riches – Page 3 – Praying Pint

14.g. “For we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter”

Malachi 3:13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”

Exodus 5:2    But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

Isaiah 28:14-15    Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem!  Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;

Psalms 73:8-13    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.

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.’

Psalms 10:3   For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.

Psalms 73:12     Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.

When our eyes to our hearts see things of this world that are pleasing they need to be viewed through the lens of God’s Word. It is easy to get lost and off-path with our lives when this lens is set aside. This lens of God’s Word keeps us revived and renewed in our walk with Him. The prince of this world would love to blind us with the glory and riches of this world. Sad to say but many are easily distracted and set aside God’s Word for the shiny things of this world. The void that is created is filled with things that seem right but are just right in the eyes of the prince of this world and those who are led astray. The void is filled with deception, false hope, and lies of promised satisfaction apart from Jesus Christ. This void leaves the heart empty and seeking more but never finding it. This void makes promises of joy, peace, rest, prosperity, and hope but never fulfills any lasting satisfaction. This void gives the heart a false sense of purpose.

A good gage of your heart can be and is revealed in and through God’s word. Through His Word we find purpose and meaning, temporal and eternal, wrath and love, anger and mercy, helplessness and courage, weakness and strength, worldly and Godly, sin and righteousness, deception and truth, evil and holy, judgment and forgiveness, lost and found, death and life, defiance and obedience, demons and angels, Satan and Jesus Christ, immorality and morality, dishonor and honor, criticism and praise, false and truth, despising and worshiping, pride and humility, greed and giving, vanity and worthy, hate and kindness, neglect and service, rejection and acceptance, etc…… When we spend time in God’s Word our lens through which we see our lives this side of eternity will make things of this world grow dim and things of Jesus Christ grow bright. There are no shortcuts or lukewarm complacent paths to the understanding and application of God’s Word in our lives. Spend time in His Word, seek it with a desire to know Him, and ask that your eyes to this world be opened to see all of its lies and deceptions.

12.h. “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Habakkuk 2:9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.

Deuteronomy 7:25-26    The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God.  And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.

Job 20: 19-20     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.

Obadiah 1:4    Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD.

Proverbs 18:11-12    A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.  Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

Psalms 52:7     “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life are the entangling snares of men. When our hearts are given over to these lusts it is taken captive by a very jealous and powerful master. These lusts are a thick dark staining clay. Those who think they can handle it are easily dirtied and soiled with a stain that is very hard to wash from the heart. They will find not find happiness and satisfaction in this clay no matter how they mold it. Seeking after an abundance of wealth is the ruin of many. And what fools are those that burden themselves with continual care about it; with a great deal of guilt in getting, saving, and spending it, and with a heavy account which they must give another day! They overload themselves with this thick staining clay, and soon do not even notice how badly their soul is stained. They live in fear of not having enough and run blindly through life on a path that leads straight to hell. When we give in to covetousness and lust of the eye and allow it to take root in our hearts it will bring along with it troubles, confusion, fear, loneliness, and dissatisfaction, and brings darkness so dark that only the Word of God can shine through. If we think for one moment that we can manage these lusts of staining clay and not be stained by them we are certainly void of the wisdom and knowledge of God’s Word. There are no greater slaves in the world than those who are slaves to worldly pursuits and lusts. And what comes of it? They will find life very disappointing and without lasting purpose. There is nothing in worldly lusts that honors and glorifies God.

10. “Do you believe this?”

1 Corinthians 15:12–19, “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

1Timothy 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

The lyrics of this song capture hope, faith, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ. In times likes these we need hope, faith, trust, and reliance.

My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name, On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand

When darkness hides His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace, In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil, On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand

His oath, His covenant, His blood, Support me in the whelming flood, When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay, On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand

When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh may I then in Him be found, Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne, On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand

5.j. It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

Job 12:13 “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him are strength and sound wisdom;

Psalms 147:5    Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

Proverbs 2:6-7   For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;  he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

Jeremiah 10:12   It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

Colossians 2:3    to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

James 1:5    If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Isaiah said this about God; “ Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” When you think about this and know that God consulted with no one. He was not taught these things. He created all there is by speaking them into existence. It is hard for us to imagine just how all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present God is. His majesty is beyond our deepest knowledge and understanding. His holiness is greater than purity. His power is greater than all the forces of man and all of nature. Yet, this same one and only God chose to send His son to redeem us, to create a new spirit within us, to give us peace, joy, rest, hope, love, and courage, to give us hope in eternity, to give us hope this side of eternity, and to know our sins are forgiven and removed as far as the east is from the west. God chose us. He called to us. He drew us close. He softened our hearts. He gave us the wisdom to know of both the need for salvation but also the Savior. He said, “come unto me all who are heavy with burden and I will give you rest”. Think about this for a while; the Creator of all there is leaves an open invitation for salvation and help. The do we wait to run into His wide-open arms?

