Tag: Israel

29. Unintentional and unknown sin

Numbers 15:22  “But if you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments that the LORD has spoken to Moses,

Leviticus 4:2    “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the LORD’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them,

Leviticus 4:13-14    “If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt,  when the sin which they have committed becomes known,

Leviticus 4:22    “When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the LORD his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt,

Leviticus 5:15    “If anyone commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any of the holy things of the LORD,

17  “If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity.

Psalms 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;  the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;  the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Job 6:24    “Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.

Psalms 40:12    For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.

One of the hardest diseases of the soul to detect is unknown, unintentional sin.  This disease eats away from the inside out.  It seems never to be seen by the one infected.  We easily see it in those we spend time with and on occasion those we first meet.  We can see it in how they act, in what they say and think, and in what they do or do not do.  This disease affects everyone.  It routinely consumes more and more of the life of the person as they become more and more neglectful and complacent with God’s word.

Being blind to the disease does not keep us from being accountable.  Imagine being on a trip to a different state or country and while in the course of your trip you get arrested for some act.  It takes you by surprise and you tell the officer you did not know of the law which you broke.  They are not going to say, “oh, that makes a big difference, you can go”.  The judge is not going to say, “Well, because you did not know of the law you broke, you are not guilty.”

The fact remains you are guilty and must bear the consequences of your action.  In the letter from Paul in Romans it states it like this; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 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. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” In Matthew, the outcome is; “Depart from me for I never knew you.”

Being neglectful and complacent in His word allows more and more diseases to invade our heart and soul.  These diseases destroy the fruits of the Spirit and render the infected worthless in serving, honoring, glorifying, worshiping, following, and obeying God.

Stay in His word and come to God with a heart and soul deep open prayer like David. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

26. God knows our thoughts and intents

Numbers 14:26  And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”

Psalms 139:2    You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

Psalm 94:11    The Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.

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.”

Psalm 139:4   Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

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.”

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.

2 Corinthians 10:5   We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Psalm 139:23-24    Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

God knows our thoughts and intents.  He knows the word on our tongue before it is spoken.  He looks and searches our heart.  God will give every man according to his ways.  Scripture begs us to examine ourselves in and through His word.  It tells us to take our thoughts captive.  Thoughts not in line with the fruits of the Spirit need to be taken captive and discarded immediately.  Think about this for awhile.  It is not easy when we have been wronged, hurt, sick, lost someone, felt alone, felt neglected, felt cheated, treated unfairly, cut-off while driving, rumored about, slandered, without a job or income, etc…….

Thoughts come and they can be stepping stones to separation from God’s peace, refuge, rest, strength, courage, and hope.  If these thoughts are taken captive and recognized for what they are we can easily discard them and confess them to God.  We can even ask Him to remove these thoughts from our head.

Examine your thoughts today and see if they reflect the love of Jesus Christ.

19. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

Exodus 34:10   And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

Deuteronomy 4:32-37     “For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of.  Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?  Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?  To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.  Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.  And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power,

Deuteronomy 32:30    How could one have chased a thousand, and two have put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had given them up?

Joshua 10:12-13     At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”  And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.

Psalms 77:14    You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.

Deuteronomy 10:21     He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.

Psalms 65:5    By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

Psalms 145:6     They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.

We choose to serve, honor, worship, serve, follow, and obey God.  We choose in light of what He has done, what He is doing, and what He has promised.  To choose we must have a heart, mind, and soul desiring to intentionally commit to Him above self, above issue, above odds, above what we can see, above what others say, and above satan’s lies.

Our culture will blind us to Him and His awesomeness if our eyes are not on Him.  Our culture will steal our time away from Him.  Our culture will cater to our selfishness and steal our focus away from Him.  Our culture will shout loud and clear to deafen our ears to His leading.  Our culture is no different than any other culture in the past.  They have been the same in every sense.

There is only one way to shut down this influence and open up to God – It is by choice.  This choice is a life change commitment, a desire change commitment, a new way of thinking commitment, a new way of acting commitment, a new creation!!!!!  Born again!!!!

This commitment must start with turning to God, confessing sin, trusting in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, clinging to Jesus, relying on Jesus, living for Jesus, desiring to honor and glorify Him, seeking to hear Him and a want to obey Him.

Stay in His Word.

