Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Samuel 4-8 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Reference Passage : 1st Samuel 7: 2-5 … 2 The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD. 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
My Journal for Today: Reading on in 1st Samuel today, Chapters 4-8, we read of what a “hot potato” the Ark of the Covenant became when it was in the hands of the Philistines; and it took plagues and deaths of their people everywhere they took the Ark before they finally returned the power-laden ark to the Israelites; and even then they merely thought that the “God” of the Israelites was merely stronger than their gods, whom they continued to worship.
And it even took the Israelites to see seventy of their own to die at the hands of the One, True God for them to finally see that the Ark was more than just an idol in-and-of itself, to be used for military victories.
Why is it that it takes disasters or cataclysmic events in our lives for us to turn to God?
I can recall what it took in my life. Even after reading the New Testament in a class in college; and having Christian after Christian testify of God’s saving grace to me, I still couldn’t choose to realize that God was real and the idols in my life produced nothing by pain and continued personal weakness. But God, in His infinite mercy and His prevenient grace, pursued me as the “Hound of Heaven’” and ultimately broke me to the core of my being just as He did with His chosen ones at this stage in their history (i.e., in 1st Samuel where I’m reading now).
Why, when we hear the Gospel or the truth from the testimony of someone whose life has been transformed by Jesus, do we keep holding on to our fleshly idols? Or why, when we read or hear the truth proclaimed in a passage like John 3: 16, don’t we do what the Nike company’s logo used to proclaim and Just Do It !!, i.e., receive God’s merciful, saving grace? So often we have to experience personal brokenness or disaster before we’re willing to just see God for Whom He is and receive His saving or sanctifying grace. Even Christians, some who’ve been saved and have backslidden for years, find that they have to experience horrible personal brokenness to bring them back to a place there they can … “JUST DO IT” … and surrender their idols before God and receive His grace in surrender of their own will to that of the God Who saves.
Today, as I read and journal here, it is Easter; and we, who believe in the One True God Who saves, will proclaim, Hallelujah, He is risen!! But as we proclaim it with our lips, prayerfully in genuine worship of our LORD, Who died and was risen for our salvation, will we truly worship God by doing what Yahweh demands … to serve Him as the ONE AND ONLY God? Will we, today of all days, in our hearts, JUST DO IT and set aside all the idols in our lives and turn them over to the Lord, Who shed His blood that we might live and celebrate life with Him forever?
Hey, my friend … on this special day of worship … LET’S JUST DO IT!!!
My Prayer Today: … LORD, You are my LORD!!! And You are risen !!! I worship Your Holy Name … forever!! Amen
Showing posts with label idolatry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label idolatry. Show all posts
Sunday, April 08, 2012
Thursday, March 08, 2012
March 8, 2012 … Take Possession of the Land
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Numbers, Chapters 33-34 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
Numbers 33: 50-53: … [“all” means ALL], … 50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the LORD said to Moses, 51 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out ALL the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy ALL their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish ALL their high places. 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.
My Journal for Today: Today my chronological read takes me into and through Numbers, Chapters 33-34, linked for your study above if you’re reading along with me. And herein we read of Moses’ charge, by God, to document the exodus of God’s people from Egypt and their trek through the wilderness, which also includes the boundaries of the promised land as the assignment of the lands to the various tribes if Israel. All in all not the most exciting read in God’s word; but each day I pray for the Lord to reveal something which He wants me to take away for application in my life or for me to use to share with others in ministry or in life. And today God gave me the bold answer to that prayer with verses 50-53 in Chapter 33, where God gives strong instruction to God’s people, via Moses, as to what the Israelites must do when taking possession of the land God had promised to His chosen people.
And in copying the aforementioned section of scripture for your study and meditation today above, you will notice that I took the editorial liberty to embolden and underline the word ALL whenever it appeared in this passage. And when you read through those instructions from God through Moses to His people, especially to the leaders of the people, you probably get what I’m emphasizing by highlighting the concept ALL in this passage.
My dear one, when God says ”ALL” in His word, He means ALL. And I know that this instruction is hard to take; and it’s hard to imagine that our loving God is telling Moses and His chosen ones to kill ALL the people and to eradicate ALL of the idols in the land and to destroy and demolish ALL of the high places where the idols in the land where on display. But, my friend, again I repeat, when God says ”ALL” in His word, He means ALL.
And this is speaking loudly and clearly to me this morning, because we New Covenant chosen ones, like the people to whom God through Moses was writing these all encompassing instructions in the Old Testament, are to move into the life (i.e., our “promised land”) where God has led us; and we are to eradicate ”ALL” of the idols in our lives, taking down ”ALL” of the high places where these idols are made prominent by those in this life.
And I don’t know about you, my fellow Christian, but I still have some tearing down and total eradication to do in my life with some idols that I still have in high places in my life. I’m not going to go into it in depth my conviction here; but though I’ve followed God’s instructions in today’s highlight passage in many areas of my life, I still have areas - like obsessive/compulsive eating and the habitual viewing of some very worldly entertainment - which hold positions of too much prominence in my life, … areas of idolatry where I haven’t TOTALLY destroyed the idols or demolished their prominence (i.e., “high places”).
No, I need to say to myself, “Bill, … God says ”ALL” in His word when it comes to eliminating the idols in life, and when God says, “ALL”, He means ALL!!”
And in taking action against such idols, as the Apostle Paul instructed us in Colossians 3 [please go back and read this chapter as linked here …], we simply must be in TOTAL surrender to God’s will and utilizing the enabling grace given to us by our Lord to eradicate ”ALL” of the unGodly idols in our lives as well as tearing down the high places where they become prominent. I’ll leave it to you (with God’s help – as He promises in 1st Cor. 10: 13) to get to the business (God’s business) of tearing down some idols today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, show me ALL the idols in my life and help me tear them down! Amen
Numbers 33: 50-53: … [“all” means ALL], … 50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the LORD said to Moses, 51 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out ALL the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy ALL their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish ALL their high places. 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.
My Journal for Today: Today my chronological read takes me into and through Numbers, Chapters 33-34, linked for your study above if you’re reading along with me. And herein we read of Moses’ charge, by God, to document the exodus of God’s people from Egypt and their trek through the wilderness, which also includes the boundaries of the promised land as the assignment of the lands to the various tribes if Israel. All in all not the most exciting read in God’s word; but each day I pray for the Lord to reveal something which He wants me to take away for application in my life or for me to use to share with others in ministry or in life. And today God gave me the bold answer to that prayer with verses 50-53 in Chapter 33, where God gives strong instruction to God’s people, via Moses, as to what the Israelites must do when taking possession of the land God had promised to His chosen people.
And in copying the aforementioned section of scripture for your study and meditation today above, you will notice that I took the editorial liberty to embolden and underline the word ALL whenever it appeared in this passage. And when you read through those instructions from God through Moses to His people, especially to the leaders of the people, you probably get what I’m emphasizing by highlighting the concept ALL in this passage.
