Tag: present age

53.c. Wilderness – 17.i. “Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people?”

 

 

Deu 32:4-6  “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation. Do you thus repay the LORD, you foolish and senseless people? Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?

 Psalms 74:18     Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name.

 Jeremiah 4:22    “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

 Jeremiah 5:21   “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.

 Galatians 3:1-3   O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.  Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith.  Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

 Isaiah 1:2    Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.

 Titus 2:11-14    For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

If we look at foolish in a Thesaurus: stupid, silly, idiotic, halfwitted, witless, brainless, mindless, thoughtless, imprudent, incautious, irresponsible, injudicious, indiscreet, unwise, unintelligent, unreasonable; ill-advised, ill-considered, impolitic, rash, reckless, foolhardy, lunatic; absurd, senseless, pointless

Foolish and senseless people, foolish people, My people are foolish, and foolish are all ascribed to people who should know better. It indicates they have had teaching in proper conduct but discard it and choose paths that are foolish and unwise. It is easy to understand why those who reject God, things of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are acting foolish and untie. However, I often wonder why this occurs in those who are called by His name. God’s Word gives clear examples, promises of judgment, warnings, and curses, and yet, these are disregarded and something else takes hold. What are foolish things that people who should know better do that is foolish: They choose to

Neglect God’s Word

Harden their hearts

Stiffen their necks

Deafen their ears

Satisfied with the lack of understanding

Eat baby food

Stagnate in their pursuit of holiness

Give no thought to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions

Unrepentant

Worldly and fleshly pursuits

Allowing the busyness of life to consume them

Follow after what the world deems important

Does not seek to be led by the Holy Spirit

God’s Word is truth and in it are depths of wisdom and understanding so vast that a life time of study will only scratch the surface of it. There is never a minute wasted when God’s Word is pursued. How easily we are distracted. How easily we are influenced. How easily we fall away. How easily we disregard holiness. How easily sinfulness is disregarded. How many professing Christians give only lip service to things of God? How many are void of the influence of the Holy Spirit in their lives? How many are self-reliant? How many are blinded and deafened by things of this world?  Neglect of God’s Word is a result of having no desire for it and seeing no need for it in their daily lives.  

We make time to eat and even snack throughout the day. Our day is structured around getting what is needed to fuel our bodies – breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Our day is also structured around getting rest – bedtime. We choose how we apply our time to fill our need for these. It is said we can live 40 days without food, 4 days without water, and 4 minutes without air. That is how we were created. God’s Word says that we find life in His Word, both now and eternally. We will find wisdom, understanding, knowledge, truth, purpose, rest, hope, and satisfaction in it. Apart from His Word, we will not. There is no one to blame and no excuse that can be given for choosing to neglect God’s Word other than ourselves 

Confess it, repent of it, and intentionally choose to live differently. It is not about carving out time or making time for God’s Word. That would indicate it may have value, but you are using your precious time to tick the box of things to do out of your hectic life. God’s Word needs to be desired deep within our souls. It must be important to our lives.  It must be what gives us purpose and satisfaction. 

If the generations of people before us and their time were consumed with worldly and fleshly pursuits, how much more are the temptations of this technology-filled world influencing our minds and consuming our time?  Oh, foolish and senseless people.

28.x. “For all the nations of the world seek after these things”

 

Philippians 4:19  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

 2 Samuel 22:7   “In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.

 Micah 7:7  But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

 Deuteronomy 8:3-4   And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

 Psalms 112:5-9   It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.  For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.  His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.  He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.

 Luke 12:30-33  For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

 1 Timothy 6:17   As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

What we want and what we need are two separate thoughts. What we want can turn us toward what we need, or it can keep us away from what we need. If we want (desire, hope for, set one’s heart on, long for, crave, cry out for) redemption, salvation, forgiveness, understanding, wisdom, and knowledge of God’s mercy, grace, and love in Jesus Christ, our want is in line with what we need.  It is in this ever-growing and continually growing want that our need is fulfilled. Our lives become a light in the darkness.  Our thoughts, words, and actions repeatedly honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

If however, we want (desire, hope for, set one’s heart on, long for, crave, cry out for) things of this world our wants will not give us what we need.  These wants will lead us down paths of loneliness, selfishness, self-reliance, self-worth, proud, greedy, fear, anger, coveting, anxiousness, and confusion. We end up chasing after and wanting satisfaction and find neither. 

I think we get confused on wants and needs. The world will try to tell us what we need and if we acquire what it offers we will find our needs fulfilled.  It is a lie. What this world has to offer will never fill the void in our hearts and minds that only God can fill. Can you imagine what our lives would be like if we would truly wanted to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do? 

56. So that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Deuteronomy 28:47   Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things.

Nehemiah 9:35     Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works.

1 Timothy 6:17-19    As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,  thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Deuteronomy 12:8    “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,

Deuteronomy 32:13-15     He made him ride on the high places of the land, and he ate the produce of the field, and he suckled him with honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.  Curds from the herd, and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs, rams of Bashan and goats, with the very finest of the wheat— and you drank foaming wine made from the blood of the grape.  “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.

