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The Word of God says:

Isaiah 6:10 (NASB) ¹⁰ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.”

Matthew 13:14-15 (NASB) ¹⁴ “In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘you will keep on hearing , but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive ;¹⁵ For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear , And they have closed their eyes , Otherwise they would see with their eyes , Hear with their ears , And understand with their heart and return , And I would heal them.’

My reflections on the Word of God:

Today we begin a new topic for our scripture meditation. The topic is, “Dullness of Heart”. The text for the topic is from our focal passage:

“For the heart of this people has become dull,” (Matthew 13.15)

Jesus spoke these words to a people that had become what Isaiah had prophesied. In the larger context of this passage in Matthew 13 Jesus is teaching His disciples and the people who came out to hear Him using parables.

The subject of His parable is about hearing the Word. It is about not just hearing but also obeying what you hear.

God is at work in the world sowing His word. His word will produce a harvest in your life if you hear it and do what it says.

Isaiah 55:11 (NASB) ¹¹ So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I delight to join with my brothers and sisters in Christ in coming to Your throne of grace to seek Your favor and Your forgiveness.

Lord God Almighty, will You forgive for the times that we have not seen where You are working nor heard what You are saying as You are at work in our midst.

Father God, open our eyes so that we may see where You are working, and join You. Father, open our ears so that we may hear what You saying so that we may hear and obey what You are saying in Your Word.

Open Up My Heart (Click on link below for lyrics and MP3 of this song):

http://songsofpraise.org/song.php?songid=430

The Word of God says:

Isaiah 11:2-3 (NASB) ² The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.³ And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

My reflections on the Word of God:

This passage speaks of the coming of our Savior. I am so glad the Savior came.

Matthew 3:16-17 (NASB) ¹⁶ After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,¹⁷ and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Today’s focal passage is the last one in our topic this week, which is “The Fear of the Lord”. Let’s look at this passage from the Amplified Bible.

Isaiah 11:2-3 (AMP) ² And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord—³ And shall make Him of quick understanding, and His delight shall be in the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord. And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, neither decide by the hearing of His ears;

Let us ask the Lord’s Spirit to rest upon us and to make reverencing Him our delight. In addition, let us pray as our Savior taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come”.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Father God I do beseech You that Your Spirit would rest upon Your believing children and make reverencing You our delight.

Father I pray that our lives would reflect an attitude of gratitude to You for who You are, and for what You have done, and for what You will do in us and for us.

Hebrews 12:28-29 (NASB) ²⁸ Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 13:15 (NASB) ¹⁵ Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

All of My Heart (Click on link below for lyrics and to listen to MP3):

http://songsofpraise.org/song.php?songid=1

The Word of God says:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NASB) ¹³ The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.

My reflections on the Word of God:

Today, we continue on the theme we started last Thursday on the topic, “The Fear of the Lord”. Our overall theme verse comes from the following scripture.

Malachi 1:6 (KJV) ⁶ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

Our focal verse summarizes the review of life from two perspectives by Solomon. The preacher, as he identifies himself in the book, concluded that if you fear God, you need nothing else.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 (NASB) ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 (NASB) ⁷ For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NASB) ¹⁸ It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

Ecclesiastes 8:12 (NASB) ¹² Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.

Many have chosen to live their lives without God. Solomon referred to this as life under the sun. He concluded that this life lived without God is futile.

Ecclesiastes 1:3 (NASB) ³ What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun?

If you want to experience real life, there is a better way to live your life. Why not turn to living life under the Son.

1 John 5:12 (NASB) ¹² He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I pray that as Your people are focusing on this topic of “The Fear of The Lord”, that we would learn what it means to fear and obey God.

Father, I pray that we come to see this command as not just our duty, but our privilege and delight.

Deuteronomy 10:12 (NASB) ¹² “Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 

The Word of God says:

Deuteronomy 5:29 (NASB) ²⁹ ‘Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!

My reflections on the Word of God:

You don’t hear much preaching and teaching about the fear of God anymore. Do you think that it was for God’s people in the “old days”, and does not apply to God’s people today? Well, I don’t think so. What was required of Moses and the children of God then, is necessary for God’s people of every generation.

The virtues of hearing, obeying, loving, and fearing the Lord Your God will never go out of style. Pleasing the Lord always involves hearing and obeying.

James 1:22 (NASB) ²² But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

In fact, the scriptures are clear that God’s people commands His people to hear, obey, love, and fear God.

Isaiah 48:18 (NASB) ¹⁸ “If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Psalm 81:13 (NASB) ¹³ “Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!

Deuteronomy 11:1 (NASB) ¹ “You shall therefore love the Lord your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments.

Some today may think that the fear of God has no place in the life of a Christian, but I beg to differ. When properly understood, the command to hear and fear goes together.

