List Of God’s Likes And Dislikes, What He Loves And Delights In, What He Hates And Despises And Why

Posted on September 2, 2013 by purifymyheart

Partial List Of God’s Likes And Dislikes, What He Loves And Delights In, What He Hates And Despises And Why

A.W. Tozer: “Now the Bible teaches that there is something in God which is like emotion. … God has said certain things about Himself, and these furnish all the grounds we require. “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing” (Zeph. 3:17). This is but one verse among thousands which serve to form our rational picture of what God is like, and tell us plainly that God feels something like our love, like our joy, and what He feels makes Him act very much as we would in a similar situation; He rejoices over His loved ones with joy and singing. Here is emotion on as high a plain as it can ever be seen, emotion flowing out of the heart of God Himself…” http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/41471-an-open-letter-to-john-macarthur-from-a-w-tozer-he-being-dead-yet-speaketh

God wants to be LOVED. It is His first and GREATEST COMMANDMENT that He commands us to do:

Deuteronomy 6 Amplified Bible (AMP)

6 Now this is the instruction, the laws, and the precepts which the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land to which you go to possess it,

²That you may [reverently] fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, and keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.

³Hear therefore, O Israel, and be watchful to do them, that it may be well with you and that you may increase exceedingly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁴Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord].

⁵And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.

Matthew 22:34-40New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³⁴But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. ³⁵One of them, ^[a]a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ³⁶“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the great and ^[b]foremost commandment. ³⁹The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

As we repent we must also remember to find out what God wants from us so that we can live lives pleasing to Him as Jesus did:
John 8:29 KJV And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

David Pawson (Isaiah 28-29): “Do you want to learn what sort of worship God loves? ”
excerpt:…
Isaiah 28-29
“Do you know what Isaiah says has gone wrong? It’s due to religious formalism. It’s due to honoring God with your lips when your heart is far from Him.
While your heart is far, far away. It’s due to spending all the time in worship wondering whether you left the gas on, or thinking about yesterday’s football match. This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far, far away.
Do you want to learn what sort of worship God loves? Not people who learn a creed and recite it. Not people who just sing because everybody else is and they’ve got a hymnbook pushed into their hands.
People whose hearts desire to tell God how much they love Him. People whose hearts are filled with love and adoration and praise. People who want to worship! And to if they couldn’t come to church and had to stay at home would still worship because they wanted to.
And the people of Israel, oh, they were religious. They had all the feasts, had all the services in the temple, they had the lot, but their heart wasn’t in it.
The only worship God is interested in is heart worship. It’ll have to come out through the lips, but it must start in the heart.
And this was the reason for this drunken stupor. If people are just coming to church for the outward show of it, if they are just saying things that they don’t mean, if it’s all formalism that they have learned by heart, then you can preach the Word to them and it is a closed book.
If it’s just religion, then revelation can’t get through. That’s what was wrong with these people.”

Isaiah 28-29 David Pawson audio full message: http://davidpawson.org/audio-player/?resource=667

God loves us with a Jealous, Zealous love! 🙂
The following is written by Richard L. Strauss authored nine books, and served as pastor of churches in Fort Worth, TX.
“We do not read very far in the Bible before we hear God saying, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5). A jealous God! How can a God who is holy, just, loving, gracious, merciful, and long-suffering possibly be jealous? We need to explore a side of jealousy that may have escaped us.
The Meaning of God’s Jealousy
The root idea in the Old Testament word jealous is to become intensely red. It seems to refer to the changing color of the face or the rising heat of the emotions which are associated with intense zeal or fervor over something dear to us. In fact, both the Old and New Testament words for jealousy are also translated “zeal.” Being jealous and being zealous are essentially the same thing in the Bible. God is zealous—eager about protecting what is precious to Him.
One thing He views as especially important to Him in the Old Testament is the nation Israel. She belongs to Him as His special possession, His unique treasure.
For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His own possession (Psalm 135:4).
In fact, He views her as His wife. Through the Prophet Hosea He said to the nation, “And I will betroth you to Me forever” (Hosea 2:19).
No man with any moral fiber wants to share his wife with another man, and neither does God. He expects exclusive devotion from her. When she goes after other lovers, that is, when she worships other gods and thus commits spiritual adultery, He is said to be jealous. When the term jealousy is applied to God in Scripture it is usually because His people are worshiping idols. In the second of His ten commandments He warned them not to do that, but they failed to listen to Him.
For they provoked Him with their high places,
And aroused His jealousy with their graven images (Psalm 78:58).
That same idea is present in the New Testament. After a discussion of idolatry in the church of Corinth, Paul asks, “Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” (1 Corinthians 10:22)”
link to full message: https://bible.org/seriespage/21-jealous-god
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1 John 4:19We love because He first loved us.
The more we get to know God and His love for us, it stirs love in our hearts for Him.
wow.
Oh, when I read this in His Word! I love Him! ❤ ❤ ❤
I revere Him. Who is like our God!? There is no One like Him!
Thank You God for YOU! Thank You for YOU!
I love You! I love everything about You! ———————————————————————————

Jeremiah 9:24 AMP
24 But let him who glories ‪#‎glory‬ in ‪#‎this‬: that he ‪#‎understands‬ and ‪#‎knows‬ ‪#‎Me‬ [personally and practically, directly discerning and ‪#‎recognizingMycharacter‬], that I am the Lord, Who ‪#‎practices‬ ‪#‎lovingkindness‬, ‪#‎judgment‬, and ‪#‎righteousness‬ in the earth, for in ‪#‎these‬ ‪#‎things‬ ‪#‎I‬ ‪#‎delight‬, says the ‪#‎Lord‬

—–
God speaks directly to us in His Word, telling us exactly what He wants from us – from Genesis to Revelation. We can’t be offended by His Word. We must take His Word to heart, from His Heart and soul to ours. If we love Him , we will obey Him and we will embrace and recognize ALL aspects of His character and ALL that He delights in. We will glory in understanding and knowing Him, as He says here in His eternal Word.

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Anger. God is provoked to “Anger:

Isaiah 65:3 …” A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face;”

Why was God “provoked to anger continually?” in this passage? Because the people were doing these things: “walked in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts,” (instead of walking in the way of the Lord doing “good” and according to God’s thoughts and God’s ways) they sacrificed to other Gods “sacrifice in gardens and burn incense on altars of brick” “burned incense on the mountains” and they “blasphemed God on the hills.” They had forsaken the Lord,
they forgot His ” holy mountain,” they were preparing “tables and drink offerings” to other Gods (Gad and Meni), they were ignoring God. When God called they “did not answer.” When God spoke they “did not hear” and they chose that which God “did NOT delight.”

Because, when I called, you did not answer;
When I spoke, you did not hear,
But did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”
Who prepare a table for Gad,^[a]
And who furnish a drink offering for Meni.^[b]
¹²Therefore I will number you for the sword,
And you shall all bow down to the slaughter;
Because, when I called, you did not answer;
When I spoke, you did not hear,
But did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.” In the Amplified: Isaiah 65:12 God said that He would destine them for the “sword” and they shall all “bow down to the slaughter” because they did not “answer, listen, or obey” when God called and spoke to them. They “did evil” in God’s eyes and chose that “in which (God) did not delight.”

Prayer: Oh God! I love You! I love everything about You! I love Your ways! I want answer when You call! When You speak I want to “listen and obey!” I want to do “good” in Your eyes and “choose that in which You delight!” Please help me. I ask with faith and thanksgiving, in Jesus Holy Name. Amen.

Isaiah 65:12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹²I will destine you [says the Lord] for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter, because when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not listen or obey. But you did what was evil in My eyes, and you chose that in which I did not delight.

Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; ³A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick; ⁴Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels; ⁵Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

⁶“Behold, it is written before Me: I will not keep silence, but will repay— Even repay into their bosom— ⁷Your iniquities and the iniquities of your fathers together,” Says the Lord, “Who have burned incense on the mountains And blasphemed Me on the hills; Therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom.”

¹¹“But you are those who forsake the Lord,
Who forget My holy mountain,
Who prepare a table for Gad,^[a]
And who furnish a drink offering for Meni.^[b]
¹²Therefore I will number you for the sword,
And you shall all bow down to the slaughter;
Because, when I called, you did not answer;
When I spoke, you did not hear,
But did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”

Read Isaiah 65: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2065&version=NKJV

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What God “Delights” In: Lovingkindness, judgment, righteousness, obedience, faithfulness, cheerful givers, God has zeal for His own glory, honor and reverence of Him, praise, thanksgiving,

Jeremiah 9:24 King James Bible But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/9-24.htm

Psalm 33: ⁴For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth. ⁵He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.¹⁰The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. ¹¹The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. * NOTICE IN THIS VERSE PSALM 33:11 “The plans of His heart to all generations.” The “counsel of the Lord stands FOREVER, THE PLANS OF HIS HEART TO ALL GENERATIONS!!!”

1 Samuel 15:22-23 GOD DELIGHTS IN OBEDIENCE:

²²So Samuel said:

“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 heed than the fat of rams. ²³For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

When people take God for granted with an attitude that carelessly says, “oh, if I sin God will forgive me” and do not wholeheartedly want to obey the Lord they are just like Saul. We must remember that God DELIGHTS WHEN WE OBEY HIM. We must be proactive and wholeheartedly give our all to obey Him: heart, soul: mind, will, emotions, and strength to obey Him. Webster’s Dictionary defines DELIGHT = 1) a high degree of gratification: joy, also: extreme satisfaction. 2) something that gives great pleasure. 3) archaic: the power of affording pleasure.

When we obey God we bring God “a high degree of gratification: joy, also: extreme satisfaction, great pleasure, we have the power of affording great pleasure to God by our obedience. Do we love Him? Jesus said in John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Do we want to bring God joy and great pleasure? Let’s set our heart to wholeheartedly love and obey Him today! Hallelujah!

Notice in 1 Samuel 15 that God is not pleased with “partial obedience.” Partial obedience by Saul was considered nothing to God. In this verse, God punishes Saul for partial obedience:

Saul Rejected as King¹⁰Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, ¹¹“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” See 1 Samuel 15: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2015&version=NKJV

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Judgment:

Isaiah 30:18 King James Bible
And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. http://biblehub.com/isaiah/30-18.htm

Jeremiah 9:24 King James Bible
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/9-24.htm

Isaiah 2:6 A Warning Of Judgment. For the Lord has REJECTED his people….WHY? God said here in Isaiah 2:6 that He has REJECTED HIS PEOPLE.BECAUSE: verse 6 continued: they have filled their land with practices from the East, SORCERERS, ALLIANCES WITH PAGANS, THEIR LAND IS FULL OF IDOLS, THE PEOPLE WORSHIP THINGS THEY HAVE MADE WITH THEIR OWN HANDS. SO: verse 9: now they WILL BE HUMBLED AND ALL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW, DO NOT FORGIVE THEM. 11 HUMAN PRIDE WILL BE BROUGHT DOWN AND HUMAN ARROGANCE WILL BE HUMBLED. ONLY THE LORD WILL BE EXALTED ON THAT DAY OF JUDGMENT.

Isaiah 3:14 ¹³THE LORD stands up to plead, And stands to JUDGE the people. ¹⁴THE LORD will enter into JUDGEMENT With the elders of His people And His princes: WHY?? … “For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses. ¹⁵What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord God of hosts.

Oppression and Luxury Condemned

¹³The Lord stands up to plead, And stands to judge the people. ¹⁴The Lord will enter into judgment With the elders of His people And His princes: “For you have eaten up the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses. ¹⁵What do you mean by crushing My people And grinding the faces of the poor?” Says the Lord God of hosts.

¹⁶Moreover the Lord says: “BECAUSE the daughters of Zion are HAUGHTY, And walk with outstretched necks And WANTON EYES, Walking and mincing as they go, Making a jingling with their feet, ¹⁷Therefore the Lord will strike with a scab The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, And the Lord will uncover their secret parts.” ¹⁸In that day the Lord will take away the finery: The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; ¹⁹The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils; ²⁰The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; The perfume boxes, the charms, ²¹and the rings; The nose jewels, ²²the festal apparel, and the mantles; The outer garments, the purses, ²³and the mirrors; The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes. 24And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty. ²⁵Your men shall fall by the sword, And your mighty in the war. ²⁶Her gates shall lament and mourn, And she being desolate shall sit on the ground.

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GIVERS

CHEERFUL GIVERS

cheerful giver: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 ⁶But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

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HIS OWN GLORY!

What God is ZEALOUS for:

Pastor John Piper. “Biblical Texts to Show God’s Zeal for His Own Glory”

November 24, 2007 | by John Piper | Topic: The Glory of God

Probably no text in the Bible reveals the passion of God for his own glory more clearly and bluntly as Isaiah 48:9-11 where God says,

For my name’s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

I have found that for many people these words come like six hammer blows to a man-centered way of looking at the world:

For my name’s sake! For the sake of my praise! For my own sake! For my own sake! How should my name be profaned! My glory I will not give to another!

What this text hammers home to us is the centrality of God in his own affections. The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God’s heart. God’s ultimate goal is to uphold and display the glory of his name.

God chose his people for his glory:

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace. (Ephesians 1:4-6, cf. vv. 12, 14, NASB)

God created us for his glory:

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory. (Isaiah 43:6-7)

God called Israel for his glory:

You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified (Isaiah 49:3).

I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory. (Jeremiah 13:11)

God rescued Israel from Egypt for his glory:

Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works . . . but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalm 106:7-8)

God raised Pharaoh up to show his power and glorify his name:

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 may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Romans 9:17)

God defeated Pharaoh at the Red Sea to show his glory:

And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord . . . And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. (Exodus 14:4, 18; cf. v. 17)

God spared Israel in the wilderness for the glory of his name:

I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. (Ezekiel 20:l4)

God gave Israel victory in Canaan for the glory of his name:

Who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? (2 Samuel 7:23)

God did not cast away his people for the glory of his name:

Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord . . . For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake. (l Samuel 12:20, 22)

God saved Jerusalem from attack for the glory of his name:

For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. (2 Kings 19:34; cf. 20:6)

God restored Israel from exile for the glory of his name:

Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name.. . . And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name. . . . And the nations will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 36:22-23; cf. v. 32)

Jesus sought the glory of his Father in all he did:

The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. (John 7:l8)

Jesus told us to do good works so that God gets glory:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16; cf. 1 Peter 2:12)

Jesus warned that not seeking God’s glory makes faith impossible:

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)

Jesus said that he answers prayer that God would be glorified:

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)

Jesus endured his final hours of suffering for God’s glory:

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again’ (John 12:27-28).

Father, the hour has come; glorify your son that the Son may glorify you. (John 17:1; cf. 13:31-32)

God gave his Son to vindicate the glory of his righteousness:

God put [Christ] forward as a propitiation by his blood . . . to show God’s righteousness . . . It was to show his righteousness at the present time. (Romans 3:25-26)

God forgives our sins for his own sake:

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

For your own name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. (Psalm 25:11)

Jesus receives us into his fellowship for the glory of God:

Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Son of God:

He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:14)

God instructs us to do everything for his glory:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (l Corinthians 10:31; cf. 6:20).

God tells us to serve in a way that will glorify him:

Whoever serves, [let him do it] as one who serves by the strength which God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (l Peter 4:11)

Jesus will fill us with fruits of righteousness for God’s glory:

It is my prayer that . . . [you be] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9, 11)

All are under judgment for dishonoring God’s glory:

They became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images. (Romans 1:22, 23)

For all havesinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Herod is struck dead because he did not give glory to God:

Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. (Acts 12:23)

Jesus is coming again for the glory of God:

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:9-10)

Jesus’ ultimate aim for us is that we see and enjoy his glory:

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)

Even in wrath God’s aim is to make known the wealth of his glory:

Desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, [God] has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory. (Romans 9:22-23)

God’s plan is to fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory:

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)

Everything that happens will redound to God’s glory:

From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

In the New Jerusalem the glory of God replaces the sun:

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives its light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Revelation 21:23).

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/biblical-texts-to-show-gods-zeal-for-his-own-glory

“Zeal” in God’s Word and “The Zeal Of The Lord Of Hosts”

Definition of Zeal: “Passionate ardor in the pursuit of any thing. In general, zeal is an eagerness of desire to accomplish or obtain some object, and it may be manifested either in favor of any person or thing, or in opposition to it, and in a good or bad cause.”

Numbers 25:11
“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal.
Numbers 25:13
and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”

1 Kings 19:14
And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

2 Kings 19:31
For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, And those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.’
Psalm 69:9
Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
Psalm 119:139
My zeal has consumed me, Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.
Proverbs 23:17
Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 37:32
For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, And those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 42:13
The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.
Isaiah 59:17
For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak.
Isaiah 63:15
[ A Prayer of Penitence ] Look down from heaven, And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?
Ezekiel 5:13
‘Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them.
Joel 2:18
[ The Land Refreshed ] Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And pity His people.
Zechariah 1:14
So the angel who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal.
Zechariah 8:2
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; With great fervor I am zealous for her.

John 2:17
Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.

1 Corinthians 14:12
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

2 Corinthians 7:11
For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2 Corinthians 9:2
for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority.

Galatians 4:18
But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
Colossians 4:13
For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.
2 Timothy 1:17
but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me.
Titus 2:14
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

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It has been said that we start prayer by asking: “God, what do You want?” 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

“God is not asking you to come to Christ just to attain peace of mind…You were created to worship.” AW Tozer

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Characteristic of a Zealous Man

A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he dies—whether he has health, or whether he has sickness—whether he is rich, or whether he is poor—whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offence—whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish—whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise—whether he get honor, or whether he gets shame—for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all.

He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God’s glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it-he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, work, and give money, he will cry, and sigh, and pray…If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill (Exodus 17:9-13). If he is cut off from working himself, he will give the Lord no rest till help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of ‘zeal’ in religion.

Source unknown

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HONOR AND REVERENCE

God wants to be honored and God will honor those who honor Him. God wants to be revered and His name “feared among the nations!”

(1 Samuel 2:29-30)²⁹Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’ ⁰³⁰Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

(Malachi 1:6 ) Polluted Offerings ⁶“A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

(Malachi 1:14) “But cursed be the deceiver
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—
For I am a great King,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“And My name is to be feared among the nations.

God despised “polluted offerings” in the Old Testament. Though we live in the New Testament today, God still WANTS OUR BEST OFFERINGS OF WHAT WE OFFER HIM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. HE IS WORTHY! FOREVER GOD IS TO BE HONORED AND REVERED! THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. :

the sacrifice of praise: Hebrews 13: ¹⁵Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. ¹⁶But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
cheerful giver: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 ⁶But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
wholehearted worship: to love Him with ALL of our heart, soul, mind and strength… these are some of the things we “offer” God and He wants our BEST! Matthew 22:37 ³⁷Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Our “ALL” must be in our worship.
In the New Testament: we give Him our lives in service to Him as a living sacrifice. In doing this we must give Him our all: Living Sacrifices to God 12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ²And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Jesus said that love for Him includes keeping His commandments: John 14:21 ²¹He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Matthew 28:18 ¹⁸And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go therefore^[c] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.^[d]
Luke 6:46 ⁴⁶“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”
When we worship God we must do and “observe all things” that Jesus commanded us and “do the things which He says” or why should you “call Me Lord Lord?” Jesus said. Worship to God from the heart, with ALL our heart with reverence and sincerity. Give Him our very best!
Deuteronomy 28: ⁵⁸“If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, ⁵⁹then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. ⁶⁰Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. ⁶¹Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. ⁶²You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.
God rejoiced to do good and multiply (but if we do not ‘carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD’ THEN GOD SAYS IN Deut 28 : ⁶³And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.
God has many attributes, we all know “God is love” (1 John 4:8) but do we also see that “God loves justice” [ Isaiah 61:8 “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Acts 17:30-32 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”] and “the Lord hates the wicked” [ Psalm 11:5 The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.] ?? For those who don’t want to see anything other than “God is love” it is clearly spoken here in Deut. 28:63 by God Himself that He will “rejoice to destroy” the disobedient and irreverent. He says “will rejoice over you (if you don’t carefully observe all the words of the law and fear His glorious and awesome name: THE LORD YOUR GOD) TO DESTROY YOU AND BRING YOU TO NOTHING. : God rejoiced to do good and multiply (but if we do not ‘carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD’ THEN GOD SAYS IN Deut 28 : ⁶³And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.

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PRAISE

GOD IS “WELL PLEASED” WITH THE “SACRIFICE OF PRAISE:”

the sacrifice of praise: Hebrews 13: ¹⁵Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. ¹⁶But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

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James Aist: Real Christians, myself included, do not preach hate or bigotry. That accusation is pure slander. Jesus is everything the Bible says He is, not just the warm fuzzies you refer to: He came preaching “Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15). Unless a man repent, he will perish (Luke 13:1-5). Do not fear men, who can harm your body, but fear the One who can throw both body and soul into hell (Luke 12:5). I am the judge of all mankind (Acts 10:42). Those who believe in me and obey my commands will be made the righteousness of God in Christ and will inherit eternal life with God in heaven, but those who do not will be thrown into the lake of fire with the devil, which is the second death (Revelation 20:14-15), where there will be eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50). God is love (1 John 4:8), and he is also righteous and just (Psalm 50:6). He will reward the righteous and punish the unjust (Matthew 25:32-46). No one can resist the will of God (Romans 9:19), and there will be no excuse for the unbeliever (Romans 1:20). Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17). You do not believe in the real Jesus, but a Jesus made in your own image.

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FAITHFULNESS, KEEPING HIS WORD AND INQUIRING OF HIM IN ALL THINGS.

1 Chronicles 10:13 ¹³So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. ¹⁴But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

Prayer: Dearest God, My Lord, my love forever. I worship You! I give You praise! I repent of unfaithfulness to You. I repent that I have not “kept the word of You, the Lord.” I repent that I have not “inquired of the Lord” of You. I WANT TO RELY FULLY ON YOU IN ALL THINGS! I DON’T WANT TO GRIEVE YOU LORD AND You’ll hear his woe to you: “Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of your Egypt your confusion” (Isaiah 30:3). Worse, you’ll He’ll say, “You trusted in the arm of your flesh, even though I warned you that doing so is foolish. Now you’re going to pay a price for not fully relying on me in all things. You’ll end up in sorrow and confusion.” God Told Isaiah to Write Down His Grief Over Judah’s Rebellion. “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever” (Isaiah 30:8). God was saying, in essence TO ME AND EVERY PERSON: “I want every generation, from now to the end of time, to know my deep sorrow over this kind of rebellion. Write it down, Isaiah, so that all people, at all times, will understand my grief when they trust in some worldly provision and not in me.”

DEAR GOD, I HUMBLE MYSELF CONTINUALLY BEFORE YOU AND SUBMIT TO YOUR TOTAL RULE AND AUTHORITY IN THIS LIFE THAT BELONGS TO YOU. I AM NOT MY OWN, I HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. I seek YOU Lord for all my guidance — I am crying out to YOU God for direction, and I am trusting in YOUR faithfulness! I repent of a refusal to seek Your mind in all things. “This includes not just the big things of life, but the small things: family matters, hurts, personal worries. And it encompasses every aspect of our being — the spiritual, the physical, the mental, everything. Rebellion against God’s rule means saying, “I can do this by myself. I don’t need to bother God.” But God wants to be bothered.” I repent of rebellion cloaked in independence. I call it what it is: relying on the arm of the flesh grieves You and it is rebellion which is as witchcraft, satan was rebellious! I die daily to self, I count myself as nothing so that You can be everything. I want to be the “least of these” a tiny speck in the bottom of an earthen vessel emptied of ego and self in order to be filled with YOU GOD Who is Greatness Complete! 🙂

The rebellion that God describes here is an act of defiance, a resistance to his total rule and authority in our lives. It’s a refusal to seek his mind in all things. This includes not just the big things of life, but the small things: family matters, hurts, personal worries. And it encompasses every aspect of our being — the spiritual, the physical, the mental, everything. Rebellion against God’s rule means saying, “I can do this by myself. I don’t need to bother God.” But God wants to be bothered. Simply put, if you’re not seeking the Lord for all your guidance — if you’re not crying out to him for direction, if you’re not trusting in his faithfulness, if you’re trying to make things happen on your own — you’re in rebellion. God declares, “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts” (Isaiah 65:2). In light of God’s warning, ask yourself: is it possible you’re in rebellion against God, in spite of your devotion, worship and righteous walk? You may pray, fast and faithfully attend church. But could it be the reason you’re facing confusion or warfare in your home, your family, your job?

I pose the same question to ministers. When God looks on you, does he say, “My child, at times you still do your work of ministry without seeking me. I want to be involved in everything, from the hairs of your head to the soles of your feet. If you don’t ‘ask at my mouth’ or trust in the shadow of my wings, you are in rebellion.” Our Lord wants to be our keeper. “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper” (Psalm 121:4–5). The Hebrew word for keeper here means guard, protector, director, guide. Our Lord is a vigilant, protective father who takes great joy in keeping and preserving his children. In fact, in Exodus God revealed himself to Israel by a new name: Jealous. “Thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14). Notice that this name was revealed in the context of a warning: “Thou shalt worship no other god.” At the time, most Israelites went to “high places,” or idolatrous altars, to find direction. They gave the Lord mere lip service when it came to seeking him for guidance. This was idol worship, plain and simple. Only God can know the future. And whenever a person turns to something besides God for guidance, he worships that object.This is true of any reliance on astrologers, horoscopes or reading the stars. Whatever you depend on for help, you worship. You make it into a god.

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In 1 Chronicles 10:13, God says in His Word that “Saul died for his 1) unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, 2) because he did not keep the word of the Lord and 3) also because he consulted a medium for guidance. 4) But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He, God, killed Saul and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

God killed Saul, a leader that He had chosen and later regrets choosing Saul in what He spoke in 1 Samuel 15:10 ¹⁰Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, ¹¹“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.”

