gods – Praying Pint

52.q. Wilderness – 16.w. “And the LORD rejected”

Deu 28:43  The sojourner who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower.

Judges 2:3     So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”

2 Kings 17:20    And the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

John 19:15   They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

shall rise higher and higher above you
they shall become thorns in your side
their gods shall be a snare to you
We have no king but Caesar.

When you look at what our culture has become, how it influences our thoughts, what we consider important and worthy of our time, what is tolerated, what is not condemned, what has weakened our commitment, what has stunted our growth, what consumes our hearts and minds, what causes fear, chaos, and confusion, what causes division, hate, and anger, and how the thought of the return of Jesus Christ at any moment is void from our daily lives, – have we not placed this world and what it offers above God? How much of our thoughts and times are consumed by what this world says is important.

Professional and college sports teams, players, and stats, TV series and movies, Facebook, Twitter, Rumble, Instagram, influencers, news media outlets (live or in print), abortion, pornography, LBGTQ pride, etc…… all of this rises higher and higher and they become a snare. Our Redeemer, Savior, and coming again King Jesus Christ is forgotten. Our growth and maturing are stagnant if not totally snuffed out. The thorn in our side we once felt, we are now numb too.

Does any of this sound like a blessing or a curse?

Consuming what the world deems worthy and right will result in a weakness of faith and reliance on Jesus Christ.

Do we even seek to hear the quiet whispers or shouts of the Holy Spirit’s leading and conviction? If there is any Holy Spirit conviction, the time for repentance is today, now, and immediate. Oh that we would see what we have become and the pursuits of our hearts and minds that consume us.

Neglecting God’s Word and being unable to hear the Holy Spirit leading are good indicators that the snares of this world have enclosed around you. God’s curses are promised equally as His blessings. How are we blind to what it means to live, godly, holy, and honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ if our hearts and minds are focused on things of this world? What consumes your time will consume your thoughts.

49.v. Wilderness – 14.a. “These words the LORD spoke”

Deu 5:7-22 “‘You shall have no other gods before me.

“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image.

“‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain,

“‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.

“‘Honor your father and your mother,

“‘You shall not murder.

“‘And you shall not commit adultery.

“‘And you shall not steal.

“‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

“‘And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

“These words the LORD spoke

God, who by natural claim as well as by covenant relation was entitled to exercise supremacy over His people Israel, had a sovereign right to establish laws for their government. (Brown)

God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone tablets and gave them Moses to share with all the Israelites soon after they left captivity in Egypt. Moses reiterated them 40 years later in as the Israelites neared the Promised Land. Leaving captivity in Egypt meant establishing a new society. The law established healthy boundaries based on respect for God and other people rather than brute strength. The law given to Moses provided the foundation for a new Israelite society. Jesus called people to an even higher standard by obeying the commandments not only in their actions but also in their hearts. The initial commandments start with the relationship with the “Lord your God”. God told His people He was their Lord, Master, and Creator God. They should have no other gods, and they should not make idols. They should not misuse his name. The Sabbath bridges our relationship with God. God commanded his people to take the Sabbath for their benefit. God intended for his people to enjoy their relationship with Him and each other by valuing the Sabbath. The following commandments address our relationships with others. (Noyes)

As new creations in Christ, the law is not only our duty but also our delight. If we want to love Christ as he deserves and as he desires, we will keep his commandments. But the Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The way to find moral instruction isn’t by listening to your gut but by listening to God. If we want to know right from wrong, if we want to know how to live, if we want to know how to live in a way that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ and blesses our friends and neighbors, we’d be wise to do things God’s way, which means paying careful attention to the His commandments. (Deyoung)

Compare what society deems and approves as “OK” to commands of God. Abortion, greed, hate, pornography, divorce, LGBQT, retaliation, self-worth, self-reliance, etc…. all find root in rejecting and denying God, things of God, and the Word of God. If we neglect God’s Word and allow social media and news outlets to fill our minds it is no wonder there is little conviction in the hearts of those who confess Jesus as Lord with their lips but the Word of God is not in their hearts or minds.

44.t. “Wilderness” – 8.z. “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?”

Exodus 32:21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies),

Deuteronomy 13:6-8 “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him.

Moses understood that this plan didn’t originate with Aaron, but that he allowed it and implemented it. Aaron essentially asked Moses to calm down, and to not be so angry. Aaron had no sense of the greatness of his sin. He had no significant sense of the fear of the LORD. Aaron quoted the people exactly. But he lied when he described his own actions. Aaron no doubt meant that this calf was produced by a miracle – it just happened. But Moses – and everyone else – could see the human engraving marks on it. Aaron claimed this was a miraculous work, but the evidence of his workmanship was all over it. Aaron did this evil thing and made his excuse because at that moment, it seemed harder to stand for the LORD than to go along with the people, and Aaron took the path of least resistance. Aaron’s sin was so great that only the intercession of Moses saved his life. And the LORD was very angry with Aaron and would have destroyed him; so I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. (Deuteronomy 9:20) (Guzik)

Never did any wise man make a more frivolous and foolish excuse than that of Aaron. We must never be drawn into sin by any thing man can say or do to us; for men can but tempt us to sin, they cannot force us. The approach of Moses turned the dancing into trembling. They were exposed to shame by their sin. The course Moses took to roll away this reproach, was, not by concealing the sin, or putting any false colour upon it, but by punishing it. (Henry)

Moses was asking Aaron; what did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? as idolatry is, than which no sin can be greater, it being not only a breach of the first table of the law, but directly against God, against the very being of God, and his honour and glory; it is a denial of him, and setting up an idol in his room, and giving to that the glory that is only due to his name; and Aaron being the chief magistrate, whose business it was to see that the laws of God were observed, and to restrain the people from sin, and to have been a terror to evil doers; yet falling in with them, and conniving at them, he is charged with bringing sin upon them, or them into that; and is asked what the people had done to him, that he should do this to them, what offence they had given him, what injury they had done him, that he bore them a grudge for it, and took this method to be revenged? for it is suggested, had they used him ever so ill, he could not have requited it in a stronger manner than by leading them into such a sin, the consequence of which must be ruin and destruction, see Genesis 20:9 or else Moses inquires of Aaron what methods the people had made use of to prevail upon him to suffer them to do such a piece of wickedness; whether it was by persuasion and artful insinuations, or by threatening to take away his life if he did not comply, or in what manner they had wrought upon his weak side, to induce him to take such a step. (Gill)

Being mindful of how dependent we are on the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to stand and fight against the evil ways of society and culture that do not fear God is essential every single moment of every single day. It is when there is a soul-deep desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ that we find ourselves yielding to and listening more to the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit directing our lives.

44.n. “Wilderness” – 8.t. “They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them”

Exodus 32:7  And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’”

Deuteronomy 9:12   Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them; they have made themselves a metal image.’

Deuteronomy 4:16    beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

Deuteronomy 32:5    They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation.

Judges 2:19    But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.

God says to Moses, that the Israelites had corrupted themselves. Sin is the corruption of the sinner, and it is a self-corruption; every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust. They had turned aside out of the way. Sin is a departing from the way of duty into a by-path. They soon forgot God’s works. He sees what they cannot discover, nor is any wickedness of the world hid from him. We could not bear to see the thousandth part of that evil which God sees every day. (Henry)

As soon as our eyes fall away from God, our purposes change and our commitment wanes. Why does God’s Word say for us to keep our eyes on Jesus, meditate on the Word of God, and write His Word on our hearts and minds, because of how easy it is for us to fall away into wrong thinking and living and speaking. It does us well to have close friends of faith who speak of God and things of God each day. This world and what it has to offer will blind us to the things of God if we neglect His Word and become complacent in our walk with Him.

44.m. “Wilderness” – 8.s. “Make us gods who shall go before us”

Exodus 32:1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

While Moses was in the mount, receiving the law from God, the people made a tumultuous address to Aaron. This giddy multitude were weary of waiting for the return of Moses. Weariness in waiting betrays to many temptations. The Lord must be waited for till he comes, and waited for though he tarry. Let their readiness to part with their ear-rings to make an idol, shame our stubbornness in the service of the true God. They did not draw back on account of the cost of their idolatry; and shall we grudge the expenses of religion? Aaron produced the shape of an ox or calf, giving it some finish with a graving tool. They offered sacrifice to this idol. Having set up an image before them, and so changed the truth of God into a lie, their sacrifices were abomination. Had they not, only a few days before, in this very place, heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image? Had they not themselves solemnly entered into covenant with God, that they would do all he had said to them, and would be obedient? ch. 24:7. Yet before they stirred from the place where this covenant had been solemnly made, they brake an express command, in defiance of an express threatening. It plainly shows, that the law was no more able to make holy, than it was to justify; by it is the knowledge of sin, but not the cure of sin. (Henry)

The delay of Moses’ return was a test for Israel, in which it was to prove its faith and confidence in Jehovah and His servant Moses, but in which it gave way to the temptation of flesh and blood. (Keil)

40 days from the time they heard God speak His commandments and their covenant with Him in obedience is all it took to shatter their faith in God and their commitment to His commands. The shallowness or depth of our belief and commitment will always become evident when there is pressure put against it.

