Category Archives: Character of God

Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Protector / Deliverer, Satan

The Devil Prowls Around Looking For Someone To Devour

When I engage people today in a “developed” country like the USA, and discuss our adversary, Satan, they will often dismiss it. Many who claim to accept Christ, fail to take heed to what He taught and how He lived. He and His disciples warn us repeatedly about Satan. However, many claiming scientific enlightenment deny the existence of Satan. This is perhaps the most effective strategy or lie that Satan has ever deployed… convincing the world that He does not exist.

As followers of Christ, Satan clearly considers us his enemy and wishes to destroy us. We are in a battle and called to resist him, firmly anchored in our faith. How can we effectively resist he whom we do not believe exists?

1 Peter 5:6-11

    6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

How can anyone in any battle win if they fail to acknowledge that there is an enemy that must be resisted or defeated? With Jehovah we will find the power to overcome Satan, but we must have faith and recognize we are in a battle against a powerful and deceptive enemy.

I challenge all who follow Christ to study what Christ teaches us in the scriptures, including the clear demonstration of Christ’s own confrontation with Satan recorded in Matthew 4.

Matthew 4:1-11

The Temptation of Jesus

      1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

      5Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,

6and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,
‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’;
and
‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,
SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’”

7Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’”

      8Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” 11Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Each of us must ask ourselves… if I truly believe in Christ, then how can I deny His clear revelation about our adversary, Satan? Satan is indeed real and waits to devour us… like a roaring lion seeking vulnerable, unprepared prey.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Father / Yahweh, Guide, Obeying God, Speaking, Through Prophets

Why Is God So Picky About Details? Is He A Control Freak?

Have you ever heard someone ask if God is a control freak? “Why does He care about details so much? Why can’t I just do things my own way?”  We do well to think of our Creator as a master craftsman. Would we criticize a world renown sculptor for working intricate detail into his work? Would we criticize a master painter like Michelangelo for taking time and paying attention to amazing detail in his work? Do we criticize Apple for all the detail it manages in design and construction associated the iPhone? Of course not! We marvel at their works. We appreciate the end result delivered by the  details in the user experience.

So too we must consider our Creator a master. He has a vision and a plan and it includes many details to bring forth His glory and teach us about His kingdom. Let us not criticize our Creator for His attention to detail, but instead remember He has a plan far beyond what we can see or understand from our perspective. He has the plan, but wants His people to be part of it.  Consider the relatively small example of how He led His people to design and build  the tabernacle for Him to dwell among them while they wandered in the wilderness seeking the promised land.

Exodus 26

Curtains of Linen

      1“Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 2“The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements. 3“Five curtains shall be joined to one another, and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. 4“You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set, and likewise you shall make them on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. 5“You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite each other. 6“You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit.

Curtains of Goats’ Hair

      7“Then you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains in all. 8“The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall have the same measurements. 9“You shall join five curtains by themselves and the other six curtains by themselves, and you shall double over the sixth curtain at the front of the tent. 10“You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the first set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.

      11“You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and you shall put the clasps into the loops and join the tent together so that it will be a unit. 12“The overlapping part that is left over in the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that is left over, shall lap over the back of the tabernacle. 13“The cubit on one side and the cubit on the other, of what is left over in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall lap over the sides of the tabernacle on one side and on the other, to cover it. 14“You shall make a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red and a covering of porpoise skins above.

Boards and Sockets

      15“Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16“Ten cubits shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17“There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18“You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side. 19“You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons; 20and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 22“For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23“You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24“They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25“There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.

      26“Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west. 28“The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29“You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30“Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain.

The Veil and Screen

      31“You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 32“You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33“You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. 34“You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies. 35“You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.

      36“You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37“You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.

Prayerfully consider what you are doing in your life. Are you honoring God even in the details? Are you seeking His ways not just for church on Sunday and major celebrations but even for what you watch on television or the internet? Do you consider what He wants when you decide how to spend your time or do you just do what you want? Spend some time reflecting in prayer and asking God to help you identify changes you can make in your life even this week that can help you to follow the world less and follow God more… even in the details. It is the details that ultimately make a good work of art into a masterpiece. Allow the Master to work through you!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Guide, Loving / Kind

Does Jehovah Really Care About the Details of My Life?

At times it seems simply unbelievable that the Creator of the universe, and everything in it, is interested in my life. Who am I that He should be mindful of me? If you find yourself wondering from time to time if Jehovah cares about the details of the lives of His people, be encouraged. He absolutely does. As we study scripture we see over and over again that Jehovah cares about details. He is not too busy. He does not have limits or boundaries to how much He can oversee. If we listen, we will see evidence of His lovingkindness and His desire to guide His people even in details.

