Tag: Wretched

31.j. “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”

 

Matthew 6:22  “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

 2 Corinthians 11:3    But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

 Ephesians 4:18    They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

 Ephesians 5:8    for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

 Isaiah 5:20-21    Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!

 Jeremiah 4:22   “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

 Revelation 3:17   For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Either our eye is directed at heavenly things (and therefore full of light) or it is directed at earthly things (and therefore full of darkness). It is all about the intentional choices we make every day. What is the first thought that comes to mind when we wake up each morning? What is the last thought in our mind when we go to bed? What fills our thoughts throughout the day? Do we wake up with the thoughts of praise, worship, and rejoicing to and in Jesus Christ? Do we walk up ready and willing to be led by the Holy Spirit? Do we wake up with a desire that wants to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we say, think, and do? Do we awake in hunger and thirst for His Word? Are we desiring to see the day the Lord has made? I know answering these questions seems easier or harder than others days, but it is a learned and practiced discipline of our own choice(s). When our heart is divided between the cares of this world and those heavenly we are in darkness.  It is in this darkness that nothing seems to make sense. Confusion, anger, hate, fear, conflict, and despair are their byproducts. How foolish does it sound to say; “I intentionally choose to think and live like this”? We choose to live in darkness, a place void of an intentional choice to honor, glorify, worship, and praise Jesus Christ. We sometimes think we can give lip service toward this goal but in fact, it is just words of our mouth and not from our heart and soul. We intentionally choose to be in darkness rather than humble surrender to and trust, faith, obedience, and reliance in Jesus Christ.  This humble surrender to and trust, faith, obedience, and reliance on Jesus Christ. It is not a one-and-done decision from sometime in the past, it is an intentional way of life, moment by moment each and every day. Look around, read and listen to news outlets and other media sources and you will see and experience the life of darkness.  They would have you believe this is how life is. It is not meant to be this way for the believer. No, our life should be filled with love, grace, mercy, kindness, peace, joy, and hope which can only be found in the light of Jesus Christ and humble surrender to and trust, faith, obedience, and reliance. 

Intentionally choose to wake each morning with a desire and expectation (for every moment of that day) to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

20.r. “Let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.”

 

Romans 11:20   They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 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.

 James 2:19     You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

 Hebrews 3:12     Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

 Revelation 3:17     For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

 Hebrews 3:19   So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

 Hebrews 4:6     Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,

 Hebrews 4:11   Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

 Isaiah 66:2    All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

 Hebrews 4:1     Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

Paul said, “note the severity and kindness of God”.  We have a natural thought that clings to God’s kindness but sidelines and thoughts to His severity of judgment, wrath, and anger.  We cling to “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” but we give little thought of His wrath and anger against unbelief, trust, faith, and obedience in/on Jesus Christ.  Paul saw how easy it was for believers to fall into disobedience.  He saw how they became complacent and neglectful of things of God.  They became lukewarm towards seeking and desiring to honor and glorify Him.  Over and over again Paul urged people to remain steadfast and to not forget the grace, mercy, kindness, and love of God.  Paul had to be dismayed when he would return to towns he had once been and had seen great numbers of people believe in Jesus Christ, only to find they had become neglectful and complacent in their devotion to God.  Paul so how easy it was for the heart of man to fall away from being fully committed and living for God every moment of every day.  God’s kindness and severity remain true and steadfast.  We do well to our hearts, minds, soul, and our daily lives in line with the Word of God at all times lest we become disobedient through neglect and complacency.

20.i. “We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

Romans 10:3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

 Leviticus 26:41   so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity,

 Daniel 9:6-9     We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.  To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.  To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

 Revelation 3:17-18  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

 Isaiah 64:6   We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Has mankind changed over time?  Have they gotten smarter, wiser, more ingenious? Have they been able to do greater and greater advances in science, industrial, technology, physics, chemistry, medicine, social and cultural understanding?  And yet, a man finds, at the end of all of their efforts, they are not closer to God or closer to understanding and knowing Him.  For all of the advances, man has made they seem to think it was because of their great self-knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.  Do they ever wonder who it was that gave them this understanding, wisdom, and knowledge?  Was it not from God?  I think some, over the history of mankind, have sought God for His help to accomplish an advance in science, industrial, technology, physics, chemistry, medicine, social and cultural understanding, and they were blessed by God to accomplish it and they gave God the honor and glory for the accomplishment.  I fear far too many others sought it out for their own glory and honor. Because they did not seek God’s help for God’s honor and glory, they end up thinking that they are capable of accomplishing major advances on their own, without God.  Credit is given over and over again to men and what they have accomplished – The Nobel Peace Prize.  Over time a man thinks God is not real and not needed.  Some may even use what they have accomplished to prove God does not exist.  