44. “Wilderness” – 8.g. “When my angel goes before you”

Exodus 23:23 “When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

How rich are the particulars of this promise! The comfort of their food, the continuance of their health, the increase of their wealth, the prolonging their lives to old age. Thus hath godliness the promise of the life that now is. It is promised that they should subdue their enemies. Hosts of hornets made way for the hosts of Israel; such mean creatures can God use for chastising his people’s enemies. In real kindness to the church, its enemies are subdued by little and little; thus we are kept on our guard, and in continual dependence on God. Corruptions are driven out of the hearts of God’s people, not all at once, but little by little. The precept with this promise is, that they should not make friendship with idolaters. Those that would keep from bad courses, must keep from bad company. It is dangerous to live in a bad neighbourhood; others’ sins will be our snares. Our greatest danger is from those who would make us sin against God. (Henry)

These promises secured to the people not only the protection and help of God during their journey through the desert, and in the conquest of Canaan, but also preservation and prosperity when they had taken possession of the land. (Keil)

The promises of God are great and awesome and reveal His mighty power over His creation in heaven and earth. Is anything too hard for God? No! Can He do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine? Yes! We do not have the knowledge and understanding or wisdom to begin to know the power of God and the fullness of His grace, mercy, and love. We do have glimpses of these though through His Word and by the indwelling Holy Spirit in all who believe. He has given us great promises so that we have a reason for belief, faith, and hope for today, tomorrow, and forever. It is in these promises that we find peace and rest for our souls in the midst of the confusion going on around us. It is in these promises we find a reason to live in such a way of obedience for the single purpose to honor and glory to Him in all we think, say, and do. Though a mountain is before us, God is with us. Though a great divide is in front of us, God is with us. Though darkness is all around us, God is with us. Though our trials and troubles seem unbearable, God is with us. Though I do not know Him fully, He knows me fully. Though I do not know what tomorrow brings, God knows. God created all there is. He placed every star in every galaxy. He parted the Red Sea, brought water out of a rock, fed His people in the wilderness, sent messengers, prophets, and priests to guide and warn, He sent His Son for the redemption of all who would believe, He healed the sick, raised people from the dead, He is coming again, and has promised eternal life to those He has called.

39.w. “I wait for Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

Genesis 49:16 “Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls backward. I wait for your salvation, O LORD.

Judges 18:22-31    When they had gone a distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house were called out, and they overtook the people of Dan.  And they shouted to the people of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you come with such a company?”  And he said, “You take my gods that I made and the priest, and go away, and what have I left? How then do you ask me, ‘What is the matter with you?’”  And the people of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household.”  Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.  But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him, and they came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire.  And there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob. Then they rebuilt the city and lived in it.  And they named the city Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor, who was born to Israel; but the name of the city was Laish at the first.  And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.  So they set up Micah’s carved image that he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.

Psalms 14:7  Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Psalms 40:1   I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Psalms 62:1  For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

Psalms 119:41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise;

Psalms 119:166   I hope for your salvation, O LORD

Psalms 130:5   I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

Isaiah 8:17    I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.

Isaiah 25:9     It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Lamentations 3:25   The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

Micah 7:7    But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Galatians 5:5    For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

1 Thessalonians 1:10     and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. There is an elegant paronomasia, or an allusion to the name of Dan in those words, which signifies to judge, and the sense of them is, there should be heads, rulers, and judges of it. (GILL)

“Dan will procure his people justice as one of the tribes of Israel. Let Dan become a serpent by the way, a horned adder in the path, that biteth the horse’s heels, so that its rider falls back.” Although only the son of a maid-servant, Dan would not be behind the other tribes of Israel, but act according to his name (ידין דּן), and as much as any other of the tribes procure justice to his people (i.e., to the people of Israel; not to his own tribe, as Diestel supposes). There is no allusion in these words to the office of judge which was held by Samson; they merely describe the character of the tribe, although this character came out in the expedition of a portion of the Danites to Laish in the north of Canaan, a description of which is given in Judges 18, as well as in the “romantic chivalry of the brave, gigantic Samson, when the cunning of the serpent he overthrew the mightiest foes” (KEIL & DELITZSCH)

Jacob, almost spent, and ready to faint, relieves himself with those words, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord! The salvation he waited for was Christ, the promised Seed; now that he was going to be gathered to his people, he breathes after Him to whom the gathering of the people shall be. He declared plainly that he sought heaven, the better country, Heb 11:13,14. Now he is going to enjoy the salvation, he comforts himself that he had waited for the salvation. Christ, as our way to heaven, is to be waited on; and heaven, as our rest in Christ, is to be waited for. It is the comfort of a dying saint thus to have waited for the salvation of the Lord; for then he shall have what he has been waiting for. (HENRY)

37.a. “Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

Genesis 24:2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Genesis 26:34-35    When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite,  and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.

Genesis 27:46   Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

Exodus 34:16    and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.

Deuteronomy 7:3-4    You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons,  for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.

2 Corinthians 6:14    Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Abraham was in such high esteem among the Canaanites, that, undoubtedly, he could have married Isaac to a daughter of one of the princes of the land. But he saw that the Canaanites were degenerating into great wickedness, and knew that they were designed for ruin; and he would not marry his son among them, lest they should be a snare to his soul. (Benson)

We all like to believe that we can be around ungodly things as much as we want and that we are strong enough to ward off the influence. But we must take seriously the words of Scripture: Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33). It needs to come back to the simple question from Romans 12:2: Are we being conformed to this world, or are we being transformed by the renewing of your mind? (Guzik)

Our culture is much different now than in the time of Abraham. We do not choose a wife for our sons. They choose for themselves. As parents, it is very hard to watch as a son chooses to make union with a woman who is not a believer or does not give thought or service to God. Scripture is clear that such a union will more than likely bring heartache as parents observe their lives.

All is not lost, Pray for their souls. Pray continually for God’s softening of their heart and mind to the Word of God. Pray for God to bring people into their lives who love, serve, and honor Jesus Christ. Pray for God to open their heart to hear His invitation to believe in Him. Never cease to pray for them. Do not give up. God is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

34.g. “See that you are not led astray”

Matthew 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3   “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,  and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’  you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Luke 21:8   And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11   The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,  and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,

If someone has spiritual power, signs, or wonders, those are not enough to prove they are from God. Satan can perform his own powerful works, either through deception or through his own resources of power. The deception can only take root in those who do not receive the love of the truth. These people are ready for the deception of the Antichrist because they want a lie, and God will send them a strong delusion. This isn’t just any lie, but the lie, the lie that has enthralled the human race since Adam. There are many lies that satan promotes and tempts all people with; God is not God, God does not exist, Creation is not real, Believing in God is believing in a fairytale, Sin against God is not real, Heaven is not real, Eternal life is not real, Eternal torment and Hell are not real, The need for forgiveness is not real, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and redemption are not real, The wrath of God is not real, The Word of God is made up stories, Self-worth is enlightenment, Self-reliance is power, God is not All-Powerful, God is not All-Knowing, God is not All-Present, All man can have is what the world has to offer, Repentance is not needed, You are good enough by your good deeds to deserve Heaven and eternal life, etc………… They are endless as the minds that intentionally choose to succumb to them. As God gives rebellious man the lie he desires, it isn’t out of His generosity. Instead, it shows God’s judgment on those who reject the truth. In judgment, God may give a man up to the depravity of his heart, to his pleasure in unrighteousness. These acts of denial, rejection, and defiance are the very vehicle of their judgment and punishment.

Corruption of doctrine, true worship, and faith come in by degrees and was gradual. Discernment is needed to see through the fog of these false proclamations. Those that fall into belief in these lies are intentionally willing subjects to them and include those who flat out deny the existence of God and the need for forgiveness and those who neglect and become complacent with the Word of God. How are we to hear the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit when our hearts and minds prefer things of this world over things of God? We do well to repent of neglect and complacency and seek and desire things of God so that we might more fully honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do.

26.o. “Serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind”

Galatians 4:8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

1 Thessalonians 3:5    For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

Romans 1:28    And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

1 Corinthians 1:21   For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom,

Ephesians 4:18   They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

1 Chronicles 28:9  “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Legalism caters to and recognizes our flesh by putting the focus on what we achieve for God, not on what Jesus did for us. We can have a living, free, relationship with God as a loving Father based on what Jesus did for us and who we are in Him. Or we can try to please God by our best efforts of keeping the rules, living in bondage as slaves, not sons. Living that way makes the whole gospel in vain. Such is the battle we all face. We lean more toward what we can do to make ourselves right before God rather than what He has done through Christ, thereby resting, relying on, and trusting in this alone. It is when we recognize, take captive, and discard these thoughts of self-reliance we will truly be able to honor and glorify Jesus Christ through faith in Him alone. If there was an equation, to sum up, this type of thinking it would be; My works + the work of Christ = eternal life. This way of thinking literally says Christ’s sacrifice was not enough. Anything added to Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin = nothing, zero, failure. In Christ alone, there is forgiveness, salvation, redemption, and eternal life. Don’t be tempted or allow your mind to be tricked into thinking you can in any way add any benefit for your soul other than through Jesus Christ.