Psa 119:4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
We are COMMANDED to keep God's precepts.
Psa 119:5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
Psa 119:6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
We will NOT be ashamed when we have RESPECT unto ALL God's COMMANDMENTS.
Psa 119:7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
There is RIGHTEOUSNESS in God's judgments.
Psa 119:8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
We MUST keep God's statutes.
Psa 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
How do we cleanse our ways? Yes, this verse says 'young man' but in truth don’t we ALL need to cleanse our ways?
We cleanse our ways by TAKING HEED to God's word.
Psa 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
Seeking God with our whole heart, not half heartedly, but with our whole heart. By NOT wandering from God's commandments!
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Hiding God's word in our HEARTS keeps us from SINNING against God.
Psa 119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
*******
So many people want to be God's but they do not want to listen to God at all. They want to make up a fantasy God, someone they can worship on their own terms, not God's terms. It's true, all too true and people give that fantasy God of theirs just enough of the real God's attributes that they convince themselves He's the real thing. In truth Satan loves when we worship gods of our own creation. He loves when we piece our own God together using bits and pieces of what we deem acceptable. As long as we don't take it too far everything is okay we assume, when that is far from the truth. Yes, the God of our own making might not want us to steal, but he's okay with a little harmless taking where we are quick to assume that the other person won't mind at all- besides everyone does it don't they? And our god might not mind if we covet a little bit because hey, everyone does that too it's in our natures and why should we repent of our nature it's not our fault we were born this way, right? And think about it, a touch of lying isn't so wrong, right? Harmless stuff that hurts no one that is perfectly fine, in fact it might be quite helpful for us and for others to sometimes lie to them, for them, about them. We tell ourselves God understands, and we have to believe it don’t we or how else could we live with our corrupt lives? When we hold our lives up to the light of God's righteousness, when we allow ourselves to believe in God, the REAL God, we truly see how unrighteous we are and how much we need to repent. We see the filth of our sins in the light and purity of God's righteousness and we can't help but be appalled with ourselves. We'd much rather make up a god who accepts our sinning than believe in a God who calls us to account for our sins as plentiful as they are, as horrific as they are. When we understand our sinning we are called to - GO and SIN NO MORE. And the problem with that is we want to sin more so we try to hide from God's commandments, we try to lessen those commandments, to bend them, to mold them, to shape them into something we like and when we do that we are sinning grievously.
We have to HIDE God's words in our HEARTS, not change God's words!
We have to believe that by keeping God's words in our hearts that we are protected by God, because we ARE!
When we sin we need to repent.
When we sin we need to feel the remorse for that sin, not an acceptance.
When we sin we need to understand the gravity of the sin NOT ignore it, NOT accept it, NOT try to make it something it isn't.
Sin is the transgression of the law. GOD'S LAW!
Sin is worthy of death.
We are worthy of death.
Jesus Christ our Savior did NOT transgress God's law! This is where Jesus is WORTHY of life everlasting.
To say Jesus was sinless is to say that Jesus kept God's law perfectly.
Why do people forget that? Why do they ignore that part? Why? Because they do NOT want to believe there even is a law to keep. They'd rather believe there no longer exists a law as if Jesus did away with it by keeping it perfectly. As if that law were the sword in the stone and He alone could pull it out leaving a sword there no longer. God's law remains and will remain until heaven and earth are GONE! If God's law remains then we live in the light of that law and that light reveals our sinfulness.
Before ANYONE begins to believe I think that our keeping the law perfectly will save us, I don't. I believe only our Savior was capable of keeping the law perfectly. We however through Him, by His grace, by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS can keep the law. By clinging to HIM and allowing the Holy Spirit to live within us, we can live as He lived. Only HE saves us! We have to stand in the light of the law and do so without any excuses for our failings. We need to let our filthiness be revealed so that we can REPENT, so that we can ask for forgiveness, so that we can cling to Christ our Savior! If we for even a moment believe we are clean of sin by some act of our own we are heaping filth upon ourselves. Only Christ can clean us, but we must stand in all our filthiness before God and NOT hide as sin often makes us want to do.
Remember Adam and Eve after sinning, their first act was to hide from God. We cannot HIDE from God! We cannot put up a false God in place of God because when we do that we are lost, completely lost.
Let's NOT create a false god whose commandments are changeable as the wind blowing every which way. Let's NOT hide from the truth. Let's NOT throw away God's Commandments.
Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Let us HIDE God's word in our hearts so that we might NOT sin against Him!
All through His grace, all through His righteousness, all through His amazing LOVE!
Amen.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Honor thy father and mother...
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Honor thy father and thy mother. Let's read some more verses on mothers and fathers--
Exo 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
To death!
Exo 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
To death!
Amazing, truly amazing. Talk about having RESPECT for your parents. Why do you think this is so important? We live in a day when respecting- when honoring your parents seems to be optional, not truly required. Millions, yes, I said millions because it's true- millions of children disobey their parents, they don't honor their parents, not really. Talking back to them, lying to them, outright disobeying them, cursing at them, mouthing off in so many ways, this it the norm, not the exception. Even little children are commonly seen and known to be disrespectful of their parents- I'm talking 2-3 year olds that are allowed to get away with beginning their rebellious ways that develop into 4-5 year olds that only continue to behave horribly and so on. You know what I'm talking about. We even see if portrayed in comedies on televison and in the movies where they highlight children with defiant attitudes, mouthy children who act as if they are the parent not the child at all and those movies applaud those children, they are the stars of the shows. All this glorifies disobeying God's command!
Why is this so important, because God is our HEAVENLY FATHER! He is our FATHER! If we have no respect, no honor for our earthly parents is it possible at all to truly have honor and respect for our Heavenly Father? It's not. Our God may allow us to go through severe trials and tribulations and we are to do so without dishonoring Him. I'm talking SEVERE trials, horrific trials and so those people who have horrific parents are STILL required to honor them and respect them- this is a trial they are called to bear. Is it easy? Do I say this lightly? NO! And NO! Children who are called to endure parents completely undeserving of respect and honor face an amazing trial of their faith.
Let's read more verses on mothers and fathers--
Lev 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Pro 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother
Pro 23:22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Pro 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Pro 23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
Pro 23:25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Pro 28:24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
*******
Now let me ask a question we've been asking of every commandment we've studied so far- should there ever be a time when this commandment should no longer matter? Should this commandment ever be done away with? NO, and NO!
Why would there ever come a time when it would be okay to dishonor your parents? At what point in history would this be applicable? Did Christ's coming and fulfilling the law do away with this? Never! We've already studied and know that Christ did not do away with any of the ten commandments of God, not a single one. Our Savior was able to keep - to fulfill- all the laws perfectly revealing that they are all just and good, that they are all written and given through LOVE.
By the grace of God may we - through the LOVE of God keep all the commandments fully in Him. May we HONOR, truly HONOR our Father and Mother as God would have us honor them. May we fully honor God our Heavenly Father in all ways. Please Lord, bless us! Help us! Keep us! Forgive us! Love us!
Amen.
Honor thy father and thy mother. Let's read some more verses on mothers and fathers--
Exo 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
To death!
Exo 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
To death!
Amazing, truly amazing. Talk about having RESPECT for your parents. Why do you think this is so important? We live in a day when respecting- when honoring your parents seems to be optional, not truly required. Millions, yes, I said millions because it's true- millions of children disobey their parents, they don't honor their parents, not really. Talking back to them, lying to them, outright disobeying them, cursing at them, mouthing off in so many ways, this it the norm, not the exception. Even little children are commonly seen and known to be disrespectful of their parents- I'm talking 2-3 year olds that are allowed to get away with beginning their rebellious ways that develop into 4-5 year olds that only continue to behave horribly and so on. You know what I'm talking about. We even see if portrayed in comedies on televison and in the movies where they highlight children with defiant attitudes, mouthy children who act as if they are the parent not the child at all and those movies applaud those children, they are the stars of the shows. All this glorifies disobeying God's command!
Why is this so important, because God is our HEAVENLY FATHER! He is our FATHER! If we have no respect, no honor for our earthly parents is it possible at all to truly have honor and respect for our Heavenly Father? It's not. Our God may allow us to go through severe trials and tribulations and we are to do so without dishonoring Him. I'm talking SEVERE trials, horrific trials and so those people who have horrific parents are STILL required to honor them and respect them- this is a trial they are called to bear. Is it easy? Do I say this lightly? NO! And NO! Children who are called to endure parents completely undeserving of respect and honor face an amazing trial of their faith.
Let's read more verses on mothers and fathers--
Lev 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Pro 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother
Pro 23:22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Pro 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Pro 23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
Pro 23:25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Pro 28:24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
*******
Now let me ask a question we've been asking of every commandment we've studied so far- should there ever be a time when this commandment should no longer matter? Should this commandment ever be done away with? NO, and NO!
Why would there ever come a time when it would be okay to dishonor your parents? At what point in history would this be applicable? Did Christ's coming and fulfilling the law do away with this? Never! We've already studied and know that Christ did not do away with any of the ten commandments of God, not a single one. Our Savior was able to keep - to fulfill- all the laws perfectly revealing that they are all just and good, that they are all written and given through LOVE.
By the grace of God may we - through the LOVE of God keep all the commandments fully in Him. May we HONOR, truly HONOR our Father and Mother as God would have us honor them. May we fully honor God our Heavenly Father in all ways. Please Lord, bless us! Help us! Keep us! Forgive us! Love us!
Amen.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Without Love No Law of God Can Be Kept
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Do you feel more freedom when you have laws or less freedom?
Children often cannot wait to escape the laws their parents have set for them because in their youth they believe the laws are in place to restrict their freedom. People living under unfair laws feel the same way. But people living under laws designed for their protection feel incredibly more free than if those laws never existed. How free would you feel if you lived where it was the law that you could kill anyone you wanted to kill? How free would you feel if you lived where it was perfectly fine, in fact, the law to take things that didn't belong to you? Would you feel a sense of freedom in your marriage if it were the law to have martial relations with anyone you desired and not just your spouse? Living in the supposed land of the free we have many, many laws we follow- we agree to follow those laws by living here. If all those laws were gone what takes their place? We've heard of living in the lawless west- in a time before the western part of the United States was civilized. The lawless west where you could go and take your chances on finding cheap land and build a homestead, but in truth you knew that once you set out for that land you were facing a lot of danger and fear. Living where there are no laws is scary, very scary. Living in parts of the world where the laws differ from your own laws can be scary too. Living in a place where you are NOT guaranteed a speedy trial can have you in perfect innocence sitting behind bars for years and years before you can even present your case for innocence. Living in a place with unfamiliar laws you run the risk of breaking those laws until you learn what they are. It's a wise decision when visiting any other country to learn their laws- at least in a general manner, because you could find yourself in jail for something that is perfectly fine to do in your own country. Laws are designed for many reasons, but if we really stop and think about it, a lot of our laws are designed to protect our freedom, not hinder it and keep us from things we've agreed are acceptable.
A law of liberty.
A law of freedom.
This law is NOT a law that takes away all other laws so you are free to break those old laws at will.
Jesus kept ALL the laws.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
The great commandment- Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul and with ALL thy mind.
The second greatest commandment- Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself.
Did Jesus tell the man that asked which is the great commandment that there was a NEW commandment and all the old commandments are gone? No.
People will argue that Jesus said we have to follow HIS commandments as He followed His Father's- meaning we don't have to follow the Father's commandments. Yet how do those people account for this--
Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
And this--
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Till heaven and earth pass- perish, go away- till heaven and earth disappear not one dot of an I or cross of a t will be taken away from the law.
Has heaven and earth perished? No. Obviously, no.
Jesus fulfilled the law- Jesus kept the law perfectly!
Just because one person fulfills the requirements of something doesn't make those requirements disappear for everyone else! Everyone has to fulfill the SAME requirements. Think of all the tests and such that people have to take and how everyone who passes the test must meet the requirements of passing. Just because the smart person in the class passed the test doesn't mean he passed it for everyone. Just because my great great grandmother passed a test years and years ago doesn't mean she passed it for me and everyone else. Every person who takes the bar exam has to pass it for himself, not for anyone else.
Jesus passed the test- Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law perfectly and that is something WE cannot do. Jesus didn't pass the test then throw the test out- He passed the test and then told us that THROUGH Him we can pass the test too. It is through Him we are able to fulfill the same law, the same commandments that He fulfilled- His Father's commandments. How we do this is by LOVING. Jesus wanted us to realize that the commandments He fulfilled were fulfilled by LOVE and the commandment He gives to us is to LOVE, and out of that love we will be able to fulfill all the law.
Love God.
Love our fellow man as if we were loving ourselves- how we want to be loved.
Jesus said PLAINLY He did NOT come to destroy the law. He had to say it plainly because so many believe that's exactly what He did. He wiped the Ten Commandments off the face of the earth and replaced them with the love commandments.
Don't you see, sin is the breaking of the law.
Jesus didn't sin.
Jesus didn't break the law.