18. Bow and Worship God

Exodus 34:8   And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Exodus 4:33   And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Exodus 12:27   for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

Nehemiah 8:6   And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

2 Chronicles 20:18    Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.

2 Chronicles 29:30    And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.

What in our lives brings us to a place where we bow and worship God?  We can see the people bowed and worshiped when they saw the mighty powerful and sovereign hand of God.  How many times does the mighty powerful and sovereign go unnoticed in our lives?  What is it we could be or are missing?

Beauty and wonder of creation

His word

His promises

Saved Lives

Changed lives

Repentant lives

Healed relationships

Peace and calm in chaos

Refuge in the storm

Protection and Safety in danger

Purpose and plans for our life

Holy Spirit leading, directing, convicting

Opening His word to understanding and knowledge of Him

Fruits of the Spirit

Joy

Love

Kindness

Generous heart

Humbleness

Glimpses of eternity

Steadfast love

Forgiveness

Encouragements

Strength for today, hope for tomorrow

Food, warmth, shelter, clothing, employment

Friends

Family

Children

Grandchildren

We have much to thank, bow and worship God for.

13. Don’t be influenced by any of these people or listen to them.

Deuteronomy 13:6-11     “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known,  some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other,  you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him.  But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.  You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of egypt the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.

Exodus 20:3     “You shall have no other gods before me.

Proverbs 1:10     My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

1 John 5:21     Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Ephesians 5:11     Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Ezekiel 5:11     Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity.

God knows our intents and thoughts.  He examines our heart, mind, and soul.  There is no place a person can hide their thoughts or actions from God.   “You shall not yield to him or listen to him” is a command from God.  Don’t listen to the deceits, lies, and foolishness.  Don’t yield to the temptation to listen, follow, or join in. You have to know that out of over the million Israelites that crossed the Red Sea there was one who spoke first complaining about no water.  Again when they were hungry there had to be that first person who spoke complaining about no food.  Again when Moses went up onto the mountain and God presence was with Him for 40 days, there had to be that one person who spoke up saying “make us a god that we can worship”.

The command is given to us as a warning.  A warning about our nature and a want to be joined with others for a like cause.  A warning that if we do not keep a heart deep desire to honor, serve, follow, and obey God it is natural for us to seek other things to fill that void. If God is not first and only in our life, we will never be truly satisfied and will sink deeper and deeper into a lifestyle that does not honor God, and farther and farther apart from Him with a high probability we will draw others down this same path.

His word is a safe harbor and shelter from the deceptions and lies this world proudly proclaims and so easily follows after.  Stay in His word.  Make Him first in your life. Humbly serve Him, listen to Him, follow Him, and obey Him.

8. Whoever is of a generous heart

Exodus 25:1   The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me

Exodus 35:5-29    Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze;

Deuteronomy 16:16 They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.  Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.

1 Chronicles 29:1-30  Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God:

Exodus 35:21    And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD’s contribution

1 Chronicles 29:9    Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD.

2 Corinthians 8:12    For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

2 Corinthians 9:7    Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Mark 10:19  And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

A generous heart is a choice to give of what has been given to you by God.  Do we sometimes think we have worked for what we have and it is ours, all ours, with no thought of it being a gift from God?  Our brains, our job, our physical ability, our place in life is all from God, apart from those consequences of choices we have made outside of honoring, serving, following and obeying God. What we have are blessings and gifts from God.

I was thinking about Job and how he was blessed and then it was all taken away.  Some may look at this and say that it is not fair.  But if we were able to speak to Job I think he would tell us even when it was taken away he was blessed by a deeper understanding and knowledge of God.  In the end all and more was given back to Job.

We look at what we have and think it is not enough.  We strive to get more and more to buy more, travel more, experience more and more stuff that will never satisfy our soul.  We keep, we hoard, we want.

What would happen if we chose to be generous with what we have been blessed with?  What would our lives be like free from want and filled with giving?  A heart choice to be generous with our time, talent, and money are never bad.  However, a choice to not be generous leads us down paths that could end up not honoring or serving God.

7. Run to the forest of God’s word

Exodus 23:25  You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.

Exodus 23:33   They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Deuteronomy 10:12     “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 10:20    You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him,

Deuteronomy 11:13-14     “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,  he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.

