Tag: support

The eyes of the LORD are in every place

“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Genesis 16:13  So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

Genesis 31:42    If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

Psalms 139:1-12   O LORD, you have searched me and known me!  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.  Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.  Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”  even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Proverbs 5:21     For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.

Proverbs 15:3     The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

2 Chronicles 16:9     For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”

Jeremiah 32:19    great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

Job 34:21-22     “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

Jeremiah 16:17     For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.

Ask most parents about how much they keep their eyes on their infants and young children and they will tell you all of the time.  Why do parents do this – to protect from harm of others or themselves, encourage and teach.  Parents know all to well how fast little ones will find opportunity to make a mess, do something unsafe, or something else.  Some of these moments are captured on social media and we all get a scare or good laugh.  As much as parents want to think they are always there to watch and protect they just can’t be everywhere all the time, nor can they know the thoughts their young children had leading up to what ever goes wrong, or they would have interceded and stopped it.

God watches all, knows all, and sees all the thoughts and actions of man.  It is almost unfathomable to think how this is possible but it is with God. Those seeking to learn of Him and walk in His ways will find God’s hand leading them and life fulfilling.  Those that disregard Him and choose to live according to their own ways will find life lacking, without purpose, and a burden.

You were not willing

“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

“So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

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

Psalms 46:1   God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,  though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Psalms 62:7  On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.  Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

Psalms 91:1  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.  You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,  nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.  Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—

Psalms 142:5   I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Proverbs 14:26    In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

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

Hebrews 6:18    so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Deuteronomy 4:7   For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

2 Samuel 22:17  “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.  He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.  They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.  He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

It is easy to say that God is my strength, refuge, rock, and ever present in time of trouble but do we believe it with all of our heart, soul and mind?  In the heat of the terror, trial, issue, burden do we confidently say “God is my rock, my fortress, my strength, ever present, faithful, unchangeable, Almighty strong confidence?”  In Luke Jesus tells of gathering people into a place of comfort under the wings of God and those to whom this was intended it was rejected for they were not willing to accept it.  In Psalms it is just the opposite where David says “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.  Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge”.  There is a difference in the lives of those who humbly server, honor, follow, and obey God.  They are willing because they have stayed in His word, they choose to keep their focus on Him, they trust in, cling to, and rely on Him and His promises.  They seek to be lead by God.  Their ears are open to hear the quiet voice of His leading.  They fill their mind with His word.  Spend time in His word, think about it, and ask God to give you wisdom and understanding.  He wants your whole heart, mind, and soul everyday, every minute.  Choose to give it to Him.

Know Him

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.”

Psalms 20:1   May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!  May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans! May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Psalms 41:1    Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;

Psalms 60:11   Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!

Psalms 91:15   When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him

Psalms 138:7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life

Psalms 9:10   And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

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

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

These verses “Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God”, “Because he knows my name and holds fast to me”, “The righteous man runs to the name of the Lord and is safe” make it very clear walking with God is full of help in times of trouble.  Yet it makes clear the righteous man, the one who loves God and holds on to Him is the person who has this hope.  How can we call on someone if we don’t know them? Knowing of and knowing is like knowing of the name of a person who has power and means to help you but you only know of their name.  How do we know if they will respond or how they will respond? If we know of them and not know them personally we have no clue how they will respond to us.  We may have heard from someone else how they were helped but this gives us no assurance this person would help us.

Knowing of God: Hear His name, heard some of the stories of what He has done, believe He exists, has no influence in daily life, is rarely thought of unless there is trouble in your life, serving self, culture has more influence, His word is not written on your heart and anchored in your mind, trying to perform in a way that makes you worthy of His love.

Knowing God: Know Him by name, has impact in your life, is always present in your mind, deep desire to know Him more, listening for and to that quiet small voice leading you, obeying His leading, trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Him, His word is before you constantly, you live to humbly serve, honor, glorify, and obey Him, it is by His grace and mercy through Jesus Christ alone you are made clean.

How can we “Know His word,” “Believe in His word,” “Trust in His word,” “Obey His word,” if we don’t read His word with a heart deep desire to know Him.

By His Glorious Power

“For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.”

“fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

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

Psalms 5:11-12
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalms 10:14
But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless.

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

Psalms 20:6
Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.

Psalms 44:3
for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.

Exodus 15:6
Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.

Isaiah 41:10
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Sometimes I wonder if we think our lives this side of eternity is to be trouble/problem free.  Words like “fear not”, “I will strengthen you”, “take refuge in You”, “nor did their own are save them”, “strong support”, “hide me in the shadow of your wings”, all indicate and confirm  times of problems and trials happen to all of us this side of eternity.  Yet God is all seeing and knowing and there is nothing His eyes do not see.  In these times we are not alone.  We have GOD who is with us and will protect us.  It is in these times we feel alone but we are not.  He is there. In these times call out to God and trust in His might power to help.  Trust and hope and rejoice, for He will never leave us or forsake us.  We don’t have to go it alone.