Deuteronomy 4:10 (NASB) ¹⁰ “Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I lift up and exalt Your name above every name in heaven and in earth. You are a great God, and You are deserving of all the honor and praise that our mind can conceive and our mouths speak.

Lord, I join with Your praying people everywhere who are begging You to inspire us to hear, obey, love, and fear You with our whole heart.

Lord, teach us and stir us to hear and fear You so that we will shun evil, turn from sinning, and keep Your commands. Father God, we ask for grace to serve You acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

All Ye That Fear God’s Holy Name (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/a/y/ayetfghn.htm

The Word of God says:

Proverbs 1:24-29 (NASB) ²⁴ “Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;²⁵ And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof;²⁶ I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes,²⁷ When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.²⁸ “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,²⁹ Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord.

My reflections on the Word of God:

Many voices are crying out for revival.  However, one of the conditions of revival is that God’s people must return to the place where God’s people know what it means fear the Lord.

The scripture is clear that in order for God’s people to experience His presence they must return to Him, and see Him for who He is. A people who disobey His Word, and dishonor His name will never experience a heaven sent Holy Spirit revival. There will never be a revival without God’s people turning from sin.

It was God’s will then, and it is God’s will today for His people to return to Him, honor Him, obey Him, and be the witness to the world that He has set them apart to be in this wicked and dying world.

Jeremiah 7:13 (NASB) ¹³ “And now, because you have done all these things,” declares the Lord, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer,

Zechariah 7:11 (NASB) ¹¹ “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing.

Isaiah 65:2 (NASB) ² “I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Father, we ask that You stir our hearts, and create within us a will to do Your will. Lord, I pray that in these days when we so desperately need revival to sweep through our nation, we find that Your people appear to be drifting in the sea of indifference to Your holiness and Your sovereignty.

Father God, I ask that You would favor us with Your mercy, and pardon us for our failure to know and understand what it means to fear the Lord.

James 1:5 (NASB) ⁵ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

The Lord is My Light and My Salvation (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php?t=ns&n=282

The Word of God says:

Malachi 1:6 (KJV) ⁶ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

My reflections on the Word of God:

Today, we begin a new topic, “The Fear of The Lord”, which is the topic being used in the prayer guide for an email prayer group that I am a member of.

The overall theme verse for this week’s emphasis is a portion of our focal verse.

Scripture:

“If I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 1:6 KJV).

Malachi 1:6 (AMP) ⁶ A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the [reverent] fear due Me? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise My name. You say, How and in what way have we despised Your name?

What has happened to the reverence of God among the people of God in the church of the 21^st century? Can we ever expect to have a heaven sent Holy Spirit revival in this country with the current state of irreverence among God’s people?

Isaiah 1:2 (NIV) ² Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, we come humbly into Your presence to beg for mercy and forgiveness for the irreverence and disrespect of God in the churches of our nation.

Father God, I beg You to restore us to a holy fear of Your Most Holy and Righteous name. Lord, You deserve our highest respect.

Heavenly Father, for the glory of Your name, I ask that You give us a fresh encounter with You. Imprint in our hearts a sense of awe of Your holiness that would make a lasting impact on our lives that we will not soon forget. Lord, put a strong fear of You into our hearts that would turn us into people who are devoted to prayer.

Psalm 89:7 (KJV) ⁷ God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Hebrews 12:28 (KJV) ²⁸ Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Always Lord Almighty (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://www.ccwtoday.org/hymns.asp#

The Word of God says:

Jeremiah 15:1 (NASB)
¹ Then the Lord said to me, “Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not be with this people; send them away from My presence and let them go!

My reflections on the Word of God:

There comes a time in the life of a nation that God says that is enough. In the case of Judah, God has come to the place where even the intercession of two of His choice people could not stay His hand of wrath.

Jeremiah 15:1 (AMP)
¹ THEN THE Lord said to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood [interceding for them] before Me, yet My mind could not be turned with favor toward this people [Judah]. Send them out of My sight and let them go!

What is at the heart of God’s declaration to Jeremiah found in our focal verse for today? Consider the confession of the people to God in the preceding chapter as God’s motive. You can read that confession here. Notice what they said in verse twenty, which I have underlined.

Jeremiah 14:19-22 (NASB)
¹⁹ Have You completely rejected Judah? Or have You loathed Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We waited for peace, but nothing good came; And for a time of healing, but behold, terror!
²⁰ We know our wickedness, O Lord, The iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against You.
²¹ Do not despise us, for Your own name’s sake; Do not disgrace the throne of Your glory; Remember and do not annul Your covenant with us.
²² Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not You, O Lord our God? Therefore we hope in You, For You are the one who has done all these things.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I come to Your throne of grace as a beggar pleading for divine intervention in the affairs of our nation.

