If Sinners Entice

Sunday, January 18, 2015, 6:30 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put this song in mind:

Near the Cross / Fanny J. Crosby / William H. Doane

Jesus, keep me near the cross; there a precious fountain,

Free to all, a healing stream, flows from Calvary's mountain.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day with its shadow o'er me.

In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river.

Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Proverbs 1 (selected verses ESV).

Wisdom and Instruction

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction,

    to understand words of insight,

to receive instruction in wise dealing,

    in righteousness, justice, and equity;

to give prudence to the simple,

    knowledge and discretion to the youth—

Let the wise hear and increase in learning,

    and the one who understands obtain guidance,

to understand a proverb and a saying,

    the words of the wise and their riddles.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

    fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I think sometimes we confuse wisdom with knowledge, yet wisdom is knowledge coupled with understanding, and coupled with practical application of that knowledge to our lives. James said it well when he said that if we hear the word, but we don’t put it into practice in our lives, then we are like someone who looks at himself in the mirror and then walks away and forgets what he looks like. We are self-deceived. So, he concludes that we need to be not only hearers of the word, but we need to be doers of the word. This is wisdom.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. To fear the Lord means to walk in his truth and in his ways, and to show him the honor and respect which he so deserves by not only listening to him, but by obeying what his word says. It means to leave our lives of sin behind us, to be born anew of the Spirit of God, and then to walk in the Spirit, in holiness, purity, and with integrity - in the power and strength of the Spirit within us. If we do not walk in the fear of the Lord, but instead we pick and choose what we will do or not do for God, and we are still running our own lives, then we act foolishly, this Word teaches us.

Do Not Consent

My son, if sinners entice you,

    do not consent.

If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

    let us ambush the innocent without reason…

throw in your lot among us;

    we will all have one purse”—

my son, do not walk in the way with them;

    hold back your foot from their paths,

for their feet run to evil,

    and they make haste to shed blood…

Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;

    it takes away the life of its possessors.

I have learned recently that there are people who take issue with this term “sinner” in relation to Christians, stating that we are not sinners saved by grace, but we are saints, and thus we are no longer sinners. Whatever you believe on that issue, the reality of the situation is that believers in Jesus Christ still have the propensity to sin, and we do still sin at times, although sin should no longer be our master, and we should no longer be enslaved to it, nor should we willingly be giving in to it, especially on a regular basis, because Jesus Christ died to deliver us from bondage to sin. He has set us free!

So, as believers in Jesus Christ, not only can we still sin, but we can also lead others to sin. So, when this speaks of “sinners” enticing us to sin, don’t be fooled into thinking this is merely referring to those outside of faith (or professed faith) in Jesus Christ. Some of the worst deception and enticement exists right within the church (or within the organization called church). So, we should have our guard up even among those whom we think would never try to get us to disobey our Lord or who we think would never lead us to evil. One of the greatest deceptions and enticements I know of exists within the church, and that is to make people believe they don’t have to give up their sins to believe in Jesus Christ. Wow!

Within the modern church of today the world has crept, and it has taken over so that there is not much distinction at all between the church and the world. That mindset is being passed on to the people within the church, especially to this younger generation which has not known anything differently. They want to be attractive to the world, so they compromise with the world and dilute the gospel to make everything more acceptable and appealing, so the world will want to join in with them in their meetings. They market the church just like big business, which uses lies, deceptions, manipulation and trickery to entice people to come to their gatherings and to join in with them in their mockery of true faith and worship.

In a sense, the modern church of today represents Babylon, and God is calling his people to come out of her and to not share in any of her sins, so that they also do not share in her punishment. The Lord is telling his people to not walk in the ways of this adulterous and idolatrous church which is running after “other lovers,” and which is discarding the Lord as the head of the church and his Word as the instructions to follow, and which is casting aside those of his followers who still hold to the truths of scripture and who do not deny the Lord.

Because You Refuse

Because I have called and you refused to listen,

    have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

because you have ignored all my counsel

    and would have none of my reproof,

I also will laugh at your calamity;

    I will mock when terror strikes you,

when terror strikes you like a storm

    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

    when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

Because they hated knowledge

    and did not choose the fear of the Lord,

would have none of my counsel

    and despised all my reproof,

therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,

    and have their fill of their own devices.

For the simple are killed by their turning away,

    and the complacency of fools destroys them;

but whoever listens to me will dwell secure

    and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

I believe these words can be applied to 3 groups of people: 1) Those who have refused to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, 2) Those who have professed to believe, but who never repented of sin and did not turn to follow the Lord in obedience, and 3) Those who did believe in Jesus but have since wandered off to follow after the ways of this sinful world. Our God and Lord Jesus Christ has been calling for all 3 of these groups of people to repent of their sin and to turn (or to return) to their Lord and to make him their only God. Yet, many have refused, which is evidenced by their heart responses to God and by their actions.

This is a warning of judgment (divine discipline and correction). This is not merely Old Testament teaching, though. The New Testament is also filled with warnings to these 3 groups of people, and especially to the church, calling them to repent and to turn or to return to their Lord, leaving their idols behind them (See: Rev. 2-3, for example).

If You Return

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing

    and fools hate knowledge?

If you turn at my reproof,

behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;

    I will make my words known to you.

Yet, to those who love the Lord, love wisdom, listen to the Word, and do what it says, and to those who listen to these warnings and these calls for repentance and turn at the Lord’s reproof, he will pour out his Spirit on us and will make his words known to us. Amen!

Yet, this does not means we will have it easy or that we won’t ever be disciplined by the Lord, because he said he disciplines those he loves - those who are his children. It also does not mean we will be free from strife, or calamity, or disaster happening all around us, because we live in a sinful world, and we live in flesh bodies, and because the Lord uses difficult situations in our lives to mature us, purify us, make us holy, and to teach us patience and endurance. Yet, what it does mean is that we will have his peace within, he will give us his strength and wisdom, and we will be secure in him, without fear, and we will be able to continue to live and to walk in his ways even if all hell breaks loose all around us, because our focus is on him, our trust is in him, and because our security is found in him.