Jesus was able to live His entire life fulfilling the law, meeting the requirements of the law, something we have never been able to do and never can do without Him, it is through Him we are able to keep the law- through HIS righteousness.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
The perfect law of liberty is loving as Jesus loved, showing mercy to all. If we show no mercy we receive no mercy. Remember the Lord teaching the apostles how to pray… in that prayer guideline we find this--
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And this…
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
This was sorely lacking in the keepers of the law before our Savior came, in some cases completely lacking. They'd kept the law but destroyed the love that belonged in that law. All too often people will be steadfast in their beliefs, so steadfast that they forget that without love all their beliefs mean NOTHING. They can keep all ten great commandments perfectly and without love they've broken every single one. The law was a law of liberty- a law that brings us freedom in life- all through LOVE. God gave the ten commandments originally out of love and that's NEVER changed! God did NOT free the Hebrews from the Egyptians only to want to put them back into a form of bondage to Him! God wanted to give them a freedom they'd never known before. And man so degraded by sin turned God's perfect law into something loveless. By the time Jesus came the Hebrews were so entrenched in their loveless law keeping they felt threatened by the true revelation of the law being fulfilled in Jesus Christ through love.
Jesus didn't come to destroy the law but He came to keep the law in perfect love and this perfect law of love brings a liberty unlike anything offered elsewhere.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
We look into the perfect law of liberty and know it's a perfect law of love. Jesus' command that we love revealed His love in the law.
We are free in the law knowing how love penetrates each and every word of the law from the first to the last. If we tell people they are still accountable to keep the laws of God and forget to tell them of the love found in those laws we are missing the most important aspect of those laws. People do not want to be bound to loveless laws, they need to see the richness of the love deeply embedded in God's commandments to us. They want to understand that it is out of a pure love unlike anything we possess that we should keep God's laws. There are scores and scores of people who keep laws to the letter and yet have broken them all by stripping the love from those laws. Jesus commands we love for without love no law can be kept, not a single one!
By His grace, through HIS amazing LOVE may we love His law!
All through Him!
Amen.
Do you feel more freedom when you have laws or less freedom?
Children often cannot wait to escape the laws their parents have set for them because in their youth they believe the laws are in place to restrict their freedom. People living under unfair laws feel the same way. But people living under laws designed for their protection feel incredibly more free than if those laws never existed. How free would you feel if you lived where it was the law that you could kill anyone you wanted to kill? How free would you feel if you lived where it was perfectly fine, in fact, the law to take things that didn't belong to you? Would you feel a sense of freedom in your marriage if it were the law to have martial relations with anyone you desired and not just your spouse? Living in the supposed land of the free we have many, many laws we follow- we agree to follow those laws by living here. If all those laws were gone what takes their place? We've heard of living in the lawless west- in a time before the western part of the United States was civilized. The lawless west where you could go and take your chances on finding cheap land and build a homestead, but in truth you knew that once you set out for that land you were facing a lot of danger and fear. Living where there are no laws is scary, very scary. Living in parts of the world where the laws differ from your own laws can be scary too. Living in a place where you are NOT guaranteed a speedy trial can have you in perfect innocence sitting behind bars for years and years before you can even present your case for innocence. Living in a place with unfamiliar laws you run the risk of breaking those laws until you learn what they are. It's a wise decision when visiting any other country to learn their laws- at least in a general manner, because you could find yourself in jail for something that is perfectly fine to do in your own country. Laws are designed for many reasons, but if we really stop and think about it, a lot of our laws are designed to protect our freedom, not hinder it and keep us from things we've agreed are acceptable.
A law of liberty.
A law of freedom.
This law is NOT a law that takes away all other laws so you are free to break those old laws at will.
Jesus kept ALL the laws.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
The great commandment- Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul and with ALL thy mind.
The second greatest commandment- Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself.
Did Jesus tell the man that asked which is the great commandment that there was a NEW commandment and all the old commandments are gone? No.
People will argue that Jesus said we have to follow HIS commandments as He followed His Father's- meaning we don't have to follow the Father's commandments. Yet how do those people account for this--
Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
And this--
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Till heaven and earth pass- perish, go away- till heaven and earth disappear not one dot of an I or cross of a t will be taken away from the law.
Has heaven and earth perished? No. Obviously, no.
Jesus fulfilled the law- Jesus kept the law perfectly!
Just because one person fulfills the requirements of something doesn't make those requirements disappear for everyone else! Everyone has to fulfill the SAME requirements. Think of all the tests and such that people have to take and how everyone who passes the test must meet the requirements of passing. Just because the smart person in the class passed the test doesn't mean he passed it for everyone. Just because my great great grandmother passed a test years and years ago doesn't mean she passed it for me and everyone else. Every person who takes the bar exam has to pass it for himself, not for anyone else.
Jesus passed the test- Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law perfectly and that is something WE cannot do. Jesus didn't pass the test then throw the test out- He passed the test and then told us that THROUGH Him we can pass the test too. It is through Him we are able to fulfill the same law, the same commandments that He fulfilled- His Father's commandments. How we do this is by LOVING. Jesus wanted us to realize that the commandments He fulfilled were fulfilled by LOVE and the commandment He gives to us is to LOVE, and out of that love we will be able to fulfill all the law.
Love God.
Love our fellow man as if we were loving ourselves- how we want to be loved.
Jesus said PLAINLY He did NOT come to destroy the law. He had to say it plainly because so many believe that's exactly what He did. He wiped the Ten Commandments off the face of the earth and replaced them with the love commandments.
Don't you see, sin is the breaking of the law.
Jesus didn't sin.
Jesus didn't break the law.
Jesus was able to live His entire life fulfilling the law, meeting the requirements of the law, something we have never been able to do and never can do without Him, it is through Him we are able to keep the law- through HIS righteousness.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Jas 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Jas 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
The perfect law of liberty is loving as Jesus loved, showing mercy to all. If we show no mercy we receive no mercy. Remember the Lord teaching the apostles how to pray… in that prayer guideline we find this--
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And this…
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
This was sorely lacking in the keepers of the law before our Savior came, in some cases completely lacking. They'd kept the law but destroyed the love that belonged in that law. All too often people will be steadfast in their beliefs, so steadfast that they forget that without love all their beliefs mean NOTHING. They can keep all ten great commandments perfectly and without love they've broken every single one. The law was a law of liberty- a law that brings us freedom in life- all through LOVE. God gave the ten commandments originally out of love and that's NEVER changed! God did NOT free the Hebrews from the Egyptians only to want to put them back into a form of bondage to Him! God wanted to give them a freedom they'd never known before. And man so degraded by sin turned God's perfect law into something loveless. By the time Jesus came the Hebrews were so entrenched in their loveless law keeping they felt threatened by the true revelation of the law being fulfilled in Jesus Christ through love.
