Tag: jesus

Being Transformed by Truth: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Proverbs 9:7-12 Complete Jewish Bible

7 “He who corrects a scoffer only gets insulted;
reproving a wicked man becomes his blemish.
8 If you reprove a scoffer, he will hate you;
if you reprove a wise man, he will love you.
9 Give to a wise man, and he grows still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will learn still more.
10 The fear of Adonai is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of holy ones is understanding.
11 For with me, your days will be increased;
years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom helps you;
but if you scoff, you bear the consequences alone.”

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.

In today’s world, we are flooded with information – misinformation, fake news manipulated news to satisfy someone’s propaganda, someone’s ulterior motive someone else’s political or financial or “I need to be in control of it all” agenda.

From every manner of social media to 24-hour news cycles, covering just about every imaginable angle, from good, to bad to outright criminal or falsified, we have more access to more knowledge (%wisdom??) than any other generation.

Yet, despite this abundance of information, wisdom seems increasingly scarce.

People make decisions every day that lead to pain, confusion, and chaos.

Who is smart enough or discerning or wise enough to sort out fact from fiction?

What is missing?

Personally, I tend to err on the far side of caution. If there is risk involved, I will pause and evaluate, even over-evaluate the given situation so that I can make a rational and “well reasoned” decision that should keep me as safe as possible.

At an early age I learned from my parents that respecting things like the law of gravity, that rocks are always going to be harder than my skull, the authority of the people in charge was better than disrespecting things that I cannot control.

Basically what they did was to deeply ingrain, weave into my young soul the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 20 Complete Jewish Bible

20 Then God said all these words:

א 2 “I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery.

ב 3 “You are to have no other gods before me. 4 You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline. 5 You are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, Adonai your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my  mitzvot.

ג 7 “You are not to use lightly the name of Adonai your God, because Adonai will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.

ד 8 “Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. 9 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work — not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why Adonai blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself.

ה 12 “Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land which Adonai your God is giving you.

ו 13 “Do not murder.

ז (14) “Do not commit adultery.

ח (15) “Do not steal.

ט (16) “Do not give false evidence against your neighbor.

י 14 (17) “Do not covet your neighbor’s house; do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

(A: vii) 15 (18) All the people experienced the thunder, the lightning, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled. Standing at a distance, 16 (19) they said to Moshe, “You, speak with us; and we will listen. But don’t let God speak with us, or we will die.” 17 (20) Moshe answered the people, “Don’t be afraid, because God has come only to test you and make you fear him, so that you won’t commit sins.”

What’s Missing? What has been/gone un-noticed?

The Bible gives us the answer. 

I have found that the Bible contains all the answers to all the questions we will ever ask, even those answers to those questions we are not wise enough to ask.

Proverbs 9:10 (NLT) declares, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”

Proverbs 9:10 Amplified Bible “The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence],
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.”

Proverbs 9:10 Easy-to-Read Version “10 Wisdom begins with fear and respect for the Lord. Knowledge of the Holy One leads to understanding.

Proverbs 9:10 Contemporary English Version

“10 Respect and obey the Lord!
This is the beginning
    of wisdom.[a]
To have understanding,
    you must know the Holy God.

Here, we see that true wisdom, the kind that emanates from the Word of God, which wisely used, leads to a flourishing life, begins with the fear of the Lord.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 Amplified Bible

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.

That truth, brought to remembrance by the Holy Spirit of God helps me to reason out, pray through, discern, what the author of Proverbs is saying here.

Fearing the Lord does not mean being scared of God, as if he were a tyrant waiting to take his anger out on us.

To fear the Lord is to give him respect and reverence.

After all, God is the Creator who graciously made a covenant with his people.

He deserves our respect.

God has promised to provide his people with all that they need. He deserves our reverence.

Revering the Lord is the first step in developing a vibrant relationship with him.

Revering God calls for us to submit ourselves humbly to him—seeking him, listening for him and to him, and obeying him, and serving with Him. Fearing the Lord puts us in the position of a true servant who loves God and trusts God.

That is precisely where God wants us to be, and that is where we need to be.

To understand the fear of the Lord, we must first clarify what it is not.

Fear in this context isn’t a terror making us cower in dread or guilt before God.

Instead, the Hebrew word for fear here, yirah, refers to a reverence, awe, and deep respect for God.

It is a recognition of His greatness, holiness, and authority over all creation.

Psalm 111:10 (NLT) reinforces this: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.”

To fear the Lord is to acknowledge, recognize Him as the sovereign King and Creator, to stand in awe of His power, majesty, to align our lives with His will.

In contrast, the opposite of fearing the Lord is living as though God does not matter or is irrelevant.

This is the essence of foolishness, according to the Bible. Psalm 14:1 (NLT) declares: “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’”

When we flat out reject or refuse to acknowledge the fear of the Lord, we turn away from the very source of wisdom.

” To fear God is not to be afraid of Him but to stand in awe of His majesty, power, and greatness.” 

Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Just as a building cannot stand without a strong foundation, our lives cannot, won’t flourish without the foundation of wisdom that begins with reverence for God.

Wisdom, in biblical terms, is not simply knowledge or intelligence.

The Hebrew word hokmah refers to skill in living—our knowing how to apply knowledge in the right way at the right time. It is the ability to to learn through experience to live well, to make choices that lead to life, peace, and godliness.

In James 1:5 (NLT), we are strongly encouraged to seek this wisdom: “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” The wisdom we need comes from God alone, and it begins when we humbly recognize our need for Him in every area of our lives.

The world offers many competing definitions of wisdom.

Some seek wisdom in self-help books, others in success, wealth, or power or by media produced over dramatized, paid appearance televised self help programs.

But true wisdom is found in God’s Word and through a relationship with Him.

Colossians 2:3 (NLT) tells us, “In him (Christ) lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Jesus is the living embodiment of God’s wisdom, and through Him, we can each access, act upon the wisdom that leads to eternal life.

Imagine trying to build a house on sand. No matter how beautiful or well-designed the house is, it will crumble because its foundation is weak.

This is what life is like when we build without God.

But when we build on the solid rock of God’s wisdom, our lives can withstand the storms of life (Matthew 7:24-27).

The Fear of the Lord and Good Judgment

The second part of Proverbs 9:10 promises that “Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.” When we grow in our understanding of who God is—His holiness, His justice, His mercy—it leads to better decision-making.

The phrase good judgment can also be translated as discernment.

Discernment is the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, truth and lies.

In a world filled with moral confusion, we desperately need this discernment.

Hebrews 5:14 (NLT) says: “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

The more we grow in our knowledge of God, the more our minds are disciplined and trained to think as He thinks and to make decisions that align with His will.

This is why Romans 12:2 (NLT) instructs us all: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

When we fear the Lord and seek His wisdom, He transforms our minds and equips us with the discernment needed to navigate life’s challenges.

“True wisdom is the ability to see life from God’s perspective, and it comes as we grow in our relationship with Him.” – Reverend Dr. Charles Stanley

Living in the Fear of the Lord

So, what does it look like to live in the fear of the Lord?

First, it means living a life of obedience. 

Proverbs 8:13 (NLT) says: “All who fear the Lord will hate evil.” When we fear the Lord, we align our lives with His Word, rejecting sin and pursuing holiness.

Second, it means living a life of trust. 

Psalm 34:9 (NLT) encourages us: “Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.”

When we revere God, we trust Him to provide for our needs and guide us in every situation.

Finally, living in the fear of the Lord means walking in humility. 

Proverbs 22:4 (NLT) declares: “True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honour, and long life.”

Recognizing our dependence on God, we approach life with humility, understanding that every blessing comes from Him.

Think of a compass.

Without it, a sailor can easily get lost at sea, drifting off course.

The fear of the Lord is like that compass—it keeps us on course, guiding us toward the life God intends for us.

Conclusion: A Call to Wisdom

In closing, the fear of the Lord is not just an abstract concept.

It is a way of life. It is the surest foundation upon which we build everything, and it leads us to true wisdom, good judgment, and a life that honor’s God.

Today, I challenge each and every one of us to examine our hearts. Are we living in the fear of the Lord? Are we sure, building our lives on the foundation of His wisdom, or are we following the world’s definitions of success and knowledge?

In the name of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 14 Complete Jewish Bible

14 (0) For the leader. By David:

(1) Fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.”
They deal corruptly, their deeds are vile,
not one does what is right.

2 From heaven Adonai observes humankind
to see if anyone has understanding,
if anyone seeks God.
3 But all turn aside, all alike are corrupt;
no one does what is right,
not a single one.
4 Don’t they ever learn,
all those evildoers,
who eat up my people as if eating bread
and never call on Adonai?
5 There they are, utterly terrified;
for God is with those who are righteous.
6 You may mock the plans of the poor,
but their refuge is Adonai.

7 How I wish Isra’el’s salvation
would come out of Tziyon!
When Adonai restores his people’s fortunes,
Ya‘akov will rejoice, Isra’el will be glad!

Psalm 139:23-24 The Message

23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

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.

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Standing? Sitting? Lounging? Asleep? Vacationing? Arguing? Getting Drunk Humming? Behind the Message are all the ‘beautiful?’ Lazy? messengers themselves. Romans 10:14-17  

Romans 10:14-17 The Message

14-17 But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims,

A sight to take your breath away!
Grand processions of people
    telling all the good things of God!

But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: “Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?” The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.

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.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful, yet simple, and universal declarations of the good news of the gospel of grace, is found in Chapter 2 book of the Prophet Joel: “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord, will be delivered.”

Joel 2:32 English Standard Version

32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the  Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

Originally, this was an ancient prophetic proclamation made to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament which was subsequently reiterated to the men of Israel in the book of Acts… following Christ’s Resurrection from the dead.

Acts 4:8-12 English Standard Version

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus[a] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.[b] 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[c] by which we must be saved.”

And then this good news of greatest joy was repeated to the Gentile nations in the epistle to the Romans, where we, who were dead in our sins, discover the beautiful truth that: “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord, will be saved.”

When God speaks, we should listen, but when He repeats an important truth, it should be received with our laser focused undivided attention.

But then comes the devastating reality from Romans 10:14-17 unless someone is prepared to go and tell lost sinners that “whoever will call on the name of the Lord, will be saved,” they will never hear: “For how can they call on the Lord, in Whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him, Whom they have not heard? And how will they hear about Him without a preacher?”

No matter how amazing the gospel of Christ may be, unless lost souls are told the truth about sin and salvation… and unless the good news of the gospel of grace is proclaimed universally, men and women, boys and girls, rich and poor, Jews and Gentiles alike, will remain dead in their trespasses and sins.

Not all of us may be called into the office of evangelist or preacher, but every one of God’s children has a Great Commission to be THE light in this darkened realm, salt in a putrefying world, God’s witnesses to those that are lost in their sins, a walking talking testimony of God’s grace to those who are dead in their trespasses, and messenger of hope to those that are without hope in the world.

God has long promised to hear the cries of all who call upon Him – but first they must believe in Him… and Jesus Christ, Whom He has sent. How shocking then to realize unless the gospel is preached to a world of unsaved people, they will neither hear the truth, nor be able to call out to the only One Who can save them from their sins and a lost eternity – but how will they hear without a preacher?

A deliberately silent gospel and a purposely hidden witness will not minister to anyone at anytime for those wandering in, stumbling in, the valley of decisions.

Matthew 9:35-38 English Standard Version

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Let us pray that God would send out His diligent, vigilant messengers, laborer’s into the ever expanding, ever present harvest-fields of all the souls that need to be saved by grace through their faith in Jesus Christ, and let us ask God to bring His whispers into our lives people, with whom we can share the good news that:

“Whoever will call on the name of the Lord, will be delivered – for how can they call on the Lord, in Whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him, Whom they have not heard? And how will they hear about His message of salvation without a preacher?”

As we assume whatever our “regularly scheduled” bodily or spiritual posture will be for the moment, for all of the live long days, and the longest darkest of nights, let us take careful consideration of what Romans 10:14-17 means to us.

Or not…just go about our regularly scheduled days with our governing attitudes.

Somebody else will surely come along eventually – maybe, perhaps, some day?

Heavenly Father, I guess that there are multitudes of souls in the world today that remain dead in their trespasses and sins. I gratefully, not so gratefully thank You(?) wondering if You have given me all I need for life and godliness.

Should I dare ask that You would use me to share the good news of Christ with others, and pray that You would send more laborer’s into the harvest-fields of the world and bring many souls to saving faith in Jesus, in Whose name I pray? Or should I not pray one prayer, nor utter even one syllable of even one word? or just cry out to be left alone under any all known circumstances? Hallelujah?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Let us Pray,

Psalm 91 Complete Jewish Bible

91 You who live in the shelter of ‘Elyon,
who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai,
2 who say to Adonai, “My refuge! My fortress!
My God, in whom I trust!” —
3 he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter
and from the plague of calamities;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his truth is a shield and protection.

5 You will not fear the terrors of night
or the arrow that flies by day,
6 or the plague that roams in the dark,
or the scourge that wreaks havoc at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand;
but it won’t come near you.
8 Only keep your eyes open,
and you will see how the wicked are punished.

9 For you have made Adonai, the Most High,
who is my refuge, your dwelling-place.
10 No disaster will happen to you,
no calamity will come near your tent;
11 for he will order his angels to care for you
and guard you wherever you go.
12 They will carry you in their hands,
so that you won’t trip on a stone.
13 You will tread down lions and snakes,
young lions and serpents you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he loves me, I will rescue him;
because he knows my name, I will protect him.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him.
I will be with him when he is in trouble.
I will extricate him and bring him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with long life
and show him my salvation.”

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.

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Personal Truth? Impersonal Truth? If Jesus said to Me, If you hold onto my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free? John 8:31-32

John 8:31-32 Amplified Bible

The Truth Will Make You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].”

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.

Sometimes the Bible is described as a telescope. A tele­scope is not something to look at but an instrument to look through, to bring that which is too distant for us to see closer. When we do what is far away, hard to see becomes clearer to us.

When we look at our life and history through the lens of the Bible, what once seemed distant, hard to understand – God – slowly comes into focus. Through Scripture we are brought close to God. Through Scripture we are brought near to events that happened thousands of years ago. We zoom in, for example, on the life of Christ, who be­came human and came to live among us (John 1:14).

John 1:14 The Message

14 The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
    the one-of-a-kind glory,
    like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
    true from start to finish.

God, unexpectedly, abruptly but gently, intruded into mankind’s experience.

Jesus walked among us. Jesus wanted the people of his day to believe in him as the One who reveals the truth about God and what God is doing in this world.

But instead they were slow to catch on, they wanted to hang on to old legalisms, refusing to admit to anyone that they were slaves to sin and could not keep the law perfectly. Jesus urged them to accept him as the eternal truth and life who could bring them out of this slavery and give them new life forever with God.

Are we any different?

As we daily encounter the Word of God, how challenging, how utterly complex is to accept God on his terms, not ours, moving from our world to His Kingdom?

Even those who profess hardcore belief, are we fully relying on the Spirit’s help?

Are we authentically listening, are we authentically hearing, as God speaks to us and breathes into us his life and truth? And believing the truth sets us free-free to serve him in our daily work, play, relationships, and every other facet of life?

Why is the Truth of Jesus even .01% Relevant Today?

The Book of John remains profoundly relevant today, offering readers profound insights into the deeper nature of faith, of hope and love, and eternal life also.

Its emphasis on the divinity of Christ and the transformative power of belief provides a foundation for personal spiritual growth. In a world seeking truth and meaning, John’s Gospel invites us readers to encounter Jesus in a deeply personal way, encouraging them to live out their faith with love and integrity.

John 8:31 New American Standard Bible 1995

The Truth Will Make You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;

In this moment, Jesus speaks to those who have already shown belief in Him, urging them to deepen their faith through committing to actual visible action.

He underscores that true discipleship is characterized by our adherence to His teachings. This means that belief is not merely an intellectual agreement but a transformative process that involves living out His words in our everyday life.

The call to “hold to my teaching” suggests that Jesus had in mind a continuous, active effort to align one’s life with the principles that Jesus was teaching, such as love, mercy, forgiveness, a life grounded in genuine sacrifice and humility.

This passage from John invites believers to reflect on the nature of their faith.

In that moment, it is quite the confrontational statement, challenging them to consider whether their transitional actions now reflect the teachings of Jesus.

By doing so, by trying to shift their mindsets from their world to the Kingdom, they not only affirm their transitioning, transforming identity as His disciples but also committing themselves to experience a deeper relationship with Him.

This commitment to His teachings is a journey of growth and transformation, prayerfully leading to a more profound understanding of His truth and love.

John 8:32 New American Standard Bible 1995

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

The idea of truth in this context is deeply connected to the teachings of Jesus and the gospel.

It implies that through reading, studying and understanding and accepting these teachings, one can move towards achieving a profound sense of freedom.

This sense of freedom is not merely physical or political but is spiritual and emotional, liberating individuals from the chains of sin, guilt, and ignorance.

The truth referred to here by Jesus is the truth of God’s love, grace, and the salvation offered exclusively through their confession of Jesus Christ Savior.

By embracing this truth, by bear hugging this truth, believers are then set free from the burdens that would otherwise hang a thousand pound millstone on their necks, weigh them down, such as fear, doubt, the pressures of the world.

This freedom allows for a life lived in alignment with God’s will, characterized by hope, peace, joy, and a sense of purpose. Moreover, it invites believers to live authentically, in harmony with their true selves as originally created by God.

The verse calls for a sure commitment to seeking and living by the truth, which in turn guides, leads, to a transformative experience of liberation, fulfillment.

Job 9:1-13 The Message

Job Continues

How Can Mere Mortals Get Right with God?

9 1-13 Job continued by saying:

“So what’s new? I know all this.
    The question is, ‘How can mere mortals get right with God?’
If we wanted to bring our case before him,
    what chance would we have? Not one in a thousand!
God’s wisdom is so deep, God’s power so immense,
    who could take him on and come out in one piece?
He moves mountains before they know what’s happened,
    flips them on their heads on a whim.
He gives the earth a good shaking up,
    rocks it down to its very foundations.
He tells the sun, ‘Don’t shine,’ and it doesn’t;
    he pulls the blinds on the stars.
All by himself he stretches out the heavens
    and strides on the waves of the sea.
He designed the Big Dipper and Orion,
    the Pleiades and Alpha Centauri.
We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does;
    his miracle-surprises can’t be counted.
Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don’t see him;
    quietly but surely he’s active, and I miss it.
If he steals you blind, who can stop him?
    Who’s going to say, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’
God doesn’t hold back on his anger;
    even dragon-bred monsters cringe before him.

Psalm 31:3-5 New American Standard Bible 1995

3 For You are my [a]rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
4 You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have ransomed me, O Lord, God of [b]truth.

Psalm 40:9-11 New American Standard Bible 1995

9 I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

11 You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
[a]Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

Psalm 51:5-11 New American Standard Bible 1995

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the [a]innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
7 [b]Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
[c]Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 [d]Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create [e]in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew [f]a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

What or who is “the truth” that “will set you free” (John 8:32)?

What is the condition for being set free by “the truth”?

What qualifies as “the truth?”

What do you understand about the phrase “will set you free?”

When you see that word “freedom” what thoughts, feelings arise?

What qualifies people as Jesus’ disciples?

What is the flip side of what Jesus said in John 8:31?

What does John 8 32 us teach about?

What does it mean to worship him in spirit and truth?

What did Jesus mean when he said “I am the truth”?

What is the meaning of truth biblically?

Christ Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). That’s a wonderful promise that can be taken seriously, especially when you and I feel the need for some sort of healing – whether the difficulty is injury, illness, financial hardship, a troubled relationship, or anything else.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

25 (0) By David:

(1) I lift my inner being to you, Adonai;
2 I trust you, my God.
Don’t let me be disgraced,
don’t let my enemies gloat over me.
3 No one waiting for you will be disgraced;
disgrace awaits those who break faith for no reason.

4 Make me know your ways, Adonai,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me;
for you are the God who saves me,
my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember your compassion and grace, Adonai;
for these are ages old.
7 Don’t remember my youthful sins or transgressions;
but remember me according to your grace
for the sake of your goodness, Adonai.

8 Adonai is good, and he is fair;
this is why he teaches sinners the way [to live],
9 leads the humble to do what is right
and teaches the humble [to live] his way.
10 All Adonai’s paths are grace and truth
to those who keep his covenant and instructions.
11 For the sake of your name, Adonai,
forgive my wickedness, great though it is.

12 Who is the person who fears Adonai?
He will teach him the way to choose.
13 He will remain prosperous,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 Adonai relates intimately with those who fear him;
he makes them know his covenant.

15 My eyes are always directed toward Adonai,
for he will free my feet from the net.
16 Turn to me, and show me your favor;
for I am alone and oppressed.
17 The troubles of my heart are growing and growing;
bring me out of my distress.
18 See my affliction and suffering,
and take all my sins away.

19 Consider my enemies, how many there are
and how cruelly they hate me.
20 Protect me and rescue me;
don’t let me be disgraced,
for I take refuge in you.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
because my hope is in you.

22 God! Redeem Isra’el
from all their troubles!

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.

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Come home, come home; you who are weary come home; Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinners, just come home! Job 8:5-7

Job 8:5-7 Complete Jewish Bible

5 “If you will earnestly seek God
and plead for Shaddai’s favor,
6 if you are pure and upright;
then he will rouse himself for you
and fulfill your needs.
7 Then, although your beginnings were small,
your future will be very great indeed.

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.

Job 8:5-7 Christian Standard Bible

5 But if you earnestly seek God
and ask the Almighty for mercy,
6 if you are pure and upright,
then he will move even now on your behalf
and restore the home where your righteousness dwells.
7 Then, even if your beginnings were modest,
your final days will be full of prosperity.

What great, unsearchable, marvelous things has God earnestly done in your life? What great, unsearchable, marvelous things might God have done in your life, or would have been more aware of as having already been accomplished if…

5 “If you will earnestly seek God
and plead for Shaddai’s favor,
6 if you are pure and upright;
then he will rouse himself for you
and fulfill your needs.

The verses emphasizes the importance of earnestly seeking God and pleading with Him, which is a call to earnestly approach God with sincerity and humility.

Earnestly seeking involves a deep, genuine desire to connect with God, fully acknowledging our complete total dependence on His wisdom and strength.

Pleading with the Almighty suggests a heartfelt, persistent prayer, reflecting a deep trust in God’s power and compassion.

This act of seeking and pleading is not just about asking for help, but too about building a connectional relationship with God, recognizing Him alone, as the only source of all wisdom and strength.

In the context of the Book of Job, this verse is part of Bildad’s response to Job, encouraging him to turn to God in his time of suffering.

It serves as a reminder that, regardless of our circumstances, God is always ready to listen and respond to those who approach Him with a sincere heart.

This message is universal, admonishing, encouraging believers to maintain a posture of humility and trust in their relationship with God, knowing that He is always present, will always be present, and willing to guide and support them.

Job 8:5 In today’s context – in a far more complex time, with more people tech savvy than God savvy.

I believe that untold tens, if not hundreds of millions of Christians, all over the world, would give anything to have the religious freedoms we have in America.

Not only to hold the Living Word in their hands, but to read and share it freely, would be like winning the greatest single lottery jackpot of all time to them.

Here, in our westernized culture, with Bibles gathering dust on bookshelves, and Bible apps stored away on our phones, and Bibles gathering mounds and pounds of dust long hidden away from us sinners somewhere in a church pew.

I’m so very afraid we’ve lost our fervor for the precious and holy Word of God.

John 1:29-34 English Standard Version

Behold, the Lamb of God

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son[a] of God.”

Let me now introduce to you our new Senior Rabbi Dr. Earnest Lamb of God.

Meet your new Senior Rabbi Earnest—the Lamb of God who is so well known for his eagerness and wholeheartedness to reveal God, to share God too—that seemingly long forgotten, so seldom acknowledged virtue of the Christian faith.

Do we possess the earnestness (once a week for an hour or too) to get up each day, meet with God in worship thereby replacing our to-do lists and agendas?

An earnestness to share not just the neighborhood gossip or sports, the Gospel within our circle of influence now badly hindered by tolerance, complacency?

Ergo, I am now writing these things to myself as well, sadly realizing how much earnestness has escaped my busy, daily life; how the zeal I once had for Christ has been severely overshadowed by worldly desires and restless temptations.

But now, more than ever before, we have an amazing opportunity to rekindle an earnestness for the Word of God; to read and to study, to share and uphold, and earnestly pray to shine the light of God’s truths in dark places. For the Word of God truly is living and active, able to penetrate the deepest intents of the heart.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Meet Earnest—the attribute that ushers in an excitement for the things of God—rekindling our tiny smoldering flame of faith into a raging fire of conviction and motivation – to run in every which direction of the compass to declare God?

Luke 24:28-35 English Standard Version

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. [and sharing of the Word!]

My prayer for Christians everywhere, dust off their Bibles, that we will awaken anew to the life-giving truths of the Bible and yearn for them as for daily bread.

I ask, in the precious name of Jesus, that we will pick up that Bible, dust it off, and open it as often as we can. I ask for the Holy Spirit to continue His work in us to reach a hurting and confused world, with the only absolute truth there is.

And, lastly, I pray for an earnestness, to once again declare God’s Word—a lamp for our feet and light for our path. (Psalm 119:105)

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 40 English Standard Version

My Help and My Deliverer

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is the man who makes
    the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
    to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
    yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
    but you have given me an open ear.[a]
Burnt offering and sin offering
    you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance[b]
    in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
    as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
    I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
    from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
    your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
    ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
    beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
    and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
    my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
    who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
    say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
    but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    do not delay, O my 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.

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Never underestimate the high impact of one single life lived to God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 Disciples’ Literal New Testament

In Summary, Do All For God’s Glory. Be Blameless To All And Seek Their Benefit

31 Therefore, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything, be doing all for the glory of God. 32 Be blameless[a] both to Jews and Greeks, and to the church of God— 33 just as I also am pleasing all people as to all things, not seeking the benefit of myself, but the benefit of the many, in order that they might be saved.

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.

In his discussion on Christian freedom, the apostle Paul touches on some important principles for following Jesus.

While emphasizing our personal freedom in Christ, he urges that we respect where others are in their spiritual maturity.

Embedded in this discussion is the most important principle for Christian living: that in everything we do, we are to live for God’s glory.

The Westminster Shorter Cate­chism lays out this lasting principle using the question “What is the chief end of man?”

And it decisively succinctly answers with a timeless, bedrock declaration: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

In these days, though we have all been created to glorify God, because of our sin and rebellion against him we live only to glorify, enjoy ourselves. And the ­high tyranny of self-glorification brings us no enjoyment, just unending misery.

But, praise God, when we’ve been saved by grace through faith, the Holy Spirit begins to reorient our lives, elbowing us in our ribcages, nudging, prompting, stirring us to live not for ourselves but for God. And as we grow in glorifying our Lord and Savior, we discover our true, lasting joy and purpose in God alone.

Therefore, whether we are eating or drinking, whatever we are going to be doing today—from the most mundane of daily chores to making the most weightiest of decisions—let this be your Mantra “do it all for God’s glory.”

“If then you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal. For a canal spreads abroad water as it receives it, but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing, and thus communicates, without loss to itself, its superabundant water. In the Church at the present day, we have many canals, too few reservoirs.”

Bernard of Clairvaux

What does 1 Corinthians 10-31 teach us?

Paul is specifically teaching each and every one of us that each and every moment of our day, including those moments that seem too insignificant, presents an opportunity to be glorifying God.

Our actions to glorify God are NOT confined to the grandiose. Instead, even in the teeny little “tasks” each day, like eating and drinking, we can glorify God!

What does it mean to eat and drink to the glory of God?

We should strive to do everything in our lives for the greater glory of God–and this absolutely includes eating and drinking! Eating and drinking for the glory of God involves eating wisely, drinking temperately rather than immoderately. We need to take reasonable care of our health by exercising, eating healthfully.

So, give all the honor to God, eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you – you’re eating to God’s glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

115 Not to us, Adonai, not to us,
but to your name give glory,
because of your grace and truth.

2 Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4 Their idols are mere silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but they can’t speak;
they have eyes, but they can’t see;
6 they have ears, but they can’t hear;
they have noses, but they can’t smell;
7 they have hands, but they can’t feel;
they have feet, but they can’t walk;
with their throats they can’t make a sound.
8 The people who make them will become like them,
along with everyone who trusts in them.

9 Isra’el, trust in Adonai!
He is their help and shield.
10 House of Aharon, trust in Adonai!
He is their help and shield.
11 You who fear Adonai, trust in Adonai!
He is their help and shield.
12 Adonai has kept us in mind,
and he will bless.
He will bless the house of Isra’el;
he will bless the house of Aharon;
13 he will bless those who fear Adonai,
great and small alike.

14 May Adonai increase your numbers,
both yours and those of your children.
15 May you be blessed by Adonai,
the maker of heaven and earth.
16 Heaven belongs to Adonai,
but the earth he has given to humankind.

17 The dead can’t praise Adonai,
not those who sink down into silence.
18 But we will bless Adonai
from now on and forever.

Halleluyah!

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.

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God’s Final Word on all Matters: his Son, whom he himself appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-4

Hebrews 1:1-4 Amplified

God’s Final Word in His Son

1 God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in [the voices and writings of] the prophets in many separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the truth], and in many ways, 2 has in these last days spoken [with finality] to us in [the person of One who is by His character and nature] His Son [namely Jesus], whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through whom also He created the universe [that is, the universe as a space-time-matter continuum]. 3 The Son is the radiance and only expression of the glory of [our awesome] God [reflecting God’s [a]Shekinah glory, the Light-being, the brilliant light of the divine], and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His [Father’s] essence, and upholding and maintaining and propelling all things [the entire physical and spiritual universe] by His powerful word [carrying the universe along to its predetermined goal]. When He [Himself and no other] had [by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for sin] accomplished purification from sins and established our freedom from guilt, He sat down [revealing His completed work] at the right hand of the Majesty on high [revealing His Divine authority], 4 having become as much superior to angels, since He has inherited a more excellent and glorious [b]name than they [that is, Son—the name above all names].

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.

Hebrews begins by making some big statements in its first three verses. Each day we are reminded, that we will focus on one of those primary statements and we refresh ourselves, refresh our spirits, what “supremacy of Christ” means for us.

Christ is the “heir of all things.”

Prophets were sent to speak to God’s people.

They ancient people brought important news and teachings from God, but they were merely His messengers. Now God has come into the works of man, and has spoken, to his people, directly through his Son, who is the “heir of all things.”

This reference points back to Psalm 2:7-8, which says,

“He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.’”

In Jesus, God fulfills this amazing promise.

Jesus is the heir who receives all that the Father has.

Peter says that this inheritance “can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).

So what does this mean for us in these 21st century times of disastrous, divisive, upheaval, people openly mocking God with their positions on ‘living for Jesus.’

God is a fairy tale, a fable, made up by those abusing some mind altering drugs.

The bible is a book of wild delusions, hallucinations penned by the drug addled.

There is “no such thing as God,” “no such a thing as a Resurrection, no such a thing as salvation,” “no such thing as sin.” “such a thing as salvation from sin.

As followers of Christ, we are graciously adopted into God’s family as his own children, and we are “co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17).

As co-heirs with Christ, we are set to inherit all that Christ inherits—namely, salvation from sin and eternal life with him.

The Writings to the Hebrews starts out by laying the unshakeable foundation to debunk those who chose to spread erroneous teachings, man’s erroneous use of words like “sovereignty, supremacy” that they held man had an ironclad grip.

The Word which now comes to us in Jesus Christ, both by what he said and what he was, is a significantly stronger, more comprehensive, far more intimate and inclusive word than God ever originally spoke through those ancient prophets .

When you are studying the Old Testament, you are studying the Word of God.

The voice of God is heard through various forms and circumstances. (Psalm 19)

All of it is of God, but all of it is incomplete.

It never brings us to ultimate’s and absolutes.

But when you open the pages of the New Testament, read and study the fourfold picture of Jesus Christ, you find all the Old Testament writings merges into one voice, life, ministry, mission, works, His Passion, by the true voice of His Son.

The words by which God spoke in the Old Testament are merged into one complete discourse in Jesus Christ.

Therefore, God’s word to man has been fully, finally, uttered in the Son.

There is nothing more to be said. Jesus Christ is God’s own final Word to man.

Therefore, the word through the Son is greater than that through the prophets because it includes and surpasses theirs.

It is also greater because the Son created, established, the boundaries of history.

The writer says Jesus has been appointed the heir of all things, and through him God made the universe.

Further, his Word has greater power than the prophets’ because he sustains the matter of the universe.

He reflects the Shekinah glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power.

In the hills behind Stanford University there is a linear accelerator, some two miles long, a gigantic instrument.

Scientists built it to be a great lever by which they can pry the lid off the secrets that lie behind matter.

They are trying to find what makes the universe tick, what holds it together.

And as man probes deeper into the secrets of the universe around him, he discovers more and more that he is confronting the mystery of an untouchable, unfathomable force; that he Himself stands face to face with His pure force.

What is that force?

Scientists never name it, in fact they cannot name it, but the Scripture does. (Psalm 29)

The Scripture says that force is Jesus Christ, that he holds everything in place, whether it be large or small.

The reason we can sit or stand, though our earth is whirling at a furious rate, and not being randomly, sporadically, hurled off into space, is simply because he sustains the universe. Jesus Himself is the ultimate, the final spoken secret behind everything that exists. (John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-23, 1John 1:1-9)

The book of Hebrews is a part of the New Testament and is filled with rich theological teachings and insights.

The authorship of the book is not definitively known, but it is traditionally attributed to the Apostle Paul.

The specific audience and historical context of Hebrews are also somewhat uncertain, but it was likely written to a group of Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and considering reverting back to the ways of Judaism.

We live in a culture which is always force feeding, pitching us all manner of stuff which is better, greater, more superior than anything that’s come before. It turns out that “far better” is one of the Book of Hebrews’ favorite words.

Right from the start, the author is trying to convince us that Jesus is better.

Overall, this passage from Hebrews serves to exalt Jesus Christ as the supreme revelation of God to humanity.

By emphasizing His role in creation, His divine nature, and His redemptive work, the author establishes the unmatched significance and authority of Jesus.

The theological themes of Christ’s divinity, His role as Savior, and His infinite superiority over all other beings are central to the passage, and they continue to be foundational to Christian beliefs.

Ultimately, this passage serves to deepen our understanding, appreciation, of the person and work of Jesus Christ, inviting us to respond in faith and worship.

What is our response …

How can our response be more impactful, magnified, beyond God’s Kingdom?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 24

A psalm by David.

1 The earth and everything it contains are Yahweh’s.
    The world and all who live in it are his.
2 He laid its foundation on the seas
    and set it firmly on the rivers.

3 Who may go up Yahweh’s mountain?
    Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart
    and does not long for what is false[a]
        or lie when he is under oath.
5 This person will receive a blessing from Yahweh
    and righteousness from Elohim, his savior.
6 This is the person who seeks him,
    who searches for the face of the El of Jacob.[b] Selah

7 Lift your heads, you gates.
    Be lifted, you ancient doors,
    so that the Melek of glory may come in.

8 Who is this Melek of glory?
    Yahweh, strong and mighty!
    Yahweh, heroic in battle!

9 Lift your heads, you gates.
    Be lifted, you ancient doors,
    so that the Melek of glory may come in.

10 Who, then, is this Melek of glory?
    Yahweh Tsebaoth is the Melek of glory! Selah

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.

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We have a Future in God’s Kingdom: Preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded. 1 Peter 1:13-16

1 Peter 1:13-16 The Message

A Future in God

13-16 So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

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.

Training to become a pilot involves hours and hours of intense preparation.

Some of this training takes place in flight simulators where the intensity is high enough to induce sweating and stress. Why are pilots subjected to such rigorous training? So they can learn to make the right decisions when it really matters!

When it comes to our Christian purity, it is too often the case that people will fall into sin because they try to make vital decisions in the heat of the moment.

That, under no circumstances, just won’t cut it. If we are going to maintain purity, we need to pray for choices in advance and on the basis of God’s word.

This is why Peter tells us to prepare our “minds for action … being sober-minded.”

The King James Version translates this verse, “Gird up the loins of your mind.”

In other words, we are to prepare ourselves to keep control of our minds—to get a grip of our thought processes—figure out what Paul calls – Self Control so that we’re able to run wisely after what is good and flee, far from what is evil.

If we do not prepare our minds for action, then we will be easily seducible and prone to highly questionable impulse control, poor decision making, tragedy.

We will tend to make difficult, life-altering decisions in the heat of the moment when our emotions are engaged, our lustful worldly desires are shouting at us.

But a life of purity does not happen by accident; it is a conscious act of absolute determination prompted by God’s Spirit, guided by His word, prayed for over and over again, being patient with the Holy Spirit, then enabled by His power.

We need to make a commitment to purity, as the psalmist did when he said,

“I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules” (Psalm 119:106).

Psalm 119:105-112 The Message

105-112 By your words I can see where I’m going;
    they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
    from living by your righteous order.
Everything’s falling apart on me, God;
    put me together again with your Word.
Adorn me with your finest sayings, God;
    teach me your holy rules.
My life is as close as my own hands,
    but I don’t forget what you have revealed.
The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
    but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—
    what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—
    I always have and always will.

I sincerely pray that you will make your commitment before it’s too late.

And here’s a suggestion for the kind of commitment to make: determine to live in the center of the narrow way, not on the edge.

The young man in Proverbs 7 who fell prey to the temptation of a “forbidden woman” was living on the edge; he was “passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight” (Proverbs 7:5, 8-9).

Proverbs 7:5-12 The Message

Dressed to Seduce

7 1-5 Dear friend, do what I tell you;
    treasure my careful instructions.
Do what I say and you’ll live well.
    My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it!
Write it out on the back of your hands;
    etch it on the chambers of your heart.
Talk to Wisdom as to a sister.
    Treat Insight as your companion.
They’ll be with you to fend off the Temptress—
    that smooth-talking, honey-tongued Seductress.

6-12 As I stood at the window of my house
    looking out through the shutters,
Watching the mindless crowd stroll by,
    I spotted a young man without any sense
Arriving at the corner of the street where she lived,
    then turning up the path to her house.
It was dusk, the evening coming on,
    the darkness thickening into night.
Just then, a woman met him—
    she’d been lying in wait for him, dressed to seduce him.
Brazen and brash she was,
    restless and roaming, never at home,
Walking the streets, loitering in the mall,
    hanging out at every corner in town.

The Bible’s lesson is clear:

yield not to the obvious temptation

don’t get yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

There is nothing to be gained from living on the edge when it comes to purity.

Make your commitment before the temptation confronts you, so that when the evil day comes, you will be ready to say, “No, I already made that decision.”

Keep your life in the center of the narrow way and determine to stay there.

On the day when Christ Jesus returns and by grace His people stand around His throne, none of us will say that the pursuit of holiness was not worth the effort.

Transformation Takes Our Effort and Perseverance

Romans 5:4-5 The Message

3-5 There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

We often prize the wonders of ability.

The decathlon, marathon and triathlon athlete have amazing physical abilities.

The Ivy League scholars have phenomenal capacities, learning, mental abilities.

But if they don’t stick to it, put abilities to work, they won’t accomplish much.

If we want change, we have to be willing to work hard, harder, hardest hardcore for it. If we don’t put in enough effort, we won’t bring any truly positive change.

Authors who have written a stack of books will tell you that the very top secret ingredient was the effort it took for them to get up earlier each day to write.

Great inventors will boast of, relate to, the failed efforts it took to bring an idea to its finished product. Sports figures will tell you to practice, practice, practice.

The Christian life is 100 percent God’s work. The resurrection of Savior Christ runs through our veins. But the Christian life is also 100 percent human effort.

Peter urges us to first gird ourselves, prepare our minds for action. The Greek expression here literally means to pull up one’s robe and get ready for action.

Then Peter instructs us to persevere all the way to the end through self-control.

We have to set aside very strongest of armor that does not, and never will fit us, set our prayers upon Jesus, continue to be obedient through responsible effort.

The Christian life is absolute hard work from beginning to end.

Transformation takes our disciplined mental powers, willpower, and our steadfast and authentic and genuine commitment 100 octane to our bibles.

Galatians 5:22-24 The Message

22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

But thankfully even our best finite, temporary, human efforts, are a gift of God.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 1 The Message

1 How well God must like you—
    you don’t walk in the ruts of those blind-as-bats,
    you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings,
    you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.

2-3 Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
    you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
    bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
    always in blossom.

4-5 You’re not at all like the wicked,
    who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court,
    unfit company for innocent people.

6 God charts the road you take.
The road they take leads to nowhere.

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.

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Since ‘Bible’ ought to be a Christians “middle” name, are we making any kingdom impact living, teaching and chained unto the Living Word of God? 2 Timothy 2:8-15

2 Timothy 2:8-15 New American Standard Bible 1995

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, 9 [a]for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. 11 It is a trustworthy statement:

For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we [b]deny Him, He also will deny us;
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

An Unashamed Workman

14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

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.

Way back, just before I graduated from Senior High School, I remember an old saying from my final meeting with my guidance counselor about mentoring and being mentored, then mentoring and apprenticeships goes something like this:

“first we meet, then I do, you watch; I do, you help; You do, I help; You do, I watch.”

Rabbi Jesus called, trained his disciples in much the same way as this, and they passed along to others what they learned from him. An apprentice commits to learning from a master and then becomes experienced and able to teach others.

In our Scripture reading for today, Apostle Paul urges Timothy to remember his training and to teach it, pass it along, to reliable people who can teach others.

By his grace, God wants to be in relationship with us in Christ, to fill us with his Holy Spirit, and to show us how to live fully, lie impactfully, edifyingly, so that we share all this with generations of others. God wants us to be his apprentices.

A powerful image in The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis illustrates this well.

This un­usual book is written from the perspective of a demon (or devil) who is attempting to explain God’s great plan for humankind:

“One must face the fact that all the talk about [God’s] love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would just gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. [God] really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself—creatures whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own . . . because their wills freely conform to His.”

What does 2 Timothy 2:9 mean?

8 Remember Jesus Christ [the ever-living Lord who has] risen from the dead, [as the prophesied King] descended from David [king of Israel], according to my gospel [the good news that I preach], 9 for that [gospel] I am suffering even to [the point of] wearing chains like a criminal; but the word of God is not chained or neither is it imprisoned! [Amplified Version]

Verse 9 continues Paul’s sentence from verse 8, noting that it is the gospel “for which I am suffering.” He had done nothing illegal except to proclaim Christ. Yet he was “bound with chains as a criminal.”

Paul has already mentioned his chains (2 Timothy 1:16).

In this particular case, this likely means literal chains on his hands and/or feet, similar to Peter in Acts 12:6.

Unlike Paul’s 1st Roman imprisonment, in which he lived in his own apartment for two years under house arrest, this imprisonment was much more serious.

Paul expected he would not live much longer, that at any time Emperor Nero will summarily remove his head, but rather would suffer till the end for Christ.

In contrast to Paul’s situation, he expresses his joy in knowing that the truth of the gospel, under no circumstances could not be restrained! Even from his cell and in heavy chains, Paul communicated God’s truth that influenced Timothy, his congregation, other early churches, and became part of the New Testament.

Today, If we were the one’s bound by the heaviest chains, being imprisoned in the most inescapable of prisons, would we be able to say Paul’s message here is a continued cycle-“that Great Cloud of Witnesses leading generations forward?

Exodus 13:20-22 Easy-to-Read Version

The Lord Leads His People

20 The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham. Etham was near the desert. 21  The Lord led the way. During the day, he used a tall cloud to lead the people. And during the night, he used a tall column of fire to lead the way. This fire gave them light so that they could also travel at night. 22 The cloud was always with them during the day, and the column of fire was always with them at night.

As millions of Jews were led forward out of bondage in Egypt by a continuous line of clouds to the Mountain of God where they would receive their teachings?

“first we meet, then I do, you watch; I do, you help; You do, I help; You do, I watch.”

Still today, the Word of God given through Paul impacts lives around the world.

Hebrews 4:11-13 Amplified Bible

11 Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness]. 12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged [a]sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [b] soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.

Hebrews 4:12 clearly teaches, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Kingdom Transformation Through Excellence

We are highly motivated when reaching toward a goal. Our adrenaline flows, our creative juices churn, and our mind works overtime at solving the problems that stand higher than sky high in the way of achieving God’s vision for our life.

In our biblical text today, Paul sternly instructs his apprentice Timothy,

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed.”

Paul was not content, nor satisfied, with anything but the best. He highly valued repetition, instructing Pastor Timothy to “just keep reminding” his listeners.

Repetition really works for me.

There are certain messages I must hear over and over again.

The saying “the early bird gets the worm” nudges me out of bed each morning to feast on God’s manna.

A worn out, torn card in my wallet said, “Prayer changes things,” reminds me to pray before I attempt to fix a problem in my own strength. A sign on my wall, “God is forever, Hallelujah!” calls me to put God first before projects no matter how inconvenient it may seem at times. God + Repetition produces excellence.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 18:31-32 Complete Jewish Bible

31 (30) “As for God, his way is perfect,
the word of Adonai has been tested by fire;
he shields all who take refuge in him.

32 (31) “For who is God but Adonai?
Who is a Rock but our God?

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.

Psalm 139:23-24 Complete Jewish Bible

23 Examine me, God, and know my heart;
test me, and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is in me any hurtful way,
and lead me along the eternal way.

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.

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Does anyone seriously believe we can guard our lips or tame our tongues or keep our mouths from starting a fire? James 3:1 – 6

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James 3:1-6 Amplified Bible

The Tongue Is a Fire

3 Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will [a]be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly]. 2 For we all stumble and sin in many  ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses]. 3 Now if we put bits into the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well. 4 And look at the ships. Even though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines. 5 In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! 6 And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by [b]hell (Gehenna).

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.

Doesn’t it seem at times, that modern life has become a three ring circus?

Sometimes we’re the clowns making people laugh, juggler, trying to manage all the family, career and life responsibilities, or the tightrope walker, trying to walk that line between living for Christ and the constant pull of the world.

Other times we are the strongman, muscled, wrestling with heavy burdens and temptations that are never-ending. And don’t forget the clowns that surround us everywhere with their colorful make-up, their clumsy, and too goofy antics!

Their insanity drains our time and energy, but we simply must deal with them.

Yet, against this backdrop, God is there as ring master, orchestrating the whole thing, making order out of all the chaos – to the extent we turn it over to Him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen and boys and girls, young and old Children of all ages”

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 Amplified Bible

4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one [the only God]! 5 You shall all love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be [written] on your heart and mind. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your [a]children [impressing God’s precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths] and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.

In the more contemporary sense we should add “drive your cars, trucks, busses, motorcycles, atv’s, recreational vehicles, 18 wheelers, fly your planes, private jets.

Let’s not forget those who make their livings and take their vacations upon the vast oceanic seas, rivers, and waterways, in their fishing boats and their yachts, the row boats and motor boats, our Navies, the Navy’s of the world, the gargantuan tankers and container ships, tug boats, cruise ships of all sizes and elegance and luxury.

The Lord God desires that all may come to know Him and share a relationship.

Psalm 46:10 Amplified Bible

10 
“Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 100:3 Amplified Bible

3 
Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, [a]not we ourselves [and we are His].
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 139:1-6 Amplified Bible

God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
2 
You know when I sit down and when I rise up [my entire life, everything I do];
You understand my thought from afar.
3 
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And You are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 
Even before there is a word on my tongue [still unspoken],
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
5 
You have enclosed me behind and before,
And [You have] placed Your hand upon me.
6 
Such [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high [above me], I cannot reach it.

And one of the best ways we can experience victory with Him is to become a big cat tamer and take control of that most vicious of beasts – the human tongue!

We know how difficult it is to tame a real lion, even one raised from a cub.

Just remember the tragic account of Siegfried and Roy, the famous Las Vegas magic act featuring white tigers.

In 2003 one such tiger, Manticore, suddenly bit Roy in the neck and dragged him offstage, ending his career and nearly his life. Which makes us ask – can a lion, or tiger or the human tongue, really be tamed even by “trained experts?”

James 3:2-6 Disciples’ Literal New Testament

2 For we all stumble many[a] ways. If one does not stumble in speech, this one is a perfect man able to bridle[b] also the whole body. 3 Now if we put bridles into the mouths of horses so-that they obey us, we also guide their whole body. 4  Behold also ships being so large and being driven by hard winds— they are guided by a very small rudder where the impulse of the one steering wants. 5 So also the tongue is a  small body-part, and boastfully-declares great things.  Behold how-small a fire kindles how-great a forest!

An Untamed Tongue Stains And Burns And Poisons Life

6 And the tongue is a fire! The[c] tongue is made[d] the world of [e] unrighteousness among our body-parts— the thing staining the whole body and setting-on-fire the course of our existence, and being set-on-fire by Gehenna[f].

Lions and tigers are strong, magnificent creatures, but dangerous. They can turn on you suddenly, in a split-second, cause untold damage or kill you. Yet when they are under the control of the lion tamer, they are beautiful to behold.

Just like our tongues …

Proverbs 18:17-21 Easy-to-Read Version

17 The first person to speak always seems right until someone comes and asks the right questions.

18 The best way to settle an argument between two powerful people may be to use lots.

19 An insulted brother is harder to win back than a city with strong walls. Arguments separate people like the strong bars of a palace gate.

20 Your words can be as satisfying as fruit, as pleasing as the food that fills your stomach.

21 The tongue can speak words that bring life or death. Those who love to talk must be ready to accept what it brings.

Matthew 12:33-37 Easy-to-Read Version

What You Do(say) Shows What You Are

33 “If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good. If your tree is not good, it will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. 34 You snakes! You are so evil. How can you say anything good? What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. 35 Those who are good have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. 36 I tell you that everyone will have to answer for all the careless things they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment. 37 Your words will be used to judge you. What you have said will show whether you are right or whether you are guilty.”

Our taming the tongue is vital so we don’t stumble, experience unnecessary relationship damage, or get pushed off the course that God set for our lives. 

Indeed, what comes out of our mouths in an absent-minded moment can cause severe, irreparable damage.

Our “oops” words can have unintended consequences: weakening our marriage relationship, creating division between friends and distrust among colleagues, and alienating our children. They can cost us our jobs, our reputations, and our families and our homes, untold opportunities to keep ourselves out of prison.

What comes out of our mouth can cause us to experience a lifetime of regret, especially if they are so severe, knock us off the course God has for our lives.

In other words, our lives follow the direction of our words.

If we are always saying things like: I’ll never…I can’t…my life is over…I won’t recover…I don’t get any breaks… 

Don’t be surprised if that is exactly how your life turns out!

Just as absent-minded words spoken to others can damage the course of that relationship, what we continuously, constantly say about ourselves and our lives has a profound effect on our own decision making minds. And these self-imposed limiting beliefs and crippling mindsets can completely alter the course that our lives take, far away from God’s intent. Which, by the way, is amazing.

But if the masters Siegfried and Roy ultimately failed in taming their lion, well-fed, well-treated, and raised from a cub, how can we hope to master, to take control of the wildest of all wildest of beasts we have called the human tongue?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19 Easy-to-Read Version

To the director: A song of David.

19 The heavens tell about the glory of God.
    The skies announce what his hands have made.
2 Each new day tells more of the story,
    and each night reveals more and more about God’s power.[a]
3 You cannot hear them say anything.
    They don’t make any sound we can hear.
4 But their message goes throughout the world.
    Their teaching reaches the ends of the earth.

The sun’s tent is set up in the heavens.
5     It comes out like a happy bridegroom from his bedroom.
It begins its path across the sky
    like an athlete eager to run a race.
6 It starts at one end of the sky
    and runs all the way to the other end.
    Nothing can hide from its heat.

7 The Lord’s teachings are perfect.
    They give strength to his people.
The Lord’s rules can be trusted.
    They help even the foolish become wise.
8 The Lord’s laws are right.
    They make people happy.
The Lord’s commands are good.
    They show people the right way to live.

9 Learning respect for the Lord is good.
    It will last forever.
The Lord’s judgments are right.
    They are completely fair.
10 His teachings are worth more than pure gold.
    They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb.
11 His teachings warn his servants,
    and good things come to those who obey them.

12 People cannot see their own mistakes,
    so don’t let me commit secret sins.
13 Don’t let me do what I know is wrong.
    Don’t let sin control me.
If you help me, I can be pure
    and free from sin.
14 May my words and thoughts please you.
    Lord, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.

Psalm 139:23-24 Easy-to-Read Version

23 God, examine me and know my mind.
    Test me and know all my worries.
24 Make sure that I am not going the wrong way.[a]
    Lead me on the path that has always been right.[b]

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.

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But who would dare to discern their own errors? Forgive hidden faults? Who can discern unintentional sins, can satisfy their own Debts? Psalm 19

Psalm 19 Names of God Bible

Psalm 19

For the choir director; a psalm by David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of El,
    and the sky displays what his hands have made.
2 One day tells a story to the next.
    One night shares knowledge with the next
3 without talking,
    without words,
    without their voices being heard.
4 Yet, their sound has gone out into the entire world,
    their message to the ends of the earth.
    He has set up a tent in the heavens for the sun,
5 which comes out of its chamber like a bridegroom.
    Like a champion, it is eager to run its course.
6         It rises from one end of the heavens.
            It circles around to the other.
                Nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The teachings of Yahweh are perfect.
    They renew the soul.
    The testimony of Yahweh is dependable.
    It makes gullible people wise.
8 The instructions of Yahweh are correct.
    They make the heart rejoice.
    The command of Yahweh is radiant.
    It makes the eyes shine.
9 The fear of Yahweh is pure.
    It endures forever.
    The decisions of Yahweh are true.
    They are completely fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
    They are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb.
11 As your servant I am warned by them.
    There is a great reward in following them.

12 Who can notice every mistake?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep me from sinning.
    Do not let anyone gain control over me.
        Then I will be blameless,
            and I will be free from any great offense.

14 May the words from my mouth and the thoughts from my heart
    be acceptable to you, O Yahweh, my rock and my Go’el.

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.

Psalm 19:7-14 Easy-to-Read Version

7 The Lord’s teachings are perfect.
    They give strength to his people.
The Lord’s rules can be trusted.
    They help even the foolish become wise.
8 The Lord’s laws are right.
    They make people happy.
The Lord’s commands are good.
    They show people the right way to live.

9 Learning respect for the Lord is good.
    It will last forever.
The Lord’s judgments are right.
    They are completely fair.
10 His teachings are worth more than pure gold.
    They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb.
11 His teachings warn his servants,
    and good things come to those who obey them.

12 People cannot see their own mistakes,
    so don’t let me commit secret sins.
13 Don’t let me do what I know is wrong.
    Don’t let sin control me.
If you help me, I can be pure
    and free from sin.
14 May my words and thoughts please you.
    Lord, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.

David, summing up all that he said about the Word of God, declares that the only thing which can interfere with the Word having its full effect is us.

We are the problem.

If we cannot benefit from the Word, it is not because there is anything wrong with it. It is us who are the problem. Who can discern their own errors? 

We are all victims of hidden failure in our lives.

Psalm 139:23-24 Easy-to-Read Version

23 God, examine me and know my mind.
    Test me and know all my worries.
24 Make sure that I am not going the wrong way.[a]
    Lead me on the path that has always been right.[b]

Contemplate for a time if these ancient words of scripture excluded “God”

23 ME, examine me and know my mind.
    ME Test me and know all my worries.
24  ME Make sure that I am not going the wrong way.[a]
    ME Lead me on the path that has always been right.[b]

If we are the only one’s who are examining ourselves …

If we are the only one’s who are trying to know our own minds …

If we are the only one’s testing ourselves to get at the core of our worries?

If we are the only one’s who are investigating our own “wicked ways?”

Then making sure we where smart enough, wise enough, brutally honest enough, tough enough on ourselves, to hardcore “tough love” ourselves, to accept, heartfelt confess, the .0000001% chance we are going the wrong way?

“Knowing” exactly how much a PhD we are in knowing ourselves, caring for ourselves, instantly perfectly completely correcting, and directing ourselves?

What gets accomplished?

Who accomplishes what?

Who makes sure they get all of the credit for what was accomplished?

If we examine ourselves, we usually look fine – in our view of our facts, we are perfectly fine – no worries – no anxieties – as we set off to swim all the oceans?

Everybody, including themselves, thinks what he does is right. We cannot see, refuse to see, our own errors, we won’t acknowledge these errors, yet these hidden errors are constantly affecting us so we cannot see truth the way it is.

How big a 100% fool can we make of ourselves in the privacy of our homes?

Strutting around in public like some fluorescent tie dyed Peacock in full bloom, How big a 100% fool can we put on the world’s biggest most vivid movie screen?

If we aren’t ourselves becoming even .0000001% self conscious of these errors?

Therefore, we desperately need to be delivered from hidden errors by someone eternally, infinitely, more wise, more honest, more sacrificing of self than we are capable of being or would even entertain one thought we would want to be.

That is what severely hinders our desire for the Word — these hidden errors.

The Psalmist faces the fact that something is wrong with us, so he concludes this Psalm with a wonderful prayer: Forgive my hidden faults (Psalms 19:12b).

Are you so fully and completely contrite of heart to confess with all of your soul and all of your so called strength all of your alleged might that is your prayer?

We know what will happen to ourselves, by ourselves, by our indomitable self wills, dare ourselves to pray for that forgiveness, wait on ourselves to answer.

NOTHING OF ANY AUTHENTIC VALUE OR ANYTHING OF ETERNAL WORTH!

Do you know what will happen when you pray that way AND also include God?

One might allow themselves to fantasize that God will take a sponge and wipe around inside you so that you will not even know what those hidden faults were.

But God does not do that.

Isaiah 55:8-11 Easy-to-Read Version

People Cannot Understand God

8 The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like yours.
    Your ways are not like mine.
9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways,
    and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

10 “Rain and snow fall from the sky
    and don’t return until they have watered the ground.
Then the ground causes the plants to sprout and grow,
    and they produce seeds for the farmer and food for people to eat.
11 In the same way, my words leave my mouth,
    and they don’t come back without results.
My words make the things happen that I want to happen.
    They succeed in doing what I send them to do.

His way of dealing with hidden faults is either to send somebody to point them out to you – someone like Nathan who entered David’s throne unannounced.

To bring them out, shake them out through some circumstance in which they are suddenly confronted with what they have done or said, and suddenly realize that it is 1000% ugly and they have been caught not by man, but by God himself.

2 Samuel 12:1-14 Easy-to-Read Version

Nathan Speaks to David

12 The Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan went to him and said, “There were two men in a city. One man was rich, but the other man was poor. 2 The rich man had lots of sheep and cattle. 3 But the poor man had nothing except one little female lamb that he bought. The poor man fed the lamb, and the lamb grew up with this poor man and his children. She ate from the poor man’s food and drank from his cup. The lamb slept on the poor man’s chest. The lamb was like a daughter to the poor man.

4 “Then a traveler stopped to visit the rich man. The rich man wanted to give food to the traveler, but he did not want to take any of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler. No, the rich man took the lamb from the poor man and cooked it for his visitor.”

5 David became very angry with the rich man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this should die! 6 He must pay four times the price of the lamb because he did this terrible thing and because he had no mercy.”

Nathan Tells David About His Sin

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that rich man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I chose[a] you to be the king of Israel. I saved you from Saul. 8 I let you take his family and his wives, and I made you king of Israel and Judah. As if that had not been enough, I would have given you more and more. 9  So why did you ignore my command? Why did you do what I say is wrong? You let the Ammonites kill Uriah the Hittite, and you took his wife. It is as if you yourself killed Uriah in war. 10 So your family will never have peace! When you took Uriah’s wife, you showed that you did not respect me.’

11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘I am bringing trouble against you. This trouble will come from your own family. I will take your wives from you and give them to someone who is very close to you. He will have sexual relations with your wives, and everyone will know it![b] 12 You had sexual relations with Bathsheba in secret, but I will punish you so that all the people of Israel can see it.’”[c]

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan said to David, “The Lord will forgive you, even for this sin. You will not die. 14 But you did things that made the Lord’s enemies lose their respect for him, so your new baby son will die.”

That is the way God cleanses us from hidden faults.

He hardcore pries open the secret places.

Usually he does it through other people, because we cannot see ourselves but other people can see us.

These faults are hidden to us but not to others.

They see them very plainly.

And we can see their hidden faults better than they can.

You say, I don’t see how they can be so blind. 

Well, someone is thinking that very same way about you.

We do not see ourselves.

That is why it is always proper to say, Lord, forgive my hidden faults.

Help me to see myself through the eyes of a friend who loves me enough to tell me the truth.

David closes this psalm with these often quoted words which are so wonderfully penetrating that we should pray them often: 

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalms 19:14).

That is a wonderful prayer, is it not?

This is the attitude that will open the Word of God to us.

When you pray that kind of prayer before you read the Word, you will find that God will (gently in God’s way, hardcore our way) talk to us in a marvelous way.

Deliver Me From Evil

Psalm 19:12 Amplified Bible

12 
Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.

When I was in grade school, there were many times that I thought a teacher or a parent had eyes in the back of their head.

I could not get away with anything I was not supposed to be doing.

Sometimes my hidden thoughts were identified by those who were not even looking at me. And to prevent me from even trying something out of line, they loudly whispered for all to hear, “Just remember, God sees everything you do.”

Having someone watching our every move can help to keep our secret actions in check, but what about our thoughts and the things we are tempted to say?

When we allow the bright light of God’s law to shine into our inner self, it truly illuminates our hidden faults and lights up a warning.

Without God’s law we are blind to what separates us from God.

The psalmist knows that he cannot see his faults by looking into a mirror.

He looks instead into God’s law and asks God to forgive not only his visible sins but also his hidden faults.

And the God of the Bible does forgive.

Knowing the fact of God’s forgiveness assures the psalmist that he will be blameless in God’s sight. Not completely perfect yet, but blameless now.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 40 Amplified Bible

God Sustains His Servant.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 
He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path.
3 
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear [with great reverence]
And will trust confidently in the Lord.

4 
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not regard the proud nor those who lapse into lies.
5 
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of your wonders,
They would be too many to count.

6 
Sacrifice and meal offering You do not desire, nor do You delight in them;
You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word];
Burnt offerings and sin offerings You do not require.
7 
Then I said, “Behold, I come [to the throne];
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 
“I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your law is within my heart.”

9 
I have proclaimed good news of righteousness [and the joy that comes from obedience to You] in the great assembly;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips [from proclaiming Your righteousness],
As You know, O Lord.
10 
I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart;
I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation.
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.

11 
Do not withhold Your compassion and tender mercy from me, O Lord;
Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
12 
For innumerable evils have encompassed me;
My sins have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see.
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
And my heart has failed me.

13 
Be pleased, O Lord, to save me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
14 
Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
Who seek my life to destroy it;
Let those be turned back [in defeat] and dishonored
Who delight in my hurt.
15 
Let those be appalled and desolate because of their shame
Who say to me, “Aha, aha [rejoicing in my misfortune]!”
16 
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 
Even though I am afflicted and needy,
Still the Lord takes thought and is mindful of me.
You are my help and my rescuer.
O my God, do not delay.

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.

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