My dear one, when God says ”ALL” in His word, He means ALL. And I know that this instruction is hard to take; and it’s hard to imagine that our loving God is telling Moses and His chosen ones to kill ALL the people and to eradicate ALL of the idols in the land and to destroy and demolish ALL of the high places where the idols in the land where on display. But, my friend, again I repeat, when God says ”ALL” in His word, He means ALL.
And this is speaking loudly and clearly to me this morning, because we New Covenant chosen ones, like the people to whom God through Moses was writing these all encompassing instructions in the Old Testament, are to move into the life (i.e., our “promised land”) where God has led us; and we are to eradicate ”ALL” of the idols in our lives, taking down ”ALL” of the high places where these idols are made prominent by those in this life.
And I don’t know about you, my fellow Christian, but I still have some tearing down and total eradication to do in my life with some idols that I still have in high places in my life. I’m not going to go into it in depth my conviction here; but though I’ve followed God’s instructions in today’s highlight passage in many areas of my life, I still have areas - like obsessive/compulsive eating and the habitual viewing of some very worldly entertainment - which hold positions of too much prominence in my life, … areas of idolatry where I haven’t TOTALLY destroyed the idols or demolished their prominence (i.e., “high places”).
No, I need to say to myself, “Bill, … God says ”ALL” in His word when it comes to eliminating the idols in life, and when God says, “ALL”, He means ALL!!”
And in taking action against such idols, as the Apostle Paul instructed us in Colossians 3 [please go back and read this chapter as linked here …], we simply must be in TOTAL surrender to God’s will and utilizing the enabling grace given to us by our Lord to eradicate ”ALL” of the unGodly idols in our lives as well as tearing down the high places where they become prominent. I’ll leave it to you (with God’s help – as He promises in 1st Cor. 10: 13) to get to the business (God’s business) of tearing down some idols today.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, show me ALL the idols in my life and help me tear them down! Amen
Thursday, February 09, 2012
February 9, 2012 … Pondering Important Questions
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Exodus, Chapters 30-32 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
Focus Passage of the Day #1: Exodus 30: 11-16 : … [Payback for God’s Atonement] … To study this passage, go to this link -
Focus Passage of the Day #2: Exodus 31: 12-17 : … [Keeping the Sabbath]
… To study this passage, go to this link -
Focus Passage of the Day #3: Exodus 32: 1-6 : … [The Golden Calf]
… To study this passage, go to this link -
My Journal for Today: I’m going to blog this morning’s devotional time a little differently than I have during my chronological read through the Bible and my journal entries thus far in 2012. To this point I’ve asked God to highlight one passage from each day’s study/meditation, blogging about that passage from a personal or teaching point of view, letting God give me something FOR ME, personally, or maybe something He, The Holy Spirit, wants me to share with others. However, today three passages, documented with links above, stood out for me; and there’s no way I could journal on all three and not overburden you, … especially given my tendency toward wordiness (i.e., my logorrhea – I hope you’re smiling right now ;>).
So, I’m simply going to ask you to read – AT LEAST – the three focus passages to which I’ve linked you above. But before you do, pray seriously and ask God, the Holy Spirit, to really give you HIS MIND and HIS WISDOM (as He promises He will in Isaiah 55: 11 and 2nd Timothy 3: 16-17 and James 1: 6-7). Ask the Lord to let one or more of these passages be a light unto your path, trusting COMPLETELY as believers in Christ are instructed to trust in His word - see Prov. 3: 5-6 and Psalm 119: 105. And then see what God’s Spirit gives you this morning. And below, I’m going to take each one of these focus passages and give you a few questions for you to ponder (I promise that’s all I’ll write!) … points upon which God’s Spirit was causing me to dwell today. And if you’re so led, maybe you might take a few moments and journal what you think God is leading you to consider. The latter is up to you; but I can promise – from experience – that if you do the latter, God will bless you with HIS ministry of enlightenment, enablement, or empowerment.
Focus Passage of the Day #1: Exodus 30: 11-16 : … [Payback for God’s Atonement]
WRB Comments: What do we owe God from our 24/7 life of worship? How do I need to live to be the “living sacrifice” of Romans 12: 1-2? Do I give enough to my church – joyfully … as instructed in 2nd Cor. 9: 6-7 - to account for my atonement and Christ’s sacrifice?
Focus Passage of the Day #2: Exodus 31: 12-17 : … [Keeping the Sabbath]
WRB Comments: Do I really keep THE SABBATH? And when I don’t, what does God say that I deserve? But what has He made provision for me from 1st John 1: 9 and Prov. 3: 5-6?
Focus Passage of the Day #3: Exodus 32: 1-6 : … [The Golden Calf]
WRB Comments: Have I built any “golden calves” in my life? If so, how can I tear them down and come back to a surrendered worship of my Yahweh, … my LORD and Savior? And again, how can I be or become the “living sacrifice “ of Romans 12: 1-2?
Well, my friends, those are some question which God has me pondering over this morning; and they are pretty serious issues, at least for me. What about you? Well, I’ll leave you and God together to deal with those questions in your life and for your worship of the God Who saved you - as He has me.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, as I pray so often, … shine the light of Your word on Your will that I may surrender and follow You as Your “doulos” (i.e., Greek for “slave”). Amen
Focus Passage of the Day #1: Exodus 30: 11-16 : … [Payback for God’s Atonement] … To study this passage, go to this link -
Focus Passage of the Day #2: Exodus 31: 12-17 : … [Keeping the Sabbath]
… To study this passage, go to this link -
Focus Passage of the Day #3: Exodus 32: 1-6 : … [The Golden Calf]
… To study this passage, go to this link -
My Journal for Today: I’m going to blog this morning’s devotional time a little differently than I have during my chronological read through the Bible and my journal entries thus far in 2012. To this point I’ve asked God to highlight one passage from each day’s study/meditation, blogging about that passage from a personal or teaching point of view, letting God give me something FOR ME, personally, or maybe something He, The Holy Spirit, wants me to share with others. However, today three passages, documented with links above, stood out for me; and there’s no way I could journal on all three and not overburden you, … especially given my tendency toward wordiness (i.e., my logorrhea – I hope you’re smiling right now ;>).
So, I’m simply going to ask you to read – AT LEAST – the three focus passages to which I’ve linked you above. But before you do, pray seriously and ask God, the Holy Spirit, to really give you HIS MIND and HIS WISDOM (as He promises He will in Isaiah 55: 11 and 2nd Timothy 3: 16-17 and James 1: 6-7). Ask the Lord to let one or more of these passages be a light unto your path, trusting COMPLETELY as believers in Christ are instructed to trust in His word - see Prov. 3: 5-6 and Psalm 119: 105. And then see what God’s Spirit gives you this morning. And below, I’m going to take each one of these focus passages and give you a few questions for you to ponder (I promise that’s all I’ll write!) … points upon which God’s Spirit was causing me to dwell today. And if you’re so led, maybe you might take a few moments and journal what you think God is leading you to consider. The latter is up to you; but I can promise – from experience – that if you do the latter, God will bless you with HIS ministry of enlightenment, enablement, or empowerment.
