Rejoice – Page 6 – Praying Pint

59. Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside

Deuteronomy 29:18 Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven.

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.

Romans 1:21 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.

Jeremiah 7:24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.

Psalms 10:11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.

Deuteronomy 11:16-17 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside

With all these warnings it is good to have reasons to stay in His word every day.

It helps to know and do God’s will

It leads you away from sin

It will guard you against false teaching

Gives you time alone with Jesus

It will convict you or sin

You will see how great of love was demonstrated and given for your salvation

You will find encouragement

You will find reason to praise Jesus

Your faith will grow

You will find rest and peace for today and hope for tomorrow

You will be building a defense against Satan’s attacks

His word must be active in our lives or something else will surely fill that void.

GOD, the Lord, is my strength

Exodus 15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him,

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.

Psalms 27:1   The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Habakkuk 3:17-19     Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,  yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.  GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places

Psalms 59:17     O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

Jeremiah 31:33   I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Jeremiah 32:38    And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

We never have to go a problem or trial on our own. God is there always. Nothing can happen to us that God is not present, aware, or in control of. “I take refuge” – when trials come, “My strong hold” – when life situations are hard. “My deliverer” – when I am overwhelmed. “My Rock” – when bad things are all around. “My salvation” – when sin knocks at my heart. “My Fortress” – when my earthly strength is gone. “My strength” – when I feel weak. “My shield” – when being attacked with Satan’s lies.

We all face trails and uncertainty in our lives. They come on us with and without warning. It would be nice to have advanced notice but that is never going to happen. However, we have God, we are His children, we are His people, and He has given us precious promises for us to have hope and trust in.

In hope and trust we find joy and peace. When our heart, soul, and mind seek and desire God, trials that come our way can be faced with rejoicing and praising God.

Being truly thankful to God for whatever comes our way is something that must be cultivated in both peaceful times and hard times. If we are not seeking and desiring God in peaceful times, it will be very difficult to cultivate rejoicing in hard times. Commit to having Him present in and throughout all aspects of your day. Seek to hear Him speak to your heart and mind. Learn to see His hand at work in everyday life. Keep your ears and eyes open for His leading.

I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds

Genesis 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening.

Joshua 1:8  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalms 1:2  but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalms 77:11-12  I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.  I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.

Psalms 104:34  May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.

Psalms 119:15  I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

Psalms 139:17-18  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.

Psalms 143:5-6  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.

I was looking at things I have subscribed to for awhile and then I find that they are of no longer an interest. I unsubscribe and this is a natural consequence of no longer having time or interest.

This got me to thinking about God and His word, His plan, His purpose.

Are there times when I “unsubscribe” to His word, His leading, His whispers, His angels, His direction, His power, His grace, His discipline, His mercy, His plans, His help, His refuge, His message, His joy, His hope, His safety, His encouragement, His strength, or His love????? Do I see the affects of “unsubscribing”?

Busyness has a way of eroding away commitment (subscribing). There never seems to be enough time to keep God first and be able to stay on top of all the busyness.

We need to be mindful of things in our busy lives that take over being intentionally subscribed to God.

When it comes to “subscribing” commitment to God there is an eternal consequence of “unsubscribing” this commitment. The erosion of commitment is slow at first and recognized but before long it slips away and what we are changing into, or what we are lacking is blocked by the cares of this world and the busyness of the day. Our lives are soon changed.

Change comes in the the form of pride, self help, self satisfaction, wanting more, needing more, having more and never being satisfied, lack of joy, hope, courage, strength, peace, and rest. The problem is that we become to blind to see God leading us and to deaf to hear God speaking to us. We end up on a path void of knowing or understanding and lose purpose in life.

Unsubscribing from God never ends well. Stay in His word. Meditate on it always. Subscribe to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey God.

My soul keeps your precepts

Psalms 119:161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I do your commandments. My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you.

Difficult trials – even persecution by those in authority – would not make the Psalmist lose his awe of God’s word. He did not have a conditional appreciation of the word of God; he loved it in good times and bad.

I will go the length of saying that unless we do have deep awe of the word we shall never have high joy over it. Our rejoicing will be measured by our reverencing.” (Spurgeon)

“Do we praise God seven times a day? Do we praise him once in seven days?” (Spurgeon)

Keep the word of God not only with outward actions, but also with you soul. Do not be superficia,l but rather deeply root love and conformity to the word of God. In God’s word we find promises we can hope in, trust in, and cling to.

