Tag: Struck down

192. Broken cisterns that can hold no water.

2 Kings 21:19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done. He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them. He abandoned the Lord, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord. And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

Deuteronomy 32:15     “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.

1 Chronicles 28:9    If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Jeremiah 2:13     for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

What kind of person do you have to be to have your servants conspire to put you to death?  At 22 years old Amon began his reign and we need to remember that his father Manasseh had done some very bad things.  He was into all sorts of spirit worship and idol worship and even burned one of his sons as a sacrifice.  This is what Amon would have seen so it is not much wonder that he would have learned very bad behaviors.

The Word of God was void during the time of Manasseh and Amon.  We see the result of this lack of regard and reverence for His Word.   It is very important we look at this, as well as other examples, and understand the issue at hand and how we can combat it.  The issue is one of the heart.  The heart is where we hold that which is dear and valuable to us.  If it is not God then it is something else.  The issue is one of the mind.  The mind is where we think, ponder, believe, imagine, and reason.  We will keep in mind what is dear and valuable in our heart.  The issue is one of the soul.  The soul is the subconscious and inner being of the person.  Whatever is in the heart and mind will reside in the soul of a person.  If we give our heart, mind, and soul to Jesus Christ with a deep desire to understand and know Him more and more so that we can best humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, trust, rely, and obey Him, we will continually be filling our heart with how precious and valuable Jesus Christ is, we will continually be thinking about His great and precious promises, mercy, grace, and steadfast love, and we will be in communion with the Holy Spirit in our soul.   

Open wide the faucet to God’s Word and intentionally choose to break off the valve so that it can never be shut off.  Drink from this faucet continually.  Share from this faucet freely, water seeds of His grace, mercy, and love with it.

183.And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you

2 Kings 18:1   In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him. He struck down the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it, and at the end of three years he took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria and put them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. They neither listened nor obeyed.

Deuteronomy 6:18    And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you

Nehemiah 9:17    They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck

Daniel 9:8    To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.

Micah 3:4    Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time,

We can certainly see both sides of the coin in these 12 verses of 2 Kings 18.  Hezekiah, King of Judah, listened, believed, followed, obeyed, and did what was right in the eyes of God.  Hoshea, King of Israel, neither listened nor obeyed.  The outcomes of these two countries were very different.  Judah prospered during the time of Hezekiah and Israel was carried away.

What I make note of is how we are so easily swayed to walk paths that are not “Doing what is right in the eyes of God”.  It seems to take form when one area of life is allowed to dip its feet into what God has clearly said: “stay away from doing this”.   What we don’t realize is that once our feet hit the slippery bottom of what we are dipping into we soon are falling headlong into the pool of “Not doing what is right in the eyes of God”.  The pool does not look deep nor does it look like anything menacing, in fact, it looks inviting.  There are numerous ones who are there ahead of us and they call out with invitation too.  We might have been warned in the past to stay away from this but once we have gotten close and see others who seem to be enjoying the refreshing appearance of freedom our guard is down and our ears only hear the call of the forbidden.  We are so close now that the voice of God can not be heard over the noise of those to whom we have chosen to get close to and even join.

There is truth in “Right is Right even if only one is doing it” and “Wrong is Wrong even if everyone is doing it”  If we are going to do what is right we better know where to look to find out what right is.  If we neglect this book of truth we will not have the ability to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to know and understand follies of man.   It is easy to follow what seems right in our own eyes and it is easy to listen to ourselves.  Both of these actions will make us deaf and blind to the Word of God and knowing what is right in His eyes.

122. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight?

2 Samuel 12:1   And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.

Isaiah 57:17-18     Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

Jeremiah 6:13     “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.

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.

Luke 12:15    And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Colossians 3:5     Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Jeremiah 5:3    O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent.

Sin has a way of blinding us from what we are doing that is not right in the eyes of our God.  When sin takes our heart and minds captive it does not let go.  It hardens our heart and pridefully sets to convince our mind that what we have done or are doing is right even though God’s word says it is wrong.

How does sin find its way so easily into our Christian lives?  Peter says it like this; “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,  by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

Keep your eyes on Him alone who is worthy.  Live to bring honor and glory to His name.  Stay in His presence and desire to follow and obey Him.

82. The anger of the Lord burned

Judges 3:7  The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.

But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Judges 3:12  Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms. The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

Judges 3:28   “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.

Judges 4:1   Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead. So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help.

Judges 4:31   Then the land had peace forty years.

Can you see the theme here?  There was a falling away from God, punishment, calling out to God, and peace restored.  In the cases above punishment was for 8 years, a cry to the Lord, and then peace for 40 years.  Punishment for 18 years, a cry to the Lord, and peace for 80 years.  Punishment for 20 years, a cry to the Lord, and peace for 40 years.

