Bible verses to build your life on

Jesus said: "… whoever hears these teachings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…"
~ Matthew 7:24

 

This what rebellious people say to God and His response. We live in rebellious world, culture, and country, and this so to the point of what they say and God's Warning to them (and us):

 

 "And note it on a scroll..., Forever and ever: That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; Who say to the seers, 'Do not see', And to the prophets, 'Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us.' Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel: 'Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them...'" (Isaiah 30:8-13)

 

God continues with this clear admonition: "Return to Him...  For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold--sin, which your own hands have made for yourselves." (Isaiah 31:7-8)

 

These themes of calling to repentance are not just Old Testament teaching, the New Testament (and Jesus' teachings) are full of these calls! But, I will have to get to that later...

 

Back to my focus for this note:

There are 2 ways God's fear comes on a nation -

1) When hard times come, everyone cries out to God, no matter how they've treated Him before - they cry out to Him. Remember the saying: 'there is no atheist in a foxhole.' Example: 9-11-01. Everyone was spooked by this event (false flag by big money people) and Americans flocked to churches all across this country!... for a few weeks that is. Then they disappeared again, going back to their preferred rebellious life-styles. Did they change? No, most did not. They just, as it were, reached up to see if God was still on their top shelf, so they could use Him when they 'needed' Him. May I add that that's not truly loving God. When we ignore Him and push Him and His Word out of most of our life, and only call on Him when we 'need' Him (or see we need Him), it just shows our selfishness in using Him, not wanting to please Him. If you see yourself there for the first time, get it right! Ask Him to teach you how to become a genuine disciple of Christ and not a fake one... He loves and answers those prayers! Then, grow in submission to His Word (which includes reading it more yourself.) His Word is powerful - we need to study it and let it adjust our thinking and life-style!

 

2) The other way God's fear comes on a nation is when righteous men and women who study His Word and in righteous indignation go after evildoers, and God's fear comes on the rest. We see this pattern throughout the Bible, and one easy example is the book of Judges.

 

The pattern went like this:

1) Everyone did what was right in their own eyes - rebelling against God, acting pridefully, selfishly and self-centered.

2) God would arrange a trouble on them that He arranged to turn their hearts back to Him and wanting to please Him again.

3) The people going through that trouble would turn back to God and cry out for deliverance from their pains and miseries.

4) God would raise up a deliverer/judge who not only would rescue them from the oppression, pain, etc, but he/she would also remind the people of God's Word and truth and how they needed to obey it.

5) Then the people would obey God and His Word, and there was peace for as long as the people followed and listened to the voice and message of the Lord through His prophets and judges.

6) But then the judge would die and everyone would mourn his passing.

(Repeat)

1) And the people would go back to everyone doing what was right in their own eyes.

2) God would arrange trouble...

 

And so the cycle continued. Go ahead - read it for yourself! It's very good instruction for all of us, not only to not do what is right in our own eyes, but also not to just follow a man or woman who follows God, but to follow, heed, and obey God's voice, God's Word and God's message to us, and it's also a real-life example of how we shouldn't reject God's gracious rebuke/trouble/consequences, not should we get discouraged and give up, but how we should submit to it and obey. Remember Galatians 6:7-9? It's one of my most dear passages because I have needed to hear it so many times, and it has encouraged/challenged me many times: "Do not be deceived, God is not [cannot be, will not be] mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. [choices are sowing - which are we choosing? Sowing to the flesh is doing what we selfishly want to do; Sowing to the Spirit is studying His Word, making it more a part of our lives, and growing in daily obedience to it - that is sowing. Reaping is the consequences we receive for our actions - good or bad.] And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

 

So, which are we choosing: to do what is right in your own eyes, what's sinfully and selfishly pleasurable to you and me, or are we daily growing in sowing to the Holy Spirit and righteousness?

 

Another question: what is your response to this verse -

"So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one."

 

Does your heart grieve over that verse? I hope and pray it does.

 

3 more verse for you, and I'll leave you with these thoughts for now:

 

"Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil." (Ecclesiastes 8:11)

 

"Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease." (Proverbs 22:10)

 

"The Angel of the Lord [God Himself] encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them." (Psalm 34:7)

 

Please Steven.h3@gmail.com if any of these thoughts caught your attention and you want to understand it better, or even if you need prayer! I won't embarrass you, because the reality is that we all need prayer and I will gladly pray for you as often as God brings you to my mind! Please do the same for me - not only that God uses me, but also that He keeps teaching and training me, because I need it too. ~ Thanks! ~ a servant/life-slave of Jesus, SH

 

My Heavenly Father and Master, I pray that you let Your words resound in our minds, that we would meditate on them, and that we would submit to them - make them a part of every area of our life. That we may be blameless and pure children of You. Teach us to learn to double-check ourselves daily to make sure we are growing closer to You, and further and more dead to our rebellious selfish ways. Thank You for all of the goodness You show us, the blessings and trials. Keep teaching us. Keep training us to be Your humble servants and ambassadors - calling everyone we can to join us in learning of You, and following and obeying You! ~ your servant/life-slave, SH, Amen