Tag: Presence

1.t. For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy

2 Chronicles 6:12  Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’ Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David.

“But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

Exodus 29:45-46     I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.  And they shall know that I am the LORD their God,

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Acts 17:24    The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

Psalms 139:7-10    Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Jeremiah 23:24    Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.

Will God indeed dwell with man on earth?  Can heaven and the highest heaven contain God?  Do I not fill heaven and earth? Solomon prayed with wisdom and knowledge of who God is.  He knew God was above all and that even heaven and the highest heaven could not contain Him.  How many times in the bible does God remind us of who He is?  Why does He do this?

Have God’s people had lost sight of God? His holiness, His majesty, His glory – has it all become very clouded. Have we lost sight of the majesty and holiness of God? Do we walk in reverential fear of God or has He become more like our buddy when troubles come our way and we need help?  Have we diluted who God is to something so far away that we don’t even try to live for Him in such a way the glorifies and honors Him more than one day a week at best?  If our thoughts of God and who He is is clouded and watered down, how will we actively seek and desire to listen for and to Him?  How will we follow, trust, and obey Him?

God is “the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy.”  We do well to intentionally choose to place Him first in our thoughts, actions, and words.  We do well to seek and desire to know Him more and more so that we can live in such a way that we honor and glorify Him more and more each moment of every day.

163. First or second choice?

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Psalm 37:3-5   Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

John 15:5    I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Psalm 27:14   Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 37:4    Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

1 Corinthians 10:12-14   Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall

John 8:31-36 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Is our first choice to trust God, to seek God, to rely on God????? Do we do it on our own pushing forward without waiting for God’s perfect plan?  When do I put myself first and God second?  Do I even know how to put God first?  The real question I should be asking is “do I trust Him”, Do I rely on Him, Do I seek Him and his perfect plan and purpose for my life?  To be honest I would have to say yes and no.  I struggle with waiting.  I struggle in the limbo stages of life.  I struggle with not knowing?  All of these struggles happen when I truly am in a place in my life where I need to trust in, rely on, and cling to God.  Therein is where the problem is.  I place more significance in needing and wanting God present and working in my life when things are a bit of center than when all systems are good.  If my choice for God is on reserved for times of need then what kind of wretched man am I.  Should not my choice be for wanting to honor, glorify, serve, worship, follow, obey, and rely on Him ALL OF THE TIME?

If I don’t establish God first in all things at all time then I will find myself not being fueled up for all times of life.  Fuel for life comes from His word but the use of that fuel is a choice, a disciplined choice, an intentional choice, and a commitment that is heart, mind, and soul deep.  There cannot be times where  I am content enough today without it being all about God, or where I allow myself to think that I can coast today, or that I am good enough today on my own.

Never is it right to think we serve, honor, follow, and obey God on our terms as an alternative way to live for those moments of trying times.  If we think this way He will always not be an intentional first choice in our life and more than likely not even a close second.

Here is a hymn that speaks of realizing the heart, mind, and  soul-deep need for Jesus each day:

I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord; no tender voice like thine can peace afford. I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee. I need thee every hour, stay thou nearby; temptations lose their power when thou art nigh. I need thee every hour, in joy or pain; come quickly, and abide, or life is vain I need thee every hour; teach me thy will, and thy rich promises in me fulfill. I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee! O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.

108. Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!

1 Samuel 18:12  Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.

Psalms 53:5     There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

Psalms 51:11     Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Hosea 9:12     Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!

Deuteronomy 31:17    Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?

2 Kings 17:18     Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight.

Jeremiah 15:7    I have destroyed my people; they did not turn from their ways.

Hosea 7:13     Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.

God’s warnings to man state very clearly God wants us to honor and serve Jesus, trust and obey Jesus, cling to and rely on Jesus with our whole heart, soul, and mind.  For those who live for Jesus, there are blessings of peace, rest, joy, courage, hope, refuge, strength, and steadfast love for life this side of eternity and the promise of eternity with Jesus.  For those who do not live for or believe in Jesus Christ, there is no inner peace, no inner rest, no lasting hope or satisfaction, no knowledge of His love now and for eternity.   Many want to and do believe lies that there is no God and no plan of salvation through Jesus Christ and their destiny is hell.  Many want to believe the lies that God’s love alone covers them without any need for repentance or forgiveness and their destiny also is hell.  

