By Kathy L McFarland
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. (Psalms 18:30 AV)
61. The way of our LORD God is perfect. The road He travels, the way of life that He chooses, is accomplished with integrity and truth.
62. The word of the LORD God is pure. His speech and message is tried and true. His word is refined and perfect.
63. The LORD God is a shield to all that trust in him. He protects those who flee to Him for protection.
1 ¶ <<A Prayer of David.>> Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. 4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8 ¶ Among the Gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. 9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. 10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. (Psalms 86:1-13 AV)
1 ¶ <<A Prayer of David.>> Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. 4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. (Psalms 86:1-4 AV)
64. The LORD God has the ability to hear the prayers of His people who are depressed and in need.
65. The LORD God has the ability to preserve and protect the souls of His holy people.
66. The LORD God can choose to save His servants that trust Him.
67. The LORD God can choose to be merciful and bestow kindness on one of His people.
68. Calling out to the LORD daily allows the LORD God to understand and be merciful to your needs.
It is so very important to realize that the LORD God is not obligated to be merciful. He chooses to show kindness to whom He Wills. Just as a natural life father does not constantly show every kindness to his child, the LORD God assumes the same position. If every kindness is given to a person by the LORD God, eventually, that person would become a spoiled child, expecting rather than requesting mercy. The LORD God relies on the communication between a person and Himself to determine the intensity of need. Certainly a father that hears on a daily basis that their child has a deep soul need is more apt to respond, than hearing a whining demand for his father’s every kindness and attention for excessive, extravagant and inessential needs.
69. The LORD God can bring joy and cheer up the soul of a person that lifts his soul up to the LORD God. Notice how the soul is lifted to the LORD God…The LORD God does not go down to the person to bring joy, but, rather, the person lifts His soul to the LORD God to receive joy.
5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. (Psalms 86:5-6 AV)
70. The LORD God is good and wants to forgive. He does not want our relationship with Him to cease as a result of sin. He is ready to forgive, and will give the repentant sinner abundant kindness if they call upon Him for forgiveness. The LORD God does not forgive sin with plenteous mercy because He has to; He has mercy because He is good and chooses to forgive.
71. The LORD God has the ability to hear the prayers of His people and the choice to treat each prayer, according to it’s merit, in the way He Wills.
David asks the LORD God to pay special attention to his earnest prayer. He asks the LORD God to perk up His ears and to hearken to his intense entreaty. These words suggest that not all prayer is regarded by the LORD God as requiring His specific attention. It appears that David was fearful that his prayer would get lost in the midst of the mundane prayers of others. He was shouting to the LORD God that his prayer was important, his prayer did matter, his prayer was a stand out, and needed the direct attention of his LORD God.
This scripture requires a little background work to understand the LORD God’s ways completely. Remember our study in 001 Foundation with the chapter dealing with “How a sinner is spiritually restored”? We all require forgiveness of our sins by the LORD God. David required it when he wrote his Psalms, and we require it even after Jesus Christ died for our sins. Our nature is to sin, and when we sin, we must have forgiveness from the LORD God to continue in relationship with Him.
The good news for Christians is that He gave Jesus Christ the authority to forgive sins on earth. So, what Jesus does, the Father does, in a sense. When it comes to the authority and power that the LORD God gave His son Jesus Christ, they are the same, they are one.
As Christians, we are given another contact through Jesus Christ, to receive the forgiveness of the LORD God. This forgiveness we receive comes from Jesus Christ, but the ultimate forgiveness comes from the LORD God, as He honors His relationship with Jesus Christ. That is why this scripture, and the study of Psalms, is necessary and good for us to study. As we study Psalms, we are studying the writings that are mostly written by David, a time long before Jesus Christ came to earth. Study of David’s pure voice and truthful words in his cries and praise to the LORD God reveals the ways of our LORD God in depth to us. These words are as applicable to our relationship to Jesus Christ and the LORD God, as they were in David’s time and life, and are very profitable for study.
Specifically, the study of this scripture reveals to the Christian the opportunity for forgiveness through Jesus Christ, by the LORD God, for our sins. It teaches us that our prayers need to be intense, earnest, and sincere, with the ability to rise above the mundane, worldly and commonplace prayers of others, in order that our prayers can be heard, and that we can be forgiven and restored completely according to the LORD God’s grace through Jesus Christ.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. (Psalms 86:7 AV)
72. The LORD God will pay attention and respond to your prayers when you are facing trouble, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress or tribulation.
