Tag: Seek You

29.s. “Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man”

 

Colossians 3:23  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

 2 Chronicles 31:21    And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

 Psalms 119:10   With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

 Psalms 119:34   Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

 Jeremiah 3:10    Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the LORD.”

 Ephesians 6:6-7    not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,  rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,

We are always tempted to work just as hard as we have to, thinking we only have to please man. But God wants every worker to see that ultimately, they work for Him. Therefore, they should do it with their whole heart as if they are working for Jesus Christ. God promises to reward those who work with that kind of heart. For ancient Christian slaves and for modern Christian workers, there is no guarantee on earth of fairness of treatment from those whom they work for. Sometimes partiality means that bad workers are unfairly rewarded and good employees are penalized or left unrewarded. Paul assures both our ancient brethren and us that there is a final rewarding and punishment, and with this there is no partiality. (Guzik)

We have all had bosses, supervisors, and colleagues who left us feeling unappreciated, worthless, and not treated fairly. It seems as if going to work is a burden and there is no scenario in our head that can bring back the joy we once had. We can get upset and mad and defeated. We are not slaves and can quit and move on to another job, essentially at will if we find ourselves in this type of situation. We don’t have to keep our eyes on Jesus and be an example, we can just quit. It is hard to keep the thought of “working as if to Jesus Christ” and at the same time being treated unfairly. Scripture is telling us to keep our eyes on Jesus and work as if to Him.  I can’t tell you how many times in my life/career where I lost sight of Jesus and only saw the unfairness of how I was being treated. Just getting up in the morning and going to work was painful. I had fallen into a pity party and, looking back, can see how I was not honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in these thoughts. Pride and self-worth were telling me I deserve better and ought to be respected more highly. I did not act appropriately. I did not give any thought to my testimony to others through my actions. I did not give thought to being kind, patient, and at peace no matter what circumstance I was in. It was as if I was saying I’ll treat you right if you treat me right.  Where in scripture does it say this? It does not. It does tell us to be long-suffering. 

Jesus is our example.  The Son of God bore the pain of whipping, beatings, and crucifixion. He could have called down thousands of angels and been spared the torture and humiliation but chose to do the will of God.  In such, He gave His life so that we might have life, eternal life. He is our example to follow. Oh, that we would keep our eyes on Him every moment of every day and no matter what comes, no matter how e are treated, we work as if we are working for Him and His honor and glory.

16.b. “To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

John 7:37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Psalms 143:6     I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Psalms 63:1   O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Isaiah 12:3     With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 44:3     For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

Amos 8:11-13    “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.

Revelation 21:6    And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

The celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles emphasized how God provided water to Israel in the wilderness on their way to Canaan. Jesus boldly called people to Himself to drink and satisfy their deepest thirst, their spiritual thirst. The invitation was broad because it said, if anyone. Intelligence, race, class, nationality, or political party don’t limit it. The invitation was narrow because it said, if anyone thirsts. One must see their need. Thirst is not anything in itself; it is a lack of something. It is an emptiness, a crying need. Jesus explained what He meant by the metaphor of drinking. To come to Jesus and to drink was essentially to put one’s faith into Him; to trust in, rely on, and cling to Jesus for both time and eternity. Jesus did not only speak of something coming into a person, but something flowing out of them as well. It was not only a blessing received, but also becoming a source of blessing to others.  This outflowing life and abundance comes in and through the presence of the Spirit in the life of the believer. This speaks of an experience that belongs to those believing in Him. The nature of that experience may differ among believers, but there is some aspect of it that is promised to all who will receive it by faith.

158. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit

1 Kings 18:1  After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.

And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’” And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they would say, ‘He is not here,’ he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’ And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water? And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”’; and he will kill me.” And Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.

When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Ezekiel 3:12-14     Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the LORD from its place!”  It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake.  The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the LORD being strong upon me.

Ezekiel 8:3   He put out the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head, and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.

Acts 8:39    And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Ezekiel 37:1    The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley;

2 Corinthians 12:2-3     I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.  And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—

Ezekiel 11:24     And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me.

John 3:8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

I like what Obadiah said to Elijah; “And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where.” You can hear Obadiah speak out of frustration concerning how the Spirit of God just up and takes Elijah away.  You are here and then you are gone.

Having visions or being carried away happened but that does not mean they happen to everyone.  It is not as though we can put our self into a trance and will this to happen.  It is of the Spirit of God.  However, we can be used by, moved by, spoke to by, and lead by the Holy Spirit of God.  Our thought ought not to be carried away physically or by vision but rather to be used by the Holy Spirit.  When we have our heart, mind, and soul fixed on humbly serving, honoring, following, trusting, and obeying God then we are in the right footing to be moved, lead, spoken to, and used by the Holy Spirit.

