Heart – Page 12 – Praying Pint

4.u. No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.

Job 5:12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night.

Psalms 33:10-11    The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

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

Isaiah 8:10    Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Psalms 21:11    Though they plan evil against you, though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

Psalms 9:15-16    The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.  The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

Psalms 7:15-16    He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made.  His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.

1 Corinthians 1:19-20    For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

It does not take much time reading or watching the news in either local or foreign outlets to hear those who have no regard for God. It comes from those in business, education, military, unions, sports, and politics. It seems the louder they speak and the more absurd their thoughts the more attention they get. They would have us believe things like: only the weak seek a god, there are many gods, there are multiple ways to God, your life is all about YOU, and you are intolerant if you do not agree with that which opposes honoring God. They feed fuel to the lies of Satan. The most unsettling thing about this is that more and more people are believing these lies. They join in full force to the cause of the day without giving thought to God. I would like to say that people are brainwashed over time and have little to no chance of not being pulled along this path of destruction. The truth is that God has placed within each of these hearts knowledge of Him and they have chosen to reject Him. At the end of the day, they are without excuse, hope, or true hope and peace. We can shake out head at them in disgust but the truth of the matter is that we too were just like this, lost and without hope. God in His perfect plan, softened our heart and in this softening, we heard whispers of the need for forgiveness, salvation, and repentance. Our minds were spiritually opened to the mystery of grace, mercy, and love through Jesus Christ. This wisdom and understanding were not of ourselves but of God.

I get lost in my thoughts when I try to understand this in light of our free will to open the door to our heart to Him and His softening of our heart to bring us to this point in our life. I see these lost people and what they say and what they believe and get a bit miffed with all of it. I easily forget how I was also this way. I forget the darkness I lived in. I forget all the time I spent in this darkness and liking it. I forget all of the time spent apart from God and never giving Him a single thought. They are lost for sure but while there is breath in their lungs there is still hope for salvation, forgiveness, and repentance.

We honor God by exposing the darkness. We honor God by speaking and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We never know who or when a hardened heart will be softened, but we do know that salvation and forgiveness are given to all who believe in, trust in, and rely on Jesus Christ.

2.n. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’”

2 Chronicles 10:20 Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.”

Isaiah 7:9    And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’”

Isaiah 26:3   You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

John 14:1   “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Romans 8:31   What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Luke 16:31    He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Hebrews 11:6    And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

John 5:46-47     For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Belief, non-belief, and somewhere in between. A belief mindset with a whole heart, mind, and soul has visible and unseen qualities and attributes. These qualities and attributes reflect the light, grace, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ. This reflection can be a light on a hill to anyone within sight. This reflection yields to that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ. The person who yields must intentionally choose to yield. Their light does not grow dim or become overshadowed when the darkness of storms roll into their life. In fact, the light becomes brighter and more visible. This person spends time in God’s word meditating on it, drinking and breathing it in for they seek above all else to hear and be used by God. There is hardly a waking moment where they are not living in a sought after presence with Jesus Christ. They hear, follow, and obey the whispers of the Holy Spirit through His word. They continue to grow in understanding and knowledge of what it means to deny self. They grow in understanding of sin and their sinful nature that keeps trying to take control. They keep their eyes on eternity and humbly walk this life to serve, honor, worship, glorify, follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ.

The non-belief mindset gives their whole heart, mind, and soul to do what is right in their own eyes. Their guidance is focused on that which makes them feel good, in control, and false dreams of purpose. Their satisfaction is never satisfied. Their hunger for more pleasing and purpose is never satisfied. They follow their own desires for self-interest. Happiness and joy never last and they move from one thing to the next. They spend their time purposefully without seeking or desiring Jesus Christ. They happily mock and reject Him. They are more concerned with things of this world and deny the creator of it. They are lost and follow the wide path of life that leads to eternity in Hell. They give approval to their lifestyle and others who do the same. There is hope for these and others like them to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved.

Those somewhere in between are the ones who are truly lost. Their belief leads them to think they are right with God but their life has no reflection of the light of Jesus Christ. Their life in outward appearance looks no different than those with no belief. They know what to say and they pretend all that they do is all that is expected in Christian life. They compare themselves with others and perform to a level they think will be acceptable to God. They spend little time in devotion and even less time in the study of His word. They may attend church but display no gifts of the Holy Spirit to edify and grow the body of the church. They have become satisfied with neglect and complacent living. There are much self-interest activities in their life. They allow the busyness of life to take control of their life and give little to no thought of Jesus Christ throughout the day. They are lukewarm and seem to follow the path of least effort when it comes to serving Jesus Christ. There is no growth and they are stagnating. They are no more on the path that leads to life than those with no belief. Because they have once heard and believed but now have chosen to turn their backs to God, His Word, and try to share their self-interest/self-centered heart, soul, and mind with Him. This is a deception. There is no sharing of our heart, soul, and mind. We either give whole to one or the other. These are the worst for they have the appearance of a Christian but have no power and light of Jesus Christ in their life.