As stated before, the LORD God responds to intense prayers, especially and always when you are in trouble. If your prayers are mundane, the LORD God’s response will be limited, at best. The popular visualization of having a direct telephone line to the LORD God, that allows a person to tell the LORD God everything on His mind and wish list, is a figment of a persons imagination. The LORD God, is all powerful and all knowing. He is not the personal genie of anyone. He responds to the important things that He chooses to respond to. One time when the LORD God will always respond, is when one of His people are facing imminent danger. We must always have faith that our LORD God will hear our prayer in times of distress, just as David did when he faithfully reminded the LORD God of his confidence that He would not fail him in times of trouble.
8 ¶ Among the Gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. 9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. 10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. (Psalms 86:8-10 AV)
73. Our LORD God is unlike all other Gods. His Works are unique and different from the works of all other Gods.
74. All nations whom the LORD God has made shall eventually come and worship before Him. All of His created nations will glorify His name. To “glorify His name” means to love, honor, respect, praise and memorialize the uniqueness of our LORD God’s existence.
75. The LORD God does great and wonderful things.
76. The LORD God is the only real and true God.
Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. (Psalms 86:11 AV)
77. The way of the LORD God must be taught. It is a specific way of life, a precise and particular journey that man does not grasp on his own.
78. Your walk in the way of the LORD God must be in truth. To walk in truth with the LORD God requires you to be stable and trustworthy. You must separate yourself from man’s expectations, society’s demands and church’s doctrines. You must walk with stability in the specific way the LORD God has Chosen for you to walk. Be trustworthy to the LORD God and He will teach you to walk in His way.
79. To follow the way of the LORD God requires you to join the revealed knowledge He has given you together into a cohesive understanding. This united understanding can happen within a person only through the LORD God’s allowance.
80. When a person’s understanding is allowed to become united together in revelation, a reverent fear for the LORD God is created within that person. It is a good thing to be fearful of the LORD God.
One of the ways we measure a student’s spiritual growth level is by examining the fearful reverence he has for the LORD God. If that fearful reverence is not present, then we know that the student does not have substantial spiritual understanding and is in fact a young or lazy Christian. Only when the LORD God joins the truthful revelations together in a person’s understanding, will that person have the ability to see the LORD God in truth, and be in awe of His presence.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. (Psalms 86:12-13 AV)
81. The LORD God’s mercy is great toward His people.
82. The LORD God should be praised and his name glorified for eternity as a result of his loving kindness in delivering our souls from the lowest hell.
14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. 16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. 18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. 20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. (Psalms 145:14-20 AV)
83. The LORD God upholds all of His people that fall. He sustains and raises up all of His people that are bowed down
84. The LORD God gives His people meat at the appropriate time. The typology for meat is the nourishing substance that is taken into the body (common), life (natural), or soul (spiritual) to sustain life, provide energy and promote growth.
85. When the LORD God opens his hand and gives nourishment to people, He is able to satisfy the desires of every living thing.
86. The LORD God is righteous in all of His Ways and holy in all of His Works.
87. The LORD God is near to all that call upon him as long as they call upon him in truth in a established, trustworthy, stable manner.
88. The LORD God will fulfill the desire of them that fear him.
Remember how we said that the LORD God was not your personal genie at the beginning of this study? The LORD God is gracious and wants to delight His people that He loves, just as any father wants to bring delight to his children. The LORD God requires, however, that to receive your desire, you must first fear Him. To fear the LORD God, requires you to first have your spiritual understandings united into revelation by the LORD God. To have spiritual understanding at all requires you to study the Word of God and learn to walk in His ways with trustworthiness and stability. To study the Word of God requires you to be one of His children. To be one of His children requires you to be a follower of Christ.
To be a follower of Christ requires you to be baptized and believing. You cannot be baptized, unless you are repentant of sin, and the LORD God has chosen you to receive faith and called you closer to Him. So if you meet each of these requirements, and if you truthfully come to Him with your request in His acceptable, trustworthy and stable way, He will be true and fulfill your desire. What a wonderful Father He Is!
89. The LORD God will hear the cry of His people when they are in trouble, and He will save them. The people that He will hear and save are the same people that fear him, and as a result have their desire fulfilled.
90. The LORD God will protect all people that love Him.
91. The LORD God will destroy all people that are wicked.
He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. (Habakkuk 3:6 AV)
92. The ways of the LORD God are everlasting.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 AV)
93. The ways of the LORD God are past finding out. His judgments and ways are contained within the depth of His wisdom and knowledge, and can never be completely known by man.