David Wilkerson: excerpt from The Secret Of Spiritual Strength: Worse, you’ll grieve the Lord. You’ll hear his woe to you: “Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of your Egypt your confusion” (Isaiah 30:3). He’ll say, “You trusted in the arm of your flesh, even though I warned you that doing so is foolish. Now you’re going to pay a price for not fully relying on me in all things. You’ll end up in sorrow and confusion.” God Told Isaiah to Write Down His Grief Over Judah’s Rebellion. “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever” (Isaiah 30:8). God was saying, in essence, “I want every generation, from now to the end of time, to know my deep sorrow over this kind of rebellion. Write it down, Isaiah, so that all people, at all times, will understand my grief when they trust in some worldly provision and not in me.”

Our Lord is absolutely jealous over his keeping power. And we scorn him whenever we don’t turn to him alone for help. God slew King Saul for this very sin of rebellion: “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it: and enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him” (1 Chronicles 10:13–14). God’s word makes it clear: Saul’s transgression was in seeking counsel from another instead of inquiring of the Lord. And God slew him for it. – See more at: http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/1189#sthash.cYqBlNeN.dpuf

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Jesus is the beautiful Man with a beautiful heart.

Misty Edwards

Jesus is the beautiful Man with a beautiful heart. Think about it; He is fully human, acquainted with all of our ways yet has no bitterness, insecurity or shame. He lives with His heart open without fear of being rejected or misused. He doesn’t build up walls to spare Himself hurt but He lets us back in again and again. There is no man like Him. He delights to do His Father’s will without rebellion or pride. He’s humble, meek and lowly yet anointed with the oil of gladness more than all of His companions. His heart is fiery, jealous and full of zeal without an ounce of wickedness or egocentric arrogance. His heart is kind, gentle and patient yet unrelenting in His tenacious pursuit of yours. He’ll do whatever it takes to win you over and to unite your heart to His. I love this Man and I love His beautiful heart.

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Matthew 22:2 KJV The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

“At the heart of the gospel is a Heavenly Father who wants a family for Himself and a beloved bride for His Son.”
–Allen Hood

Genesis 17:1-2 NKJV 17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
In the Amplified, Genesis 17:1: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am the Almighty God; walk and live habitually before Me and be perfect (blameless, wholehearted, complete).
The same thing that God spoke to Abram, He speaks to each of us: “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.” God WANTS us to walk before Him and be blameless, wholehearted, complete. mature.

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Psalm 50:22 John Piper: God hates to be ignored. Psalm 50:22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!”

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David Wilkerson from his book: “Hungry For More Of Jesus:” “Do you know if you have won your Lord’s heart? Do you know that if you hunger after Him you will have a desire to win His heart? The apostle Paul stated that this was his purpose in renouncing his past life:
I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Ph…p 3:8
Paul was completely captivated by his Lord. Why would he feel the need to “win” Christ? Christ already had revealed Himself clearly, and not just to the apostle but in his life. Yet, even so, Paul felt compelled to win Christ’s heart and affection.
Paul’s entire being – his ministry, life and very purpose for living – was focused only on pleasing his Master and Lord. All else was rubbish to him, even “good” things. “

He has poured out His lavished abundant love for us, how much more should we lavishly love Him too.
Pastor Ray Choi – Matt 26 – “Jesus is Worth It: Love Extravagantly”
(excerpt)

“Jesus praises Mary for her expression of extravagant love. Listen to what he says in Matt 26:13–
Matt 26:13 I assure you: Wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.
Why is this act to be proclaimed wherever the gospel, whenever the life of Jesus is preached? Because Mary demonstrates how all of us should respond to Jesus. The only appropriate response to Jesus is extravagant love. Absolute surrender. Giving our very best. Laying down our idols at the feet of Jesus. Giving it all. Mary gets it. Therefore, wherever and whenever the gospel is preached, Mary’s story will be told alongside the gospel in memory of her.
For Mary, she broke the alabaster jar and poured out every last drop of the oil. She did not hold anything back. Every time the gospel is preached, this is the only proper response. Laying down everything else. Pouring out every last drop. Maybe when you first heard the gospel, you had this type of response. Lord, you died for me. I repent of my sins. I lay down my life. I surrender. I give up. I’m tired of leading my own life. I want you to lead now. I trust you. I will follow you all the days of my life. Things were crystal clear when we heard the gospel for the first time and responded.

What about the 10th time you heard the gospel? Or the 100th time? Is your response as radical after the nth time of hearing the gospel as it was the very first time? The same level of thrill and gratitude and amazement and wonder and love expressed from the core of our being. Extravagant love gushing forth from our very souls that we experienced the first time. Is your heart still capable of responding to the gospel in the same extravagant, radical way today?

Growing up, my parents used to tell me, everything in moderation. Too much of a good thing is bad, they said. When I was born again as a sophomore in college and they saw my zeal for Jesus, they told me the same thing. Everything in moderation, even faith in God. I know they meant well and in many cases, this is good advice to follow. Too much food is bad. Eat in moderation. Having fun is good, but too much pleasure seeking can kill you. Generally, this is good advice. But when it comes to God, I have to disagree with them. There is nothing moderate about the Christian life. Weren’t you willing to give up everything when you first accepted Christ into your heart? Has the radical demands of the gospel changed? Or have you and I changed?

If any voice tells you to moderate your love for Jesus, don’t listen. Let your affections for Jesus be lavish. If any voice tempts you to want to be rich monetarily as your highest aim, don’t listen. Jesus is your treasure, and all that money can buy cannot compare to him. In response to the worth of Jesus, Mary’s heart was full of wonder and thankfulness and joy overflowing in lavish demonstrations of affection. And Judas’ heart felt none of that but valued money more than he valued Jesus. Mary loved Jesus. Judas loved money. Mary’s heart corresponded to the treasure that Jesus is. Judas’s heart contradicted the treasure that Jesus is.”

http://raychoi.org/2013/03/24/matt-26-jesus-worth-it-love-extravagantly-pt3-3/
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Psalm 50. God speaks and begins to tell us some of the things that please Him. He doesn’t want food…or list His favorite “dish” of food or favorite restaurant that He likes, after all, He owns it all… but there are things that please Him, that He LOVES to receive from us to serve and please Him with. These are a few of them. Forever He is worthy! As Misty Edwards says, “But what do you give a God who has everything? The only thing He doesn’t have, our voluntary love. That is the gift we have to give Him.”

Psalm 50: 12-14, 23: “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are Mine.
13 Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God the ‪#‎sacrifice‬ of ‪#‎thanksgiving‬, and pay your vows to the Most High,

23 He who brings an ‪#‎offering‬ of ‪#‎praise‬ and #thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who ‪#‎orders‬ his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.”

Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied, “‘You must ‪#‎love‬ the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will ‪#‎keep‬ my commandments.”

Isaiah 57:15 14 “And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.” 15For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the ‪#‎contrite‬ and ‪#‎lowly‬‪#‎of‬‪#‎spirit‬ In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the ‪#‎heart‬ of the #contrite.”

Psalm 51:17 “Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
…16For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17The ‪#‎sacrifices‬ of God are a ‪#‎broken‬ spirit; A broken and a #contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. ”

Jeremiah 2:
…2″Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I remember concerning you the ‪#‎devotion‬ of your youth, The #love of your ‪#‎betrothals‬, Your ‪#‎following‬ after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown. 3″Israel was ‪#‎holy‬ to the LORD, The first of His harvest….”

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
6 But without ‪#‎faith‬ it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who ‪#‎diligently‬‪#‎seek‬ Him.

1 Peter 3:18 – For ‪#‎Christ‬ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1 John 3:1 See what great love the ‪#‎Father‬ has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

‪#‎He‬ has poured out His lavished abundant love for us, how much more should we lavishly love Him too.
‪#‎the‬ one thing He doesn’t have: our voluntary lavish extravagant love, lavish humility, lavish obedience, lavish faith, lavish contrite heart.
‪#‎lavishing‬ love, thanksgiving, worship, praise and devotion on Him, #lavishing obedience on Him, #lavishing humility, brokenness and daily repentance on Him, #lavishing faith on Him. It’s our joy!
John 14:21-24

Jesus ultimate goal: that glorifies Him!

John Piper – “What is ultimate? That in our obedient lives God be displayed as the most beautiful reality in the world. “

“What Jesus Demands From The World” by John Piper
Is God The Most Beautiful Reality In Your LIFE? http://www.desiringgod.org/books/what-jesus-demands-from-the-world

IT’S WISE TO CONSIDER ALL FOUR OF GOD’S DESCRIPTIONS …
Denny Cline, ALBANY, OREGON
“When you consider who God is from the bible it’s wise to consider all four of His descriptions not just one or two. He is Light, Love, Spirit, and All Consuming Fire.”If you camp on one or two you can get into a god of your own making and veer off the path of truth. We need to consider His entire nature, not just the parts that fit our own soulesh desires. Our highest goal should be to become like Him. To do that we need all that He is for all of us.”

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TO SEE YOUR FACE AND HEAR YOUR VOICE 🙂

God loves to see your face and hear your voice. (Song Of Solomon 2:14)

Song Of Solomon 2:14
KJ21
“O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.”
AMP
“O my dove, [here] in the clefts in the rock, In the sheltered and secret place of the steep pathway, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.”
AMPC
[So I went with him, and when we were climbing the rocky steps up the hillside, my beloved shepherd said to me] O my dove, [while you are here] in the seclusion of the clefts in the solid rock, in the sheltered and secret place of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

God loves to see your face and hear your voice. (Song Of Solomon 2:14)

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The terrifying sound of a sand castle life crumbling at the end: I never knew you, depart from me. Matthew 7:26, 23. John Piper

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Lester Sumrall

Jesus is the Living Word. Let our lives be that, His Word animated.

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Introduction: Genesis. God Really Wants Us To Know Him And Understand Him

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

Jeremiah 9:23-24 God Really Wants Us To Know Him And Understand Him

Posted on October 14, 2012by purifymyheart

In these two verses below, we can hear God’s Heart as He speaks to us from His Word… He wants us to get to know Him. He desires it and He is sad when we don’t get to know Him.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)

²³Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty and powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power; let not the person who is rich [in physical gratification and earthly wealth] glory and boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] riches;

²⁴But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.

Jeremiah 4:22 Amplified Bible (AMP)

²²[Their chastisement will continue until it has accomplished its purpose] for My people are stupid, says the Lord [replying to Jeremiah]; **they do not know and understand Me.** They are thickheaded children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge [and know not how].

—————–

The Bible Is A Transcript Of God’s Heart, Mind and Soul!

God has a HEART, MIND AND SOUL!

God has FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS! Verses from God’s Word on God’s HEART:

Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

Eze 28:2 “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:”

Ez 28:6 “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;”

Psalm 33: ¹⁰The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. ¹¹The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.

Verses from God’s Word on God’s MIND:

1 Cor 2:16 “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (Keep in mind, this is after the resurrection of Jesus, our Lord).

Gen 8:1 “And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;”

Is 43:25 “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

Ro 8:27 “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Verses from God’s Word on God’s SOUL:

Mt 12:18 from Is 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.”

Heb 10:38 from Hab 2:4 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

Psalm 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Isaiah 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

Acts 2:27 “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [Sheol/Hades], neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

Acts 2:31 “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.”

Jeremiah 32:36-41 ³⁶“Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence’: ³⁷Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. ³⁸They shall be My people, and I will be their God; ³⁹then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. ⁴⁰And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. ⁴¹Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’

In that last verse in Jeremiah 32:41 God says “with all My heart and with all My soul.” God loves us that way “with ALL HIS HEART and with ALL HIS SOUL!” and that is how He desires us to love Him: Matthew 22:37-40New King James Version (NKJV)
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

The Holy Spirit helps us as we read God’s Word.
1 Corinthians 2:Wisdom from the Spirit of God
…11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

With the Holy Spirit helping us as we read “12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,” we receive wisdom from the Spirit of God and we can read from our heart to see God’s Most Precious Heart. The HEART of ALL HEARTS is GOD’S HEART! The GREAT I AM, Who was and is and is to come… the God of ALL the Universe has a HEART! Our God, The Alpha and Omega! He has EMOTIONS AND VERY STRONG FEELINGS FROM HIS HEART! HIS SOUL! HIS MIND! We must read the Bible from our heart, with the eyes of our heart, to see and hear what is in God’s Heart, Soul and Mind.

We can pray the Apostle Pauls Prayer for “widsom and revelation” to get to know God more and for “the eyes of our understanding” to be enlightened. Other translations say “the eyes of our heart” to be enlightened. Ephesians 1:15-22 NKJV “¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸the eyes of your understanding^[c] being enlightened;”

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

¹⁵Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: ¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸the eyes of your understanding^[c] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. ²²And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

God really wants us to know Him and understand Him!

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself. God created Adam and Eve and He looked for them in the garden. In Genesis 3:9 So the LORD God called out to the man, asking him, “Where are you?” God wants close, intimate fellowship with us! It is what He wants most!

The following is a list from Genesis to Revelation of verses in God’s Word where God expresses an emotion or statement of what He wants. His heart. His soul. His emotions. His desires. What He loves. What He hates. What He is looking for from us, His children.