Focus Passage of the Day #1: Exodus 30: 11-16 : … [Payback for God’s Atonement]
WRB Comments: What do we owe God from our 24/7 life of worship? How do I need to live to be the “living sacrifice” of Romans 12: 1-2? Do I give enough to my church – joyfully … as instructed in 2nd Cor. 9: 6-7 - to account for my atonement and Christ’s sacrifice?
Focus Passage of the Day #2: Exodus 31: 12-17 : … [Keeping the Sabbath]
WRB Comments: Do I really keep THE SABBATH? And when I don’t, what does God say that I deserve? But what has He made provision for me from 1st John 1: 9 and Prov. 3: 5-6?
Focus Passage of the Day #3: Exodus 32: 1-6 : … [The Golden Calf]
WRB Comments: Have I built any “golden calves” in my life? If so, how can I tear them down and come back to a surrendered worship of my Yahweh, … my LORD and Savior? And again, how can I be or become the “living sacrifice “ of Romans 12: 1-2?
Well, my friends, those are some question which God has me pondering over this morning; and they are pretty serious issues, at least for me. What about you? Well, I’ll leave you and God together to deal with those questions in your life and for your worship of the God Who saved you - as He has me.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, as I pray so often, … shine the light of Your word on Your will that I may surrender and follow You as Your “doulos” (i.e., Greek for “slave”). Amen
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
January 24, 2012 … Big GOD or Little “gods” in our Lives
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Genesis, Chapters 35-37 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
Genesis 35: 1-7: … [Getting Rid of All the Little “gods”] … 1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5 Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. 6 Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.
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Genesis 35: 11-14: … [Remembering God’s Promises] [And after Jacob [Israel] and God’s people arrived in Bethel] 11 And God said to him [Israel], “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.” 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him.
14 Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.
My Journal for Today: Well, in being shepherded through Genesis, Chapters 35-37, today in my chronological read through the Bible, there is much about which I could reflect and journal. Certainly the chronicles of how the teenage Joseph, which we read about in Chapter 37, and how he was sold into slavery in Egypt by all his jealous brothers, would be solid meat for discussion today; but right at the outset of Chapter 35, the discussion of old Jacob, after he had been renamed “Israel” by God was emboldened to my attention for my comments this morning.
And if you’re reading with me here, you’ll note above in the text how Jacob (Israel) honored his LORD by establishing some boundaries and protocols on how God would be remembered and worshipped by his family and by God’s chosen peoples under his leadership. He set up a special altar in Bethel and made sure that the people were discarding any superficial or superstitious religious idols, jewelry, and/or trinkets, which was a common practice of the day, coming from a lot of the pagan superstitions and idol worshipping of the Bedouin cultures.
Today, a lot of young people wonder why it’s important for the worship of God to have church buildings and culturally-based religious ceremonies, contending that it’s not necessary to worship Christ (i.e., God) by coming to a designated “house of worship” and participating in corporate worship. BUT … today’s focus passage speaks to us and helps us answer that cultural trend today.
First … and foremost … our God is WORTHY of our WORSHIP! Jacob certainly recognized that; and God had reminded Jacob, being one of the sons of God’s covenant, that Jacob should lead His people by ridding them of all frivolous, small-g “gods,” which took the forms of superstitious jewelry and worthless personal idols. And so, Jacob (Israel) did exactly as God instructed him to do. He had the people shed all superfluous idols; and he set up a special altar – at God’s instruction – so that the people could remember Whom they were to worship and to be able to do so in a corporate – as well as an individual – manner.
Kids today do see through the superficiality of modern “religious practices.” And those criticisms and cultural revulsions about Christianity (or other religions) would be valid in my estimation. But when God’s people, … His New Covenant Church, … come together to remember what God has done for them in fulfilling the Old Covenant in the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus, they are coming together to signal their worship of THE GOD of the promises of the Old Testament [or Covenant] as well as to worship together THE GOD of the hope in Jesus Christ of the New Testament [or Covenant]. And such “religious” practices are much like those which were being established – under God’s command – by Jacob.
Certainly we need to rid ourselves of any use of idols in our lives and especially such religious practices as symbols or jewelry which we have in our lives to merely identify us as “christian” (with a small “c”). But if we wear a cross or put a “fish symbol” on our car to give witness to the God Who saves us; or we dress up and come to church on Sunday to remember and to genuinely desire to witness our faith practices in corporate worship of the living God, these practices are not only GOOD THINGs, they are a “Godly things!”
Yes, we do need to guard against religious practices which become legalistic and ritualistic, without having an “altar of purpose” which honors God and helps us to remember Who He truly is in our lives. Young people today would be right in criticizing and rejecting such practices. BUT IT IS NOT WRONG – in fact IT IS VERY RIGHT – for believers in the same God Jacob worshipped for us to have altars of worship in our lives which help us to worship the God of Jacob and the LORD of all with our lives. And we need to have these altars of worship in our lives 24/7 … as being the “living sacrifices” which Paul wrote about in Romans 12: 1.
So, I for one, being reminded and instructed by God’s word in today’s study, will continue to get dressed up on Sunday, to honor my LORD, and to come together with other like-minded CHRISTIAN worshippers on a traditional Sunday morning to sing praises to our Savior and to rekindle our remembrance of what He did for us in fulfilling the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob back in the days we’re reading about in God’s word today. And I pray that I’ll be able to eradicate any idols from my life which would detract from my lifestyle of living worship to my God.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, strip me of worthless idols and make me over into a living sacrifice of worship – everyday and in every way – for You. Amen
Genesis 35: 1-7: … [Getting Rid of All the Little “gods”] … 1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”
2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5 Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. 6 Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.
=======
Genesis 35: 11-14: … [Remembering God’s Promises] [And after Jacob [Israel] and God’s people arrived in Bethel] 11 And God said to him [Israel], “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.” 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him.
14 Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.
My Journal for Today: Well, in being shepherded through Genesis, Chapters 35-37, today in my chronological read through the Bible, there is much about which I could reflect and journal. Certainly the chronicles of how the teenage Joseph, which we read about in Chapter 37, and how he was sold into slavery in Egypt by all his jealous brothers, would be solid meat for discussion today; but right at the outset of Chapter 35, the discussion of old Jacob, after he had been renamed “Israel” by God was emboldened to my attention for my comments this morning.
And if you’re reading with me here, you’ll note above in the text how Jacob (Israel) honored his LORD by establishing some boundaries and protocols on how God would be remembered and worshipped by his family and by God’s chosen peoples under his leadership. He set up a special altar in Bethel and made sure that the people were discarding any superficial or superstitious religious idols, jewelry, and/or trinkets, which was a common practice of the day, coming from a lot of the pagan superstitions and idol worshipping of the Bedouin cultures.
Today, a lot of young people wonder why it’s important for the worship of God to have church buildings and culturally-based religious ceremonies, contending that it’s not necessary to worship Christ (i.e., God) by coming to a designated “house of worship” and participating in corporate worship. BUT … today’s focus passage speaks to us and helps us answer that cultural trend today.
