52.j. Wilderness – 16.p. “Walk as children of light “

 

Deu 27:9-10  Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the LORD your God. You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.”

 Romans 6:22    But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

 1 Corinthians 6:9-11    Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 Ephesians 5:8-9    for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light  (for the fruit of light is found in 

 1 Peter 2:10-11    Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

If the LORD is our king, then it is fitting that we obey Him this way. Moses, and all the leadership of Israel simply declared a fact that was obvious to everyone. (Guzik)

“You have become the people of the Lord your God”. As children of the King of Kings, we are blessed beyond all measure. Through God’s grace, mercy, and love we have been redeemed and born again through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus suffered beating, ridicule, whipping, and nailed to the cross. He did this to redeem and save us from the corruption within our souls.  What manner of children should we be in light of this?

Should we:

  1. Give into worldly pleasures and lusts? 
  2. Give into greed, pride, fear, anxiousness, hate, jealousy, worry, etc…?
  3. Give into the busyness of life?
  4. Give into neglect of God’s Word?
  5. Give into being babes in our knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and things of God?
  6. Give into being lukewarm in our commitment?
  7. Give into gossip?
  8. Give into blind eyes and deaf ears to the leading of the Holy Spirit?

We are a child of God, the King of Kings, Creator of all there is, our all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present Heavenly Father. What manner of children should we be? What witness in your life brings recognition, honor, and glory to Him alone?

43.f. “Wilderness” – 7.m. Sinai – “You shall not covet”

 

Exodus 20:17  “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

 1 Samuel 15:19    Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD?

 Ecclesiastes 5:10-11   He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

 Isaiah 57:17   Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

 Ezekiel 33:31    And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

 Micah 2:2   They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.

 Habakkuk 2:9   “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!

 1 Corinthians 6:10     nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

 Philippians 3:19  Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

 Colossians 3:5   Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

 1 Timothy 6:6-10    But godliness with contentment is great gain,  for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

 Hebrews 13:5    Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Covetousness works like this: the eyes look upon an object, the mind admires it, the will goes over to it, and the body moves in to possess it. Just because you have not taken the final step does not mean you are not in the process of coveting right now. Covetousness can be expressed towards all sorts of things; it is the itch to have and to possess what someone else has. It speaks of a dissatisfaction with what we have, and a jealously towards those who have something better. Jesus gave a special warning about covetousness, which explained the core philosophy of the covetous heart: And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Guzik)

This command seems to have been added in order to teach the general principle that the Law of God is concerned, not with acts and words only, but with the thoughts of the heart. True godliness consists in bringing “every thought into captivity to Christ. (Ellicott)

God give us all to see our face in the glass of this law, and to lay our hearts under the government of it. (Benson)

The others forbid all desire of doing what will be an injury to our neighbour; this forbids all wrong desire of having what will gratify ourselves. (Henry)

No human eye can see the coveting heart; it is witnessed only by him who possesses it and by Him to whom all things are naked and open Luke 12:15-21. But it is the root of all sins of word or deed. (Brown)

Those inward motions of the heart, which from the fountain of original corruption do spring up in the heart, and tickle it with some secret delight, though they do not obtain tie deliberate consent of the will. For seeing this law of God is spiritual and holyRomans 7:12,14, and reacheth the thoughts, intents, and all the actual motions of the heart. (Poole)

This is the tenth and last commandment, and is an explanation of several of the past; showing that the law of God not only forbids external acts of sin, but the inward and first motions of the mind to it, which are not known, and would not be thought to be sinful, were it not for this law; nor are they known by this law until the Spirit of God by it convinces men of them, in whose light they see them to be sinful; even not only the schemes and contrivances of sin in the mind, the imaginations of it, thoughts dwelling upon it with pleasure, but even the first risings of sin in the heart; and such motions of it which are not assented unto, and unawares spring up from the corruption of nature, and are sudden craving desires after unlawful things, even these are forbidden by this law. (Gill)