Jesus didn't come to destroy the law but He came to keep the law in perfect love and this perfect law of love brings a liberty unlike anything offered elsewhere.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
We look into the perfect law of liberty and know it's a perfect law of love. Jesus' command that we love revealed His love in the law.
We are free in the law knowing how love penetrates each and every word of the law from the first to the last. If we tell people they are still accountable to keep the laws of God and forget to tell them of the love found in those laws we are missing the most important aspect of those laws. People do not want to be bound to loveless laws, they need to see the richness of the love deeply embedded in God's commandments to us. They want to understand that it is out of a pure love unlike anything we possess that we should keep God's laws. There are scores and scores of people who keep laws to the letter and yet have broken them all by stripping the love from those laws. Jesus commands we love for without love no law can be kept, not a single one!
By His grace, through HIS amazing LOVE may we love His law!
All through Him!
Amen.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Perfect Law of Love
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The fourth commandment of God.
Did Jesus keep the Sabbath all 33 years He lived on earth?
Yes.
Did Jesus tell anyone that the Sabbath day would be changed from the seventh to the first day of the week?
No.
Did Jesus tell anyone to celebrate His resurrection by changing the Sabbath day from the seventh day to the first day of the week?
No.
Did Jesus institute any celebrations?
Yes.
Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
DO THIS- in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
THIS DO- in remembrance of me.
As OFTEN as ye eat this…and drink this… ye show the Lord's death till He come.
This decree by our Savior had NOTHING to do with keeping the Sabbath.
As often as we take bread, give thanks, brake the bread we are to remember our Savior's body given for us.
As often as we take the cup, we are to remember our Savior's blood which was shed for us.
Feasibly this could be much more often than once a week, once a quarter, once year. Who put the restriction on how often we are to remember our Savior living and dying for us? Who? Certainly not God. The apostles broke bread wherever they went and did NOT restrict themselves to any ONE day. Some believe this is so because the first day is mentioned on once occasion, but we know for a fact they broke bread often.
Let's read this passage-
Act 20:7 And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Act 20:8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Act 20:9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
Act 20:10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
Act 20:11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Act 20:12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
On the first day of the week the disciples gathered and broke bread with Paul who was going to leave the next day. Now Paul gave a speech with last until midnight. A young man fell from a window and Paul embraced him, and he lived. Then Paul did what… he BROKE bread again! So tell me if they broke bread TWICE in one or two days… is this placing a restriction upon the breaking of bread? NO. The whole idea behind getting together with others and breaking bread and doing so in what we call a communion, or partaking of the Lord's Supper was to do so in REMEMBRANCE of our SAVIOR'S LIFE and DEATH. Now ask yourself a very serious question- how often do you thing Jesus wanted us to remember His life and death? Once a week? Once a month? Once a quarter? Once a year? Seriously! Ask yourself that question right now! How often do you think Jesus wanted to be remembered? I'll tell you the answer…
EVERY DAY!
Jesus did NOT institute a practice with restrictions on how often we would celebrate living for Him, remembering all He'd done for us! This institution in NO WAY did away with the Sabbath day, not in any way, shape, or form! If anything the fact is pointed out that Paul did not begin his journey on the Sabbath day- but began it on the first day of the week. From sundown to sundown the days were counted back then. So that Saturday evening began the first day of the week and it continued until sundown the next day and by that time Paul was gone having left at the break of day- when the sun rose. Paul began his journey NOT on the Sabbath day but on the first day of the week. The Sabbath wasn't for long journeying- and Paul would not begin such a journey on the day He considered the Sabbath.
Try as people might they cannot find anywhere in the Bible stating that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh day to the first day- people have offered thousands of dollars for someone to prove the change and they can't because it's not there.
So if God did not institute a change in His law, who did? Who would think to change God's times and laws?
Dan 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
Dan 7:20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
Dan 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Dan 7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
Dan 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Dan 7:25 AND HE SHALL SPEAK GREAT WORDS AGAINST THE MOST HIGH AND SHALL WEAR OUT THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH AND THINK TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Dan 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
We've studied this in our prophecy studies in the recent past and know that this power would be the Papacy power (If you want more information on that please don't hesitate to read past blogs on prophecy it's truly enlightening!).
Read a few of these excerpts from various websites-
"The Pope has the power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ." "The Pope has the authority and often exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ." -Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcop. Cap. (The Pope can modify divine law.) Ferraris' Ecclesiastical Dictionary.
"You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctified." James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers (1917 ed.), pp.72,73
"If protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day, that is Saturday. In keeping Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church." Albert Smith, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the cardinal in a letter of Feb. 10, 1920.
"Have you not any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?"
"Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her, she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the Seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority" Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism 3rd ed. p. 174
"The Catholic Church,... by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday." The Catholic Mirror, official organ of Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 23, 1893.
"Is Saturday the 7th day according to the Bible and the 10 Commandments?"
"I answer yes".
"Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the 7th day, Saturday, for Sunday, the 1st day?"
"I answer yes".
"Did Christ change the day?"
"I answer no!" Faithfully yours, "J. Cardinal Gibbons" Gibbons' autograph letter.
Which is the Sabbath day?
Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemity from Saturday to Sunday."
Peter Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1946 ed.), p.50. Geiermann received the "apostolic blessing" of Pope Pius X on his labors, January 25, 1910.
This isn't some widely kept secret- it's out there, it's known to those who want to know the truth.
Some say it doesn't matter which day is kept as long as you keep one out of the seven.
Well answer me this.. If that were true then why did God after instituting this law have His people gather twice as much manna on the sixth day and none on the seventh? Seriously? Why?
God was teaching His people that it DOES matter! They couldn't go out and gather double manna on any other day. If they gathered double manna on any other day it went bad- it became rotten, but on the seventh day it remained fresh. This is by the divine hand of God! This was God teaching the importance of His law and the day it's kept.
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
A memorial of CREATION!
Who created all things?
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
For by JESUS were ALL things created.
The Son of God before He even became the Son of God taking on human flesh was right there in the beginning WITH God when all things were created.
The Sabbath is a memorial of Creation- of our Creator. The Sabbath even holds the distinction of being the seal of God. Seriously. What makes up a seal? The Name, the title, the territory, this is what makes it official. The fourth commandment has all three of those things.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The LORD made heaven and earth, the sea --
Name (LORD), and title (Creator), heaven, earth, and sea (Territory).
AMAZING!
This most amazing fourth commandment will NEVER be done away with, never. There will never come a time when this will be something obsolete, never. As long as we exist we will forever be the creatures and God our Creator- way too many people have forgotten this fact! There will NEVER come a time that we won't have to remember our CREATOR, never! There will NEVER come a time when we will not have to obey this commandment, NEVER!
Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
Every month and every Sabbath we will worship before the LORD!
Why every month as well as every Sabbath?
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
The tree of life- we will eat from the tree every month!
Why every Sabbath?
Because forever will our Creator be worthy of our worship on the seventh day when He finished creation.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Our creation will perpetually be recalled, never forgotten, never! The Sabbath was made for us! It was a GIFT to us! Yet way too many just view is as a restriction, a duty, a chore. This beautiful gift will protect us.
At Bible study tonight we were discussing the image of the beast and how those who are not saved will worship the image of the beast. When we worship on God's true day of worship we are being given a protection from this sort of false worship. We are truly, truly blessed beyond anything we can fully comprehend. Is it any wonder God made the Sabbath for us? He wanted to protect us! He was giving us an amazing gift, so incredibly amazing and yet the majority of people would much rather ignore this gift or change this gift as if it weren't perfectly given to us by God in His immutable law!
By the grace and will of God may we forever keep His Sabbath day holy, following His law of love. Protect us with thy love, with thy law. Forgive us please Lord for all the sins we commit. Wash us Lord, make us whiter than snow in YOUR righteousness!
All in Your love!
Amen.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The fourth commandment of God.
Did Jesus keep the Sabbath all 33 years He lived on earth?
Yes.
Did Jesus tell anyone that the Sabbath day would be changed from the seventh to the first day of the week?
No.
Did Jesus tell anyone to celebrate His resurrection by changing the Sabbath day from the seventh day to the first day of the week?
No.
Did Jesus institute any celebrations?
Yes.
Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
DO THIS- in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
THIS DO- in remembrance of me.
As OFTEN as ye eat this…and drink this… ye show the Lord's death till He come.
This decree by our Savior had NOTHING to do with keeping the Sabbath.
As often as we take bread, give thanks, brake the bread we are to remember our Savior's body given for us.
As often as we take the cup, we are to remember our Savior's blood which was shed for us.
Feasibly this could be much more often than once a week, once a quarter, once year. Who put the restriction on how often we are to remember our Savior living and dying for us? Who? Certainly not God. The apostles broke bread wherever they went and did NOT restrict themselves to any ONE day. Some believe this is so because the first day is mentioned on once occasion, but we know for a fact they broke bread often.
Let's read this passage-
Act 20:7 And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Act 20:8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Act 20:9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
Act 20:10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
Act 20:11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
Act 20:12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.
On the first day of the week the disciples gathered and broke bread with Paul who was going to leave the next day. Now Paul gave a speech with last until midnight. A young man fell from a window and Paul embraced him, and he lived. Then Paul did what… he BROKE bread again! So tell me if they broke bread TWICE in one or two days… is this placing a restriction upon the breaking of bread? NO. The whole idea behind getting together with others and breaking bread and doing so in what we call a communion, or partaking of the Lord's Supper was to do so in REMEMBRANCE of our SAVIOR'S LIFE and DEATH. Now ask yourself a very serious question- how often do you thing Jesus wanted us to remember His life and death? Once a week? Once a month? Once a quarter? Once a year? Seriously! Ask yourself that question right now! How often do you think Jesus wanted to be remembered? I'll tell you the answer…
EVERY DAY!
Jesus did NOT institute a practice with restrictions on how often we would celebrate living for Him, remembering all He'd done for us! This institution in NO WAY did away with the Sabbath day, not in any way, shape, or form! If anything the fact is pointed out that Paul did not begin his journey on the Sabbath day- but began it on the first day of the week. From sundown to sundown the days were counted back then. So that Saturday evening began the first day of the week and it continued until sundown the next day and by that time Paul was gone having left at the break of day- when the sun rose. Paul began his journey NOT on the Sabbath day but on the first day of the week. The Sabbath wasn't for long journeying- and Paul would not begin such a journey on the day He considered the Sabbath.
Try as people might they cannot find anywhere in the Bible stating that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh day to the first day- people have offered thousands of dollars for someone to prove the change and they can't because it's not there.
So if God did not institute a change in His law, who did? Who would think to change God's times and laws?
Dan 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
Dan 7:20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
Dan 7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Dan 7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
Dan 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Dan 7:25 AND HE SHALL SPEAK GREAT WORDS AGAINST THE MOST HIGH AND SHALL WEAR OUT THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH AND THINK TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Dan 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
We've studied this in our prophecy studies in the recent past and know that this power would be the Papacy power (If you want more information on that please don't hesitate to read past blogs on prophecy it's truly enlightening!).
Read a few of these excerpts from various websites-
"The Pope has the power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ." "The Pope has the authority and often exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ." -Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcop. Cap. (The Pope can modify divine law.) Ferraris' Ecclesiastical Dictionary.
"You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctified." James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers (1917 ed.), pp.72,73
"If protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day, that is Saturday. In keeping Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church." Albert Smith, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the cardinal in a letter of Feb. 10, 1920.
"Have you not any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?"
"Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her, she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the Seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority" Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism 3rd ed. p. 174
"The Catholic Church,... by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday." The Catholic Mirror, official organ of Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 23, 1893.
"Is Saturday the 7th day according to the Bible and the 10 Commandments?"
"I answer yes".
"Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the 7th day, Saturday, for Sunday, the 1st day?"
"I answer yes".
"Did Christ change the day?"
"I answer no!" Faithfully yours, "J. Cardinal Gibbons" Gibbons' autograph letter.
Which is the Sabbath day?
Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemity from Saturday to Sunday."
Peter Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1946 ed.), p.50. Geiermann received the "apostolic blessing" of Pope Pius X on his labors, January 25, 1910.
This isn't some widely kept secret- it's out there, it's known to those who want to know the truth.
Some say it doesn't matter which day is kept as long as you keep one out of the seven.
Well answer me this.. If that were true then why did God after instituting this law have His people gather twice as much manna on the sixth day and none on the seventh? Seriously? Why?
God was teaching His people that it DOES matter! They couldn't go out and gather double manna on any other day. If they gathered double manna on any other day it went bad- it became rotten, but on the seventh day it remained fresh. This is by the divine hand of God! This was God teaching the importance of His law and the day it's kept.
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
A memorial of CREATION!
Who created all things?
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
For by JESUS were ALL things created.
The Son of God before He even became the Son of God taking on human flesh was right there in the beginning WITH God when all things were created.
