He Knows!

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is in on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. (Psalm 139:1-8 NIV)

The Creator knows who and what He has created; He knows the number of hairs on our heads, the number of brain cells that still function, our thoughts before we think them. There is nothing about us that God does not know and there is nothing we could ever hide from Him.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place--beholding the good and the evil, so why do we think we know more than Him? Though we do things in the dark and out of sight of people, our deeds are never hidden from Him.

Sometimes, I wonder--if people really understand that we will never know more than God--and there are some things that He will never allow us to discover because He knows--once we obtain certain knowledge, we have a tendency to think we are gods and can control our environment and circumstances, when the truth is--we have difficulty controlling our thoughts and tongues.

If we cannot control those things within the scope of our "choices" what makes us think, we can ever be wiser than God? James reminds us that the tongue, "that little member of our bodies that lacks control" ignites anger and starts wars--not knowing how to discern truth from lies. But those thoughts we allow to deceive us into speaking things we don't understand--that is where the confusion begins and ends. When our thoughts are not on things above, but below, we allow the enemy to enter and influence what we think and what we think--governs what we do or say.

I've often told my students that when a person refuses to know how to think for themselves, they will always be controlled by others. One of the reasons our society is in such sad shape is because people are influenced by others rather than drawing their own conclusions after gathering information and analyzing it, logically--not emotionally. Our emotions are fickle and subject to change faster than the wind moves in a storm, and no one should ever make a decision based upon their emotions. For more often than not--when emotional decisions are made--the irrationality of those decisions spring to the forefront and cannot be changed and the domino effect is put into motion, where one bad decision is made after another. God knows!

And because He knows how we react in our emotional states, He has provided us with wise counsel in His Word, but we must seek the wisdom in His Word, before we allow our thoughts to lead us into dangerous territory which could cause our demise or the demise of others. Before He created us, He knew our flaws and shortcomings, our emotional imbalances and rigid irrational thought-processes. He knew and loved us anyway because He also knew He had provided a means of escape from our own destination of destruction. "Trust in the Lord. Don't count on your own understanding, but in all things, acknowledge Him and determine to do things, His way." (Proverbs 3:7,8 paraphrased) So much wisdom found in the Proverbs!

God knew we would need Him and He knew some would never read His Word with understanding, so He came down to earth in the form of a man--Jesus--died, saved us from ourselves and provided us with His spirit to dwell within us--guiding us to His Word. He knew then and He still knows what we need more than we do. So, when are we going to realize--We need Him to guide us in all things and especially in controlling our tongues? We can fool ourselves and think we are all that, but without Him, we are nothing and will accomplish nothing of worth. He already knows--when will we get a clue?

Those Who Understand, Have No Need of Control!

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you." (Psalm 32:8,9 NIV)

God's response to David's entreaty was that He, Almighty God would instruct him, teach, and counsel him and at all times, would keep His eyes upon him. Our great and awesome God is the same God that spoke to David and He is yet speaking to us--He will instruct, teach, and counsel us--we have no need for those who have no understanding of His ways to teach us anything, provide us with instruction of anything and they certainly cannot counsel us about anything that pertains to God and His ways.

Those who are looking to men's legislation or judgments are really wasting their time. The only thing that will be proven by the interception of men in the wake of God's way of living, is that men and women will constantly be jerked around by the whims of men. God's instructions have been written--not only in the book most know as a bible, but in the hearts of all who have a relationship with Him. Holy Spirit dwells within the consummate Believer who knows God cannot lie and He said what He meant and meant what He said. It is Holy Spirit who provides us with understanding as He hears from God to direct us and counsel us at all times. Without God, we become like those who have gone before us--lost and wander around like mindless creatures, not having a clue as to which direction to take.

But we see in current events that whenever the flesh is tickled or set ablaze with lust within those who have no fear or reverence of God, all must be embroiled in the mindlessness and only those who are standing firm in their faith, will survive to see the glory of The Lord prevail in all things. We are warned in The Word that flesh and spirit are enemies--we either allow flesh to dictate what we do or we allow Holy Spirit to dictate what we do. Holy Spirit will not force His will upon anyone and neither should man.

Judgment, for all who sin and especially those who lie, has already been determined and unless the guilty parties change their ways and see the need to have God in their lives, their end is established--in the lake of fire.

Those who stand firm have no need for godless men with no understanding to instruct us in the ways of a living God, who is yet keeping watch over us. It is the godless who need to be careful and watchful of the mighty hand of God. The same Hand--who comforts and protects His children, also delivers a blow to those who mislead God's children.