2.i. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts.

2 Chronicles 19:4 Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. And he went out again among the people, from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”

Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. And he charged them: “Thus you shall do in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart: whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt. And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters, and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the Lord be with the upright!”

Joshua 22:5    Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Luke 12:15     And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

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.

Exodus 18:21-22   Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe

Isaiah 1:23-26     Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts.

Isaiah 33:15    He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,

Micah 7:3    Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.

“Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God or partiality or taking bribes.” We look at a verse like this and think this does not apply to me because we are not in a position where we can accept a bribe for the decisions we make. But that is not true. We take bribes all the time. We take the bribes offered to us by society, culture, and the worldly things that are not God-centered or God-honoring. The worldly things come and offer us a bribe. They reach into our heart and mind and offer permanent satisfaction, peace, security, wealth, and health. If we take this bribe we are shorting God and what is due Him. He is our heavenly Father, Creator, and one and only God. We need to guard ourselves against being bribed away from God. We might have a thought that we are strong and able to stand against whatever bribes to capture our heart and mind. The truth of the matter is that we see what the world offers and it appears to be ok. We see others who have taken the bribe and then quite easily think this is not a bribe that will hinder our walk with God. In fact, we may even call it a blessing when in fact it is not. These bribes try to offer us something that only God can supply, only God can fulfill, and only God can give. If we love this world and what it has to offer over God, we are taking the bribe, dishonoring God, and are on paths that only lead to destruction, loss, pain, hurt, confusion, worry, and unhappiness.

How can we recognize a bribe if they are cloaked in false claims that seem to be righting our own eyes? Making an intentional choice with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength to serve and honor God is the beginning. But there is a daily dying to self that must take place. We need to make an intentional daily choice that we compare our thoughts, plans, and purposes against. We need to commit ourselves to recognize and fight against any and all bribes that come our way disguised in bright lights and false hopes. God’s word in our heart and mind will give us the armor to fight these bribes. In His Word, we will find understanding and knowledge of the true things of God and false things of the world. In His Word, we will find what our soul longs for. In His word we will find the truth and in this truth we will see the bribes for what they are – soul robbing, heart destroying, and life wasting. But we must choose to have His word in our heart and soul, and mind. We must commit with all our heart and soul. We can not approach this with partial desire or seeking. This is an all in or nothing. There is no partial walk with God that is honoring and pleasing to Him. The lukewarm approach to serving Him will end with disappointment for our soul.

Take inventory of your heart and mind and what they are being bribed with. One of the biggest bribes is that of busyness. If we take this bribe we find all kinds of reasons to NOT think about the presence of God and how we might honor, serve, follow, obey, and trust Him.

1.w. Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.

2 Chronicles 11:13 And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the Lord, and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

Joshua 22:19    But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over into the LORD’s land where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD or make us as rebels by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.

1 Samuel 7:3-4     And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only,

Haggai 1:5    Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways.

When Rehoboam started off his reign unwisely with unmerciful and prideful words there was a fraction that drove him out of their cities and his brother Jeroboam ruled over part of the land. Jeroboam and his sons drove out the priests and Levites, the very people God had chosen to minister and sacrifice properly unto the Lord God. He then created his own idols (gods) and appointed his own priests. There were people who followed their leader in this false worship and abandonment from God, and they did it willingly, without thought, without worry, and with an intentional choice knowing those who do so deserve the wrath of God. They turned their back on God. They yielded their heart, mind, and soul to another. Yet, I don’t want to speak about those who chose to willingly follow after false gods but rather those Levites, priests, and others who had set their hearts to seek God and they left everything and went to Jerusalem and Judah. They went there because they saw the error of what was being presented to them in place of God. They went there because they loved God. They went there because staying where they were would have been wrong in the sight of God.

What is going on in your world that is pulling, dragging, enticing, and deceiving you away from seeking and following after God? What have you accepted as perfectly ok to do because it is accepted by the people around you? If for one second can you imagine God standing at your side? Can you imagine God knowing what was being thought in your mind? Can you imagine God hearing what you say or we’re going to say? The truth is that God does know the thoughts and intents of your heart. He knows the words you speak before they are on your tongue.

If we truly seek and desire God and practice His presence in our life every moment then we will not be pulled, dragged, enticed, or deceived away. We will see it for what it is and seek direction, courage, strength, and knowledge on what to do and how to do it.

God may lead us away from it but may also direct you to stand firm and proclaim it is wrong. Either way, staying close to God and seeking Him will always bear fruit in your heart and soul and mind.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Dr. Allen P. Ross, “The issue then is how deceptive evil is. It might promise and deliver happiness, power, and the good life, but it cannot sustain what it gives.” An excerpt from Enduring Word, “This makes plain our need for a revelation from God. We can’t entirely trust our own examination and judgment. To really know we are on the way of life (instead of the way of death), we need to fear the LORD and receive His wisdom, especially as revealed in His word.” A word from theologian Bruce Waltke, “The way of death is rarely clearly marked. “The safety and destiny of a road are not always as they appear. The deceptive road leads as certainly to death as the plainly marked one.” The importance of trusting in God’s Word instead of what seems right to us cannot be overstated. Diligently studying the Scriptures is never an exercise in futility. The only way to find true assurance that we are not on the way to death is by knowing God’s way to life. We must pass the test as laid out in Scripture or we are deceiving ourselves.

1.q. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword

2 Chronicles 1:7 In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. O Lord God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.” So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon, from before the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

1 Samuel 16:7   But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

1 Kings 8:18     But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.

1 Chronicles 28:2    Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building.

1 Chronicles 29:17-18   I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.  O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.

Hebrews 4:12     For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

What would God see in your heart that no one else can see or know? What do you think is hidden and only yours to ponder and think about? What occupies your thoughts that you think no one knows about? God for certain knows everything in your heart. He not only knows the thought but the intent behind the thought. We get tested by God. Deuteronomy 8:2 “You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Ecclesiastes 3:18 “I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

God alone tests us so that we will see the error in our ways, how we talk, how we think, how we act. It is because of His love for us that He does this. He wants us to grow, understand, and gain knowledge of Him through the grace and mercy demonstrated in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. In this gaining knowledge and understanding, we must be shown (tested) what is truly in our heart and mind so that we can freely repent from it and freely choose to turn away from it to honor, serve, follow and obey our Lord and Savior. If we are not tested I fear our growth will become stagnate and we will become complacent and neglectful.

Oh God, give us ears to see and a mind to understand the greatness and awesomeness of Your grace and mercy. Speak loud and clear to our heart so that we know Your testing and see clearly that from which we need to confess, repent and turn away from. Strengthen our understanding of scripture as we intentionally choose to each day to be in Your word for Your honor and glory.

198. Josiah turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might

2 Kings 23:21 And the king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah. But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the Lord in Jerusalem.

Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord. Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.

Still the Lord did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. And the Lord said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.”

2 Chronicles 35:17 And the people of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days. No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.

It is hard to believe that the Passover was cast aside and treated like an outdated tradition. But that is what happened. The memory, remembrance, and celebration of the great, awesome, majestic, powerful, and merciful miracle of God against the Egyptians for the Israelites were cast aside. Seven miracles were performed, all in the view of the Israelites prior to the Passover miracle. This celebration was to be passed down from generation to generation so that they would not forget the great hand of God that led them from slavery. We can see this did not happen. At some point, it was stopped just like the reading of God’s word. God’s word had been put aside and with it all commitment to love Him with their whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.

The importance of what God has done in our lives should never be minimized or forgotten. Jesus Christ took on our sin, bore the penalty of it, and did this willingly while we were yet sinners. He did this out of love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Just as in the Passover where lamb’s blood was put on the doorposts so that the angel of death would pass over those who did this, Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. To minimize the sacrifice, to cast aside the love given, and to disregard the penalty paid by being neglectful and complacent is wrong on so many levels. Note how Josiah got rid of everything that was a hindrance and replacement for serving God with their whole heart, mind, and soul. Let us not forget. Let us commit anew. Let us humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, trust, and obey God for He alone is worthy.

196. “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”

2 Kings 23:1 Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him. And the king went up to the house of the Lord, and with him all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the prophets, all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.

Exodus 24:3     Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”

Joshua 24:24     And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.”

Deuteronomy 10:12    “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 8:19    And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.

After some 70+ years, the word of God is read to all the people. This would mean an entire generation had never heard it read. They may have heard some speak about it but never read. The laws, the covenant, the warnings, the power and might of God, and expectations/promises were read out loud. King Josiah called all of the people together to hear it and upon hearing it Josiah made a public covenant before the Lord and all the people to walk after the Lord and to keep His commandments, testimonies, and statutes with all his heart and soul.

