higher – Praying Pint

27.k. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”

Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Job 11:7-9   “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?  It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?  Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

Psalms 103:11-12  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 55:9   For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Psalms 139:6    Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

How wide is the love of God in Christ? Wide enough to include every person.

How long will the love of God in Christ last? Through all of eternity.

How deep is the love of God in Christ? Deep enough to reach the worst of sinners.

How high is the love of God in Christ? High enough to take us to heaven.

We don’t ask these questions very much do we? We do ask for blessings, healings, restoration, refuge, help, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, there is something a bit off when we don’t seek to know and understand more about our heavenly Father. Maybe we would rejoice more in who God is rather than what He gives. Maybe we would be more thankful, generous, kind, peaceful, joyful, loving, hopeful, obedient……………… I think we would grow exponentially if we would seek to understand and comprehend how deep, wide, long, and high the love of God is toward His children.Think of the smartest person you know or have heard of and know that before this person has a thought in their head God knows it completely. Think of the most complex science in physics, chemistry, astrophysics, quantum physics, human anatomy……God created it by speaking it into being. What we think is complex to comprehend and understand is less than elementary to God. Much about God will become clear in Heaven but for now, this side of eternity, we do well to honor and glorify Him.

176. For the simple are killed by their turning away

2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”

So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”

But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.

Proverbs 3:7     Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Isaiah 55:8-9    For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

John 4:48     So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”

1 Corinthians 1:25    For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16    The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20     Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”  and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Proverbs 13:10     By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.

Proverbs 1:32    For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;

Naaman was a man of valor, commander of the army, and once he had heard there may be a chance that he would be cured of Leprosy by a prophet in Israel, he went to his king for permission to go to the prophet in Israel to seek a cure. I imagine as commander of the army, Naaman expects respect. Note how Elisha sent a messenger out to speak to him. “Go wash in the Jordan 7 times and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” Naaman had an idea in he is head on how he should be healed and this was not it. He was so mad that he left in a rage and was not going to the Jordan. In the end, his servant gets him to follow the words of the prophet. Were it not for this he would have left the land of Israel and the healing prophecy.

We have ideas on how we think things should work out in our lives. We expect things to work a certain way. When we think like this we leave no room for the plans and purposes and will of God in the matter. When we do this we start to close our eyes and deafen our ears and harden our heart to things of God and are on a path that does not honor God. Come to God with open heart, mind, and soul that are receptive to His purpose, plan, and will for your life. Open your eyes, listen with your ears, and soften your heart to the things of God.

107. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes.

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Psalms 147:10-11     His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man  but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Isaiah 55:8-9     For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Peter 3:4    but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

John 7:24     Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

1 Kings 8:39    then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind),

1 Chronicles 28:9     “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Proverbs 16:2     All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.

Jeremiah 17:10     “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Hebrews 4:13     And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Revelation 2:23    And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Appearances can deceive. They can fool us into thinking someone is upright, truthful, kind, nice, and patient. We can look at the wrong thing(s) and see something that is not there. How they dress, how they talk, where they live, what they drive, and the places they go can all give us a false impression. We think this gives us a pretty good look at their worth. The problem with this mindset of assessing people this way is that it can also be a way that we look at ourselves and be deceived about our walk with God. We can look at prosperity, health, position, and think we are right with God because of what we have and forget to look at our heart, mind, and soul. God looks at our heart, our intentions, and our thoughts. Do not be deceived Gal 6:7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

The word of God speaks about the things that lead us astray, like, fleshly desires, pride, lust, greed, and lack of desire for humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying Jesus Christ. It is very hard to humbly serve and follow someone with whom you spend little time. It is hard to change a pattern of worldly thoughts if there is nothing there to replace them. The word of God is active and can be active in our heart and mind if we would just spend time with it.

Charles Pope: OK, clear enough? Do not be deceived; do not be carried away or carried off by errors or by the sinful lies of this present evil age. As St. Paul says elsewhere, Test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess 5:21-22). Yes, square everything with the Word of God in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Know the catechism; know your faith. Know the true Lord, the real Jesus of Scripture (not the fake Jesus of convenience). Test everything, everything by these standards. Do not be deceived.

For the preacher, the teacher and the parent comes this instruction from St. Paul: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ²preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. ³For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, ⁴and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. ⁵

Who is a God like you

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,”

Psalms 108:1 My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

Micah 7:18-20 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 51:2-11 For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song. “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples. My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings.

11 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Who is like God? When we think of His love, grace, and mercy do we put it in context of “Our Sin”? When we think of His anger, judgement, wrath do we think of it in the context of “Others Sins”? One of these views results in joy, peace, safety, hope, strength, courage, rest, and praise to God. The other view results in a life critical of others, complacent neglect because the inner self is not examined. Praise to God does not come from looking at others sins in light of our perceived righteous actions, no it comes from knowing God, His holiness, and a deep understanding of our sinful nature. We find this in and through His word. God’s word is sharper than a two edged sword, able to divide the thought and intents of man. Spend time in His word and let it speak to your heart, soul and mind. In and through it and His promises we find hope and peace.

Led by the Spirit

“For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

John 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

How does the Spirit of God lead us? How do we know we are being led? When we become a “child of God”, “a new creation”, “born again” we are given the Spirit of God to dwell inside us to lead us in all truth and on paths that honor and glorify Him. We are able to hear His whispers of leading and we find comfort, peace, purpose, faith and meaning in our lives. Confusion is replaced with confirmation. Feeding of our spirit/soul comes from being in His word. Little time in His word leaves our mind and soul open to things that do not honor or glorify Him. Little time in His word will create an emptiness and confusion and leaves a void that will be filled with something this world has to offer. To be led by the Spirit of God we must be wanting, waiting, willing, and seeking to be led each day.

My Mouth Will Tell

“My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.”

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Psalms 40:5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

Psalms 136:4 to him who alone does great wonders,

Exodus 15:11 “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Job 5:9 who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:

Job 26:14 Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Psalms 92:5 How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!

Psalms 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Psalms 139:17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with 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.

What is our thoughts about God and His love, mercy, power, and grace? Do we think about this? Are we living close enough to Him that we experience it? Do we acknowledge Him and what He has done, is doing, and will do? The creator has not only reach out to us and made Himself known, He has given us great precious promises so that we through faith would have hope, joy, peace, rest, love, forgiveness and eternal life with Him. Why are we content with living on the edge of this? What keeps us from desiring to be in and always experiencing His presence in our daily lives? Scripture says out of the abundance of the heart our mouth will speak. What goes in is what comes out. Stay close to Him. Stay in His word. Meditate on it. Proclaim it. Desire it.