I Will Lift My Eyes / An Original Work / December 12, 2012

Based off Psalms 121-125

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

He will not let your foot slip, and He who watches will not sleep.

Our Lord watches over you, and your life He will keep.

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

I give thanks to Him.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n.

Because of His great love for us, He made us alive with Christ.

Through the kindness of our Savior, He gave us new life.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n;

My home, now in heav’n.

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

Those who trust will ne’er be shaken. God will supply all we need.

Our Lord has done great things for us. He’s our friend, indeed!

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

I can count on Him.

http://originalworks.info/i-will-lift-my-eyes-2/

https://vimeo.com/112516626

Support for The Afflicted

Saturday, January 17, 2015, 6:29 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “He Keeps Me Singing.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 146-147 (selected NASB).

Not Trust Humans

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

I will praise the Lord while I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Do not trust in princes,

In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

His spirit departs, he returns to the earth;

In that very day his thoughts perish. ~ Ps. 146:1-4

It is good for us to praise the Lord, especially during times when life kicks us hard. It lifts our spirits, and changes our perspective, and fills us with hope, encouragement, strength and healing. It helps us to get our focus of attention off of humans, and off of our trials and tribulations and onto the Lord. It also helps us to focus our trust on the Lord instead of on humans, or most especially when humans fail us, desert us, hurt us or betray us.

Human beings live in flesh bodies, thus they are still subject to weakness, temptation and have the propensity to sin against God and against us, or us against them. Even Christians are still clay vessels who are weak and frail, and who sometimes lack strength, courage, wisdom and discernment. We are all capable of sin. We all have the ability to hurt and to disappoint one another. Humans sometimes lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, betray, and do all kinds of evil. Other times they do good and are kind, thoughtful, helpful and loving.

Thus, we cannot put our hope and trust in humans in the same way in which we put our hope and trust in God. We should not depend on them to “save” us in any way. We should not look to politicians or to pastors or to our “heroes” to “save” us, because we may wake up one morning and learn that they lied to us, and what we thought was the truth was really one huge deception. The Bible teaches us that we are to test everything. We need to stop being so gullible in believing everything we read, hear or see, and we need to examine what people tell us against the Word of God and in prayer, asking our Lord for wisdom.

Trust in God

How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

Whose hope is in the Lord his God,

Who made heaven and earth,

The sea and all that is in them;

Who keeps faith forever;

Who executes justice for the oppressed;

Who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind… ~ Ps. 146:5-8a

Our trust needs to be in our Lord God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is our ONLY Savior! He is the only one who truly knows us, and who is truth, and who will not lie to us or betray us. He is our creator. Even before he formed us in the wombs of our mothers he knew us and he had a plan for our lives (See: Ps. 139; Jer. 1). He is the only one never lacking in integrity, who keeps his promises, who will never fail or desert us, and who always has our best interest in mind. His motives are always pure. He will never tempt us to sin or lead (encourage) us to sin. He is completely righteous in all that he is and does.

God/Jesus will not give us false hope. He will not butter us up and flatter us in order to make us feel good about ourselves just so we will like him. He will not entertain us and make us laugh just so we think he is a good guy. He will not tickle our ears with pleasing messages just so that we don’t get offended, or just so we will accept him and will want to be in meetings with others who call themselves Christians. He won’t be our buddy and sweet talk us and avoid telling us the truth about our sin in order to be “polite” and “kind.”

No! God/Jesus will tell us the truth, because he wants us to be completely FREE from the weight and the control of sin over our lives. In order to free people who are in prison to sin and to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, he tells us the truth. He died on the cross for our sins, not just so we could escape hell and go to heaven when we die. He died so we would die with him to our old lives of living for sin and self, so we would be born anew of the Spirit of God, and so we would live for him in his righteousness and holiness, no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God to walk in the ways of the Lord in faithful obedience and surrender to God/Jesus (See: Ro. 6-8; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; 2 Co. 5:15; Tit. 2:11-14; & 1 Jn. 1-5).

He Heals Brokenhearted

Praise the Lord!

For it is good to sing praises to our God;

For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

He gathers the outcasts of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their wounds.

He counts the number of the stars;

He gives names to all of them.

Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;

His understanding is infinite.

The Lord supports the afflicted;

He brings down the wicked to the ground. ~ Ps. 147:1-6

Our God loves those who are his very own possession; his people; his church. He cares about us and what we are going through. Yes, he allows us to go through difficult times and to face hardship and persecution and to be rejected and to face sorrow and grief. Yet, he does so because in this way he matures us, purifies us and he conforms us into the image of Jesus Christ. Jesus, as sinless and perfect as he was, learned obedience through the things he suffered. And we, too, learn obedience through the things we suffer, if we are willing, and if we will submit to our Lord in our suffering instead of rebel in anger.

Through all the suffering and trials of life we must endure, though, our Lord is ever present with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He allowed these situations to take place in our lives for a purpose, and he will work out all things for good (for our best) for those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose (See: Ro. 8:28). Although he may not remove us from the difficult situations, he promises to bring comfort and healing to our minds, emotions, and spirits. He will give us all we need to live godly and holy lives even in the midst of great turmoil. He promises to give us strength, courage, hope and perseverance, and some of that comes through our trials.

When others forsake us, our Lord lets us know that he will never abandon us. When others hurt us, he provides us with joy and healing, and he gives purpose in it all. He is the best “survival kit” ever known to man, because he knows the end from the beginning, he is all powerful, and he is all knowing and ever present everywhere all at the same time. Since he created us, he knows us inside and out. He has everything we need to make it through these conflicts and complications of life, which are bound to come from time to time. He is with us and in us and he completes us. He is our all in all! We will never know a better friend than him ever!

Fear Him

He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.

The Lord favors those who fear Him,

Those who wait for His lovingkindness. ~ Ps. 147:10-11

Our God is love! He is our loving Father, compassionate Lord, and faithful friend. In relationship with us, he treats us just like we are his children, which we are if we have believed in Jesus as Lord and as Savior of our lives. So, when we think of our relationship with him, we should image a truly loving and just parent who does not spoil the child, but is willing to lovingly discipline when necessary, and to correct where needed, but who also offers much training, encouragement, affection, hope, comfort and healing, too. This parent sets reasonable boundaries for safety, sets rules, assigns chores, and expects obedience. The parent teaches the child to respect and to honor him or her, as well.