First … and foremost … our God is WORTHY of our WORSHIP! Jacob certainly recognized that; and God had reminded Jacob, being one of the sons of God’s covenant, that Jacob should lead His people by ridding them of all frivolous, small-g “gods,” which took the forms of superstitious jewelry and worthless personal idols. And so, Jacob (Israel) did exactly as God instructed him to do. He had the people shed all superfluous idols; and he set up a special altar – at God’s instruction – so that the people could remember Whom they were to worship and to be able to do so in a corporate – as well as an individual – manner.
Kids today do see through the superficiality of modern “religious practices.” And those criticisms and cultural revulsions about Christianity (or other religions) would be valid in my estimation. But when God’s people, … His New Covenant Church, … come together to remember what God has done for them in fulfilling the Old Covenant in the life, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus, they are coming together to signal their worship of THE GOD of the promises of the Old Testament [or Covenant] as well as to worship together THE GOD of the hope in Jesus Christ of the New Testament [or Covenant]. And such “religious” practices are much like those which were being established – under God’s command – by Jacob.
Certainly we need to rid ourselves of any use of idols in our lives and especially such religious practices as symbols or jewelry which we have in our lives to merely identify us as “christian” (with a small “c”). But if we wear a cross or put a “fish symbol” on our car to give witness to the God Who saves us; or we dress up and come to church on Sunday to remember and to genuinely desire to witness our faith practices in corporate worship of the living God, these practices are not only GOOD THINGs, they are a “Godly things!”
Yes, we do need to guard against religious practices which become legalistic and ritualistic, without having an “altar of purpose” which honors God and helps us to remember Who He truly is in our lives. Young people today would be right in criticizing and rejecting such practices. BUT IT IS NOT WRONG – in fact IT IS VERY RIGHT – for believers in the same God Jacob worshipped for us to have altars of worship in our lives which help us to worship the God of Jacob and the LORD of all with our lives. And we need to have these altars of worship in our lives 24/7 … as being the “living sacrifices” which Paul wrote about in Romans 12: 1.
So, I for one, being reminded and instructed by God’s word in today’s study, will continue to get dressed up on Sunday, to honor my LORD, and to come together with other like-minded CHRISTIAN worshippers on a traditional Sunday morning to sing praises to our Savior and to rekindle our remembrance of what He did for us in fulfilling the promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob back in the days we’re reading about in God’s word today. And I pray that I’ll be able to eradicate any idols from my life which would detract from my lifestyle of living worship to my God.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, strip me of worthless idols and make me over into a living sacrifice of worship – everyday and in every way – for You. Amen
Monday, June 13, 2011
June 13, 2011 … Integrity Resists Intimidation
Passage of the Day: Daniel 3: 4 – 7 … 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." 7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
My Journal for Today: It is of interest and pertinence to note that our post-modern culture holds many similarities with those of Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar. People today, especially believing/witnessing Christians, are pressured by the powers that be, by the media, and by many in the world to set aside their faith or references to God, especially “Christ,” and to bow down to the idols of the age: intellectualism, humanism, materialism, sensualism, and political conformity to the liberalism of the so-called god of “tolerance.” And the penalty of non-conformity, as it was in Babylon, can be enormous.
John MacArthur in his Strength for Today devotional for this date clearly states, “The choices you make reveal the convictions you embrace.” Today is the anniversary of my marriage to my dear wife [over 45 of them]. For the first 12 years of our marriage, I made dangerous, selfish, and adulterous choices that could have destroyed our family in the caldron of my own sensuality and lust. However, God’s grace and the integrity of my wife’s forgiveness, strength, and patience allowed God to do a work in my heart where He transformed me to follow after the integrity of faith modeled by paragons of the faith like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (of whom we will soon read in subsequent devotionals this month).
Therefore, may I … no, may we all … follow the example of these three young men of faith and be willing to stand on faith with and against the fires of temptation burning in sight … and to believe and receive the promises of God expressed in His word. It takes courage and strong faith, i.e., Spirit-led integrity, to stand for Jesus in today’s post-modern world; and I pray that we all have the Christian integrity exhibited by the three Hebrew lads as we will read in our study in subsequent days.
My Prayer Today: Thank you, Lord, for restoring the life of our marriage; … help me to hold on to the integrity You have instilled in my soul to resist satanic and worldly values, i.e., the idols of our day. Amen
My Journal for Today: It is of interest and pertinence to note that our post-modern culture holds many similarities with those of Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar. People today, especially believing/witnessing Christians, are pressured by the powers that be, by the media, and by many in the world to set aside their faith or references to God, especially “Christ,” and to bow down to the idols of the age: intellectualism, humanism, materialism, sensualism, and political conformity to the liberalism of the so-called god of “tolerance.” And the penalty of non-conformity, as it was in Babylon, can be enormous.
John MacArthur in his Strength for Today devotional for this date clearly states, “The choices you make reveal the convictions you embrace.” Today is the anniversary of my marriage to my dear wife [over 45 of them]. For the first 12 years of our marriage, I made dangerous, selfish, and adulterous choices that could have destroyed our family in the caldron of my own sensuality and lust. However, God’s grace and the integrity of my wife’s forgiveness, strength, and patience allowed God to do a work in my heart where He transformed me to follow after the integrity of faith modeled by paragons of the faith like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (of whom we will soon read in subsequent devotionals this month).
Therefore, may I … no, may we all … follow the example of these three young men of faith and be willing to stand on faith with and against the fires of temptation burning in sight … and to believe and receive the promises of God expressed in His word. It takes courage and strong faith, i.e., Spirit-led integrity, to stand for Jesus in today’s post-modern world; and I pray that we all have the Christian integrity exhibited by the three Hebrew lads as we will read in our study in subsequent days.
My Prayer Today: Thank you, Lord, for restoring the life of our marriage; … help me to hold on to the integrity You have instilled in my soul to resist satanic and worldly values, i.e., the idols of our day. Amen
Friday, February 04, 2011
February 4, 2011 … God is One
Passage of the Day: Deut. 6: 4 – 5 … 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
My Journal for Today: God’s word declares it in today’s passage found in both the Old and New Testaments as well as in God’s Law (see Exodus: 20: 3) … that “…you shall have no other gods before Me (the one true God, Jehovah)!” The Old Testament is replete with God’s warnings to His people to this effect; and yet repeatedly they ignored their God, becoming recalcitrant, disobedient, and even outright defiant. And then came Jesus with the New Covenant, which likely confused most Jews, as this man who performed miracles claimed to be God in the flesh, yet telling the people they must worship the one and only true God in heaven (see Mark 12: 29-30 – NIV) …
SCRIPTURE: Mark 12: 29-30 - "The most important one [command]," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
And then when Jesus stated [e.g., in John 10:30], “I and the Father are One …;” many Jews, especially the Pharisees, felt that He had stepped over the line into blasphemy. They had been taught, by tradition from God’s Law, that there was only ONE God; and He was “Jehovah,” the un-namable, unspeakable Sprit-God. And when they could not grasp their Messiah in the humanity and person of Jesus, they could not abide His claims of deity.
