8    This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalms 1:2     but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalms 77:11-12    I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.  I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.

Psalms 104:34   May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.

Psalms 119:15     I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

Psalms 139:17    How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

Psalms 143:5  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.

To meditate; think, pray, remember, reflect, weigh, ponder, consider, deliberate, be in a thoughtful state – think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence – to think deeply or carefully about (something). Isaac went out into the field away from what might distract him to meditate, on what we are not told. Was it about the loss of his mother, the servants mission for a wife for him, God’s supplying a sacrifice, what his father Abraham had told him about God and God’s promises, God’s creation, etc….. we do not know. He went to the field to meditate away from that which should distract him. There were no city lights dimming the ability to see the stars, sounds of cars and trucks on nearby roads, no city night sounds – he set himself in a place without distraction so he could meditate.

We, very seldom, can get away from distractions. Children, spouse, lights, noise, phones, computers, TV, radio, neighbors, etc….. Most of the time our only time to meditate is when our head hits the pillow and we soon fall fast asleep. If we are honest many times our meditation is about worry, fear, anger, pride, greed, lust, confusion, projects, timelines, family, finances, sickness, etc…. Things of this world that overwhelm, consume, and distract us. Why is this? Why do we find it almost impossible to meditate on the things of God? Why is this concept so hard to grasp? It is the busyness of life and it consumes our hearts and minds. It distracts us from the things of God. Test me on this. See if this is not true. Shut off your computer, phone, or tablet, and for the next 10 minutes meditating on the things of God and His Word.

Where did your mind want to wander too? Were there thoughts other than the things of God and His Word grabbing your attention? It is not impossible, it just takes training. To start;

Try praising God and worshiping His greatness.
Try to picture His leading throughout the day.
Give thanks for who He is, what He has given, and what He has promised.
Thank Him for His Word
Think about His Word
Confess and repent
Place your burdens in His hands
Seek His discernment for your tomorrow
Ask Him to lead you in all you say, think, and do so that Jesus Christ is honored and glorified

It is not so much about finding time, but rather making time for meditation on God and things of God. I am not talking about a minute here or there throughout the day (though this should happen). I am talking about time set aside and purposed for meditation on God and things of God. Whatever is prioritized will find the time. Do me this favor. For one week (7 days straight) prioritize 10 minutes for meditating on God and things of God. Do not do this in bed. Go to the basement, garage, bathroom, back deck, wherever, and set your mind to this. I am more than confident that after 7 days you will find value, benefit, comfort, joy, faith, hope, and peace growing more and more each day. It will be a time of refuge and refreshing for your soul.

27.p. “I will remember Your wonders and mighty deeds”

Psalms 77:11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people,

I will remember Your wonders, I will ponder all Your work, and I will meditate on Your mighty deeds, more than indicate that when we are in a seemingly dry spiritual or physical state if we would but turn our minds to dwell on God and who He is and what He has done we would find an abundance of hope. (Mcalaren) wrote; “Memory supplies the colors with which Hope paints her truest pictures.” (Spurgeon) wrote; “Memory is a fit handmaid for faith.” Remembering God’s power is unhindered and unlimited we can have hope and faith in times of trouble, confusion, fear, worry, and anxiousness. We are encouraged when we remember and meditate on the greatness of God. When we turn our minds away from that which troubles us and turn them to dwell on God’s unhindered and unlimited power, and we remember all that He has done, that which troubles us and darkens the light of hope in our hearts becomes lost in the glorious light of His power, might, grace, love, mercy, and strength. It is hard for us to turn our minds away from the physical and emotional worries that seem to at-will punch us in the gut. Yet, when we take these thoughts captive (when we recognize them) and set them aside and begin to take full focus on God, who He is, what He has done, what He is limitless to do, our hearts and minds find peace, joy, and hope.

13.x. ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Matthew 7:14  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Proverbs 4:26-27    Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.  Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Isaiah 35:8    And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

Matthew 25:1-12    “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,  but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.  But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’  Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’  And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’  But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Luke 13:23-30     And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them,  “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’  Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’  But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.  And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.  And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

1 Peter 3:20-21     because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

Romans 9:27-29    And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,  for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.”

What happens to those who fail to follow Jesus? What about those who try to find another path to God? Will they make it to heaven? Let’s look at what Jesus had to say about eternity.