Now, if we can just translate this picture of a loving parent over to our loving Lord, we will then have a good picture of what God is like in relation to us. Imagine with me for a moment a scenario where a parent tells his or her child to do something but the child decides to do something else instead. The child may even pick another good thing, in fact, but not what the parent required or requested of the child. A loving and just parent will desire the child to do what he or she asked. Well, it is the same way with God. So many people want to just “do” for God what they are willing to do, but then they don’t do what he asks them to do. They set their own rules, and they decide their own limits, and they control how much they will give to God and how much they won’t.

Yet, that is not the way it is supposed to work, in a home between parents and children, or else the children might become spoiled and self-indulgent and disrespectful to their parents, or in our relationship with God, with us as the children, and with him as the parent. He does not want what we will do for him in our own strength and will power. He wants our obedience. He wants our all on the altar. He desires that we be surrendered to him, dead to ourselves, and living for him and for his righteousness. It does not matter how many good deeds we do. They will not save us. We are saved when we submit ourselves to the cross of Christ, repent of our sins, and we surrender our lives to the control of our Lord God. This is what it means to believe in Jesus Christ, and this is what it means to walk in the fear of the Lord. Our lives are no longer our own. We were bought with a price. I am His, and He is mine. Amen!

Have Thine Own Way, Lord / Adelaide A. Pollard, 1862-1934

George C. Stebbins, 1846-1945 / Tune: ADELAIDE, Meter: 54.54 D

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Thou art the potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Search me and try me, Master, today!

Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,

As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Wounded and weary, help me I pray!

Power, all power, surely is Thine!

Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Hold o'er my being absolute sway.

Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see

Christ only, always, living in me! 

On Level Ground

Thursday, January 15, 2015, 8:30 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “My Cry for Mercy.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 140-143 (selected NASB).

Rescue Me

Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men;

Preserve me from violent men

Who devise evil things in their hearts;

They continually stir up wars.

They sharpen their tongues as a serpent;

Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah. ~ Ps. 140:1-3

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips.

Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,

To practice deeds of wickedness

With men who do iniquity;

And do not let me eat of their delicacies. ~ Ps. 141:3-4

There are two main ways the enemy of our souls comes against us as individual followers of Jesus Christ. One is through attacking us physically, emotionally or spiritually to try to discredit, injure or to destroy us; to try to get us to be discouraged, and to hope that we will give up. The other is to deceive us, lure us and to tempt us to sin against our Lord. Yet temptation can be involved in either one, as well as deception is also involved in both.

From my own experience I can say that if Satan cannot get us to stop following Jesus with our lives, to stop sharing the gospel, and to, instead, follow him and to go back into sin, then he will pull out all the stops to lie against, mock, persecute, and bring false charges against us, in hopes that he can destroy our reputations, convince others to not listen to us, and/or to put doubts and fears into our minds and hearts. He is a master at deception and the twisting and manipulation of truth, and with using an accusing and lying tongue against us. And, he uses humans to do his dirty work, too.

So, what should our response be to his wicked schemes he uses against us? Well, first of all we must call on the Lord in prayer and ask for his help – for guidance, wisdom, discernment and the grace to respond correctly. We also need the strength of the Lord and the power of the Spirit within us so that we respond in the right way. If we try to handle this in our own wisdom and strength, we are bound to fail. We need to pray for our Lord Jesus to work miracles in our hearts and in our situations, and to move mightily to change hearts, even or most especially our own. And, we need to submit to his sovereign will over our lives. As well, we need to pray for restraint so that we don’t say more than what needs to be said.

Daily we must put on the armor of God (See: Eph. 6:10-20), with which to fight off Satan’s evil attacks against us. What this means is that when he lies to us or against us, we answer back with the truth. When he casts doubts our way, we respond back with unswerving faith. When he tries to twist the truth or to deceive us, we respond with the Word of God. When he tries to discourage us, we respond with perseverance and determination. When he tries to tempt us to sin, we respond by fleeing temptation and continuing to live and to walk in Christ’s righteousness. And, when he tries to lure us or to shame us into spiritual compromise, we respond with undivided hearts and loyalty to our ONLY God.

My Cry For Mercy / An Original Work / October 31, 2013

Based off Psalm 86

Hear my prayer, Lord, I am needy.

Guard my life, for I’m devoted to You.

Save me! I’m Your servant.

You are my God. I trust in You.

O, Lord, have mercy on me,

For I call to You.

Bring joy to me, for to You

I will lift up my soul.

You are giving and forgiving.

You abound in love to all who

Call upon You. Hear my prayer, Lord.

Listen to my cry for mercy.

In days of trouble I call to You,

Knowing that You will

Do marvelous things,

Because You are my God.

Teach me Your way; I’ll walk in it.

In Your truth, Lord, You will guide me.

A pure heart, Lord, You will give me,

So that I may glorify You.

Turn to me, Lord, and grant

Strength to Your servant.

O, Lord, You are my help,

For You love and You comfort me.

Teach me Your way; I’ll walk in it.

In Your truth, Lord, You will guide me.

A pure heart, Lord, You will give me,

So that I may glorify You.

http://originalworks.info/my-cry-for-mercy/

https://vimeo.com/114690984

Teach Me

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;

For I trust in You;

Teach me the way in which I should walk;

For to You I lift up my soul.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;

I take refuge in You.

Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me.

In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. ~ Ps. 143:8-11

Oh, how I love my Lord and his Word. I want to follow him in all my ways, not because I have to, but because I want to; because I love him. I know he loves me, and I know he is with me all the time. He never leaves my side. He is always there encouraging, giving me hope, strengthening, comforting, teaching, instructing, correcting and urging me on to live for him. I believe in him and I trust him with my life. I know that in all these trials and tribulations that he has a plan and a purpose, and that he will use it all for his purposes and for his glory. I just have to rest in him, believing that he has my best interest in mind always.

