Endless Study and Debate can be SO Exhausting!!

I just read this in Ecclesiastes.

“A wise teacher’s words spur students to action and emphasize important truths. The collected sayings of the wise are like guidance from a shepherd. But, my child, be warned: There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting!” (Ecc. 12:11-12, NLT)

It reminded me of the time some of us spent recently, with the bunch of Atheists I mentioned about.  We counted it a real privilege to start with, to be able to share our faith. These people wanted to know what we believed. So we shared… and shared … and shared… and debated… and debated … and debated…

Their reasoning was SO different to ours. They did not seem to want to accept the fact that God could be real. As we discovered there, “There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed.” It did become very exhausting… there was NO END to it. I felt like I was on a merry-go-round. I was giddy and I wanted to get off. So I did, and just left them going round in circles… and they’re STILL at it. I go back and visit from time to time, just to observe! They don’t seem to get anywhere!!

I’m praying that the seed that we’ve sown, will germinate in some fertile soil, and that the Lord will bring them to the TRUTH!!

Anyhow, going back to the Scripture passage, Solomon finishes off:

“Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.” (Ecc. 12:13-14, NLT)

Sit-and-do-nothing day!!?? Ha! Not likely!!

Today, I’d set out to have a sit-and-do-nothing day!!

Those atheists can sure wear a person out with their never-ending debates. And me, not having ever been one for debates, I’ve felt rather stretched of the past few weeks. It’s been good though, in the sense that it has caused me to stop and consider how to give a clear answer, not using the normal jargon and pat answers. It’s taught me to express spiritual things in my own words.

Anyhow, back to my sit-and-do-nothing day!! I decided I needed something to read.

Ahhhh!! “The Spiritual Man” by Watchman Nee, I thought. So I went to get it. But do you think I could find it?? No way!! But I did really want it.

Anyhow, instead, I picked up the huge volume of CS Lewis… his selected books. (Only 12 different books in it… just a bit of light reading!!) Though I still had an urge for Watchman Nee. I asked my sister-in-law (who live with us) if she’d seen it. She hadn’t, but she said I could borrow hers.

So, here I am on my sit-and-do-nothing day, with these two large volumes. I thought I was in heaven!! (Now, do you really think, or did I really think I was going to do nothing?)

So, first off, I pick up “The Spiritual Man”, and flicked through. I found a chapter on faith. He was comparing faith and feelings.

Here’s what he says:

“The life of faith is not only totally different from, but also diametrically opposite to, a life of feeling. He who lives by sensation can follow God’s will or seek the things above purely at the time of excitement; should his blissful feeling cease, every activity terminates. Not so with one who walks by faith. Faith is anchored in the One Whom he believes rather than in the one who exercises the believing, that is, himself. Faith looks not al what happens to him but at Him Whom he believes. Though he may completely change, yet the One in Whom he trusts never does - and so he can proceed without letting up….”

I kept reading that section of the chapter, and he finishes by saying: “What is the life of faith? It is one lived contrary to a life of feeling because it disregards feeling altogether. If Christians desire to live by this principle they should not alter their demeanor or bitterly cry as though bereft of their spiritual life whenever they feel cold, dry, empty, or pained. We live by faith and not by joy.”

Well, I thought that was enough to chew on from Watchman!! Great words!!

So then, for a change, I flicked through the Lewis volume. I came to “Mere Christianity”. For some reason, I’ve had trouble getting into CS Lewis’s writings, but I thought I’d give it another try. Would you believe I found it easy this time.

I read the first chapter, which is about the Law of (Human) Nature, and how we humans have this natural instinct of right and wrong. He summarizes…

“These, then, are the two points I want to make. First, the human beings, all over the earth, have the curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. They know the Law of Nature; they break it. These two facts are the foundation of all clear thinking about ourselves and the universe we live in.”

WOW!!! I liked that!! I wanted to chew on that one for a while too. Now to do “nothing”!!

But, before I put the book down, I started flicking pages again. I came to Book 2 of “Mere Christianity”. Now this book I’m reading has twelve of Lewis’s books, and one of them is “Mere Christianity”, which itself is divided up into 4 books.

Book 1 - RIGHT AND WRONG AS A CLUE TO THE MEANING OF THE UNIVERSE
Book 2 - WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE
Book 3 - CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR
Book 4 - BEYOND PERSONALITY: OR FIRST STEPS IN THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.

Well, I opened to the first chapter of book 2, “The Rival Conceptions of God”. I read this:

“If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through. If you are an atheist you do have to believe that the main point in all the religions of the whole world is simply on huge mistake. If you are a Christian, you are free to think that all those religions, even the queerest ones, contain at least some hint of the truth. When I was an atheist I had to try to persuade myself that most of the human race have always been wrong about the question that mattered to them most; when I became a Christian I was able to take a more liberal view. But, of course, being a Christian does mean thinking that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right and they are wrong. As in arithmetic - there is only one right answer to the sum, and all other answers are wrong; but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others.”

So that’s how far I got with my sit-and-do-nothing day!!

The Foolishness of Rejecting the One Who Knows

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7, NLT)

A Dad’s Wise Advice

My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.

My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!
They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take. Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.”

My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths. They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder. If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away. But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.

Wisdom Shouts Out

Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: “How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge?

Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered.

So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

“When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes.

For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.

That’s not my words, but words King Solomon wrote and found in the Bible in Proverbs (1:8-32, NLT). And the Apostle Paul said something similar.

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. (Romans 1:20-21, NLT)

But here’s what Paul says to those who are wise, and who know the One Who knows:

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.
For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Amp)

And a warning not to slip back to the old way of thinking:

Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? (Galatians 4:8-9, NLT)

Knowing the One Who Knows - Part 3

Now look at what the NEW Testament says:

We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:9-14, NLT)

But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things.
I write to you not because you are ignorant and do not perceive and know the Truth, but because you do perceive and know it, and [know positively] that nothing false (no deception, no lie) is of the Truth. (1 John 2:20-21)

Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, “If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, Amp)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.” (John 16:13-15, NLT)

Jesus prayed, “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” (John 17:3, NLT)

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:6-7, NLT)

And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. (1 John 2:3-5, NLT)

We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. (1 John 5:18-21, NLT)

I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:14-19, NLT)

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:7-11, NLT)

I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:17-18, NLT)

Knowing the One Who Knows - Part 2

Here’s some Old Testament scriptures for today:

“The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” (Daniel 11:32b, NKJ)

This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things.
I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NLT)

“I will watch over and care for them, and I will bring them back here again. I will build them up and not tear them down. I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.” (Jeremiah 24:6-7, NLT)

“And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” (Jeremiah 31:34, NLT)

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us.
He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds.
In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.
Oh, that we might know the Lord!
Let us press on to know him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” (Hosea 6:1-3, NLT)

“I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6, NLT)

“If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”
The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

And tomorrow, some New Testament passages about knowing the One Who knows….

Knowing the One Who Knows - Part 1

Guess what?

WE DON’T HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING!!

This hit home to me as I listened to some messages by Joyce Meyer. (The series she was doing was about freedom.)

She was saying that if we come to Him like little children, we don’t have to question. We just TRUST, knowing that our God, the ALL-KNOWING ONE, knows what He is doing. We just need to believe that God IS in control. We can then rest in Him.

However, that doesn’t wipe out our brains. God doesn’t intend for us to be mindless zombies. He has given us this mass of matter in between our ears to think with. So how do we find the balance between trusting and thinking?

When we acknowledge that God is GOD and that He knows, and that we DON’T, we are showing reverence for Him. This is like what it says in Proverbs, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (1:7) That is where our learning starts.

We send our kids to school to learn. Ideally, we would want our kids to learn from the best, a teacher who knows his/her stuff. What a privilege it is if they can learn off a master!! And we would want our kids to respect that teacher so that they can begin to learn. With no respect, the learning is very limited.

In the same way, we are kids in God’s school. And what better way to learn, than to learn off THE Master!? The Divine Architect of the whole universe! That same One who had a plan and purpose for us way back there at the beginning of time.

With a teacher like that, it is easy to see how respect and reverence for Him (the fear of the Lord) is the beginning of knowledge. With an attitude like that, we’re SURE to learn.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:33-36, NIV)

Interestingly, the very next couple of verses after that, in Roman 12, say:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV)

And as Paul says in another place:

“For ‘who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?”‘ But we have the mind of Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 2:16, NKJ)

Just one final comment….

… Notice it says the “renewal” of our minds and not the “removal”!!! And that renewal comes by reading the “Master’s Blueprint”, the Bible. :-)  And through reading, we can come to know the Master personally.  See the next two post…

God Knows Beforehand

HE DOES HAVE A PLAN!

How often we can wonder what God has in store for us!

In our struggles we question, “God what are You doing with me?” All we see is “the same old, same old”! We struggle and wonder is there any way out of our dilemma. Is there any hope on the horizon?

Well, here’s some things I’m discovering. (It’s stuff I already knew, yet didn’t, if you know what I mean.) That is, God DOES have a plan. So when things look grim, here’s something to remember. God hasn’t forgotten!

Remember the things I have done in the past.
For I alone am God!
I am God, and there is none like me.
Only I can tell you the future before it even happens.
Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.
(Isaiah 46:9-10, NLT)

God’s encouragement to Jeremiah, the prophet:

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NLT)

And God plan for His people, Israel:

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” (Jeremiah 29:10-14, NLT)

And here’s some hope for us:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. (Romans 8:28-30, NLT)

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10, NLT)

And here’s something to remember when you pray:

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! (Matthew 6:7-8, NLT)

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. (Psalm 139:4, NLT)

I find that wonderfully reassuring, that even though I don’t know what is ahead, my God does and He has a plan. And to know that He knew all that even before He made me! That is mind blowing!! WOW!!

And here’s an old song that Elvis Presley sang:

Known only to Him are the great hidden secrets
I’ll fear not the darkness when my flame shall dim.
I know not what the future holds
But I know who holds the future,
It’s a secret known only to Him.

In this world of fear and doubt
On my knees I ask the question
Why a lonely, heavy cross I must bear
The He tells me in my prayer
It’s because I am trustworthy
He gives me strength for more than my share.

Known only to Him are the great hidden secrets
I’ll fear not the darkness when my flame shall dim.
I know not what the future holds
But I know who holds the future,
It’s a secret known only to Him.

(by Stuart Hamblen)

God Knows from the Infinite to the Intimate!

Just Scriptures today!! I pray that the Lord will use His Word to speak to your heart.

The underworld is naked in God’s presence.
The place of destruction is uncovered. (Job 26:6, NLT)

Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the Lord.
How much more does he know the human heart! (Proverbs 15:11, NLT)

“To whom will you compare me?
Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
Look up into the heavens.
Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing. (Isaiah 40:25-26, NLT)

“For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do. No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes.” (Job 34:21-22)

The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.
From his throne he observes all who live on the earth.
He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.
The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory - for all its strength, it cannot save you.
But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.
He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. (Psalm 33:13-19, NLT)

He counts the stars and calls them all by name.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!
The Lord supports the humble, but he brings the wicked down into the dust. (Psalm 147:4-6, NLT)

People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. (Proverbs 21:2, NLT)

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. (Hebrews 4:13, NLT)

Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:20, NLT)

“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.
“So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Matthew 10:26-31, NLT)

For what has God above chosen for us?
What is our inheritance from the Almighty on high?
Isn’t it calamity for the wicked and misfortune for those who do evil?
Doesn’t he see everything I do and every step I take? (Job 31:2-4, NLT)

I go east, but he is not there.
I go west, but I cannot find him.
I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden.
I look to the south, but he is concealed.
But he knows where I am going.
And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
(Job 23:8-10, NLT)

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart. (Proverbs 17:3, NLT)

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!  (Psalm 139:1-6, NLT)

You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh. (Psalm 38:9, NLT)

I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.
When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. (Psalm 142:1-3a, NLT)

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. (Psalm 103:13-14, NLT)

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. (Psalm 121:3-6, NLT)

God Knows the Heart!

MAN LOOKS ON THE OUTSIDE! GOD LOOKS ON THE INSIDE!

“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

This happened after King Saul had rebelled against God, and God rejected him as king.

The Lord sent Samuel, the prophet, off to Jesse’s place to anoint the new king whom God had chosen from Jesse’s sons. So Jesse got all his boys together, but one, and had them line up before Samuel.

When Eliab stood before him, Samuel thought to himself, “Hey, this is a fine, young handsome man. Surely this is the NEXT king!!”

But God said, “NO!!!”

However, it ended up, that the youngest, David, was the one God had chosen. He was not in the line-up, but was out with the sheep. So after God had rejected all the other boys, they went and fetched David. Then God affirmed that he was the ONE, so Samuel anointed him, “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.” (v.13)

So we have to remember that things are not always as they seem. The understanding, even of the godly, is limited. But God sees through all that, and looks straight at the heart.

Here’s some more Scriptures that you might like to study. (All references are from the New King James Version.)

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. (Proverbs 31:30)

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. (Isaiah 55:

Do not let your adornment be merely outward – arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)

Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. (2 Corinthians 10:7) …

Hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men), that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers. (1 Kings 8:39-40)

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart. (Psalm 7:9-10)

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. (Psalm 139:1-2)

Hell and Destruction are before the LORD; So how much more the hearts of the sons of men. (Proverbs 15:11)

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits. (Proverbs 16:2)

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten. But, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, And see the mind and heart, let me see Your vengeance on them; For I have pleaded my cause before You. (Jeremiah 20:11-12)

And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” (Acts 1:24-25)

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13)

Here’s some more references you might like to look up: 1 Chronicles 29:16-20; 2 Chronciles 6:28-31; Nehemiah 9:9-10; Job 12:13,16,22; 21:22; 24:22-24; 34:21-22,25; Psalm 1:6; 11:4-5; 33:13-15; 37:18; 44:20-22; 92:5; 94:7-11; Proverbs 5:21; 15:3; 24:11-12; Isa 37:28-29; 66:18.

God Knows ALL!!

Now, it’s time to go back to where I was! A few weeks ago I started in Proverbs, planning to do a series. Then I came to verse 7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”

Here’s what I said about it:

“Part of fearing and reverencing God is knowing and acknowledging that God, as our Creator, knows it all, and that our puny thinking and understanding is very limited.” (Click here to read the whole article, “What Does It Mean to Fear God?“.)

Then the next part is surrending to the God Who know and to His mercy. “If we don’t have His mercy, we have His wrath.” We’ve certainly seen that in the past few entries, about those who’d hardened their hearts.

Well, so far we’ve looked at:

• how God knows our hearts and it’s intentions;
• how He sees and knows the affliction of His people;
• how He knows the heart of the wicked (which took me on a detoured study about hard heartedness.)

This all brings me back to a verse I quoted earlier, and which is the next one as I follow this topic through the Bible.

“Talk no more so very proudly;
Let no arrogance come from your mouth,
For the LORD is the God of knowledge;
And by Him actions are weighed.”

This is part of a prayer that Hannah prayed when she offered her only son, Samuel, to God. And he ministered with Eli in the temple. (Read chapter 1 to find out the backgroud.) But as I read the WHOLE prayer, I was surprised to find that it sums up all I’ve been saying so far. Here it is in the New Living Translation:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

“Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
he will judge your actions.
The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
and the woman with many children wastes away.
The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.

“He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”
(1 Samuel 2:1-10)

Hannah had at last come out of her humiliation, and God had raised her up to be the mother of a mighty prophet in Israel.

And regarding the wicked, we’ve seen that pride and arrogance, and the lack of reverence and fear of God, seem to go hand in hand. So may I conclude that pride is the root cause of rebellion against God? Also pride is the majoy thing that stops us receiving God’s blessings and His best.

But, praise the Lord, that even in our pride, God is still gracious and merciful, but in a different way. He will leave us to our own resouces so that pride can do its work in us. He will allow it to bring us to the end of ourselves and to our knees, where we cry out, “HELP!!!” Didn’t we see that so often with Israel?

He allows circumstances to bring us to down to a point, where He breaks our stubbornness. To a point where we are in a position where He CAN bless us.

Here’s some more Scriptures:

“Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18, NLT)

“You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.
“Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, ‘The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?’
“But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).
“So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.
“Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].
“[As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins].
“Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant]. (James 4:4-10, Amp.)

“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not, and you said, ‘No! We will speed [our own course] on horses!’
“Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, We will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that] one thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill.
“And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!” (Isaiah 30:15-18, Amp.)

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.”
(Psalm 119:71-72)

“I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.” (v75)

“Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.” (v. 92-94)