First, Jesus taught that two eternal destinations exist. Universalists claim that all roads lead to the same place, that everyone’s going to heaven regardless of what he or she believes or doesn’t believe. But Jesus drove a stake through that claim when He said in Matthew 25:46, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Jesus taught there are two destinations: eternal punishment and eternal life.

Second, Jesus taught that hell is a reality. Of all the verses in the New Testament that record the words of Jesus, do you realize that 13 percent of those verses deal with the reality of hell? For example, Jesus believed that hell is an actual location, not a state of mind (Matthew 25:46). Jesus taught in Matthew 22:13 that hell is a place of physical suffering. And most devastatingly, Jesus said that hell is an irrevocable destination. Once there, no one leaves. In Luke 16, Jesus told the story about Abraham, the rich man, and Lazarus. The rich man found himself in hell and begged Abraham to provide relief and a way out. Abraham answered and said, “Between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us” (v. 26).

Third, Jesus taught that the majority of humanity will occupy hell. The single greatest objection to the idea that faith in Christ is the only way to heaven is it means relatively few people will be in heaven. There are seven billion people in the world today. Only 25 percent of the world’s population can be classified as Christian, and most of those only because of their birth or nationality; when you talk about those who’ve actually trusted in Christ, it’s minuscule compared to the world’s population. People say, “It just can’t be true that billions of people will be in hell while only a few will be in heaven.” That seems illogical until you realize that’s exactly what Jesus taught. He said the population of heaven will be relatively small compared to the population of hell. In Matthew 7:13-14, He said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” I realize you may find this teaching offensive, but please consider this: the majority of everything we know about hell comes from the lips of Jesus Christ Himself. To dismiss the idea of hell means you have to dismiss Jesus Christ and what He taught about eternity

11.v. ” If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name”

Nahum 3:5 Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and will lift up your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and kingdoms at your shame. I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. And all who look at you will shrink from you and say, “Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?” Where shall I seek comforters for you?

Ezekiel 23:25  And I will direct my jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in fury. They shall cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors shall fall by the sword. They shall seize your sons and your daughters, and your survivors shall be devoured by fire.

Jeremiah 13:22    And if you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things come upon me?’ it is for the greatness of your iniquity that your skirts are lifted up and you suffer violence.

Habakkuk 2:16     You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory!

Malachi 2:2     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.

Malachi 2:9     and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Isaiah 14:16-19 Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,  who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’  All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb;  but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Do you ever wonder what is keeping God from just displaying the full force of His wrath and anger? It is His promise of redemption, not wishing any should perish but that all would come to the knowledge of salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life through Jesus Christ. His grace, mercy, and love are what keeps His wrath and anger at bay. It will not be like this forever. There is coming a time when He will call His children home to be with him forevermore. Then there will be a time of unleashing His wrath and anger and judgment. We see where He has felt with individuals, cities, and nations but a time is coming when it will be on all of those who have defied Him and His offer of salvation and forgiveness. A time is coming and when it comes it will not be compared to any other time in the history of mankind. Believing that it will not happen in your lifetime does not make it so. Believing you will, at some time in the future, make things right with God means you are choosing to deny Him right now. This choice has eternal consequences. Open your heart to the Good News message of Jesus Christ. You will find peace for your soul that you never thought possible, and a life with purpose, meaning, and eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Let them consider

“but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

Psalms 107:43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Psalms 28:5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

Psalms 64:9 Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done.

Isaiah 5:12 They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

Jeremiah 9:12 Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

Daniel 10:12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

Hosea 14:9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

Psalms 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

There always seems to be a way man finds to avert focus on God. When they do not focus on God, they stumble, their land is laid waste, they are not built up, they are beat down, or they do not see His salvation. On the other hand those who, ponder, discerns, set their heart to know and seek God, and consider what God has done, they are strengthened with power in their inner being. They are grounded in His love. They know Love that surpasses knowledge. They see God’s salvation. They humble themselves. None of us are immune to getting sideways. None of us are immune to Satan’s attacks. None of us are immune to our sinful nature and it’s wants and desires. Our battle is to keep these influences at bay with knowledge and understanding of God and His holiness. Our hope can be found in no one else. Our faith can be in no one else. If his word is not in our daily lives we will surely loose our way. Remember salvation is offered to all but it is not because we are worthy. It is because we have come to a place where this world and all it has to offer, leaves us wanting and empty. Do you want to find true purpose and satisfaction this side of eternity. Seek God and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened by God.

