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?

“In the last days difficult times will come”

 

In Luke 21:10–11 “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

2 Timothy 3:1–5  “In the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power”.

What more can take place before the return of our Lord and Savior? Not much. The world is in turmoil and giving God no thought or reverence. And yet, while He has not yet returned we live under His grace and mercy. It is not for us to decide who is worthy or not of salvation. Until His return, there is still hope for those lost and without hope.

May God open their eyes and their ears to see and hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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.

8.r. “I warn you, as I warned you before”

Revelation 21:8  But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Romans 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,  foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

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.

Galatians 5:19    Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

While John’s list is similar to those of Paul, it’s important to note that John begins with “cowards” and “unbelievers.” This appears to be an indirect appeal to all professing believers facing times of testing. John makes no distinction between those who deny Jesus under persecution and those who openly embrace pagan vices. Jurgen Roloff again writes, “In an effort to challenge the reliance of the addressees on their safe possession of salvation, John again makes it clear that, because of the magnitude of the promise received, the danger is all the more serious of being disobedient and faithless to Jesus. Whoever succumbs to it does not belong to those who stand in the Look of Life and is therefore fundamentally like God’s enemies, who stand in his judgment” (p. 238). This is not to suggest that the elect will fall away; rather it seems to be an affirmation that those who merely profess Christianity may expect to be exposed under the withering heat of persecution so that their true nature as unbelievers is made clear.

Phillips, Rob. The Searcher’s Guide to the Apocalypse:

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.