Chris Gowen, (Feb 2001) – You would think everyone wants to go to Heaven when the Lord comes. You would think everyone would take the steps to be ready to meet the Lord one day. Several years ago the warning went out for thousands of people living on the eastern coast about the coming of a Hurricane. Many people prepared by boarding up their homes, purchasing supplies, and making evacuations. There are some folks who did not take seriously the warnings and chose to go on as if nothing would happen. They are like many people who choose to disregard God’s warning in the Bible. The Warning is very plain from Scriptures. We must get the Word out! If you will look in your Bibles to Revelation, chapter 22, You will see God’s Final Warning! 10 And he said to me, ” Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.’’ 12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’’ 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

Some folks foolishly think somehow they will be warned at that moment prior to the coming of the Lord, and then they will make preparation. That’s why Jesus says, “Behold, I come quickly.” When Jesus comes it will be over. It won’t be like looking on the television and seeing the coming storm. People begin to prepare for the hurricane or the possible tornado. When Jesus comes, he will become and go before a person will know it happened and at that very moment they will spend eternity in separation from Jesus and torment of their soul forever.

So the warning is this, don’t wait to come to Jesus.  Don’t wait to live for Jesus.  Don’t wait to be in and study His word. Don’t wait thinking there is all the time in the world to start living with an intentional choice to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Jesus.  You know if Jesus is first in your life or not and whether you are in his word each day with a heart and mind deep desire to live for Him.    Do something NOW. The time to do something is now. Don’t think God will flash a neon sign across the heavens which reads…”I am coming for you tomorrow, so get ready this very day.”

87. The haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,

1 Samuel 14:6     Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

2 Chronicles 14:11    And Asa cried to the LORD his God, “O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”

Zechariah 4:6    Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29    But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

Jeremiah 9:23     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,

Isaiah 2:17     And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

We would do well to stay in God’s word learning more and more about Him and how to humbly serve and honor Him.  We don’t need to look very far in the news to see those with prideful, boastful, and non-God honoring comments.   You don’t have to read or watch much TV to find those who would knowingly deny God, deny His sovereignty, His son, His Holy Spirit, His warnings and His promises.  These people know deep down what they are doing.

I am more worried about those who claim to know and serve God but deny His power, sovereignty, and Holy Spirit.  These people live a watered down and diluted christian existence.  There is no intentional and active humble service, reliance, or obedience in their superficial walk.  This lifestyle knowingly says in their heart, I only need God when I am in trouble, I don’t need Him for everyday stuff, I know enough of His word, I am good enough, I do more than others, …..etc.  These people covertly live in the pride of their own power, strength, and doing what seems right in their own eyes.  They have become lukewarm in their walk with God because they chose a path of neglect and complacency for His word.

32. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come;

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?

Habakkuk 2:3     For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.

Malachi 3:6     For I the LORD do not change

Luke 21:33     Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

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

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.

James 1:17     Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God does not lie, He does not change, and what He promises will take place.  Think about what He has promised: Savior Jesus Christ, Steadfast love, Purpose, Justice, Power, Refuge, Courage, Hope, Love, Peace, Joy, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Forgiveness, Salvation, Rebirth – Born Again, Eternal Life, Resurrection, Heaven

He has also promised: Judgement, anger, wrath, Hell, torment, agony, separation, foolishness, disaster, chaos, turmoil, unrest, justice, eternal damnation

What separates these two paths of all of mankind?  Choice!!!  Choice in what we believe.  Choice in who we believe.  Nothing is more clear than what is stated:

John 3:16-21  “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. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Romans 1:18-21  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Revelation 20:11-15  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.

19. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

Exodus 34:10   And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

Deuteronomy 4:32-37     “For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of.  Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?  Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?  To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.  Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.  And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power,

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?

Joshua 10:12-13     At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”  And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.

Psalms 77:14    You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.

Deuteronomy 10:21     He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.

Psalms 65:5    By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

Psalms 145:6     They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.

We choose to serve, honor, worship, serve, follow, and obey God.  We choose in light of what He has done, what He is doing, and what He has promised.  To choose we must have a heart, mind, and soul desiring to intentionally commit to Him above self, above issue, above odds, above what we can see, above what others say, and above satan’s lies.

Our culture will blind us to Him and His awesomeness if our eyes are not on Him.  Our culture will steal our time away from Him.  Our culture will cater to our selfishness and steal our focus away from Him.  Our culture will shout loud and clear to deafen our ears to His leading.  Our culture is no different than any other culture in the past.  They have been the same in every sense.

There is only one way to shut down this influence and open up to God – It is by choice.  This choice is a life change commitment, a desire change commitment, a new way of thinking commitment, a new way of acting commitment, a new creation!!!!!  Born again!!!!

This commitment must start with turning to God, confessing sin, trusting in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, clinging to Jesus, relying on Jesus, living for Jesus, desiring to honor and glorify Him, seeking to hear Him and a want to obey Him.

Stay in His Word.

15. So that we are distinct

Exodus 33:14  And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

Numbers 14:14    They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst of this people.

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.’

Deuteronomy 4:7    For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

1 Kings 8:53     For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage,

2Corinthians 6:16  What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,  and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Proverbs 9:6     Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

Acts 2:40    And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

My presence will go with you, so that we are distinct, treasured possession, separate, speak of the difference in the lives of those who live for God. 