Integrity of heart

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 101:2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

Psalms 119:106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Genesis 18:19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice

Deuteronomy 6:7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

1 Kings 11:4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

2 Chronicles 15:17 But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days.

Isaiah 38:3 and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

When David came to royal power, he didn’t say: “Now I can live the good life.” he said “I will ponder the way that is blameless. He understood that the sense of God’s presence was connected to obedience. 1 John 1:6-7: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. David understood life had to be real in his conduct within his own house. You must not gauge your worth by what the outside world thinks and says about you. David knew that one measure of a righteous life was what one chose to set before the eyes. There are many wicked things to set our eyes upon, and the lust of the eyes is a lure of this world. Keep your heart, mind and soul tuned to God’s word with a deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey. Learn to know the ways of God and purpose to choose to walk in them.

Present yourself

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,”

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Psalms 78:72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.

Psalms 101:1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music. I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes. Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

Isaiah 11:2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

In Psalm 101 David says he will ponder the way that is blameless, he will not set his eyes on anything worthless, and he will hate the work of those who fall away. Why does he want to choose to live this way? Because of the place God has in His heart, mind, and soul. If we choose to live this way we will need to have God’s wisdom, knowledge, discernment, and understanding. To walk with God each day and desire and purpose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey is not something that comes easy to us. Placing God first in all we do and think takes discipline and commitment. Fighting the sinful nature of self purpose and choosing to replace it with God’s purpose will give meaning, hope, peace, love, joy, strength, power….. this side of eternity.

Crying and burdened heart

Psalms 77:1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled. The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

An aching and burdened heart lost in trials and troubles, seeking God. You can hear their cry throughout this Psalm. Searching for comfort that seems not to come. You can sense the battle between what they know about God’s steadfast love and what they are feeling in the moment. Focusing on God and not the issue is the answer but if you have ever been so low and felt so unworthy everything is out of focus. It is a reminder also for each of us to be there for our brothers and sisters and help regain this presence / focus of God. The old hymn as a verse “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”

Day of Wrath

“ 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.”

Psalms 58:11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth.”

Psalms 92:15 to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Malachi 3:14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts?

Isaiah 3:10 Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

Romans 6:21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Psalms 9:16 The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

Psalms 64:9 Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done.

Psalms 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

Psalms 96:13 before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Malachi 2:17 You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

2 Peter 3:4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Do you ever wonder how you will be judged by God? It is never based on comparing ourselves with others. I see those who pretend there is nothing wrong in their life which leads to a very complacent walk with God. I see others who try to preform various acts to overshadow that which they know is contrary to being right with God. Do you think we are judged based on how bad other people are or how well we preform? We will be judged according to what is found in His word. Those who come to God and believe it is in what they do that makes them right before Him – “Trying to earn it” – His word says being made right before God is a gift of grace to all who believe and not by works less any man would boast. What in our life can stand up to His holiness? What can make us clean if we can’t earn it? Believing in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, trusting in, clinging to, and relying on this alone to be right in God’s eyes. It is not by what we do but by believing in what He has done. If we have trust in anything else we fall short. If we try to make up for it by some act of kindness we fall short. We can not earn something that is given freely. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 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.” It is by belief not works. However there are outward signs of those who believe. At least there should be. Joy and Praise – because of God and His grace and mercy, Hope – because of His promises, Peace & Rest – because of knowing our lives are a work of His hand, Strength & Courage – because God is our rock and sovereign over all, Love and Kindness and Sacrificial Giving – because of His demonstration in giving us His son to redeem us. Our lives should reflect humble service, honoring, following, and obeying God for the single purpose of who God is, what He has done, and what He will do. God asks for our whole heart, mind and soul. Stop pretending everything is ok. Stop preforming, thinking this makes you right before God. Start with a heart deep desire to honor, serve, follow and obey. Spend time in His word each day.

Guard My Mouth

“May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

Psalms 39:1 I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

Psalms 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

1 Kings 2:4 that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

2 Kings 10:31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin.

Proverbs 4:26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Proverbs 21:23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

Psalms 73:8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.

Psalms 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

I am not sure about you but many of these verses speak to my heart. Read them again and again. May God’s quiet voice speak to our heart and mind keeping us from speaking that which does not honor or glorify Him at all times.