I want to know his will for my life, and I want to walk in his ways and in his truth. I don’t want to respond to Satan’s attacks against me in the flesh, but in the Spirit. So, I pray that he will teach me the way in which I should walk and how to know and to do his will. I want to be led on level ground, and for him to put a guard over my mouth so that I don’t speak things he does not want me to speak, whether good or bad. I need wisdom and discernment to know how to respond to Satan’s evil attacks against me. And, I need strength of spirit, too, so that I don’t lose heart.

In Keeping Them / An Original Work / June 3, 2014

Based off Ps. 111:10; 19:7-11

Stand in awe of your Lord.

Harken to His teachings.

Follow where He leads you.

Live for Him today.

Through Him you gain wisdom;

Knowledge; understanding.

To my Lord belongs all

Worship and my praise.

Perfect is the Word,

Refreshing souls in His love.

His commands are faithful,

Guiding us each day.

Joy comes to the heart of

Those who love His teachings;

Follow His instructions.

He will light their way.

Abide in the Lord, and

Obey His commandments.

His Word is more precious

Than all of our gold.

By His Word He warns us,

Comforts, and implores us.

When we follow His Word,

There is great reward.

http://originalworks.info/in-keeping-them/

https://vimeo.com/97324081

Stouthearted

Wednesday, January 14, 2015, 7:24 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “I Will Lift My Eyes.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 135 & 138 (ESV/NASB).

His Own Possession

“Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord,

    give praise, O servants of the Lord,

who stand in the house of the Lord,

    in the courts of the house of our God!

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;

    sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,

    Israel as his own possession.” ~ Ps. 135:1-4 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” ~ Jn. 3:16 NASB

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” ~ 2 Pet. 3:9 NASB

It is God’s will that all should repent of their sins (turn away from them and to God) so that they might find forgiveness of sins and not die in their sins without God and without hope. This is why Jesus Christ died on the cross, so that we could be delivered from slavery to sin, from eternal damnation, and have the hope of eternal life with God beginning right now. He died so that we would no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us.

We come to faith in Jesus Christ by God’s grace, through faith (See: Eph. 2:8-10). This faith reveals itself by us dying with Christ to our old lives of living for self and sin, by us being born anew of the Spirit of God, and by us walking in the Spirit in Christ’s righteousness and holiness – all in the power and working of the Spirit within us, as we cooperate fully with His work of grace in our lives. Coming to faith in Jesus Christ thus involves us submitting to the cross of Christ in our lives, surrendering ourselves over to the will of God for our lives, and walking in obedience to Christ and to his commands (his teachings and instructions). [See: Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; & 1 Jn. 1-5.]

We cannot come to faith in Christ, though, unless the Father first draws us to Christ. In other words, this is not something we can do in our own flesh. This is a mighty work of the Spirit of God in drawing us to himself. Even the faith to believe is a gift from God, but it is a gift we must put into action, i.e. we must receive it and use it for it to be genuine faith, yet not in our own power and strength, but only in the power and working of the Holy Spirit.

When we trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, we become his own possession. Through his shed blood on the cross for our sins he purchased us to be his own people so that we might be for the praise of his glory. He gave himself up for us “to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people who are his very own, eager to do what is good” (See: Tit. 2:11-14). We were bought with a price, therefore we are to glorify God with our lives. And, because of all that he has done for us in saving us from our sins, in delivering us from bondage to sin and eternity in hell, and setting us free to walk in his holiness, then when we come into his presence we should give him much praise.

Bold and Stouthearted

“A Psalm of David.

I will give You thanks with all my heart;

I will sing praises to You before the gods.

I will bow down toward Your holy temple

And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;

For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

On the day I called, You answered me;

You made me bold with strength in my soul.” ~ Ps. 138:1-3 NASB

In Psalm 135 we were encouraged to give praise to the Lord, “O servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord.” We were heartened to praise him because he had made us his own possession. Here we are inspired to praise him for his loving-kindness to us and for his truth; for how he has magnified His Word. I believe all of these thoughts expressed here are instrumental in understanding and applying this 3^rd verse. Let me explain what I mean.

For the Lord to make us bold with inward spiritual strength, i.e. to make us stouthearted – strong of character, brave, determined and courageous – we must first of all be his own possession, and we must be his servants who love him and his word, and who take a firm stand on his truth. We must also be ones who will sing his praises before “the gods,” i.e. before kings, rulers and people in positions of authority, and before those who are idolized of humans. We must never fear humans over walking in the fear of the Lord. We must also be ones who are submitted and surrendered to the Lordship of Christ over our lives, i.e. we must acknowledge with our lives, and not just with our lips, that truly our lives are his.

Why do I say this? Well, for one, when we come to faith in Jesus Christ we don’t become puppets on strings with God pulling all the strings and us no longer having any say over what we do or say. We still have a free will. We still have to willingly surrender to him daily. God will not force his will upon us. He wants us to choose him, which is why he gave us free wills. So, he is not going to strengthen us in the depths of our souls and give us boldness and courage in standing for what is right and true if we are resisting him, and if we are more concerned with having the approval of humans than we desire the approval of God; or if we are standing on what is false, sinful and wicked instead of on what is true and right.

Yet, if we are his true servants, and we do love his word, and we live by it and stand on its truth and its trustworthiness, and if we are committed to following our Lord Jesus in being who he wants us to be, and in going where he sends us, and in doing and saying what he wants us to do and to say, then he will give us all the courage, boldness, determination and strength of character in spirit/soul we need to keep on speaking and singing his praises and his truth, even in the face of great opposition and much persecution and rejection.

In the Midst of Trouble

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;

You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right hand will save me.

The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;

Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;

Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” ~ Ps. 138:7-8 NASB

Our God is completely sovereign over every aspect of our lives. He created each one of us for a purpose. He has a plan for each one of our lives. His face is not hidden from us. He is not absent from our troubles. For those of us who are his own possession, he is always with us, and he will never leave us or forsake us. Nothing that comes into our lives catches him off-guard. Satan cannot touch us but what God allows it, and he allows it for a purpose. So, we should not allow the trials and tribulations of this life to unsettle us, but we should put our faith and trust in the Lord, and believe him to work out all things for good for those of us who love God and who have been called according to his purpose (See Ro. 8:28).

