Psa 71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
What do you hope for? You do have a hope even if it's a small one, right? Think about it for a few moments, or longer if you need to. We live with hope. Very few live without hope in their lives, very few. While some people might live with a lot of hope for many things, others can live life with just a few hopes. We hope for good things for our children, we hope for good things for ourselves, we hope for good health, we hope for nice weather, we hope for gifts, we hope for love, we hope for long life, we hope for many things over the course of our lives.
In reality the hope we need to have should be in one place because all the hope we place in temporal things can fade away. Hope we place in the eternal Lord Jesus Christ our Savior will never fade away- not now, and not ever.
While we hope for our children to be successful in life- not necessarily rich monetary wise- but in many ways- is that hope always something that will be realized? Unfortunately, no. While we hope for ourselves many times our hopes are dashed aren't they, over and over some would say. We sometimes get what we hope for but more often than not we don't.
Placing hope in *things* of this world is foolish IF we don't keep that hope checked by realizing that nothing is promised to us in this life- not good health, not happiness in worldly things, not human love, not wealth, not friendship, not loving family, not peace in worldly ways, not children, not intellect, not employment, and on and on. We are NOT promised this world or anything in this world. So many want others to believe they are promised good in this world.
We are promised hope in our Lord.
We are promised happiness in our Lord.
We are promised eternal life in our Lord.
Our riches are heavenly riches.
Our hopes are heavenly hopes.
Our happiness is a heavenly happiness.
Psa 71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD
The Lord our God must be OUR hope first and foremost. Let's read a few more verses on hope--
Psa 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
Jer 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Hope in God.
The blessed hope.
Lively hope.
We really need this HOPE more than any other hope we could possibly desire.
Is your hope in Christ? Or are you placing your hope in things not eternal?
Christ our Hope!
Christ our Kingdom!
Christ our Love!
Christ our everything!
In His love, His grace!
Always.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Deliver us from the wicked, the unrighteous, the cruel
Psa 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
Do we need to pray this? Most of us aren't in the hands of the wicked, are we? Do the unrighteous and cruel men hold us captive? Perhaps we are held captive more than we realize. Seriously. Just how much do other people influence our lives? Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, friends, neighbors, peers, schoolmates, teachers, doctors, everyone we come in contact with has a touch of influence upon our lives. The stranger that smiles, the stranger that frowns, the stranger that seems oblivious to our existence. Those we work for, those who work for us, those who help us, those we help. It's an endless ongoing influence surrounding each of us. We have even more influence from others nowadays from those who are online. Whole groups of people that would otherwise be total strangers to us are now influences that affect us.
When Christ prayed to His Father to NOT take us out of this world but to KEEP us from evil, it was a prayer that was more necessary than we really understand. Evil's influence comes in so very many forms. To pray to be delivered from the wicked, the unrighteous, and the cruel person is asking to be protected from the evil people in the world, isn't it?
The wicked-
Pro 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
Pro 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
Pro 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
Pro 15:28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
Pro 21:10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil…
Pro 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
The wicked- those who are bound up in sin, deceitful, evil.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies
Mar 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mar 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful
The wicked surround us and when we dare to acknowledge the wicked ways we are witness to we are the ones who are often unjustly condemned. We need protection from the wicked, we need to pray as David prayed- Deliver me oh my God out of the hand of the wicked. The wicked are not simply the gangsters on the street. The wicked are not just the murderers caught and jailed. The wicked are not just the sexual predators our world is filled with. The wicked are ANY that would keep us from God. The wicked are ANY that would do anything to prevent us from worshipping our Savior as we are told to worship. The wicked are all who are unrepentant. We need to be delivered from any that would keep us from God. We need the protection of the Holy Spirit to keep us from succumbing to the grand delusions that surround us that try and convince us that God's way is wrong, that evil is good and good is evil.
We do need to pray-
Psa 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
We are surrounded by people who wear false cloaks of righteousness and are eager and ready to hand us a cloak just like theirs. While we must live IN this world, we need to pray that we are kept from evil. Our Savior prayed that way for us and if He prayed that way we too need to pray that way. Deliver us from evil- from the wicked, from the unrighteous, from the cruel men that surround us. We can never cease to pray to be delivered, never. We can never become comfortable in believing all those around us only care for our well-being. We can never allow ourselves to believe there are no wicked, no unrighteous, no cruel people. While we MUST NEVER condemn another's eternal life because that is not ours to know, but we must understand that evil lurks all around us- it's not paranoia if it's true, right? Far be it from me to call another wicked, evil, unrighteous, or cruel- I have my own problems, that old beam in my own eye to removed so I can pluck a tiny mote out of another's eye. But I can't allow myself to be deceived into believing that evil, that wickedness, that unrighteousness, or that cruelty doesn't exist. I must understand my need for deliverance in all things.