The Sabbath is a memorial of Creation- of our Creator. The Sabbath even holds the distinction of being the seal of God. Seriously. What makes up a seal? The Name, the title, the territory, this is what makes it official. The fourth commandment has all three of those things.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The LORD made heaven and earth, the sea --
Name (LORD), and title (Creator), heaven, earth, and sea (Territory).
AMAZING!
This most amazing fourth commandment will NEVER be done away with, never. There will never come a time when this will be something obsolete, never. As long as we exist we will forever be the creatures and God our Creator- way too many people have forgotten this fact! There will NEVER come a time that we won't have to remember our CREATOR, never! There will NEVER come a time when we will not have to obey this commandment, NEVER!
Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
Every month and every Sabbath we will worship before the LORD!
Why every month as well as every Sabbath?
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
The tree of life- we will eat from the tree every month!
Why every Sabbath?
Because forever will our Creator be worthy of our worship on the seventh day when He finished creation.
Gen 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Our creation will perpetually be recalled, never forgotten, never! The Sabbath was made for us! It was a GIFT to us! Yet way too many just view is as a restriction, a duty, a chore. This beautiful gift will protect us.
At Bible study tonight we were discussing the image of the beast and how those who are not saved will worship the image of the beast. When we worship on God's true day of worship we are being given a protection from this sort of false worship. We are truly, truly blessed beyond anything we can fully comprehend. Is it any wonder God made the Sabbath for us? He wanted to protect us! He was giving us an amazing gift, so incredibly amazing and yet the majority of people would much rather ignore this gift or change this gift as if it weren't perfectly given to us by God in His immutable law!
By the grace and will of God may we forever keep His Sabbath day holy, following His law of love. Protect us with thy love, with thy law. Forgive us please Lord for all the sins we commit. Wash us Lord, make us whiter than snow in YOUR righteousness!
All in Your love!
Amen.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Do Not Misuse God's Name
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:7 Do not misuse my name. I am the LORD your God, and I will punish anyone who misuses my name. (CEV-Contemporary English Version)
God's name.
What's in a name?
NAME-
A primitive word (perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: - + base, [in-] fame [-ous], name (-d), renown, report.
A MARK, or MEMORIAL of INDIVIDUALITY.
HONOR, AUTHORITY, CHARACTER.
A name represents a person- it is a MARK a MEMORIAL of INDIVIDUALITY.
When I say your name you want it said with respect, don't you? Seriously. When you say a person's name with derision you're dishonoring them. They ARE their name. We are our names. When we MISUSE someone's name we are in essence misusing that person. We are doing wrong against them. I cannot say your name and curse as I say it without it being offensive to you. Maybe you're thinking about now that people nowadays say derogatory things all the time but in a playful affectionate manner meaning no harm, and you know what, that is just another sign of our times. The LACK of RESPECT we have for each other is astounding, literally astounding! You might now say that it's not done out of a lack of respect, not at all, it's all in fun but you know what…when we can use a derogatory term and make it term of affection we are warping things, we are distorting things and as that is done there is a part of us that recognizes the offensive meaning and that part of us even subconsciously knows that the word being used is normally used disrespectfully.
People often believe that we take the Lord's name in vain just when we swear using it, but they don't believe it's in vain just to say His name in exasperation, or even during moments of pleasure. Watch television for a few nights and try to count the number of times God's name is said, and not said in prayer with reverence, with respect- it's horrendous! Watch a few movies and it's the same thing. Even movies that would otherwise would be wonderful are sullied by this shamefully accepted abuse of our Lord's name.
Is it WRONG of God to want our respect? NO! It goes hand in hand with God wanting us to have NO other gods before Him. It goes hand in hand with God not wanting us to worship idols. God should be first always in all things and when we MISUSE God's name we are NOT putting Him first, we are not respecting Him at all. When we misuse God's name we are dishonoring God Himself. Everything is in our names.
Why have people come to accept the callous misuse of God's name? Because of Satan. Satan loves when people dishonor God and stops at nothing to make it acceptable to do so. People barely blink an eye when God's name is misused it's a sad, sad world we live in. A sad, evil world we exist in and Satan would have us all believe the commandments of God are completely obsolete.
Should there ever come a time when it is okay to misuse God's name? Ever? NO!
This is one of God's ten commandments and it will NEVER be gone, never. Why do people think these commandments are breakable? Why do people think these commandments are something to set aside? Why do people believe that Jesus no longer wants us to keep these commandments? Can you ever imagine Jesus using His Father's name in vain, misusing His Father's name? No. He never would, never and we must never do so.
God forgive us please, forgive us for misusing Your name.
In Your love, through Your righteousness, by Your grace, forgiveness, and mercy always.
Amen.
Exo 20:7 Do not misuse my name. I am the LORD your God, and I will punish anyone who misuses my name. (CEV-Contemporary English Version)
God's name.
What's in a name?
NAME-
A primitive word (perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character: - + base, [in-] fame [-ous], name (-d), renown, report.
A MARK, or MEMORIAL of INDIVIDUALITY.
HONOR, AUTHORITY, CHARACTER.
A name represents a person- it is a MARK a MEMORIAL of INDIVIDUALITY.
When I say your name you want it said with respect, don't you? Seriously. When you say a person's name with derision you're dishonoring them. They ARE their name. We are our names. When we MISUSE someone's name we are in essence misusing that person. We are doing wrong against them. I cannot say your name and curse as I say it without it being offensive to you. Maybe you're thinking about now that people nowadays say derogatory things all the time but in a playful affectionate manner meaning no harm, and you know what, that is just another sign of our times. The LACK of RESPECT we have for each other is astounding, literally astounding! You might now say that it's not done out of a lack of respect, not at all, it's all in fun but you know what…when we can use a derogatory term and make it term of affection we are warping things, we are distorting things and as that is done there is a part of us that recognizes the offensive meaning and that part of us even subconsciously knows that the word being used is normally used disrespectfully.
People often believe that we take the Lord's name in vain just when we swear using it, but they don't believe it's in vain just to say His name in exasperation, or even during moments of pleasure. Watch television for a few nights and try to count the number of times God's name is said, and not said in prayer with reverence, with respect- it's horrendous! Watch a few movies and it's the same thing. Even movies that would otherwise would be wonderful are sullied by this shamefully accepted abuse of our Lord's name.
Is it WRONG of God to want our respect? NO! It goes hand in hand with God wanting us to have NO other gods before Him. It goes hand in hand with God not wanting us to worship idols. God should be first always in all things and when we MISUSE God's name we are NOT putting Him first, we are not respecting Him at all. When we misuse God's name we are dishonoring God Himself. Everything is in our names.
Why have people come to accept the callous misuse of God's name? Because of Satan. Satan loves when people dishonor God and stops at nothing to make it acceptable to do so. People barely blink an eye when God's name is misused it's a sad, sad world we live in. A sad, evil world we exist in and Satan would have us all believe the commandments of God are completely obsolete.
Should there ever come a time when it is okay to misuse God's name? Ever? NO!
This is one of God's ten commandments and it will NEVER be gone, never. Why do people think these commandments are breakable? Why do people think these commandments are something to set aside? Why do people believe that Jesus no longer wants us to keep these commandments? Can you ever imagine Jesus using His Father's name in vain, misusing His Father's name? No. He never would, never and we must never do so.
God forgive us please, forgive us for misusing Your name.
In Your love, through Your righteousness, by Your grace, forgiveness, and mercy always.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
No graven images
Yesterday we studied the first commandment. We saw clearly that at the very point where man first sinned, God was countering that move. Where man decided they wanted to listen to another and not believe in God- God said we shall have NO other gods before Him, NONE. Is this commandment as important today as it was the day God uttered it and wrote it upon the stone tablets? Is this commandment as important today as it was when God came in the flesh as Jesus, our Savior who lived His entire life obeying this commandment? The answer to these questions is a resounding, YES. Never has there been a time, not even a single moment when this commandment was unimportant. Never will there ever be a time when it becomes unimportant and IF anyone thinks that this commandment will ever be done away with then they have no truth in them, none. God. Our Creator. God our Heavenly Father. God our Savior. God who we owe our very lives to, our very existence comes from God and NO other, NO OTHER. It is crucial for us to recognize that this GREAT commandment is forever, it is enduring, it … as God… was, is, and ever will be.
The second commandment--
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Psa 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
Psa 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
Psa 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
Psa 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Psa 115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
Psa 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
Psa 115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
Make NO images.
Make NO likenesses.
Bow down to NO images, NO likenesses.
Serve NO images, NO likenesses.
Idols of silver and gold.
Works of men's hands.
They have mouths- but DO NOT speak.
They have eyes- but DO NOT see.
They have ears- but DO NOT ear.
They have noses- but DO NOT smell.
They have hands- but DO NOT touch.
They have feet- but DO NOT walk.
ANYONE who makes an idol is like that idol.
We are not to make images, we are not to make anything and worship it any way! Why? Because NOTHING we could ever make and worship is God. Nothing we can make is ALIVE. Nothing we make can think of its own accord and speak from those thoughts. Nothing we can make can see, ear, smell, touch, walk… of its own accord. Yes, we can make mechanical things that do our bidding, we can program things we make to simulate living things, but they are NOT alive. They are in essence- dead things.
People who make these things are in essence dead too. If we do NOT worship God we will NOT have eternal life. If we worship dead idols it is the dead worshipping the dead, the lifeless worshipping the lifeless.
Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
If you make idols, if you don't make them but you trust in them, you are like those idols you are dead.
How can this commandment EVER change?
How can this commandment EVER be unimportant?
How can this commandment EVER be tossed aside, done away with?
Why would it be changed, why would it become unimportant, why would it be tossed aside or down away with, ever?
When would there ever come a time it would be okay to worship lifeless objects? When? Why would we want to? Why would people rather worship something they've made with their own hands- knowing its limitations, rather than worship a living God?
People PRETEND their dead gods live, they make themselves believe their dead gods have powers when they have none. They give these dead gods attributes of our living God but those dead, lifeless, powerless gods are nothing but abominations to God.
We are NOT to bow down or serve dead, lifeless, powerless idols. We are NOT to bow down and worship any thing or any one else- living or dead. We are to worship God only, we are to bow down and serve God only. He is our Creator and none other is.
When people decide to worship things as if they are themselves god, they are putting things on the same level as God. We are to worship God because He created all things, not worship the things He created. He never told us to worship created things, never. Yet so many people try to convince others that they worship the nature God created, or they worship nature that exists and they can touch, see, feel, smell because it is real. People come up with many, many reasons why they are better off worshipping people who have lived seemingly good lives and died. We are not to worship any, not the Apostles, not Moses, not David, not Abraham. God alone deserves our worship, our bowing down- our subservience, our service.
By the grace of God may we NEVER bow down or serve lifeless idols, never! If we want to live, we must serve a LIVING God! We must serve the CREATOR!
In His love!
Amen.
The second commandment--
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Psa 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
Psa 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
Psa 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
Psa 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Psa 115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
Psa 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
Psa 115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
Make NO images.
Make NO likenesses.
Bow down to NO images, NO likenesses.
Serve NO images, NO likenesses.
Idols of silver and gold.
Works of men's hands.
They have mouths- but DO NOT speak.
They have eyes- but DO NOT see.
They have ears- but DO NOT ear.
They have noses- but DO NOT smell.
They have hands- but DO NOT touch.
They have feet- but DO NOT walk.
ANYONE who makes an idol is like that idol.
We are not to make images, we are not to make anything and worship it any way! Why? Because NOTHING we could ever make and worship is God. Nothing we can make is ALIVE. Nothing we make can think of its own accord and speak from those thoughts. Nothing we can make can see, ear, smell, touch, walk… of its own accord. Yes, we can make mechanical things that do our bidding, we can program things we make to simulate living things, but they are NOT alive. They are in essence- dead things.
People who make these things are in essence dead too. If we do NOT worship God we will NOT have eternal life. If we worship dead idols it is the dead worshipping the dead, the lifeless worshipping the lifeless.
Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
If you make idols, if you don't make them but you trust in them, you are like those idols you are dead.
How can this commandment EVER change?
How can this commandment EVER be unimportant?
How can this commandment EVER be tossed aside, done away with?
Why would it be changed, why would it become unimportant, why would it be tossed aside or down away with, ever?
When would there ever come a time it would be okay to worship lifeless objects? When? Why would we want to? Why would people rather worship something they've made with their own hands- knowing its limitations, rather than worship a living God?
People PRETEND their dead gods live, they make themselves believe their dead gods have powers when they have none. They give these dead gods attributes of our living God but those dead, lifeless, powerless gods are nothing but abominations to God.
We are NOT to bow down or serve dead, lifeless, powerless idols. We are NOT to bow down and worship any thing or any one else- living or dead. We are to worship God only, we are to bow down and serve God only. He is our Creator and none other is.
When people decide to worship things as if they are themselves god, they are putting things on the same level as God. We are to worship God because He created all things, not worship the things He created. He never told us to worship created things, never. Yet so many people try to convince others that they worship the nature God created, or they worship nature that exists and they can touch, see, feel, smell because it is real. People come up with many, many reasons why they are better off worshipping people who have lived seemingly good lives and died. We are not to worship any, not the Apostles, not Moses, not David, not Abraham. God alone deserves our worship, our bowing down- our subservience, our service.
