Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
9 That night Adonai said to him, “Get up and attack the camp, because I have handed it over to you. 10 But if you are afraid to attack, go down with your servant Purah; 11 and after you hear what they are saying, you will have the courage to attack the camp.” So with his servant Purah he went down to the outposts of the camp.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The Slow Walk to Fear or Spirit-Filled Boldness
Gideon knew a lot about fear and the hesitation it birthed.
He hesitated when God’s angel called him to lead Israel (Judges 6:13, 15).
He hesitated when Israel’s enemies gathered to oppose him (v 36-40).
And, it seems, he hesitated again the night before the battle in which God had promised victory (7:9-10).
And into this fear and hesitancy, God spoke.
Notice God’s grace and patience with Gideon as He says, “But if you are afraid…” and encourages him to take his servant down to the camp with him.
This is a sensitive way to address Gideon’s fear. It recognizes that, humanly speaking, there was great reason to be afraid! He was about to go into battle against an opponent whose soldiers outnumbered his by tens of thousands.
God didn’t rebuke him for his fear; instead, He gave him a valid reason to be bold and confident.
Like Gideon, we need such kind words from our Lord.
We are often slow to remember that we can cast all our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). We can boldly approach lay down all of our burdens and fears at His feet.
The veil is torn.
We’re permitted to come to Him and say that we don’t know what to do.
And His response is always filled with grace and sensitivity towards us.
What makes this story even more beautiful is Gideon’s response to God’s gentle suggestion.
During his discreet visit to the enemy camp, he overhears two men discussing a dream, which one soldier interprets as meaning that they will fall under “the sword of Gideon” because “God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp” (Judges 7:14).
When Gideon hears that and realizes that God has indeed gone before him to do what is impossible for him to do alone, what does he do? “He worshiped” (v 15).
There’s such wealth of gratitude and wisdom contained in that response.
Facing impossible odds but assured of God’s promise, this fearful, fragile, unlikely leader poured out his heart in worship and praise, and prayer and then utilized his new found God-given gift of steady courage to rally his troops. His boldness came from a private, secret moment between him and the Lord God.
There’s a difference between personality-driven schemes for manipulating people and genuine, Spirit-filled boldness.
One is produced on a purely human plane and is apt to crumble; the other can be discovered only as we humble ourselves before God, we freely acknowledge our inadequacy, and turn to His Word, remember His infinitely greater sufficiency.
That is a firm place on which to take our stand.
The antidote to fear isn’t more fear or more folly to think more highly of yourself, as so many claim. It’s to think more highly, reverently, of God.
It’s to trust in God’s enablement, over our own, which can grant you a holy, humble boldness beyond compare.
What are you fearful of right now?
Why are you delaying?
Why are you procrastinating?
Why are you hanging around, lingering, malingering, in all those shadows?
Why are you, like Jonah, looking for the fastest and most discrete ship to sail far in the opposite direction, to the furthest possible point away from the action?
What are you making what are obviously the world’s worst excuses against?
What responsibility are you really trying your hardcore hardest to avoid doing?
What lie or truth are you really trying your hardcore hardest to avoid learning?
Did Nathan visit your throne room? Is there a Psalm 51 thing you are avoiding?
Is there a truth you are trying your hardcore hardest to keep the deepest secret?
In what way are you tempted to hang back even though God is calling you to walk forward in obedience? Bring your fears to God. Ask Him to show you His ability to do what you cannot. Then trust Him, worship Him, and obey Him.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 32 Complete Jewish Bible
32 (0) By David. A maskil:
(1) How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven, those whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed those to whom Adonai imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit!
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away because of my groaning all day long; 4 day and night your hand was heavy on me; the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah)
5 When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, “I will confess my offenses to Adonai”; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
6 This is what everyone faithful should pray at a time when you can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him.
7 You are a hiding-place for me, you will keep me from distress; you will surround me with songs of deliverance. (Selah)
8 “I will instruct and teach you in this way that you are to go; I will give you counsel; my eyes will be watching you.”
9 Don’t be like a horse or mule that has no understanding, that has to be curbed with bit and bridle, or else it won’t come near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but grace surrounds those who trust in Adonai. 11 Be glad in Adonai; rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
14 But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The authority, sufficiency, infallibility, and inerrancy of Scripture are doctrines that are absolutely foundational to the ongoing work of God and His church.
We well can we authentically engage a slowly disintegrating, lost and hurting world with the gospel truth unless we are 100% convinced of its divine origin.
As Bishop J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) wrote, without the Bible as a “divine book to turn to as the basis of their doctrine and practice,” Christians “have no solid ground for present peace or hope, and has no right to claim the attention of mankind.”[1]
1Bible Inspiration: Its Reality and Nature(William Hunt, 1877), p 6.
Apostle Paul towards the end of his life, addressed this very issue when he sternly reminded Timothy that “all Scripture is breathed out by God.”
In other words, the Bible is not a human product infused with divinity; it’s a divine gift produced through human instrumentality. Its every book, chapter, sentence, word and syllable was originally given by God’s inspiration.
The doctrine of Scripture, like many other Christian doctrines, can be hugely challenging to grapple with.
But the fact that something is difficult to understand does not undermine its depths of authentic hardcore truthfulness.
Furthermore, when it comes to the doctrine of Scripture, there are matters that we can consider objectively.
For example, it’s easy to see that the Bible is a completely harmonious work.
While it was written by more than thirty authors over a period of about fifteen hundred years, all the writers tell the same story, giving the same account of this world, the character of its Creator, and the problem of the human heart, and broken spirit all pointing to the same wonderful way of salvation through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God—all the way from Genesis through Revelation!
The Bible also transcends time, culture, gender, wealth, power and intellect.
Some books may fit a certain person, a certain era, or a certain place, but there is no other book that perfectly stands up to the challenges of every day and of every age and to the myriad and myriad of questions that confronts life itself.
The brightest minds, the greatest thinkers, charismatic of speakers, cannot exhaust the riches of God’s word, and yet, at the same time, even young girls and boys can read their Bibles and discover its truth transforming their lives.
Try to plumb for yourselves the utter depths of Genesis 1:1 Amplified Bible
The Creation
1 In the beginning God ([a]Elohim) [b]created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.
Your efforts may be so vast, so comprehensive, so mind boggling, so fully enriching, so empowering, overwhelming, you may never get to verse 2.
2 The earth was [a]formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.
Once you look up at a clear star filled night sky or through a telescope, at the pictures from the Hubble and James Webb Space telescopes, try to calculate what it means to go from one end of the universe to the other or trying to find the exact center of an ever expanding universe then hearing that it would take you tens of trillions of light years (look that up) if not more to accomplish it.
Who else but God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit can ever hope to speak of it in such a way that the finite intellect and wisdom of mankind can grasp even .01% what our own finite eyes can observe and thoughts grasp?
Psalm 19 Amplified Bible
The Works and the Word of God.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
19 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. 2 Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; Their voice is not heard. 4 Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, Their words to the end of the world. In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. 6 The sun’s rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul; The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether. 10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed]; In keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults. 13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins; Let them not rule and have control over me. Then I will be blameless (complete), And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.
The authority, sufficiency, infallibility, and inerrancy of Scripture are the grounds on which we must stand; and we have divine help in order to do so.
