Prosperity – Praying Pint

34.r. “In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress”

Matthew 27:3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

Job 20:5 that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?

Job 20:15-29 He swallows down riches and vomits them up again; God casts them out of his belly. He will suck the poison of cobras; the tongue of a viper will kill him. He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds. He will give back the fruit of his toil and will not swallow it down; from the profit of his trading he will get no enjoyment. For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build. “Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him. There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure. In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him. To fill his belly to the full, God will send his burning anger against him and rain it upon him into his body. He will flee from an iron weapon; a bronze arrow will strike him through. It is drawn forth and comes out of his body; the glittering point comes out of his gallbladder; terrors come upon him. Utter darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not fanned will devour him; what is left in his tent will be consumed. The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him. The possessions of his house will be carried away, dragged off in the day of God’s wrath. This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.”

The hypocrisy of the chief priests was transparent. “Tempters never make good comforters. Those who are the devil’s instruments, to command, entice, or allure men to sin, will afford them no relief when they have come to be troubled for what they have done.” (Poole)

Thus perished Judas Iscariot the traitor, a miserable example of the fatal influence of covetousness, and a standing monument of the divine vengeance, proper to deter future generations from acting contrary to conscience, through the love of the world. (Benson)

A guilty conscience and deep remorse result from actions taken and then having a glimpse of reality, a searing red hot iron of truth pressed hard onto the flesh of that person’s heart, mind, and soul. Judas, being seared with the knowledge and understanding of what Hell must be like, found no escape from it. There was no will to live with that torment and trying to escape it by killing himself seemed the only option. The peace he longed for deep in his soul by being released from the torment led him to this act. What Judas didn’t realize was he was headed from this earthly torment into eternal torment in Hell. There is no escape from this destiny without repentance and trust in Jesus Christ. Though a person may be remorseful, sorry, and filled with regret it will never bring about forgiveness, redemption, or salvation of their soul. Our conscience may be seared with the truth of our sin actions to cause us to be remorseful, sorry, and regretful but these ought to lead us to repentance and Jesus Christ.

Judas never repented, never sought repentance, never sought forgiveness, and tried to relieve the pain of the truth of his sin by giving back the 30 pieces of silver. In essence, he was trying to buy his pardon by self-reliance and atonement for what he had done. How many times do we go through life thinking we can do more good things to make up for bad things we have done, thought, or said? It is as if we keep a ledger book of our good and bad and try to make a good balance out just a little bit better. Do we think this makes us more right with God? Do we believe we are more worthy of forgiveness by doing good acts to offset the bad?

There is nothing a person can do in and of themselves that will give them the peace of forgiveness. It is only trusting in Jesus Christ alone. Confessing it, repenting of it, and relying on His great love, mercy, and grace. We cannot cover any sin by being good enough. “It is by the grace of God we are saved, not by works lest any man should boast” We cannot do acts of kindness that make us worthy of God’s love, grace, and mercy. It is only by His love that we are redeemed through His Son. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son”

Being remorseful, regretful, and sorry for some act we have done or thought ought to lead us to repentance and trust in Jesus alone, for He alone is the one who can forgive.

33.f. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”

1 John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Job 15:21    Dreadful sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.

Psalms 73:19    How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!

Psalms 119:120    My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

James 2:19    You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

As I read 1 John 4 I am drawn to; “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”. This small selected verse out of 1 John 4, does not stand alone. It is context with the “Day of Judgment”. Fear is used a couple of different ways in scripture, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; Fear here means respectful, compliant, devoted, and loving reverence to God. We must distinguish between the fear of God and being afraid of him; the fear of God imports high regard and veneration for God. Obedience and good works, done from the principle of love, are not like the servile toil of one who unwillingly labors from dread of a master’s anger.

In 1 John, fear is a kind of fear that involves a torment that agonizes the soul and robs it of any lasting joy or confidence.

The coming “Day of Judgment” should instill this type of fear in every living human being. I am amazed at how freely John speaks of it as if the “Day of Judgment” was understood and believed by most in his day. Today you hear little of it now and even less to fear it. Yet, within every soul is a foundational knowledge of God that should inspire our soul to want to know and understand Him.

People’s conditions are varied. Those without fear and love for God – give no thought to God, the coming judgment, and eternity in Hell.

Those with fear but without love for God – have given thought to God, the coming judgment, and eternity in Hell awaiting them and have a tormenting fear. They have not surrendered, repented, believed, trusted, or relied on Jesus Christ.

Those without knowledge of our sin, fear of the coming judgment and eternity in Hell and with a trusting and believing reliance in God – love of Him as Creator, Father, All-powerful, All-knowing, Redeemer of our soul”, We have been “born again” and are a “new creation” in Jesus Christ. Our love continues to be perfected. We continue to strive to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all that we think, say and do. It is in this loving trust in Jesus Christ that the fear and torment within our souls are removed.

The completeness of love means we do not cower in fear before God, dreading His judgment, either now or on the day of judgment. We know all the judgment we ever deserved – past, present, and future – was poured out on Jesus Christ on the cross. Let the discovery of my own sinfulness direct me to its remedy, the righteousness and the Cross of Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, can deal with the disturbing element in my relation to God. He can ‘deliver me. It is Christ and His work, Christ and His sacrifice, Christ and His indwelling Spirit that will grapple with and overcome sin and all its consequences, in any man and in every man; taking away its penalty, lightening the heart of the burden of its guilt, delivering from its love and dominion–all three of which things are the barbs of the arrows with which fear riddles heart and conscience. So my fear should proclaim to me the merciful ‘Name that is above every name,’ and drive me as well as draw me to Christ, the Conqueror of sin, and the Antagonist of all dread. Make ready for the coming storm, and remember that the mission of fear is to lead you to the Christ who will take it away. (MacLaren)

30.t. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Psalms 37:26   He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

Psalms 112:4 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;

Proverbs 11:17    A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

Proverbs 14:21    Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.

Proverbs 19:17   Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

Daniel 4:27    Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

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?

Colossians 3:12     Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

James 3:17     But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Hebrews 4:16     Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

When this beatitude addresses those who will show mercy, it speaks to those who have already received mercy. It is mercy to be emptied of your pride and brought to poverty of spirit. It is mercy to be brought to mourning over your spiritual condition. It is mercy to receive the grace of meekness and to become gentle. It is mercy to be made hungry and thirsty after righteousness. Therefore, this one who is expected to show mercy is one who has already received it. The merciful one will show it to those who are weaker and poorer. The merciful one will always look for those who weep and mourn. The merciful one will be forgiving to others, and always looking to restore broken relationships. The merciful one will be merciful to the character of other people, and choose to think the best of them whenever possible. The merciful one will not expect too much from others. The merciful one will be compassionate to those who are outwardly sinful. The merciful one will have a care for the souls of all men. If you want mercy from others – especially God – then you should take care to be merciful to others.

To be merciful is a choice. We have a choice on how we act towards and treat others. What is bouncing around in your head when given an opportunity to show mercy. I was right and have been wronged. I was cheated. I was not chosen. I was cursed at. I was not listened to. I was not invited. I was not asked. You are wrong. You are lazy. It is your own fault. You have two legs and two arms – use them. You choose to live like this. The list of things we allow to bounce around in our head when we are in a situation that should or could allow us to show mercy could go on and on. The fact is that we don’t spend a single day whereby we could show mercy to someone. Why should we, because God showed mercy and grace on us while we were still sinners. He sent His Son to die for our sins so that we would have eternal life. We did nothing deserving this grace and mercy. It was out of the love of God who reached out to a lost and fallen world. Rejecting to show mercy when opportunities arise says a lot about the condition of the heart of the soul. To recognize and understand that you were given mercy when you deserved none opens up our heart and mind to choose to show mercy in the like matter. Why? Because Jesus Christ is honored and glorified. There is no other reason. When our heart, mind, and soul desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ we will continue to find opportunities to show grace, mercy, and love.

14.a. “They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression They set their mouths against the heavens”

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?”