Yet, we must also know that trials and tribulations are part of God’s plan and purpose for our lives in order for him to purify us and to conform us to the image of Christ. Jesus said that we would be hated, persecuted, falsely accused, arrested, beaten, betrayed, despised, rejected, abandoned and killed for our testimony for him and because we keep his commands. Yet, these come into our lives to mature us, to strengthen us in character, to purify our hearts, to make us more like Jesus; to humble us, and to develop within us perseverance and steadfastness in our walks of faith and in our witness for Him.

The other thing we must know is that God/Jesus will see us through every one of these trials if we will but trust him, and if we will call on him in prayer, and if we will rest in him. He may or may not remove us physically from the difficult situations of our lives, but he will give us all we need to get through them and to obey him in the trials and to remain strong in our faith and to not yield to the temptation to retreat or to give in to our flesh. He will fulfill his purpose for us, not only in our own lives, but in the lives of all whose lives we touch by his grace and via his sovereign will. He will never abandon us! So, we should draw on his strength and courage, and we should be bold and stouthearted and keep on loving God and serving him, and loving others and ministering his grace to their needs. Amen!

I Will Lift My Eyes / An Original Work / December 12, 2012

Based off Psalms 121-125

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

He will not let your foot slip, and He who watches will not sleep.

Our Lord watches over you, and your life He will keep.

I will lift my eyes to my Lord Most High.

My help comes from Him, who saved me from sin.

I give thanks to Him.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n.

Because of His great love for us, He made us alive with Christ.

Through the kindness of our Savior, He gave us new life.

I will lift my eyes to my God in heav’n.

I look to the Lord. My sins, He’s forgiv’n;

My home, now in heav’n.

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

Those who trust will ne’er be shaken. God will supply all we need.

Our Lord has done great things for us. He’s our friend, indeed!

Praise be to the Lord, who is on our side.

Our help found in Him. He gives peace within.

I can count on Him.

http://originalworks.info/i-will-lift-my-eyes-2/

https://vimeo.com/112516626

Pleas for Mercy

Tuesday, January 13, 2015, 9:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “His Tender Mercies.” He also put in mind the song “I Sing of His Mercy.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalms 129 and 130 (selected verses in the ESV).

We Are Afflicted

“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—

    let Israel now say—

“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,

    yet they have not prevailed against me.

The plowers plowed upon my back;

    they made long their furrows.”

The Lord is righteous;

    he has cut the cords of the wicked. ~ Ps. 129:1-4

I believe there are two main ways in which Satan works to afflict spiritual Israel, the church. One is to deceive her and the other is to persecute her. First I will look at deception. There are two main ways in which Satan works to deceive the church, too. One is from within the church and from among the church leadership, and the other is from without, i.e. from the world, and coming from the governments over the people, mainly via the media.

Deception

Within the church he first of all convinces church leadership that they need to market (sell) the church much the same way in which any other business owner would work to sell his business to his customers. So, the church, instead of living in the fear of the Lord, has shifted in mission to market itself to this sinful world. In order to do that, they have had to change a few things to make the church and the gospel more appealing to human flesh – less offensive, less judgmental, and more accepting, pleasant and entertaining (fun) so that the world will enjoy coming to the “church” and will feel “at home” in its meetings.

So, the church has become “user friendly.” Thus, the gospel of Jesus Christ has had to be diluted so as not to offend, and so more people will want to “buy” “Jesus.” Most have continued to teach Christ’s death on the cross for sins, his resurrection, his ascension into heaven, his sending of his Holy Spirit, and that Jesus Christ will one day return for us and we will be with him forever. And, yet they are telling their prospective “customers” that God requires nothing from them. All they have to do is “believe,” although no one really explains what that means. Basically they lead them to believe that if they pray a certain prayer that they are saved, going to heaven when they die, and that nothing can ever change that. In reality, they are giving them a false hope, which means they are lying to them, and they are leaving them still dead in their sins, believing that God is now pleased with them.

Another way in which the church is being deceived is by the world, and by the government (via the media), and this is being facilitated by church leadership. We have to realize that we do not live in normal times now. The reality of what the prophets talked about regarding these last days is being fulfilled nearly daily now. We live in a time of great deception. So many people who profess Christ as Savior buy into whatever they hear the government and the media tell them. They think if they see it on TV or on the internet it must be real, but are movies and TV shows real? What is to keep them from making TV news just another drama for our entertainment and distraction? They can and do fake many news events. We have to think Satan, the beast and the false prophet. We have to stop living in a fantasy world where we think all that we see and hear is truth when it is not truth.

Persecution

Persecution is not absent of deception, though, for the reason many are persecuted is because the enemy has deceived the minds of many people to convince them either that Christians in general are to be hated and discarded, or that those “religious extremists” who still hold to the truths of scripture, as taught by Jesus and the apostles, are a menace to society, are to be considered dangerous and as those who cause disunity in the church, and so they must be avoided and not believed. Going along with this is to discredit the gospel as taught by the apostles, and to convince prospective believers that repentance, obedience and walking in holiness and godliness, and living free from slavery to sin is legalism, and so it is bad, and then to teach them that God is pleased with them no matter what they do.

Also, going along with this is that they have had to convince the church that government worship is godly (via the pledge to the flag and patriotism), so that most church people will not question the actions of our government, except on a very minor scale. They convince the church that, in America, we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, and that we are a Christian nation, and that God is pleased with us, as well as to convince them that our actions in other nations are honorable and trustworthy. And, so if anyone dares to speak out against the government, and to expose the lies, and to call people to search out the truth, they are then called “conspiracy theorists” who are not to be believed.