5.h. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!

Job 11:7 “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

Psalms 77:19     Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.

Psalms 145:3    Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

Ecclesiastes 3:11    He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Isaiah 40:28   Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

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!

Ephesians 3:8   To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

1 Corinthians 2:16   “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

We catch glimpses of the mysteries of God. We see men of God who searched deep, hard and long for this glimpse of God. In the end, they come to the conclusion that His greatness is unsearchable for when we capture the briefest of a glimpse we are no closer to understanding how awesome He is. We just see more and understand that He is greater than are the furthest imagination. When we examine and search for His love we find it greater and more encompassing. When we search out His might and power it is greater than all men who have been born before and now and in the future combined. When we search out His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding we are no closer to finding it than when we began, even if we were to search it out for millions of years. When we search out His grace and mercy we come to Jesus Christ and have an example but it still leaves us with unsearchable Holy qualities that are too high, too deep, and too wide to comprehend even the surface of it.

Certainly, we can meditate on God and His Word and grow more mature in our understanding and grow in our want to know Him more and more, and serve Him more, and honor Him more, and follow Him more, and obey Him more and this is our goal and purpose this side of eternity. In the scope of eternity we are here but a blink of an eye. Think about what it will be like to be in His presence forever and ever. Let not another day go by with neglect of honoring Him. He alone is worthy.

2.e. “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.”

2 Chronicles 18:1 Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead. Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.”

1 Samuel 23:2     Therefore David inquired of the LORD,

Psalms 27:4    One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

1 Samuel 23:9-12  David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”  Then David said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account.  Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.”  Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.”

Jeremiah 21:2    “Inquire of the LORD for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us.

Ezekiel 20:3    “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

How many days go by that we are not inquiring of Jesus Christ? How many issues, trials, troubles, and mixed up days do we seek to handle on our own, define our own plan, and take our own path? Why is it we choose to go through these days alone? Why is it we think we can handle the decision making on our own? Why do we pretend our decision is correct and the outcome will be good for us?

The main reason we go it alone is that we choose to be alone. We intentionally choose to face each moment of each day on our own. We choose NOT to have Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our presence. We choose NOT to seek Him, NOT to listen to Him, NOT to trust Him, NOT to follow Him, NOT to honor Him, NOT to obey Him, and NOT to rely on Him. We seek blessings but do not want to be constantly near and clinging to the One who blesses us. We seek to find satisfaction and purpose in our lives apart from Him.

Don’t receive this the wrong way. We definitely finally run to Him in times of trials but it is the daily moments, the minutes and hours we choose to keep Him away at arm’s length. We choose to be in His presence. We choose to do that which honors, glorifies, and obeys Him. Staying in His word is not a burden but adds a renewing to our heart soul and mind. We choose to stay in His word and hear it speak into our life. We choose to stay in His word to know Him more and more so that our life is not lived for self but for the purpose, He has given to us and how He is leading us. We choose to stay in His word and His presence for it brings life and purpose to our heart and soul that nothing on earth can match or fulfill. We choose Him because He first chose us, and He loved us so much that He gave is life up to redeem us. He died for our sin so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He died so that we might live victoriously. He died so that we would find forgiveness, and know mercy and grace. He died so that we might know true peace, joy, hope, strength, power, and love.

Why is it we go hours on end without even wanting Him in our presence and thoughts? Why is it we do not desire and seek His leading? We can go boldly to the throne of grace, into His presence at all times, and we seem to choose to hide safely behind the curtain until the flames of our issues have all but consumed us before we step into His presence. Choose to come into His presence with thanksgiving, rejoicing, and praise.

1.p.

1 Chronicles 29:26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place. Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer, with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries.

When we read this summary it would appear that David’s life was one of wealth and honor. We might even think he cheated what happens to us normal humans. We might even have a jealous thought. However, David’s life was far from trouble-free. We see Saul pursued him and wanted to put him to death because Saul was jealous of David. For seven years David was fearful wand hiding from Saul. David’s own son’s tried to overtake the throne. David was tempted and committed adultery. He ordered the death of the man of the wife he had adultery with. Two of his sons died.

David had trials and troubles at the hands of others choices and also because of choices he made. He had times of joy and times of sorrow, times of plenty and times of not, times of honor and times of not. The thing that sets David apart from most is his heart, mind, and soul for God. He wanted above all else to honor God with his life. However, we see how a man like David can get sideways and must take note that we must be aware of temptations our sinful nature wants to run after. If a man like David can be tempted away how much more so can we.

My fear is that we are not tempted away but rather are not close enough to God or committed to living for Him. We are living in a lukewarm, neutral, complacent, and neglectful lifestyles so that there is nothing to tempt us toward because we are already living there. How sad is that? Always be in His word with a true heart deep desire to continuously think, speak, and act to always bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. Stay in His word to know and be aware of temptations common to all mankind and the hope we have in the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead, guide, into knowledge and understanding of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and to light our path each day.