But now that we, in this age of grace, have seen God’s plan unfold in the Person of Christ and we have God’s word canonized for our edification, we must see, as Paul taught in 1Cor. 8: 4 - 6 (below), that when we worship God, the Father, in the Personhood of His Son, Jesus Christ, we do, by God’s grace, imparted by God, the Holy Spirit, worship the One True God just as God commanded Israel in today’s verse.
SCRIPTURE: 1st Cor. 8: 4-6 - 4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
And in our worship, we cannot let any worldly, fleshly, or spiritual idols separate us from becoming a living sacrifice to our God, the One and only God. (see Romans 12: 1-2 - linked here for your study/meditation)
My Prayer Today: Lord God, may my life be a worship to You and You only! Amen
My Journal for Today: God’s word declares it in today’s passage found in both the Old and New Testaments as well as in God’s Law (see Exodus: 20: 3) … that “…you shall have no other gods before Me (the one true God, Jehovah)!” The Old Testament is replete with God’s warnings to His people to this effect; and yet repeatedly they ignored their God, becoming recalcitrant, disobedient, and even outright defiant. And then came Jesus with the New Covenant, which likely confused most Jews, as this man who performed miracles claimed to be God in the flesh, yet telling the people they must worship the one and only true God in heaven (see Mark 12: 29-30 – NIV) …
SCRIPTURE: Mark 12: 29-30 - "The most important one [command]," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
And then when Jesus stated [e.g., in John 10:30], “I and the Father are One …;” many Jews, especially the Pharisees, felt that He had stepped over the line into blasphemy. They had been taught, by tradition from God’s Law, that there was only ONE God; and He was “Jehovah,” the un-namable, unspeakable Sprit-God. And when they could not grasp their Messiah in the humanity and person of Jesus, they could not abide His claims of deity.
But now that we, in this age of grace, have seen God’s plan unfold in the Person of Christ and we have God’s word canonized for our edification, we must see, as Paul taught in 1Cor. 8: 4 - 6 (below), that when we worship God, the Father, in the Personhood of His Son, Jesus Christ, we do, by God’s grace, imparted by God, the Holy Spirit, worship the One True God just as God commanded Israel in today’s verse.
SCRIPTURE: 1st Cor. 8: 4-6 - 4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
And in our worship, we cannot let any worldly, fleshly, or spiritual idols separate us from becoming a living sacrifice to our God, the One and only God. (see Romans 12: 1-2 - linked here for your study/meditation)
My Prayer Today: Lord God, may my life be a worship to You and You only! Amen
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
February 2, 2011 … The Essence of Idolatry
Passage of the Day: Psalm 50: 21 – These things you have done [addressing evil done by those claiming to be believers] and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
My Journal for Today: In our western, post-modern world, laced with humanistic relativism, it’s so easy to let our idolatry shape our image of God. I believe A. W. Tozer was right when he declared, “… no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God.” And today’s psalm, penned by Asaph in David’s court, is God’s warning in musical lyrics that we must not humanize God with our idolatry. As John MacArthur writes in today’s entry from Strength for Today, “… the essence of idolatry is possessing thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” We cannot let such satanically or selfishly driven forces, like materialism or entertainment or the cultural epidemic of sexual sin shape our concepts of God. If we do, we have fallen prey to Satan’s ploy to have us worship him rather than the one-and-only true God. Or Satan would be just as happy if we chose to worship selfish pleasure; … anything to take our eyes off Jesus; and anything which does so is an idol.
Our western culture drives us to substitute a lifestyle of truly worshipping God by focusing our minds and our time on education, science, entertainment, or psychology, all of which can/will distort our image of God if we let them. I pray that, in my own life, nothing I think or do or pursue will ever take away from my earnest and sincere goal (see yesterday’s journal entry) to know God – the one true God – Who seeks the first fruit of my attention in my relationship with Him [see Matt. 6: 33]. May I – may we – never allow our hearts to fall into the trap of idolatry and to let our deceitful hearts (Jer. 17: 9) see God blurred by the image of some idol we pursue in our lives.
My Prayer Today: O, my Lord, help me to know YOU; and let nothing in my life detract from that pursuit in faith and love. Amen
My Journal for Today: In our western, post-modern world, laced with humanistic relativism, it’s so easy to let our idolatry shape our image of God. I believe A. W. Tozer was right when he declared, “… no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God.” And today’s psalm, penned by Asaph in David’s court, is God’s warning in musical lyrics that we must not humanize God with our idolatry. As John MacArthur writes in today’s entry from Strength for Today, “… the essence of idolatry is possessing thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” We cannot let such satanically or selfishly driven forces, like materialism or entertainment or the cultural epidemic of sexual sin shape our concepts of God. If we do, we have fallen prey to Satan’s ploy to have us worship him rather than the one-and-only true God. Or Satan would be just as happy if we chose to worship selfish pleasure; … anything to take our eyes off Jesus; and anything which does so is an idol.
Our western culture drives us to substitute a lifestyle of truly worshipping God by focusing our minds and our time on education, science, entertainment, or psychology, all of which can/will distort our image of God if we let them. I pray that, in my own life, nothing I think or do or pursue will ever take away from my earnest and sincere goal (see yesterday’s journal entry) to know God – the one true God – Who seeks the first fruit of my attention in my relationship with Him [see Matt. 6: 33]. May I – may we – never allow our hearts to fall into the trap of idolatry and to let our deceitful hearts (Jer. 17: 9) see God blurred by the image of some idol we pursue in our lives.
My Prayer Today: O, my Lord, help me to know YOU; and let nothing in my life detract from that pursuit in faith and love. Amen
Sunday, October 17, 2010
2010 – October 17 – The Influence of Secular Thinking
Study from God’s Word… [More readings on the history of the transition between Old and New Testament times] … Passage for Reflection: Colossians 2: 8 … NIV See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
My Journal for Today: Dr. Smith brings forth, in today’s devotional study/entry, those times between the Old/New Testaments, which gave rise to “I”-dolatry, an emphasis on intellectual and/or secular values which drew worship away from the one, true God and put it on the individual, personally, and the world, collectively.
When the ancient Jews, who had been the focus of the Old Covenant, were under the theocracy of God’s rule, even though there were times of rebellion and disobedience of God’s law, at times God sent His children prophets and leaders to draw them back to Himself; but those transition times, which brought the rule of the Greeks and Romans and their diversions of pagan idolatry, God was going to need the final, key element, of His redemptive plan, the introduction of His sacrificial Lamb into the world, to bring His family back to the reality of Whom they should worship, avoiding the deceptions of the world, which played into the basic sin nature of mankind.
But even the injection of THE SAVIOR into the world has not yet brought about the complete submission of mankind to God’s will and His ways. Two millennia after Jesus, the God-man, walked the earth, was crucified and raised again, mankind, probably as much or more now than ever, has turned to “I”-dolatry by allowing the ego of self to divert his attention away from the truth of God (in His word) or the reality of a Savior Who still lives in the presence of His Spirit and His Church to draw mankind to His kingdom and His eternal glory.