6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:6-7 AV)
94. The LORD God is compassionate and kind. He is patient and abounds in goodness and truth.
95. The LORD God maintains mercy and protects the status of thousands of His people.
96. The LORD God forgives iniquity, transgression and sin according to His Will. He does not forgive upon demand, but according to His rules that He has revealed to men. (See “001 Foundation” for rules)
97. He does not forgive the wicked, and He may hold up to four generations responsible for their perverse and evil sins. (See “001 Foundation” for rules)
Recently, a very young Christian who we had just met asked us to pray for a woman acquaintance of hers. We asked what type of prayer was needed. She explained that her non-Christian, non-believing, friend had suffered tremendously in recent years with the sickness of anorexia, which was kicked in beyond her control as a result of a traumatic divorce. The sick woman’s daughter had threatened to kill both her mom and herself “to put both of them out of their misery”. The young Christian then went on to list crisis after crisis this poor woman had experienced in recent past, to convince us that this woman needed our prayers. She said that she had tried to witness to the woman, but the woman would have nothing to do with the Word of God.
As gently as we could, we told our young Christian friend that we would not be praying for this woman. Our friend was aghast, and wondered aloud to her church community how people professing to be Christians could refuse to pray for somebody in such dire straights. She cried to common acquaintances that our position to not pray made a mockery of the love of Christ and bordered on wickedness. Finally, she got up the nerve and shared her disappointment with us.
As a very young Christian, our friend cannot know the ways of the LORD God. It takes concentrated study, practice, walking and grace through the LORD God to gain the mature understandings to grow in the faith. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen to all Christians. These studies are the beginning to guide Christians who are hungry for that growth to a new place with new food to stimulate that maturing process. So often, new Christians think that being a Christian requires you to submit to all worldly pain and suffering in the name of Christ. Sometimes, even older Christians believe that we should attempt to change all pain and suffering in the world. This position causes the servants of Christ to become servants of worldly wickedness.
A wise believer once said that a “true man of God heals every person that he prays for.” A doubtful acquaintance looked at him in astonishment and said “that’s not possible…there has never been that many healings on the face of this earth!” The wise man answered “I didn’t say he prayed often for healings! A true man of God knows the ways of the LORD God, so knows the times to pray, and knows the times to keep quiet!”
A Christian can never do the Will of the LORD God if he does not know the Way of the LORD God. Yes, the LORD God is completely capable of healing all sickness and disease that exist today. The LORD God is able to wipe out wickedness and change the fortunes of men. The LORD God can do anything He wants. BUT, He does not do anything at a whim. All Works of the LORD God are purposeful and planned, and follow specific ways. If a mature Christian were to approach the LORD God with a request that conflicted with the LORD God’s ways, then the LORD God would think him a fool. If the LORD God has given the understanding of His ways to a person, that person is then responsible for honoring His ways in their works. The responsibility of every great child, in a very great family, is honoring the ways of the great Father, always.
19 ¶ Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. (Psalms 31:19-20 AV)
98. The LORD God’s goodness is great. His goodness is reserved for those people that fear and trust His Ways over the ways of men.
99. The LORD God hides and protects His people from the snares of men.
100. The LORD God hides and protects His people from evil accusations and gossip of men.
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. (Psalms 65:4 AV)
101. The LORD God chooses who comes to Him, and causes that person to dwell in His presence, under His protection and be one of His people.
102. The chosen people of the LORD God are completely filled with the goodness of the LORD God’s dwelling places.
4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. (Psalms 5:4-6 AV)
103. The LORD God hates wickedness.
104. The LORD God does not allow evil to dwell with Him.
105. The LORD God does not let the foolish stand in His sight.
106. The LORD God hates all workers of iniquity.
107. The LORD God will destroy all liars.
108. The LORD God loathes violent, cunning, sneaky men.
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: (1 Peter 1:17 AV)
109. The LORD God is impartial, and judges every man’s work with the same criteria.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. (Psalms 89:14 AV)
110. The LORD God is always right in His decisions, discernments, reproofs and truth. This very quality of always being right in His Ways, identifies Him as always “Righteous”.
7 ¶ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8 AV)
111. Love comes from the LORD God. If a person loves then He is born of God. (To be born of God is different from being evolved from His Creation. We will examine this concept in this study. You should also understand that to be “born of God” and “chosen of God” are two different concepts, which will be explained further on in this study.)
112. If a person does not love, He does not know the LORD God. If He does not know the LORD God He is not born of God.
113. The LORD God is love.
To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. (Deuteronomy 32:35 AV)
114. The LORD God seeks revenge for those against Him and His People, and He will make them pay in due time.
21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. 22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. (Deuteronomy 32:21-22 AV)
115. The LORD God is a jealous God. When people worship other Gods of nothingness, the LORD God becomes very angry.
116. The LORD God is wrathful towards those who turn their back on him, and as a result, He will turn His back on them, and make them feel the jealousy and anger that they caused Him.
If you do not understand the Ways of the LORD God, then you will never be able to serve Him as He Wills. If you do not serve your LORD God as He Wills, you may face His disappointment, anger, punishment, or disdain. It’s not a fairy tale that we live…
Our LORD God is an awesome and powerful Father who has distinct Ways. He demands His children to know His Ways, and the closer you are called to Him, the more He expects from you. The closer you get to the LORD God, the more you must know to accomplish His Will, and the more He holds you accountable to His standards.
In natural life, a person demands and expects more from those people he loves and who are closer to him. Grown children that come close and remain with their fathers are expected to conform to his ways more than grown children who are far from him and distant. These expectations are the true nature of love, and it is the true nature of our LORD God. The LORD God is a loving Father who expects those who love him most to do His Will completely, effectively and joyfully, and He weighs your relationship with Him accordingly.
Footnotes
way – 01870. Krd derek deh’-rek; from 01869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:—along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, east-ward, journey, manner, passenger,through, toward, high- path-way-side, whither-soever. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
tried – 06884. Pru tsaraph tsaw-raf’; a primitive root; to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively):—cast, (re-)fine(-er), founder, goldsmith, melt, pure, purge away, try. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
poor – 06041. yne æaniy aw-nee’; from 06031; depressed, in mind or circumstances practically the same as 06035, although the margin constantly disputes this, making 06035 subjective and 6041 objective:—afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
merciful – 02603. Nnx chanan khaw-nan’; a primitive root compare 02583; properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):—beseech, X fair, (be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant (gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, X very. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
attend – 07181. bvq qashab kaw-shab’; a primitive root; to prick up the ears, i.e. hearken:—attend, (cause to) hear(-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
answer – 06030. hne æanah aw-naw’; a primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extens. to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce:—give account, afflict by mistake for 06031, (cause to, give) answer, bring low by mistake for 06031, cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, X scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness. See also 01042, 01043. Greek 611. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
trouble – 06869. hru tsarah tsaw-raw’; feminine of 06862; tightness (i.e. figuratively, trouble); transitively, a female rival:—adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
truth – 0571. tma Æemeth eh’-meth; contracted from 0539; stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness:—assured(-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
heart – 03824. bbl lebab lay-bawb’; from 03823; the heart (as the most interior organ); used also like 03820:— + bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, (faint, tender-heart(-ed), midst, mind, X unawares, understanding.(Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
fear – 03372. ary yareÆ yaw-ray’; a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten:—affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, —fully, —ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see, terrible (act, —ness, thing). (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
near – 07138. bwrq qarowb kaw-robe’; or brq qarob kaw-robe’; from 07126; near (in place, kindred or time):—allied, approach, at hand, + any of kin, kinsfold(-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is) next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short(-ly). (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
pride – 07407. okr rokec ro’-kes; from 07405; a snare (as of tied meshes):—pride. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
tongues – 03956. Nwvl lashown law-shone’; or Nvl lashon law-shone’; also (in plural) feminine hnvl l@shonah lesh-o-naw’; from 03960; the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water):— + babbler, bay, + evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
leasing – 03577. bzk kazab kaw-zawb’; from 03576; falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol):—deceitful, false, leasing, + liar, lie, lying. (Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon)