Why is there a falling away from serving and living for Jesus?   What causes or leads us down paths that are not God-honoring, God serving, obedient to God, following God, God-reliant, or God trusting.  We have been given examples of what others did but if we were to look deep into our heart and mind we might see, self-centered indulgence, pride, complacency, neglect, worldly wants, and a lack of hunger and thirst for God’s word in our life.  When His word is set aside because of the busyness of life, your path is already set on a course away from needing Him.  This path is very well worn and seems to be the same path that others are on.  Following others down this path does not end well.

Do you want power, peace, and purpose in your life?  Stay in His word.  Cherish it every day.  Seek to hear His quiet small voice of leading.  Obediently follow Him.  Humbly serve Him.

So many signs

“because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.”

Psalms 78:31  But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths,  But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.  In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.   So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror.   When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly. In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.   So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror.   When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly.

Numbers 11:33    While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague.

John 12:37    Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,

Proverbs 1:32    For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;

Numbers 14:35   I, the LORD, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

Judges 3:9     But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel

Judges 10:10   And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.”

Hosea 5:15    I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.

Hosea 7:14    They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.

It is our tendency to live for self and deny God access to leading our daily lives.  History is full of examples where man, in the midst of God’s hand at work, turns away from God and doing what seems right in their own eyes.  We so easily follow that which is not of God.  Do we think God has somehow changed and no longer requires our whole heart, mind and soul?  Do we think we are different and God’s commands to humbly serve, trust in, rely on, cling to, honor, follow and obey Him do not apply?  Do we think He has watered down what a dedicated life to Him should look like?  I can remember when you were thought to be a Jesus follower if you went to Sunday School, Sunday morning church, Sunday evening church, Wednesday evening bible study, another bible study during the week, and spoke frequently about God in your life.  Now it seems you are considered a Jesus follower if you attend Sunday morning church once per week.  It seems as though the church has adopted this lower expectation and I fear it is at the cost of many souls forever lost.  Now is the time to repent, return and follow God with an earnest desire to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.

Awesome Power and Might

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.”

Psalms 65:5  By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

Psalms 45:4    In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!

Psalms 47:2  For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.  He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.

Psalms 66:3     Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

Psalms 76:3  There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah  Glorious are you, more majestic than the mountains full of prey.  The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; all the men of war were unable to use their hands.  At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned.  But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?  From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still,  when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth.

Deuteronomy 4:34   Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Deuteronomy 10:21   He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.

Isaiah 37:36   And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

Revelation 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Revelation 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Isaiah 45:22    “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Matthew 28:19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Psalms 22:27    All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

God’s mighty and awesome deeds from history have been shared with us in scripture.  These awesome and mighty deeds include, creation, flood, protection, victory from enemies, signs and wonders, splitting of the Red Sea, water from a rock, fire from the sky, manna and quail, judgements on people, death of enemies, dead back to life, blind were given sight, deaf were able to hear, mute were able to speak, women without child were given children, virgin birth, seas calmed, feeding of 5,000, Jesus Christ birth-death-resurrection, and promises of eternity with Him for those who believe in, rely on, cling to and trust in Him.  There are hundreds of more examples recorded of His might acts.  Life has a way of blinding us from seeing and believing these acts of power, might, and love.  Life gets in the way and we explain away His awesome power and love with words of “I sure was lucky,” “what a coincidence,” “that was weird,” “I wish somebody could explain this to me,” “I see it but don’t believe it,” somebody was watching over them,” “such is fate,” and many more.   When our heart, mind and soul are more focused on this life rather than on God we see things in a different light – through a different lens.  God is not in focus and many of His acts are missed and we fail to recognize them.  It is impossible to honor and praise God when we neglect to commit our life to Him, spend time with His word, and give Him all our heart, mind, and soul.  Do you want to see these acts of power, might and love?  Change the way you do life.  Focus your heart, mind, and soul on Him.  Desire to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Him.  And as the old hymn says “the things of earth with grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

 

Not Crushed

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed”

 

Psalms 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

Psalms 34:17  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Isaiah 65:24   Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Acts 12:5  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.  Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.  And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”  And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.  When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.  When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

Hebrews 11:33  who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,  quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.  Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—  of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. God is ever present in the lives of those who seek Him.  He hears their cry for help.  He heals their broken heart.  He delivers them out of their troubles.  Know how much God loves us and how much He wants to direct our path and how His path is perfect for us, why do we keep Him at arms length.  Why do we keep our focus on only what we can see in this world?  Why is our heart, eyes and ears so easily turned away from God?  If His word is not present in our lives everyday it is easy to lose connection.  It is like having a new puppy that every shinny thing captures it’s attention.  We seem to find the shinny things of our busy lives more important than the peace, rest, joy, hope, love, strength, and power of God.  Spend time in His word today for 5 minutes.  Spend 5 more minutes thinking about what you just read.  I think you will find that God will call these into your mind through out the day as your focus turns from temporary to that which is eternal.

