2 Timothy 1:9 says, “Who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”

When did He chose us? Ephesians 1:4 says, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Titus 1:2 says, “In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.”

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  Psalm 119:89-90 says, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides.”

Where is your hope? In tumultuous times, Jeremiah recorded crucible words that are timeless. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “…His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

When we look intently into God’s word, He reveals the hidden truth that we might have missed in our reading. I consider looking intently into His word synonymous with my watching tide pools. Wondrous is beyond us, so it means the Holy Spirit has to open the eyes of our understanding.

I love Psalm 25:14 in the Amplified. It says, “The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning.”

God’s word is His recorded work for us to explore, ingest, and mature spiritually. John 1:14 says of Jesus’ disciples that He was the living word that dwelt among them. They looked intently and beheld His glory. Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 3:18 bid us to do the same, “…are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

I was reading along in Acts and stopped abruptly at 15:18. It says, “Known to God from eternity are all His works.” My mind went into sort of a kaleidoscope of verses. We are part of His works! Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

When were they prepared? From eternity. Psalm 145:5 says, “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.” Let me pick up the Hebrew word for wondrous from Judges 13:19. 

It means something beyond the human ability to grasp, do, or achieve. Psalms 119:18 says, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” I love the last part of this verse. Psalm 145:19 says, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Reminder: all means without exception.

Often when I meditate I look intently at a word or short phrase. I let it soak into my thought process. Why was worthless connected to revive? Worthless things have no intrinsic value. There is nothing of quality ~ no substance. My dad used to say of meringue that it was like sticking your tongue out the window.

Worthless things bear no fruit that others can enjoy, nor fruit that glorifies the Lord. Romans 13:12 says, “The night is far spent the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” The Amplified says to fling away.

Meditating on Psalm 119:37 helped me to evaluate what I am reading (I don’t have a TV). God’s word shone a light deep into the crevices of my heart with these questions: Is it worthless or worthwhile? Does it build me up or leave me empty? 

Several times in the book of the Acts the word intently was used. Here is another. Elymas the sorcerer withstood Saul and Barnabas as they were sharing the gospel with the proconsul. Acts 13:9 says, ‘Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him.”

As I was meditating on Psalm 119:37, my mind went back to the scene in Acts. It says, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things…” The Hebrew word means to see, look at, perceive, consider, gaze at, look intently at. 

Looking intently at worthless things means that our attention is captured. It is wasted time, never to be regained. It could be magazines, books, movies, self-help, or mindless activities. Let’s pick up the last of the verse which says, “…and revive me in Your way.” Revive means to be restored to life and health.

Wisdom from above is first pure, according to James 3:18. There is no human mixture. It is peaceable. In Acts 6:10 the religious leaders could not resist the wisdom and the Spirit in which Stephen spoke.”

Colossians 2:3 says, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” James 1:5 says that if we lack wisdom, we can ask the Lord and He will give it to us. Each situation we face has His specific wisdom needed to navigate.

God’s wisdom is not stagnant, but fresh, vital, and essential. Proverbs 2:6-7 says, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright…”

Each trial, hardship, impossibility, or adversity that we face is already equipped with His wisdom. His special provision is stored up until needed. Amy Carmichael, missionary to India, wrote that His grace to endure and to conquer is never given until the moment in need.

Looking back derails us. We quickly get off track. When a farmer wants to plow a row, they look at a stationary object at the end of the row. Perhaps a tree, or a fence post that will not move. Each row is a new project that takes concentration. 

We need to approach our walk with the Lord in the same way. Our expectation is on Him. Hebrews 11:1 says “now faith…” Galatians 3:5 says, “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

Now faith is fresh, vital, and essential. The Lord never works the same, even in situations that are exactly the same. I love 2 Samuel 5:18-24. Twice David faced the exact same situation. Yet, each time He inquired of the Lord. Each time the Lord gave him different instructions.

Peter had a vision. As he was thinking about what it might mean, Cornelius’ men stood before the gate. Peter went with them according to the Spirit’s instruction. Acts 10. In Acts 11 Peter recounted the vision. Verse 6 says, “When I observed it intently and considered…”

I love God’s impeccable timing. Verse 11-12 says, “At that moment, three men stood before the house where I was…Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing…” The Strong’s for ‘doubting nothing’ means a conflict within oneself. Hesitating, having misgivings, being divided in decision making, or wavering between hope and fear.

Peter stood in the truth. He did not allow what he used to rely on to hinder what the Spirit wanted to do in the present. What a lesson for all of us! We need to be resolute with no vacillation ~ single-minded ~ steadfast in truth that will keep us free.

Psalm 119:33-36, 38 are verses that express the attitude of a learner. I will recap. Teach me. Give me understanding. Make me walk. Incline my heart. Establish Your word. Incline means to listen favorably.

Selective hearing causes us to miss some essential truths that are needed to set us free. Paul’s epistles have some great prayers that we can personalize. Colossians 1:10 is a great one. “Help me walk worthy of You Lord, fully pleasing You, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in my knowledge of You.”

We are speaking the Lord’s love language when we pray Scripture. Verse 11 is a great one when we are being pressed with hard trials. This is how I pray this verse for myself. “Strengthen me now with all might, according to Your glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy. Let joy be the high watermark of my life.” Scripture is an excellent template for prayer.

Ephesians 2:10 says that we are His workmanship, “…created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”

The Lord has given us His word ~ righteous pavers. Proverbs 4:23 says to guard our heart. Why? “…for out of it spring the issues of life.” We will be tempted. Are you prepared? In 1 Peter 5:9 Peter’s crucible words ring out, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith…”

We can gain victory over ANY area of defeat ~ unresolved issues ~ in our life by laying righteous pavers. Fear. Isaiah 41:10. Lust. Job 31:1. Bitterness. Hebrews 12:15. Doubt. James 1:6-8. Spiritual barrenness. Isaiah 54:1-2. Sexual sin. 1 Corinthians 6:12, 18-20. Lying. Ephesians 4:25. Unforgiveness. Ephesians 4:32. No fruit. 2 Peter 1:5-9. Hidden sin. Psalm 66:18. Procrastination. Ephesians 5:15-16.