Smith’s compelling question from today’s reading is thus: ”Despite my deep faith, how much of my thinking is unwittingly both secular and idolatrous?” And when one, as I have mediated on this question this morning, really becomes vulnerable and honest to answer this question, we have to realize that Jeremiah nailed it in the book by his name when he stated the warning [in Jer. 17: 9], … “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
My heart, and yours too, is so very susceptible to the lures Satan will use by using our desire for self-control to draw our focus away from Savior control. Even those of us who’ve given our hearts to Jesus Christ are weak of heart and we can so easily allow our selves to get side-tracked from THE Way, God’s way, onto the road to self awareness, self gratification, and self actualization.
Think about it, … you know that having a deep, abiding, and disciplined DAILY devotional life is one of the keys to staying on God’s path [see Prov. 3: 5-6] and letting God’s word guide our life [see Psalm 119: 9-11]; … BUT … how often do we let self-directed distractions or diversions get in the way of a DAILY decision to spend time in prayer and productive time with God, studying, meditating, and reveling in God’s word. And what is it that diverts our attention? Well, my guess is that we could all nail the answer to that question without much trouble.
We too often let our Jer. 17: 9 hearts, deceive us into thinking we have a license, because of our tough, worldly schedule to take a vacation from the discipline of working time in our daily schedule with our Lord in God’s word? How often do we let the distractions of the world and the “tyranny of the urgent” draw our focus off of a morning “quiet time” and onto our “to do” list for the day? How many times to we let sensual or self-fulfilling temptations draw our hearts off of Savior and onto self?
Common now, … be honest! And if we are, most of us are letting Satan, the world, and our own hearts dictate our choices rather than doing what Jesus commanded His disciples to do in a passage I would hope all who read here have memorized. … Christ Own words ring our bell of conviction in Luke 9: 23, which says in the NKJV, which I have memorized, Then He said to them all (i.e., a large group of Jesus’ followers), if anyone would come after Me, let he deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Are we following Him DAILY when we choose to abort our morning devotional with job-directed thoughts which take us away from our morning quiet times? Are we taking up the crosses of our life daily, by thinking more about how we can get ahead rather than how we can stay on God’s path in life? Are we denying self by seeking out pornography, chat rooms, or Facebook on the internet rather delving deeply into God’s word and being in surrender to God’s truth?
Personally, … I know the results of both of those pursuits; and my friend, I choose to pursue my Savior and do all I can to stay away from my own “I”-dolatry as I trek through this life. How about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, keep shining Your light brightly on my path, Your path, in Your word; and I will follow! Amen
My Journal for Today: Dr. Smith brings forth, in today’s devotional study/entry, those times between the Old/New Testaments, which gave rise to “I”-dolatry, an emphasis on intellectual and/or secular values which drew worship away from the one, true God and put it on the individual, personally, and the world, collectively.
When the ancient Jews, who had been the focus of the Old Covenant, were under the theocracy of God’s rule, even though there were times of rebellion and disobedience of God’s law, at times God sent His children prophets and leaders to draw them back to Himself; but those transition times, which brought the rule of the Greeks and Romans and their diversions of pagan idolatry, God was going to need the final, key element, of His redemptive plan, the introduction of His sacrificial Lamb into the world, to bring His family back to the reality of Whom they should worship, avoiding the deceptions of the world, which played into the basic sin nature of mankind.
But even the injection of THE SAVIOR into the world has not yet brought about the complete submission of mankind to God’s will and His ways. Two millennia after Jesus, the God-man, walked the earth, was crucified and raised again, mankind, probably as much or more now than ever, has turned to “I”-dolatry by allowing the ego of self to divert his attention away from the truth of God (in His word) or the reality of a Savior Who still lives in the presence of His Spirit and His Church to draw mankind to His kingdom and His eternal glory.
Smith’s compelling question from today’s reading is thus: ”Despite my deep faith, how much of my thinking is unwittingly both secular and idolatrous?” And when one, as I have mediated on this question this morning, really becomes vulnerable and honest to answer this question, we have to realize that Jeremiah nailed it in the book by his name when he stated the warning [in Jer. 17: 9], … “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
My heart, and yours too, is so very susceptible to the lures Satan will use by using our desire for self-control to draw our focus away from Savior control. Even those of us who’ve given our hearts to Jesus Christ are weak of heart and we can so easily allow our selves to get side-tracked from THE Way, God’s way, onto the road to self awareness, self gratification, and self actualization.
Think about it, … you know that having a deep, abiding, and disciplined DAILY devotional life is one of the keys to staying on God’s path [see Prov. 3: 5-6] and letting God’s word guide our life [see Psalm 119: 9-11]; … BUT … how often do we let self-directed distractions or diversions get in the way of a DAILY decision to spend time in prayer and productive time with God, studying, meditating, and reveling in God’s word. And what is it that diverts our attention? Well, my guess is that we could all nail the answer to that question without much trouble.
We too often let our Jer. 17: 9 hearts, deceive us into thinking we have a license, because of our tough, worldly schedule to take a vacation from the discipline of working time in our daily schedule with our Lord in God’s word? How often do we let the distractions of the world and the “tyranny of the urgent” draw our focus off of a morning “quiet time” and onto our “to do” list for the day? How many times to we let sensual or self-fulfilling temptations draw our hearts off of Savior and onto self?
Common now, … be honest! And if we are, most of us are letting Satan, the world, and our own hearts dictate our choices rather than doing what Jesus commanded His disciples to do in a passage I would hope all who read here have memorized. … Christ Own words ring our bell of conviction in Luke 9: 23, which says in the NKJV, which I have memorized, Then He said to them all (i.e., a large group of Jesus’ followers), if anyone would come after Me, let he deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
Are we following Him DAILY when we choose to abort our morning devotional with job-directed thoughts which take us away from our morning quiet times? Are we taking up the crosses of our life daily, by thinking more about how we can get ahead rather than how we can stay on God’s path in life? Are we denying self by seeking out pornography, chat rooms, or Facebook on the internet rather delving deeply into God’s word and being in surrender to God’s truth?
Personally, … I know the results of both of those pursuits; and my friend, I choose to pursue my Savior and do all I can to stay away from my own “I”-dolatry as I trek through this life. How about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, keep shining Your light brightly on my path, Your path, in Your word; and I will follow! Amen
Friday, June 25, 2010
2010 – June 25 – When True Religion Becomes Idolatrous
Study from God’s Word… Micah, Chapters 1 – 2 … Passage for Reflection: Micah 1: 5 … NIV 5 All this is because of Jacob's transgression, because of the sins of the house of Israel. What is Jacob's transgression? Is it not Samaria? What is Judah's high place? Is it not Jerusalem?