It seems as though our culture of easy access to information has led us down a path where we do not have to put in the time of learning all of the ins and outs of some tasks because we can just google it or find step by step on youtube.  We don’t really have to memorize maps and how to get somewhere because we have the directions at our fingertips and spoken to us as we drive.  I think this leads many into thinking that we can take a short cut to God’s word.  Scriptures say to write His word on our heart, mind, door posts, and speak of it in the morning, during the day, and in the evening.  Yet, somehow I think we fall into the trap of thinking we can just Google it.  When something happens I will just type it into Google and find the scripture, then claim it and move on.  Just because we can type it in and find it does not mean there is a foundation for being led by the Spirit of God in this.  Where is the discipline, commitment, setting aside time, seeking, and desiring God’s Spirit to lead you so that your honor and glorify Him?   Where is the time set aside to be with God’s word?  Where is the denying self, other “Stuff” that occupies time so that we can be disciplined in His Word?

Do you want to know what I fear?  I fear that my life will be seen by others as an example of what it means to follow God with my whole heart, mind, and soul and I know that is not true.  I allow other things to occupy my time and can go hours without giving thought to God. If they pattern after my example will they even come close to catching a glimpse of God and the love of Jesus Christ?  Oh, Holy Spirit fill, lead, guide, and speak into my life for the honor and glory of God through Jesus Christ.

A father’s instruction

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.”

Psalms 119:9  How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.  Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!  With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.  In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.  I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.  I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Proverbs 1:10   My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Proverbs 4:1     Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,

Proverbs 4:10-17    Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.  I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.  When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.  Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.  Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.  Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.

Proverbs 5:7     And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

Proverbs 6:20-35   My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.  Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.  When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.  For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Ecclesiastes 12:1   Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

Joshua 1:7     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.

John 15:3     Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

2 Timothy 3:15-17     and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

There is much we do when we are young men and women that as we grow older make us somewhat ashamed at now.  The thoughts we had, actions we took, and things we did were influenced by our own sinful desires or that of others.  Sometimes we got away with it and other times not so fortunate, at least that is what we were thinking.

I have seen young men and women who have never leave this type of life.  They never learn from it, but rather, grab hold and then continually try to justify what they are doing well into their mid to later adult life.  I wonder how many times they rejected wisdom, teaching, knowledge and instruction on a different path for their life.  Yet they choose to continue.

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD.“

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak“

I have seen others who can never forgive themselves for what they have done.

 They know the thoughts that led them into the action they took and only a few years later, when knowledge and wisdom and instruction started to break through their heart, they see very clearly how selfish, mean, prideful, conceded, rude, and destructive they were.

This is where the gospel of Jesus Christ is so meaningful.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him“

“Your sins are forgiven.”

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”

“By faith you are saved, not by works, lest any man should boast“

God removes our sins from us “as far as the east is from the west”

There is a forgiveness from God, through Jesus Christ, that cleanses our heart, mind, and soul.  Satan will tell you this is not so.  He will tell you you are not good enough. He will lie to you and say your sin is far to great and God will not forgive you.  He will bring up past sins and tell you over and over again you are worthless and not forgiven.  Yet God says:

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.“

Do not continue to walk in the ways of your youth.  Run to God, who is the author and finisher of life and able to completely forgive us.  Repent and ask for forgiveness of sin and know that HE HAS FORGIVEN YOU!  Believe it, cling to it, rely on it, and trust in it always.

Choose to follow this new path of light.  Continue to feed your heart, mind and soul with His word.  Learn to respect and reverence His perfect purpose and plan for your life.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This is eternal life

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

“know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.”

John 17:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.  “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.  Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

John 5:21     For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.  For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Jeremiah 9:23     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

God searches all hearts and knows the thoughts and plans of man.  He knows the sinful nature that rules or is trying to rule each of our lives, and yet, He sent His Son to redeem us from this life of destruction.  If we seek Him, He will be found.  Scripture says: For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.   His love for us is demonstrated in the fact that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  While we gave no thought to Him and were only thinking about ourselves He sent Jesus Christ to redeem all who would believe.  To believe means to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him alone for forgiveness of our sin.  This redeeming act, when believed, results in a new life filled with the Helper (Holy Spirit).  His word is given so that we might know Him more and live to honor and glorify Him.  Do not neglect His word but rather spend time in it and training yourself to be a workman of God that needs not to live ashamed.  Apart from His word we walk in darkness.  In His word we walk in light of our Redeemer.

Those who know Your name

“ And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”

“ for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”

Psalms 57:1  Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Psalms 142:1   With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.

Psalms 56:1    Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;

Psalms 69:13  But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.  Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.  Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me.  Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

Psalms 119: 76  Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.  Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Psalms 125:1   Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

Psalms 17:7  Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.  Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,

Psalms 36:7    How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalms 61:4    Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

Isaiah 50:10   Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

Luke 13:34    O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Zechariah 1:4   Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.

