Steadfast Love – Page 12

Imitators of God

“For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Psalms 85:13 Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.

Psalms 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Isaiah 58:8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Psalms 119:35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.

John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

1 John 2:6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of the throne of God. Steadfast love and faithfulness shine a light on the path our live should follow. Jesus walked this side of heaven teaching with His word and also as an example of humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God the heavenly Father. Paul said we ought to imitators of God, walking in love and setting aside every sin that clings so closely to us. We are to live like this with a heart desire and endurance. In Psalms David requested to be led on a path that followed God’s statues and commands. There is a choice required in our heart, mind and soul to seek and know God. This same choice desires to be led on paths that honor and glorify Him. Each day we have a choice to commit to following Him or be complacent. We have a choice to know Him more and more each day or neglect His word. To be imitators of God and be a light in the darkness, time in His word with desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him are essential.

Restore us, O LORD God

“For in a very little while my fury will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction.”

“Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!”

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.”

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Psalms 85:1 LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.

Jeremiah 31:18 I have heard Ephraim grieving, ‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the LORD my God.

Lamentations 5:21 Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored!

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Acts 13:39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Colossians 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

Isaiah 54:7 For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer.

Psalms 78:38 Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath.

How do you know if God is angry with you? How do you know if you are being disciplined? How do you know if you are right with God? How do you know if your life is on the straight and narrow path of God? There are many examples in scripture that speak of generations of people who lived in a way that was apart from God. There was a choice made in their life to neglect Him and His statutes. This choice, I have to think, was not all at once but was the result of many small steps on a path that did not honor, serve, follow, or obey God. Taking many small steps or fewer large ones in the wrong direction on the wrong path will always end up further and further away from God. Soon you are lost and forget what the path of God for your life looked liked. The light on His path for your life becomes totally dimmed, if not dark and deserted. Everyday we battle our sinful desires that want to direct our heart, mind and soul. Neglecting Him and being complacent in service and obedience to Him is what Satan desires and uses to light a path away from God. The only way to win this battle is to stay in His word, desiring to stay close to Him, and wanting to be led by Him. Do not wait until you are totally lost before turning back to Him. Call out and seek to be rescued and restored. Seek Him and He will be found. Humbly serve Him and He will guide you.

Present yourself

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,”

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

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

Psalms 78:72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.

Psalms 101:1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music. I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure. I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes. Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.

Isaiah 11:2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

In Psalm 101 David says he will ponder the way that is blameless, he will not set his eyes on anything worthless, and he will hate the work of those who fall away. Why does he want to choose to live this way? Because of the place God has in His heart, mind, and soul. If we choose to live this way we will need to have God’s wisdom, knowledge, discernment, and understanding. To walk with God each day and desire and purpose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey is not something that comes easy to us. Placing God first in all we do and think takes discipline and commitment. Fighting the sinful nature of self purpose and choosing to replace it with God’s purpose will give meaning, hope, peace, love, joy, strength, power….. this side of eternity.

Arms wide open

”I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away”

“Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’”

Zechariah 10:8 “I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before.

Isaiah 11:11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people

Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

What a blessing to be reminded of God’s sovereign plan, provision, grace, mercy and love through outstretched hand to His creation. Who of us does not experience heavy burdens and needs rest? Who of us does not want to be invited to come to Him? God has made provision and called out to us with promises only He can make and fulfill. Run to Him, His arms are wide open.

Fallow Ground

“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.”

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.”

Zechariah 10:1 Ask rain from the LORD in the season of the spring rain, from the LORD who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

Deuteronomy 11:14 he will give the rain for your land in its season,

Isaiah 30:23 And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous.

Jeremiah 14:22 Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O LORD our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.

Amos 4:7 “I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither;

Psalms 65:9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

I wonder if we believe God is the supplier of the rain we receive. Or, do we think it is by chance and nothing God gives thought to. Scripture is full of examples of those who either believed or not that God supplied it. We see examples of people believing and then praying in line with that belief to God. It seems to me that we have become complacent in thinking about what God is supplying. Like rain. But there are hosts of other things we are complacent in acknowledging God as well. Our days on this side of eternity are to be purposed in humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God. I wonder if we are not in the practice of acknowledging Him for the things we take for granted, will we be able to see those that are more complex to understand. I this is why Hosea spoke about breaking up the fallow ground in our mind. Take time to reflect on all that you take for granted. Spend the day adding to this list. It is good to see God’s hand and handiwork.