Be encouraged! We are not like the horses or mules with no understanding that need others to lead us around when they have no direction. We know the way--and Jesus is the way, the Truth and the Light!

The Really Good News!

"This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” (Romans 1:17 NLT)

"It is through faith that a righteous person has life" and that faith is in the work of the cross, not faith in man or man's rules.

There are enough "rules" in most religions that rival the sands on a beach, but none of them--can save a soul or put anyone in right relationship with God.

In some churches (religious institutions) women are not allowed to enter the sanctuary without something on their heads--handkerchief, hat, napkin, anything that covers, but those same places will denounce a woman for wearing a wig.

There are some churches who teach that wearing make-up is a sin.

There are some churches who teaching that getting fingernails polished is sin.

There are some churches that see "wearing red" as being the devil's color and will make anyone wearing red feel uncomfortable.

There are some churches that don't believe in having instruments used in the church.

There are some churches that don't believe in singing in the church.

There are some churches that say "clapping" your hands is wrong.

There are some churches that believe "dancing" is wrong, unless you're dancing in the church. (Dancing is dancing in my book.)

There are some churches that promote male dominance over females--in all things--no matter what.

There are some churches (religions) that say Jesus is not the Son of God.

There are some churches who believe in baptizing in the name of "Jesus only."

There are some churches who denounce participation in sports--of any kind. (They do believe in eating--everything not nailed down--and the highest obesity rates can be seen in these churches.)

There are some churches who believe watching television and movies is sin.

There are some churches who dictate what a woman should or should not wear--no pants in these places!

There are some churches who believe so many things that are not based on biblically sound doctrine that it is laughable.

So, the really Good News is that salvation can only come through the work on the cross. Any other method taught is a lie and we know who promotes lies--Satan--the father of liars. The Church Rules are to help "men" control the masses.  The Church Rules seldom encourage every individual to establish a right relationship with God because if they did--who would they then, control?

When our relationship with God is right, we have no need for man-made rules in religious institutions that are designed to control others. Holy Spirit control will never lead us astray or in doing anything that opposes God's Word.

Hallelujah for Holy Spirit Control! Now that's good news!

Eyes On Me!

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you" (Psalm 32:8,9 NIV).

There are so many eyes--looking upon everything we do--judging, evaluating, assessing, criticizing, not knowing who we really are or who is guiding us. Or do they?
If the Lord is giving us instruction, and teaching us how to get to the destination He has planned for us, and counseling us as we journey in life, we have no need to be concerned about what others see--for they will only see our willing obedience to God, doing what must be done to obtain the goal.  
However, whatever we do, whatever others see--will determine whether we need to be "controlled or forced" to do something.

In spite of what many think, our obedience to God is out of a desire to please Him, not because He forces us to do anything. If we have a heart for God and we are hearing Him, we know that He only wants the best for us and we only want to please Him.

For those who do not understand God's love or His plans, His Word will seem harsh and brash and controlling. But God--never forces or controls us to do anything--He gives us freewill to choose and to accept the consequences of our actions. When we choose not to understand or hear Him, we are left with those entities that will control--demonic spirits that lead us down the opposite paths of those God wants us to travel.

On the path to hell (and it is real), everything glitters and has much more appeal to our senses--sight, smell, feel, taste, hearing--it all looks good, smells good, feels good, tastes good and sounds good, but is it--all good? NO! The enemy deliberately makes everything that opposes God look better than anything God wants us to have because he--the devil--wants us to be miserable and to hate God.

Not convinced of the devil's controlling influence? Take a good look around at our society--at those who are influenced by greed, drugs, and all other lusts of the flesh. The gambling looked good--easy money--until it's all gone and now people have to steal to support their habit. The same is true with drugs and alcohol--controlling substances. On a personal level--hygiene takes a backseat to fulfilling the desires and cravings of those things which control the mind and behavior.

Feelings and cravings in the lower extremities of bodies control--making sexual appeal for anyone more desirable and pleasurable than doing things God's way. Even food controls--for those who lack discipline and self-control, overeating--which leads to health problems and early deaths. Oh, yes--the enemy controls, but God instructs, teaches, and counsels and leaves it up to us to hear and obey.

Whose eyes are upon you, today--the loving eyes of the Lord or the gleaming eyes of the devil? They know and we should, too--just by looking at what we do!