Steadfast – Page 4 – Praying Pint

Do no be deceived

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brother”

John 13:27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

John 13:2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

Matthew 12:45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

Luke 22:3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.

Proverbs 1:16 for their feet run to evil,

Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

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.

If we are born with a sinful nature and this is the natural mindset and heart of man how are we to know what is sin in our life? How do we know the difference between good and bad? Our natural mind would conclude that if it benefits society and the culture identifies it as good, then it must be pleasing to God. Viewing this from this standpoint gives a very strong illusion of being right with God and serving Him. However nothing could be worse for our soul. Trying to be and do good is not serving God. It is nothing more than trying to earn and work way to be right with God. Performing acts of goodness and kindness apart from humbly seeking, serving, honoring, following and obeying God are man’s unworthy attempts and used by Satan to blind us into thinking we are right with God. this mindset leads us down paths of complacency and neglecting God’s word in favor of doing what we think is right. They mindset tells us we are doing what God wants. This is a lie. It is false. True servants of God desire and seek His purpose and plan. They continue in reading scripture and are fully aware of their sinful nature. They seek God to expose their sin and lead them in paths that honor Him. They do not try to please God apart from seeking His purpose and plan. They choose to be lead and their heart, mind, eyes and ears are open to His leading. Be mindful of your sinful nature and it’s desires, and Satan’s deceits.

Clean hands and pure heart

“For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalms 85:9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Psalms 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psalms 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalms 119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.

Mark 12:32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Acts 11:13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’

Zechariah 2:5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Exodus 34:6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ

Romans 3:25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Guilty, iniquity, wicked, transgression, sin, do not seek, false, deceit, and unclean heart are all words used to describe the heart and condition of man without Christ. Now look at what scripture says of God and what is found through Christ to those who believe; good, steadfast love, salvation, faithfulness, righteousness, peace, clean hands, pure heart, thanksgiving, understanding, strength, saved, grace, truth, forgiven, and justified. Open your heart and mind to His word and seek Him in times of peace and trials. There is no other place to find truth, happiness, and hope for eternity.

Gentle and lowly of heart

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

John 13:13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 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. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Romans 15:5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

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

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

1 Peter 3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

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

Psalms 119:1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

What does it take to live in harmony? We are encouraged and given endurance from God to imitate the example of Jesus Christ, being lowly of heart and gentle in spirit. We ought to walk in His ways being diligent to know, understand, follow and obey His precepts. Because of our sinful nature, this is a battle everyday and culture tries to convince us that being good is good enough, being better than most is good enough, that we are not doing what is legally wrong so we are good enough…… It is not about being good enough but rather being in Christ. Needless to say our battle is not on the outside but on the inside within our souls. Feeding our souls with His word and having a heart deep desire to humbly serve honor, follow and obey Him will have a positive affect against our sinful nature and influence of our culture. Be an example of Christ and a reflective light of His grace, mercy, and love.

Abide in His word

“Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.”

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

“being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing”

“Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.”

“Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”

John 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Colossians 1:23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven,

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

How do you translate this verse “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”??? How do you continue in faith and God’s leading??? How do you remain steadfast and stable??? How do you survive tribulations and trials of this world???? How do you strengthen your soul???? How are you set free???? How are you made blameless??? How are your steps remained steady??? What keeps you from shrinking back???? How do you know of God’s kindness??? How are you encouraged to keep on the path of God??? ABIDE IN HIS WORD

They believed His words

“Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.”

“with minds set on earthly things.”

John 6:26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Psalms 106:12 Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert;

Ezekiel 33:31 And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Romans 16:18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites,

Philippians 2:21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 6:5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

How many times do we act this same way? “Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel” Where we do not wait for His leading. Where our ears are not listening for His guidance. Where our heart is set on me, myself, and I. When the people asked Jesus what works must we do to be doing the work of God, He said believe in whom He sent. But there is more to “believing” than a thought process in our brain. This belief changes us, or should. Scripture today speaks of many who believed but their belief was not heart and soul deep. God said to love Him with all of our heart, soul and mind. Give God all your heart, soul and mind. Spend time in His word. Learn of Him and how to serve Him. Love Him more than things of this world. Learn to give. Learn to love, learn to serve, learn to make disciples, learn to give, learn to hope, learn to grow faith, learn for His wisdom. Spend time in His word. Through believing these actions become evidenced; humble service, God honoring, following faithfully, obeying completely, listening fully, waiting patiently, giving generously, praising and thanking continually.

Zeal for serving God

“ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”

Proverbs 18:9 Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.