God has emotions! Read here where God “regrets” and God “was grieved at heart” or “heartbroken.”

Genesis 6:5-6 (AMP) The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually. ⁶And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved at heart.

It has been said that the NLT (New Living Translation) is the most accurate translation regarding God’s emotions. Here is the same verse in the NLT: Genesis 6:5-6 ⁵The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. ⁶So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.

Question: Why did God “regret?” Why was God “sorry?” Why was God “grieved in His heart?” What was it that “broke His heart?” If we read earlier in the verse it says: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually.”

Prayer: Dearest God, Heavenly Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, I don’t want You to ever be “sorry, grieved in Your heart, or break Your heart” by having “every imagination and intention in my human thinking to be evil continually like You were back then. I want to please You!
I love You!
Mark 12:30-31New King James Version (NKJV)
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[a] This is the first commandment.[b] 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] There is no other commandment greater than these.”
I love You Jesus! I purpose my heart 100% to obey all of Your commandments John 14:15New King James Version (NKJV)
15 “If you love Me, keep[a] My commandments
Jesus You are my Lord and as your disciple I purpose my heart (as Daniel did in Daniel 1:8) to obey all your commandments 19Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every dayl until the end of the age.”

I have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20).
Galatians 2:20Amplified Bible (AMP)
20 I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
I am a new creation in Jesus Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

I declare Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.. Galatians 5:22-23Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[a]that can bring a charge].
John 15:1-11Amplified Bible (AMP)
Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches
15 “[a]I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. 4 Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. 5 [b]I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples. 9 I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. 10 If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.
1 John 1:6-7Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].
Ephesians 5:25-27Amplified Bible (AMP)
25 Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], 27 so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless.
Revelation 19:7-8Amplified Bible (AMP)
7 “Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come [at last] and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself.” 8 She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean—for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints [the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers].
Revelation 19:8
Revelation 19:8
AMPC She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white—for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God’s holy people).
BRG And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
CJB fine linen, bright and clean has been given her to wear.” (“Fine linen” means the righteous deeds of God’s people.)
DARBY And it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright [and] pure; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints.
ERV Fine linen was given to the bride for her to wear. The linen was bright and clean.” (The fine linen means the good things that God’s holy people did.)
ESV it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
ESVUK it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
EXB Fine linen, bright and ·clean [pure], was given to her to wear.” (The fine linen ·means [is; stands for] the ·good things done by God’s holy people [L righteousness/righteous deeds of the saints/holy ones].)
ISV She has been given the privilege of wearing fine linen, dazzling and pure.” (The fine linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints.)
PHILLIPS And then I heard a sound like the voices of a vast crowd, the roar of a great waterfall and the rolling of heavy thunder, and they were saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, has come into his kingdom! Let us rejoice, let us be glad with all our hearts. Let us give him the glory, for the wedding-day of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. She may be seen dressed in linen, gleaming and spotless—for such linen is the righteous living of the saints!”
KJV And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
AKJV And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
TLB She is permitted to wear the cleanest and whitest and finest of linens.” (Fine linen represents the good deeds done by the people of God.)
MSG Then I heard the sound of massed choirs, the sound of a mighty cataract, the sound of strong thunder: Hallelujah! The Master reigns, our God, the Sovereign-Strong! Let us celebrate, let us rejoice, let us give him the glory! The Marriage of the Lamb has come; his Wife has made herself ready. She was given a bridal gown of bright and shining linen. The linen is the righteousness of the saints.

By Your grace I will fix my thoughts on You and the hope of seeing Jesus face to face which 1 John 3:3 “And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.” I will think on these things: Philippians 4:8 KJV “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” I will 1 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The beatitudes are a description of Jesus, we are to be conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:28-29) and Jesus is pure in heart: Matthew 5:8 8″Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
I pray Psalm 139:23-24Amplified Bible (AMP)
23
Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
24
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
I pray David’s prayer. Create in me a clean pure heart oh God!
Psalm 51Amplified Bible (AMP)

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bathsheba.

51 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2
Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt
And cleanse me from my sin.
3
For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them;
My sin is always before me.
4
Against You, You only, have I sinned
And done that which is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak [Your sentence]
And faultless in Your judgment.
5
I was brought forth in [a state of] wickedness;
In sin my mother conceived me [and from my beginning I, too, was sinful].
6
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part [of my heart] You will make me know wisdom.
7
Purify me with [a]hyssop, and I will be clean;
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8
Make me hear joy and gladness and be satisfied;
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9
Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.
10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.
11
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.
13
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted and return to You.
14
Rescue me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will sing joyfully of Your righteousness and Your justice.
15
O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
16
For You do not delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
17
My [only] sacrifice [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.
18
By Your favor do good to Zion;
May You rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19
Then will You delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,
In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.
In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

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John Piper: “How Can We Understand the Things of the Spirit?

What hope is there, then, that anyone will welcome the things of the Spirit? How can Christ crucified come to be valued as the power of God and the wisdom of God and the source of infinite joy? 1 Corinthians 2:14–15 says, “They are spiritually appraised. The spiritual man appraises all things, but is himself appraised by no one.” The spiritual person is the opposite of the natural person. The spiritual person has the Spirit of God. Verse 12 says, “We have received . . . the Spirit which is from God that we might know the things given to us by God.” When the Spirit of God is at work in your life, then you will appraise things the way God does. You will not regard the Word of God as folly but as the most precious word imaginable. The first and most fundamental work of God’s Spirit in the life of the natural man is to shatter pride. The Spirit enables us to see on the one hand our desperate helplessness and on the other hand the all-sufficiency and beauty of Christ crucified. We begin to see and appraise things with the eyes of Christ.

This is what verses 15 and 16 are getting at. The Spirit enables us to appraise things with their true value, but when natural men appraise us, they will always go wrong. Why? Verse 16: Because apart from the Spirit no one thinks or appraises like the Lord, but we who possess the Spirit have the mind of Christ. We have begun to view and assess things the way Christ does. Therefore we do not reject but receive the things of the Spirit, even when they mean death to self; because now we know what is really valuable.

What the Work of the Spirit Is and Is Not

Now let’s go back to where we began. The manual of operation for the Christian wartime mentality is the Bible. It contains the truth needed to win us over from the enemy to Christ, to deprogram our old thought patterns, to train us in strategies of righteousness, and to equip us with armor and weapons to defeat Satan and liberate his captives. But we have a natural aversion to this truth. Therefore, the work of the Holy Spirit is utterly indispensable as we make use of this manual. But now we can see more clearly what this work of the Spirit is and what it isn’t.

The work of the Spirit is not to tell us what the manual of operation means. That we must determine by a disciplined study of the text. The Spirit inspired these writings and he does not short-circuit them by whispering in our ear what they mean. When we pray for his help, we do not pray that he will spare us the hard work of rigorous reading and reflection. What we pray is that he would make us humble enough to welcome the truth. The work of the Spirit in helping us grasp the meaning of Christ’s manual of operation is not to make study unnecessary but to make us radically open to receive what our study turns up, instead of twisting the text to justify our unwillingness to accept it.

The lessons are plain for those who long to fight the fight of faith and be an integral part of the war effort. We must be diligent students of the Commander’s manual. And we must soak all of our study in prayer that his Spirit would humble us to submit to every truth and commandment in it. The work of the Holy Spirit is to make us say from the heart as we take up the manual, “Far be it from me that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world was crucified to me, and I to the world.” If our pride has not been crucified by the Holy Spirit, the Bible will be a wax nose and we will call it foolish or mold it to fit our own natural desires. In either case, the word of the Commander will not be obeyed and the war effort will languish and the cause of the enemy will go unchecked.”

From: http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/how-the-spirit-helps-us-understand

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God had created us to know “goodness” and not evil in the Garden of Eden. His perfect plan was that we would obey Him and avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and that we would only know good. But man disobeyed God so in Genesis 3:22-24 (below) God “drove out the man” from the garden. How sad must God have been then to drive out the man and woman. The man and woman, our ancestors, that He made to live with Him in the Garden of Eden, who had walked with Him “in the cool of the day” and He “drove (them) out” from the Garden.

Genesis 3:22-24 Amplified: ²²And the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become like one of Us [the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit], to know [how to distinguish between] good and evil and blessing and calamity; and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live ^[b]forever—

²³Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.

²⁴So [God] drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden the ^[c]cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep and guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 8:20-21 AMP ²⁰And Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean [four-footed] animal and of every clean fowl or bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21When the Lord smelled the pleasing odor [a scent of satisfaction to His heart], the Lord said to Himself, I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination (the strong desire) of man’s heart is evil and wicked from his youth; neither will I ever again smite and destroy every living thing, as I have done.

God was “pleased” with the offerings that Noah offered. He smelled them and they were a “pleasing odor [a scent of satisfaction to His heart].” Question: Am I offering sacrifices to God of praise, worship and thanksgiving that are “pleasing” to Him that bring a “scent of satisfaction to His heart?” Hebrews 13:15 NKJV By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Is my body a “living sacrifice” presented unto God as in Romans 12:1 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. See other verses: http://bible.cc/hebrews/13-15.htm

Genesis 15:1 King James Version (KJV)

15 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

God Himself describes Himself as Abram’s and our “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” These are the words of our God, the Great I AM. The One Whom we will spend forever with if we have salvation through Jesus Christ alone. Question: God clearly states that HE is our EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD. Do we value God as our exceeding great reward? This is what God wants us to value most: God Him Self!

Genesis 15:6 (NKJV)

⁶And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

When we “believe in the Lord, He accounts it” to us for righteousness in our eternal account. Believing and trusting in what the Lord says, the Lord will reward.

Genesis 17:1-2 NKJV 17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. ²And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

The same thing that God spoke to Abram, He speaks to each of us: “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.” God WANTS us to walk before Him and be blameless, wholehearted, complete. Mature.
In the Amplified, Genesis 17:1: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am the Almighty God; walk and live habitually before Me and be perfect (blameless, wholehearted, complete).

Genesis 18:13-15 NKJV **¹³And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ ¹⁴Is anything too hard for the Lord?** At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. ⁵But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

God was DISPLEASED with Sarah for her lack of faith that He could bless her with a child in her old age. God WANTS us to STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT HE CAN DO ALL THINGS! NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR HIM TO DO! God sees our response to Him and He cares whether or not we believe that He can do all things! Prayer: Thank You Heavenly Father that You care about me and my response to You. You have billions of children yet you care about each one of us as if we were Your only child. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS! I REJOICE THAT NOTHING IS TO DIFFICUT FOR YOU!

Genesis 22:12 (NKJV) ¹²And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

God will “know that we fear God” when we do not withhold ANYTHING from Him. God saw what was in Abraham’s heart by Abraham’s actions of being willing to give his only son to God. Though God did not require it in the end, God saw that Abraham was willing to do that. God wants THAT kind of willingness to give ALL OUT LOVE, DEVOTION, OBEDIENCE, LOYALTY AND REVERENCE FOR HIM from each of us even if it costs us what we hold most dearly. Question: Do I fear God like Abraham and put everything I hold dear on the sacrificial altar as a love offering to God? Is God all I want? Do I obey God even when it costs everything and everyone else left behind and set aside for Him? Am I willing to be supremely devoted and supremely loyal to God? Am I willing to bear the reproach from human beings for this kind of devotion and loyalty to God?

Genesis 38:7 (NKJV) ⁷But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.

Psalm 45:7 (NKJV) ⁷You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

In Genesis 38:7, “the Lord killed him” because Er “was wicked in the sight of the Lord.” In Psalm 45:7, it is speaking of Jesus when it says “You love righteousness and hate wickedness.” God clearly “LOVES RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATES WICKEDNESS!” This is just one example of GOD’S STRONG EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS! “LOVE” AND “HATE” ARE EMOTIONS THAT GOD HAS AND HE CLEARLY STATES IT IN HIS WORD.

Genesis 2:15 Amplified Version: ¹⁵And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it.

(God created us “to tend and guard and keep” the Garden of Eden. God’s intention was for us to be in the Garden of Eden. We were never supposed to be exiled outside of the garden. If we, mankind, had loved and obeyed God, then we would all still be in the Garden of Eden as God originally intended.)

Genesis 2:17 Amplified Version ¹⁷But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

[(God intended for man (human beings, man and woman) to only know good, not evil. If Adam and Eve had not eaten of the tree, they would have only known goodness and not evil. Though we now live on earth in a fallen sinful world, God’s intention remains that we would know good and focus on good, not evil. Philippians 4:8 KJV “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Matthew 5:48 KJV (Jesus said,) “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”)]

Question: God doesn’t want for me to know evil. Do I know evil? Do I avoid evil? Do I touch evil? Do I love righteousness? Do I hate satan and all wickedness? Do I flee temptation and evil? Do I avoid even subtle slight evil?

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They Don’t Know Me

Copyright © Building His House 1998-2012 www.buildinghishouse.org

In Jeremiah chapter two and verse eight, God gives us the truest of indicators of a people and a priesthood gone astray, and let me remind you that as children of God, our calling is to be a kingdom of priests unto God. Therefore, this indictment of His priesthood is for all of God’s children to whom this applies. God said, “The priests said not, Where is The LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not…” (Jer. 2:8). The prophet records for us in this verse secondarily what I believe God says to us today primarily. He says that the priests don’t know God. That is God’s indictment of the priests of Jeremiah’s day, and I dare say it is His indictment of us today.

