Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord Our Righteousness Ep. 7
Are you tired? Do you feel like you struggle daily just to be good enough? Would you like a break from the pressure and demands you feel and even place on yourself? Come discover that it is not your responsibility to be perfect, and always right. In fact, you can’t be. So find some rest and ease in your life, as we chat about how our lives can be transformed, made anew, refreshed, upgraded to a higher level in Episode 7 Jehovah Tsidkenu, The Lord My Righteousness
Diana’s Notes
Hey, everybody! Welcome back to Heartfelt Conversations with Diana. In the previous episode, I shared that I often wished I had been like David—bold, strong, courageous. We are talking about David from the Bible, for anyone who might be tuning in for the first time. I thought God loved David so much because David must have been perfect. Or super close to it, anyway. LOL.
God sent Samuel the prophet to the house of Jesse, David’s father, and told Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king after Saul. Samuel thought for sure it was going to be Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son, after all, he “looked the part.” But then what did God say to Samuel? I read this last week:
Reading from the Message Bible, 1 Samuel 16:7: But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.”
Today, meet Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness. David was called to be king by God Himself, not because David was perfect but because God saw David’s heart. The world puts so much focus on being perfect—flawless, the perfect height, the perfect weight, the perfect body, the perfect hair, the perfect house, the perfect income level. But God looks into the innards (as my mom would say, LOL), the inner person. He sees the character of people, how we behave when we feel life has not been fair. God is more interested in the type of person you are, your character, than what type of person, your personality, you are. Whether you are a feeling person, a thinking person, or a sensing person isn’t what God is examining. He is looking into your heart to see if you show mercy to others, if you are helpful and considerate of others, or if everything is always about you.
Even though David had a good heart, he was still a human being. He made mistakes. Actually, David made some humdingers! Not only did I have a messy, broken past, but David, who was very loved by God, was right there with me. If God loved David that much and David made some huge mistakes, did some bad stuff, surely God could love me too. God can love you too! I wish I had known that years ago, which is why I want as many people as possible to know that God LOVES THEM! God loves you! When we get divine revelation of this, it is life-altering!
The only thing I knew about David was that he was a shepherd boy whom God anointed to be king. He defeated Goliath, fought a lot of battles, and had a lot of victories. But growing up in the church, I didn’t learn anything about his mistakes, his blunders, the lapses in good judgment. That one, I mastered!
It’s important to learn from the past experiences and mistakes of others. History can teach us a lot about past mistakes but also past victories on how to succeed. We need to protect and preserve history because it is a valuable teaching tool, and the experience of others can be as well. We can be foolish and refuse to take counsel or advice from others who want to spare us the stress and pain when they see us ready to commit the same mistake they did, but for some reason, we all think that we are so smart that we don’t need anyone’s advice. That is foolishness.
Proverbs 1:7 (ESV): The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 24:12 (NLT): Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and He sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew.
(Remember El Roi - He is a God who sees, and God does not miss anything.)
For about 38-40 years, I was a fool. I became headstrong and foolish. I would not listen to God because I was angry with Him, and I would not listen to the “right counsel” because it did not feed what I wanted to hear. From someone who has shut God out, the biggest, most drastic change for the good, to begin to produce good things for you, is to involve God in your life. If you don’t know how, find a way! Make it happen. We can do anything we really want to do, so make this something you REALLY WANT TO DO!
We need to be in God’s word and listen to Him so that when He tries to instruct us to keep us from harm or a bad path, we know His voice. The more we know and discern God’s voice, the more we are able to discern between good instruction and bad instruction. God, unlike people, has no ulterior motives, no agenda for Himself. He’s God. What does He need from me, from you? No, the only desire God has is for you. For your good. A good life for you. But if you refuse Him, then what do you expect Him to do? Control you, rule you? That is not God at all.
In the last episode, Episode 6, I gave a scripture reference that God gave to me that He wanted me to apply to my life—to have steadfast patience.
Hebrews 10:36 (AMP): For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away and enjoy to the full what is promised.
But why does God want us to have steadfast patience and endurance? Because He hates you and wants to punish you and keep you from good things, so He makes you wait and doesn’t give you everything you want the very second you want it. So that means He must hate you and not care anything about you, right? WRONG. He knows that without being patient and learning to wait on Him, to be still and let Him work out all the kinks in our life we created, if we get in a hurry, we can make things worse or delay the progress He was making. We need patience, and patience will bring about endurance as you learn to trust and wait. But why?
So that you can have a full and satisfying life doing what God intended for you to do and receive and carry and enjoy to the full what was promised. Does that sound like a God full of wrath? No, it sounds like a loving Father who desires to raise His children to be thoughtful, kind, generous, loving reflections of Himself and share with His children all the rights and benefits, provision and protection of living under His roof. His shelter. Where is there a safer place to be than in the shadow of the Almighty, where no harm can come to you?