Psalms 95:9-10     when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.  For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.”

Isaiah 43:24     You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.

Jeremiah 15:6    You have rejected me, declares the LORD; you keep going backward, so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you— I am weary of relenting.

Ezekiel 16:43    Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have enraged me with all these things, therefore, behold, I have returned your deeds upon your head, declares the Lord GOD. Have you not committed lewdness in addition to all your abominations?

Psalms 73:3-15    For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.  They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.  Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.  Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.  They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression  They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.  Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them.  And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”  Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

Ecclesiastes 8:11    Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.

Do you ever wonder if we are just continually asking things of God and forgetting to honor, worship, and glorify Him? Don’t get me wrong it is good to seek the Lord with all those troubles and concerns that affect us or the ones we love. Is it possible in all of this asking we lose sight of honor, glory, and praise to Jesus Christ? Do we weary Jesus with this continual asking and minimal praise and worship? Do we spend enough time in His Word to know of His greatness, power, knowledge, wisdom, might, grace, mercy, and love? Do we spend enough time in His Word so that we recognize that which is worldly and that which is holy, true, just, and right? Do we put God’s patience to test by confusing worldly cultural beliefs with those of God? Is our heart astray? Are we always going backward? Are we calling evil good? Think about this. Many across our country approve of abortion, protest riots and looting, gay lifestyle, pornography, gay marriage, etc….. Is our country going backward? Have our leaders abandoned Jesus Christ? Has our country become ice-cold to Jesus Christ? There can be no compromise in our hearts and minds. There cannot be room for the cultural beliefs of what is right and wrong to coexist with things of God. Our foundation, rock, and steadfast truth are found in the Word of God, Jesus Christ’s redemption, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. When we neglect God’s Word, deny honor and worship to Jesus Christ, and resist the Holy Spirit’s leading, that which is worldly is given space to root and it will easily confuse us in our understanding of what is right and wrong. Just take a good look at what people are calling right and wrong right now and compare it with the Word of God and what it calls right and wrong. We will do well to continually worship, honor, praise, and glorify Jesus Christ, studying His Word, and following, trusting, obeying, and relying on Him every day.

12.f. “He cannot save himself by his treasure and his prosperity will not endure.”

Habakkuk 2:6 “Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, “‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’ Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their prey. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

Job 20:15-23 He will spit out the riches he swallowed; God will make his stomach vomit them up. He will suck the poison of serpents; the fangs of an adder will kill him. He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream. What he toiled for he must give back uneaten; he will not enjoy the profit from his trading. For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build. “Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. Nothing is left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him. When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows on him.

God addressed the greedy man, and told him that he was ripe for judgment. The greedy man did his best to protect himself (set his nest on high), yet all his best defense would come to nothing. The greedy man thinks in terms of nothing but gain, but ends up losing his own soul. Luke 12:16-21– 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 “And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 “So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, [and] be merry.” ‘ 20 “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So [is] he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Pride and greed are tempters of all. they equally find home in the rich and in the poor. Pride and greed will never object to where they reside. They are sticky like glue and can attach to the surface of our hearts, minds, and souls with ease.

The Word of God exposes these life sucking leeches within our heart and mind. The Word of God will set us free from the bondage of their grip in our lives. The Word of God in a humble servant will do more good in this world than money from all the richest men combined.

3.j. ‘Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’

Ezra 1:1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Jeremiah 29:10 “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

Jeremiah 33:7-13 I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. “Thus says the LORD: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD: “‘Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the LORD. “Thus says the LORD of hosts: In this place that is waste, without man or beast, and in all of its cities, there shall again be habitations of shepherds resting their flocks. In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the LORD.

The prophecy of Jeremiah spoke the word of God and I doubt there were many remaining in Babylon from Jerusalem who remembered or were alive at the time of capture. Those who did listen and knew the outcome of God’s wrath upon them, and believed what Jeremiah said had to have their heartbroken. They were able to witness this first hand and more than likely die before seeing the restoration of Jerusalem. Some of these parents certainly spoke of Jeremiah’s prophecy to their children to give them hope, strength, and courage. And to those who believed in what God had said, and were alive at the time of this proclamation from Cyrus, this had to be a very glorious blessing to hear and see the hand of God at work. Can you imagine hearing this and knowing it was foretold to you. All you had to do was believe it your eyes would be open to seeing God at work. Obviously, there were those who did not believe and because of this did not see this as God’s doing but rather because of chance and good fortune.