1.o. You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth,

1 Chronicles 29:10 Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision.”

Deuteronomy 8:18    You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

1 Samuel 2:7-8    The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.  He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and on them he has set the world.

Ecclesiastes 5:19    Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.

Luke 1:51-53   He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;  he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;  he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

This world we live in and our sinful nature has a naturally hard time in thinking that all there is and all we have and all of my talents are from God. We can stand back and say all is of God, but when we look at all of what is in my possession – it is mine. We can stand back and look at someone and say God gave them such great talent(s) but when we look at our talents/gifts we see the education, hard knocks, and work experience we put into those talents and tend to claim them as our own.

Why does this happen? God is not first in our life. God is not first in our heart, mind, and soul. God is not our breath of life, our bread of life, or our living water. God is not our intentional choice. God is not what our heart, mind, and soul are seeking and desiring. I fully understand the way we run to God in troubles and trials that hit us hard. We run to Him when the wind has been knocked out of us and our feeble attempts at resolution have failed. We finally end up at the place in our heart and soul and mind where we pick last that which should have been first. Turning to God should be our very first thought and action.

It seems knowing more and more about God, gaining understanding and knowledge of Him, and wanting to live for the single purpose of honoring, glorifying, serving, following, trusting, and obeying Him, are not first because the intentional choice to place Him first is not in our heart, mind, and soul.

We need to repent of and turn away from the selfish lifestyles, self-satisfied, self-worth, self-honoring, self-absorbed, self- leading, self-praising, self-promoting, and self-serving ways in our heart, soul, and mind. Turn to His word. Intentionally choose to be in it each and every day. Learn to have a heart, mind, and soul that knows and lives as though all things are from and belong to God our heavenly Father and Creator.

1.m. Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be strong and courageous.

1 Chronicles 28:20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

1 Chronicles 28:10 Be careful now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”

1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Joshua 1:6-9 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

It is one thing to be strong and courageous when there are no trials and troubles raining down on our head. It is another to apply when you are neck-deep in them and another huge wave is ready to crash down on you all kinds of anxiousness, worry, heart pain, sleeplessness, unhappiness, and hurt. These attacks come in many forms; financial, health, friendship, family, culture/society approved norms. We normally don’t even get a fair warning that the storm is coming, it just blows up out of nowhere and we are carried away by the currents of each wave that powers over us. So what are we to do? How do we keep from being swept away into an unforgiving sea of worry and doubt?

Stay close to Jesus all the time and trust Him, cling to Him, and rely on Him.

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”

“casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

“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.”

“Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.”

“ Call to me and I will answer you”

“ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?”

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”

The word of God is full of precious promises for our faith to stand firm on. Do not let things of this world and things this side of eternity rob you from a Jesus honoring victorious life through the current and waves of trials and troubles.

136. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Kings 3:23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’” And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.” And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.

Exodus 14:31    Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Joshua 4:14    On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.

1 Samuel 12:18    So Samuel called upon the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

Proverbs 24:21     My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,

Ecclesiastes 7:19    Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Ezra 7:25    “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach.

1 Corinthians 1:24    but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:30    And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

Colossians 2:2   to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

I am always amazed at the power of God in the lives of men of God who have humbled themselves before Him and live to honor and glorify Him. God does amazing things in the lives of those who are called to His purpose. I wonder if we look at these examples and say this is not going to happen in my life, I am not like one of these great men. Are we limiting God in our life? Are we saying God has changed and will not be active like this in our life? Is it possible we are just coasting along and happy with a lukewarm walk this God?

God does not change, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What are we to do to see the hand of God in our life? We have been given all things (wisdom and Knowledge) in Christ. We have been given many great and precious promises in His word. I will never leave you or forsake you. I seek to prosper you, not to harm you. Cast your burdens on Me and I will give you rest. I gave my only Son to redeem you. I will be your rock, fortress, refuge, strength, courage, hope, joy, peace, and rest. I am God and there is no other. I created you. I created all there is in heaven and earth. I know the cattle on a thousand hills and the hairs on your head. A sparrow does not fall to the ground without Me knowing. I am the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end. I love you with steadfast love. I will create a new heaven and earth. I create a home for you. I can do more than you ask and much more than you can imagine. I am just. I chose you before creation to be with Me. I am retiring to my Father so that where I am you may be also. I stand at the door and knock and everyone who opens that door will be with me. I will lead and guide you. I am the bread of life. I am the living water.

If we would just have faith the size of a muster seed we would see great and powerful things of God in our life. We would not walk with lukewarm hearts and minds but with seeing hot desire to humbly serve, honor, worship, glorify, follow, and obey Him. Maybe then we would see the wisdom and knowledge of God permeate our lives.

God, please forgive my lack of faith in your power, strength, and love for me.