That is a quality that God has with us. He is patient with us. He knows we cannot be perfect, but if we can’t or won’t admit our mistakes and failures, that leaves no room for His mercy, love, and grace to move in our hearts and lives.
When we refuse to acknowledge our weaknesses, we are telling God we are equal to Him. We are perfect and therefore are in no need of Him. But when we have the humility to realize that we are not perfect, then GRACE enters the scene. Grace—God’s undeserving favor—is the very atmosphere we are designed to live in, find life in.
Romans 3:24 (NLT): Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty of our sins.
Romans 3:24 (MSG): God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity, He puts us in right standing with Himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where He always wanted us to be.
That is what He had done for me and why I love Him so much. Because He first loved me, saw me, rescued me, even when I did not deserve His lovingkindness. Because He is God and God is love, He came for me. Talking about a love story! If you need romance in your life, let God romance you. Allow Him the opportunity to show you His love for you. Don’t slam the door in His face anymore.
1 John 4:8 (AMP): The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God (does not and never did know Him), for God is love. (He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature).
It is in God’s very nature to love. To love us.
We don’t have right-standing with God because we are perfect but because His love for us is perfect. We can be in right-standing with God when we have Jesus. It is the blood of Jesus that makes us right (or righteous) with God. And it is that alone so that no one can think better of themselves than another person. No one is perfect. Everybody sins.
There is scripture to remind us that no one has the right to boast about how good they are.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (AMP): For it is by grace (God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ) that you have been saved (actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life through faith). And this salvation is not of yourselves (not through your own effort). But it is the (undeserved, gracious gift of God); salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Did you hear that?
First—when we receive Jesus as our savior, a free gift from God, we are actually delivered from God’s judgment and in exchange are given eternal life. It is a gift from God to us! Talking about a good gift-giver, what could be a better gift than to know you can live forever by receiving God’s gift—His Son. Life forever. Who does not want to live forever??
It can’t be earned. It is a gift. Have you ever offered to work in exchange for the gift someone bought you? Salvation is not a reward for good behavior; it is a gift. No one deserves it; no one can earn it. It is simply a gift to receive or decline.
Okay, here is the deal. I would never be good enough to ever receive all the love, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, encouragement, strength, and all the good stuff God has been pouring out into my life if I had continued to try to be good. Or earn His love by trying to be good enough. My efforts did not stand a chance because God was not in it. I had not surrendered my life to Him. I wanted salvation but wanted to be in control. As a child, I freely received Jesus. I didn’t think about working for it by my actions; I received Him into my heart. But over time, and especially because I had fallen onto the wrong path and started listening to self-talk, I thought, "No way, too easy. There must be something you must do to earn it back." And so I beat myself up over all my past mistakes and just about drove myself into depression and deeper misery. Why? Because of pride. I didn’t realize it, but I was still trying to be the god of my life and fix all that I had done. But it was going to take more than my efforts. If you are trying by your efforts to fix your past, you are wasting your time and living a very frustrated life while doing it.
Verse 10 goes on to say: For we are His workmanship—His own masterwork, a work of art.
Who, other than the artist, has the right to change, correct, add, or subtract from their own work? Nobody. God is your artist. He created you; you are His work of art. So only He knows the colors and textures and proper lighting to bring into the canvas of your life. Don’t be foolish and think you can have a masterpiece life without His involvement. Be the canvas; be still while He is working. Quit moving around, squirming; it will only take longer. LOL.
Picking back up in verse 10: Created in Christ Jesus (reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used) for good works, which God prepared for us beforehand, taking paths which He set, so that we would walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us).
God has a good life He has already carved, crafted, designed, and created for you! It is yours. He made it custom for you. But if you do not follow His path for your life, you will never know what He had prepared for you. And you will never be fully satisfied because you never receive the perfect hand-crafted life you were intended for. Is that not sad? Wouldn’t it be such a waste of life to know the Creator of all mysteries, the Creator of all life, the One who made the sun and moon and stars and mountains and rivers and streams and all the beautiful colors and designs of flowers and plants and all creation, that the very God who designed all of this has something just as beautiful and peaceful and extraordinary for you that He has already created, already designed but He just needs to move you from where you are to the right path so that you can receive it. But on this, you can’t lead. You must learn to follow.
Wouldn't it be worth getting off a path that is leading you nowhere or around and around in circles? Wouldn’t it be worth letting go of control and trusting the One True God who brought the answer right to you through His Son Jesus? It is so simple that it just does not seem like a fair exchange.
It's a spiritual thing, not an earthly thing; a God thing, not a man thing.
If you want, need, desire, or hope for your life to be transformed, anew, refreshed, and upgraded to a higher level, then you are going to have to do like I did and let go and let God. I know you do not want to hear this, and you may completely disagree. That is okay. This journey is not for you right now because you are going to have to be okay with relinquishing control to God, and it takes faith! Faith in God, not mankind, not people, and even not yourself. Your judgments are flawed and influenced by this world, but God’s are not. He is the only One who dispenses absolutes—absolute freedom, absolute justice, absolute healing, absolute wholeness. It will come from no other source than the Creator Himself.