When our heart opens up to God’s word our mind and soul are moved to action. When our heart is open, our eyes will no longer be blind to see and our ears will no longer be deaf to hear the Holy Spirit of God speaking, leading, guiding, encouraging, strengthening, empowering, and the love of God towards those who come to Him with their whole heart, mind, and soul.

151. And his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God,

1 Kings 15:1 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.

2 Chronicles 25:2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

When walking down the paths of; 1. And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God. 2. he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. 3. seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

There are dangers we face that are self-induced and none so dangerous as not giving God our whole heart. When God does not get our whole heart then we get influenced and driven by our own sinful desires or those of others. When we separate our heart to serve other things more wholly than God we jump on a very wide deceiving path of influence, illusions, deception, false hopes, and fleeting satisfaction. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” This is true in more than just money. If we try to manage our time with God in an attempt to satisfy both our self and God we most certainly will side with self. When that happens the word of God becomes less and less, serving Him becomes a burden, honoring Him becomes counterfeit, following Him becomes more of performing art than the desired walk, and obeying Him becomes at best a guess of what society deems ok. See what Peter says about slipping away from God and it’s the outcome: 2 Peter 1:3-10 “ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,”

Serving God half-hearted will lead to acceptance and tolerance of sin in our lives. It will rob us or true joy, peace, rest, hope, and faith.

146. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

1 Kings 12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites. And Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings.

Psalms 14:1    The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good

Mark 2:6  Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?

2 Corinthians 10:5    We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

1 Peter 1:14-15    As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

Jeroboam had a thought and it was heart deep. Since this happened, then this will happen, and because of that, I must do this. All of these thoughts took place in his heart. They took root and he acted upon them. He replaced God with two golden calves and set times of feasting and sacrificing and placed priests who were not of the tribe of Levites. He started down a path because of a thought in his heart and then continually took action in-line with that original errant thought.

Nothing has really changed in man over the years. Thoughts still come into our heart and mind. Many of these thoughts have a sin origin and unless we take them captive they will lead us on paths to make decisions that capture our heart, mind, and soul and not in line with honoring or following or obeying or trusting God.

We believe the lie or deception or illusion because the word of God is not in our heart and mind. Our desire for His word has been replaced. It is not as though we were given a black and white choice in this matter. It is just not that clear cut. What happens is we allow the busyness of life and cares of this world to seep into our heart. It starts with a little neglect of His word and this soon becomes a habit that changes how we see things, how we make decisions, how we think, and what we allow ourselves to think about and dwell on.

Paul gave us “Take every thought captive to obey Christ”. To understand our thoughts in light of His word we must have His word in our heart with a desire to have it expose wrong thoughts and keep our feet on the path that humbly serves, honors, follows, obeys, and trusts in Jesus Christ.

142. For surely they will turn away your heart after their gods

1 Kings 11:1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to 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.

Ezra 10:2-17   And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.  Now then make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”

Malachi 2:11    Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.

Judges 3:6-7     And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.  And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

patrick Mabilog; “Idolatry looks completely different today from what it once was. Whereas there was a time when idols were inanimate figures and statues, today they can come in various forms. Idolatry is an issue of the heart and can thus only be broken by a transformation of the heart.

God promises that through the power of the cross, we are now set free from sinful desires and can find meaning and joy in Jesus Christ where other things will only fail us in trying to provide that.

Idols are anything that takes God’s place in giving us fulfillment, satisfaction, security or significance. Many of the things that people have idolized — both past and present — are not necessarily bad things, but good things that take bad positions on our priority tree.

We are taught by the Bible to always put God first in our hearts. Colossians 3:5 says, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.“

We don’t have to yoke ourselves to another person to fall into the trap of serving other gods. Work, success, money, image, sex, materialism, and self-pride/worth are all paths this world offers us to take our eyes away from Jesus. These are not bad but when we distort their value and purpose they will seep in through every crack in our heart, mind, and soul pushing God away and their lies further in. They will root and lead us to make decisions that we would not have imagined making prior.

The minute we think we don’t need to be diligent with our time in God’s word, when we think we are in control and can coast through our prosperous life, when we think we are so strong that we would never fail, when we find it difficult to find time to spend with God’s word, When we think we are being good enough forgetting that it does not matter, when there is little difference in our lives and those who do not know God – these are all good indicators that worldly idolatry has infested your heart.

Recognize it, confess it, repent of it, and seek to place God first in all you do each minute of every day.