Deuteronomy 13:4    You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

Deuteronomy 28:1-6    “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God.  Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.  Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.  Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.  Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

Joshua 24:24    And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

1 Samuel 12:24     Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.

Do you ever wonder what interferes with serving God with all your heart and with all your soul?  Scriptures say “obey the voice of the Lord your God” and then it says to “serve Him with all your heart and soul.”  You have heard  of the question “Does a tree falling over in a forest makes a sound if no one is there to hear it.”  If it is not perceived by someone does not mean it did not make noise.

If we don’t spend time in the forest of God’s word there is no chance we will hear His voice, let alone, be able to follow and obey it with our whole heart and soul.  Spending time in the forest of God’s word allows us to see the massiveness as well as the singularity of it.  It allows us to see the beauty, promises, strength, power, might, and steadfast grace, mercy, and love of God.  Paul speaking to unbeliever said it this way – “how are people to hear unless someone tells them.  but Peter speaking to believers said it this way – “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

Believers should desire and seek the forest of God’s word.  They should run to it each day to hear the voice of God speak into their lives.  They want to hear Him speak so they can serve, follow and obey.

I think people stay out of the forest of God’s word because they have seen all they want to see from a distance.  By staying outside of the forest there is little chance they will need to listen and because they are close enough to see it, they think they are ok enough.

Do you want to see truth and beauty – Run to the forest of God’s word with a desire seeking to hear Him speak into your life.  Blessing comes to those who spend time in the forest listening and obeying Him speak.

 

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.

Is it not as nothing in your eyes?

Exodus 17:14  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.

Exodus 34:27     And the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”

Deuteronomy 31:9    Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

Joshua 4:7    then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

Haggai 2:2-3     “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say,  ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?

Write it as a memorial.  recite it the ears of Joshua.  Write it down so that it will not be forgotten.  Speak it so that it will be passed on.  When it comes to God’s word being active in our life, we should have memorials/testimonies that are recited in the ears of our family and friends.  We should write them down so they are not forgotten.  They should be spoken to give God honor and the hearer encouragement in what God is doing.

Note, in Haggai where the house of God was nothing in the eyes of the people.  They forgot it’s former glory of God.  They forgot God.  They went their own way, down their own path away from God.

When God’s word is neglected or we take to being complacent toward it, His word is becomes no longer active in our heart, soul, and mind and then it is not active in our everyday life.

Be very careful in your walk with God.  Keep His word close to your heart.  Write down and recite what He is doing in your life frequently to your family and friends.  Honor God with your life – keep His word active in what you think, say, and do.

Do whatever He tells you.

Exodus 17:8   Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Joshua 11:15     Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

Matthew 28:20    teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 2:5     His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

“So Joshua did as Moses told him.”  So Joshua did.  He left nothing undone”  “Observe all that I have commanded you.”  “Do whatever he tells you.”

Noah did as the Lord commanded, Abraham did as the Lord commanded.  Samuel, Elisha, Elijah, Esther, Ruth, Daniel, Isaiah, Nehemiah, 12 Disciples, Paul, Barnabas, Timothy….. and the list can go on and on of those we read about who did as the Lord commanded.

Why does this seem natural to some?  Is it possible that these people believed (relied on, trusted in, and clung to) God?  Could it be that they made with an intentional heart, mind, and soul choice which was fueled by a desire to seek and honor God?

There is something different about people who intentionally choose each day to deny self and humbly, seek, and desire, God.  they want to grow in understanding and knowledge of Him.  They want to honor Him through what they think and say.  They want to worship and praise Him.  They want to follow and obey Him. They want to hear His whispers of guidance and correction into their daily life.

We grow in obedience, understanding, reliance, hope, strength, and power when scripture is more than a book for times of trouble.  When there are intentional commitment and humble purposeful desire for scripture, it becomes the like the air we breathe, the food we eat, and water we drink because without it death comes quickly. Without it, there is no understanding of God’s love and wrath.  There is no understanding of God’s power and might. There is no understanding of His precious promises.  There is no basis to build faith and hope.  There is no place of refuge. There is no divine peace in our soul.  There is no way for us to “Do as He commands”.

How are you to be able to “Do whatever He tells you”  if you are not seeking to hear Him speak?  Make a choice today to read His word and desire for Him speak to your heart, mind, and soul.  Do whatever He tells you.