God please deliver us from ALL the wicked, ALL the unrighteous, ALL that are cruel-- in YOUR righteousness alone this is possible. Keep us from evil Lord, keep us from evil by Your mercy!
Save us oh Lord, SAVE US.
In Your amazing love!
Amen.
Do we need to pray this? Most of us aren't in the hands of the wicked, are we? Do the unrighteous and cruel men hold us captive? Perhaps we are held captive more than we realize. Seriously. Just how much do other people influence our lives? Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, friends, neighbors, peers, schoolmates, teachers, doctors, everyone we come in contact with has a touch of influence upon our lives. The stranger that smiles, the stranger that frowns, the stranger that seems oblivious to our existence. Those we work for, those who work for us, those who help us, those we help. It's an endless ongoing influence surrounding each of us. We have even more influence from others nowadays from those who are online. Whole groups of people that would otherwise be total strangers to us are now influences that affect us.
When Christ prayed to His Father to NOT take us out of this world but to KEEP us from evil, it was a prayer that was more necessary than we really understand. Evil's influence comes in so very many forms. To pray to be delivered from the wicked, the unrighteous, and the cruel person is asking to be protected from the evil people in the world, isn't it?
The wicked-
Pro 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
Pro 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
Pro 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
Pro 15:28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
Pro 21:10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil…
Pro 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
The wicked- those who are bound up in sin, deceitful, evil.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies
Mar 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mar 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful
The wicked surround us and when we dare to acknowledge the wicked ways we are witness to we are the ones who are often unjustly condemned. We need protection from the wicked, we need to pray as David prayed- Deliver me oh my God out of the hand of the wicked. The wicked are not simply the gangsters on the street. The wicked are not just the murderers caught and jailed. The wicked are not just the sexual predators our world is filled with. The wicked are ANY that would keep us from God. The wicked are ANY that would do anything to prevent us from worshipping our Savior as we are told to worship. The wicked are all who are unrepentant. We need to be delivered from any that would keep us from God. We need the protection of the Holy Spirit to keep us from succumbing to the grand delusions that surround us that try and convince us that God's way is wrong, that evil is good and good is evil.
We do need to pray-
Psa 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
We are surrounded by people who wear false cloaks of righteousness and are eager and ready to hand us a cloak just like theirs. While we must live IN this world, we need to pray that we are kept from evil. Our Savior prayed that way for us and if He prayed that way we too need to pray that way. Deliver us from evil- from the wicked, from the unrighteous, from the cruel men that surround us. We can never cease to pray to be delivered, never. We can never become comfortable in believing all those around us only care for our well-being. We can never allow ourselves to believe there are no wicked, no unrighteous, no cruel people. While we MUST NEVER condemn another's eternal life because that is not ours to know, but we must understand that evil lurks all around us- it's not paranoia if it's true, right? Far be it from me to call another wicked, evil, unrighteous, or cruel- I have my own problems, that old beam in my own eye to removed so I can pluck a tiny mote out of another's eye. But I can't allow myself to be deceived into believing that evil, that wickedness, that unrighteousness, or that cruelty doesn't exist. I must understand my need for deliverance in all things.
God please deliver us from ALL the wicked, ALL the unrighteous, ALL that are cruel-- in YOUR righteousness alone this is possible. Keep us from evil Lord, keep us from evil by Your mercy!
Save us oh Lord, SAVE US.
In Your amazing love!
Amen.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
My Rock and my Fortress
Psa 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…
… thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
God has given the commandment to save us. Think about it-- He didn't have to save us. People think that there is that *have to* aspect to this but there isn't. God didn't have to save humanity, He almost didn't.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
God gives the commandment to save us.
God accepts our repentance and our plea for forgiveness. Does He have to accept? No. There is a choice there is a knowing of us.
Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
God knows all things. God knows if we have love for Him. God knows if we seek forgiveness. God knows if we repent of our wrongs. God doesn't have to save us, but God can and will save us. If we make God our strong habitation where we continually resort, if we put all our trust in God, we have to know that God will give the commandment to save us because HE is our rock and our fortress. God is our ONLY solace. God is our only hope! God is our strong habitation. God is our place of safety. We can go to God for all our eternal needs and yes, our immediate needs as well but we must understand that when we go to God for our immediate needs that He sees the BIG picture and how every detail of our life blends together to lead us to eternal life in Him and while we don't understand our sufferings, our pains, our distress and why we are called to go through things we do not want to go through, He does.
Above all no matter what we MUST remember that God is our rock and fortress, He never forsakes us, never!
2Sa 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer
Psa 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Jer 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction
My rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my strength, my buckler, my salvation, my high tower, my refuge-- this is our GOD.
No person can be all this for us and so many of us look for these qualities in another human being and are disappointed when they don't live up to the expectations. Only God can be all this perfectly for us, only God.
Do we need a fortress to go to in life? Yes.
Do we need a deliverer? Yes.
Do we need strength? Yes.
Do we need a buckler? Yes.
Do we need salvation? Yes.
Do we need a high tower? Yes.
Do we need refuge? Yes.
WE NEED GOD!
We need to know that He has given the commandment to save us.
Jer 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Salvation is of the Lord! Praise God! All glory and honor to Him!
Psa 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
AMEN!
… thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
God has given the commandment to save us. Think about it-- He didn't have to save us. People think that there is that *have to* aspect to this but there isn't. God didn't have to save humanity, He almost didn't.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
God gives the commandment to save us.
God accepts our repentance and our plea for forgiveness. Does He have to accept? No. There is a choice there is a knowing of us.
Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
God knows all things. God knows if we have love for Him. God knows if we seek forgiveness. God knows if we repent of our wrongs. God doesn't have to save us, but God can and will save us. If we make God our strong habitation where we continually resort, if we put all our trust in God, we have to know that God will give the commandment to save us because HE is our rock and our fortress. God is our ONLY solace. God is our only hope! God is our strong habitation. God is our place of safety. We can go to God for all our eternal needs and yes, our immediate needs as well but we must understand that when we go to God for our immediate needs that He sees the BIG picture and how every detail of our life blends together to lead us to eternal life in Him and while we don't understand our sufferings, our pains, our distress and why we are called to go through things we do not want to go through, He does.
Above all no matter what we MUST remember that God is our rock and fortress, He never forsakes us, never!
2Sa 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer
Psa 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Jer 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction
My rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my strength, my buckler, my salvation, my high tower, my refuge-- this is our GOD.
No person can be all this for us and so many of us look for these qualities in another human being and are disappointed when they don't live up to the expectations. Only God can be all this perfectly for us, only God.
Do we need a fortress to go to in life? Yes.
Do we need a deliverer? Yes.
Do we need strength? Yes.
Do we need a buckler? Yes.
Do we need salvation? Yes.
Do we need a high tower? Yes.
Do we need refuge? Yes.
WE NEED GOD!
We need to know that He has given the commandment to save us.
Jer 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Salvation is of the Lord! Praise God! All glory and honor to Him!
Psa 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
AMEN!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Be thou my strong habitation...
Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
A strong habitation. A fortified city. A protected home. Most of us have seen a strong habitation- if not in person then on television or in books. What is the most heavily guarded place you've ever seen? What comes to mind when you think of a strong habitation? Fort Knox perhaps, which is the Bullion Depository where the majority of U.S. gold is kept. That place is one of the most protected, the most fortified, the strongest habitation in the U.S. However most of us do not have access to that sort of protected place.
Where would you go if you were seeking to be protected? A friend's house? A police station? When you're in immediate danger you most likely would run to the nearest home seeking shelter and help from the danger you're in. A person usually isn't very discriminatory when they are in desperate need- though they'd choose a strong house over a little falling down shack if given a choice.
Let me ask another question, where do you go for constant protection, what place to you is a place of continuous refuge? Is it your own home? Most people feel safe in their own homes don't they? Maybe you're coming home late at night and you're in your driveway and feel a sense of foreboding so you rush into your house to safety, that sense of relief as you lock the door keeping out any danger real or imagined makes you feel better almost instantly doesn't it? You've come to a place of refuge.
Throughout life we encounter many frightening situations, we face numerous moments of vulnerability where NO strong habitation can make us feel safe. These are moments of internal terror and panic, of distress and fear, the times when we are filled with anxiety and overcome with worry. You can be in the safest place on earth and still have fear within and no lock or key, no thick walls or strong steel doors can take care of that internal distress.
When David prayed these words- 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…' He was not talking about a physical habitation. He was talking about finding safety and protection in God's love, in God's strength.
Do you have a friend or loved one you might call your 'rock', someone you turn to when you need a strong shoulder to lean on, someone you know will be there to comfort you and help you in any way they possibly can? Maybe you have a whole family of strong shoulders to lean on, or maybe you don't have a single person you can rely upon. Even when we do have family and friends to lean upon all too often in life those strong shoulders seem to disappear, and disappoint. God is one who will NEVER disappear or disappoint. God is forever a strong habitation for us to continually resort to. God is REAL. Too many believe in God in a very abstract way as someone who is there but not really there. When we get to that 'not really there' bit we are not truly believing in God as being as real as you and I are real. God is more real than any of us, God is more sure than a single person, God is a more strong refuge than any earthly habitation will ever be. We have to believe this! David believed this. God was very, very real to David- and God needs to be very, very real to us!
David understood that God was a strong habitation where he could continually resort. He could continually go to God for protection, for safety. God is one who would NEVER betray, NEVER disappoint, NEVER disappear.
Satan has us so confused that we almost instantly BLAME God when things go wrong in life rather than RESORT TO God for comfort. We forget that God is good, that God is love, that God is righteous. We forget everything positive and choose to blame God for NOT letting things go the way we want them too. Not preventing death of a loved one, not stopping a storm from tearing every possession from us, not curing the chronically ill, the chronically pain-filled person's life, keeping new life from us. We BLAME God because we believe He is in control and choosing to allow bad stuff to happen to us without discretion. We believe that God DOESN'T know what is best in the eternal scheme of life. Surely if He knew better He wouldn't hurt us who love Him that way. How can we believe God truly loves us if we equally believe He will hurt us unjustly, that He allows our lives to become chaotic messes on a whim? The two beliefs are opposing, not complimenting. We CAN'T believe one thing and believe the opposite or one of those beliefs is our true belief and the other a false one. We can't believe dark is light and dark is dark. It's one or the other. We can't believe God is evil and love. When we take our OWN sinfilled natures and tack them onto our God we pervert who He truly is. We can say we love someone and then hurt them without concern for them. We can tell someone we love them and will honor them and then turn on them and hate them and dishonor them- WE DO that all the time because we are SINNERS! When we make God like us with the ability to evilly HATE us and LOVE us imperfectly we take away His Godhood and make Him human- we make Him a sinning human. Is it any wonder people question God's love when they take away His status as God? Is it any wonder people question God when they start to believe He isn't love? Satan wants us to believe badly of God or not believe at all in God, either way Satan is pleased.
David prayed-
Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
God is a strong habitation, a place of safety - He holds the safety of our eternal lives within His grasp and it is to God we must continually resort. Not just go to God once as if we are getting a God vaccine good for protection the rest of our lives if we accept Him once. How often do you think of your vaccines- the ones you've received as a child? Or even as an adult? Rarely. Occasionally. Seldom. Often. Never. We need to think of God all the time, part of that is in praying always. We need to always have God with us not the occasional thought - not the brief morning thought, not the mealtime blessing thought, not the nighttime prayer- but always. God needs to be in our lives continually. We need to resort to God continually as the source of hope and strength, of safety, of love. If we fill our lives with all that is depressing and hopeless we are NOT trusting in God, we are not continually resorting to Him but retreating from Him. The further we retreat from God the more hopeless everything becomes. Some might argue that and say that when they deny God and stopped depending upon Him their lives were instantly better. They took over their own lives, taking responsibility for all that goes on with themselves finding strength, hope, and empowerment within themselves making them better people. Do you know what that is? That's Satan gifting them with that belief so they won't find salvation in Jesus Christ. Satan is cunning and will use everything and anything at his disposal to get us to abandon God- he'll use good as well as bad things to trap us to him.
We need to pray as David prayed-
Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
Let us continually resort to You God in all things, in all ways, everyday, all day, without ceasing- knowing YOU are our strong habitation, knowing we can go to You in all situations. Instead of blaming you Lord help us to resort to You and know that all evil stems from Satan and while it is allowed- it is only allowed temporarily when compared to eternity. That the Kingdom of God will one day exist without any evil at all whatsoever and that we can possess the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
In Your amazing love! Keep us from evil!
Amen.
A strong habitation. A fortified city. A protected home. Most of us have seen a strong habitation- if not in person then on television or in books. What is the most heavily guarded place you've ever seen? What comes to mind when you think of a strong habitation? Fort Knox perhaps, which is the Bullion Depository where the majority of U.S. gold is kept. That place is one of the most protected, the most fortified, the strongest habitation in the U.S. However most of us do not have access to that sort of protected place.
Where would you go if you were seeking to be protected? A friend's house? A police station? When you're in immediate danger you most likely would run to the nearest home seeking shelter and help from the danger you're in. A person usually isn't very discriminatory when they are in desperate need- though they'd choose a strong house over a little falling down shack if given a choice.
Let me ask another question, where do you go for constant protection, what place to you is a place of continuous refuge? Is it your own home? Most people feel safe in their own homes don't they? Maybe you're coming home late at night and you're in your driveway and feel a sense of foreboding so you rush into your house to safety, that sense of relief as you lock the door keeping out any danger real or imagined makes you feel better almost instantly doesn't it? You've come to a place of refuge.
Throughout life we encounter many frightening situations, we face numerous moments of vulnerability where NO strong habitation can make us feel safe. These are moments of internal terror and panic, of distress and fear, the times when we are filled with anxiety and overcome with worry. You can be in the safest place on earth and still have fear within and no lock or key, no thick walls or strong steel doors can take care of that internal distress.
When David prayed these words- 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…' He was not talking about a physical habitation. He was talking about finding safety and protection in God's love, in God's strength.
Do you have a friend or loved one you might call your 'rock', someone you turn to when you need a strong shoulder to lean on, someone you know will be there to comfort you and help you in any way they possibly can? Maybe you have a whole family of strong shoulders to lean on, or maybe you don't have a single person you can rely upon. Even when we do have family and friends to lean upon all too often in life those strong shoulders seem to disappear, and disappoint. God is one who will NEVER disappear or disappoint. God is forever a strong habitation for us to continually resort to. God is REAL. Too many believe in God in a very abstract way as someone who is there but not really there. When we get to that 'not really there' bit we are not truly believing in God as being as real as you and I are real. God is more real than any of us, God is more sure than a single person, God is a more strong refuge than any earthly habitation will ever be. We have to believe this! David believed this. God was very, very real to David- and God needs to be very, very real to us!
David understood that God was a strong habitation where he could continually resort. He could continually go to God for protection, for safety. God is one who would NEVER betray, NEVER disappoint, NEVER disappear.
Satan has us so confused that we almost instantly BLAME God when things go wrong in life rather than RESORT TO God for comfort. We forget that God is good, that God is love, that God is righteous. We forget everything positive and choose to blame God for NOT letting things go the way we want them too. Not preventing death of a loved one, not stopping a storm from tearing every possession from us, not curing the chronically ill, the chronically pain-filled person's life, keeping new life from us. We BLAME God because we believe He is in control and choosing to allow bad stuff to happen to us without discretion. We believe that God DOESN'T know what is best in the eternal scheme of life. Surely if He knew better He wouldn't hurt us who love Him that way. How can we believe God truly loves us if we equally believe He will hurt us unjustly, that He allows our lives to become chaotic messes on a whim? The two beliefs are opposing, not complimenting. We CAN'T believe one thing and believe the opposite or one of those beliefs is our true belief and the other a false one. We can't believe dark is light and dark is dark. It's one or the other. We can't believe God is evil and love. When we take our OWN sinfilled natures and tack them onto our God we pervert who He truly is. We can say we love someone and then hurt them without concern for them. We can tell someone we love them and will honor them and then turn on them and hate them and dishonor them- WE DO that all the time because we are SINNERS! When we make God like us with the ability to evilly HATE us and LOVE us imperfectly we take away His Godhood and make Him human- we make Him a sinning human. Is it any wonder people question God's love when they take away His status as God? Is it any wonder people question God when they start to believe He isn't love? Satan wants us to believe badly of God or not believe at all in God, either way Satan is pleased.