Consider, as one example, how involved Jehovah was in leading His people as they left slavery in Egypt and learned to follow Him. He did not tell them just to build Him a temple worthy of Him and then intend to come back later and sit in judgment as to whether they did well or poorly. He showed them and guided them in even the minute details.  Can you imagine how overwhelming it would be to try to design a holy place for Him without His help guiding us in the detail? We would hardly know where to begin. What a loving God!

Exodus 25:23-40

The Table of Showbread

      23“You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long and one cubit wide and one and a half cubits high. 24“You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it. 25“You shall make for it a rim of a handbreadth around it; and you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. 26“You shall make four gold rings for it and put rings on the four corners which are on its four feet. 27“The rings shall be close to the rim as holders for the poles to carry the table. 28“You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that with them the table may be carried. 29“You shall make its dishes and its pans and its jars and its bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. 30“You shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times.

The Golden Lampstand

      31“Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32“Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. 33“Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; 34and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35“A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36“Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37“Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. 38“Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39“It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. 40“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

The next time you find yourself thinking that you must manage all the details of your life and Jehovah does not really care… reconsider. Stop and pray. Ask for His help and guidance in even the details. Then listen carefully. The answer may not come in the manner it came to Moses. Jehovah may speak to you through others or in dreams or through insight He provides as you consider the problem. There are many ways He speaks to His people, when they stop long enough to ask and then listen.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Father / Yahweh, Holy, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind

Is God a Micro-Manager?

To some, you may be surprised that the Ark of the Covenant is real and not just a storyline in a popular movie from a few decades ago. Indeed it is not only real, but Jehovah Himself designed it. In truth, it is one of many good examples that show us Jehovah’s great interest in details. We can have good discussion around why Jehovah gets into the detail of a very specific design… “Is He a micro-manager needing to be in control of every detail? or is it just that He loves His people and has a plan for them. He cares enough to lay out even minute details.” In fact, as we read on through the Bible, we will confirm many other instances where He gets involved and leads on even seemingly small and perhaps insignificant details. We must conclude He cares about His people even to a detailed level. He cares about leading them well. He cares about setting up holy things in a way that distinguishes them as set apart for His purpose and not just a few more items around the camp.

Exodus 25:10-22

Ark of the Covenant

      10“They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. 11“You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. 12“You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. 13“You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14“You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. 15“The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. 16“You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.

      17“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18“You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19“Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20“The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22“There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

I believe that Jehovah cares about the detail here in large part to make the point to the people that these things are holy and set apart for His purpose. Details matter. The people are called to follow His direction in every detail. He wants to help people have the right attitude toward Him when they approach Him and the ark and mercy seat are symbolic of that interface between Creator and created.

Since our Creator does not change, we should take note that He wants us to take it seriously when we seek to come into His presence. Scripture clearly tells us He is like a Father and we can approach Him with anything, but let us also not forget that He is the holy Creator of all things. He is to be revered and respected. Let us challenge ourselves not to get so casual in our relationship with Him that we forget who He is and instead redefine Him in our own image and desires. He sets the agenda. He defines right and wrong. He directs every detail. Praise to Jehovah indeed that He also makes a way for us to come before Him and enter into His presence. He loves us!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Father / Yahweh, Giving, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Money / Finances / Wealth, Speaking, Through Prophets

Jehovah Wishes To Dwell Among His People

Jehovah wishes to dwell among His people. When He first created man and woman, He put them in the garden of Eden where He could be with them. We see again as He leads His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness that He again wishes to dwell among them. It is love that draws Him to His people. Love for His people. He will lead, if only they will follow.

Exodus 25:1-9

Offerings for the Sanctuary

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. 3“This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze, 4blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, 5rams’ skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, 6oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 7onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8“Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9“According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.

Jehovah wants to dwell among His people, if they will choose to be His people. As we progress through the scripture from Old to New Testament we see again His desire to dwell among us. He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of each believer in Christ. He is our loving Father. We should welcome Him into our lives joyfully and with thanksgiving and praise. Who are we that the Creator of all things should want to dwell among us? For those who accept His offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, we are His children.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Father / Yahweh, Guide, Hearing from God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Holy, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Promises, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Jehovah Does Not Accept You The Way You Are, He Calls You To Change

Sometimes we talk about our covenant with Jehovah without a clear communication and understanding of what a covenant is and what it is not. To put it simply, a covenant is an agreement between two parties, perhaps a bit like a contract. Each is expected to do their part and meet their commitment. There is no expectation that one side can ignore it and the other is still bound by it.

Others confuse scripture and think we have a separate covenant with Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew). Jesus is the way to the Father, He is one with the Father… He does not offer us a separate and different covenant that somehow accepts us just how we are without repentance for wrongdoing.