Don’t think that you know God if you can never point to a day or a minute when He revealed Himself to you; when He unveiled Himself to you. No one who has never found God knows God, and I dare say that no one who has never sought after God has found Him. Oh, I know that He was found of those who sought Him not, but that revelation of God will put in the heart of a man or woman a deep cry for more of God. The true revelation of God will bring the sweetest of all songs sung by God to the heart of man, and the lyrics of that wonderful song are the words, “Seek ye My face.” The heart of the person will join in with that painful melody of longing as deep calls back to deep with the surrendered words, “Thy face Lord will I seek.” Don’t think you know Him if you’ve never found Him, and don’t think you’ve found Him without seeking. Because God hides Himself from prospective seekers, because He veils Himself in thick darkness, anyone who has ever sought God is well acquainted with this heart cry… “Where is The LORD?”, and it is the lack of this cry in the heart of his priests that bring the awful indictment of God upon them as priests who have wandered far from God.

This is the great lack in the lives of those who know all the Christian stuff, but don’t know God. This is God’s indictment of the priesthood today: They don’t know God and they don’t cry out, “Where is God?” They’ve left off seeking Him and have sought the empty things of this world, including religion. They’ve sought forms and formulas, books and teachings, but have not sought Him. We are a people who know all about a God we don’t know, and we don’t know Him because we’ve never allowed that hunger, that desperate cry to fill our hearts and lives… “Where is God?”

God said to Jeremiah, “Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Yahweh, I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after me in the wilderness…” (Jer. 2:2). And again, “Thus saith Yahweh, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?” (verse 5).

You can’t let someone else do your seeking for you. You can’t know God through someone else’s experience. You can’t find the knowledge of God from book, Bible, sermon, or CD. All you do as you continue to add these things to your life and continue to live like mere men is to further separate yourself from Him to whom you were espoused, and to further deceive yourself about your own condition as you store up for yourself firewood for the judgment seat. God hides Himself in thick darkness. He is the treasure beyond all treasures, and true treasures don’t come cheep. If He cost you little, you don’t really have Him. If the gold you’ve stored up cost you little, it’s not the real deal; it’s fools gold. Nothing of value comes cheep. There are no bargain basement deals in the Kingdom of Heaven. If you are to truly know God, then that cry must first fill your heart till it consumes your every thought and every desire. That fire will burn in your heart to the point that you will begin to live like you have another world in sight. You will not live like other men, and just as certainly, you will not live like other Christians.

If you are to truly find God and know God, then you will know Hannah’s pain. Elkanah, Hannah’s husband, said unto her, “Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved…?” (1 Sam. 1:8). If you are to truly know God, you will know weeping, fasting, and grief of heart. You will know a passion for prayer that will take precedence over food, sleep, comfort, and ease, and incidentally, you will know misunderstanding, just as Hannah was misunderstood to be drunken by a backslidden priest. You will know disdain for the “innocent” diversions and entertainments to which other Christians give themselves as they “walk after vanity and are become vain.” You will find grief in the very thing that brings joy to others, and if anyone catches a glimpse into your devotional life or the passion of your heart, you will also know Hannah’s pain as your rival “provokes you sore” (1 Sam. 1:6), for they will brand you extreme, and will revile your “tendency to extremes” as unreasonable.

A person who has never known the cry, “Where is God” will never comprehend the extremes to which the fire of God will lead a person whose heart is filled with eternity. They are given over to vain things and are become vain. All they can see is wood, hay, and stubble. Wood, hay and stubble are above the ground. They “catch the eye”, as Leonard Ravenhill used to say. Gold, silver, and precious stones are below the ground where no one but the miner can see them, so empty persons give their lives to the empty things that you can see of this world. The spiritual person gives himself or herself to the weighty things, the things of eternal value that can only be seen with spiritual eyes, and someone with spiritual vision is a misfit in this fallen world, as well as in the church, I’m ashamed to say.

They are misunderstood. They are a peculiar treasure to God. They live with another world stamped upon their heart and eyes. They are strange, extreme, out of place, and they are the salt and light in this dark world. They walk a halted gate from the pain of having one foot in this world and the delight of having the other foot in another world. They are crucified to this world of filth and decay, and this world is crucified to them. They view this world, as it hangs upon the cross to which their heart has nailed it, as a cursed thing, a dying thing, a vision of repulsion, and this world views them the very same way! They are crucified to the world and in the eyes of the world, and this world is crucified to them, as their affections and desires have been forever altered by the work of the cross of Calvary in their hearts. Their affections are set on things above, and not on things below, and that fact alone makes them foreigners in a strange land as they walk as pilgrims, as citizens of another world through a land that throughout history has seen them as misfits at best, and at worst, as dangerous extremists that endanger civilization and must, therefore, be exterminated. Oh God, the cry of my heart is “where is God?!” Because I’ve caught a glimpse of the cross and the glory that comes from its wonderful and terrible work, I am forever ruined for the status quo. I’ve a fire and a longing within that comes from seeing a potential that I have failed to reach.

A priest has but one occupation, and that is to go into the holy place and do service to God. Their life work is to say, as it were, “Where is God?” The High Priest’s garments were laced at the bottom with bells and pomegranates. Recently, a friend of ours had a vision of a single pomegranate. The pomegranate speaks to me of the tremendous potential contained in the seed. It is a fruit whose meat is its seed, and it is crammed full to the rind with this potential. The ripened pomegranate can split open spilling its seeds from what appear to be wounds in a broken heart, and to me, a single pomegranate speaks of the single desire of David, who said, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after.” It speaks to me of the single vision that Paul had when he wrote, “This one thing I do”, and it speaks to me of the awesome divine potential that can come from the human heart that will break with this one desire and this one cry, “Where is God?” Where is God in my life? Where is God in my family? Where is God in my work or school or neighborhood or church? Where is that world-transforming power that the first church knew when the heathen testified of them that “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also?” When, oh when, will the heathen know when we come to town? Where is God?

That’s been my cry many times throughout my life, and it is becoming my cry once again as I see the need in my own heart first, and in the hearts of my family members second. It is becoming my heart cry as I look at the wickedness that ripens all around me as men become more and more wicked, and I cry out for the Holy Spirit to do what Jesus said He would do when He comes… to convince people to embrace Jesus as the answer to life’s dilemmas and sorrows or as an escape from a hell they’ve never really felt they deserved? No, but rather, to convince people of their sinfulness, of His righteous standard, and of the judgment of a literal fiery hell that everyone deserves who violates His righteous standard by living their lives for themselves, instead of for the God who created them to be an offering unto Him. Where is God? Where is conviction of sin? Where is cleansing from sin? Where is God? Where is God? Where are you God?

As priests of God, have we strayed so far from God that we have learned to live without Him? Have we learned to find our joy in the pleasures and entertainment of this world instead of in prayer and in His word? Do we spend hours in front of a television or ballgame rather than spending hours in the holy place, where priests find their occupation, their purpose, and their delight? Have we gone far from God, have we gone after vain things, and are we become vain because of these empty pursuits? Are we full or are we empty? Do we have rivers of living water, or a drop in a thimble? I ask again, as priests of God, have we strayed so far from God that we have learned to live without Him, or are we completely discontent to go through life with so little when there are such abundant riches in Christ Jesus waiting to be obtained by those who are willing to cry? Let this cry fill our hearts… “Where is God?” Copyright © Building His House 1998-2012 This document may be reproduced and shared freely with the body of Christ. For more articles, please visit www.buildinghishouse.org ——————————

Smith Wigglesworth on receiving revelation from God and wisdom of the babes

by purifymyheart

On revelation:

There is no limit as to what we may become if we dwell and live in the Spirit. In the Spirit of prayer we are taken from earth right away into heaven. In the Spirit the Word of God seems to unfold in a wonderful way, and it is only in the Spirit that the love of God is shed abroad in us. We feel as we speak in the Spirit that the fire which burned in the hearts of the two men on their way to Emmaus, when Jesus walked with them, is burning in our heart. It is sure to come to pass when we walk with Him, our hearts will burn; it is the same power of the Spirit. They could not understand it then, but a few hours later they saw Him break the bread, and their eyes were opened. But, beloved, our hearts ought to always burn. There is a place where we can live in the unction and the clothing of the Spirit, where our words will be clothed with power. “…be not drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). It is a wonderful privilege; and I see that it was necessary for John to be in the Spirit on the Isle of Patmos for the revelation to be made clear to him. http://tdmorgan.org/smith/THE_SPIRIT_OF_THE_LORD_IS_UPON_ME.html

On revelation to the ”babe class:” You have not to try to bring Him down; He is down; you have not to try to bring Him here; He is here. If we will obey the Lord there is nothing He will not give us since He has given us Jesus. The Spirit will have to reveal to us that fact that, because He has given us Jesus, He has given us all things. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” It is true, we must be filled with the Spirit. Father, teach us what that means! It was only because He had a knowledge of it that He could stand and say before those men, to the demon, “Come out of him” Who is the man that is willing to lay down all that he may have God’s all? Begin to seek and don’t stop seeking until you know the Spirit of the Lord is upon you. “I thank Thee, Father, Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes.” If you are in the babe class tonight, the Spirit must have revealed to you your lack. We need to seek with all our hearts. We need to be made flames of fire. http://tdmorgan.org/smith/THE_SPIRIT_OF_THE_LORD_IS_UPON_ME.html

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Excerpt: “The child of God who is rocked in the bosom of the Father has the sweetest touch of heaven, and the honey of the Word is always in it.”

and Smith Wigglesworth said that “Moses had to learn helplessness…”

—————— Excerpt: “But you know we shall never know the mind of God till we learn to know the voice of God.The striking thing about Moses is that it took him forty years to learn human wisdom, forty years to know his helplessness, and forty years to live in the power of God. I see that all revelation, all illumination, everything that God had in Christ was to be brought forth into perfect light that we might be able to live the same, produce the same, and be in every activity sons of God with power. It must be so. We must not limit the Holy One. And we must clearly see that God brought us forth to make us supernatural, that we might be changed all the time on the line of the supernatural, that we may every day live so in the Spirit, that all of the revelations of God are just like a canvas thrown before our eyes, on which we see clearly step by step all the divine will of God.

The child of God who is rocked in the bosom of the Father has the sweetest touch of heaven, and the honey of the Word is always in it.

Ah, brothers and sisters, we have no idea what God has for us if we will only begin! But oh, the grace we need! We may make a mishap. If you do it outside of Him, if you do it for yourself, and if you want to be some one, it will be a failure. We shall only be able to do well as we do it in the name of Jesus. Oh, the love that God’s Son can put into us if we are only humble enough, weak enough, and helpless enough to know that except He does it, it will not be done! “What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive and ye shall have them.”

Live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, walk in communion with the Spirit, talk with God. All leadings of the divine order are for you. I pray that if there are any who have turned to their own way and have made God second, they will come to repentance on all lines. Separate yourself from every earthly touch, and touch ideas. And God will bring you to an end of yourself. Begin with God this moment. http://www.smithwigglesworth.com/sermons/misc4.htm —————————–

Reading God’s Word with a “childlike” heart.

Matthew 11:25 New Living Translation: At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.

Matthew 11:25 NKJV: At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes.

Jesus clearly states here that some things are not revealed to the wise and prudent but only to “babes” and those who are “childlike.” If we always stay in our “head” to read the Bible and always focus on being “wise and prudent” and ALWAYS GROWN UP, SOPHISTICATED, LOGICAL, and INTELLECTUAL we will clearly miss “these things” which are “revealed unto babes” and “revealing them to the childlike.”
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary: “hast revealed them unto babes-to babe-like men; men of unassuming docility, men who, conscious that they know nothing, and have no right to sit in judgment on the things that belong to their peace, determine simply to “hear what God the Lord will speak.” Such are well called “babes.” (See Heb 5:13; 1Co 13:11; 14:20, &c.).
Clarke’s Commentary On The Bible: “There is a remarkable saying in the (Jewish) Talmudists, which casts light upon this: “Rabbi Jochanan said: : ‘In the days of the Messiah, every species of wisdom, even the most profound, shall, be revealed; and this even to children.'” Synop. Sohar. fol. 10.
Matthew 18:1-4 Who Is the Greatest? 18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, ³and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

How to be “converted” and be ”childlike” in order for God to reveal “these things” unto us:

Matthew 18:3 NKJV And said, Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Yes Jesus meant this verse in regard to salvation:

John 1:12 (NKJV)¹²But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name…

Romans 8:17 NKJV “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

As we must humble ourselves before God and become childlike to enter the kingdom of heaven, we can also become childlike to receive revelation that Jesus says is only given to “babes.” After all, we are God’s children, not His grown ups! Matthew 11:25 NKJV: At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes. ———————–

*Please watch: God The Father’s Love Letter To you

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TcxA_7_fi8

We have to become like a little child, a “babe.” Simply remember a time in your childhood where you were relating to God. A time in church, a time in prayer, a time alone where you sensed God’s presence even in your little childlike age at that time…. once you are in that state simply open your Bible and ask God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit to read you the Bible from GOD’S perspective to you, the little child that you are. God will OPEN and REVEAL “THESE THINGS” that Jesus said were “revealed unto babes” and hidden from those who “think themselves wise and clever.” You won’t know it until you try it. Many things in God’s Word we don’t understand until we obey Him and THEN we understand. I challenge you to do this. You will be amazed! God makes His Word so simple that even a child can understand it but we must be “childlike” to have it revealed to us!