Basically, Satan’s main goal here is to discredit those who tell the truth, and to try to convince others that they should not be believed, so that they will not listen to them. The problem here is that it is not just the government or the media who are spreading lies, but the church is doing this, and they are turning against their own. The government and church leaders are convincing today’s church goers that they should not listen to folks who are telling the truth, either about the government, or concerning the word of God and the gospel of our salvation. And, they have even convinced them not to listen to us when we try to tell them the truth concerning the deceptions, and we try to show them how they are being deceived. So, we are persecuted, rejected, hated, abandoned and cast aside as garbage. We have become their enemies because we dared to tell them the truth. Yet, we are in good company. They hated Jesus for the same reason.

My Pleas for Mercy

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!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,

    O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

    that you may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

    and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord

    more than watchmen for the morning,

    more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!

    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

    and with him is plentiful redemption.

And he will redeem Israel

    from all his iniquities. ~ Ps. 130

Jesus Christ, God the Son, left his throne in heaven, came to earth, became flesh and made his dwelling among us. He suffered as we suffer and was tempted in like manner as we are tempted, yet without sin. He lived and walked the face of this earth as fully God and as fully man (See: Jn. 1 & Phil. 2). He healed the sick, raised the dead, and taught repentance for forgiveness of sins. He said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow the Lord Jesus in surrender and obedience. He said if we want to hold on to our old lives of living for sin and self we will lose them for eternity, but if we die with Christ to sin, we will gain eternal life (See: Lu. 9:23-25; cf. Ro. 6-8; Eph. 4:17-24).

Although he was loved and admired by some, the many found him offensive and thus hated him. Even some who were following him turned away never to follow him again because they found his teaching to be too hard. The religious leaders of his day also hated him and were jealous of him, so they plotted to take his life. He was thus crucified on a cross, although he had done no wrong. Yet, when he died, he took upon himself the sins of the entire world. When he died and was buried, our sins were put to death and were buried with him. When he was resurrected back to life, he conquered death, hell, Satan and sin on our behalf. He died so that we could be forgiven of our sin and have the hope of eternal life with God in heaven. Yet, he also died to free us from slavery to sin day-to-day, and to free us to walk in the Spirit in Christ’s righteousness and holiness.

The apostles continued to teach what Jesus taught. They taught that coming to Christ means death to sin and living and walking in holiness. If we want to have forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life with God, we must be crucified with Christ to living for sin and self, we must be reborn of the Spirit of God, and we must allow the Spirit of God to change us in heart and mind, as well as we must submit to Christ’s Lordship over our lives in surrendering our lives to him, to walk in obedience to his teachings, and to do so all in the power and working of the Spirit within us, who has saved us by his grace (See: Ro. 6-8; 2 Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; & 1 Jn. 1-5).

So, if you have bought into the lies which tell you that God requires nothing of you, and that you can continue in sin now that you are under grace, and that nothing can touch you, then I pray you read these verses prayerfully and see that the Bible clearly tells us that faith is action, i.e. if we truly believe Jesus died to save us from our sins, then we will not choose to walk in sin any longer, but we will accept the new life he has offered us to live and to walk in his holiness, free from the control of sin. Instead of just believing whatever you hear or see or read, I pray that you will test everything against scripture and in prayer and to see if it agrees with scripture and if it fits with God’s divine will, character and purposes.

Going along with this, if you are believing everything you hear, read or see in the news or coming from the mouths of government leaders, I pray you will also test all of that before the Lord in prayer, seeking his face, and asking him to reveal to you the lies you have believed and to show you what is truth.

I believe God will revive his church and that many will be saved before he returns. As well, I believe that the seed sown by his servants will not return void. Even if they must die for the sake of the name of Jesus and for his gospel, his church will not be destroyed. I believe God will discipline his wayward people, and that he will restore his bride to himself, and that one day she will no longer follow after the lies, but that her eyes will be open to the truth – all of it. Through persecution and divine discipline, God will actually advance his kingdom, grow his church, and spread his gospel of salvation. Satan may throw darts our way, but Jesus is our victor! He overcame Satan via the cross, and we can be overcomers, too. We just have to commit our way to Jesus Christ, trust in his mercy, and believe him to do what he says.

I Sing of His Mercy / An Original Work

Based off Psalm 32 / April 10, 2014

Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven

By the blood of Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does

Not count against them; freedom found.

When, in silence, I did not confess

My sin to You; had no strength.

Then I owned up to my sin and

You forgave and cleansed me within.

Therefore let the godly pray to You;

Draw near to You; grace they’ll find.

They will not be o’ertaken by afflictions,

But in Christ peace abounds.

Lord, You are my hiding place.

I find my refuge in You secure.

You protect me from all evil.

You give songs of vict’ry in You.

Lord, You teach me to walk in Your ways;

Counsel me in love, I know.

Help me to not be stubborn and

Unwilling to follow in Your truth.

Thank You for Your love and mercy.

I put my trust in You always.

I rejoice in my Lord and

I sing of Him throughout all my days.

http://originalworks.info/i-sing-of-his-mercy/

https://vimeo.com/91747192

His Tender Mercies - https://vimeo.com/85267672

Unless the Lord Builds

Monday, January 12, 2015, 3:30 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Myopic.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 126-128 (selected verses ESV).

The Fruit of Labor

A Song of Ascents.

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,

    we were like those who dream.

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

    and our tongue with shouts of joy;

then they said among the nations,

    “The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Lord has done great things for us;

    we are glad.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,

    like streams in the Negeb!

Those who sow in tears

    shall reap with shouts of joy!

He who goes out weeping,

    bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

    bringing his sheaves with him. ~ Ps. 126

Zion today is the church - spiritual Israel, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God. Much of today’s church, particularly here in America, is living in captivity to Babylon, i.e. to the world’s system. Today’s modern church operates more like human businesses than like the Biblical role model for us as to what church is and how it should function. Instead of the church going out into the world to take the gospel of Jesus Christ, to shine God’s love and grace to the world, while remaining separate from the world in thought, word, and deed, today’s modern church has invited the world into the church and has adopted much of its ways in order to attract the world to its meetings. Immersing ourselves in our culture is encouraged as a means of identifying with the people in the world, and so much of today’s modern church is not a light to the world, because they have become one with the world.