The same Spirit that inspired the word of God illumines the word of God and illuminates our sin darkened wisdom, convinces us that it is 100% the word of God, given to us so that we may believe in Him who is the Word made flesh.
It is as the Spirit does this work in you that your belief in the divine authorship of Scripture is undergirded and moves from only being an intellectual assent to becoming a doctrine raising to becoming an active starvation level hunger for more of the word—and more of the one who is both its author and its subject.
The Power of the Word of God, the Word of Truth
Acts 6:5-8 Amplified Bible
5 The suggestion pleased the whole congregation; and they selected [a]Stephen, a man full of faith [in Christ Jesus], and [filled with and led by] the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (Nikolaos), a proselyte (Gentile convert) from Antioch. 6 They brought these men before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them [to dedicate and commission them for this service].
7 And the message of God kept on growing and spreading, and the number of disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem; and a large number of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith [accepting Jesus as Messiah and acknowledging Him as the Source of eternal salvation].
8 Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing, favor) and power, was doing great wonders and signs (attesting miracles) among the people.
It is tucked away almost like a fleeting footnote within the biblical story of the rapid growth of the church of Christ in the first months after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven.
And yet, recalling the rejection and betrayal Jesus experienced from his very own people, these so few words in today’s verse come as a surprise: “a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”
Perhaps for a while these priests had gone along with the efforts of their leaders, thinking that if they could force people to stop talking about Jesus, the whole matter would just go away.
Perhaps for a while they had tried to go along with covering up the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection.
It was probably very difficult for some of these priests to change; after all, they had spent their whole lives serving in the temple worship, bringing sacrifices and doing many other rituals on behalf of the people. But now they were called to fulfill new previously unknown roles as believers in Jesus, whom they had opposed but who was also acknowledged the Messiah they had been waiting for.
This little footnote note reminds us how the penetrating virus of self-deception can be overwhelmed and healed by the medicine of simply admitting the truth.
As Jesus himself promised, “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
Are you ready acknowledge Jesus as God’s Messiah?
Are we ready to acknowledge the Word of God as being 100% authentic?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 29
A psalm by David.
1 Give to Yahweh, you heavenly beings. Give to Yahweh glory and power. 2 Give to Yahweh the glory his name deserves. Worship Yahweh in his holy splendor.
3 The voice of Yahweh rolls over the water. The El of glory thunders. Yahweh shouts over raging water. 4 The voice of Yahweh is powerful. The voice of Yahweh is majestic. 5 The voice of Yahweh breaks the cedars. Yahweh splinters the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon skip along like a calf and Mount Sirion like a wild ox. 7 The voice of Yahweh strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of Yahweh makes the wilderness tremble. Yahweh makes the wilderness of Kadesh tremble. 9 The voice of Yahweh splits the oaks[a] and strips the trees of the forests bare. Everyone in his temple is saying, “Glory!”
10 Yahweh sat enthroned over the flood. Yahweh sits enthroned as Melek forever. 11 Yahweh will give power to his people. Yahweh will bless his people with peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
2 My son, if you will receive my words and store my commands inside you, 2 paying attention to wisdom inclining your mind toward understanding — 3 yes, if you will call for insight and raise your voice for discernment, 4 if you seek it as you would silver and search for it as for hidden treasure — 5 then you will understand the fear of Adonai and find knowledge of God.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
There is a Whole Lot of “If’s” Going on Here …
If you will call out for insight …
If you will cry aloud for understanding …
If you will look for it as for silver …
and if you will search for it as for hidden treasure …
and if then you will understand the fear of the Lord …
and if then you authentically desire to find the knowledge of God …
“if We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word…”
if We can never discover the depths of Scripture’s insights into life without first accepting it as true and authoritative, why then did God speak it to us?
If we do not, will not, accept the Word of God as true and as authoritative …
And if several hundred years later the Lord God continues to admonish us with these words of Apostle Paul to his protégé’ Timothy …
1 Timothy 4:11-14 The Message
11-14 Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, and teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.
Ask yourself, pray to the Holy Spirit … Is my soul being strangely ignited? Can my Soul be strangely ignited? Will my soul be ever become strangely ignited?
So, Let the Truth be Told … So, Let God be Revealed
We can never discover the depths of Scripture’s insights into life without first accepting it as true and authoritative.
We must first believe Scripture before we can understand it.
As long as we keep asking, Should this passage be here? Is it genuine? Is it a legend? Is it nothing but a fairy tale? If this is our constant approach, then we can never get around to asking, What does this say to me? What does it mean to me? Where is the wisdom hidden in this that I need so desperately in my life?
Those students and pseudo-scholars who feel they are a final authority on what ought to be here and what ought not to be here, never seem to be able to get around to understanding what is written. They never seem able to say anything or teach anything about the wondrous depths of the Scriptures, for they exclude themselves from minimal understanding by their attitude of judgment over it.
You cannot understand nuclear physics unless you first believe the underlying axioms that have to do with this realm of human knowledge. You cannot hope to understand chemistry unless you are willing to accept certain of the chemical formulas that have been proposed. You cannot believe anything until you accept it as genuine and put it to the test of experience, and this is true of God’s Word.
I remember Reverend Dr. Billy Graham saying that as a young man there came into his life a time and a season of doubt as to the authority of the Scriptures.
There came questions as to whether the text as we have it could be trusted, whether this was the Word of God or merely the ideas of men about Jesus.
He was troubled by the questions that occur all too frequently in these days.
He went away by himself up into the mountains, taking his Bible with him, and there began to read it, and read it, and read it.
He eventually came at last to the place where he said to God, I have seen enough of the transforming ability of this Word to know that you alone are behind it. I know, Lord, there are too many questions, many areas that I do not understand about this book, and I will take it by faith that it is your Word and believe it and preach it as your Word and trust that you will make clear to me what it means.
It was from this time that Billy Graham’s worldwide ministry of evangelism began. You well know that his favorite expression is, The Bible says. He does not debate it with anyone; he does not question it; he simply, diligently, declares it.
Devoted Ourselves to Prayer and the Word of God
Acts 6:1-6 The Message
The Word of God Prospered
6 1-4 During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers—“Hellenists”—toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.”
5-6 The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose—
Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,
Philip,
Procorus,
Nicanor,
Timon,
Parmenas,
Nicolas, a convert from Antioch.
Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on hands and commissioned them for their task.
While the Spirit-filled events of Pentecost and the resulting ministry were extraordinary, the apostles, their followers did not begin saying afterward, Well, now the Spirit of God teaches me; therefore, I don’t need to listen to anybody else.
Instead, when filled with the Holy Spirit, they were all ears for the authoritative preaching and teaching of God’s word.
This teaches us an important lesson: the Spirit of God always leads the people of God to devote themselves to the word of God.
This is why the book of Acts is full of the centrality of preaching.
The apostles ultimately recognized that God’s supreme instrument for the renewing His people in the image of His Son was and is through His word and their diligent reading and diligent study of it, as His Spirit works through it.
Here in Acts 6 we see an example of the priority and protection the apostles gave to those called and equipped to teach.
The apostles recognized the sobering importance of being entrusted as devoted servants of God as Ezra, bring before the people the very Words of God Himself.
Nehemiah 8:1-12 New King James Version
Ezra Reads and Explains the Law
8 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate [a]from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.
Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the [b]governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
The Old Testament books refer to the “oracles” of the prophets; this word can also be translated as “burden” (see, for instance, Isaiah 13:1-3, NKJV).
13 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. 3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
It describes a millstone weight upon the heart and mind that comes about because of the awesome responsibility of speaking God’s truth to people.
Back in the nineteenth century Reverend Charles H. Spurgeon acknowledged the magnitude of this burden by declaring his pulpit to be more influential than the very throne of the king of England, for Spurgeon brought a message from the throne of God to that pulpit and delivered the truth of Christian doctrine.
We must pray for and protect those called to teach the truths of Scripture, whether to a congregation, or to little children, or in any other context.
It is no small thing to stand up regularly between a holy God and His people, declaring His word. It is a high heavy burden as well as a wonderful privilege.
In addition to praying for our teachers and preachers, we must also be humble and eager to sit and learn under the authoritative teaching of God’s word.
Such an example of devotion was set by the early church in their dedication to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42).
Contemporary devotion ought to look the same; we must each be committed to teaching that is based on the New Testament truths revealed to the apostles and built upon the foundations of Old Testament doctrine.
We must not be spending all our time snacking on the fast food of box sets that soak up our time, TV networks that confirm what we already think, and books or video games, vastness of social media that offer escape from the real world.
John 4:31-38 Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Jesus Explains: I Came To Do God’s Will. The Harvest Is Ripe
31 In the meantime the disciples were asking Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat”. 32 But the One said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about”. 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “Someone did not bring Him something to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus says to them, “My food is that I may do the will of the One having sent Me, and accomplish His work. 35 Do you not say that ‘There are still[a] four months, and the harvest comes’? Behold, I say to you— lift-up your eyes and look-at the fields, that[b] they are white for harvest[c]. Already 36 the one reaping is receiving wages, and is gathering fruit for life eternal, so that the one sowing and the one reaping may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, that ‘One is the one sowing and another[d] is the one reaping. 38 I sent you out to be reaping what you have not[e] labored-for. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor”.
Instead, we need ask God to set our meal tables to feast on the word of God.
Like Jesus taught his disciples; Let that be your spiritual food and you will find each day that the Spirit of God leads you deeper into the truths, the joys within.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 119:1-16 Complete Jewish Bible
א (Alef)
119 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless, who live by the Torah of Adonai! 2 How happy are those who observe his instruction, who seek him wholeheartedly! 3 They do nothing wrong but live by his ways. 4 You laid down your precepts for us to observe with care. 5 May my ways be steady in observing your laws. 6 Then I will not be put to shame, since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot. 7 I thank you with a sincere heart as I learn your righteous rulings. 8 I will observe your laws; don’t completely abandon me!
ב (Bet)
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; don’t let me stray from your mitzvot. 11 I treasure your word in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, Adonai! Teach me your laws. 13 I proclaim with my mouth all the rulings you have spoken. 14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction more than in any kind of wealth. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and keep my eyes on your ways. 16 I will find my delight in your regulations. I will not forget your word.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
15-16 Don’t interfere with good people’s lives; don’t try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don’t stay down long; Soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Good men have resilient souls!
Will Lucy of the Peanuts comic strips ever stop enjoying pulling the football away from Charlie Brown when he tries to kick it? Will Charlie Brown ever learn to just stop the insanity and the hurt and the humiliation of falling on his back and instead, just walk away, go somewhere else, far away from Lucy’s antics?
As a young entertainer, Will Rogers’ stage specialty used to be rope tricks. One day, on stage, in the middle of his act, he became tangled in his lariat. But instead of becoming frustrated, Rogers laughed and spoke up in his Oklahoma drawl, “A rope ain’t so bad to get tangled up in if ain’t around your neck!”
The audience just roared at his impromptu response. Encouraged by his warm reception, Rogers began adding commentary and satire to all his performances.
It was his commentary, not his rope tricks, that eventually made him famous.
Had Will Rogers not become tangled in his rope that day, he might never have discovered his ability to wow crowds with his charm, wit and witticisms. That’s because, very often, our mistakes open doors to new possibilities that we never would have ever imagined had things gone the way we had originally intended.
Understanding this can give us a new perspective on our mistakes. When we begin to see our mishaps as opportunities to learn new things and gain new experiences, it completely transforms our outlook on our lives and ourselves.
Don’t let your mistakes discourage you. Instead, look for what God is teaching you through them and swiftly go in new directions. Be willing to turn around, learn blessings from your shortcomings and your mistakes will mature you!
Prayer Challenge
Pray that God would help you to learn blessings instead of curses, positive life lessons from your mistakes that would timely spur you on to spiritual maturity.
Questions for Thought
2 Timothy 3:14-17 The Message
14-17 But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
Think of a mistake you’ve made in the past that has actually helped you. What would have happened if things had gone the way you had originally planned?
How can we re-interpret our worldview, seeing our mistakes as true growth opportunities change the way you respond when things don’t go your way?
Did you remember to turn your attention to the Word of God for His Wisdom?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 15 The Message
15 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?
2 “Walk straight, act right, tell the truth.
3-4 “Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor; despise the despicable.
5 “Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe.
“You’ll never get blacklisted if you live like this.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
1 O Yahweh, out of the depths I call to you. 2 O Adonay, hear my voice. Let your ears be open to my pleas for mercy. 3 O Yahweh, who would be able to stand if you kept a record of sins? 4 But with you there is forgiveness so that you can be feared. 5 I wait for Yahweh, my soul waits, and with hope I wait for his word. 6 My soul waits for Adonay more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. 7 O Israel, put your hope in Yahweh, because with Yahweh there is mercy and with him there is unlimited forgiveness. 8 He will rescue Israel from all its sins.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Many of the Psalms in the Psalter are penitential hymns, where the people of God cry out to Him for confession and forgiveness or plead for His mercy and blessing. Like us, ancient writers knew that the Lord God is faithful to hear our needy prayer and by God’s standard, quick to answer our pitiful cries for help.
From the moment that Adam and Eve fell, the individual sins we all commit and the inherited sin nature we received from our forefathers, inevitably renders us all as 100% guilty sinners before the Lord.
Our transgressions condemn us and separate us from a holy God.
Without any exceptions, We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and if God were to mark our iniquities not one of us could remain standing. On that hard truth alone, everyman who has been fathered by man is lost in their trespasses and sins and, without any exceptions, be found guilty before God.
The ancient words of the Psalmist are, still today, indeed a chilling reality of what we justly deserve as a member of a rebellious, sinful race of men, for if the Lord should mark our iniquities as we justly deserve, which of us could stand?
But God in His boundless, ceaseless, unlimited mercy, grace, justice, and love sent His Son to us to pay the penalty of every last sin committed by everyman.
Romans 6:23 Names of God Bible
23 The payment for sin is death, but the gift that God freely gives is everlasting life found in Christ Yeshua our Lord.
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, for as we read: “If the Lord should mark our iniquities, who could stand?”
But there is true forgiveness; eternal forgiveness with our Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, that the Lord may be worshipped and glorified for ever and ever.
Coming to Faith: Trust His Love Has Redeemed Us
The eternal redemption afforded to us by the powerful sacrifice of Jesus is a wonderful, life-giving demonstration of God’s unconditional, unchanging love.
I’ve gone through much of my life being bullied, scorned. feeling condemned.
My mindset was to look at my thoughts, actions, reactions, and failures and apply my condemning perspective to my perception of my heavenly Father.
But, in reality, over time, he has so faithfully demonstrated his overwhelming love to me through the securing of my redemption. In reality, he truly loves me just as I am even with all my countless failures, failings, mistakes and faults.
Colossians 1:19-22 Names of God Bible
19 God was pleased to have all of himself live in Christ. 20 God was also pleased to bring everything on earth and in heaven back to himself through Christ. He did this by making peace through Christ’s blood sacrificed on the cross.
21 Once you were separated from God. The evil things you did showed your hostile attitude. 22 But now Christ has brought you back to God by dying in his physical body. He did this so that you could come into God’s presence without sin, fault, or blame.
God sees you and me as “holy and blameless.”
Through his love we have been totally redeemed: set right before the God whose perspectives and beliefs are true above all else. When he says we are redeemed, that truth is now meant to be at the foundation of all we think, believe, and do.
Psalm 130:7 says, “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.”
You and I are redeemed apart from anything we do. We are made holy apart from any inherent ability or worthiness we possess. God’s passionate desire for restored relationship with us caused him to secure what you and I could never attain on our own: the eternal redemption of all who believe in Jesus Christ.
So what does it mean for you to be redeemed?
What effect does redemption have on your day today?
1 Peter 1:14-15“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”
Live your life today in greater light of the redemption secured for you by Jesus.
Allow the Holy Spirit to do a mighty work and help you live differently today than you did yesterday. Your past failures and weaknesses do not define you.
Your present misconceptions and sins can be forgiven, healed, and transformed this instant.
Jesus made a clear path for you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (Ephesians 4:1-6).
Ephesians 4:1-6 Names of God Bible
Christ’s Gifts to the Church
4 I, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which proves that God has called you. 2 Be humble and gentle in every way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other. 3 Through the peace that ties you together, do your best to maintain the unity that the Spirit gives. 4 There is one body and one Spirit. In the same way you were called to share one hope. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over everything, through everything, and in everything.
All that is required of you, me, we, is to confess with all our heart, believe, trust, open your heart to God, and live today in the constant communion God desires with you. May your day today be filled with all of the life-giving transformation and freedom that comes from living in the light of your present redemption.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on the redemption secured for you by the powerful sacrifice of Jesus.
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7
“O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” Psalm 130:7
“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:12
2. Where have sins, lies, past failures, or wounds been causing you to live apart from your redemption?
Where has your life looked more like the world and less like heaven? Confess those sins and your need of God’s forgiveness, transformation, and presence.
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19-20
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
3. Receive God’s forgiveness. Spend time opening, surrendering, bit by bit, piece by piece, and chunk by chunk, your heart and receiving his presence.
“If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” Psalm 130:3-4
“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14
Our heavenly Father is wholly patient with us as we learn to live out this incredible gift of redemption.
He is perfectly kind and forgiving when we come to him and confess our sin.
And God has a perfect plan every day for our transformation, healing, and freedom if we will but simply make .0001% more space in our lives to spend time with Him, His Son and the Holy Spirit and will receive all he has to give.
Through the diligent study of His Living Word, May we as the body of Christ truly learn what it is to live in light of the glorious inheritance of redemption, and freedom, and abundant life secured for us by the precious blood of Jesus.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 15 Names of God Bible
Psalm 15
A psalm by David.
1 O Yahweh, who may stay in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one who walks with integrity, does what is righteous, and speaks the truth within his heart.
3 The one who does not slander with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor.
4 The one who despises those rejected by Yahweh but honors those who fear Yahweh.
The one who makes a promise and does not break it, even though he is hurt by it.
5 The one who does not collect interest on a loan or take a bribe against an innocent person.
Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
(1) How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven, those whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed those to whom Adonai imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit!
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away because of my groaning all day long; 4 day and night your hand was heavy on me; the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah)
5 When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, “I will confess my offenses to Adonai”; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
6 This is what everyone faithful should pray at a time when you can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Sin, Guilt and Your Health – A Health Devotional.
This morning, during my quiet time with God, I was reading Psalm 32 and was reminded of the connection between sin, guilt and health. In this Psalm, David writes when he tried to hide his adultery, sending Uriah to his death, refused to confess his sin that he felt weak and miserable and that he groaned all day long. He also writes that his strength evaporated like water in the dry summer heat.
After reading two other Psalm 32 devotionals, I knew that I wanted to write on this topic of sin, guilt and our health and the interrelationship between them.
Sin, Guilt and Health – What the Bible Says
Psalm 32:1-6 Amplified Bible
Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, favored by God] is he whose transgression is forgiven, And whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute wickedness, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; My [b]energy (vitality, strength) was drained away as with the burning heat of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And I did not hide my wickedness; I said, “I will confess [all] my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. 6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [for forgiveness] in a time when You [are near and] may be found; Surely when the great waters [of trial and distressing times] overflow they will not reach [the spirit in] him.
Those who work in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and social services are often confronted with a strong correlation between what is happening in a person’s heart and mind and what is being displayed in that person’s body.
God’s word speaks into this connection and then goes deeper, for it tells us that there is a connection between the state of our body and the state of our soul.
In Psalm 32, David speaks very personally to God, acknowledging the heaviness he experienced when he hid in the shadows and refused to confess his sin against Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah (see 2 Samuel 11).
And through David, the Spirit teaches us that there is a link between a tortured conscience and lack of repentance, and our physical wellbeing.
Those who were in David’s immediate company may not have been aware of what was going on inside him spiritually, but they could not have avoided the rather obvious manifestations of what was happening to him physically.
The description he provides adds to the account he gives elsewhere: “My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off” (Psalm 38:10-11). It’s a quite devastating picture.
David recognized his condition for what it was: a punishment.
The Bible makes it clear that there is a natural outcome to lust, excess, and a disregard for the commands of God (see Romans 1:24-25)—all of which David was guilty of. Mood swings, frailty, weight loss, sleeplessness, a deepening sense of rejection, melancholy, anxiety, and despair often haunt individuals who are seeking to hide their “secret” sin from God and deny it to themselves.
What restored David was not a health kick or getting to bed earlier but rather dealing with the root cause—his sin: “I acknowledged my sin to you … and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).
God kept His hand heavy upon David until Nathan showed up and told him a story which convicted him.
Then David left his throne, placed his sin into God’s hands and asked Him to help him deal with it. It is a blessing to us when God does not allow us to forget our sin—when we feel physical heaviness because of our spiritual sickness.
It is His means of bringing us to do what we most need: to confess it and ask for forgiveness for it.
Fortunately we have a God who loves us incredibly and because of this, he freely reveals his mercy, he forgives us of our sins when we confess our wrongdoings.
Because of the magnitude of his mercy and his forgiveness of our sins, believers should be able to freely surrender over any guilt or shame that they feel.
God does not want us to experience the heaviness associated with chronic guilt.
His desire is that we live in peace and joy which is available to us when we confess our wrongdoings and believe that God gives us mercy, forgives us.
Peace and joy are health-promoting compared to chronic guilt which can be damaging to our health in more ways than anyone dares to acknowledge.
Are we harboring sin?
Do not cloak it; confess it. David experienced liberating relief from his pain and distress when he sought God’s forgiveness.
You too can know that joy, for the promise of God’s word is that
“if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
A Few Questions to Reflect On:
Are you holding on to guilt and shame because of some past or current sin in your life?
Are you perhaps weak and miserable or plagued with a chronic health related condition – Headaches, High Blood Pressure, tiredness, fatigue, heart ailments that could be caused by the physical strains of coping with long-term guilt?
As soon as possible, to rule out any potentially serious disorder, go see your Primary Care Medical Team for proper assessment, evaluation and treatment
How about issues of anxiety, mood disorders, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, mood swings, irritability, shorter than usual temper control etcetera.
As soon as possible, seek out Licensed Professional Mental Health providers for a proper clinical assessment, evaluation, and therapeutic treatment modalities.
Relieving The Burden of our Guilt and God’s Grace
Psalm 32:6 Amplified Bible
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You [for forgiveness] in a time when You [are near and] may be found; Surely when the great waters [of trial and distressing times] overflow they will not reach [the spirit in] him.
Psalm 32 reminds me that a moral compass is embedded within everyone’s heart. When we do not chart our lives by that compass, we feel genuine guilt.
David spoke to that reality in Psalm 32. He had made a total mess of his life. His moral failures included adultery, conspiracy and murder. David acknowledged that when we mess up, we are eaten up inside if we keep quiet until a someone tells us a story, we convict ourselves. David had an inner urge to confess his sin.
Once confronted by Nathan, thus came his release. David confessed his sin to the Lord. Yes, there were people in his life with whom David needed to come clean. But only God could grant the full pardon his soul craved. When we mess up, our guilt is first of all toward our Creator, whose law we have violated.
How do you find real forgiveness?
If you have not confessed sins which you feel guilty of, I urge you to prayerfully make that confession to God so you and those around you or those you will soon meet, can return to feeling peaceful and joyful, which is God’s will for your life.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 42 Complete Jewish Bible
Book II: Psalms 42–72
42 (0) For the leader. A maskil of the descendants of Korach:
2 (1) Just as a deer longs for running streams, God, I long for you. 3 (2) I am thirsty for God, for the living God! When can I come and appear before God?
4 (3) My tears are my food, day and night, while all day people ask me, “Where is your God?” 5 (4) I recall, as my feelings well up within me, how I’d go with the crowd to the house of God, with sounds of joy and praise from the throngs observing the festival.
6 (5) My soul, why are you so downcast? Why are you groaning inside me? Hope in God, since I will praise him again for the salvation that comes from his presence. 7 (6) My God, when I feel so downcast, I remind myself of you from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon, from the hill Mizar. 8 (7) Deep is calling to deep at the thunder of your waterfalls; all your surging rapids and waves are sweeping over me. 9 (8) By day Adonai commands his grace, and at night his song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life. 10 (9) I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, under pressure by the enemy? 11 (10) My adversaries’ taunts make me feel as if my bones were crushed, as they ask me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ ”
12 (11) My soul, why are you so downcast? Why are you groaning inside me? Hope in God, since I will praise him again for being my Savior and God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.[b]
4 The sorrows of those who run after[c] another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.[d] 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being[e] rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.[f]
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:1-2
Throughout Scripture we see countless examples of God meeting with man and countless lives being transformed as the result. These examples are in Scripture to stir our faith and fill us with a desire to meet with our Creator. When we read about the life of David, we should each be filled with a longing to live as he did, a heart and soul which is centered around, #1, meeting with our heavenly Father.
The meetings between God and David shaped human history forever.
David knew what it was to be in the presence of God. In fact, being in God’s presence was his fuel, greatest joy, and source of courage.
In Psalm 16:11 David writes, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
In verse 5 writes, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.”
David was a very flawed man who still consistently chose to meet with God over obsessing, filling his days with the fleeting, unsatisfying things of the world.
He centered his life around meeting with God, it consistently, continually had changed his heart, and his soul, learning – sometimes the in the very hardest of ways, God is always and forever sovereign over man, God utterly detests all sin and calls his children to repentance to restored their right relationship with God and it forever changed the history of not only his generations, but countless too more generations to come. David’s heart like ours strays but God’s stays True.
In 1 Samuel 17:34-37, we see a glimpse into the impact of David meeting with God early in his life. Scripture says,
But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
Out on the fields, David learned of God’s power and desire for deliverance.
He learned quickly what it was to meet with God in the daily work of life. He learned even in the night time, guarding his fathers flocks, God counseled him, God upheld him, God taught him his shepherding craft, counseled about life.
And he carried that knowledge with him into every battle, trial, and failure.
We see it in Psalm 16:1-2 where David prays, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’”
King David, the greatest king that ever sat on the throne of Israel, claimed, “I have no good apart from you.”
David, about whom 1 Chronicles 29:28 says, “Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor,”claimed he had no good apart from the Lord.
David knew that God’s counsel, God’s presence was the best part of life.
He knew that meeting with his heavenly Father was far greater than any victory, possession, status, or honor. And it was for that reason that he lived a life full of the very thing he sought: his heart in the presence of the living God.
Your heavenly Father longs to meet with you as he did David.
He loves you the same as he loved David.
And through the powerful sacrifice of Jesus, you have even greater access to the heart of God.
You have God, the Holy Spirit dwelling within you.
Choose today to seek meeting with God above all else.
Center your life around the presence of your heavenly Father the way David did.
1 Kings 3:3-15 New American Standard Bible 1995
3 Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”
Solomon’s Prayer
6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in [a]truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have [b]reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give Your servant [c]an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this [d]great people of Yours?”
God’s Answer
10 [e]It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself [f] long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself [g]discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”
15 Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
Both day and night, awake or on the job or even asleep, strive to 100% live for transformational encounters with God and watch as the things of this world fall into proper place, acknowledging your propensity to sin, then repent from that sin, turning back to God as God is showing to you the pathway to life providing you with transcendent peace, joy, purpose, in the midst of any circumstance.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on David’s longing for the presence of God. Allow Scripture to fill you with a desire to meet with your heavenly Father as David did.
“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.” Psalm 16:5
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” Psalm 16:1-2
2. Allow these other Scriptures to fill you with faith to encounter the presence of God. The Holy Spirit of God is dwelling within you, ready to lead you into a transformational encounter with your heavenly Father.
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?” Psalm 139:7
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”1 Corinthians 6:19-20
3. Take time to meet with God. Ask him to reveal his nearness to you. Ask him to give you a passion for his presence like David had. Choose to center your life around the goodness of his nearness today.
“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.” Psalm 84:10
How much better would our lives be if we simply chose to center them around meeting with the eternal, living, and active God of love?
What would it be like to seek his counsel throughout our days?
What would it be like to live wholly loved, liked, set free, and filled with his presence? Through Jesus, more has been made available to us than we know.
We’ve been granted access to the fullness of life, love, and freedom. All that is required of us is to make space in our days and seek meeting with God above all else. May we as the bride of Christ choose to love our bridegroom above all else.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 23 King James Version
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
7 Moshe would take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Everyone who wanted to consult Adonai would go out to the tent of meeting, outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moshe went out to the tent, all the people would get up and stand, each man at his tent door, and look at Moshe until he had gone into the tent. 9 Whenever Moshe entered the tent, the column of cloud would descend and station itself at the entrance to the tent; and Adonai would speak with Moshe. 10 When all the people saw the column of cloud stationed at the entrance to the tent, they would get up and prostrate themselves, each man at his tent door. 11 Adonai would speak to Moshe face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then he would return to the camp; but the young man who was his assistant, Y’hoshua the son of Nun, never left the inside of the tent.