It is vital to know God’s word, to know God’s character, to know GOD! We are living in times when it is vital, of vital necessity, that we not live blinded, imprisoned, and chained lives, but that we are truly free people who know where all of our blessings come from. We are united as people, as a race, the human race, when we come to know, recognize, and follow ONE TRUE SOVEREIGN GOD. When we begin with our own lives, then God goes to work.
Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT): “If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me.”
Lay it all on the line. Don’t keep a little pocket change of life for yourself. Give it all to Him and seek after what He has for you specifically, for your individual life, you will find Him.
This is my birthday blessing, my scripture for 2024.
That is a lot! I am believing God this year for a lot of blessings—to keep my car running, to keep my grocery bill down, to bless my work, for His favor and blessing in my life. I believe every promise made in the Bible is mine as an adopted child of God. Once I receive Jesus, I become a joint heir, which means to me if God made a promise, it is mine to claim. That is why we personally need to be in God’s Word. It is His will to us, for us. Do you want to know God’s will for your life? Get in it, and He will reveal it to you as you grow in your relationship with Him. As you grow, He promotes you. And as He promotes and blesses you, He wants you to turn around and bless another person who maybe is where you once were.
David knew the blessings of God, the provision, protection, and favor of God. David was not perfect, and he made a lot of bad mistakes, but David knew God. So when he received wise counsel, he recognized that God was sending him a message to not take matters into his own hands. When David was wise enough to listen, all was well with his soul, his emotions, feelings, and life.
Have you ever been so angry at someone that you wasted hours plotting how you were going to get even with them or figure out a way to embarrass them just like they did you? David just about really messed up when he plotted against a man that David felt snubbed him, disrespected him. David’s feelings and desire to seek revenge, because his pride had been attacked, almost put him in a bad position. But David, at least on this day, was wise enough to simmer down and hear God’s voice. It came through the mouth of another person, and that is how God usually works—through others. But David listened and heard the wisdom.
Next week, let’s pick back up on David’s story of nearly getting himself into quite a pickle.
Wrap-up: This week, whatever challenge, whatever decision, whatever need you have, pray and give it to God. Release it to Him and begin to learn how to be still. Learn to let be and be still. If you have given it to God, then let it be. Don’t try to pick it back up and start working on it again like a pet project. Let it be. Tell yourself, “LET IT BE!” Then be still and let God be God in your life.
Psalms 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
I like the AMP version: “Let be, and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I AM God.”
Do you really understand WHO GOD IS???
Being still does not mean doing nothing. It means you are actively at rest, knowing you have given this to God and trusting Him, His wisdom, and His timing on how to handle it. And I have found more times than not that when I do practice this, while I am letting it be, it works itself out and God handles it. I find myself asking why I let it bother me so much when everything worked out fine.
There is a saying: don’t borrow trouble.
Jesus Himself tells us in Matthew 6:34: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
You can find the scripture on the website, episode 5: “Don’t worry about tomorrow; it has enough trouble of its own.” When we are trusting God and living each day to the full, He is at work for us because we are doing what we should, trusting Him to watch out for us, to have our backs, because He is a good Father.
But remember, He lets go of the “pet project” every time we pick it back up. So let it be. :)
Songs to inspire you
God of Every Grace (Lyric Video) - Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa
Casting Crowns - All Because of Mercy (Official Lyric Video)
Tauren Wells, Elevation Worship - Joy In The Morning (Worship Version)
Scriptures from this week's Podcast
1 Samuel 16:7 MSG
But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.”
Proverbs 1: 7 The ESV:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 24:12: New Living Translation
Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know” For God understands all hearts, and He sees you. He Who guards your soul knows you knew.
Hebrews 10: 36:
For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away and enjoy to the full what is promised.
Romans 3:24 in the New Living Translation:
Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty of our sins.
Romans 3:24 in the MSG Bible:
God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity He puts us in right standing with Himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where He always wanted us to be.
1 John 4:8 in the AMP Bible :
The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God (does not and never did know Him), for God is love. ( He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His Nature)
Ephesians 2:8-10 AMP
For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. 10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above--spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
Jeremiah 29:13 in the New Living translation:
“If you look for ME wholeheartedly, you will find ME.”
Psalms 46:10 AMP
Let be, and be still…, and know (recognize and understand) that I AM God.
Additional Resources
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born again, child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above, were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand new christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana and we will pass along your information for you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you!
Diana’s Home Church:
Valley Family Church - Pastor’s Eric and Alexa Jones
www.valleyfamilychurch.org
Other recommended Jesus-centered churches who teach the True Word of God:
Elevation Church - Steven Furtick
https://elevationchurch.org/
Joseph Prince Ministries - Joseph Prince
https://www.josephprince.org/
Joyce Meyer Ministries
https://joycemeyer.org/