youth – Praying Pint

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”.

1 John 5:11-13    And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 3:36     Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 5:24   Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:40     For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:47    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

John 8:51    Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

John 11:26    and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Mark 16:16    Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

1 Peter 1:21   who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

John 10:27-30   My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”

1 Thessalonians 5:9     For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 John 3:14    We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

Ephesians 2:5     even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

The second we were born we were given a “death sentence”. Seems harsh, doesn’t it? Some may be born and live 70 to 100 years. Others are much shorter. However, the fact remains that every last one of us will die. We will experience death. Our time on this side of eternity will stop. All of the pleasures, trials, blessings, troubles, love, anger, joy, hate, worry, fear, peace, hope, etc…… on earth will cease for us. We do not know the day or time of our death but it is as sure as the sun rising and setting. We don’t give much thought to our death, but we sure give much thought to our living.

We try to prolong life and delay death without giving much thought to death. It seems as though it is something that happens to others and not so much to us, when in fact, it will. We don’t know when our time will be over. And yet it will happen.

When we don’t give thought to death and what is on the other side of it, our lives become full of only what this world has to offer us. temporal things, things that will decay, things that give us short-lived satisfaction, and they are all left behind when we die.

There is a spiritual side to every single person born just as there is a fleshly side. We tend to the flesh but give little thought to the spiritual. Think about it, how much of your time any given day is given toward God and eternity compared to things of this world.

Scripture tells us that though our flesh dies our spirit lives forever. It also reveals that there are two destinations to which our spirit will arrive. Eternal life in heaven with God or eternal total separation from God in hell. How important then is it to give time to thinking about the eternal over what is temporal? How important is it to give thought to eternal life in heaven and eternal separation in hell?

Scripture says – Death

Romans 5:12     Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Hebrews 9:27. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”.

Job 14:5    Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass,

Job 30:23     For I know that you will bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living.

Psalms 89:48     What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

Ecclesiastes 3:20    All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

Ecclesiastes 9:5     For the living know that they will die

Ecclesiastes 12:7   and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Scripture says – Judgment

Ecclesiastes 11:9    Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Ecclesiastes 12:14     For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Matthew 25:31-34     “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

41  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

2 Timothy 4:1     I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead

Romans 2:5   But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 14:12   So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

2 Corinthians 5:10    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Jude 1:15    to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Scripture says – Life

Jhn 3:16    “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:15-16    The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

John 3:36    Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 5:24     Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:40     For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 20:31    but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Romans 5:21     so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23     For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 5:11-12    And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

36. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?”

Genesis 11:1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

Acts 17:26    And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

Ecclesiastes 11:9    Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Psalms 2:1-4    Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,  “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

From the confusion of tongues the city received the name Babel, according to divine direction, though without any such intention on the part of those who first gave the name, as a standing memorial of the judgment of God which follows all the ungodly enterprises of the power of the world. (Keil/Delitzsch)

Observe the wisdom and mercy of God, in the methods taken for defeating this undertaking. And the mercy of God in not making the penalty equal to the offence; for he deals not with us according to our sins. The wisdom of God, in fixing upon a sure way to stop these proceedings. If they could not understand one another, they could not help one another; this would take them off from their building. God has various means, and effectual ones, to baffle and defeat the projects of proud men that set themselves against him, and particularly he divides them among themselves. Notwithstanding their union and obstinacy God was above them; for who ever hardened his heart against him, and prospered? Their language was confounded. They left off to build the city. The confusion of their tongues not only unfitted them for helping one another, but they saw the hand of the Lord gone out against them. It is wisdom to leave off that which we see God fights against. God is able to blast and bring to nought all the devices and designs of Babel-builders: there is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord. The builders departed according to their families, and the tongue they spake, to the countries and places allotted to them. The children of men never did, nor ever will, come all together again, till the great day, when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, and all nations shall be gathered before him. (Henry)

The imagination of man can take a person to places of personnel sin or to places of corporate sin (one mind, one purpose). Paul stated that we ought to take every thought that comes into our minds captive. He is saying that we ought to put it in a clear sealed box and then observe it through the lens of godliness, holiness, God-honoring, God-glorifying, and the Word of God, examine it, listen for the whispers of discernment given by the Holy Spirit, and then rightly choose to open the box and put effort into its contents or to discard it, never to think of it or dwell on it again. You might not be able to stop unholy and sinful thoughts from popping up in your mind, but you surely can decide what is done with them. How many have fallen headlong into sinful behavior by allowing an unholy sinful thought room in which to dwell in their mind? As we mature in our understanding of God’s Word, capturing thoughts and the use of proper discernment become easier and easier. The thought pops into your mind and you immediately say, “where did that come from?” and then just as fast as it is recognized it is cast out of your mind.

Be mindful of what thoughts you allow to be resident in your head.

34.v. “In the beginning, God created”

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Nehemiah 9:6     “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.

Job 38:4    “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

Psalms 33:6     By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

Psalms 33:9   For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Psalms 104:24    O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Psalms 121:2    My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Psalms 148:5    Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.

Ecclesiastes 12:1   Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

Isaiah 40:26   Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

Jeremiah 10:12    It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

Acts 17:24    The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

Colossians 1:16-17    For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Hebrews 11:3   By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Revelation 4:11   “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Romans 1:19-20   For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Isaiah 65:17   “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.

Revelation 21:6    And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

Revelation 22:13   I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Christ in his human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus. (Henry)

The universe was built by the Creator to be his own property; to be the theater on which he would accomplish his purposes, and display his perfections. There is no other reason why the universe exists at all than that such was the will of God; there is nothing else that is to be explained. No one can contemplate this vast and wonderful universe without seeing that He who has made it is worthy to “receive glory, and honor, and power.” (Barnes)

We are not self-existent. We were formed from nothing at the pleasure of God alone. He spoke and all things came into existence. What He has created, He knows, He created it. Everything in heaven or earth that is either seen or unseen was created by God, by His wisdom and power for His pleasure. Even you. This same One and Only God who created heaven and earth and all that is in it created YOU. I am not sure how our free will works into all of this creation, but sure enough, we have been given it to either choose to believe, honor, glorify, worship, trust, obey, follow, and rely upon Him, or to deny, reject, turn away from, refuse, cast aside, dismiss, ignore, shut out, or give at arm’s length. It is in this “free will” where we intentionally choose our eternal destiny of heaven or hell. These too were created by God. How sad is it that multitudes of God’s creations past, present, and future intentionally choose eternal hell in torment forever and ever? Man’s worldly wisdom tries very hard to explain away creation by God and many believe these lies willingly at their eternal demise. Blessed is the person who lives all their days with the single purpose in all they think, say, and do, to bring honor and glory to their Creator, Savior, Redeemer – God.

21. “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”

Psalm 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 4:1   Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,

2 Timothy 3:15    and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 8:17    I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

Isaiah 28:9   “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message?

Proverbs 22:6    Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Ecclesiastes 12:1   Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10   Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.  Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

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.

Psalms 111:10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.

Proverbs 1:7    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 2:1-9     My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;  he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,  guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.  Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;

Think about how much time we invest in learning in our modern society. We begin with one year of kindergarten, then twelve years of graded school, then four years of college, then up to five years of graduate school. Then, for some professions, like the medical field, there are three to seven more years of specialty training. Some people spend twenty years or more learning because education is valuable and usually contributes to greater success in life. But how often do we think about learning to fear the Lord? That is, do we consider growing deeper and deeper in our relationship with Him as a “curriculum” of sorts? A curriculum that lasts a lifetime? This was a common theme in the nation of Israel. Citizens of Israel were expected to be taught how to fear the Lord—how to honor Him, trust Him, love Him, worship Him, and more. And the main vehicle for that learning was the Word of God—the words of His law (Deuteronomy 31:12-13). When you read and study your Bible, think of it as learning to fear the Lord—a curriculum that lasts a lifetime. (David Jeremiah)

It is foolish to think a person could or would become a doctor, lawyer, electrician, plumber, engineer, teacher, or another profession, by the mere fact of stating that you are. To become one of any of these requires an intentional choice to begin to learn, continue to learn, and gain the knowledge and understanding and the necessary and on-going skills to apply it. People are tested and certified as competent and given licenses to practice in various fields of study and vocation. Some specialize and become experts in a particular vein of their field of study. It all takes time, commitment, and dedication. Some may even commit to continual learning in their field until the day they die. This commitment and dedication are viewed as having been beneficial to society in some way, either to the whole or to a group, as in an engineer who works for a company that designs and builds medical equipment, or a lawyer who works for a firm that defends the rights of the abused, or a teacher/professor who instructs on a particular requirement for a degree, etc…. They have committed to having an impact in others’ lives by their commitment to knowledge and understanding in their field of expertise.