His presence will be with them; “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”, “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love”, “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

His people will be distinct;  “I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.” “declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” “ that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

6. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice

Exodus 23:20   “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.  “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

Malachi 3:1    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

Isaiah 63:9    In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Psalms 91:11     For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Numbers 20:16    And when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.

Exodus 33:14    And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Hebrews 12:25    See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.

Hebrews 3:10     Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’

“Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice” – “They always go astray in their heart” – “They refused him who warned them” – “if we reject him who warns from heaven” – “they did not escape when they refused”   These verses indicate the natural intent of man’s heart.  They are given to make us aware of this intent and not to yield to it.

“I will send an angel to guard you” – “Bring you to the place I have prepared” – “he will prepare the way” – “he redeemed” – “Lifted them up” – “carried them” – “guard you in all your ways” – “heard our voice” – “Brought us out” – My presence will go with you” – “I will give you rest”  These verses are what is being rejected.  They are the promises of God and examples of what to be mindful of in ruction found in the natural intent of the heart of man.

Being mindful of these intents of the heart should drive us to our knees with humble confession.  These examples should make us aware of how the world follows this intent.  They should draw us to His word each day to keep the light of His holiness, power, strength, might, and love in our heart so that we are not led astray by the way of the culture we live in.  Being complacent and neglectful of His word leaves us powerless, blind, and deaf to His leading and guidance.

Dedicate your whole heart, mind, and soul toiIntentionally commit to humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, and obeying Him.  Read His word each day with the intent of being fed, led, and being filled with the love of God.

How do we mock, scoff, taunt, and Despise things of God?

Genesis 21:8  And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”

2 Kings 2:23-24     He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”  And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys.

2 Chronicles 30:10    So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.

2 Chronicles 36:16    But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets

Nehemiah 4:1-5      Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.  And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?  Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!  Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives.  Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

Psalms 42:10     As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Mocking God, His word, His plan, His purpose, or those doing God’s work has consequences.  We see Haggar’s son mockingly laugh at either the party for Isaac, Isaac, Sarah, or both of them.  Whoever he was laughing at, it was wrong.  It displeased Abraham.  We see David mocked and wounded bone deep by those who mocked God.  Elisha was mocked by youth.  Hezekiah sent out messengers to all the land under his kingship with a proclamation to come and celebrate the passover and return to humble service of God.  Some of the towns these messengers went to mocked the messengers and the message.  We see general statements of how generation after generation mocked both the message and messenger of God.

Blessings and privilege are soon forfeited when mocking things of God, His leading, His word, His message, His honor and glory, His son, His people, His Holy Spirit.  Do we mock God’s word and purpose and plans by being complacent?  Do we mock God and His word by turning deaf ear to His leading and choosing to follow the ways of the culture we are in?  Do we mock God in not Proclaiming His grace, mercy, and love.  Do we mock God when we do not listen to His warnings?  Do we mock God when we do not believe in His power and strength and might?  Do we mock God when we do not put our faith in Him?  Do we mock God when we disregard His potential anger, wrath and judgement?

Matthew Henry put is something like this:

We should be engaged to take great care to consider that we listen intently to God and what He has planned and purposed for us and others. Many who have need to be comforted choose to go blindly from one day to another, because they have chosen to close their ears, eyes, and heart to things of God. There is a well of living water near them in the hands of God, but they are not aware of it, till the same God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see their remedy. Those who are born after the flesh, take up with the wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim at the heavenly, and cannot be at rest till they are there.

The eyes of the LORD are in every place

“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Genesis 16:13  So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

Genesis 31:42    If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

Psalms 139:1-12   O LORD, you have searched me and known me!  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.  Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.  Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”  even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Proverbs 5:21     For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.

Proverbs 15:3     The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

2 Chronicles 16:9     For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

Jeremiah 32:19    great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

Job 34:21-22     “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

Jeremiah 16:17     For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.

Ask most parents about how much they keep their eyes on their infants and young children and they will tell you all of the time.  Why do parents do this – to protect from harm of others or themselves, encourage and teach.  Parents know all to well how fast little ones will find opportunity to make a mess, do something unsafe, or something else.  Some of these moments are captured on social media and we all get a scare or good laugh.  As much as parents want to think they are always there to watch and protect they just can’t be everywhere all the time, nor can they know the thoughts their young children had leading up to what ever goes wrong, or they would have interceded and stopped it.

God watches all, knows all, and sees all the thoughts and actions of man.  It is almost unfathomable to think how this is possible but it is with God. Those seeking to learn of Him and walk in His ways will find God’s hand leading them and life fulfilling.  Those that disregard Him and choose to live according to their own ways will find life lacking, without purpose, and a burden.