(iii)12 Moshe said to Adonai, “Look, you say to me, ‘Make these people move on!’ But you haven’t let me know whom you will be sending with me. Nevertheless you have said, ‘I know you by name,’ and also, ‘You have found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now, please, if it is really the case that I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways; so that I will understand you and continue finding favor in your sight. Moreover, keep on seeing this nation as your people.” 14 He answered, “Set your mind at rest — my presence will go with you, after all.” 15 Moshe replied, “If your presence doesn’t go with us, don’t make us go on from here. 16 For how else is it to be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, other than by your going with us? That is what distinguishes us, me and your people, from all the other peoples on earth.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The biblical story of Moses is one marked by powerful encounters with the high authority of man used to being successful, used to being in charge, used to being obeyed, used to standing in the presence of leaders of nations and the presence of God. Though he did not know it, from thee very beginning of his life Moses was a man of controversy, a fugitive, and anointed by God to fulfill God’s heart for his children to be set free from captivity and safe under his lordship.
From birth, Moses was divinely set apart to lead God’s people back into right relationship with God. And this calling was fulfilled because of God’s desire to consistently meet with Moses and show up through his life in miraculous ways.
In looking at the life of Moses, two types of encounters with God stand out as especially transformative and illustrative of God’s heart to meet with his people. As we look at these two examples of God meeting Moses, may Scripture fill your heart with a desire to meet with your heavenly Father as Moses did.
First, Exodus 3:1-6 gives us insight into the first real encounter Moses had with the Great I Am. Scripture says,
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
In the miraculous story of the burning bush, we see God’s grace and divine favor on the life of an undeserving under a sentence of death man. Moses had fled the scene after murdering an Egyptian for assaulting a Hebrew man. For years he had been hiding in the desert, living outside of any real earthly impact.
But God called Moses out of the wilderness into a life of deep, eternal impact.
Second, we see God’s merciful and forgiving heart to consistently meet with Moses in the Tent of Meeting found in Exodus 33:7-11. Scripture says,
Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
How incredible is the magnitude of the heart of our God that he would choose to meet alone with Moses “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”
If God would deliberately meet with Moses, a man who has not been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus, how much more would he meet with you and me?
If God, who created the universe in six days would show grace to Moses, how much more available is grace to us who have God himself dwelling within us!
You and I have access to relationship far greater than a face-to-face encounter like Moses had. We have God’s Spirit within us fellowshipping with our Spirit.
How Can We Feel God’s Presence?
John 14:7-15 Amplified Bible
Jesus’ Oneness with the Father
7 If you had [really] known Me, you would also have known My Father. From now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not say on My own initiative or authority, but the Father, abiding continually in Me, does His works [His attesting miracles and acts of power]. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe [Me] because of the [very] works themselves [which you have witnessed]. 12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name [[a]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.
15 “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.
John 14:18-24 Amplified Bible
18 “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you. 19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20 On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. 21 The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. 24 One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.
Jesus’ disciples were upset. For three years they had been with Jesus.
They had walked with him and talked with him face to face. And now he was about to leave. How could they possibly go on without seeing him face to face?
How could they face the challenges of life without his daily presence?
In his farewell address the Lord Jesus put the disciples’ minds at ease.
He told them that his returning to the Father was for their good (John 16:7).
He promised to send the Holy Spirit, who would live in them and teach them about living for God.
And through the Spirit they’d be able to enjoy God’s presence always.
Through the Holy Spirit you and I can experience God’s face to face, heart to heart presence every moment of the day. All we have to do is ask in prayers.
Jesus says Luke 11:13,“If you … know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
The most important prayer we can pray each day is to ask for the all-powerful presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
When we have the Holy Spirit guiding us each day, we will not only experience God’s presence in our own lives, but we’ll also be able to show God’s presence to others as we live God’s way, displaying the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
True restored relationship finds its source in continual, unending encounters with God’s presence, His Holy Spirit dwelling with us, within us and upon us.
Approaching God with Confidence
Hebrews 4:14-16 Amplified Bible
14 Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].
Priests were God’s chosen servants; they served as mediators between God and his people.
They worked in the temple, praying for the people and bringing their sacrifices to God.
They offered sacrifices on behalf of the people to make atonement for their sins.
And only the high priest was allowed to enter the most holy place to stand before God.
Earlier in Hebrews, Jesus is referred to as the “faithful high priest.” Here, in chapter 4, he is called the “great high priest.”
This means he is actually the greatest of all high priests.
He is the One, the Only, true High Priest.
Jesus is the greatest because, unlike all the others, he “has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Because he is sinless and perfect, he is now able to stand before God as the one who can make atonement for our sins.
Because of his perfect life, Jesus’ atonement for our sins is real and lasting.
For this reason, we do not need to be afraid to enter God’s presence; in fact, we can have “assurance and confidence” when we approach God.
We can be assured and we can be confident that with our entrance we will surely “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Please, please, please, don’t be afraid to approach God.
God went to Moses ….
God went to all men and women and children – John 3:16-21
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. 18 Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God’s only and unique Son.
19 “Now this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light. Why? Because their actions were wicked. 20 For everyone who does evil things hates the light and avoids it, so that his actions won’t be exposed. 21 But everyone who does what is true comes to the light, so that all may see that his actions are accomplished through God.”
Instead, approach him with confidence, knowing that even though we cannot do this in our own strength, we can do it through Jesus, the great High Priest.
May we bravely pursue the greater portion of our face to face, heart to heart relationship with our heavenly Father today. May our Spirit come alive as we grow in our awareness of God’s Spirit. May we have powerful, transformative encounters with God’s presence likened to that which Moses experienced.
Guided Prayer:
1. Meditate on God’s desire to meet with Moses. Allow Scripture to fill you with a longing to meet with God as Moses did.
“When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ And he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus 3:4-6
“When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.” Exodus 33:9-11
2. Where can you make your tent of meeting? Where and when, can, will you consistently encounter the presence of God and meet with your heavenly Father face-to-face?
3. Take time to meet with God as Moses did. Open your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal his nearness.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17
Having a consistent time and place to meet with God allows us to develop a rhythm by which we grow in experiencing God’s presence.
To have our own Tent of Meeting is vital to Christian spirituality.
Choose a place and time that won’t get disrupted and will help you center your life around meeting with your heavenly Father.
These is absolutely nothing more critical, more important or pressing than seeing the face of God, being transformed by his love and nearness every day.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 84 Complete Jewish Bible
84 (0) For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of the sons of Korach:
2 (1) How deeply loved are your dwelling-places, Adonai-Tzva’ot! 3 (2) My soul yearns, yes, faints with longing for the courtyards of Adonai; my heart and body cry for joy to the living God.
4 (3) As the sparrow finds herself a home and the swallow her nest, where she lays her young, [so my resting-place is] by your altars, Adonai-Tzva’ot, my king and my God.
5 (4) How happy are those who live in your house; they never cease to praise you! (Selah) 6 (5) How happy the man whose strength is in you, in whose heart are [pilgrim] highways.
7 (6) Passing through the [dry] Baka Valley, they make it a place of springs, and the early rain clothes it with blessings. 8 (7) They go from strength to strength and appear before God in Tziyon.
9 (8) Adonai, God of armies, hear my prayer; listen, God of Ya‘akov. (Selah) 10 (9) God, see our shield [the king]; look at the face of your anointed. 11 (10) Better a day in your courtyards than a thousand [days elsewhere]. Better just standing at the door of my God’s house than living in the tents of the wicked.
12 (11) For Adonai, God, is a sun and a shield; Adonai bestows favor and honor; he will not withhold anything good from those whose lives are pure.
13 (12) Adonai-Tzva’ot, how happy is anyone who trusts in you!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
23 Now it happened after a long time [about forty years] that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel (Jacob) groaned and sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out. And their cry for help because of their bondage [a]ascended to God. 24 So God heard their groaning and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice [of them] and was concerned about them [knowing all, understanding all, remembering all].
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The beginning of the beloved Christmas movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” depicts many people praying simultaneously, and the juxtaposition of voices — to our ears — becomes a cacophony of noise.
How exactly, we wonder, does God separate each voice to hear individual prayers? Does He answer them all? Then we wonder, “Does God hear me?”
The question posed is a perplexing one when viewed through our human lens.
How does God keep everyone’s praises and prayers straight?
How does He hear them all?
And, in a far more personal nature, how exactly do I know He hears me?
The answer, of course, is to regard who God is and how we are to “see” Him according to what Scripture teaches us.
We’ll investigate what the Bible says, and because of what His Word says, we are assured He does hear Christians’ prayers (which encompasses all of our communication with God).
We will understand God gives “ear” to our needs according to His will and according to His own timing.
Where Does the Bible Say God Hears Us?
The Bible is God-breathed, meaning He inspired the writers to impart His exact words into the canon of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16).
When we read the Bible, we are reading God’s very words to us.
Therefore, any implication about God hearing the writers tells us He hears us.
“Elohim Shama” is not an official name of God, it refers to the fact that God hears… He listens, He Hears.
Elohim Shama: The God who Listens, The God Who Hears
But He doesn’t merely hear our words; He is also moved by the unvoiced groanings of our hearts (Romans 8:26).
What does Shama means in the Bible?
to hear, to listen
Obedience in Hebrew is: shama (שָׁמַע). It means to hear, to listen, to give attention, to understand, to submit to, and to obey.
There is only one word in Hebrew for obedience, and it is this word – shama.
This Hebrew word is also generally translated as “hear”.
What does Jehovah Shammah mean?
“The Lord is There”
Jehovah-Shammah is found Ezekiel 48:35,
“The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord is There.”
Jehovah-Shammah is the name of God that means I am the Lord who is there and is symbolic of Jerusalem. This name promises His presence.
The following short list cements the truth God hears us:
King David cried to the Lord in many psalms, and he knew God heard him.
Psalm 6:8-9 English Standard Version
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.
Psalm 18:6-19 English Standard Version
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,[a] and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 9 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 10 He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. 12 Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. 14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. 15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16 He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. 19 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
Psalm 19 English Standard Version
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
19 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above[a] proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice[b] goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,[c] reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules[d] of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
The psalmist, Asaph, wrote a definitive and uncontestable verse which tells us God hears us, “I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and He will hear me” (Psalm 77:1).
The Lord Jesus tells us He (God) hears us, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
How Does God Hear Us?
We must remember God is wholly unlike any of His creation.
He does not “listen” as do we, for we cannot fathom all He is.
When we listen to someone, our minds are, more often than not, racing around in distraction, thinking about what’s for lunch, or how many minutes are left on my parking meter, silly things such as what some other person was thinking when they decided on a particular hair style.
We’d love it if our thoughts could be completely focused on our subject and what they are saying, but we often “aren’t there,” we miss important details.
For our mighty God, however, His listening skills are perfect.
We never need worry He is otherwise distracted, because in His infinite being, He “hears” perfectly, beyond our scope of comprehension.
God is Spirit (John 4:24); He has no physical nature that would include eyes, ears, etc.
Lest we get caught in theological details about God as Spirit, however, we need to understand how God “hears.”
Due to God’s sovereign condescension, He has graciously chosen to reveal Himself to us by speaking in ways that we can understand.
The Bible, therefore, uses anthropomorphic language to give us God’s revelation of Himself to humankind.
The immutable truth is God is incomprehensible, yet in His kindness has chosen to make Himself known in a way to which we can relate. God, in His omniscience, already knows everything, including what we will soon pray.
Because God has incommunicable attributes such as omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, etc., we are only able to comprehend Him via His communicable (moral) attributes and we were, created in His Image to reflect God in them, albeit not equally (only He is perfect in His moral attributes).
God “hears” us because of who He is and how He created us in His image.
Pastor and theologian R.C. Sproul adds,
“We are a composite being made up of body and spirit. We are spiritual yet finite humans; God is infinite Spirit who is not bound by a body.”
As far as God’s holy essence is completely different from His creation,
“God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change his mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19).
Yet God deigns to intervene in the works of man, to vividly reveal His love of us by the Scripture that speaks truthfully of how He hears our cries (Psalm 61:1).
What if I Don’t Feel Like God Hears Me?
We cannot expect God to answer us with an audible voice from heaven or with a “sign.” What we have is the Holy Scriptures, and from the Holy Spirit working in us through them, we “receive understanding, insight, and wisdom.”
2 Peter 1:3 gives us great hope, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.”
It is through the Bible we learn about the Lord Jesus and grow in His grace and knowledge. As we read and study God’s Word, we learn how He wants us to live, and our prayers and petitions will be guided by His Spirit based on His Word.
No matter our emotional state or physical circumstances, God listens, hears our cries to Him.
It’s true God always answers our prayers.
The answer is either, “yes,” “no,” or “wait.” We are, however, a people who desire and sometimes demand immediate answers, so waiting is very hard.
But as we wait for His answers, we are to occupy ourselves with kingdom work and with careful study of the Bible.
As we take the time to learn more of God’s Word, many answers to our prayers will become apparent, will be revealed to us by Holy Spirit, and we can act in a righteous manner because of how God has revealed His will through his Word.
So then, when God graciously and mercifully answers our prayers, the solutions will come through the study of His Word and/or godly counsel, wisdom, from a more mature believer who knows Scripture and daily strives to live a holy life.
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17).
Here we need to remember deliverance may come here, or not until heaven.
We can pray with confidence because God does hear us and He will respond.
We may think He is silent, but when we remember He speaks to us every day through His Word (Psalm 19, Hebrews 4:12), we know He isn’t being silent; we’re just looking for our answers to “materialize: in all those wrong places.
We aren’t to go to the Lord with demands, for when He hears us, He’s listening to see if we are coming before Him with hearts that are being sanctified as we attempt to live holy lives.
The Bible speaks of God’s omniscience, “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows Him his counsel? Whom did He consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught Him knowledge, and showed Him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14).
God knows what we will ask before it is even on our hearts (Psalm 139:4), and, more importantly, He knows what we need.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:7-8).
This passage tells us what to pray for, and it precedes the Disciples’ Prayer, which teaches us how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13).
How Should I Pray?
We saw above the Lord Jesus taught His disciples (we too as Christians are His disciples) how to pray.