Commit to Know Him

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

Psalms 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

Psalms 136:2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

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

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

We can cry out to God, but do we? We can claim His promise of having a plan and purpose for our life, plan of welfare and hope, but do we believe it? He will be found if we seek Him, but do we seek? His word says that He will equip us with everything good so that we may do His will. Do you wonder how He equips us to do His will? If we seek Him with all our heart He will be found. This seeking begins with believing in Him, His promises, and desiring to want to know Him and choosing to humbly serve Him above self, to honor, follow and obey Him above all else. All of this requires us to spend time in His word, thinking about it and what it is saying to our heart mind and soul, seeking to and wanting to be led by Him in ways that honor and glorify Him. This desire is from the moment we wake until the moment we lay down. We keep our eyes focused on Him with our heart and mind open and with our ears open to hear His quiet small voice speaking to and leading us. Spend time in His word and praying to Him. How sad will it be if at the end of your life when entering eternity you hear “Depart from Me for I never knew you”

Crying and burdened heart

Psalms 77:1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled. The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side. The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook. Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

An aching and burdened heart lost in trials and troubles, seeking God. You can hear their cry throughout this Psalm. Searching for comfort that seems not to come. You can sense the battle between what they know about God’s steadfast love and what they are feeling in the moment. Focusing on God and not the issue is the answer but if you have ever been so low and felt so unworthy everything is out of focus. It is a reminder also for each of us to be there for our brothers and sisters and help regain this presence / focus of God. The old hymn as a verse “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”

Handiwork of God

Psalms 74:16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.

Psalms 136:7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Genesis 1:14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

Psalms 136:3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

“The heavens declare the glory of God.” There is so much we take for granted. We see the sun come up every day and as well the moon and stars, yet we forget the awesome power of God who spoke them into existence. In Romans it says that “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” We chase after so much and so easily turn a blind eye toward the handiwork of God. I recently heard a man speaking from back in 1975 on the expanse of the galaxies and how many stars are estimated. We seem to be able to see more and more with the latest technology which shows the expanse of God’s creation. This same man said it appears as though we are being allowed to come out of a designed permitted ignorance. There have been so many new discoveries in the last 25 years about the universe we live in. These discoveries, though new to us, have been there since creation. It seems as though God is allowing mankind to see more of His creation. Don’t get lost in the science and discoveries. Keep grounded in knowing God is the creator of all there is. Commit to humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying Him.

Draw near to God

“When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”

“ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

“ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Psalms 69:10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. 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.

Psalms 55:16 But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.

Matthew 26:38 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

Daniel 3:15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever

Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Acts 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

These scriptures capture the heart of man who trusts in God. Note these specifically: “At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me” – “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden” – “nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” – ” your will be done.” Waiting for and trusting in God fully gives us courage and confidence for whatever is before us. Having a heart desire to be close and walk close to God has an effect on what we think say and do. He gave us scriptures to teach us, lead us, build us up, give us hope, reminding us of His promises, power, might and love. Desire to be near Him and from this foundation all else finds stability and we can face whatever comes our way today.

Content in all things

“but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

Psalms 68:28 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.

Psalms 68:32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

Psalms 42:8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalms 71:3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalms 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Being content in the hands of God is both hard and easy. It depends on our choice to have faith in Him, to wait on Him, to trust in Him, and to believe in Him and His purpose for our lives. We must believe He is sovereign and in control of all there is. And then patiently wait for His mighty and awesome timing. Sometimes it is immediate and other times it is not. In our culture our access is almost unlimited to anything we are seeking. I wonder if this doesn’t play a part in our lack of seeking God and His purpose. When problems arise we run ahead on our own without giving second thought to Him. Other times we are so blessed we even forget that these blessings come from Him. I recently heard a man tell of great success he was having in training dogs. He said at one point he just thought it was too easy. Then God showed him it was not easy and gave him a time of trials in this training. He said he was humbled by God and knows all success is at the hands of God. If we listen, God will speak to our heart and lead us on paths where we continually see His sovereignty. Commit to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.