As a Father would read at bedtime to his child, Ask God, your Heavenly Father, to read the Bible to your from HIS perspective and ask Him after each part, “God how did YOU FEEL about this? Read the gospels, and ask, “Jesus, how did you feel when that happened?” Then listen and He will tell you by the Holy Spirit and reveal to You His Precious Heart and His feelings and emotions to your childlike heart. You will get to know Him better than ever before! He is wants us to “know Him and understand Him” and to know some One we must also know their heart, mind, and soul. We are His children, not His “grown ups.”

You will not understand this until you experience it. Give it a try. If you trust God when you, the “adult,” speak to Him, then surely you trust Him if you allow yourself to become “child-like.” You have everything to gain in the revelation that He will give you, but you won’t know until you try.

Allow yourself to do things that children do. Choose to be childlike for a moment, then go to God as His little child

Some characteristics of children:

open hearted

trusting

say hello to everyone they see

innocent

playful

laugh a lot

jump in mud puddles

sing out loud

look up at the sky and watch clouds and name their shapes

create

imagine

daydream

enjoy creative stories and games

ask lots of questions

silly

joyful

… let yourself be childlike and allow God to read His Word to your heart from His Heart! It is AMAZING! You will love it and you will get to know God even better! 🙂

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Must See Video: Little Girl Steals Your Heart: The story of Jonah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFPh23PNCdY

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Jesus said in John 5:39 You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me! 40 And still you are not willing [but refuse] to come to Me, so that you might have life.

2 Corinthians 11:3Amplified Bible (AMP) 3 But [now] I am fearful, lest that even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, so your minds may be corrupted and seduced from wholehearted and sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Misty Edwards. lyrics excerpt to song about Matthew 25.

“But the foolish are trying so hard to get their lamps lit.
But they have no oil.
So preoccupied, so preoccupied.
They’ve been building a ministry, planning and scheming in all of the things,
But they forgot reality, relationship,
They forgot to get the oil on the inside of the lamp.
For the oil comes from the inside out and they forgot it.
Now like empty, empty tombs they forgot it.

Now the five, the five who were wise, they had oil.
For even though they slept, their hearts were awake.
They didn’t get weighed down by the mundane or distracted by the lamps.
They had the first things, first things, first things, first.
They had oil from the inside out.

And the five who are foolish will say to the five who are wise in that day,
O help us, help us!
Give us some of your reality, give us some of your intimacy
Give us some of the oil in your lamp,
But it doesn’t work that way. It can’t work that way.
And the five who are wise will say to the foolish,
Go buy oil, for yourself, you have to take the time to know Him for yourself”

In the last days that we are living in, intimacy with God, knowing Him and understanding Him personally in continual abiding relationship is most important in daily worship, prayer and the Word. we must beware of being distracted from this our greatest calling and pursuit.

It has been said: “as important as it is to know the Word of God, it is most important to know the God of the Word”

from Ephesians 1:
Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom
Heavenly Father, we pray
…17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to (us) a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18I We pray that the eyes of (our) heart may be enlightened…
In Jesus’ Name we pray with faith and thanksgiving. Amen

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (Jn. 1:14).

“Jesus loves being loved by you, and He loves loving you.”
–Mike Bickle

we love Him because He “first loved us.” there is a song that says: ” I want to be great at the (1st) Great Commandment.” what God calls great, we should call great.

International House of Prayer: Our identity and success are found in being desired by God and in loving Him, not in our recognition and accomplishments before people.

Ephesians 1:17Amplified Bible (AMP) 17 [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] ‪#‎KnowledgeOfHim‬,
—-
Jeremiah 9:23-24Amplified Bible (AMP) 23 Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty and powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power; let not the person who is rich [in physical gratification and earthly wealth] glory and boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.
—-
from Jer 9:24, God tells us this: …”24 But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character],”

‪#‎relationship‬ with God to: “glory in this,” to “understands and know” Him ” [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing” His “character],”
is ‪#‎most‬ important. He is: “the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord

International House of Prayer

To know God is much more than knowing things about God. We want to know Him through experiential knowledge. (Eph. 1:17)

David Wilkerson from his book: “Hungry For More Of Jesus”:

“Do you know if you have won your Lord’s heart? Do you know that if you hunger after Him you will have a desire to win His heart? The apostle Paul stated that this was his purpose in renouncing his past life:
I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Ph…p 3:8
Paul was completely captivated by his Lord. Why would he feel the need to “win” Christ? Christ already had revealed Himself clearly, and not just to the apostle but in his life. Yet, even so, Paul felt compelled to win Christ’s heart and affection.
Paul’s entire being – his ministry, life and very purpose for living – was focused only on pleasing his Master and Lord. All else was rubbish to him, even “good” things.” —–

Kay Arthur: “Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many!”
http://goo.gl/QXTgAU living in the present with the #futureinmind

Photo: Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many!</p> <p>http://goo.gl/QXTgAU<br /> #futureinmind

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Exodus

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

God really wants us to know Him and understand Him!

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

The following is a list from Exodus of verses in God’s Word where God expresses an emotion or statement of what He wants. His heart. His soul. His emotions. His desires. What He loves. What He hates. What He is looking for from us, His children.

Exodus 3:5 (NKJV) ⁵Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

God is holy. God said here “take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” God EXPECTS US TO REVERE HIM FOR HIS HOLINESS.

Exodus 3:7 (NKJV) And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

God said that He had “surely seen the oppression” and that He “know(s) their sorrows.” God sees what we are going through! God hears our cries to Him. God knows our sorrows! Then God cames down from heaven to deliver them and rescue them from their oppression . WOW!

Exodus 4:14 (NKJV) So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

GOD WAS “ANGRY” AT MOSES. “So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses.” God told Moses to speak to the children of Israel and to the king of Egypt. Moses asked God in doubt “who am I…” and “I am not eloquent, (I am) slow of speech and slow of tongue…” God responded saying “Who has made man’s mouth? Have not I, the Lord?” “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you waht you shall say.” Moses doubted again what God had called him to do and asked God “please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” Then God was ANGRY that Moses doubted, was afraid and wanted to pass on what God had called him to do. God told Moses that God would be with him and tell him what to say.

Exodus 3:14 NKJV And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.

God WANTS US TO KNOW THAT HE IS “THE GREAT I AM!” God WANTS US TO KNOW THAT “HE IS THE LORD!” THAT “HE IS ALMIGHTY GOD!” He it TELLS US MANY times in His Word.

Wesley’s Notes3:14 And God said – Two names God would now be known by. A name that speaks what he is in himself, I am that I am – This explains his name Jehovah, and signifies, 1st, That he is self – existent; he has his being of himself, and has no dependence upon any other. And being self – existent he cannot but be self – sufficient, and therefore all – sufficient, and the inexhaustible fountain of being and bliss. 2dly, That he is eternal and unchangeable, always the same, yesterday to – day, and for ever: he will be what he will be, and what he is. 3dly. That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature, and not a man that he should lie. Let Israel know this, I am hath sent me unto you. A name that speaks what he is to his people. Lest that name I am should puzzle them, he is farther directed to make use of another name of God, more familiar.

Genesis 17:1 [ The Sign of the Covenant ] When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.

Exodus 6:2 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD.
Exodus 6:6 Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
Exodus 6:7 I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exodus 6:8 And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.’”
Exodus 6:29 that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the LORD. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.”
Exodus 7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”
Exodus 7:17 Thus says the LORD: “By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.
Exodus 8:22 And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land.
Exodus 10:2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.
Exodus 12:12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
Exodus 14:4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.
Exodus 14:18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
Exodus 15:11 “Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Exodus 10:3 NKJV And Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh, and said to him, Thus said the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

God WANTS us to “humble ourselves before Him.” God WANTS us to “serve Him.” It is also seen in this verse: 2 Kings 22:19 NKJV Because your heart was tender, and you have humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have rent your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, said the LORD.

God WANTS this from us: ”your heart was tender, and you have humbled yourself before the Lord” “and ”have rent your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, said the Lord.” God HEARD because of “a tender heart before Him, humbled before Him, rent clothes and weeping before Him.” God is clearly telling us WHAT HE WANTS and WHY HE HEARD, WHY HE RESPONDED. He is the same God today, He changes not. The question is, “are we giving God what He WANTS?” Is our heart tender before Him? Do we humble ourself before Him? Rend our garments, weeping before Him in repentance? If we do, He will respond.

Exodus 15:25-26 (NKJV) “So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, ²⁶and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

If we do these things: 1) “diligently heed the voice of the Lord” our God. i.e. listen to hear His voice and hear Him speak through His Holy Word the Bible. Do what He tells us and don’t grieve the Holy Spirit. 2) “do what is right in His sight.” 3) “give ear to His commands” 4) “Keep all of His statutes”

THEN (it is a “conditional” promise by God, if we meet the conditions stated)

He will put none of these diseases on me which He put on the Egyptians and He (will be to me) the Lord Who heals me.

Exodus 19:4-6 (NKJV) ⁴‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. ⁵Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

God is so kind. He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and “brought them to” Himself. He calls them, and us, to “indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant” and then we will be a “special treasure” to Him.

Exodus 20 (NKJV) The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words, saying: ²“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ³“You shall have no other gods before Me.

⁴“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

⁷“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

⁸“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. ¹¹For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

¹²“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³“You shall not murder.

¹⁴“You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵“You shall not steal.

¹⁶“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

¹⁷“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

In Exodus 20:5 God says: “⁵you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,..”

God is JEALOUS for our love… He WANTS US to LOVE HIM ABOVE ALL ELSE AND ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE!

From what God says in His Word: God wants me to “bow down” to Him and “serve Him” for He, “the Lord my God is a jealous God.”

Jealous for my love. Jealous for me to bow down to Him and serve Him. Wow… God wants me. God wants my love. God wants me to be devoted to Him above all else, He wants to be first in my heart and in my affections. God wants me to want Him MORE than anyone else and anything else.

It doesn’t mean that we can’t love family, children, people but we are to LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYONE. That He would have FIRST PLACE. PREEMINENCE in our heart.

Misty Edwards said that God once asked her: “are you satisfied with My love?” That is a question to ask ourselves: “are we satisfied with God’s love?”

Youtube Video song: God is jealous for you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLHsQF131HQ

Exodus 32:7 ⁷And the Lord said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. ⁸They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’” ⁹And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! ¹⁰Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.”

God was so ANGRY that He said to Moses: “Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them.” God is ANGRY when…, His “WRATH BURNS HOT” against people who worship things other than worshipping Him as He commands. God loves each of us with a jealous love! He so STRONGLY wants our love and worship that HIS “WRATH BURNS HOT” when we worship anything other than Him. We need to see that as LOVE! The God of ALL THE UNIVERSE WANTS MY LOVE! HE wants my love SO MUCH that HE IS ANGRY if I don’t love Him most. Wow. Thank You God for loving me that much! When I see how much You love me it creates a desire to love you!

I Cor. 10:22 – “do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?”

Question: Picture someone that you love with all your heart and you desire that they will love you the same in return. Now, say that they find another love or interest that they desire more than you. Are you really sad and disappointed? Now, could that strong sadness turn into anger and wrath? Of course! That’s how God feels. He has feelings! STRONG EMOTIONS! God STRONGLY wants to be loved by each and every one of us! The 1st Commandment declares it: “You SHALL love Me!” He LOVES us and He commands us to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength! When we do not reciprocate, He is sad, disappointed and angry. He is a jealous God and when we love Him with ALL of our heart, soul, mind and strength this pleases Him because that is the way that He loves us. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us, (Jesus death on the cross, His shed blood was the only acceptable sacrifice) to ransom us back, so that we could be with Him in this INCREDIBLE love relationship forever! NOW THAT IS LOVE! Let’s give God what He wants! Wholehearted love and obedience!

Question to ask God in prayer: Heavenly Father, reading about how much You love us and desire our love and obedience…. how did You feel when You looked down from heaven to the earth and saw Your Son Jesus who “always did what pleased” You? (John 8:29) Can we follow Jesus example? … Or King David, a “man after Your own heart” who gave You what you wanted: wholehearted love, devotion, loyalty and obedience? (1 Chron. 29:19 a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes… ) King David got to know You God, he got to know Your Heart. Then, King David gave You what You wanted. How pleased and happy were You with him? Can anyone do that and please You like David did?

Exodus 34:5-7 (NKJV) ⁵Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. ⁶And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

God is MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, LONGSUFFERING, AND ABOUNDING IN GOODNESS AND TRUTH, KEEPING MERCY FOR THOUSANDS AND FORGIVING INIQUITY AND TRANSGRESSION AND SIN.”

