Psalm 79:13 “So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forth Your praise to all generations.”
Look and you’ll see patterns in life. Recognizing why these patterns occur helps us understand the process that is at work.
German biologist and artist Ernst Haeckel painted hundreds of marine organisms to emphasize their symmetry. Scottish biologist D’Arcy Thompson pioneered the study of growth patterns in both plants and animals, showing that simple equations could explain spiral growth. In the 20th century, the British mathematician Alan Turing predicted mechanisms of morphogenesis which give rise to patterns of spots and stripes.
Throughout the natural world patterns are present and these patterns become markers of an intelligent designer, therefore revealing a purpose behind the patterns.
Luke 6:45 “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
People often demonstrate spiritual patterns that indicate their position before God. Habitual sin might indicate the heart of someone who has rejected the righteousness of Christ. A pattern of sin can indicate a disregard for the holiness of God and a careless attitude of offending the Creator and designer of mankind show rebellion.
Among followers of Christ are patterns that show forth an evidence for Christ, the Spirit of God manifests God’s presence through His people.
Habitual Praise
Habitual patterns reveal a process of conduct that often demonstrates where the heart of a person lies.
Worship within the believer might be reflected in what they say and do. From the moment a person is delivered from darkness to light, praise issues from the heart. It might be more obvious in some than others, but the true believer knows the new life they have been given and they are thankful.
I was once talking to a man who had lived a majority of his life in prison. His hatred for others came from a heart of stone that only produced darkness. The man entered a christian discipleship program and was recounting his days in prison as well as his time homeless. He remembered the times that God preserved his life, even in the midst of his sin. He told me of one particular instance when the Lord called him and the vision he had of Christ was so authentic that even in the depths of his disparity he bowed down before God and exclaimed “You Lord, are perfect in every way”. The overwhelming presence of the Lord brought a hardened murderer to his knees in praise.
Psalm 75:1 “We give thanks to You, O God; we give thanks, for Your name is near. The people declare Your wondrous works.”
The soul that once was dead for lack of hope, is filled and overflowing with the water of the Spirit— praise breaks forth from an authentic, encounter with Jesus.
When the blind are made to see, they have found the light of Christ to be a new birth.
John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
- Knowing that God is good
- Knowing that God is on the throne
- Knowing that the One who made us, loves us
- Knowing that the Shepherd guides by His strength
- Knowing our Judge is merciful
- Knowing His Truth is everlasting
The man or woman who experiences the living God, comes to a knowledge of Truth.
This knowledge of God ushers forth praise from the heart of the redeemed.
A lack of the knowledge of God leads to sin.
Habitual Sin
The people of Israel who wandered in the desert for forty years, unable to enter the promised land needed reminders of where their strength came from.
Psalm 78:15-17 “He split the rocks in the wilderness,
And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.
He also brought streams out of the rock,
And caused waters to run down like rivers.
But they sinned even more against Him
By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.“
When people witness the goodness of God and continue in rebellion, they have rejected the only hope for salvation.
Like the generation who was brought out of Egypt, they seemed more interested in not being slaves than they were in trusting the Lord.
When false christians are more interested in attending a show that many churches put on every Sunday than investing into the body of Christ, they show where their allegiance lies. The seeker friendly church talks its people into tithing more of their money, hoping they will gain more income from the sacrifice. Church giving for the nominal christian becomes an investment plan with the hope it yields great wealth and prosperity.
Many lost souls sit in pews every Sunday, singing songs, tithing money, and even helping the poor. They are lost in a greater darkness than the destitute sinner sitting in prison because they think they are in the light.
Bad shepherding produces false converts.
New Life
Having an awareness of sin is an innate understanding in mankind, knowing God’s character and how to walk in it comes by way of a knowledge of the Holy.
Romans 6:1-4 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
What does your everyday practice look like? Do you practice righteousness because you love the Lord or do you call yourself a christian and live like the world?
For those who continue on in sin, the product of rejecting righteousness drives the sinner further into darkness, hopelessness, and ultimately into Hell.
For those who have experienced the newness of life in Christ, the Spirit of God ushers forth Habitual praise with obedience, exemplified in every area of life. The sinful nature is still present and people are subjected to the scourge of a fallen nature until they die…but they don’t have to follow it.
The Spirit of God imparts a new nature into God’s people and leads them in sanctification and honor. Regardless of this fallen world, the light shines ever brighter until that glorious day when Christ returns for His bride.
Press on, remember the hope that is before you and walk faithfully. The day of the Lord is coming soon and His reward is with Him.
U.T. 