Month: December 2016

Awesome & Mighty God

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host”

“In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.”

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.”

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,  which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.  Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Isaiah 40:22-26 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.  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.

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.

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

Jeremiah 10:11-12 Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.” 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 14:16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

Acts 17:23-30 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.  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, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’  Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Have you ever read scripture and your eyes have been opened to God’s greatness.  These are scripture that were recorded over thousands of years proclaiming God’s awesome power and creation.  Our God is alive, awesome in power, and might.  As we end a year and start a new one, begin it with purpose to renew your walk with Him with the choice to humble serve, honor and glorify Him each day.  Discipline yourself to spend time in His word each day and watch (as the old hymn says) “morning by morning new mercies I see.” HAPPY NEW YEAR IN THE LORD

Times of Ignorance

“To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.”

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?”

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
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.”

Psalms 18:46
The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation

Jeremiah 10:10
But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

Psalms 42:2
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalms 84:2
My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Daniel 6:26
I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.

Matthew 16:16
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Acts 14:15
“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Nahum 1:6
Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him

Revelation 20:11
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

Malachi 3:2
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

God is the true God, living God, everlasting King who in times past has overlooked our ignorance but now has commanded all people to repent.  You don’t have to dig very far into science literature to see the concept “There is no God”.  Just because science smart people say there is no God does not mean it is fact or true.  I fear all of this talk has diluted many Christians to a very shallow faith for the simple reason of not wanting to seem uneducated. I can not see the wind but I can see the effects of it in the leaves moving on trees.  I can say there is wind because of the effects I see.  On this same thought I can see the earth and everything that has been created.  I can see stars in the sky.  Science has allowed us to see the formation of a baby in the womb.  Some say that all of this came from a big bag somehow and spend their entire lives searching for what they call the “God Particle”, the building block for all things seen and unseen.  Why is it so many are willing to believe that something like a “Big Bang” can come from nothing.  Doesn’t there have to be a “start.”  Something that created order in the universe.  To say this is not true and to even say those who believe in God are foolish is ignorance.  It is believing a lie.  God said He will no longer overlook ignorance and the time of repentance is now. Wisdom of this world will not find God.  A heart full of pride will never find God for their heart sees no need.  And yet God gives them opportunity after opportunity to humble themselves, repent, yield, trust and follow after Him. He gives many promises and warnings in His word, knocking at everyone heart’s door reaching out to give them true purpose and meaning in this life, plus life ever after with Him.  God is alive!  He will call everyone into account for what they have done and to those who have repented and follow Him, He gives the promise of eternal life.  To those who choose to neglect this promise of everlasting life – they will experience God’s wrath and forever be thrown into hell.  Look around at what has been created and know it was created by the one and only living God.  He is knocking at the door of every heart.  Open your heart, mind and soul to Him, repent, yield, trust and follow after Him.

Humble Service

“They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.”

 

Psalms 18:22
For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.  With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;  with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.  For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.  For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.

Psalms 119:13
With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.

Psalms 119:128
Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.

John 5:14
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

Psalms 119:112
I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

Psalms 119:117
Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually!

Psalms 11:7
For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

Psalms 17:3
You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress

Psalms 37:27
Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.

1 Samuel 26:23
The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness,

1 Chronicles 29:17
I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness.

God saves the humble.  When I read this I think of the time I was humbled  through His word.  I had people speaking Christ into my life and sharing His word with me for over a year.  Through these acts of discipleship God’s word became alive.  I became aware of what God required to be right with Him.  I learned that I could not be good enough to gain His forgiveness.  Then one night God opened my heart and mind to His forgiveness through believing in the redemptive work of His son.  I was humbled and knew there was nothing I could do to be right with God and had to trust His word that by believing in His son I was saved from my sin.  I was made new.  All my past sin was forgiven.  All the guilt and shame was taken away in that single moment.  I dug into His word, learning, training, wanting to know more and more of Him.  I would like to say that I grew and grew and never lost sight of honoring and glorifying Him in my daily life.  However, after some years I became  a very luke warm follower of Him.  Playing the role without much of His word being active in my life.  I was very good at pretending but the fact of the matter was I was not growing at all.  I had stopped reading His word on a regular basis.  I became complacent.  I was not listening for His voice leading me.  I was going through life with no thought of humbly honoring and glorifying God everyday.  It was more about me and what I wanted.  Things of this world seemed to have grabbed my attention and I lost sight but God did not leave me there.  Through His great plans and purpose He humbled me and then used my wife to place scripture back in front of me.  She would place His word on my computer screen.  He used her because she was listening and obeying when she could have easily followed my lead.  I tell you all of this so you know that following God is not a one day a week.  If you find yourself where God does not seem to be very near it is not because He is not there.  It is because His word is not active in your life.  Go back to that first desire.  Read His word.  Commit to being His humble servant ready to listen and obey His leading. Don’t waste a single day apart from Him.

In that Day of Trouble/Trial

“And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

“During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.”