You meant it for harm

Psalms 119:153 Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise! Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your rules. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies. I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

1 Peter 4:12–16 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad

Matthew 5:10–12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward

1 Peter 1:6–7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory

Philippians 2:14–16 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life…

Trust in the word of God is forged in the real world, a world full of trials, troubles, persecution and those who wish us harm. “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”

One of the most potentially defeating aspects of being a Christian is wanting to be in control when things in and around our lives are out of control. It seems as though we take aim at that which is troublesome with our own mind, wisdom, power, and strength, when in fact, these trials and troubles are indeed not ours to fight. On our own and in our own strength we can do little to have lasting victory or any victory at all. Fear of the unknown outcomes seem to drive us to thinking we need to go it on our own.

God is in control even when things seem so out of control and we fear the unknown future. And, yet what trumps that fear and evil is knowing that, no matter what comes, God is in control. Waiting for His perfect timing and trusting in Him allows us to confidently say “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Being able to wait on Him is a testimony to faith, trust, hope and reliance in Jesus. He loves us. He wants what is best for us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He has plans and purpose for our lives.

Do not be double-minded and unstable

Psalms 119:81 My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

Psalms 119:20 My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.

Psalms 119:40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!

Psalms 42:1-2 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 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.

Psalms 119:42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.

Psalms 119:74 Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.

Psalms 119:77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Revelation 3:15-16 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

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

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

Joshua 24:15-24 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve,

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

James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

There are many things that can lead us down a path of being “lukewarm or double-minded”. Probably the most influential would be being complacent with and neglecting God’s word.

His word is a lamp unto my feet, food to my soul, strength to my heart, encouragement to my mind. In and through His word is the “Good News” of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our savior.

Determine in and through His word what it means to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey Him. Learn of His holiness, grace, mercy, and love. Learn of His promises. Learn to hear His quiet whispers of leading. Learn to trust in, rely on, and cling to Him.

Perfect in weakness

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Psalms 118:24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Zechariah 3:9 For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.

Psalms 84:10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Psalms 28:7-8 The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Proverbs 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Isaiah 12:1-3 You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

2 Corinthians 8:2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

Finding joy, peace and rest can be like chasing the wind if we look for it apart from Jesus Christ. Yet it is hard yielding to laying it at His feet and solely trusting it to Him. It shouldn’t be but many times it is. We try to handle it in our own strength, ways, and quick fix solutions.

Yielding to His awesome love, power, might, wisdom, purpose, and plan all starts with trusting fully, without doubt, and faithfully waiting. Joy, peace, and rest cannot be found in self-reliance or looking to others. It is only found in a heart, mind, and soul yielded to and trusting in Jesus Christ.

LORD will be a light to me

“This I know, that God is for me.”

Psalms 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Psalms 27:1-3 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?LORD will be a light to me; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalms 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalms 56:4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Psalms 146:5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Micah 7:8-10 Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Darkness to light. When we experience darkness and there is no light for us to see, we are concerned about what we might walk into and what might be in front of us. Are we going to walk into a wall or off of a cliff? Life’s trials can give us the same concern, fear, and worry as being in darkness. We don’t see what is around us or ahead of us.

I thank God for His word of encouragement. “When I sit in darkness, He will be a light to me.” “He is my helper.” “He will bring me out to the light.” “God is our fortress.” “God is very present help in trouble.” “LORD will be a light to me.” “God is for me.”

Eternal consequences

Psalms 112:10 The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!

Isaiah 65:13-14 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame; behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart and shall wail for breaking of spirit.

Luke 13:28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

Psalms 37:12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,

Matthew 22:13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Revelation 16:10-11 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

Proverbs 10:28 The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

Proverbs 11:7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.

Luke 16:24-26 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

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. 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.

I have heard it said “we don’t get out of this world alive”. That is true. What doesn’t get talked about much is the fact that there is consequences for our actions, choices, thoughts, intents. These are eternal consequences with two totally different outcomes.

Joh 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Choosing to reject the gift of eternal life through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is choosing to be unforgiven and your soul found wanting on the day of judgement. There is no second chance once breath has ceased in this life. All that is waiting for the person who rejects Christ, is eternal punishment. We come to Christ for salvation, redemption, joy, peace, strength, hope, refuge, and love, by and through faith (believing, trusting in, relying on, and clinging to) Him alone.

Doer of Good

“But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him”

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalms 106:1 Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

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?”

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

John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Romans 2:7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

James 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

God is powerful and mighty. His steadfast love endures forever. He does so much more than we can comprehend. What we see of Him is but a vapor of His unsearchable wisdom, knowledge, and majesty. His promises are to those who love and honor Him. We are encouraged in scripture to have patience in doing good, not growing weary of doing good, and to not just be hears of His word but doers with action. Give thought today on hearing the whispers of guidance from God and being a patient doer of good for His glory and honor.