Oh that it was so with Christians, where continual commitment, dedication, and seeking to understand and gain knowledge of how to live to honor, glorify, follow, trust, rely and obey God all of their days. When people commit to a job or profession they start by learning precept upon precept and continue this process until they have achieved the minimum requirements to gain certification or licensure. Too often Christians believe they have obtained the minimum requirements to gain eternal life and they stop their dedication and commitment to gaining understanding and knowledge of God. How foolish would it be for a person to think that after completing kindergarten that they have learned it all and there is no longer any more understanding or knowledge to be gained? Yet, some Christians believe this to be true. Likewise, how foolish would it be to graduate from college after 4-8 years of study and then not continue to grow, learn, and stay on top of new developments within their field? And, even more, foolish is the person who does not apply or make any effort to apply the knowledge and understanding they have taken the time to gain. To end our lives in a state of neglect and complacency toward understanding and knowledge of God is to enter eternity with disregard for God and Jesus Christ His Son. Don’t end your life with this disregard. Spend time in His Word. Seek and desire to know more and more about how to honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust, and obey Him. Certainly, The creator of all there is, is worthy of all we have and all we do.

16.s. “But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

John 10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Jeremiah 23:16-17   Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.  They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”

Ecclesiastes 11:9     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

2 Peter 2:1   But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

1 John 4:1    Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

There is but one gate, one way to eternal life and that is through Jesus Christ. All other attempts through any other means will result in Hell. Every day we face numerous gates that offer peace, satisfaction, health, wealth, etc….. There is only one gate that gives us assurance of peace of mind that passes all understanding. It is Jesus Christ alone. Trying to find a path to eternity apart from the gate of Jesus ends in missing the shepherd. There appears to be many preaching right now that try to fill the church with the promises of what this world has to offer rather than preaching what eternal life has to offer. This world is not our home. Things of this world are not our inheritance. Things in this world are not our satisfaction. Things in this world are not our hope. Things of this world do not offer eternal life. In fact, things of this world pull at us, confuse us, and try to entice us this is where we find hope, peace, eternal life, satisfaction, wealth, etc…..

There is one gate, one path, one way to eternal life – Jesus Christ

10.j. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Obadiah 1:19 Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb. Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

Judges 2:16    Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them

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,

Joel 2:32   And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.

Micah 5:4-9     And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.  And he shall be their peace

Isaiah 19:20    It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them.

Ecclesiastes 11:9   Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

How many times in the bible has God delivered people out of their troubles and trials? You can read throughout scripture where God has either both judged and rescued or rescued His people from enemies. Yet the biggest rescue is not from outside influences. It is from ourselves and sinful nature. How many times do we seek God’s intervention into affairs affecting us but give no thought to our inner self? We need rescuing from self-centered, self-reliant, self-gratifying, self-worth, and self-seeking ways. These are sins born out in our hearts, mind, and soul. We easily come to Jesus Christ when our lives are affected but why is it so hard to look inward with scripture eyes? It is by far better to live persecuted, poor and despised with a pure heart that humbly serves, seeks, thirsts, trusts, relies upon, and obeys Jesus Christ. Try thinking about inward thoughts and motives and asking yourself if these are in-line with God’s Word. We should be humbled by what the Holy Spirit teaches us today when our thoughts go inward heart deep.

164. He gives power to the faint

1 Kings 19:1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

Isaiah 40:29-31     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.

2 Corinthians 12:9    But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Jeremiah 1:6-9     Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.”  But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.  Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.”  Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Isaiah 43:2     When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

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

To wait on the Lord requires a patient faith. There is sometimes tension and stretching involved because God wants to renew you and make you stronger. Perhaps you feel the tension of a delayed answer to prayer. Maybe you feel like God isn’t answering your prayer at all. Maybe things have not turned out like you thought they would. You must exercise patient faith. Continue to trust God. Continue to believe His promises. When you feel the tension, and stretching of the moment, wait on the Lord.

Waiting requires you to rest, to be patient, to turn it over to God, to allow Him to do His work, and to wait passively. This is ultimately what faith requires. I must rest and wait on Him. I must trust that God sees more, knows more, and is more powerful than I am. God can do more in a moment than I can do in a lifetime.