Yet, the true church is a living organism, not an organization of human origin. The true church is the body of Christ, not a human corporation under the authority (headship) of the US (or other) government. The true church is guided by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts and assigns body parts to its members. It is not directed by human philosophy and books written by humans on how to grow your church via using business marketing schemes. Although the true church may exist within these human institutions, we must make the distinction between Christ’s church and what is often called church today. The church is not a building, an organization, a denomination or a corporation. It is the people of God, who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, died with Christ to sin, been born of the Spirit of God, and are now living in Christ’s righteousness and holiness.

Because so much of today’s modern church is living in spiritual adultery and idolatry, and has become one with the world instead of being set apart (unlike; different) from the world because becoming like Christ (holy), it is in great need of a mighty spiritual awakening like we have not known for a very long time. I believe that time will come when God will revive his church, but that it will probably come through a time of great suffering. Yet, when the church is revived, restored and renewed spiritually, there will be great rejoicing. It will be like a dream come true. In revival, especially if it comes as a result of God’s divine discipline on his adulterous church, there will be much weeping, because of the suffering and/or because of the people of God repenting of their sins, and yet their weeping will turn to joy.

In addition, I believe there are many now who are calling out to God to revive his church. Some of those have been called, as well, to call the church to repentance, similarly as the prophets did of old. They not only pray for revival and for the salvation of souls, but they are committed to teaching or preaching the Word of Truth, to sharing the full gospel message, to pointing out sin and spiritual adultery within the church, to warn of wolves in sheep’s clothing, to warn of divine discipline (judgment), and to promise hope, healing and restoration for the repentant. They sow in tears, but will reap with shouts of joy. They are among the persecuted, hated, rejected, and despised followers of Christ, which is also a reason for their tears, and yet they know that one day, if not now, they will see the fruit of their labor. The church will be revived, the full gospel will go forth from the revived church, and many will flock to Jesus Christ and be saved (See Isaiah 1-2).

Unless the Lord Builds

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds the house,

    those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

    the watchman stays awake in vain.

It is in vain that you rise up early

    and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

    for he gives to his beloved sleep. ~ Ps. 127:1-2

We, who are followers of Jesus Christ, are the children of God, the body of Christ - God’s household. Christ’s church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). The cornerstone is the keystone, foundation, or basis for God’s building, i.e. it is the most essential element, the most critical component, and the origin, source and core (heart) for all that we do as his church. In Christ we “also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:22). And, we “are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5).

If the church is not being built on the correct foundation, and if the Lord is not the one building his house, but it is humans instead, then it is bound to fail. In other words, if we are following “how to” books written by mere humans (not God-breathed) on how to grow our churches, and if what is being taught is not in line with scripture, and if the Holy Spirit is not the one directing and leading, but it is humans, instead, then the laborers labor in vain. Instead of the laborers sowing in tears and coming “home with shouts of joy, bringing” their “sheaves with” them, all their labors are in vain. They amount to nothing. They will bear no or little fruit for God’s eternal kingdom and for the glory of God, because their work is of the flesh and not of the Spirit. It will all be burned up in the end.

Yet, this applies not only to the whole of the body of Christ, collectively, but to us individually. If Christ is not the one directing our lives, but we are, then we are just spinning our wheels and we are wasting our efforts. We will bear no fruit in keeping with repentance, but our works will all burn up in the end. We need to stop wasting time and follow Jesus!

Walk in His Ways

A Song of Ascents.

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,

    who walks in his ways!

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;

    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. ~ Ps. 128:1-2

We are happy, joyful and fulfilled (satisfied; complete) when we are walking in the fear of the Lord and in his ways. To walk in the fear of the Lord means to show him honor, respect, value, love, obedience, submission and surrender to his will and purposes for our lives. It means to not take God for granted or to treat him as though he is a doting grandfather in the sky there to grant our every request while we live to please ourselves and we continue to go our own way. Jesus died, not just so we could escape hell and have the promise of heaven. He died so we would die with him to our sin and so we would be resurrected with him to new lives in Christ Jesus, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (See Eph. 4:17-24). In fact, He died so we would no longer live for ourselves but for him who gave himself up for us (See 2 Co. 5:15). This is walking in the fear of the Lord.

Yet, this is not taught much at all these days. And, that is a huge problem! So many have gotten the idea that coming to Christ is merely praying a prayer but that nothing is required of them at all – no repentance, no obedience, and no submission, etc. So, they end up believing they have the hope of heaven and yet they have never been regenerated of the Spirit of God. They do not know God, because they do not submit to him. They continue living in willful sin and rebellion against God thinking they have their tickets into heaven and that no one can take that away from them. They have been given a false hope. They need to be “born again.”

Others have come to true faith in Christ, but have since fallen back into sin’s deceitfulness, and are in need of genuine revival. All need to walk in the Spirit and to live holy and godly lives, pleasing to God, empowered by the Spirit of God and by Jesus Christ, who has given us all we need to live for him and to forsake living by our flesh.

Myopic / An Original Work / August 19, 2013

Based off 2 Peter 1:3-11

Jesus has given ev’rything

Needed for life and godliness.

His great and precious promises

Free us from our sin and distress.

Add to your faith His goodness;

Knowledge; patience; godliness;

Brotherly love and mutu’l affection;

Kindness and unselfishness.

If you possess these qualities,

Growing in your maturity,

They will keep you from vanity.

You will bear fruit effectually.

Nonetheless, if you lack them;

Forget you’ve been cleansed from sin,

Nearsighted are you; you can’t see Jesus.

You have closed your heart to Him.

Therefore, beloved, confirm, then,

Your calling and your election.

Do this by showing diligence:

Obey your Lord; be repentant.

Practice all these qualities

God provided on a tree.

He died for our sins so we’d be given

Life with Him eternally.

http://originalworks.info/myopic/

https://vimeo.com/115839336

I Call To Him

Sunday, January 11, 2015, 6:25 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “Seek the Lord.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 119:137-157 (ESV).

His Word is Trustworthy

Tsadhe

Righteous are you, O Lord,
    and right are your rules.
You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
    and in all faithfulness.
My zeal consumes me,
    because my foes forget your words.
Your promise is well tried,
    and your servant loves it.
I am small and despised,
    yet I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is righteous forever,
    and your law is true.
Trouble and anguish have found me out,
    but your commandments are my delight.
Your testimonies are righteous forever;
    give me understanding that I may live.