Nehemiah 9:30  Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

Proverbs 1:24  Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,  because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,  when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.  Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.  Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,  would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,

You can see the heart of man that calls out to God, has these attributes: relies on God, trusts in God, clings to God, believes in God, obeys God, seeks God, delights in God, and finds comfort, rest, peace, joy and hope in God.  On the other hand we can see the heart of those who choose not to stay close to God and do exactly the opposite. How much do we rely on God?  Do we delight in His word and the direction it gives to our daily lives?  Do we discern what it is saying and rejoice in the promises of God?  Do we acknowledge God’s reproof and conviction in our lives?  Do we choose to hear His voice? Do we seek His leading?  Replace the “We” in all of the questions above with “I”.  Truthful answers will expose where we are lacking in humbly serving, giving, following, honoring, and obeying God. Every commitment starts with a purpose/goal and choice to change and prioritize time for it, frequent reflection and focus.  Commit to Him and His word.  Commit to humbly serving, honoring, following, obeying Him with all you heart, soul, and mind.

Worship and Praise

Psalms 35:27  Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

Jeremiah 32:40  I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.  I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

Zephaniah 3:17   The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Psalms 149:4   For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

Romans 12:15   Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

John 16:22   So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

Psalms 70:4   May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”

Psalms 68:3  But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!

1 Peter 3:4  but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

Proverbs 11:20   Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight.

Psalms 117:2   For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

Psalms 90:17    Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

We get to make a choice on being joyful, glad, humble, praising and delighting in God.  I read this comment on what seems to be a reality in may lives: “instead of praise and worship there is constant murmuring and complaining which are prevalent among God’s children!”  We have a choice to worship and praise no matter what circumstance we find ourself in.  No matter what trial or burden our God is the same.  He is our heavenly Father who has the perfect purpose and plan for each of our lives.  We can rejoice in this no matter what comes our way.  We can praise Him knowing that He is our comfort, rock, strength and place of rest.  I have no idea why some seem to be be given great burdens to carry for extended periods of time.  Likewise I don’t understand why others are blessed without.  It is our place to know God is sovereign and in control, worthy of praise and worship forever.  Turn complaints to praise and worries to joy.  I am sure you will see the hand of God much clearer and His presence much closer.

Perfect Peace

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”

“and you were not willing!”

 

Psalms 9:9
The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield,

Hebrews 6:18
we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Psalms 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Isaiah 26:3-4
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

Have you ever needed peace about something?  What if someone told you that you could have “Perfect Peace”?  We search after it.  We want it and yet at the same time we don’t seem willing to run toward it.  We go after what seems right in our own eyes never approaching the One who can give us what we are desperately seeking.  Paul said we can have “Peace that passes all understanding in Christ Jesus” by faith, trusting and seeking Him in our time of need”.  The peace we seek apart from God is never lasting.  It is a peace that is short lived and lacks any enduring substance.  The next time you are seeking peace – seek and run to Him who is able to give and keep you in “Perfect Peace”

Rejoice and sing for joy

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

 

Psa 5:8  Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.  For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.  But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalms 35:27
Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

Psalms 40:16
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the LORD!”

Psalms 58:10
The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.

Psalms 68:3
But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!

Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

1 Corinthians 2:9
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

What is missing in your walk with God?  Do you see the fruits of the Holy Spirit? “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;”  Where do we find these and how do we experience them active in our lives?  In Isaiah is says: “To whom will he teach knowledge,and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” In Hebrews is says it similarly “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!”  If you want to see the fruit of the Spirit in your life you need to build precept upon precept, and line upon line and this can only be done with time in His word.  See what 5 minutes a day of reading does in your life.  I know it will make a difference.

Go Near and Hear

Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it

Joshua 3:7
And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

Deuteronomy 5:25
For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived? Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will say, and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you, and we will hear and do it

Psalms 42:2
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God

Psalms 63:1
O God, you are my God; earnesty I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you

John 7:38
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

I want to tell you scripture that means something very deep to me.  “heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire”.  8:00 a.m. Saturday, March 11, 1978 I was working as an apprentice plumber.  Another man, Lee, and I were scheduled to work in a house under construction. We arrived at the house a little before 8:00 and got set for what should take us about 4 hours of overtime to complete.  We were in the basement.  When Lee went to light his torch the house exploded in a ball of flames.  I remember getting up off the floor totally engulfed in flames. I was frantically trying to beat out these flames.  I was wearing a polyester winter coat.  The flames were melting this coat on to my skin when there was an audible voice that said “Daryl pull off your coat”.  And though I was burned the voice of God saved be from much more serious burns.  I must say at this time of my life I gave little or no thought of or about God.  God used this to get my attention.  He then placed people in my life who followed Him.  For over a year these people built relationships with me and continued to explain the gospel over and over again.  These people followed God’s calling in their life to make disciples.  On March 22, 1979 I came to the knowledge of God’s plan of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I knew without a doubt I was a sinner in need of forgiveness.  You may ask “forgiveness of what” – living for God and for His purpose – to honor and glorify Him.  It is impossible to do this on our own accord.  There is nothing we can do to make ourselves right in His eyes but to believe in the saving grace through the work Jesus did on the cross.  From this beginning our life will take a complete change.  Our hunger to do everything for ourselves and our benefit changes to a hunger and thirst to know God more and to seek to bring Him honor and glory.  Thirst for Him.