There are others who see and hear about the accomplishments of various people and over history apply the same approach to being right with God.  “Being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”  We need to be very careful of what social and cultural influences we use to view God and His plans and purposes for salvation, redemption, forgiveness, heaven, hell, and eternity.

6.k. ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.”

Revelation 3:15    “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Matthew 24:12    And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Deuteronomy 5:29    Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

Psalms 81:11-13     “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.  Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

1 Kings 18:21   And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

Do you ever stop to wonder what the Christians in Laodicea were like and how we compare to them?  What were their daily lives like?  How did they speak, think, and act?  What was their worship like?  Where did they place God in their lives?  What influence did culture have on how they reverenced God?  The big question that comes to my mind is how close are we to acting, living, thinking, and speaking like the Christians in Laodicea.  Notice how it says they prospered which led them to think they needed nothing.  They are called wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  They sought comfort, ease, and became content with their lives apart from God.  How many times do prosperity and ease lead people down paths apart from God?  For this very reason, you need to make every effort to live in fear, reverence, and thankfulness of the redeeming salvation through Jesus Christ.  We are to live as though we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.  Sons and daughters who live to honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust and obey their Father.  Sons and Daughters who never forget from that which they were saved.  Sons and daughters who remember and love Jesus Christ because they remember that which they have been forgiven.  Sons and daughters who live each day with Jesus Christ being first in their life.  Sons and daughters who deny self and live no longer being self-centered and self-reliant.

How do you compare to the Christians of Laodicea?  Are you living lukewarm?  Repent and intentionally choose to live each moment of every day honoring Jesus Christ.  What are you tolerating in your life that you shouldn’t?  What are you doing that you know you shouldn’t but you do because other Christians are doing it?  REPENT!!!!!!

Almost Stumbled

“but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 73:1   Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.  For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek.  They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.  Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.  Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.  They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.  They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.  Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.  If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.  But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

Jeremiah 12:1  Righteous are you, O LORD, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

Psalms 37:1   Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers

Proverbs 3:31    Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,

Proverbs 24:1     Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,

Hosea 7:2     But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

Zephaniah 1:12   At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.

I copied this from a commentary on this chapter of 73 Psalms.  “We have in these verses a good man’s temptation. In every age God’s people have asked whether God can possibly know all that is taking place on the earth, and if He does know, why He allows evil to prosper. The dark spirit who is ever at our elbow whispers that we should have done as well, and better”  It surely rings true if not for the questions of “does He know” and “why does He allow” surely for listening to the whispers of Satan into our ears and becoming envious.  We must recognize these whispers and fight them with the word of truth.  Paul in his letters once wrote “I have learned to be content in having little and having much.”  We do well to be content knowing and humbly serving God.  We have so many distractions pulling at our heart and soul it is only those who desire and commit to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey who will find true peace and rest this side of eternity.

Joy or Gloom

” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. “

Psalms 32:8  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.

Proverbs 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Psalms 33:18  Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

Proverbs 3:1   My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

Proverbs 8:10  Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,  for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

Matthew 11:29   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.

Proverbs 26:3  A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

Jeremiah 4:22   “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

Jeremiah 8:6  I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents of his evil, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turns to his own course, like a horse plunging headlong into battle.  Even the stork in the heavens knows her times, and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming, but my people know not the rules of the LORD.

“My people are foolish”, “they have not spoke rightly”, “everyone turns to his own course”, “they have no understanding”, “they do not know Me”. How many are the paths people will follow to find peace, joy, and rest for their souls following blindly and headlong on a straight path to hell?  God is not blind to the actions and thoughts of man.  Nothing is hidden from Him and rather than humbly submit, follow and obey Him they pick their own course.  This course is one with temporary satisfaction at best but does not satisfy deep into the heart.  Turn to God and He will instruct and teach you.  His gentle guiding will give rest to your soul. He will set your feet on solid ground and make life fulfilling.

Why does He seem far away

“And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to you’? Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.“

Psalms 27:5  For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

Psalms 10:1   Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Proverbs 1:24-28  Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,  because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,  when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.  Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 

Jeremiah 2:26  “As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets,  who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us!’