 “Thou shalt not covet: lays it down again that we are not mere slaves of our natural desires and passions, but have a controlling power implanted within us, by means of which we can keep down passion, check desire, resist the impulse. Man is lord of himself, capable, by the exercise of his free will, of molding his feelings, weakening or intensifying his passions, and shaping his character. God, who “requires truth in the inward parts,” looks that we should in all cases go to the root of the matter, and not be content with restraining ourselves from evil acts and evil words, but eradicate the evil feeling from which the acts and words proceed. (Unknown)

Temptations to covet are around us all the time. We are constantly reminded and told through advertisements what we need, what we want, and what we should have.  It takes careful discernment to understand the heart and mind. This comes through the indwelling Holy Spirit and God’s Word penetrating and being active in our hearts and minds. Oh that our prayers would be in line with; God show me my heart, allow me to see what I covet wrongly, and lead me in my thoughts and actions that honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

20.u. “In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.”

 

 

Romans 11:30  For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

 1 Corinthians 6:9-11  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 Ephesians 2:1-2   And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

 Colossians 3:7    In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

 Titus 3:3-7   For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,  he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God”, “And such were some of you”, “ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked”, “In these, you too once walked when you were living in them.”, “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures”. Sometimes we forget where we came from.  We were once lost and following and chasing after the pleasures of this world and then we were changed, made new, and old things passed away.  After a time, it is easy to think of ourselves as never being like this.  We have a tendency to think we have reason to criticize others harshly for their actions.  Paul knew this better than anyone.  He knew that he arrested Christians, through them in prison, separated families, and gave support to their floggings or death.  He knew what he was like before becoming a believer.  He knew it was the work of God in him.  He knew what his heart was like before and after.  He knew it was only because of what God had done that He was a changed person.  He saw those who were like him before as lost and in need of a savior.  He did not think he was better but that what he had in Christ was.  He knew how easy it was to be conformed to this world and not see things of God or the need for salvation.  

We all were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, and slaves to various passions and pleasures.  We do well to keep this in mind as we see others around us who are still lost and pray for God to open their heart to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Remembering this work of God builds four things in us. First, gratitude for how God changed us. Second, humility as we see that it was His work that changed us. Third, kindness to others in the same place. Finally, faith that God can change those who are still in that place.

11.p. “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.”

Nahum 1:9   What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time. For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried. From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor. Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.”

Psalms 2:1-4   Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,  “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Ezekiel 38:10-11    “Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme

Isaiah 8:9-10    Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered.  Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Proverbs 21:30    No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.

Who knows the hearts of man, but God?  Who knows the intents of actions taken by man, but God? Who speaks with worldly wisdom and knowledge to give counsel to a man that leads them astray?  Why is it that man chooses to listen to and follow these worldly leaders giving false promises?  Each person chooses to listen and follow after that which fills their heart.  The sad part of this is most choose to deny God and willfully will not follow after Him.  Proclaiming God does not exist does not free anyone from the consequences of denying to honor, follow, trust, obey and rely on Him.  Proclaiming and believing God is love and all mankind will go to heaven upon death will lead many straight into hell.  Wide is the doorway to hell and the path is lined with everything to falsely satisfy the earthly soul, totally apart and separated from God.  When there is no conviction of sin in the heart of man, there will be no need for a savior, redeemer, and forgiver.  When there is no preaching of sin and the need for repentance there will be neglect, complacency, and lukewarm following after and trusting in Jesus Christ.  There will be no humble thanksgiving for the atonement and forgiveness of sin.  When there is no hunger and thanksgiving for God’s Word and to know and understand the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ more and more, people will become shallow in their belief, understanding, and application of God’s Word in their lives.  Hearts and minds that choose to walk in blind, limp, and shallow commitment to Jesus Christ will easily be taken in by those who distort the truth or deny the active power of Jesus Christ in the world today.  We do not have to look very hard at the things that are happening in the world today to know the return of Jesus Christ will come and the end is fast approaching.   Denying we are in the end times does not make it so, just like denying sin and the need for Jesus Christ does not make it so, just like denying each man will be judged by God does not make it so.  If you listen to news media for any short period of time you will seldom or never hear the need for God.  You will not hear of living to humbly serve Him.  What you will hear is worldly counsel, plots of man, fear, division, confusion, and utter lack of the fear of God.   I wonder what our lives would be like if we spent as much tie in God’s Word as we do listening to the meaningless drivel on local and national news.  Would our lives be changed?  Yes, they would.