Psalms 18:6
In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

Psalms 50:15
and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 130:1-2
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

Mark 14:36
And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Psalms 27:4-5
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.  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.

2 Samuel 22:7
“In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.

Exodus 2:23
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.

Psalms 18:17
He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.

Keeping our hope and trust in God seems to be hard at times, especially when it seems we have been calling out to Him with what seems like no reply.  Think about the Israelites who suffered year after year as slaves and how long they called out to God for relief.  We can be sure our timing is not always God’s.  Does the length of time diminish God’s ability, love, or plan at all?  No it does not.  Each of us needs to be mindful of how easy it is to give up or lose trust in what God can do?  In Ephesians it says “God can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.”  In Psalms 46:10 it says ““Be still, and know that I am God;” It is good for us, through trials and troubles, to trust God and be still know that He alone is our refuge and rock.  He loves us and He will surely care for us.  Remember what is says in 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,”  One of the Hymns said it like this Trust and obey for there is not other way to be happy in Jesus, trust and obey.  God is able – trust Him.

Guard your heart

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalms 28:1-2
To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

Psalms 55:16
But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.

Psalms 62:8
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

Philippians 4:6-7
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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.”

Luke 1:78
because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Acts 2:21
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

It is common for each of us to be anxious about something at different times of our lives.  We don’t have to think back very far to remember these times.  What was going through your mind?  Worry, fret, upset?  God has given us many scripture to comfort us in our times of trouble if we would just trust in His loving hands and power.  If we would seek Him rather than run to “worry”.  If we would trust Him rather than the circumstances that surround us.  If we would learn to cast our cares and worries  on to Him.  The troubles that come our way do not have to be ours to bear alone.  God is ever present and wanting us to acknowledge Him as our rock, refuge, stronghold.  Why do we want to go it alone? Do we actually like to worry, have anxious thoughts, and unable to sleep?  The next time worry, doubt, and anxiousness knocks on your door, ask God to answer it. In His hands we can certainly have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Our Reason for Hope

“And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!”

 

Psalms 17:15
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

Psalms 5:7
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.

Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Psalms 119:111
Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.

Job 19:26-27
And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,  whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Revelation 7:16-17
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 21:3-4
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Job 14:12
so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep.

Isaiah 26:19
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,  and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

1 John 3:2-3
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Philippians 3:21
who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself

Do you ever wonder about our bodies and what happens to them after death?  I recently saw a very interesting comment in Facebook “we are not going to get out of this life alive”.   I wonder if we know this but don’t really ever think about it.   God’s word says  Genesis: “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  And Ecclesiastes: “All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.”  And again in Revelations: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”  We need to be mindful of the fact that death of our our earthly body is not the end of our existence.  It is the beginning of our life apart from time and forevermore in eternity. There  is no second chance for a do over once time has ended for you’re on earth.  The decision made this side of eternity will determine if you will have life ever after with God in heaven or life forever in the lake of fire.  The “decision” to acknowledge  you are a sinner and separated from God.  “God so loved the world that He gave His only son that who so ever would believe in him would have everlasting life.”  The decision after acknowledging that your a sinner is to trust by faith in the saving redemptive work of Christ on the cross.  Everyone will give account – some to their own damnation and others into the loving arms of God.  I am saddened by how many people I know who care less about God, eternity, and eternal life.  God, open the eyes, heart, and mind of those who are neglecting You. Keep renewing our eyes, heart, and mind to Your awesome power, might, honor and glory so that we might worship you more and more.

By His Glorious Power

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Test Me

“Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.”

 

Psalms 17:3
You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

Job 23:10
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

Zechariah 13:9
They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

1 Corinthians 4:4
For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

1 Peter 1:7
so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Psalms 26:2
Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.

Saying our heart and mind are given to humbly serving, honoring and glorifying God is one thing but committing to doing it is another.  We fight our sinful nature all the time when it is telling us it is all about me, myself and I.  How easy is it to lose sight of God in our lives?  It is very easy if His word is not feeding our soul every day.  Our prayer each day should start with search me, try me and see if there is anything offensive to you God, and lead me on paths that bring your honor and glory.

Call on Him

“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth”
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”

Psalms 17:1
Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

Psalms 86:1
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

Psalms 142:1
With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.

Psalms 43:1
Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!

Psalms 140:12
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.

Psalms 61:1
Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;

Nehemiah 1:6
let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.

Hear these heart cries from men of God who did not think it shameful or weak to run to God for help.  These cries are heart deep because there is something in their heart, mind and soul that places God first and their life dedicated to being a humble servant with a desire to worship, honor and glorify God.  Note in contrast what Jesus said about those whose hearts were not – “this people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” How easy is it to give lip service to being a follower of God while our heart is so far away from living each moment of every day in His presence.  God hears our cries for strength and protection but should that be the only time we turn our heart, mind and soul to Him.  No it is not.  Live each day with Him on your mind, in your heart flooding your soul.