Chapter 2 – The Ways of the LORD God TEST
80. How does the LORD God choose which way to go? Ps 18:30 (61)
A. Chooses as a result of trial and error
B. Chooses direction according to events
C. Chooses way that is true
D. All of the above
81. What does it mean to describe the LORD God’s Word as “pure”? Ps 18:30 (62)
A. Innocent and youthful
B. Light and limited
C. Refined and perfect
D. All of the above
82. Who is the LORD God a shield to? Ps 18:30 (63)
A. A person that trusts in Him
B. A Christian
C. A Jew
D. A Muslim
E. A believer that needs help
F. The world
G. All things good
83. Who does the LORD God protect? Ps 18:30 (63)
A. The innocent who is accused falsely
B. The Christian who is faced with persecution
C. The person who trusts in Him
D. The Jew who performs in accordance with all edicts of the LORD God
84. If a person is depressed and in need, how should he pray to his LORD God? Ps 86:1-4 (64)
A. He should not pray until He once again has the peace of the LORD God
B. He should ask the LORD God to bow down his ear to hear his plea for help
C. He should elevate His prayers with thanksgiving and praise
D. He should pray for those worse off than him and in need
85. How are the souls of holy people preserved? Ps 86:1-4 (65)
A. Through their prayers to the LORD God
B. Through the LORD God’s protection
C. Through their very state of righteousness
D. Through their careful attention to spiritual life details
86. What purpose is served by praying daily to the LORD God? Ps 86:1-4 (68)
A. It interrupts the LORD God’s time and is vanity
B. Daily prayers allow the LORD God to understand you
C. Praying every day causes a person to live in the spiritual life daily
D. Praying hands prevent wandering minds
87. How does the LORD God answer a prayer for mercy from one of His children? Ps 86:1-4 (68)
A. He responds immediately and shows every kindness
B. He determines the intensity of need, and responds accordingly
C. He gives in to frequent requests from persistent prayers, regardless of need
D. He grants kindnesses to children making “deals” with Him
E. The righteousness of a person determines the kindness extended by the LORD God
88. How does the LORD God bring joy and cheer to the soul of a person? Ps 86:1-4 (69)
A. A person must lift his soul up to the LORD God
B. The LORD God comes to the person to bring joy and cheer
C. The LORD God is always present in the person’s heart, and joy spreads throughout the soul
D. A person shines joy and cheer down on a person that has intense worship in church
89. What type of relationship does the LORD God want with a sinner? Ps 86:5-6 (70)
A. The LORD God wants to forgive the sinner
B. The LORD God wants the sinner removed from His presence
C. The LORD God wants to punish the sinner
D. The LORD God wants to ignore the sins of a sinner
90. Why does the LORD God forgive? Ps 86:5-6 (70)
A. If He did not forgive, He would have no people
B. He is good
C. He is obligated to forgive because of Jesus Christ
D. It is a natural response to a spiritual problem
91. Why would a person ask the LORD God to pay special attention to their prayer? Ps 86:5-6 (70 and note)
A. It is redundant and not necessary. The LORD God hears all prayers
B. To prevent an urgent prayer of getting lost among the mundane prayers of others
C. If that person were more special than others to the LORD God.
D. To make his relationship with the LORD God stand out above others.
92. Who should a repentant Christian pray to for forgiveness? Ps 86:5-6 (70 and note)
A. LORD God
B. Jesus Christ
C. Holy Spirit
D. Priest
93. What happens if Jesus Christ, rather than the LORD God, is asked to forgive sins? Ps 86:5-6 (70 and note)
(May be more than one answer)
A. Forgiveness cannot be granted
B. Jesus Christ has the LORD God’s authority to forgive sin
C. Forgiveness comes from Jesus Christ, and not the LORD God
D. Forgiveness given by Jesus Christ ultimately comes from the LORD God
E. If you are praying to Jesus Christ, you are praying to the LORD God
94. How do should a Christian’s prayers be to be heard? Ps 86:5-6 (70 and note)
A. Intense, earnest and sincere
B. Mundane, worldly and commonplace
C. Repetitious, practices and traditional
D. It really doesn’t matter. It’s the words, not the emotion that matters.
95. Why should a Christian ask for forgiveness? Ps 86:5-6 (71 and note)
A. To go to heaven
B. To be holy
C. To make God happy
D. To have a relationship with the LORD God
96. How does the LORD God respond to a Christian when he prays in times of trouble, adversity, distress, affliction, anguish or tribulation? Ps 86:7 (72)