1. Because He is God

Exodus 18:8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Nehemiah 9:9-15    “And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea,  and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day.

Psalms 66:16    Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Psalms 71:17-20    O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.  So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.  Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?  You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

Psalms 105:1-2     Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Psalms 145:4-12     One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.  On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.  They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.  They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.  The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.  All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,  to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

When we choose to intentionally commit to know and understand God and begin to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, and obey Him we will see new wonders, mighty deeds, awesome power, steadfast love, and being witness to these, we speak rejoicing. We speak joy. We speak love. We speak hope. We speak kindness. We speak reliance. We speak about trust and faith.

“Come and hear…. I will tell what He has done for my soul,” “One generation shall commend your works to another,” “Proclaim your might to another generation,” “Make known His deeds,” “I will proclaim your wondrous deeds”

We rejoice in times of plenty and in want. Why? Because God has become our rock, refuge, and hope. In Him and His purposes and plans, we confidently place our faith because He is God.

After that comes judgment

“ because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world”

Genesis 50:19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?

Deuteronomy 32:35     Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’

Romans 12:19    Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Job 34:19-29     who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?  In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.  “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.  For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.  He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.  Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.  He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,  because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,  so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—  When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—

Hebrews 10:30     For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

Hebrews 9:27  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Ecclesiastes 11:9     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Acts 17:31    because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

2 Corinthians 5:10    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Matthew 25:31-41    “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

The easiest way to get through life without out worry of judgement from God is to deny God exists. To do this one must look at all of creation and believe it happened by chance. They must deny the complexity of the vast galaxies down to a single atom. They must deny Jesus Christ existed and that His purpose on earth was to redeem mankind. They must deny the love of God. They must deny existence of angels and demons. They must deny the written word of God and that it was given to mankind through men inspired and led by God. The denial of God has eternal consequences.

Denial of God can take on many subtle forms. Neglecting His word. Not being intentional in living for Him. Not seeking to be led by Him. Not desiring Him. Not listening to Him. Not placing Him first in all your thoughts, words, and actions. Not allowing or acting on the conviction of the Holy Spirit to walk blameless before Him.

How can we humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God if our walk with Him is shallow, self centered, and with our eyes focused on what this world has to offer? How can we grow in our walk with Him when we think we are good enough as we are and in need of no change or understanding of what it means to walk with and humbly serve God?

Judgement is coming, but it is not for the judgement of God we seek to do right and good, but rather because of who God is and His love for us. Some children grow up with the fear of punishment from their parents and this keeps them from doing wrong. Others fear getting caught and that keeps them from doing wrong. Others do not do wrong so as not to disappoint their parents. Yet these are all self serving reasons. Oh how great the child who not only seeks not to do wrong but chooses to do good to bring honor their parents.

Commit to living intentionally to bring honor and glory to God rather than advert judgement.

Followed Me fully

Psalms 90:16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalms 44:1 O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:

Numbers 14:22 none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.

Habakkuk 3:2 O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

Joshua 4:22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

Joshua 23:14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.

Psalms 68:28 Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.

Psalms 27:4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

Psalms 110:3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.

Psalms 118:25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!

Job 22:28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Isaiah 26:12 O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.

2 Thessalonians 2:16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,
But only God who gives growth. We wonder why some or all of what we do seems purposeless and without life meaning and satisfaction. It is time to learn from Him and seek him like given in this scripture “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,” Everyday the choice we get to make concerning serving Him is given to us. We get this choice and should we make the right choice we find peace, hope, love, power, courage, strength, comfort, joy and life with fulfilling purpose. If we make the choice to follow self and the world we void all of this. We may find these in short term bursts but they do not last and they certainly do not fulfill. Do you want to see growth in what your purpose is this side of eternity? Seek and desire God. Choose to honor, serve, follow and obey Him. How can we lose sight of what Jesus Christ freely did to redeem us from a path to eternal hell? He allowed Himself to be beaten, whipped, nailed to the cross, mocked, spit upon and stabbed with a spear. He could have stopped any of this happening at just a single word. He chose to redeem. He chose to call to Himself a people who come to Him with desire to humbly serve Him. What manner of people ought we to be in light of the great sacrifice paid? How should we live? Seek and desire Jesus Christ in and through your life. Be kind, generous, loving, giving, humble, hopeful, joyful, and never forgetting the redeeming price that was paid for your salvation. Follow Him fully.