David prayed-
Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
God is a strong habitation, a place of safety - He holds the safety of our eternal lives within His grasp and it is to God we must continually resort. Not just go to God once as if we are getting a God vaccine good for protection the rest of our lives if we accept Him once. How often do you think of your vaccines- the ones you've received as a child? Or even as an adult? Rarely. Occasionally. Seldom. Often. Never. We need to think of God all the time, part of that is in praying always. We need to always have God with us not the occasional thought - not the brief morning thought, not the mealtime blessing thought, not the nighttime prayer- but always. God needs to be in our lives continually. We need to resort to God continually as the source of hope and strength, of safety, of love. If we fill our lives with all that is depressing and hopeless we are NOT trusting in God, we are not continually resorting to Him but retreating from Him. The further we retreat from God the more hopeless everything becomes. Some might argue that and say that when they deny God and stopped depending upon Him their lives were instantly better. They took over their own lives, taking responsibility for all that goes on with themselves finding strength, hope, and empowerment within themselves making them better people. Do you know what that is? That's Satan gifting them with that belief so they won't find salvation in Jesus Christ. Satan is cunning and will use everything and anything at his disposal to get us to abandon God- he'll use good as well as bad things to trap us to him.
We need to pray as David prayed-
Psa 71:3 'Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort…'
Let us continually resort to You God in all things, in all ways, everyday, all day, without ceasing- knowing YOU are our strong habitation, knowing we can go to You in all situations. Instead of blaming you Lord help us to resort to You and know that all evil stems from Satan and while it is allowed- it is only allowed temporarily when compared to eternity. That the Kingdom of God will one day exist without any evil at all whatsoever and that we can possess the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
In Your amazing love! Keep us from evil!
Amen.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Incline thine ear unto me
Psa 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Lord, hear me! Lord, save me!
Asking God to save us is something we must do and not just once, but often. Just as there is much we need to escape from in this sin sick world there is a great need to be saved. We need to be saved from enemies seen and unseen and this is a fact. People may scoff at such talk but it's true, the unseen spiritual attacks are plentiful and unceasing. We war against principalities and powers, wickedness- not just flesh and blood.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Asking God to save us is something God's beloved David did often...
Psa 6:4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 7:1 …O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
Psa 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 54:1 ...Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 57:3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
Psa 69:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Psa 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy
Psa 119:94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.
Psa 119:146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
Psa 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
David faced a lot of physical threats to his life and where did He go for help? GOD.
David faced a lot of emotionally trying times and where did He go for help? GOD.
Isa 38:20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
Jer 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Amen!
Being saved by God there is NOTHING more important that that, nothing.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus was sent into the world NOT to condemn it, NOT to find it unworthy of being saved. Jesus came to the world that though HIM the world might be SAVED.
The purpose of the sinless One taking on flesh, the purpose of a God emptying Himself to become uniquely human and God was to SAVE US!
Php 2:5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Php 2:7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men
Joh 5:30 I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joh 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Joh 5:32 It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Joh 5:33 Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.
Joh 5:34 But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved.
Joh 10:9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.
We CANNOT save ourselves, we must be SAVED. Is it any wonder at all that we should cry to our God to be saved? Only by crying out to be saved do we acknowledge salvation is found without ourselves and in another.
Save me!
If we were to hear these words as we were walking down a street what would we think? That someone needed help, right?
We need help! We need the help of our Savior for only He can save us for eternity!
*******
Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear
Psa 17:6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Psa 116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Psa 116:2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Please Lord incline Your ear to hear us! Please Lord, SAVE US, all in YOUR righteousness by YOUR grace and mercy!
Amen!
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Lord, hear me! Lord, save me!
Asking God to save us is something we must do and not just once, but often. Just as there is much we need to escape from in this sin sick world there is a great need to be saved. We need to be saved from enemies seen and unseen and this is a fact. People may scoff at such talk but it's true, the unseen spiritual attacks are plentiful and unceasing. We war against principalities and powers, wickedness- not just flesh and blood.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Asking God to save us is something God's beloved David did often...
Psa 6:4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 7:1 …O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
Psa 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
Psa 54:1 ...Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 57:3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
Psa 69:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Psa 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy
Psa 119:94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.
Psa 119:146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
Psa 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
David faced a lot of physical threats to his life and where did He go for help? GOD.
David faced a lot of emotionally trying times and where did He go for help? GOD.
Isa 38:20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
Jer 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Amen!
Being saved by God there is NOTHING more important that that, nothing.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus was sent into the world NOT to condemn it, NOT to find it unworthy of being saved. Jesus came to the world that though HIM the world might be SAVED.
The purpose of the sinless One taking on flesh, the purpose of a God emptying Himself to become uniquely human and God was to SAVE US!