When are you closest to God?  What times in your life were you seeking Him earnestly?  I would be accurate if I said it was in a very troubling, sad, confusing, frustrating time in your life.   Doesn’t it seem like we run to Him only when we need His refuge, strength, power, courage, forgiveness, and healing but we aren’t quick to run to Him to give honor, glory, praise, and to worship Him?

In times of quiet, health, comfort, prosperity, and freedom there is a high probability to neglect and be complacent with His word.  Challenge this statement if you want but it is surely true.  If His word is not actively being desired and cherished then it is being set aside because of a perceived lack of need of it.

Remember God will not be mocked – if your life is sowing seeds of self-interest above humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following, and obeying God, God will give you the desires of your heart which will never satisfy, never fulfill, never bring joy, peace or comfort.

47. What does the LORD require of you

Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God,

Jeremiah 7:22-23  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.’

Micah 6:8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 11:29-30  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1 John 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Obey my voice!  Serve God with all your heart and soul.  Keep His commandments.  Be no longer stubborn. Walk in the way that I command you. Walk humbly with God.

What does it mean to serve Him with all your heart and soul, to keep His commandments, to be no longer stubborn, and to walk humbly?  I am certain it will require emptying oneself of what is more precious and consuming time in their heart, mind, and soul.  During Christmas, we hear of how there was no room in the inn for Mary to give birth.  It seems to ring true today with no room in our busyness for Jesus to reign fully.  Making room would indicate that something has to be purposely moved out.   What is consuming your heart and soul leaving no room for Jesus?

We can say we are doing all we can with the busyness of our life, family, job, etc…. By saying we are doing all we can means we have intentionally chosen to give our time (heart, soul, mind) to something else.  We choose to believe we are doing what God wants for us to do.  How can that be true if Jesus is not #1 in our heart?  How can that be true if we give His word nothing more than a glance every once in a while?

In Joshua 22:5   It says, “Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  In Psalms 81:13    it says, “Oh, that my people would listen to me”.   In Titus 2:11-12   it says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age”

There has been no other time in history where God’s word has been so readily available.  There has never in history been so much neglect of His word than what is presently being done.  Never in history has there been this much complacent behavior by those supposedly called by His name.  Our lives should not and do not have to be like this.  We aren’t forced into it.  We choose it to be this way.

We can choose to not be this way.  We can choose to repent, confess, return and commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  We can start by intentionally committing to reading His word each day.  We can intentionally seek and desire for Him to lead us closer to Him through more understanding and knowledge of Him and what it means to give Him all our heart, mind, and soul.

So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits

“man breathes his last, and where is he?”

Psalms 103:15  As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.

Psalms 90:5-6     You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning:  in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

Isaiah 40:6-8     A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

James 1:10-11    and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.  For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Job 14:1-3     “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.  He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.

Job 20:9     The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place any more behold him.

1 Timothy 6:17     As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

1 John 2:17     And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

James 4:14     yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

What do we strive for?  What is it that we are trying to obtain?  What is our end game?  I imagine: some sort of recognition, enough money to live without worry, health, sound mind, known for some skill or accomplishment, beauty, know for something tangible that we own, know for something we have written or said…etc.  When you think about this and the scripture above, how important is it really?  All of the time we spend alive in this body is but a flower that blooms and then is gone.  We have little wisdom understanding eternity (time without end) and this side of eternity (time with end).  Do you think it is possible that our end game is only focused on this side of eternity?  What should our end game focus be: honoring, glorifying, serving, following, obeying, proclaiming, believing, trusting, relying on, clinging to, loving, praising, worshiping, listening to, and meditating on, God.     Our endgame should include wanting others to pass from death to life rather than death to judgement and damnation.  Jesus Christ is our savior, redeemer, and is coming again to gather His own into forever presence with Him.  I love the hymn that has a verse: Turn your eyes to 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.

While He may be found

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Psalms 32:6  Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.

Proverbs 1:28   Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

Isaiah 49:8   Thus says the LORD: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,

Isaiah 55:6   “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Luke 19:42-44   saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side  and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

John 7:34  You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.”

2 Corinthians 6:2  For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Psalms 34:2-5   My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!  I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Psalms 4:3   But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.

2 Corinthians 1:4   who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Titus 2:12  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near”. “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you;”. “Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;” The day of salvation is now and yet for some it will never again come or be open to their eyes and hearts.  They have rejected and set their heart against God, rejecting Him, and salvation through Jesus Christ.  It is very hard to watch and see people who are like this but many of us too were at such a place in our lives at some time.  We heard but we rejected, we saw but we discounted, and we chose to follow thoughts of those who cling to what is present in this world.  To those who choose to listen, follow and obey God there is peace, joy, hope, love and promise of eternity with God in heaven.  To those who continually reject His salvation there is promise of eternity in hell separated from God, forever tormented.  Now is the day of salvation.  Now is the time to believe, repent, follow and obey. God wants you to come to Him just as you are.  You are not required to get right before you come to Him.  He is standing at your heart’s door knocking seeking to come in and transform you into a life with Him.  Come as your are He is knocking.  Come now in this day of salvation.  All changes in your life and how you see life this side of eternity will come at His leading and your willingness to let Him be Lord of your life – your everything.