Tag: walk

Oh that my ways may be steadfast

Psalms 119:1-8  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!  Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.  I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.  I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

Survey and polling data constantly demonstrate that those who live lives in general conformity to God’s standards are happier, enjoy life more, and are more content. Yet the illusion remains for many that a defiled life is more “fun.”

We need God to show us the way to a happy life, and it is centered on being undefiled in the way. “The reason we are not happy is that we sin, and the main reason we sin as much as we do is that we do not know the Bible well enough. . . . Apart from being instructed by God, human beings do not know how to achieve happiness.” (Boice)

We wouldn’t know what a pure life was without God telling us. Certainly, some aspects of a pure life are revealed in human conscience and known widely among humanity. Yet there are other aspects of the pure life that we learn only from the Word of God.

“To enjoy this beatitude a holy walking must become habitual. This sacred exercise is very different from sluggish piety. ‘Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord.’ A man may sit down in the road without soiling his skin or fouling his apparel, but that is not enough. There must be progress – practical action – in the Christian life; and in order to blessedness we must be doing something for the Master.” (Spurgeon)

Keep means doing, not only hearing. “Neither is it enough that we understand or ponder God’s precepts, but we must practice them, if we would be happy.”

“Blessedness is ascribed to those who treasure up the testimonies of the Lord: in which is implied that they search the Scriptures, that they come to an understanding of them, that they love them, and then that they continue in the practice of them. We must first get a thing before we can keep it. In order to keep it well we must get a firm grip of it: we cannot keep in the heart that which we have not heartily embraced by the affections.’ (Spurgeon)

Yet, we do not miss the emphasis on the heart. “God is not truly sought by the cold researches of the brain: we must seek him with the heart. Love reveals itself to love: God manifests his heart to the heart of his people. It is in vain that we endeavour to comprehend him by reason; we must apprehend him by affection.” (Spurgeon)

“Without You I can do nothing; my soul is unstable and fickle; and it will continue weak and uncertain till You strengthen and establish it.” (Clarke)

“Unto all thy commandments; so as not to be partial in my obedience, not to allow myself in the practice of any known sin, or in the neglect of any known duty.” (Poole)

I will keep Your statutes: This was a promise to keep – in the sense of guarding – the statutes (huqqim), the engraved, inscribed, written word of God.

Look carefully then how you walk

“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,  for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations?”

Psalms 112:1   Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!  His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.  Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.  Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.

Psalms 37:25-26     I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.  He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

 Deuteronomy 15:7-10     “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,  but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.  Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin.  You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.

 Job 31:16-20    “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,  or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it  (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow),  if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or the needy without covering,

 Proverbs 24:30-34     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.

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

 Romans 12:11     Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

 Proverbs 24:27     Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

 Colossians 4:5     Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

 Ephesians 5:15    Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

There a few of points I take home from today’s verses.   Use time wisely.  Give thought and prepare for the tasks at hand.  Take care of what God has provided.  Look carefully at our walk (application of God’s word in our life).  Give to the needy. Be generous. Serve the Lord.  Help the poor, fatherless, and widow.  We need to be mindful of how we spend our time, resources, and what we spend it on.  If it is only about gaining riches, we fail.  If it is only about what can be gained with the least amount of effort, it’s a waste. If it is not with the intent to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God, it is to our destruction.  Listen to what God says to your heart and mind in His word.  Desire and learn to hear His quiet small voice of leading and directing you for His honor.

Worthless idols – delusions

“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.”

Psalms 96:5  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

Jeremiah 10:3-5    for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.  They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.  Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

Jeremiah 10:14-15     Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.  They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.

Genesis 1:1     In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Isaiah 42:5    Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it

There is quite a contrast between a worthless piece of stone, wood, or precious metal and our living God.  One is made by human hands and the other made everything from nothing.  One is worthless and a delusion the other is life, help, strength, might, power, and lives forever.  God will not share His glory and honor.  He alone is worthy of all praise, honor and glory.  Those who seek peace and hope from things made form human hands will find themselves empty and wanting.  Ultimately they will see the delusion but then it will be to late.  Their fate is sealed upon their death and cast into hell.  Those who choose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey the one and only living God will see eternal life.  God alone gives life.  God alone is worthy.  Our God lives.  Worthless idols capture  heart and mind, taking them captive, a delusion is believed and a chose is made.  Keep your heart and mind purely on God.  Do not allow false teachings and idols take you on paths apart from God.

Kicking and Screaming

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.”

Psalms 86:16  Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalms 69:16     Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

Psalms 90:13     Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!

Psalms 119:132    Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name.

Psalms 84:5     Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Psalms 138:3     On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.

Isaiah 40:29     He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;  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.

Zechariah 10:12     I will make them strong in the LORD, and they shall walk in his name,” declares the LORD.

Ephesians 3:16     that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 4:13     I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Why is it important to have the right source for inner strength?  Where does true inner strength come from? How does it appear in our life?  Living this side of eternity will have it’s battles.  Walking into these battles there are times we walk with God, times God carries us through them, and times when He drags us kicking and screaming through them.  In Him alone will there be strength to face whatever comes our way.  In Him we have no fear of tomorrow.  In Him there is peace that passes all understanding.  The times we walk with God to face head that which is before us are during times when His Holy Spirit fills us, we are listening and in tune with His leading, we walk fully trusting and relying on His power.  The times He is carrying us are during those times when life hits us with a punch so hard it takes the wind from our sail and we can’t seem to move or find out way through it.  He picks us up and carries us in His power, strength, might, and love.  His arms wrap around us and we find comfort, refuge, and hope.  The times He drags us is when we don’t listen, we shut Him from our life, we walk apart from Him and try to go our own way.  We think we are in control and have no need for Him or His word of truth.  It seems as though God drags us into a battle so big with so much uncertainty, where we truly can’t seem to find our way through it.  Our own strength is drained to a point we quit kicking and screaming and seek Him for we have tried to handle it on our own.  We find peace, hope, joy, and comfort.  I don’t know where you are but the best place to be is humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  Spend time in His word and build your faith in Him who can do all things. In Hi who can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

He does not deal with us according to our sins

“For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”

“Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

“O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.”