Exodus 34:12-15 (NKJV) 12Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. ¹³But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images ¹⁴(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), ¹⁵lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice,

GOD’S “NAME IS JEALOUS!” HE IS A “JEALOUS GOD!” That is how strongly God loves us, wants our love and expects us to love Him. This is His commandment. He is worthy of ALL of our love! That word “jealous” in Hebrew is “qan·nā” and it occurs 6 times in the Bible:

qan·nā — 6 Occurrences

Exodus 20:5 BIB: אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֹ֨ן KJV: thy God [am] a jealous God,

Exodus 34:14 BIB: כִּ֤י יְהוָה֙ קַנָּ֣א שְׁמ֔וֹ אֵ֥ל KJV: whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous

Exodus 34:14 BIB: שְׁמ֔וֹ אֵ֥ל קַנָּ֖א הֽוּא׃ KJV: [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God:

Deuteronomy 4:24 BIB: ה֑וּא אֵ֖ל קַנָּֽא׃ פ NAS: is a consuming fire, a jealous God. KJV: fire, [even] a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 5:9 BIB: אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֹ֨ן KJV: thy God [am] a jealous God,

Deuteronomy 6:15 BIB: כִּ֣י אֵ֥ל קַנָּ֛א יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ NAS: in the midst of you is a jealous God; KJV: thy God [is] a jealous God

Audio of Exodus Chapter 20: http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Exod.20.5

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A. Hebrew words qana, qanna, qina – meaning “zealous” or “jealous” Gen. 37:11 – “his brothers were jealous of him” (Joseph) Exod. 20:5 – “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” Numb. 5:14,30 – “jealous of his wife” Deut 32:16,21 – “they made Him jealous with strange gods” Zech. 8:2 – “I am exceedingly jealous for Zion”

B. Greek words zelos, zeloo, zelotes – meaning “zealous” or “jealous” I Cor. 3:3 – “there is strife and jealousy among you” I Cor. 10:22 – “do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” I Cor. 13:4 – “love is not jealous” II Cor. 11:2 – “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy” James 3:14,16 – “jealousy and selfish ambition exist”

II. Defining “jealousy”

A. English word “jealousy” is etymologically derived from Greek zelos

B. Webster’s Dictionary 1. “apprehensive of loss of exclusive devotion” 2. “intolerance of rivalry or unfaithfulness” 3. “hostile toward one believed to enjoy an advantage” 4. “vigilant to guard a possession” C. Defining features from original Biblical words 1. Emotional expression toward person, idea or cause 2. Passionate commitment D. A working definition: “Jealousy is a fervent desire to have things transpire as one desires.”

III. Applying the definition to the Biblical usages

A. The jealousy of God

1. God has a fervent desire that things should transpire as He desires, which is always in accord with His character. cf. Exod 20:5; Deut 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Josh 24:19 2. God is zealous God is zealous/jealous that His people should not sin. cf. Deut. 29:20; 32:16,21; Ps. 78:58; 79:5; Ezek. 16:38; I Cor. 10:22

3. God is zealous/jealous that His people should live in accord with His character. cf. Ezek. 39:25; Zech 8:2 B. The jealousy of man 1. Man can have a fervent desire that things should transpire as God desires. I Kings 19:10 – “I have been zealous for the Lord” Jn. 2:17 – “Zeal for Thy house will consume Me” II Cor. 11:2 – “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy” 2. Man can have a fervent desire that things should transpire as he ignorantly or selfishly desires. a. Jealousy is linked with (1) selfish ambition – James 3:14,16 (2) strife, conflict – Rom. 13:13; I Cor. 3:3; II Cor. 12:20 (3) deeds of the flesh – Gal. 5:20 (4) anger, wrath, rage – Prov. 6:34; 27:4 b. Jealousy is a dissatisfaction and unacceptance of God’s providential arrangement of one’s life. c. Jealousy exhibits diabolic character – James 3:15 d. Jealousy is destructive – Job 5:2; Prov. 6:34; 27:4 e. Jealousy is often based on an inadequate sense of identity (cf. I Cor. 15:10), and fuels depression f. Biblical examples of selfish jealousy (1) brothers of Joseph – Gen. 37:11,19; Acts 7:9 (2) Korah – Ps. 106:16,18; Numb. 16:3 (3) Jewish leaders – Acts 5:17; 17:5 (4) Zealots – Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13

IV. Examples of selfish jealousy

A. jealous of another’s possessions, wealth, assets – (greed, coveting) B. jealous of another’s position, placement, job, advancement C. jealous of another’s authority, power, leadership D. jealous of another’s recognition, praise, prestige E. jealous of another’s abilities, talents, skills F. jealous of another’s accomplishments, achievements, success G. jealous of another’s intelligence, logic, knowledge H. jealous of another’s personality, social standing I. jealous of another’s relationships, communication, intimacy, marriage J. jealous of another’s loyalties, devotion, attachments K. jealous of another’s age, youth, maturity, experience L. jealous of another’s looks, appearance, beauty, health M. jealous of another’s clothes, style, sophistication N. jealous of another’s opportunities, privileges, advantages, good fortune
V. The character of God in reference to zealousy or jealousy

A. In our zeal we must recognize 1. the character of God and His intents a. zeal according to knowledge – cf. Rom. 10:2; Gal. 1:14; Phil. 3:6 b. godly jealousy – cf. II Cor. 11:2 2. that only God’s grace can bring about what He desires. B. In place of selfish jealousy we must allow the character of God to be expressed in 1. Faith – our receptivity of His active expression of His character 2. Thanksgiving, gratitude – recognizing the “good grace” of God in His providential arrangement of our life 3. Contentment, satisfaction, acceptance, appreciation – cf. Phil. 4:11 4. Love – “seeks highest good of other, without thinking what I get out of it” – I Cor. 13:4 – “love is not jealous” 5. Perseverance – “abide under” even unfairness, inequity 6. Joy, peace, patience Link to article: http://www.christinyou.net/pages/jealousy.html

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Song: “Pledge”by Misty Edwards. “for You’re jealous for my heart…” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SW-zwm58nE

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Leviticus

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

God really wants us to know Him and understand Him!

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

The following is a list from Leviticus of verses in God’s Word where God expresses an emotion or statement of what He wants. His heart. His soul. His emotions. His desires. What He loves. What He hates. What He is looking for from us, His children.

Leviticus 1:13 …”then the priest shall bring it all and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

Offerings (that God finds acceptable) are a “sweet aroma to the Lord.” Prayer: God, I want to offer You offerings that please You, that are a “sweet aroma” to You.

Leviticus 6:13 “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.”

God wants round-the-clock worship, prayer, service, obedience….”sweet aroma to the Lord” 24 hours a day.

Leviticus 6:17 …I have given it as their portion of My offerings made by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the trespass offering. 18 …everyone who touches them must be holy.

Offerings to God were holy. God requires holiness.

Leviticus 9:23-24 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. ²⁴and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Leviticus 19:30 You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.

God expects us to keep His Sabbaths and reverence His sanctuary. Prayer: God, in faith I declare and I ask Your help in order to: keep Your Sabbaths and reverence Your sanctuary!

Leviticus 20:7-8 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8 And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

Prayer: Lord God, I consecrate myself to You and live a holy life by the power of the Holy Spirit living within me. You are the Lord Who sanctifies me.

Leviticus 20:26 And you shall be holy to Me, For I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.

Prayer: God, I separate myself unto You, for You the Lord are holy! With You living in me, I am holy to You for You are holy. I am Yours! Hallelujah!

Leviticus 29 And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it of your own free will. 31 Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and perform them: I am the Lord. 32 You shall not profane My holy Name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you. Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; I am the Lord.

God wants me to offer Him “thanksgiving to the Lord” and “offer it of my own free will.” That we would not “profane His Holy Name” but that we would “hallow” His Name. He is the Lord!!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Dear Jesus who gave Your life for me and Precious Holy Spirit: I offer thanksgiving to You. I thank You for all of these things! For salvation from hell because Jesus You died and by Your blood, Lamb of God, sacrificed to atone for my sins so I could be acceptable to God and be in His Presence in the Holy Of Holies now and forever! Thank You!! I want to thank You Most High God!

Leviticus 25:43 ⁴³You shall not rule over him with harshness (severity, oppression), but you shall [reverently] fear your God.

Leviticus 26:1-2 You shall make for yourselves no idols nor shall you erect a graven image, pillar, or obelisk, nor shall you place any figured stone in your land to which or on which to bow down; for I am the Lord your God. 2 You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord.

Prayer: God, You clearly state that You want to be revered in Your sanctuary. I revere You God! I love You!

Covenant with Moses. Leviticus 26: 1-13 (AMP)

26 You shall make for yourselves no idols nor shall you erect a graven image, pillar, or obelisk, nor shall you place any figured stone in your land to which or on which to bow down; for I am the Lord your God.

²You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord.

³If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them,

⁴I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase and the trees of the field yield their fruit.

⁵And your threshing [time] shall reach to the vintage and the vintage [time] shall reach to the sowing time, and you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely.

⁶I will give peace in the land; you shall lie down and none shall fill you with dread or make you afraid; and I will clear ferocious (wild) beasts out of the land, and no sword shall go through your land.

⁷And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

⁸Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

⁹For I will be leaning toward you with favor and regard for you, rendering you fruitful, multiplying you, and establishing and ratifying My covenant with you.

¹⁰And you shall eat the [abundant] old store of produce long kept, and clear out the old [to make room] for the new.

¹¹I will set My dwelling in and among you, and My soul shall not despise or reject or separate itself from you.

¹²And I will walk in and with and among you and will be your God, and you shall be My people.

¹³I am the Lord your God, Who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should no more be slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect [as free men].

Prayer is talking to God…: Dearest God, I love You! You clearly have told us that You want me, us, to worship You alone! You expect me to keep Your Sabbaths and reverence Your sanctuary! You have set clear, loving, boundary lines for us; conditions for blessings.

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Numbers

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

God really wants us to know Him and understand Him!

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

The following is a list from Numbers of verses in God’s Word where God expresses an emotion or statement of what He wants. His heart. His soul. His emotions. His desires. What He loves. What He hates. What He is looking for from us, His children.

Numbers 6:22-27 Amplified Bible

²²And the Lord said to Moses,

²³Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them,

²⁴The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;

²⁵The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;

²⁶The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).

²⁷And they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Numbers 11:1 Amplified Bible

And the people grumbled and deplored their hardships, which was evil in the ears of the Lord, and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burned among them and devoured those in the outlying parts of the camp.

Prayer is listening and talking with God: Dear God, Complaining displeases You. You are angry when we complain! I repent of complaining which makes you angry. With the help of Your grace I will use my speech to thank You and to worship You! You love when we are grateful! I love You God and I thank You most of all for You! You Your Self! You are my treasure! You are the “pearl of great price!” You are my “exceedingly great reward!” I thank You for Your Word! I thank You for Jesus death on the cross to ransom me back to You for all eternity! I thank You for everything!! I ask for Your help in Jesus Name. Amen.

Numbers 11:19-20 ¹⁹You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, ²⁰but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?”
Prayer: Oh God, You were so kind and merciful to bring the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. You heard their cries when they were enslaved and You rescued them and brought them to Yourself so that they could worship You (in the desert)! They weren’t grateful to You God. It broke Your heart… here You were, so glad to be with them and You thought they would be equally interested in being with You… but they didn’t… they wanted meat/food more than they wanted You…. my heart hurts thinking about that God.

God, You figured that the children of Israel would be happy, overjoyed, ecstatic just to be with You!!!!!! You gave them manna which they cooked in pans made unto cakes that tasted like pastry…. “but they despised the Lord Who is among you” and they valued the taste of meat more than being with God. You expected that they would value Your Word to fill them, to fill their hearts, souls, minds and spirit (Deuteronomy 8:3 below).

To prove and humble them, &c.
Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

To teach them to live on God’s word.
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

Instead of wanting most to be with You God, The God of ALL The UNIVERSE Who had come to visit them in the desert… You, God, Who loved them and You desired to be with them!…. they preferred the taste of meat and complained that they would rather be slaves in Egypt. They missed it God! You are the prize of all prizes! You Your Self are the Prize!

God, Your feelings were hurt. You were very sad and disappointed. Then Your anger was greatly aroused. You, the God of ALL The UNIVERSE Who loves them, Who in Your mercy heard their cries and rescued them from slavery in Egypt and You brought them to Yourself intending to take them to the promised land expecting and assuming that they would always value, love, exalt, trust, thank, revere, cherish and worship You, their Creator, Their Maker, Who loves them… You the Great “Love – er” of their souls, that they would love You as You love them… but they “despised” You, Who was among them. No wonder You got angry God. In Deuteronomy 5:9 You told them and You speak to us today that You love us with a jealous love! You WANT US God! You WANT our love and devotion!

Deuteronomy 5:9 You shall not bow down yourself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD your God am a jealous God….