Father God, I pray that a divine touch by Your right hand would transform the direction of our nation, which appears to Your servant as going downhill at a rapid pace.

Lord, I pray that You have not yet given up on Your people. I pray that our nation will return to the God we feared and the God that we served in prior generations.

1 Samuel 12:22-23 (NASB)
²² “For the Lord will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the Lord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.
²³ “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.

Draw Me Nearer (Click on link below for lyrics and midi):

http://www.digitalhymnal.org/dhymn.cfm?hymnNumber=306

The Word of God says:

Isaiah 63:4-6 (NASB)
⁴ “For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come.
⁵ “I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me.
⁶ “I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

My reflections on the Word of God:

The topic of “Meeting God” has profound implications. God is a God of love, but God is also a God of wrath. The bible reveals these two sides of God’s nature. In the first passage, we see God’s wrath, and in the second passage God’s love.

Isaiah 51:17 (NASB)
¹⁷ Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk from the Lord’s hand the cup of His anger; The chalice of reeling you have drained to the dregs.

Isaiah 63:7 (NASB)
⁷ I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has granted us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has granted them according to His compassion And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Father God, I praise You because You are worthy of praise. Lord, I thank You for the privilege of being able to have a personal relationship with You, and to be able to meet You anytime and anywhere I may be in this world. I am so glad that You love me and care for me.

1 Peter 5:7 (NASB)
⁷ casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Father God, I am grateful that You know our frame, and You remember that You made us from dirt. Lord, I pray that You will stay Your hand of wrath so that those who have not yet met you in love may experience Your amazing grace, Your tender mercies, and Your forgiveness of sin.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NASB)
⁹ but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard , And which have not entered the heart of man , All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross (Click on link below to join in this prayer):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57vzYWUW3ro&feature=related

The Word of God says:

Hosea 8:14 (NASB)
¹⁴ For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; And Judah has multiplied fortified cities, But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.

My reflections on the Word of God:

Today we continue to reflect upon the topic we begin last Thursday, “Meeting God”. The central verse for this topic comes from the latter half of the following verse:

Amos 4:12 (NASB)
¹² “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”

The nation of Israel was a nation that was highly favored by God, but God had a complaint against them because the sins of their walk before Him spoke louder than their words.

Consider what the people said to God with their mouth, and compare that with the prophetic word of God’s prophet warning the people of the judgment of God for their rebellious attitude and actions. First, let us look at what the people said with their lips.

Hosea 8:2-3 (NASB)
² They cry out to Me, “My God, we of Israel know You!”
³ Israel has rejected the good; The enemy will pursue him.

Now, let us compare the people’s insincere profession, and the prophetic words of Hosea telling of God’s impending judgment of the people for their unrighteousness.

Hosea 4:1 (NASB)
¹ Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel, For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land.

Hosea 5:4 (NASB)
⁴ Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know the Lord.

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, we acknowledge with our mouth that You are our maker and our keeper. Lord, I pray that we will learn from the disobedience of Israel, and Your resulting judgment of her.

Father God, I plead for You to help us realize that judgment comes when a nation forgets the God who is their maker, and the one who has led them to this point of their journey.

Lord, since we know what is right, I pray that You will help us, by Your almighty power, to do what is right.

Micah 6:8 (NASB)
⁸ He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

Lift Every Voice and Sing (Click on link below to watch the video of this song):

YouTube - Lift Every Voice and Sing

The Word of God says:

Isaiah 17:1 (AMP)
¹ THE MOURNFUL, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Damascus [capital of Syria, and Israel’s bulwark against Assyria]. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.

My reflections on the Word of God:

In introducing the topic, “Meeting God” yesterday, we cited a quote from Henry Blackaby. He said in part, “Meeting God is not always a joyous experience”.

Our focal verse for today was a warning to the nation of Israel that a world power can come to ruins by the judgment of God.

It is not wise for a nation to forget it roots. It is not wise for a nation that God has blessed to turn to idols, and worship false gods instead of their Maker and their Blessor.

Proverbs 1:20-22 (NASB)
²⁰ Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square;
²¹ At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
²² “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

My prayer in response to the Word of God:

Our Father in heaven, I exalt You above the gods of this world because of who You are, and for what You have done for our nation.

Father God, I come before You to plead that our nation will not ignore the warning in Your Word about the judgment of nations.

Lord, I beg You to stir the hearts of Your believing children so that we will never turn our backs on the God who so blessed our nation.

Hosea 8:14 (NASB)
¹⁴ For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; And Judah has multiplied fortified cities, But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.

Proverbs 14:34 (NASB)
³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.

Revival Hymn (Click on link below. A resource for intercessors who are praying for revival):

http://www.revivalhymn.com/