Php 2:5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Php 2:7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men
Joh 5:30 I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joh 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Joh 5:32 It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Joh 5:33 Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.
Joh 5:34 But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved.
Joh 10:9 I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture.
We CANNOT save ourselves, we must be SAVED. Is it any wonder at all that we should cry to our God to be saved? Only by crying out to be saved do we acknowledge salvation is found without ourselves and in another.
Save me!
If we were to hear these words as we were walking down a street what would we think? That someone needed help, right?
We need help! We need the help of our Savior for only He can save us for eternity!
*******
Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear
Psa 17:6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Psa 116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Psa 116:2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
...incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Please Lord incline Your ear to hear us! Please Lord, SAVE US, all in YOUR righteousness by YOUR grace and mercy!
Amen!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Cause me to escape
Psa 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
Cause me to escape.
What do we need to escape from? Seriously, what?
Psa 141:10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
Wicked nets. Yes, we need to escape from the wicked and their evil nets they lay down hoping to trap those that would be God's.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Watch…pray always…to be accounted worthy to escape all these things…
Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luk 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
So much to escape!
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
How are we worthy to escape? ONLY IN CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS! We need HIM to cause us to escape! We need to escape there is no doubt about it but it's not escaping out of the trials and tribulations, but escaping the evils of the world so that we may possess the good world- eternal life in Christ our Savior. We need to escape the EVIL that can and will seduce so many people. Snares will come on ALL them that dwell on the face of the whole earth, ALL them! Snares will come- we can escape from those snares though and that escape is in our Savior no where else!
Is it any wonder we should pray-- 'cause me to escape' ? We need to be caused to escape. On our own we cannot escape of that there is NO doubt at all whatsoever. Christ can cause us to escape through HIS righteousness- remember this- 'Deliver me in thy righteousness' it comes right before this- 'cause me to escape'. We escape the evil that would take God from us, that would strip eternal life in the goodness o our Lord and Savior only through Christ's righteousness.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
How shall we escape if we neglect CHRIST as our SAVIOR?! We won't, we really, really won't escape any evil whatsoever but by Christ our Lord. He is our hope! Our ONLY hope!
In His love!
Forever and always!
Amen.
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape…
Cause me to escape.
What do we need to escape from? Seriously, what?
Psa 141:10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
Wicked nets. Yes, we need to escape from the wicked and their evil nets they lay down hoping to trap those that would be God's.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Watch…pray always…to be accounted worthy to escape all these things…
Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
Luk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luk 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
Luk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Luk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Luk 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
So much to escape!
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
How are we worthy to escape? ONLY IN CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS! We need HIM to cause us to escape! We need to escape there is no doubt about it but it's not escaping out of the trials and tribulations, but escaping the evils of the world so that we may possess the good world- eternal life in Christ our Savior. We need to escape the EVIL that can and will seduce so many people. Snares will come on ALL them that dwell on the face of the whole earth, ALL them! Snares will come- we can escape from those snares though and that escape is in our Savior no where else!
Is it any wonder we should pray-- 'cause me to escape' ? We need to be caused to escape. On our own we cannot escape of that there is NO doubt at all whatsoever. Christ can cause us to escape through HIS righteousness- remember this- 'Deliver me in thy righteousness' it comes right before this- 'cause me to escape'. We escape the evil that would take God from us, that would strip eternal life in the goodness o our Lord and Savior only through Christ's righteousness.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
How shall we escape if we neglect CHRIST as our SAVIOR?! We won't, we really, really won't escape any evil whatsoever but by Christ our Lord. He is our hope! Our ONLY hope!
In His love!
Forever and always!
Amen.
Thy righteousness
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness
This does NOT say deliver me in my righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my friend's righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my loved one's righteousness.
This tell us that we are delivered in GOD'S righteousness.
Oh if only we could truly comprehend this! If only we could understand that we have NO righteousness of our own. No possible way whatsoever to deserve eternal life. No possible way to ever earn eternal life on our own merit. If we live believing that as long as we are *good* we will get to heaven, we are sadly, and lethally mistaken. God is good. God enables us to be good and it's only through HIS enabling us to be good in anyway that we have goodness in our lives. Without God no good is possible, no true goodness exists. There is a false goodness and it exists in such magnitude most believe it's real goodness because they know very little else. They know it in part as being good enough, having good intentions, good ideas, being as good as can be, mostly good, a good person overall- you know what I'm saying. We do know good and we evil, and yet so much good is evil in disguise and Satan loves it that way. If he can get whole churches of seemingly *good* people believing they are saved in their goodness he has won them without them ever suspecting. It sounds cruel but NO one is deceived unless they desire to be confused- unless they deep down desire to live their lives under a cloak of self-deception that allows them to believe more in their own selves than in their Savior, their God.
