Something a little bit challenging ...

God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him. Proverbs 28:9 The Message

This morning I was a little bit stuck on what to write. I had been reading through Proverbs 27 and found some scriptures that spoke to me about aspects of my life, but nothing that I felt God wanted me to write about today. So I thought, 'I'll ask the Holy Spirit for direction.' And He led me to the scripture above, in Proverbs 28 ...

God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to him. Proverbs 28:9 The Message

Ouch! That seems a bit harsh, so I thought I'd have a read of it in the Amplified version .....

He who turns away his ear from hearing the law [of God and man], even his prayer is an abomination, hateful and revolting [to God]. Proverbs 28:9 AMP

Double ouch!  

What does turning an ear away from hearing the law, look like? Here's an example,

But they refused to listen and turned a rebellious and stubborn shoulder and made heavy and full their ears that they might not hear. Zechariah 7:11 AMP

Looks like rebellion and stubbornness.  

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me; Psalm 66:18 AMP

Sounds like sin. 

Which leads me to a song I started to sing yesterday on my walk. This was one of the first songs I heard when I became a Christian ...

Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
And take not Thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me

Create in me a clean heart by Keith Green. 

Lyrics based on some verses in Psalm 51

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore me to the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12

Sounds like this would make a great daily prayer, the type of prayer that is prayed in a quite place where we can be still and hear the small still voice of God. Not one of the on-the-run prayers, or the crying out in desperation prayers, or jumping for joy prayers of thankfulness. I am not saying those prayers aren't good - I pray those sorts of prayers throughout my day.

But I have found that the 'create in me a clean heart prayer' requires me to be still and quiet, giving God space and time to let God search my heart and speak to me about my sin.

Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 AMP

I need to be still so I can hear what He has to say. My heart and mind needs to be focused on Him, nothing else, no-one else. I want my relationship with Jesus to keep going to an  increasingly intimate place. I know I have a part to play in the deepening of our relationship. It is not a one-sided relationship - I have responsibilities too. I need to listen and obey.

Questions for today, where is your relationship with Jesus at? Is He a stranger to you? Is He an acquaintance? Is He a friend? Is He a brother? Is He your Lord and Saviour? 

My suggestion, start talking to Him today, and remember to listen too. He loves you.

All believers, come here and listen,

let me tell you what God did for me.

I called out to him with my mouth,

my tongue shaped the sound of music.

If I had been cosy with evil,

the Lord would never have listened.

But he most surely did listen,

he came on the double when he heard my prayer.

Blessed be God: he didn't turn a deaf ear,

he stayed with me, loyal in his love.

Psalm 66:16-20 The Message

Eternity

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 AMP

Eternity. Jesus. Made a way. For us. All of us. Each of us. You. Me.

Jesus. Emmanuel. God with us. Today. Every day. Every hour. Every minute. Every second.

God alone can satisfy. Not people. Not money. Not things. Only God.

Our choice today. Let go. Yield. Repent. Draw nearer. 

Receive. Forgiveness. Love. Peace. 

The promise. Eternity with Jesus. 

Merry Christmas.

Live by Faith

But the just shall live by faith [My righteous servant shall live by his conviction respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined with it]; and if he draws back and shrinks in fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in him. Hebrews 10:38 AMP

Living by faith - sounds like such a wonderfully exciting way to live.  Living completely trusting God without a hint of resentment, disappointment, anger - just free floating trusting without any unbelief. Every moment of the day characterised by this scripture ...

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. Hebrews 11:1 The Message

For me, the reality of living by faith is a continual struggle to push back the fears that constantly want to take hold of my mind. It is always a choice to take hold of faith and fight the fear. It is a decision to respond in faith.

I was reminded of this response as I read through Hebrews 11 this morning in the Amplified Bible, and noticed (thank you Holy Spirit) the amplification of the 'by faith' statements regarding the 'men of old'.

[Prompted, actuated] by faith Abel .....

Because of faith Enoch .....

[Prompted] by faith Noah, ....

[Urged on] by faith Abraham ....

[Prompted] by faith he ....

Because of faith also Sarah ....

By faith Abraham .....

[Prompted] by faith Jacob ....

[Actuated] by faith Joseph ....

[Prompted] by faith Moses ....

[Aroused] by faith Moses ....

[Motivated] by faith he ...

By faith (simple trust and confidence in God) ...

[Urged on] by faith the people ....

[Prompted] by faith Rahab ...

Faith - simple trust and confidence in God. 

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. Hebrews 11:1

Faith. I know I need it every day, to get up and keep going. Not faith in me and my abilities. Not faith not in my husband and his abilities. Not faith in other people. No, only faith in God is required. A confidence that He is, who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do.

But God - so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life which which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favour and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgement and made partakers of Christ's salvation).

And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favour) to [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.  Ephesians 2:4-7 AMP

AMEN! 

I don't know what happens to you when you read those scriptures, but for me, faith rises and I want to shout out an Amen - so be it! They so clearly remind me that God is on my side. He is in the midst. His grace is sufficient.

In Romans 10:17 it says,

So faith comes by hearing [what is told],  and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself). Romans 10:17 AMP

Today let's choose to keep God's truth first and foremost in our minds and on our lips, so we can be prompted, motivated, urge on and actuated by faith, faith in God.

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work in us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [indefinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes and dreams] - to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Ephesians 3:20-21 AMP

 

 

We have a God who understands

We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. Hebrews 4:15 The Message

We have a God who understands what life is like for us, the good times and the challenging times ....

For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to understand and sympathise and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. Hebrews 4:15 AMP

We have a God who understands that we have weaknesses. He always knew we would have weaknesses. So He, in His love for us, provided a solution to fill that gap ...

'For My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 AMP

Not our strength. Not our power.

'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 NKJV

His strength. His power. His Spirit. His Spirit lives in us.

But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. Romans 8:9 AMP

We need to yield, and let God show His strength and His power by His Spirit. 

So whatever the weakness, infirmities or temptations we are experiencing in our lives right now, we need to follow these instructions ....

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time and every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. Hebrews 4:16

Take a moment to see yourself walking fearlessly, confidently and boldly to the throne of grace. We have permission to do this, not because of anything we have done, but only because of what Jesus has done for us. Jesus has made a way for you and me to return to God. He understands that we need grace and mercy, every day. Thank you Jesus. 

So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Hebrews 4:16 The Message