A. The LORD God always responds to intense prayers of Christians in trouble
B. Each prayer is judged on its merit, and the LORD God responds accordingly
C. The LORD God has given Jesus Christ the authority to handle all emergency situations
D. The Christian should not bother the LORD God, and rely on the power of Jesus Christ to remove the danger
97. What Gods are like our LORD God? Ps 86:8-10 (73)
A. None
B. Greek
C. Hebrew
D. World
98. Who will eventually come and worship the LORD God? Ps 86:8-10 (74)
A. Christians only.
B. Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists
C. All nations whom the LORD God has made
D. Wicked and evil people of this world
99. How will the LORD God’s creations eventually “glorify His name”? Ps 86:8-10 (74)
A. His creations will grow and bring favor upon Him
B. His creations will love, honor, respect, praise and memorialize His uniqueness
C. His creations will become Gods themselves and bring honor to Him
D. All of the above
100. What type of things does the LORD God do? Ps 86:8-10 (75)
A. popular and powerful
B. sensual and lusting
C. great and wonderful
D. All of the above
101. What distinguishes our LORD God from all other Gods? Ps 86:8-10 (76)
A. He is the only real and true God
B. He is able to captivate the souls of many through lust and sensuality
C. He is able to gain power over people through popular entertainments
D. He is able to entice souls through the use of ego and greed
E. He is able to achieve adherence through the use of oppressive blackmail and force
102. How is the Way of the LORD God known? Ps 86:11 (77)
A. Through faith, a believer understands the Way of the LORD God
B. Through study, a believer is taught the Way of the LORD God
C. Through miracles, a believer is blessed with the Way of the LORD God
D. Through worship, a believer is surrounded by the Way of the LORD God
E. Through natural life experiences, man can grasp the Way of the LORD God on his own
103. What does the “way” of the LORD God mean? Ps 86:11 (77)
A. The common and traditional doctrines taught by churches
B. A precise and particular journey
C. A pattern of life that is constantly changing and adapting to spiritual standards
D. The behavior taught by the Catholic Church
104. How must the way of the LORD God be walked? Ps 86:11 (78)
A. With truth
B. With fear
C. With hope
D. With promise
105. What qualities are necessary for a believer to walk in the LORD God’s Way? Ps 86:11 (78)
(May be more than one answer)
A. Holiness
B. Stability
C. Trustworthiness
D. Purity
E. Power
F. Courage
G. Promise
H. Righteousness
I. Fear
106. What must a believer separate himself from in order to walk in the LORD God’s Way? Ps 86:11(78)
A. Man’s expectations
B. Society’s demands
C. Church’s doctrines
D. All of the above
107. (Bonus) What are some examples of common barriers that come between a person’s walk in the LORD God’s Ways? Ps 86:11(78)
108. How do you learn the Way of the LORD God? Ps 86:11 (79)
A. The LORD God feeds the knowledge without any effort or allowance for the believer
B. The LORD God feeds the knowledge, then unites the new information into a person’s understanding that is already established and founded.
C. The believer obtains the knowledge through self-study, then the LORD God unites the new information into understanding
D. The believer obtains the knowledge, and that knowledge becomes understanding without effort
109. How does understanding of the Way of the LORD God happen? Ps 86:11 (79)
A. Only through the efforts of the LORD God and a believer
B. Only through the allowance by the LORD God
C. Only through the diligent study by the believer
D. Only through the special instruction by the Holy Spirit
110. What results when a person’s understanding is allowed to become united together in a new revelation? Ps 86:11 (80)
A. Pure holiness
B. Promised reward
C. Reverent fear
D. Elevated status
111. What is one of the ways that we can measure the spiritual growth of someone? Ps 86:11 (80)
A. By watching a person’s righteous appearance and holy actions
B. By witnessing the abundant blessings of wealth bestowed on a person
C. By examining the person’s reverent fear for the LORD God
D. By measuring the amount of power, prestige and followers the person has accumulated
112. What is the lack of reverence for the LORD God evidence of in a believer? Ps 86:11 (80)
A. False teaching
B. Church doctrine
C. Lazy Christian
D. Evil practice
113. What happens when the LORD God joins the truthful revelations together in a person’s understanding? Ps 86:11 (80 & notes)
(May be more than one answer)
A. Able to see the LORD God in truth
B. Able to learn quicker and better
C. Able to be in awe of the LORD God’s presence
D. Able to change behavior and bad habits
E. Able to preach the LORD God’s Word
F. Able to fight with the power of the LORD God
G. Able to prophesize and lead people to the LORD God
114. What type of mercy does the LORD God have toward His people? Ps 86:12-13 (81)
A. Great
B. Measured
C. None
D. Limited
115. Why should the LORD God be praised and His name glorified for eternity? Ps 86:12-13 (82)