Hosea 13:5  It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.

Deuteronomy 8:12-14  lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them,  and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied,  then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,

Psalms 10:4  In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

Revelation 3:15-17  “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

David proclaims; “he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock”.  Why are there times in our lives that we don’t seem to find God’s shelter or feel we are under His cover, or being lifted up out of our troubles?  Scripture is full of warnings and outcomes.  These outcomes are  due to direct choices we have made.  Read them, they are clear.  When God called we did not listen.  We ignored His counsel. We have sought comfort in things created and not the creator. In our comfort we have forgotten Him. In plenty our hearts are lifted up and see no need of God.  In our pride we do not look to Him. Our faith and works are lukewarm.  We live in comfort and do not see need for God in our lives.  When we do such things God says: “I will spit you out of my mouth”, “I will not answer”, “They will not find me” and “I will hide from you”.  So to answer why does God seem far away to our cry for help – is because we have chosen a path that does not have God leading.  Have we chosen to follow our own path?  Have we chosen “NOT” listen to Him?  There must be a heart and mind change.  Confess, repent, and seek Him, listen, follow, and obey Him, write His words on your heart and mind and meditate on them.  Praise Him in the morning, Praise Him in the evening, Praise Him all day long.  Our purpose this side of eternity is to be a humble servant, honoring and glorifying Him alone.  This life is not without consequence. To those who choose to live it apart from God there is a false peace they take comfort in and they do not believe a promise/warning from God that they will spend eternity in Hell, total separation from God.   To those who choose to be a humble servant honoring and glorifying God there is true purpose with peace now and promise of even greater things in His presence in eternity in heaven.

Blind, Naked, and Poor

“Ah, but I am rich;
I have found wealth for myself;
in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”

Hosea 12:8
Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich;
I have found wealth for myself;
in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”

Deuteronomy 29:19
Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and his jealousy will smoke against that man,

Zachariah 11:5
‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord.

Revelation 3:17
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

How do people get to the point where they determine they need nothing?  “Prosperity!” How do they get to the point where they no longer see need to humbly serve God? “Serving self!”  How are they encouraged out of it?  “The word of God!” What is the counsel of the Lord and how does it come into our everyday lives? “The word of God.”  In Hebrews it says “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” We live like there is no God or that if we believe He exists it is only for our benefit of eternity and a place to run to in times of trials and troubles.  How can we understand His grace, mercy, love, blessings, punishment, and discipline not to mention how are we to be a light that shines in a dark and lost world, or how we are to lead our families, or how we are to be an encouragement to others, or how we are to make disciples, or how we should live to be humble servants, or how can we grow in faith, love, kindness, mercy, grace, gentleness, generosity, godliness, or why we should praise Him….. The answer is simple – choose to stay in His word.  Choose to humbly serve Him.  Choose to honor and glorify Him.  Choose to listen to His leading.  Choose to desire Him.  Choose to obey Him.  Choose to have our eyes opened to see as He would have us see and understand.  Choose to have our ears opened to hear what he would have us hear.  The word of God is alive and active – choose to live and walk in it.

His Promise(s)

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent”

Joshua 23:10
One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

Revelation 3:18
“‘I know your works:you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

 

How BIG are your problems?  “One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you”. Has God ever failed you?  No.  Have we ever failed God? Yes.  Does God love us unconditionally? Yes.  Is God bigger, stronger, mightier, and able to handle any problem you are facing? Yes.  Praise God.  He is able to more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  Amen?  I have no clue what you are facing but I do know the promises of God are there for each one of us to cling to, trust in, and rely on.  Whatever burden it is your are facing give it to Him.

Lukewarm Commitment

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What is a life like that is lukewarm?  I have to think partial commitment to listening to God is part of it.  Do we look to His word everyday or just once per week when the pastor speaks?  Living for God and knowing what He would have us do requires more than a glance at the gift he has given us in scripture.  Each time we open His word there is a feeding to our soul.  A new light for our life.  God has purposed for us to live to honor and glorify Him.   Knowing God is not a lukewarm commitment.  How can God use us if we are not fully committed and willing to be used by Him?   Choose to seek and know Him more.  Choose a life that has purpose to honor and glorify Him over self.

Matther 21:23
“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him? ’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things

John 3:27
John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven

1 Corinthians 4:7
What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it.

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ

Revelation 3:15
“‘I know your works:you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked