Journey to see God: See what God looks to see

Today we learn to see what God looks to see in us. One theme stands out: be obedient to His word.

_________________Bible verses: (English Standard Version)

Humble and contrite; tremble at God’s word

But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word. Isaiah 66:2b

Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at His word: your brothers who hate you and cast you out for My name’s sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified that we may see Your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. 66:5

Delight in the Lord’s word

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night…for the Lord knows the way of the righteous.. Psalm 1:1-2, 8a

Fear the Lord

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1:7a

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom, and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek like silver and search for it like hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, Isaiah 11:2-3

But I, through the abundance of Your steadfast love, will enter Your house. I will bow down toward Your holy temple, in the fear of You. Psalm 5:7

Worship God: bow down, give thanks and praises, know His name and trust Him alone

I will give thanks to the Lord with My whole heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most high. For those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Psalm 9:1-2, 10

Have faith in God: seek Him

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, Hebrews 11:4

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death…now before he was taken he was commended for having pleased God. Hebrews 11:5

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Hold fast to God in love

Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My name. Psalm 91:14

Made God your dwelling place

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place-the Most High, who is My refuge- no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. Psalm 91:9-10

Bible Example 1: Belief in the word of God, fear God, and took action evident of repentance.

The case of the Nineveh city.

Jonah 3:5 “And the people of Nineveh believed God.”

Jonah 3:10 “When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.”

Bible Example 2: How a self-seeking king lost his kingship because of his fear of men rather than fear of God; disobedience to God because he took God’s word lightly.

The case of king Saul, in 1 Samuel 15:22-23 

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”

Bible Example 3: Have faith in God and His word! The case of the centurion.

Matthew 8:8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under My roof, but only say the word, and My servant will be healed,”

8:10 when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who followed Him, “truly I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

Bible Example 4: Jesus.

Matthew 3:17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

John 7:16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but His who sent Me.”

6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.”

John 8:28-29 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

End times church count down: Repent for unbelief

we are more than conquerors through Christ in us

When Jesus came down from the mountain (after He allowed the three disciples to have a glimpse of His true divine status as the Son of God in the heavenly realm), He was confronted by a huge wave of unbelief, even among His disciples.

Unbelief is the only hindrance to human living the abundant life given by God, through Jesus, the Son of God. The human father of the epileptic boy cried out and said with tears to Jesus in desperation, ” Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24

How did Jesus describe the unbelieving world? “O faithless generation” Mark 9:19; “O faithless and perverse generation” Matthew 17:17.

Who were addressed in this ‘harsh’ comment? The disciples who could not cast out the evil spirit which tormented the boy.

The same description was used in Philippians 2:15 “a crooked and perverse generation”. 

Today many ‘disciples’ of Jesus do not believe in divine healing, divine health, and God’s will to heal all. Yet Jesus did heal all who came to Him. He saved all and healed all who believed.

Those who choose not to believe in the power of God working in them have opted out of the kingdom of God living. Why? If Jesus is your King, you live by His rule. He has given authority to the disciples and they did perform according to His command and authority then. They failed in the above incident when they did not believe.

After Jesus was resurrected He spent forty days teaching them about the kingdom of God living before He ascended into heaven. The disciples obeyed His command and waited for ten more days. On Pentecost Day the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as Jesus had promised. They were filled with power and went out and preach the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus Christ, healed the sick, cast out demons and made disciples just as Jesus had commanded.

It is easy to accept half the Salvation message, to take the ‘forgiveness of sins’ (and go to heaven one day in future) and ignore the part that clearly declared, “By His stripes/wounds you are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24). Why? Because salvation of the soul/spirit is unseen. No one needs to take responsibility for such a teaching.

On the other hand, if you are not spiritually discerning, when you pray for someone and the person is not healed, you may incur losses: shame, loss of respect, guilt, self doubt, loss of self-esteem, credibility, blame, litigation, and perhaps an exodus of your church membership. Jesus knew this would happen to many.

Even His disciples failed. For example, Peter. He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Mark 9:33

Only those who are spiritually discerning know the things of God (Who is Spirit). No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Those who believe have received the Spirit who is from God and have the mind of Christ. (Read 1 Corinthians 2)

As Jesus Himself had commented, which is easier to do? forgiving sins or healing the sick? In the physical realm, it is obviously easier to say, “your sins are forgiven.” In the spiritual realm, both are parts of the same power, the power of God.

Being saved and born again is a spiritual matter. it takes the power of God to give birth to you and transfer you from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. The Holy Spirit is involved.

In the healing of the sick (physical and mental) the same power of the Holy Spirit works.

Jesus never gave a command that could not be carried out. In fact He gave the salvation (the power for forgiveness of sins and supernatural healing) command to all who believe. Mark 16:15-20

What you choose to believe is your own responsibility. Jesus said, you cannot choose God and choose the world (represented by the word ‘Mammon’).

How can one believe as supernatural healing deals with the unseen realm?

Today’s message mainly from Philippians chapter 2 deals with this unbelief:

1. the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 1:19
2. let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by the adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 1:27-28
3. fellowship in the Spirit. 2:1
4. being like-minded, of one accord, one mind. 2:2
5. in lowliness of mind. 2:3
6. look out for the interests of others. 2:4
7. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” 2:5
8. seek the things that are of Christ Jesus. 2:21
9. work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 2:12
10. “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” 2:13
11. “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” 2:15
12. holding fast the word of life. 2:16

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve all things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” 1:9-11

Journey to see God: See Hope! Hope in God!

hope in God

Today’s word for those who have suffered losses is ‘hope’. tragedies struck again.  No warning, no comparison. What can we say to comfort one another in this time? The only word that came is ‘HOPE’. GOD IS HOPE. HOPE IN GOD. Hope means we cannot see but we continue to trust. Because we trust the only trustworthy One we know, we have hope. We do not lose hope.

So here are the verses on ‘hope’ from Romans 15 and the New Testament Scriptures.

Romans 15 Bear one another burden

1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ² Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. ³ For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”^{[a] 4} For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. ⁵ Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…

 

¹² And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”^[f]

 

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1. Acts 24:15
   I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.

   Acts 24:14-16 (in Context) Acts 24 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

2. Romans 5:2
   through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

   Romans 5:1-3 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

3. Romans 5:5
   Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

   Romans 5:4-6 (in Context) Romans 5 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

4. Ephesians 2:12
   that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

   Ephesians 2:11-13 (in Context) Ephesians 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

5. Colossians 1:27
   To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

   Colossians 1:26-28 (in Context) Colossians 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

6. 1 Thessalonians 1:3
   remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,

   1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 (in Context) 1 Thessalonians 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

7. Titus 1:2
   in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

   Titus 1:1-3 (in Context) Titus 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

8. Hebrews 6:18
   that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

   Hebrews 6:17-19 (in Context) Hebrews 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

9. Hebrews 7:19
   for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

   Hebrews 7:18-20 (in Context) Hebrews 7 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

10. 1 Peter 1:21
    who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

    1 Peter 1:20-22 (in Context) 1 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

11. 1 Peter 3:15
    But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

    1 Peter 3:14-16 (in Context) 1 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Journey to see God: The Spirit of Christ gives Life!

the Holy Spirit gives life

Today it is all about Life and Spirit. Jesus Christ has resurrected! Today we celebrate and worship God. God is Spirit. Jesus said unless one is born again of the Spirit and water one cannot enter the kingdom of God. God is looking for those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. Unless we worship in spirit (joined to the Lord  and become one Spirit withe Lord. 1 Cor.6:17) and in truth (the Bible), we cannot worship God. 

1. John 6:63
   It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

   John 6:62-64 (in Context) John 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

2. Romans 8:2
   For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

   Romans 8:1-3 (in Context) Romans 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

3. Romans 8:10
   And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

   Romans 8:9-11 (in Context) Romans 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

4. Romans 8:11
   But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

   Romans 8:10-12 (in Context) Romans 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

5. 1 Corinthians 15:45
   And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

   1 Corinthians 15:44-46 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

6. 2 Corinthians 3:6
   who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

   2 Corinthians 3:5-7 (in Context) 2 Corinthians 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

7. Galatians 6:8
   For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

   Galatians 6:7-9 (in Context) Galatians 6 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

8. Jude 1:20
   [ Maintain Your Life with God ] But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the HolySpirit,

   Jude 1:19-21 (in Context) Jude 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

9. Revelation 2:7
   “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

   Revelation 2:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 2 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

10. Revelation 22:17
    And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

    Revelation 22:16-18 (in Context) Revelation 22 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

Journey to see God: He is Purposeful

Today we see all about God being a purposeful God. Nothing He does is without purpose. Know for what purpose you are called. Take heed His purpose for you!

Romans 9

English Standard Version (ESV)

God’s Sovereign Choice

9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— ² that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,^[a] my kinsmen according to the flesh. ⁴ They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.⁵ To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

⁶ But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, ⁷ and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” ⁸ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. ⁹ For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” ¹⁰ And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac,¹¹ though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— ¹² she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!¹⁵ For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it depends not on human will or exertion,^[b] but on God, who has mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” ¹⁸ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? ²² What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— ²⁴ even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? ²⁵ As indeed he says in Hosea,

“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
    and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’”
²⁶ “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

²⁷ And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel^[c] be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, ²⁸ for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” ²⁹ And as Isaiah predicted,

“If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,
we would have been like Sodom
and become like Gomorrah.”

Israel’s Unbelief

³⁰ What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith;³¹ but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness^[d]did not succeed in reaching that law. ³² Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, ³³ as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Footnotes:

1. Romans 9:3 Or brothers and sisters
2. Romans 9:16 Greek not of him who wills or runs
3. Romans 9:27 Or children of Israel
4. Romans 9:31 Greek a law of righteousness

___________More verses on God’s Purposefulness

1. Romans 4:11
   He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purposewas to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,

   Romans 4:10-12 (in Context) Romans 4 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

2. Romans 8:28
   And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

   Romans 8:27-29 (in Context) Romans 8 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

3. Ephesians 1:5
   he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

   Ephesians 1:4-6 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

4. Ephesians 1:9
   making known to us the mystery of his will, according to hispurpose, which he set forth in Christ

   Ephesians 1:8-10 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

5. Ephesians 1:11
   In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

   Ephesians 1:10-12 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations

6. Ephesians 3:11
   This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,

   Ephesians 3:10-12 (in Context) Ephesians 3 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations