How would you react if God told you that were set apart to declare His truth to an obstinate and headstrong nation? Would you fear the people you were going to reprove? Would you question whether God had the correct person for the job? “But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.” Jeremiah 1:17-18 Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - Idolatry
Eloquence and strength manifested: Jeremiah 1 and 2
What idols have you carved to worship this week: Isaiah 44 and 45
What type of television do you have? Is it a real joy to watch movies on it? I love to think about buying a new car. What car is the best one to own? “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me” Isaiah 45:5 Do you enjoy drinking alcohol, what type of drink to you prefer? I love the feel of a tailored shirt. It feels great to have something that fits just right. ”Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22 I long for a wife. Do you long to be married,to have children or grandchildren? I have become more physically fit by working out a lot. Do you love to workout too? ”For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): ‘I am the LORD, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right. ’Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.’” Isaiah 45:18-20 Continue Reading…
The way is clear in the wilderness of life: Isaiah 40 and 41
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5
Within Isaiah chapter 40 a question of God and His existence is asked. Do we know God? Can we comprehend the greatness of God in its fullness? “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” Isaiah 40:13,14 Can we individually or collectively sway the intents of God? Can we even understand ourselves and our surroundings? It is impossible for us to comprehend the grand scale of who God is. Continue Reading…
Turn aside from the Idols of the world: Psalm 135
Will you join me in praising God, the Lord of heaven and earth and creator of all things? The situation you find yourself in today will not change the truth that God is worthy of your praise and adoration. Do you praise God and wholeheartedly adore Him? Do you find yourself wondering why God should be praised? As we face life’s monotony and a varying array of trouble there hope for us found in praising God. What is the basis of praise? In Psalm 135 we are exhorted by the psalmist to praise the Lord but along with this exhortation we are given a reason to praise Him. “For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods.” Psalm 135:5 The foundation of praise is built upon the deeds of God and intrinsically found in His nature. Continue Reading…
Will you radically eradicate the idols of your life: Psalm 101
“Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, so as to cut off from the city of the Lord all those who do iniquity.” Psalm 101:8 Do you look upon your life every morning to search out how you have given in to the lustful desires or your sinful flesh? It is of critical importance that we look upon our lives to make sure we are not harboring pet sins that we seek to indulge ourselves with when the need or urge arises. David sets his will resolutely in Psalm 101 to eradicate all idols in his life. “I will give heed to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me.” Psalm 101:2,3 Who do you surround yourself with? Are you surrounded by believers who are challenging, encouraging and exhorting you to grow in your relationship with God? Have you set up your house to be a place free of idols that distract you from the worship of God? Take heed to not let any idol fasten its grip on you. Move radically to eradicate the idol before it pulls your attention away from God. Continue Reading…
What do you serve, God or your idols: Psalm 97
What do you serve? Do you serve your job, friends, money, pleasures or knowledge as idols? Have you placed worldly ambition and selfish desires as the main focus and desire of your life. “Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images, who boast themselves of idols; worship Him, all you gods. Zion heard this and was glad, and the daughters of Judah have rejoiced because of Your judgements, O Lord. For You are the Lord Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.” Psalm 97:7-9 Only God is worthy of our worship. Be on guard against the idols that creep into your life. Remember the mighty works of God throughout all of creation for all time. “Hate evil, you who love the Lord, who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 97:10 Do you love the Lord? He will deliver all of those who love Him. Trust in Him and not yourself. Continue Reading…
Exile softens a hardened heart: 2 Chronicles 35 and 36
In 2 Chronicles 35 and 36 we reach the precipice leading to the fall and decline of Judah and its road to exile in Babylon. After the faithful stewardship and tenderhearted rule of Josiah over Judah the kings that rule Judah turn completely away from God. The wrath of God is falling on His chosen people as he promised to Josiah. How is the relationship between God and the sons of Israel to be viewed? How do we view our relationship with God today? God is a loving father that desires to see the best happen for His people through out all time.
God continually sought to bring the hearts of the people of Judah back to Him through His messengers and prophets. How does a persons heart become so hardened against God that they have no respect, thought, or desire for Him? “The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He has compasstion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy.” 2 Chronicles 36:15,16 Continue Reading…
Faithfulness to God or harlotry to idols: 2 Chronicles 21 and 22
Can a leader be effective if there is jealousy, desire for renown, or blind ambition in a their life? In 2 Chronicles 21 and 22 the choice Jehoshaphat made to align with Ahab by marriage has an adverse effect on his sons. Did these wives taken from Israel by Jehoshaphat’s sons draw them away from God? Idolatry became the status quo for Judah just as it was for Israel. In the midst of Judah’s unfaithfulness God was not willing to destroy them because of His promise to David. Do you find encouragement inthe great faithfulness God proves continually? Continue Reading…
Who walks in your footsteps: 2 Kings 13 and 14
Would you like it if you knew that people would be continually compared to you generations after your death? It would be great to make such an impact on the world so that your memory and name lived on. Would you live life differently today if you knew that you would be remembered for your wickedness? Consistently in 2 Kings it has been said of the various kings that they followed in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat. What does this mean? What did Jeroboam do to claim such a reputation?
After the death of Solomon in 1 Kings 11 the nation of Israel split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Jeroboam ruled Israel after the division and he realized that if the people of Israel went to worship God in Jerusalem they would want to reunite as one nation. Continue Reading…