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Psalms 86:13  For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Psalms 103:8     The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.  He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Luke 1:58     And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

Psalms 16:10     For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

Psalms 56:13     For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalms 116:8     For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;

Job 33:18     he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.

Job 33:24    and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom;

Isaiah 38:17     Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

Satan tells us lies.  Our own sinful nature believes them sometimes.  Satan will continue to throw our past sins into our mind and tell us we are no good and remind us of things we used to do.  Satan wants us to forget promises from God.  He wants us to live defeated, complacent, lukewarm, without victory, with wavering hope, little faith, no peace, and without joy.  God says; He will not repay us according to our sin,  our past sins are no more, they are cast behind His back, they are as far as the east is from the west, we are redeemed, we are forgiven, we are a child of Him, we have been brought back from the pit of hell.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

The path to eternity in Hell is certain without Jesus Christ. The path to eternity in Heaven is certain with Jesus Christ.  There is no forgiveness of Sin apart from Jesus Christ.  The path to forgiveness for all past and future sin is through confessing them to God and trusting in, clinging to, and relying on Jesus Christ and through His redeeming work on the cross.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  We can be confident, by faith, that we are forgiven and our sins are washed away.  We can live victoriously and give glory and praise to God for His steadfast love, grace, and mercy.

Obedience to the Truth

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness”

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

John 15:11  These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Isaiah 53:11     Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Jeremiah 33:9    And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.

1 John 1:4     And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

1 Peter 1:8     Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

Romans 12:10     Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

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 1:22     Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 Peter 3:8     Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

Obedience to the truth is fundamental for us to continue on a path that honors God.  Where do we find truth and once you find it what good is it?  Jesus Christ is truth – “I am the way, the truth, and the life”. “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Through Christ we are saved and not of our own works  but by His grace, mercy and love.  When this truth is believed redemption, salvation and new life are born.  – “you are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself ” – “He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.” – “he will guide them to springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” – “my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation” – “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. … You are my shelter and my shield” – “I will be glad in the Lord, my joy will be in the God of my salvation” – “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”  spend time in His word and learn of His love, purpose and plan for your life.  Humbly serve, honor, glorify, rely on, cling to, trust in, follow and obey. 

 

 

Abide in Me

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,”

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,”

“whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

John 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Luke 8:15     As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Acts 11:23     When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,

Galatians 2:20     I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Colossians 1:23     if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard,

Hebrews 10:39     But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

1 John 2:24     Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.  And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

2 John 1:9     Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God.

2 Corinthians 13:5     Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Complacency, neglect and lacking fruit in our lives is a direct result of us not abiding in Christ.  Coming to the knowledge of salvation and forgiveness of sin through Christ is the beginning of our new life.  This new life is to continually bear much good fruit.  This fruit ought to be seen by others as a testimony to what Christ has done in our life.  Jesus said for us to abide in Him and we will bear fruit.  We can not bear fruit on our own.  It may seem like we can and do but it is clear from scripture that apart from abiding in Christ this fruit is not good.  Paul says we ought to examine and test ourselves.  Examine and test against what?  The only way is to spend time in scripture.  God’s word is able to discern thoughts and intents of our heart and mind.  Apart from His word how can this happen.  Just because we don’t read and have Holy Spirit speak conviction into our heart and mind, does not mean we are not responsible or accountable.  In fact many times we are reminded that being lukewarm is a very bad bad state of living to be in.  What are the fruits of the Spirit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” I am sure there are those who have what they consider all of these but apart from Christ we will never understand them in the proper context.  In His word we understand these and they come alive.  They are whispered into our life and we find them honoring God and not us.  We find it is through His steadfast love we and leading we experience these in a whole new way.  We find our life has purpose beyond that which we can see and touch.  We see this fruit have an impact not only in our lives but in the lives of others as the Holy Spirit leads us.  I am convinced that abiding requires staying in His word and a heart deep desire to humbly serve, honer, follow, and obey.

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.

Walk Properly

”And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 12:35  So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

Psalms 22:16   For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—  I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;  they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

1 Peter 2:24     He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 3:18    For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

Galatians 3:13     Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

Romans 5:17     For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.  Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.  For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Revelation 5:9     And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

Isaiah 2:5     O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Isaiah 42:6    “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Romans 13:12     The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Psalms 69:22    Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.  Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.  Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.  May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents.  For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.  Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

Jesus Christ went to the cross to redeem all who would believe – to draw them unto Himself- to take us by the hand – to heal us – to make us righteous – to give us light – to give us armor to fight against darkness  – to keep us – ransom us from separation from God due to our sin – to make us alive in the spirit – to make us a new creation for humbly serving, following, honoring, obeying God.  Think on this today and what kind of life you are living in light of this glorious gift.  Read His word and pray asking Him to fill you with knowledge and understanding beyond human wisdom.  Praise His name for He is worthy.