My Journal for Today: Micah came to prophesy in the south to the divided Jewish kingdom of Judah as did Amos in the north to Israel; and they both prophesied of impending disaster but a hope for the future for any remnant of believers who had faith in a coming Messiah, which we, Christians, now know was Jesus, some 700 years later. And Micah railed against the sin and idolatry of God’s people, even in Jerusalem, the holy city of the day; but he also ultimately brought a message of the coming Messiah to be born in Bethlehem, as I said we can now see that our hope lies in the Babe Who was born in that little town on the hills outside of Jerusalem.
In those days Judah had elevated worship in the Temple to a high order; yet sin, especially greed and covetousness became prominent in Jerusalem. And Micah brought the word of destruction to God’s people; and after the prophesied raising of the Temple by the Babylonians and the time of enslavement to these northern peoples, we see that Temple worship was re-established at the time the Messiah was born into the into “worship” that has become idolatrous.
Have you ever noticed what happens on Sunday mornings when the Pastor or the Elders of the church decide to freshen the worship by changing the order of service? Almost predictably there will be scathing complaints that the church is not doing things the “right way.” And the “right way,” of course, is, according to the complainers, the “way we’ve always done it.” And maybe you’ve read about the so-called WORSHIP WARS, which are going on these days between those who think that more contemporary forms of worship are expressions of the devil. And how about those who wouldn’t be seen not wearing their cross around their neck; or how about the people who complain if a visitor in church on Sunday gets a bit too “charismatic” by raising their hands too exuberantly, maybe coming from a more expressive style or habit of worship? Or do you get uncomfortable when you come to church and someone is sitting in “your seat” near the back of the sanctuary?
My friends, when we focus on the form of worship more than the reason – i.e., the Person – we have come to worship, the style of worship has become idolatry; and when such attitudes of the heart are prevalent in God’s house, I can’t help but think our Lord grieves rather than rejoices as we have come on Sundays to give Him praise and to worship His Holy Name. I agree with Dr. Smith that we have to ask ourselves if we’re worshipping form and format more than our Savior and Lord. I do pray against any such attitude in myself as I pray you will do as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, convict and chastise me if I come to focus on styles and formats of worship more than on You and You alone. Amen
My Journal for Today: Micah came to prophesy in the south to the divided Jewish kingdom of Judah as did Amos in the north to Israel; and they both prophesied of impending disaster but a hope for the future for any remnant of believers who had faith in a coming Messiah, which we, Christians, now know was Jesus, some 700 years later. And Micah railed against the sin and idolatry of God’s people, even in Jerusalem, the holy city of the day; but he also ultimately brought a message of the coming Messiah to be born in Bethlehem, as I said we can now see that our hope lies in the Babe Who was born in that little town on the hills outside of Jerusalem.
In those days Judah had elevated worship in the Temple to a high order; yet sin, especially greed and covetousness became prominent in Jerusalem. And Micah brought the word of destruction to God’s people; and after the prophesied raising of the Temple by the Babylonians and the time of enslavement to these northern peoples, we see that Temple worship was re-established at the time the Messiah was born into the into “worship” that has become idolatrous.
Have you ever noticed what happens on Sunday mornings when the Pastor or the Elders of the church decide to freshen the worship by changing the order of service? Almost predictably there will be scathing complaints that the church is not doing things the “right way.” And the “right way,” of course, is, according to the complainers, the “way we’ve always done it.” And maybe you’ve read about the so-called WORSHIP WARS, which are going on these days between those who think that more contemporary forms of worship are expressions of the devil. And how about those who wouldn’t be seen not wearing their cross around their neck; or how about the people who complain if a visitor in church on Sunday gets a bit too “charismatic” by raising their hands too exuberantly, maybe coming from a more expressive style or habit of worship? Or do you get uncomfortable when you come to church and someone is sitting in “your seat” near the back of the sanctuary?
My friends, when we focus on the form of worship more than the reason – i.e., the Person – we have come to worship, the style of worship has become idolatry; and when such attitudes of the heart are prevalent in God’s house, I can’t help but think our Lord grieves rather than rejoices as we have come on Sundays to give Him praise and to worship His Holy Name. I agree with Dr. Smith that we have to ask ourselves if we’re worshipping form and format more than our Savior and Lord. I do pray against any such attitude in myself as I pray you will do as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, convict and chastise me if I come to focus on styles and formats of worship more than on You and You alone. Amen
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
2010 – Mar. 24 – False Comfort From Religious Trappings
Study from God’s Word…Judges 17 – 18 … Passage for Reflection: Judges 17: 13 … NIV 13 And Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest."
My Journal for Today: Wow! When I read the story of Micah, who sold out to idolatry in these times of no kings and self imposed religion, I couldn’t help but think of the rise of Oprahism in our times. As we read in these passages in Judges, Micah was a man who deluded himself into thinking that the God of Abraham would be pleased because he set up his own brand of religion. He then bought out a Levite, one from the clan of Priests; and because he could purchased this religious leader’s blessing, he conned himself into thinking that he was living in and being powerful in the favor and will of the one true, and only, God.
And isn’t that what is going on right now in our times with Oprah Winfrey, who has established her own form of religion, even invoking her own line of “priests,” who parade themselves onto her TV show, having been purchased by her influence to sell their books and peddle their brand of religiosity. Oprah is a modern day Micah; and like many people of Micah’s day, there will always be people who’ll buy into a religious line of thought as long as it has the trappings for religion and is endorsed by enough fools who seem to have the credentials to call themselves religious leaders.
I stand amazed at the number of so-called “christians” Oprah can get to come on her show and agree with her brand of new-age malarkey, … giving Oprahism the credibility of men or women who claim to be agents of God, … some promoting their books and others who are selling concepts like “angelology.” And Oprah comes off being able to claim that she promotes a form of religion which is all inclusive and non-offensive to anyone.
I pray that no one who is reading what I write here has bought into this modern-day priestess of evil; because Oprah Winfrey, like Micah of Ephraim, is deluded and dangerous, capturing a lot of influence and moving her followers toward a brand of idolatry which will lead to the absolute and eternal death of anyone and everyone who follows after Oprah’s new-age delusions. Beware, my beloved fellow readers, of those like Oprah who can sell their ideas as idols and get others to buy into their disastrous form of religion. Follow Oprah to your peril, dear one.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, open our eyes to Your truth and keep us focused on You in the face of many false religions in our world. Amen
My Journal for Today: Wow! When I read the story of Micah, who sold out to idolatry in these times of no kings and self imposed religion, I couldn’t help but think of the rise of Oprahism in our times. As we read in these passages in Judges, Micah was a man who deluded himself into thinking that the God of Abraham would be pleased because he set up his own brand of religion. He then bought out a Levite, one from the clan of Priests; and because he could purchased this religious leader’s blessing, he conned himself into thinking that he was living in and being powerful in the favor and will of the one true, and only, God.
And isn’t that what is going on right now in our times with Oprah Winfrey, who has established her own form of religion, even invoking her own line of “priests,” who parade themselves onto her TV show, having been purchased by her influence to sell their books and peddle their brand of religiosity. Oprah is a modern day Micah; and like many people of Micah’s day, there will always be people who’ll buy into a religious line of thought as long as it has the trappings for religion and is endorsed by enough fools who seem to have the credentials to call themselves religious leaders.