9.c. “And gladness dries up from the children of man.”

Joel 1:4   What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten. Awake, you drunkards, and weep, and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth. For a nation has come up against my land, powerful and beyond number; its teeth are lions’ teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste my vine and splintered my fig tree; it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down; their branches are made white. Lament like a virgin wearing sackcloth for the bridegroom of her youth. The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off from the house of the Lord. The priests mourn, the ministers of the Lord. The fields are destroyed, the ground mourns, because the grain is destroyed, the wine dries up, the oil languishes. Be ashamed, O tillers of the soil; wail, O vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field has perished. The vine dries up; the fig tree languishes. Pomegranate, palm, and apple, all the trees of the field are dried up, and gladness dries up from the children of man.

This total devastation of the land is the result of the plague of locusts. The nation has become a disaster area. The Lord calls upon different segments of the population to mourn and repent.  What we might call a natural disaster is actually a judgment of God upon the people of Judah.  Joel tells them why the locusts have come and to mourn and repent.  Mourn over their loss and repent (turn away from) of the things they were doing, not being obedient to God nor living in such a way to bring Him honor and glory.   I do wonder about all of the “natural disasters” we are seeing with seemingly much more frequency.  Is not God in control of all things?  Yes, He is.  Are these judgments, reminders, or times of testing for us?  What are we to learn from them?  We know that the increase in frequency brings us much closer to the return of Jesus Christ.  How much more frequent and widespread do they have to be before we look to heaven with expectant hearts for the return of Jesus?  Not much I would think.  He could return today.  When we look at this wide overarching spread of Corona virus you have to wonder how much longer will the return of Jesus Christ for His church be.  The message is clear in Joel, “Repent”.  Could the Corona virus be God’s last call to repentance before the return of Jesus?  The point is to look for and expect the return of Jesus at any moment.  “For if they had known what time the thief would come they would have been prepared” but they were not prepared.  The parable that this comes from was a warning to those who don’t give thought to Christ and to those who think they are already right before God but are not.  Some may wonder what they have to repent from.  This is a fair question.  What they don’t know and what they don’t care about from God’s word leaves them unknowing.  Avoidance, neglect, and being complacent with God’s Word will never lead a person to repentance.  Only when God’s Word is desired and sought with a heart and soul-deep want is when the Holy Spirit will lead us to places within our hearts that we need to repent of.  Don’t neglect His word.  Don’t wait for a disaster to land on your front doorstep before you seek God.  Don’t wait for things around you to crumble into ruin to desire God.  Look deep into His word with a heart and mind that wants to be changed in ways that will honor and glorify Him alone.

My Father’s house

Zechariah 14:21  And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day.

Matthew 21:12   And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.  He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

John 2:15     And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.  And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

Isaiah 4:3    And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem,

Isaiah 35:8    And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

Ezekiel 44:9    “Thus says the Lord GOD: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, shall enter my sanctuary.

Joel 3:17    “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.

1 Corinthians 6:9    Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Ephesians 2:19    So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,  in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.  In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

1 Peter 4:17    For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

We know from scripture why the temple was built, what it’s purpose was, and how people were to revere God. Over time man turned what was intended to be Holy into something it was not intended for.  Outward appearances of obeying through performance of acts deemed to be in line with God’s expectations.  We see it became a house of trade where people were making money selling animals for sacrifice.  Christ walked into the temple and drove out these merchants and buyers.  Their heart was not inline with obedience to God but rather to a system of false seeking of God for forgiveness.  The old form of temple worship is gone and God replaced it with Jesus Christ the corner stone.  “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,  in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”  True worship begins with the heart, mind and soul in absolute reverence to God.  We must be mindful of “drifting away” as those in history have done.  Man seems to keep lowering expectations of what it means to serve God.  There are many things in life, just as there was in the past, that water down and dilute what it means to serve God which always results in drifting away from God, but still thinking you are alright.   Humbly serving, honoring, following, obeying God should always be growing.  Anything less is drifting away – Having a form of Godliness but lacking the heart, mind, and soul commitment.  We all do well to ask God to search our heart and lead us down paths that honor Him.