A covenant agreement requires commitment on both sides. Typically for Jehovah and His people this comes down to something like the following “If you will be My people and obey my instructions then I will be your God.” If His people break covenant, Jehovah is not pleased and He is not ambivalent or neutral… He is disappointed or even angered.

Leviticus 26

     14‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, 15if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 16I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.

People often make the mistake of concluding that Jehovah has committed to “be their God” no matter how they behave and no matter where their heart lies and what they worship. Big mistake. Take note again in Exodus 24 as God calls the people to affirm their covenant with Him. The focus is on their obedience… not His acceptance of them the way they are.

Exodus 24

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

      1Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 2“Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.”

      3Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” 4Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

      9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

      12Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” 13So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them.” 15Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Another beautiful theme we see shared in Exodus 24 is that those who submit themselves to Jehovah in obedience will literally be allowed to draw nearer to Him spiritually and relationally. It is a transformational experience to come into the presence of Jehovah! Praise to our Father in heaven. What a glorious and loving Father that provides us guidance on how we are to live and draw near to Him. If we live out our part of the covenant through wholehearted obedience, then we certainly can count on Him to fulfill His promises to be our God!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Drunkenness, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Greed, Homosexual Behavior, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Mockers, Righteousness / Serving God, Sin, Stealing / Theft, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

The Unrighteous Will Not Inherit The Kingdom of God

All to often we are told by the culture of the world today that God loves and accepts all people regardless of behavior choices… whether they rebel against God or obey Him. The world twists scripture and reality to claim that people are born “with a tendency to sin” in a certain area and thus it is “not their fault”. Somehow, we are to believe, if someone is “predisposed” to a certain sin, then they are not expected to overcome it and turn from it. Instead we are told it is to be accepted out of love. The truth is much more clear and perhaps to some, harsh.

If I am born with poor balance and I fall often… I still get hurt. It is up to me to change my behavior to avoid the consequences of it. In this example of poor balance I should avoid walking along the edge of a roof or canyon where I may fall and die. I am responsible for my behavior.

To make it more silly… if I am born such that I will be very tall, like a basketball player… it is still up to me to make sure I adjust my behavior to avoid getting hurt by walking into the tops of low doorways or ceiling fans. The consequences are the same regardless of whether or not I have been “predisposed” to certain risk.

One area where this is still generally accepted is predisposition to alcohol or drug abuse. We do not encourage those individuals to drink and do drugs anyway… telling them it is not their fault. We encourage them to get help and change their behavior. They must choose to avoid situations that would even be tempting to them. If they drink or do drugs they still face the consequences of their actions.

The same is true of all manner of sin and we must take heed, lest we get in the habit of excusing all of it. Someone is not defined by their sin. They do not need to remain in it and accept it. It must be overcome with God’s help. To accept our sin and remain in it is to live in active rebellion to God and those who do so will not inherit the kingdom of God. Quite simply… when we actively ignore God and live in rebellion to His word it shows that we do not really believe in Him and that is a big warning sign that we are headed for hell when we die, unless we repent and submit to God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

      9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Do not be deceived. Whether or not we are predisposed to a certain sin, the consequences of actively choosing to remain in sin are the same… separation from God and eternity without Him when we die. We do no one a favor by telling them it is ok to disregard what God has told us and just to embrace and accept their sin. We obey God and show love to others by showing them the truth with gentleness and love. We help them… not by accepting them in their sin but by leading them out of it.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Father / Yahweh, Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Obeying God, Promises, Protector / Deliverer, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

If You Truly Obey, I Will Be An Enemy To Your Enemies

Studying and prayerfully reflecting on God’s deliverance of His people out of slavery in Egypt and into the promised land provides great insight for His relationship with His people. We do well to study this example and look to identify and apply key aspects of what God reveals to our lives today. In Exodus 23, our heavenly Father provides important insight to what it means to be His people and what we are to do if we expect to receive His help.

Exodus 23:20-33

Conquest of the Land

      20“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21“Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him. 22“But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 23“For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will completely destroy them. 24“You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces. 25“But you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst. 26“There shall be no one miscarrying or barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27“I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28“I will send hornets ahead of you so that they will drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you. 29“I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. 30“I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land. 31“I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you. 32“You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. 33“They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Jehovah clearly states that He is sending an angel to protect and lead the people into the promised land. His intent is to clear out the enemies before His people and protect them. However He also provides conditions that the people must follow.

Note the importance of obedience. Obedience is the fruit and evidence of our faith. Those who have faith will obey. Those who do not have faith will make excuses not to obey.

  • Obey the angel and do not be rebellious. The angel is operating on behalf of God at God’s instruction.
  • If you truly obey, then I will be an enemy to your enemies.