This is God's word--
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our BEST at being good, at being righteous is as a FILTHY RAG!
Yes, I'm shouting it! Yes, I mean it, because GOD means it! Yes, I want to scream this out like a preacher of old, shouting down the rafters of a church, like a prophet of old letting His voice echo against the rocky hills. We have NO righteousness to claim as our own and if we plan on standing before God and pointing to ourselves explaining how we did this bit of goodness and that bit of righteousness and can we please live eternally - all we will get as a response is a sad no. We cannot expect any goodness in ourselves to save us, not the tiniest speck, not the largest act of kindness. People talk all the time about being redeemed by an act of goodness. We are not redeemed to eternal life by any act of goodness of our own, not by any sacrifice we make, not by any exceptional life we may truly, in fact lead. We are ONLY redeemed by our Savior through HIS righteousness, His life, His death, His love.
Accepting that our Savior Jesus Christ is our ONLY righteousness is something we need to cling to!
Any righteousness that we even think we might possess comes solely from God. We do need praise and thank God for all good because of ourselves we have none.
Joh 5:30 'I can of mine own self do nothing…'
Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Zec 9:17 For how great is his goodness
Whatever we do…
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
*******
Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness
Gen 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee
1Sa 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
1Sa 24:15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
Psa 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Rescue, recover, save me! Deliver me in thy righteousness!
Only by your love, only by your grace, only by YOUR righteousness, all by faith.
Amen!
This does NOT say deliver me in my righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my friend's righteousness. This does NOT say deliver me in my loved one's righteousness.
This tell us that we are delivered in GOD'S righteousness.
Oh if only we could truly comprehend this! If only we could understand that we have NO righteousness of our own. No possible way whatsoever to deserve eternal life. No possible way to ever earn eternal life on our own merit. If we live believing that as long as we are *good* we will get to heaven, we are sadly, and lethally mistaken. God is good. God enables us to be good and it's only through HIS enabling us to be good in anyway that we have goodness in our lives. Without God no good is possible, no true goodness exists. There is a false goodness and it exists in such magnitude most believe it's real goodness because they know very little else. They know it in part as being good enough, having good intentions, good ideas, being as good as can be, mostly good, a good person overall- you know what I'm saying. We do know good and we evil, and yet so much good is evil in disguise and Satan loves it that way. If he can get whole churches of seemingly *good* people believing they are saved in their goodness he has won them without them ever suspecting. It sounds cruel but NO one is deceived unless they desire to be confused- unless they deep down desire to live their lives under a cloak of self-deception that allows them to believe more in their own selves than in their Savior, their God.
This is God's word--
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our BEST at being good, at being righteous is as a FILTHY RAG!
Yes, I'm shouting it! Yes, I mean it, because GOD means it! Yes, I want to scream this out like a preacher of old, shouting down the rafters of a church, like a prophet of old letting His voice echo against the rocky hills. We have NO righteousness to claim as our own and if we plan on standing before God and pointing to ourselves explaining how we did this bit of goodness and that bit of righteousness and can we please live eternally - all we will get as a response is a sad no. We cannot expect any goodness in ourselves to save us, not the tiniest speck, not the largest act of kindness. People talk all the time about being redeemed by an act of goodness. We are not redeemed to eternal life by any act of goodness of our own, not by any sacrifice we make, not by any exceptional life we may truly, in fact lead. We are ONLY redeemed by our Savior through HIS righteousness, His life, His death, His love.
Accepting that our Savior Jesus Christ is our ONLY righteousness is something we need to cling to!
Any righteousness that we even think we might possess comes solely from God. We do need praise and thank God for all good because of ourselves we have none.
Joh 5:30 'I can of mine own self do nothing…'
Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Zec 9:17 For how great is his goodness
Whatever we do…
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
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Psa 71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness
Gen 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee
1Sa 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me
1Sa 24:15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
Psa 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Psa 31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Rescue, recover, save me! Deliver me in thy righteousness!
Only by your love, only by your grace, only by YOUR righteousness, all by faith.
Amen!
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