Proverbs 10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 23:20 Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Proverbs 24:30 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Luke 15:13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.

2 Peter 1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

I read these verses today and wonder if we are being reckless and slothful with God’s word and application into our daily life. A little sleep here, a little rest there, and the next thing you know there are days, weeks, month, and years squander on things other than living for God. A slack hand causes poverty and how true this is in the life of a believer who does not remain diligent in serving God. Life appears to be fulfilling but in the end their field of influence is covered in weeds yielding no fruit. Do not be slack in serving God, reading His word, listening to His whispers of leading,and following and obeying Him. Cultivate your heart, mind and soul with the word of God. Believing, commitment, dedication and action are required for fruit and if it is produced surely it ought to be seen.

They soon forgot

“then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.”

“They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,”

“Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.”

“They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,”

“they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.

Psalms 78:35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant.

Deuteronomy 32:4 “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

Deuteronomy 32:30 How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up? For their rock is not as our Rock; our enemies are by themselves.

Isaiah 29:13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

Reading these scriptures should challenge our heart and mind to faithfully serve God with our whole heart mind and soul. Just as those from years gone by have done, we too need to be certain our mouth is not saying one thing and our heart is serving another – more than likely (Me, Myself, and I). His word tells us that people easily forget God and what it means to cling to, rely on, and trust in Him. It is hard to tell who these people are because many times all we hear is what comes from their mouth. “they honor me with their mouth but their heart is far from Me”. I wonder if it is our lack of spending time in knowing and understanding His word. I wonder if we judge our walk by how others walk and in doing so we end up at a place where our faith is nothing more than words spoken. This is a place where there is no heart deep desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God but rather just words stating it. God sees our heart and knows our thoughts and intents. Many will enter eternity and when standing before God will hear depart from Me for I never knew you. Be mindful of what it means to be redeemed and to follow and obey Him with all your heart, mind and soul.

The next generation

“Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.”

Psalms 78:5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Psalms 71:18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Psalms 102:18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:

Psalms 145:4 One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Esther 9:28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation,

Deuteronomy 4:10 how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.’

Joel 1:3 Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.

Our responsibility is clear to tell the next generation about God and His glorious mighty power and steadfast love. Do you ever stop to think about all the acts of blessing, mercy, love, and power God has done in your life? We ought to record these and share them with our children, families and friends. We are not only to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God, but also to tell others of what He has done in the past, what He has done in our lifetime, and the hope of our salvation.

Tell the next generation

“He who has ears, let him hear.”

“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”

“But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.”

Psalms 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Proverbs 8:4 “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,

Isaiah 51:4 “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.

Isaiah 55:3 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.

Deuteronomy 11:19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

It is up to us to proclaim the grace, mercy, love, hope, might and power of God. It is a light to those who like us were in darkness. When are we to speak of God? When we are sitting in our homes, when we are walking, when we lie down and when we rise up. The pace of our lives seems to be able to distract us from this. We need to be mindful of that which distracts us and hold fast to Him and His word. Practice putting His word into your mind. Read His word and then meditate on it through out the day. Speak about it and discuss it. Praise God through your life being lived out in honor and service to Him. Set all your hopes in and on Him.

Rejoice & Praise

“But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!”

Psalms 35:9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation. All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

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.

Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

Psalms 21:1 O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults!

Psalms 33:21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness

Habakkuk 3:18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Luke 1:46-47 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Job 5:15-16 But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

Psalms 140:12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.

“My soul will rejoice”, “my soul will magnify”, “my spirit rejoices”, “I will take joy”, “our heart is glad”, “Praise all the day long”, “shout for joy”, “be glad”, and “jubilant with joy”, are all outcomes of relying on God, serving Him, humbly waiting for His timing, trusting in Him, and clinging to His power, might, strength, steadfast love, mercy, and grace. I was recently speaking with a godly man who had every reason to be upset about a situation he faced that could have easily ended his life if he had blindly followed instruction from a trusted professional. When I spoke with him last Thursday he was very upset and could not believe what could have happened had he not had previous training and understanding and the ability to know this course of action was seriously wrong. Today his whole mindset was changed. He was thankful, rejoicing, and praising God. Why? Because he realized that God had prepared him long ago for this very incident and kept him from making a fatal decision. I think this is how we need to look at those issues that pop up in our lives. What is God trying to show us? What is He telling our heart? God is ever present in our walk and it is good for us to take on a heart that rejoices, praises, and lives in joy knowing our God is in full control.