I stand amazed at the number of so-called “christians” Oprah can get to come on her show and agree with her brand of new-age malarkey, … giving Oprahism the credibility of men or women who claim to be agents of God, … some promoting their books and others who are selling concepts like “angelology.” And Oprah comes off being able to claim that she promotes a form of religion which is all inclusive and non-offensive to anyone.
I pray that no one who is reading what I write here has bought into this modern-day priestess of evil; because Oprah Winfrey, like Micah of Ephraim, is deluded and dangerous, capturing a lot of influence and moving her followers toward a brand of idolatry which will lead to the absolute and eternal death of anyone and everyone who follows after Oprah’s new-age delusions. Beware, my beloved fellow readers, of those like Oprah who can sell their ideas as idols and get others to buy into their disastrous form of religion. Follow Oprah to your peril, dear one.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, open our eyes to Your truth and keep us focused on You in the face of many false religions in our world. Amen
Friday, February 06, 2009
2009 - Day 36 - Loyalty
February 6, 2009 … Swindoll’s Topic for Today: Loyalty
Passage of the Day: Genesis 46: 31 – 34 … 31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
My Journal for Today: The more I study Joseph, the more I’m amazed that at his young age (of just over 30), his Godly character shines through so consistently in his interaction with Pharaoh, his brothers, and the people of Egypt. And in today’s highlight passage we see that clearly in Joseph’s sensitivity to the Egyptian culture and for his “boss,” the Pharaoh.
Swindoll makes a good point in today’s devotional entry from his book, pointing to a criticism about Christians in the work place. Sometimes, he declares, Christians who are the same faith as the boss on the job expect favoritism because they share the same faith as the work leader. It’s a spirit of entitlement. We certainly don’t see Joseph have such a spirit, even though he had a close and trusting relationship with Pharaoh.
Swindoll points out that Egyptians, and most certainly the ruling elite, looked down upon “shepherds.” And so, we read today that Joseph, being quite sensitive to this cultural viewpoint, instructed his family to tell Pharaoh and his court that his family were “livestock handlers,” not “shepherds.” Small difference; but I expect it would have immense impact; and I can imagine that when he set his family up in the lands as instructed and provided by the king, these Hebrews from Israel were dressed as those who “feed livestock,” not as “shepherds” in Egypt.
When I read this I think of how Daniel was sensitive to those in leadership in Babylon culture when he had such a close relationship with the Babylonian kings he served. I think of the Apostle Paul’s sensitivity to the pagan Greek cultures where he preached and witnessed, for example the eating habits of the Corinthian gentiles (see 1st Cor. 8 or 9). Both Paul and Daniel did not advocate living idolatrous lives; but they, like Joseph, were sensitive to, and morphed into, the culture of the people to whom they witnessed and served, so as not to be a stumbling block to their witness.
We Christians must maintain our integrity in Christ; but there is no reason to flaunt our Bible-centered beliefs to others, setting ourselves so far apart from the culture that we will appear to be disloyal or so that we are shunned by our world. It’s a strategic fine line at times; and Joseph demonstrated love and loyalty to his Pharaoh by simply instructing his brothers on the use of “buzz words” in that culture.
So, on the job, if our boss is a Christian we must be careful not to have expectations of favoritism where we can get away with lesser rigor in the workplace because we are in the same spiritual family as the boss. Or if our boss is a non-believer, we still must honor his or her position of leadership, treating that person with respect for their position as the leader. Christ was careful to treat the Pharisees with respect for their “position” in leadership. It was only when their behavior was an affront to God, the Father. Only then did he become confrontational with those hypocrites. And Joseph was careful not to be an affront to Pharaoh simply by using words like “shepherd,” which had nothing to do with their Hebrew beliefs in God.
So, I pray today that I can develop that kind of strategic, yet sensitive, witness in a world where my leaders, for example like my President, are trying to change the world in such an ungodly ways. It’s going to be a tough witness to be loyal to my national leader, yet stand for my God.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, help me to be loyal to You above all; but to honor my leaders in ways which make me Your effective witness in the world. Amen
Passage of the Day: Genesis 46: 31 – 34 … 31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
My Journal for Today: The more I study Joseph, the more I’m amazed that at his young age (of just over 30), his Godly character shines through so consistently in his interaction with Pharaoh, his brothers, and the people of Egypt. And in today’s highlight passage we see that clearly in Joseph’s sensitivity to the Egyptian culture and for his “boss,” the Pharaoh.
Swindoll makes a good point in today’s devotional entry from his book, pointing to a criticism about Christians in the work place. Sometimes, he declares, Christians who are the same faith as the boss on the job expect favoritism because they share the same faith as the work leader. It’s a spirit of entitlement. We certainly don’t see Joseph have such a spirit, even though he had a close and trusting relationship with Pharaoh.
Swindoll points out that Egyptians, and most certainly the ruling elite, looked down upon “shepherds.” And so, we read today that Joseph, being quite sensitive to this cultural viewpoint, instructed his family to tell Pharaoh and his court that his family were “livestock handlers,” not “shepherds.” Small difference; but I expect it would have immense impact; and I can imagine that when he set his family up in the lands as instructed and provided by the king, these Hebrews from Israel were dressed as those who “feed livestock,” not as “shepherds” in Egypt.
When I read this I think of how Daniel was sensitive to those in leadership in Babylon culture when he had such a close relationship with the Babylonian kings he served. I think of the Apostle Paul’s sensitivity to the pagan Greek cultures where he preached and witnessed, for example the eating habits of the Corinthian gentiles (see 1st Cor. 8 or 9). Both Paul and Daniel did not advocate living idolatrous lives; but they, like Joseph, were sensitive to, and morphed into, the culture of the people to whom they witnessed and served, so as not to be a stumbling block to their witness.
We Christians must maintain our integrity in Christ; but there is no reason to flaunt our Bible-centered beliefs to others, setting ourselves so far apart from the culture that we will appear to be disloyal or so that we are shunned by our world. It’s a strategic fine line at times; and Joseph demonstrated love and loyalty to his Pharaoh by simply instructing his brothers on the use of “buzz words” in that culture.
So, on the job, if our boss is a Christian we must be careful not to have expectations of favoritism where we can get away with lesser rigor in the workplace because we are in the same spiritual family as the boss. Or if our boss is a non-believer, we still must honor his or her position of leadership, treating that person with respect for their position as the leader. Christ was careful to treat the Pharisees with respect for their “position” in leadership. It was only when their behavior was an affront to God, the Father. Only then did he become confrontational with those hypocrites. And Joseph was careful not to be an affront to Pharaoh simply by using words like “shepherd,” which had nothing to do with their Hebrew beliefs in God.
So, I pray today that I can develop that kind of strategic, yet sensitive, witness in a world where my leaders, for example like my President, are trying to change the world in such an ungodly ways. It’s going to be a tough witness to be loyal to my national leader, yet stand for my God.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, help me to be loyal to You above all; but to honor my leaders in ways which make me Your effective witness in the world. Amen
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