 

Open my Eyes

“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

“Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Psalms 34:6  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalms 3:4  I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill

Psalms 10:17   O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

Psalms 66:16-20   Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.  I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.  If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.  But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.  Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Revelation 7:17  For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

2 Kings 6:17  Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 19:35  And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

Daniel 6:22  My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

Matthew 18:10  “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Psalms 119:18  Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

There are many examples of God working wonders beyond our imagination.  I love the passage in 2 Kings where Elisha’s servant saw the enemy and shared fear and asked Elisha what should we do?  Elisha responded with “Oh God please open his eyes that he may see”.  The passage in Daniel where God shut the mouths of the lions is another example of God working beyond our imagination.  How much do we limit God by our lack of faith in His unlimited power, strength and might?  God does not change He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  It is mankind that continues down paths away from God. They no longer see need for they are blinded by their own self worth, self reliance, and self preservation.  The bible says they have itching ears seeking to hear what it is that aligns with their wayward thoughts.  They believe the lies of those who speak with authority about things which deny God and absolutely any need for Him.  Scripture is also clear where it says by the world wisdom no one will find God.  God calls this wisdom foolish.  It is the holy spirit working in us to bring honor and glory to God.  We do this by humbly submitting each day to Him, seeking to listen and obey His leading.  Listen to David when he said “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”  We do well to stay in His word with the same request.

Running Away

” I will return again to my place,
until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
and in their distress earnestly seek me.”

Hosea 5:13
When Ephraim saw his sickness,
and Judah his wound,
then Ephraim went to Assyria,
and sent to the great king.
But he is not able to cure you
or heal your wound.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear and go away;
I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.
I will return again to my place,
until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
and in their distress earnestly seek me.

Isaiah 1:5
Why will you still be struck down?
Why will you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and raw wounds;
they are not pressed out or bound up
or softened with oil.

Ezekiel 6:9
how I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols. And they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed, for all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the Lord. I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.”

Are you looking for God to return into your life?  Are you wondering where God is in your life?  Why does it seem like there are times when God seems so far away?  When it says “I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols” – does it speak to your heart?  God is alive, He sees all, He knows all and nothing is shielded from His seeing and knowing.  He knows our commitment, our desire, and our thoughts.  Knowing this He sent His son to be a sacrifice so that we could have communion with Him.  He did this out of grace and mercy to draw unto Him a people who want to humbly serve Him, who desire above all else to honor and glorify Him, who live for Him and His purpose.  If God seems far away or distant it is not because of Him not pursuing in love, but rather because of our want to do what is right in our own eyes without giving any thought to service to Him.  I can’t even comprehend how much time I’ve wasted on things that bring no honor or glory to God.  How much time have I spent thinking about temporary things this side of eternity without any thought to serving Him and what His purpose is.  Many times we are reminded in scripture how generations lost all knowledge and understanding of God and yet I wonder how it looks in God’s eyes to see a generation with God’s word so easily available yet treated as nothing more than dust on table.

Overcoming the overwhelming

“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. ’ “

Judges 7:1
Early in the morning, Jerub- Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me. ’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. ’” So twenty- two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others

Deuteronomy 8:17
Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. ’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed

Deuteronomy 9:4
“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you

God knows our heart all so clear.  He did not want to leave any doubt in the Israelites minds.  They went out with 31,000 men to fight.  God knew the heart of man and that they would think it was in there power and might – not in the power of God.  God took this number not to 10% but rather down to less than 1% – 300 men.   Imagine if you were one of the 300.  Many times in our life we come up against something and we want to throw tons of effort, people and resources at it when in fact we should fall on our knees and seek His divine intervention.  It seems natural to try to do it on our own and in our own power doesn’t it?  Just think back at how many times have you heard people say “there goes a self made man or woman”?  or “It is because of how hard they worked” or “It is because of how smart they are” or “It is because of luck”……  I have no clue what you are facing but I do know that our God is more than able to take on whatever it is your are trying to face alone.  Humbly take it to Him and leave it in His hands.  There are issues that only He alone can change.  There are others that He will speak to your heart and guide you on what to do.  Either way the the first move for you is to bow before Him.  Trust in His power, strength, and love.  With it in His hands all things are possible.