The Apostle John later wrote, “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15, emphasis added).
At first glance, it appears He will give us we want, but that’s not the case.
The key phrase is, according to His will.
How do we know His will? By fearing God and keeping His commandments, which King Solomon said is the “whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
We know Him by His creation (general revelation) and by His Word (special revelation).
Nicodemus, learned from Jesus the only way to know His will is to become a Christian, grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus by immersing yourself in His Word, and surrounding yourself with godly people (the church).
John 3:1-8 English Standard Version
You Must Be Born Again
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c]7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Once we do all of that, we will come before the Lord with right motives and petitions, with patience as He hears, answers our prayers in His perfect time.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 4 Complete Jewish Bible
4 (0) For the leader. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David:
2 (1) O God, my vindicator! Answer me when I call! When I was distressed, you set me free; now have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
3 (2) Men of rank, how long will you shame my honor, love what is vain, chase after lies? (Selah) 4 (3) Understand that Adonai sets apart the godly person for himself; Adonai will hear when I call to him. 5 (4) You can be angry, but do not sin! Think about this as you lie in bed, and calm down. (Selah) 6 (5) Offer sacrifices rightly, and put your trust in Adonai.
7 (6) Many ask, “Who can show us some good?” Adonai, lift the light of your face over us! 8 (7) You have filled my heart with more joy than all their grain and new wine. 9 (8) I will lie down and sleep in peace; for, Adonai, you alone make me live securely.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, in the likeness of ourselves; and let them rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the animals, and over all the earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls on the earth.”
27 So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them: God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth.” 29 Then God said, “Here! Throughout the whole earth I am giving you as food every seed-bearing plant and every tree with seed-bearing fruit. 30 And to every wild animal, bird in the air and creature crawling on the earth, in which there is a living soul, I am giving as food every kind of green plant.” And that is how it was. 31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good. So there was evening, and there was morning, a sixth day.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Good news begins right at the beginning. The good news found at the beginning of things in Genesis 1 is there is a God who makes and upholds all that there is, and that we humans, male, female, are made in the image of this amazing God.
We don’t look like God, of course, for God is Spirit—but this means, among other things, that we are God’s representatives. We are called to take care of all that God has made—and not just the creatures mentioned in these verses, but also the unfolding of all human history that follows, in all its deep complexity.
Amazing! Mere mortals are endowed by their Creator with the dignity and the honor of representing the infinite God, acting on God’s behalf to care for his creation with all its diverse infinite potential. We are God’s agents with a most prestigious, singularly unique job description – Stewards of Creation. And this leads us, with high joy, gratitude, to a profound sense of identity and calling.
This is good news for everyone, of course—but perhaps especially for people whose sense of identity and purpose are diminished, are uncertain, whose own ability to live creatively, joyfully and fully, completely and purposefully are held back because of poverty or anything else that hinders their participation in life.
Good news for the poor begins with a reminder that they all bear God’s image.
God has been reaching out since the beginning of time—desiring to live in a close relationship with all of humankind But because of our sin…because we have turned our backs on God and (in essence) told Him to butt out of our lives…we are separated from Him.
From the start, God has created a way for us to reconnect to Him by offering us salvation: an incredible gift of grace that comes through the life, death, and resurrection of His son, Jesus. And we receive this gift of grace the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior—turning our lives over to Him completely.
Each and everyone of us comes to this decision differently because each and every one of us has a uniquely different experience…or path, journey to Jesus.
Even though each of our journeys is singularly unique, the Bible shows us that there are some key (and consistent) components every true follower of Jesus experiences.
Let’s look at those five key components…
STEP 1 – Hear the Gospel
As you may already know, the “gospel” literally means “good news.” The good news of the gospel begins with God, the Creator of everything. And He is holy…which means He is set apart from anything that is un-holy. And God is perfect (or whole), without any defect. And He is righteous…which means God always does what is right. And He is just. His justice is always fair.
So, because God is the Creator; Holy, Righteous, Perfect and Just, we have a problem. We who are human are none of those things. We are created by God (in his image), but — here’s the bad news — we are everyone of us, without any exceptions, fallen and broken and un-very holy…imperfect, unrighteous and unjust, learned PhD’s in sinning. Just as the Apostle Paul writes in Romans…
“What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. And just in case you thought you could try to be good enough to earn good standing with God.” – Romans chapter 3, verses 9-12
Exactly how many broken links (or sins) does it take to break the chain of our connection to God)? The answer: One. All it takes is one broken link or one sin to break our connection God. And all of us have sinned—at least once.
All of us, without exception have broken our connection to God. Another thing we might tell ourselves is, “If I really clean up my act…it will automatically be enough to connect me back to God.”
Once again, as Paul writes…
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23
So there it is. The Bad News.
But here’s the Good News. Here’s the gospel…
“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” –Romans 3:21-26
Sin separates us from God. And what is sin? The biblical definition of sin is actually an archery term meaning: missing the mark. We have all sinned or missed the mark of God’s perfection. And the punishment for this is death. Someone has to pay for these mistakes. We all know, deep in our hearts, what justice is. When a wrong has been committed, someone has to pay for it.
The Good News is that Jesus — the Incarnation or God in the Flesh — the one who never sinned or missed the mark, took our place and paid for our mistakes.
Jesus took on ALL our sin when he died on the cross.
The Apostle Paul put it this way…
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” – Romans 5:1-11
And that belief is so strong that you are “cut to the heart”.
You have that utter realization that the only way back to God is through Jesus.
This is the way some of the first people to hear the Good News felt…
“When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” – Acts 2:37
This “cutting to the heart” can only come from God.
Just as Jesus says here…
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” – John 6:44
Looking back over this, we Hear the Gospel, then Believe what we’ve heard and then we repent.
STEP 3 – Repent
“To “repent” literally means to “turn away”.
We must turn away from sin or turn our backs to sin…putting our backs to our old way of life. And when we turn from sin, we naturally turn towards God—doing a complete about face. As Jesus was spreading the Good News He said…
“The time has come,” (Jesus said). “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” – Mark 1:15
The next logical step to repenting from our old way of life, from our old life of sinning is to share this change in our hearts or to confess to some other people what’s happened.
STEP 4 – Confess
Confession or to confess simply means to say it out loud—to say what is true out loud and publicly recognize that: God is holy and perfect and you are not.
Confessing to other people means our speaking to our true belief that God has reconnected you back to Him through Jesus…because Jesus has taken your sin to the cross, and that you want to repent and so turn away from our sins and from our sinful past.
Paul says it best here…
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” – Romans 10:9-10
But from the beginning it needs to be clearly understood the journey isn’t over.
It continues and will continue on and on and on because this is all about becoming more like Jesus.
As we begin this new life as a follower of Jesus, we have this gift of the Holy Spirit…which is God’s Spirit literally living inside us…guiding us and prompting us to grow and become more and more like Him. More and more like Jesus. And we do this by following Jesus’ words found in the Bible—through Bible study.
And we do this by reminding ourselves we are living and acting as Jesus did.
Doing the things Jesus did, like loving others, caring for the “least of these.”
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 8 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord’s Glory and Man’s Dignity.
For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.
8 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have [a]displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established [b]strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
3 When I [c]consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have [d]ordained; 4 What is man that You [e]take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than [f]God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the [g]beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 