God, You loved them, You were in heaven and You heard their cries when they were slaves in Egypt. In Your mercy, love and compassion You brought them to Youself, You rescued them from slavery in Egypt! How kind of You God! How loving! How merciful! You brought them to Yourself to be with them in the desert that they would serve You, love You, worship You, honor You, revere You and be blessed by Your Presence!! You performed many signs and wonders to bring them to Yourself! …. but they neglected Your heart. They neglected Your heart Abba Father. They took you for granted. They completely missed the whole point: You wanted to be with them because You loved them but they didn’t value being with You.

Oh God! I want You to know that you are dear and precious to me! My heavenly Father, Abba! My Creator, My Redeemer! My love! You Who loves me with a jealous love! You Who wants my love! I want to be with You!!!!!!!!! I value You God!!!!! I am delighted to be with You God!!!!! I am overjoyed and ecstatic that You have brought me to Your Self!!!!! Even though the children of Israel despised You and neglected Your heart, disobeyed, complained, and didn’t value feasting on Your Word… Oh God! I will be grateful for You Your Self God! I love You! I want You! I want to be with You God! I am grateful for Your Presence! I am grateful for Your Word! I love Your Word more than meat in Egypt, more than food!

Oh God! I want to be with You! I love You! When Jesus died on the cross the veil was torn so that I could enter the Holy Of Holies by the blood of Jesus! God, during that time in the desert You appeared as a pillar of cloud or fire above the Holy Of Holies. The Holy Of Holies in the tabernacle was a most sacred room, a place no ordinary person could enter. Now, because of the blood of Jesus, I can enter the Holy Of Holies! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! I can enter 24 hours a day!!!! God, You are Holy! Forever You are Holy! I long to be with You in The Holy Of Holies to be in Your Presence, to see Your glory. Because of Jesus blood shed for me on the cross, I can come boldly to You! Holy Spirit please search me and try me and see if there is any sin in me that I can confess and be forgiven. I confess all known sin and ask You to forgive me and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I repent from these sins, I turn away from them! Lord Jesus I thank You that by the power of the Holy Spirit that You live a holy life in me! You are all righteousness living in me. Thank You! Amen. ————————–

Within the Holy Place of the tabernacle, there was an inner room called the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place. Judging from its name, we can see that it was a most sacred room, a place no ordinary person could enter. It was God’s special dwelling place in the midst of His people. During the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness, God appeared as a pillar of cloud or fire in and above the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was a perfect cube — its length, width and height were all equal to 15 feet.

A thick curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. This curtain, known as the “veil,” was made of fine linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn. There were figures of cherubim (angels) embroidered onto it. Cherubim, spirits who serve God, were in the presence of God to demonstrate His almighty power and majesty. They also guarded the throne of God. These cherubim were also on the innermost layer of covering of the tent. If one looked upward, they would see the cherubim figures.

The word “veil” in Hebrew means a screen, divider or separator that hides. What was this curtain hiding? Essentially, it was shielding a holy God from sinful man. Whoever entered into the Holy of Holies was entering the very presence of God. In fact, anyone except the high priest who entered the Holy of Holies would die. Even the high priest, God’s chosen mediator with His people, could only pass through the veil and enter this sacred dwelling once a year, on a prescribed day called the Day of Atonement.

The picture of the veil was that of a barrier between man and God, showing man that the holiness of God could not be trifled with. God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and He can tolerate no sin (Habakkuk 1:13). The veil was a barrier to make sure that man could not carelessly and irreverently enter into God’s awesome presence. Even as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he had to make some meticulous preparations: He had to wash himself, put on special clothing, bring burning incense to let the smoke cover his eyes from a direct view of God, and bring blood with him to make atonement for sins.

“But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” (Hebrews 9:7)

So the presence of God remained shielded from man behind a thick curtain during the history of Israel. However, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross changed that. When He died, the curtain in the Jerusalem temple was torn in half, from the top to the bottom. Only God could have carried out such an incredible feat because the veil was too high for human hands to have reached it, and too thick to have torn it. (The Jerusalem temple, a replica of the wilderness tabernacle, had a curtain that was about 60 feet in height, 30 feet in width and four inches thick.) Furthermore, it was torn from top down, meaning this act must have come from above.

As the veil was torn, the Holy of Holies was exposed. God’s presence was now accessible to all. Shocking as this may have been to the priests ministering in the temple that day, it is indeed good news to us as believers, because we know that Jesus’ death has atoned for our sins and made us right before God. The torn veil illustrated Jesus’ body broken for us, opening the way for us to come to God. As Jesus cried out “It is finished!” on the cross, He was indeed proclaiming that God’s redemptive plan was now complete. The age of animal offerings was over. The ultimate offering had been sacrificed.

We can now boldly enter into God’s presence, “the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” (Hebrews 6:19-20)

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

The Holy of Holies is a representation of heaven itself, God’s dwelling place, which we have access now through Christ. In Revelations, John’s vision of heaven — the New Jerusalem — also was a perfect square, just as the Holy of Holies was (Revelation 21:16).

“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. …But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26)

Link: http://the-tabernacle-place.com/articles/what_is_the_tabernacle/tabernacle_holy_of_holies

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“Have you prepared your heart to meet the Lord in His word?”

“Paul said of the unbelieving Jews, that a veil lies on their heart when they read the Scriptures. But, whenever their heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (2 Cor. 3:15-16). The condition of our heart makes a huge difference in our reading the Bible. If our heart is wrong, we can read the Word but receive very little.

So we need to prepare our heart by dealing with seven conditions: 1) no exercise of heart for the Word, 2) a divided heart—one loving other things, 3) a lack of heart, 4) a heart with hindrances, like unconfessed sins, or unforgiven offenses, 5) a heart not consecrated or willing to be subdued by the Lord, 6) a heart not humbled before Him, and 7) then needing to exercise our whole heart, even our whole being to contact the word.”

excerpts from: http://holdingtotruth.com/2012/01/09/5-steps-to-vitalize-your-bible-reading-in-the-new-year/

Preparing The Heart, From “Anchor Your Life:”

Before you spend time with God either in prayer or reading the Bible, you need to go before Him and confess any sins that you have commited. If you have                                                             unconfessed sin in your life, do not expect God to hear what you say . . .

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the  godly man who does his will. (John 9:31 NIV)

Not sure what sin is? or what God calls sin?Take a look

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; (Psalm 66:18 NIV)

On the next page you’ll find a topical index that will link you to Bible verses and questions that may assist you with                                                                 identifying your sins. After selecting a passage, read through the verse slowly and ask God to bring to your mind anything that is not pleasing to Him. Or pray this prayer:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way                                                                 everlasting. (NIV) Psalm 139:23-24

Then slowly read the application questions that follow. As thoughts come to your mind, begin to confess what the Spirit is identifying as sin in your life.                                                                 Be honest. Remember, to confess, means to agree with. . . name your sins, and agree with God that they are sins. And claim 1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV)

Anchoring Deeper: Cleansing Your Heart

——————————————————

Lyrics for song: Take Me In To The Holy Of Holies:

Take me past the outer courts
Into the Holy Place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
And the Priests who sing your praise
I hunger and thirst for your righteousness
But it’s only found in one place

[Chorus:]
Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am

Song: Take Me In To The Holy Of Holies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5B5N43RiaQ

Bible verses on desert journey of Israel : http://www.bible-topics.com/Desert-Journey-of-Israel-through-the.html

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Deuteronomy

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

God really wants us to know Him and understand Him!

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

The following is a list from Deuteronomy of verses in God’s Word where God expresses an emotion or statement of what He wants. His heart. His soul. His emotions. His desires. What He loves. What He hates. What He is looking for from us, His children.

God expects us to obey and revere Him:

Deuteronomy 28: ⁵⁸“If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, ⁵⁹then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. ⁶⁰Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. ⁶¹Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. ⁶²You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.
God rejoiced to do good and multiply (but if we do not ‘carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD’ THEN GOD SAYS IN Deut 28 : ⁶³And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. ——————

God has many attributes, we all know “God is love” (1 John 4:8) but do we also see that “God loves justice” [ Isaiah 61:8 “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Acts 17:30-32 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”] and “the Lord hates the wicked” [ Psalm 11:5 The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.] ?? For those who don’t want to see anything other than “God is love” it is clearly spoken here in Deut. 28:63 by God Himself that He will “rejoice to destroy” the disobedient and irreverent. He says “will rejoice over you (if you don’t carefully observe all the words of the law and fear His glorious and awesome name: THE LORD YOUR GOD) TO DESTROY YOU AND BRING YOU TO NOTHING. : God rejoiced to do good and multiply (but if we do not ‘carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD’ THEN GOD SAYS IN Deut 28 : ⁶³And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.

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Joshua

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

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Judges

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

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Ruth

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1,2 Samuel

Posted on December 31, 2012 by purifymyheart

God wants to be honored and God will honor those who honor Him

1 Samuel 2:27-36. In Context: Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? ²⁸Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?

²⁹Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’

³⁰Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’

But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

³¹Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. ³²And you will see an enemy in My dwelling place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an old man in your house forever. ³³But any of your men whom I do not cut off from My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants of your house shall die in the flower of their age. ³⁴Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. ³⁵Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever. ³⁶And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please, put me in one of the priestly positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.”’”

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1 Samuel 15 Don’t poke God in the eye. Eventually He will deal with you.

Kay Arthur: as we look at 1Samuel, chapter 15 is, is to realize that we are moving right now in a pivotal chapter into the introduction of David, the man after God’s own heart. And if you want to appreciate that transition from Saul to David then you have to really start at 1 Samuel, chapter 15. So that’s what we’re going to look at today. And I know that God is going to bless you. And so in 1 Samuel, chapter 15 it says, “Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord.’”(1Samuel 15:1) In other words, “God has made you the king and now God has a message for you.” And he says, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way [when] he was coming…from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”(15:2-3) You say, “Whoa, I mean He is really upset with those people. I mean they really must have hit Him in the eye very, very hard.” Yes, He is very upset with the Amalekites. And the reason that He’s upset with them is because of what the Amalekites, what Amalek did to the children of Israel when they had come out of the house of bondage, when they had come out of Egypt and how they tormented them. And what we’re going to see is this: that [“God is a God of love, that God is a God of compassion, that His mercies are new every morning.”] (Lamentations 3:22- 23 Paraphrase) But if you go against His word, and if you go against His people then eventually, and get the word eventually, then eventually God will deal with you. So what I want us to do is to see this word utterly destroy. Now it is going to become a key word in this chapter. And I want you to understand what he’s saying and telling Saul that he is to do to the Amalekites. In verse 3 it says, [“‘Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy utterly destroy him for what he did to Israel. And you are to not spare him, but you are to put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey; everything is to be utterly destroyed.”](15:3 Paraphrase) Now the root of that word utterly destroyed and it’s only used in this chapter in 1 Samuel, is h-r-m, and h-r-m means to give totally. You are to give totally all that belongs to the Amalekites; you are to give it totally to God for destruction. And it says, “Woman, child and infant.”(15:3b) In other words, when you go in there you are to put even the babies to death. You say, “That’s absolutely horrible. I don’t want to hear about a God like that.” I know it’s hard to understand, isn’t it. It’s hard to understand because you look at an infant, you look at a child and you say, “but they’re so innocent.” But you see, infants and children grow up. And as infants and children grow up, and listen very carefully, they in essence, become a product of their environment. They become a product of what is happening in their lives. And unless God intervenes, I mean if they are raised wrong they can end up wrong. And this is why it’s so important Beloved, for you to know that the way that you raise your children is absolutely crucial.

Link:

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Isaiah 65:12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Oppression and Luxury Condemned

Pastor John Piper. “Biblical Texts to Show God’s Zeal for His Own Glory”

Characteristic of a Zealous Man

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Jeremiah 4:22 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

Genesis 6:5-6 (AMP) The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved at heart.

What the Work of the Spirit Is and Is Not

Genesis 15:1 King James Version (KJV)

Genesis 15:6 (NKJV)

Genesis 22:12 (NKJV) 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

Genesis 38:7 (NKJV) 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.

Psalm 45:7 (NKJV) 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

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They Don’t Know Me

Copyright © Building His House 1998-2012 www.buildinghishouse.org

Smith Wigglesworth on receiving revelation from God and wisdom of the babes

by purifymyheart

Kay Arthur: “Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many!” http://goo.gl/QXTgAU living in the present with the #futureinmind

God really wants us to know Him and understand Him!

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

Exodus 3:5 (NKJV) 5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

Exodus 3:7 (NKJV) And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

Exodus 4:14 (NKJV) So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

Exodus 20 (NKJV) The Ten Commandments

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

God really wants us to know Him and understand Him!

God really wants us to know Him. It has been said that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a transcript of God’s Heart, His Mind, and His Soul. A transcript of God Himself.

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Genesis 6:5-6 (AMP) The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually. ⁶And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved at heart.

Genesis 22:12 (NKJV) ¹²And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

Genesis 38:7 (NKJV) ⁷But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.

Psalm 45:7 (NKJV) ⁷You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Kay Arthur: “Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many!”
http://goo.gl/QXTgAU living in the present with the #futureinmind

Exodus 3:5 (NKJV) ⁵Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”