strive – Praying Pint

20.r. “Let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.”

Romans 11:20 They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness.

James 2:19     You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Hebrews 3:12     Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

Revelation 3:17     For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Hebrews 3:19   So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:6     Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,

Hebrews 4:11   Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Isaiah 66:2    All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Hebrews 4:1     Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.

Paul said, “note the severity and kindness of God”. We have a natural thought that clings to God’s kindness but sidelines and thoughts to His severity of judgment, wrath, and anger. We cling to “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” but we give little thought of His wrath and anger against unbelief, trust, faith, and obedience in/on Jesus Christ. Paul saw how easy it was for believers to fall into disobedience. He saw how they became complacent and neglectful of things of God. They became lukewarm towards seeking and desiring to honor and glorify Him. Over and over again Paul urged people to remain steadfast and to not forget the grace, mercy, kindness, and love of God. Paul had to be dismayed when he would return to towns he had once been and had seen great numbers of people believe in Jesus Christ, only to find they had become neglectful and complacent in their devotion to God. Paul so how easy it was for the heart of man to fall away from being fully committed and living for God every moment of every day. God’s kindness and severity remain true and steadfast. We do well to our hearts, minds, soul, and our daily lives in line with the Word of God at all times lest we become disobedient through neglect and complacency.

Warning of fallow ground

“if riches increase, set not your heart on them.”

Hosea 10:11Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,

Proverbs 1:31  therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

Psalms 52:7  “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Galatians 6:7-8  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.

Isaiah 31:1  Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD!

Isaiah 55:6  “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Luke 13:24  “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Jeremiah 29:12-14  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,

When it comes to full commitment to God, fallow (unsown; unused, dormant, resting, empty, bare, stagnant; barren, unproductive) ground has no place in our heart and mind. Yet, it seems the place where most comfort is found and why so many lack God’s power, strength, peace and rest for their lives. Life is easy when we can do what seems best in our own eyes.

When we void ourselves of God’s word and it’s affect on and in our life, how is faith to grow, how can true kindness be displayed, how is generosity glorifying to God, how is God’s love understood, how is sin made known, how is the need for forgiveness and salvation understood, how is the need for repentance seen, how is God praised, how are eyes able to see His might and awesome work, how are spiritual gifts used, how are others to hear, how is Christ proclaimed, how is the love of God proclaimed, how is worship meaningful, how are we to hear His whispers of guidance????????

Keep the word of God in your daily routine. Keep prayer and communication with God active. Keep your ears open to His leading, correction, and promises. Keep you eyes on His active working in the world around you. Keep nurturing and growing your faith. Keep the light of Christ’s love ever shinning.

There is no time to wait for another day to start being intentionally committed to His word every day. Humbly serve, honor, glorify, praise, worship, follow and obey Him.

Your Face I Seek 1

” For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

“You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek”

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

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Daniel 9:3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Psalms 63:2-5 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips

We have God’s promises; “Seek and you will find”, “knock and it be opened”. There are qualifiers to these promises. They require faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” And seeking with all of your heart. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” In our culture where everything seems to be just a click away from finding what we want I wonder if seeking God day after day is even a thought on our hearts and mind. When I think back at the times I have been earnestly seeking God for resolution to something, there were times it was immediate and other times it was only months afterward that I was able to see how God had been leading. God does not leave His children. He is ever present. He will be our rock and our refuge but that would mean we need to turn it over to Him and trust whatever the outcome is and know that it was His plan for us. Faith is required. Trusting is required. Believing is required. Relying is required. Seeking is required. Knocking is required.