When we read God’s word there are many both blessings and warnings given to us. Promises of His hand of protection, leading, and peace. Likewise, there are words of wrath, anger, and judgment. Just because we might choose to not believe them does not make them less truthful. How would our lives change if we spent time in His word and believed what we read? Would our thoughts and actions be different? Would we see God’s hand at work more clearly? Would we have a more thankful heart and mind? Would things in this world have less influence? Would our eyes remain focused on honoring Him? Would we consider living in light of Him? Would we be more grateful? Would we seek and desire to hear and see Him?

If we spend more time in His word we will certainly be starting at the right place every day. If we seek to be led by His word we will be starting at the right place every day. It is a personal, intentional, daily choice. We should not take this commitment lightly or the benefits from it without a grateful and thankful heart.

Oh God, open our eyes to Your word and lead us on paths that glorify and honor You.

96. For those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed

1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.

1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.

1 Samuel 2:27 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men. And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.

The sons of Eli were young men commissioned for the service of God in line with those set apart for this purpose. They did not know God. They treated this service to God with contempt. They focused on self-gain and self-pleasure. There was no service to God in the work they did. They were worthless.

No one is exempt from being drawn away from God. Every minute of every day we face a battle with self, satan, and others for service to God. Satan tempts us to seek that which is pleasing to us. People will be, unknowingly, chipping away at our faith and soon we are void of who God is. Our service to Him becomes service to self. Peter said it like this: Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

Doer of Good

“But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him”

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalms 106:1 Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Job 26:14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Job 5:9 who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:

John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Romans 2:7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

James 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

God is powerful and mighty. His steadfast love endures forever. He does so much more than we can comprehend. What we see of Him is but a vapor of His unsearchable wisdom, knowledge, and majesty. His promises are to those who love and honor Him. We are encouraged in scripture to have patience in doing good, not growing weary of doing good, and to not just be hears of His word but doers with action. Give thought today on hearing the whispers of guidance from God and being a patient doer of good for His glory and honor.

Obedience to the Truth

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness”

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Isaiah 53:11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Jeremiah 33:9 And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.

1 John 1:4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

Obedience to the truth is fundamental for us to continue on a path that honors God. Where do we find truth and once you find it what good is it? Jesus Christ is truth – “I am the way, the truth, and the life”. “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Through Christ we are saved and not of our own works but by His grace, mercy and love. When this truth is believed redemption, salvation and new life are born. – “you are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself ” – “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.” – “he will guide them to springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” – “my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation” – “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. … You are my shelter and my shield” – “I will be glad in the Lord, my joy will be in the God of my salvation” – “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” spend time in His word and learn of His love, purpose and plan for your life. Humbly serve, honor, glorify, rely on, cling to, trust in, follow and obey.

Almost Stumbled

“but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

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

Psalms 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous are you, O LORD, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

Psalms 37:1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers

Proverbs 3:31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,

Proverbs 24:1 Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,

Hosea 7:2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

Zephaniah 1:12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.

I copied this from a commentary on this chapter of 73 Psalms. “We have in these verses a good man’s temptation. In every age God’s people have asked whether God can possibly know all that is taking place on the earth, and if He does know, why He allows evil to prosper. The dark spirit who is ever at our elbow whispers that we should have done as well, and better” It surely rings true if not for the questions of “does He know” and “why does He allow” surely for listening to the whispers of Satan into our ears and becoming envious. We must recognize these whispers and fight them with the word of truth. Paul in his letters once wrote “I have learned to be content in having little and having much.” We do well to be content knowing and humbly serving God. We have so many distractions pulling at our heart and soul it is only those who desire and commit to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey who will find true peace and rest this side of eternity.