By the grace of God may we NEVER bow down or serve lifeless idols, never! If we want to live, we must serve a LIVING God! We must serve the CREATOR!
In His love!
Amen.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Choose God First
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Is this a selfish commandment on God's part? Why does God want us to have NO other gods before Him? We have to think about this because this IS one of those commandments people have tossed aside as if it doesn't matter at all. In fact, people have put so many idols in front of themselves that God on that list is way down near the bottom. Then again you will have people who have God up near the top, but still NOT first. These people think they're close enough to earn points but there is NO close enough. You either put God first or you are breaking this commandment there is not other way. Now why SHOULD we put God first, just because He tells us to? Isn't that enough? Do we need any other reason to follow a commandment from our Creator? If we TRULY believe He is our Creator. If we truly believe He is our Heavenly Father, then do we need anything other than His word in order to follow His commands? Is it Satan's desire that we believe we need more? He did tell Eve this…
Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satan says- God says you should eat of every tree of the garden.
Eve says- Every tree but the tree in the middle of the garden, we can't touch it or eat of it or we'll die.
Satan says- You won't die.
Obviously Satan is telling Eve that God is a LIAR. In fact Satan embellishes that.
Satan says- God knows that if you do eat of that tree your eyes are going to be opened up, your understanding is going to be like His. You'll understand all the things that God understands. You'll know what good things are and what evil things are. You don't know what evil is, God is keeping that from you. God doesn't want you to be like He is. God doesn't want you to know about evil because then you'd know good. See you can't tell what's really good unless you know what's really bad.
Okay, so Satan didn't say all those things but can't we read between the lines a little bit and understand that Satan's purpose for getting Eve to take a bite from that forbidden fruit was all just to get them to sin, to disobey God's command, to NOT listen to their Creator.
Was God supposed to explain the reason for His command to Adam and Eve? Was He supposed to sit down and tell them all about good and evil and why it's a good idea not to have their understanding opened? We want to say- yeah, He should have done that and then they wouldn't have sinned. See, we have all the answers, all the excuses and if one isn't good enough we can think up many more.
The truth is… God, our Creator gave us a command and we broke it. God, our Creator told us to do ONE thing, listen to Him and we chose not to listen to Him. We chose to disobey. We chose to listen to another before God.
Did you read that… We chose to listen to another BEFORE God. We listened to Satan BEFORE God. Our first sin was choosing another over God, choosing to listen to Satan over God. So is it any wonder at all that God's FIRST commandment is…
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
He's saying LISTEN, You chose to follow another, now if you want to follow me you cannot choose to follow any others over me, I must come first in your life. You can't have any other gods before me, I must be first. You left me once, now if you want me back in your life you will have to choose me and stay with me. Satan in the disguise of many evils will try to get you to choose others all of them controlled by Him, and you cannot choose them over me. You will be tempted, you will be tried. You are living with the propensity towards sinning unlike my first humans, so you will have to put all your hope, all your trust in Me and NO other. Look to Me. Make Me first so that I can restore you to Me in all purity. You will NOT be able to do this alone, but find your HOPE in Me!
There is SO much in this commandment that we need to consider, so incredibly much beyond the eight words.
More tomorrow…all by the grace of God. May we CHOOSE Him to be first, may we CHOOSE Him to be our HOPE always, trusting in no other but Him.
In His amazing LOVE.
Amen.
Is this a selfish commandment on God's part? Why does God want us to have NO other gods before Him? We have to think about this because this IS one of those commandments people have tossed aside as if it doesn't matter at all. In fact, people have put so many idols in front of themselves that God on that list is way down near the bottom. Then again you will have people who have God up near the top, but still NOT first. These people think they're close enough to earn points but there is NO close enough. You either put God first or you are breaking this commandment there is not other way. Now why SHOULD we put God first, just because He tells us to? Isn't that enough? Do we need any other reason to follow a commandment from our Creator? If we TRULY believe He is our Creator. If we truly believe He is our Heavenly Father, then do we need anything other than His word in order to follow His commands? Is it Satan's desire that we believe we need more? He did tell Eve this…
Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satan says- God says you should eat of every tree of the garden.
Eve says- Every tree but the tree in the middle of the garden, we can't touch it or eat of it or we'll die.
Satan says- You won't die.
Obviously Satan is telling Eve that God is a LIAR. In fact Satan embellishes that.
Satan says- God knows that if you do eat of that tree your eyes are going to be opened up, your understanding is going to be like His. You'll understand all the things that God understands. You'll know what good things are and what evil things are. You don't know what evil is, God is keeping that from you. God doesn't want you to be like He is. God doesn't want you to know about evil because then you'd know good. See you can't tell what's really good unless you know what's really bad.
Okay, so Satan didn't say all those things but can't we read between the lines a little bit and understand that Satan's purpose for getting Eve to take a bite from that forbidden fruit was all just to get them to sin, to disobey God's command, to NOT listen to their Creator.
Was God supposed to explain the reason for His command to Adam and Eve? Was He supposed to sit down and tell them all about good and evil and why it's a good idea not to have their understanding opened? We want to say- yeah, He should have done that and then they wouldn't have sinned. See, we have all the answers, all the excuses and if one isn't good enough we can think up many more.
The truth is… God, our Creator gave us a command and we broke it. God, our Creator told us to do ONE thing, listen to Him and we chose not to listen to Him. We chose to disobey. We chose to listen to another before God.
Did you read that… We chose to listen to another BEFORE God. We listened to Satan BEFORE God. Our first sin was choosing another over God, choosing to listen to Satan over God. So is it any wonder at all that God's FIRST commandment is…
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
He's saying LISTEN, You chose to follow another, now if you want to follow me you cannot choose to follow any others over me, I must come first in your life. You can't have any other gods before me, I must be first. You left me once, now if you want me back in your life you will have to choose me and stay with me. Satan in the disguise of many evils will try to get you to choose others all of them controlled by Him, and you cannot choose them over me. You will be tempted, you will be tried. You are living with the propensity towards sinning unlike my first humans, so you will have to put all your hope, all your trust in Me and NO other. Look to Me. Make Me first so that I can restore you to Me in all purity. You will NOT be able to do this alone, but find your HOPE in Me!
There is SO much in this commandment that we need to consider, so incredibly much beyond the eight words.
More tomorrow…all by the grace of God. May we CHOOSE Him to be first, may we CHOOSE Him to be our HOPE always, trusting in no other but Him.
In His amazing LOVE.
Amen.
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