Psalms 8:1 and 16:2

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and returned me to yesterday’s pasture: Isaiah 63. As I mentioned yesterday, if the Spirit keeps me thinking about something I read the day before, and sometimes many days before, I’ll go with whatever I think He wants me to muse.  The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind on verses 7-8:

Isaiah 63:7 ¶ I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

Isaiah 63:8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.

I’ve observed that God values honesty, humility, and holiness; these are qualities that attract Him to us. He saw something in Israel that He valued: “Children that will not lie” and this quality moved Him to become their Saviour.

Abraham possessed a quality that attracted God: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Genesis 18:19).

Along the still waters, I mused: did God not see the rebellious tendencies in Abraham’s future posterity (Deuteronomy 9:13)?

It is not uncommon for God to be pleased to balance that which is good against certain failings of the flesh when assessing the quality of His servants: “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5). He does not ignore the failures, but His balances are true, and His weights precise: in the balances of GOD, David continued to be regarded a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; see 1 Kings 11:4; 15:3—God testified that David’s heart was perfect toward Him).

The effusion of favor toward Israel is reckoned on the basis that “Surely [Israel is] my people, children that will not lie,” so, or therefore, He was their Saviour.

Yesterday, I spoke regarding Isaiah 63:9-10. Compare Isaiah 63:9 to Exodus 2:25, “God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.”

The word respect translates Ya-Dah’, and is packed with meaning. Sorting out the sentence specific applicable nuances of this word is complicated, but our KJV translators chose exactly the right word to provide a summation of its significance as used here. God looked on His people, saw their groaning in affliction and regarded it as a legitimate grievance, and this evoked from Him respect for their cause and complaint. Like a Judge who hears a plaintiff’s complaint and “sees” the validity of that complaint, and so respects the argument and sympathizes with their cause.

Contrast this moment in which God would respond to the cry of His people with love and pity (Isaiah 63:9) with another occasion in which God spake to Moses, saying, “Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people” (Deuteronomy 9:13). He said that long before He moved Isaiah to testify of God’s love and pity toward His people, and call them “children that will not lie.” Another insight emerges: Although He sees our failings and shortcomings, He look beyond that and sees our future perfection in Christ.

God might see a quality in us that attracts Him, and also see in us what repels Him. Which of these qualities will we repudiate and “keep under” and which will we follow and develop?

Using Israel as our example, beware Paul’s warning (Romans 11:11-21). Israel forgot their God and was cast off, scattered all over the world. Judah continued, but finally, she also turned her heart from Him, and lost her stewardship of the kingdom, it being transferred to the Gentiles. The stiffnecked characteristic of Israel prevailed over the better qualities God perceived in her. The “Children that will not lie” nevertheless succumbed to the seducing spirits of Satan. Hear Paul’s warning:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

In the valley, Jesus came quickly to my side speaking, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).  Some things are “standing orders.” This is our daily duty!

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil, and filled my cup to overflowing. Goodness and mercy ran to catch up; my Shepherd hurried me into His harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap: (Probably after noon)

https://rumble.com/v7hiqxk-shepherds-pasture-gods-balances-are-just.html