The Holy Bible of the Christian faith, although physically written by human beings, was God-breathed, i.e. the words written are the words of God, called scripture. And, they are still alive, active, and still speak to our hearts. They speak words of conviction, repentance, encouragement, correction, hope, healing, comfort, warning, judgment, salvation, victory and freedom. As well, they teach us how to live godly and holy lives, they train us in righteousness, and they equip us to walk in faithful obedience and surrender to our Lord.

In their original form, they were inerrant. I believe they have held their accuracy, for the most part, and thus are reliable. They have stood the test of time, and have proved themselves trustworthy. There are many different translations, though, and they differ in interpretation. As far as English translations go, I believe the King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version are the most reliable, although I favor the New International Version 1984 for readability, and it is sometimes more accurate in translation than the others. I do believe, if possible, that it is helpful to compare translations, although not everyone has that benefit. Biblehub.com provides multiple translations, as well as many useful Bible study helps, and it is free online.

I believe, when reading the Old Testament, that we must interpret what we read in light of the New Covenant relationship between God and his people, i.e. in light of Christ’s death and resurrection and the teachings of Christ and the apostles. Not everything in the OT still applies to our lives today, but scripture teaches it is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training us in righteousness, i.e. we can learn from the principles taught there, as applied within the context of our relationship with Jesus Christ - to those saved by grace. As well, we must always interpret scripture in light of its context. Too many false beliefs have stemmed from scripture taken out of context. It is good to read book by book and chapter by chapter. And, it is good to compare scripture with scripture, to help us correctly handle the word of truth. Yet, all is in vain unless we have the Holy Spirit speaking God’s words to our hearts, and unless we put into practice what we have been taught.

Call To Him

Qoph

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!
    I will keep your statutes.
I call to you; save me,
    that I may observe your testimonies.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I hope in your words.
My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promise.
Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
    O Lord, according to your justice give me life.
They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
    they are far from your law.
But you are near, O Lord,
    and all your commandments are true.
Long have I known from your testimonies
    that you have founded them forever.

Daily we must call upon the Lord. Yet, we don’t have to wait for some formal time of prayer or Bible reading to have a talk with him, or to listen to him speak. For the believer in Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living within us, so we are in God’s presence all the time. It is a lot like having God/Jesus right there beside us, with us in everything that we do. In fact, it would be good if we would realize that God/Jesus is right there with us when we do what we do, watch what we watch, and listen to whatever we listen to. We might stop doing some of the things we do if we would consciously think about the fact that he is right there with us all the time. We don’t ever leave his presence, and he never leaves us.

Because we have the Spirit of God living within us, we can talk with our Lord and we can hear him speaking to us all the time, throughout the day and even in our sleep. And, we should talk with him just like he is right there, much like we would talk with a friend or with our spouses. We don’t even have to close our eyes to pray. We can pray while we are cleaning house or watching kids or driving down the street or shopping in a mall or walking through a park, etc. The Lord Jesus often speaks to me through songs. I remember words better when they are put to music, so he uses scriptural songs to speak his words to my heart throughout the day. I love how I might be thinking about something, and even before I have voiced it to the Lord in prayer, I will hear a song playing through my mind, and the words will be God’s answer to my question which I may or may not have yet posed to him.

Yet, when we call upon the Lord, we must listen to what he says, and we must then put into practice what he teaches us. We must not ignore his words, and thus be like the man who looked at himself in the mirror and then walked away and forgot what he looked like. In fact, we should be like the psalmist and we should love the Word of the Lord, and welcome his teachings into our lives. His word should be our delight, especially in place of many things of this world in which we find or have found our delight. We, as well, must trust in the Word and put our hope in its teachings and promises, instead of putting our trust in humans and humanistic teaching and philosophies. We should live and breathe the word of the Lord. It should be our sustenance to provide us with all the spiritual nourishment we need for living the Christian life. The word of the Lord should be with us and in us at all times, and it should guide and direct us in all that we do, are and speak.

They Do Not Seek

Resh

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.

It says here that salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek God’s Word (Christ’s teachings and instructions). I think many people will read this and think only of those who are committing really gross sins or serious crimes, and yet the wicked are any who have not yet believed in Jesus Christ, by God’s grace, through faith, which entails repentance and submission to God/Jesus. This includes people in this world whom we might consider as nice, kind and good, as well as it includes many who profess the name of Christ, but who have never repented of their sin and who are still walking according to the ways of the flesh and of this sinful world. Jesus Christ did not die just so we could escape hell and have the hope of heaven when we die. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us. He died to free us from the control of sin over our lives on a day-to-day basis, and so we would walk with him in his righteousness and holiness.

Yet, the wicked are not the only ones guilty of not seeking the Lord and his word. Many believers in Jesus Christ have drifted away from their Lord and their sincere faith in Christ, and have returned to walking according to the ways of this sinful world. They have forgotten their Lord and his instructions, and have gone their own way. They think their lives are their own to do as they please, and they forget that God demands obedience and submission of his followers. They separate their fleshly lives from their spiritual lives, and thus have become lazy, complacent, and comfortable in their worldliness and wicked way of living. They don’t see anything wrong with partaking in fleshly desires, because they figure God’s grace covers it all. Yet, the Word teaches us that God’s grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age while we wait for our Lord’s return (See: Tit. 2:11-14).

So, God is calling his idolatrous and adulterous children to return to him as their only Lord and God, to repent of their sin, to forsake their idols, and to call upon him in faith, in obedience and in surrender to him and to his will for their lives. And, he also desires that the wicked forsake their sinful ways, turn to the Lord, believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and follow him in obedience to his word the rest of their days, all in the power and working of the Spirit of God within them. Then, they will go in joy, and be led forth in peace, and there will be much rejoicing because sinners have turned from their sinful ways and the wayward have returned to their Lord. Amen!

Seek the Lord / An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you,

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

http://originalworks.info/seek-the-lord/

https://vimeo.com/114870641