God consistently speaks out strongly against false gods. Not only are we not to worship them and not to serve them, but we are not even to do things the way that the pagans do in worship or tradition / practice associated with their false gods. Further, God instructed His people not to tolerate and accept false gods among them but to overthrow them and break their sacred pillars and idols apart. Certainly today we should not be making excuses to tolerate false gods among us. God knows this always leads His people to trouble.

24“You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces.

God knows the right timing for us to accept victory at His hand. We always think “give us everything now”, but God knows better. Sometimes His wisdom leads to different timing for us to accomplish our victory. We must be patient and trust His timing and His ways.

29“I will not drive them out before you in a single year, that the land may not become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. 30“I will drive them out before you little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land.

God warns His people to trust in Him to drive people out of the land. Do not make covenants or treaties with them or with their false gods. Do not let them live in your land. They will make you sin against God. We are once again warned against accepting false gods and idols and their worship practices among God’s people. If our all knowing Father identifies this clear hazard, and we have a history of witnessing it leading His people astray, then why are we so quick to dismiss this repeated warning? Are we wiser than God? Do we know something He does not? or have we just been fooled by Satan to defend worship of false gods among us and to teach it in schools and treat it in government as if all faiths are equivalent? They are not. One is right… the rest are paths that lead God’s people away to hell. Many will get angry with a statement like this, but it is not in my authority to change what God has said to make people feel better. I am only able to share the truth that God has already told us.

 32“You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. 33“They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

There is much to learn from how God instructed His people as they were searching for the promised land. We should each prayerfully consider these key points and apply them to our lives. Are we trusting God and God alone? Are we obeying all that He instructs, or just parts of it? Are we rejecting false gods? Are we patient to wait for His timing?

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Faith / Trusting God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Provider

Jehovah Wants Us To Trust In Him

I find it very rewarding to unpack the laws and instructions Jehovah has provided in such a way that I can consider each thoughtfully and prayerfully. Jehovah instructs us throughout His word to observe the Sabbath. It has even more significance than most of us realize. It is beyond just resting every seventh day. Jehovah actually encouraged His people, when farming, to cease from sowing their land in every seventh year. Letting the land rest and lie fallow. This approach is so different from what we would conclude or plan. Our wisdom would tell us to keep working the field. So why does Jehovah instruct His people in this way?

Exodus 23:10-13

The Sabbath and Land

      10“You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

      12“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves. 13“Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.

The only reason the scripture states to let the fields rest is to help the needy or even allow animals to eat. Perhaps Jehovah has something else in mind as well. Perhaps He wants us to trust in His providence and provision rather than to continue to think of doing things only our own way. We are to trust in Him rather than be fully self sufficient. We also see another firm reminder in verse 13 that we should not even mention the names of false gods. Jehovah’s people so often chase after false gods that He constantly reminds us to not even discuss them. He does not want us focusing on how pagans worship their gods, but rather on how He tells us to worship Him and lead our lives.

Pray that Jehovah will help you to understand and obey His instructions for how we are to live. Praise Him for providing such a great record of His guidance and His relationship with His people over time… the Bible! Then make or renew your personal commitment to do things God’s way, even when you may not understand why.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Righteousness / Serving God, Sin

Are God’s Laws Really That Weird?

I am amazed how often I meet people who say they are disciples of Jesus, and then insist that all of the laws and commands that He obeyed and that Jehovah provided to His people are obsolete… no longer meaningful. “Grace allows us to do whatever we want”, they say. “Besides, all those Old Testament laws are weird and no longer apply anyway.”

To begin with, those who are true disciples of Jesus should model their behaviors and actions after those of Jesus. Jesus modeled and taught obedience to God’s laws, not a disregard for them.

Further, many who have already dismissed God’s laws do not even know what they are… have not read them or studied them. Are God’s laws really that weird? or are they actually foundational to our western civilization and to a just and loving society that lives in obedience to God?

Exodus 23:1-9

Sundry Laws

      1“You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2“You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; 3nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.

      4“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. 5“If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him.

      6“You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. 7“Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.

      8“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.

      9“You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Taking just this simple collection of laws as an example…

  • Do not bear false witness
  • Do not follow the crowd and do evil
  • Show respect even to your enemies and help them
  • Do not acquit the guilty nor kill the innocent or righteous
  • Do not take a bribe
  • Do not oppress a stranger

Which of these would we willingly want to discard? None. These are all foundational to a righteous and civilized society that lives according to God’s instruction. It is irrelevant if we are talking about thousands of years ago, today, or thousands of years from now. God’s values and instructions are timeless. Let us not be so quick to discard what He has provided to guide us… instead relying on our own fallible and ever-changing “wisdom” to guide and govern.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.