A. As a result of His loving kindness in delivering our souls from the lowest hell
B. As a result of His loving kindness in delivering our souls from persecution
C. As a result of His loving kindness in delivering our souls from pain
D. As a result of His loving kindness in giving us our natural lives
116. What does the LORD God do with His people when they fall? Ps 145:14-20 (83)
A. Upholds them
B. Punishes them
C. Rewards them
D. Instructs them
117. What does the LORD God do with His people when they become bowed down? Ps 145:14-20 (83)
A. Raises them
B. Punishes them
C. Removes them
D. Instructs them
118. When does the LORD God give His people meat? Ps 145:14-20 (84)
A. Never
B. At the appropriate time
C. Always
D. When they request it in prayer
119. What is meat used for in the common and natural lives of men? Ps 145:14-20 (84 and notes)
A. To sustain life
B. To provide energy
C. To promote growth
D. All of the above
120. What is meat used for in the spiritual lives of men? Ps 145:14-20 (84 and notes)
A. To sustain life
B. To provide energy
C. To promote growth
D. All of the above
121. (Bonus) What is the difference between common life, natural life and spiritual life? Ps 145:14-20 (84 and notes)
122. What happens when the LORD God opens his hand and gives nourishment to people? Ps 145:14-20 (85)
A. He is able to satisfy the desires of His people only
B. He is able to satisfy the desires of Christians only
C. He is able to satisfy the desires of every living thing
D. He cannot provide nourishment to every person
123. What characteristic does the LORD God use in all His ways? Ps 145:14-20 (86)
A. Righteousness
B. Holiness
C. Power
D. Might
124. What characteristic does the LORD God use in all His works? Ps 145:14-20 (86)
A. Righteousness
B. Holiness
C. Power
D. Might
125. How must a believer call upon the LORD God to be near Him? Ps 145:14-20 (87)
(May be more than one answer)
A. Rapidly
B. Sorrowfully
C. Trustworthy
D. In an established manner
E. Stable
F. Publicly
G. Loudly
126. What will the LORD God do to those who fear Him? Ps 145:14-20 (88)
A. Fulfill their desire
B. Elevate their stature among men
C. Establish a church around them
D. Treat them as servants
E. Look at them with disdain
127. What is required to be able to fear the LORD God? Ps 145:14-20 (88 and notes)
A. Spiritual understandings united into revelation
B. Spiritual understandings united into miracles
C. Spiritual understandings united into love
D. Spiritual understandings united into warfare
E. Spiritual understandings united into worship
128. What is required to gain spiritual understandings? Ps 145:14-20 (88 and notes)
A. Study of the Word of God and learn through His grace
B. Study the Word of God, attend a true Church and worship His omnipotence
C. Study the Word of God, give to the poor and walk as Christ
D. Study the Word of God, defend the oppressed and fight spiritual battles
E. Climb a mountain and meditate as you study the Word of God
129. What is required to study the Word of God? Ps 145:14-20 (88 and notes)
A. Anyone can study the Word of God
B. You must be one of the LORD God’s children
C. There are no requirements for studying the Word of God
D. Attendance in a church is necessary to study the Word of God
130. How do you become a child of the LORD God? Ps 145:14-20 (88 and notes)
A. All good people are children of the LORD God
B. Only Jews can be children of the LORD God
C. You must be a follower of Christ
D. You must act righteous and holy to the world
131. How do you become a follower of Christ? Ps 145:14-20 (88 and notes)
(May be more than one answer)
A. Attend Church
B. Believe in Jesus Christ
C. Be baptized
D. Be Good
E. Be Happy
132. How can you believe in Jesus Christ? Ps 145:14-20 (88 and notes)
A. Everybody believes in Jesus Christ
B. The LORD God must have chosen you to receive faith
C. The LORD God must have called you closer to Him
D. Go to Church
E. Do charitable works
F. Lead a good life
G. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
133. (Contemplative Essay) If a person comes to you and asks why God has not granted his desires after praying for them vigorously and constantly, what will your answer be? Ps 145:14-20 (88 and notes)
134. When will the LORD God hear the cry of His people? Ps 145:14-20 (89)
A. Late at night
B. When they are in trouble
C. He does not hear their cry
D. For spiritual troubles only
135. Who will the LORD God protect? Ps 145:14-20 (90)
A. All people that love Him
B. All people of the world
C. All people that are good
D. All people that are wicked
136. Who will the LORD God destroy? Ps 145:14-20 (91)
A. All people that love Him
B. All people of the world
C. All people that are good
D. All people that are wicked
137. How long will the Ways of the LORD God exist? Hab 3:6 (92)
A. His ways are everlasting
B. His ways will live until the New Kingdom is established
C. His ways will change over the course of time
D. His ways will last until Judgment Day
138. How can we find out all of the Ways of the LORD God? Rom 11:33 (93)
(May be more than one answer)
A. We never can find out all of the Ways of the LORD God
B. Through dedicated and faith study of the Word of God
C. Through participation in worship and praise of the LORD God
D. Through drawing closer to His presence through our relationship with Jesus Christ
E. Through personal examination and changing of our ways
139. Where are the LORD God’s judgments and ways contained? Rom 11:33 (93)
A. Within His creation
B. Within Man
C. Within Heaven
D. Within His wisdom and knowledge
E. Within the Word of God
140. What characteristics does the LORD God proclaim about Himself? Ex 34:6-7 (94-97)
(Fill in the blanks)
1. Mer——
2. Gra——
3. lon———-
4. Abundant in goo—– and tr—
5. Keeping m—- for thousands
6. Forgiving in—— and tra——— and s–
7. Visiting the in—— of the fathers
141. How many people does the LORD God’s mercy protect? Exodus 34:6-7 (95)
A. Thousands
B. Hundred Thousands
C. Millions
D. Everyone
142. How does the LORD God forgive? Exodus 34:6-7 (96)
(May be more than one answer)
A. According to His rules
B. According to a believer’s request
C. According to His Will
D. According to a believer’s demands
E. According to things promised
143. When does the LORD God forgive the wicked? Exodus 34:6-7 (97)
A. Never
B. When they behave good
C. When they are nice to Christians
D. When they give money to the poor
E. When they tithe and establish churches
F. When they say they are sorry on their death bed
144. How many generations will the LORD God hold accountable for the iniquities of their father? Exodus 34:6-7 (97)
A. 1-2
B. 3-4
C. 5-6
D. 1-6
145. Who is the LORD God’s great goodness reserved for? Ps 31:19 (98)
A. People who trust their spiritual strength in times of trouble
B. People who trust men’s ways to effect good change in their spiritual lives
C. People who trust the LORD God’s Ways over the ways of men
D. People who ask for His goodness to be bestowed upon them
146. What does the LORD God hide and protect His people from? Ps 31:19 (98-100)
(May be more than one answer)
A. Snares of men
B. Pride of man
C. Evil Accusations
D. Gossip
E. Sickness
F. Disease
G. Life problems
147. When is a person truly blessed? Ps 65:4 (101)
A. When the LORD God chooses Him to come close
B. When the LORD God causes a person to dwell in His presence
C. When the LORD God keeps a person under His protection
D. When the LORD God chooses a person to be one of His people
E. All of the above
148. What are the chosen people of the LORD God filled with? Ps 65:4 (102)
A. The goodness of the LORD God and His dwelling places
B. Hope and Health
C. Riches, glory and power
D. Prestige, glory and miracles
149. What does the LORD God hate? Ps 5:4-6 (102-108)
(May be more than one answer)
A. The world
B. Sinners
C. Terrorists
D. Wickedness
E. Murderers
F. Homosexuals
G. Evil
H. Foolish
I. Workers of iniquity
J. Cowards
K. Liars
L. Violent men
M. Cunning men
N. Sneaky men
O. Weak men
P. Faithless men
Q. Secular men
R. Non-Christians
S. Palestinians
T. Jews
U. Muslims
V. Prostitutes
150. (Discuss) Why are soldiers not hated by the LORD God? Ps 5:4-6 (102-108)
151. How are every man’s work judged by the LORD God? 1Pet 1:17 (109)
A. Every man’s works is judged by the LORD God with the same criteria and impartiality
B. The LORD God is partial to the works His people with His Judgment
C. The LORD God uses different standards for judging works of different people
D. The LORD God judges the work of different nations, and different faiths differently
152. Why is the LORD God called “Righteous”? (Ps 89:14 note)
A. Because He is always right
B. Because He is holy
C. Because he is without sin
D. Because he is worthy
153. Where does love come from? 1 John 4:7-8 (111-113)
A. Within a person
B. From worship
C. From the Holy Spirit
D. From the LORD God
154. What is signified if a person loves? 1 John 4:7-8 (111-113)
A. He is good
B. He is spiritual
C. He is born of God
D. He is saved
155. What is signified if a person does not love? 1 John 4:7-8 (111-113)
(May be more than one answer)
A. He is bad
B. He does not know the LORD God
C. He is not born of God
D. He is damned
E. He has not received love from others, thus does not know how to give it
156. What does the LORD God seek for those who go against Him and His People? Deut 32:35 (114)
A. Revenge
B. Apologies
C. Forgiveness
D. Prayers
E. Amends
157. When will the LORD God recompense those who are against Him and His People? Deut 32:35 (114)
A. Never
B. Immediately
C. In due time
D. At Judgment Day
158. What does the LORD God experience when people worship other Gods of nothingness? Deu 32:21-22 (115)
A. Anger
B. Jealousy
C. Apathy
D. Disappointment
E. Both A & B
F. Both C & D
G. All of the above
159. What results if a believer turns his back on the LORD God? Deu 32:21-22 (115)
A. He will experience the LORD God’s wrath
B. The LORD God will turn His back on Him
C. The LORD God will make him feel the jealousy and anger that he caused Him
D. All of the above
160. (Essay) What results if a believer does not understand the Ways of the LORD God? (Study)
