Tag: sacrificed

51. Wilderness – 15.f. “Take care that you be not ensnared to follow them”

 

 

Deu 12:29-32  “When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.  “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.

 Leviticus 18:3    You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.

Psalms 106:34-38   They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them,  but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.  They served their idols, which became a snare to them.  They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;  they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.

 Judges 2:2-3   and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?  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.”

 Romans 12:2    Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Israel was commanded to guard itself against a sinful curiosity. Ungodly curiosity has also killed many spiritual lives. God would not accept just any offering of worship. He had to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24)

They burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods: This referred to the practice of Molech worship, where Canaanites offered up their children by placing them alive on a burning hot metal statue of Molech, while drum beats drowned out the screams of the tortured infants.

. Israel had a tragic history of following after this horrible god Molech.

· At the least, Solomon sanctioned the worship of Molech, building a temple to this idol (1 Kings 11:7).

· King Ahaz of Judah gave his own son to Molech (2 Kings 16:3).

· One of the great crimes of the northern tribes of Israel was their worship of Molech, leading to the Assyrian captivity (2 Kings 17:17).

· King Manasseh of Judah gave his son to Molech (2 Kings 21:6).

· Up to the days of King Josiah of Judah, Molech worship continued, because he destroyed a place of worship to that idol (2 Kings 23:10).

The standard for worship was reflected in God’s Word – not in human preference or opinion. (Guzik)

When the Lord had cut off the nations of Canaan from before the Israelites, they were to take heed that they did not get into the snare behind them, i.e., into the sin of idolatry, which had plunged the Canaanites into destruction. (Keil_

We might not sacrifice our children on a fire or even think of doing it, but in a way, our culture has fallen away from God and turned their backs to Him, His Word, and His ways. We might not see an idol but there are certainly things that are cherished and worshipped in place of God. God’s Word is clear on being influenced by the world and what it deems important and worthy of our time, thoughts, and actions. We are to live in it but separate from its influences.  

I can remember a discussion with the first pastor I learned from after I was saved, Pastor McClunn. In or around 1980 we were talking and he said, “I have seen something that is troubling. Whatever the world is doing right now and the church recognizes it as not good or right in the eyes of God or does not bring honor and glory to Him, the church will adopt within 10 to 15 years.” He is probably not the first person to say something like this. It has stuck with me for 44 years. 

Thoughts about what is right and wrong, good and bad, or true and false are being eroded away little by little. When the Word of God used to be studied and people met regularly for bible study and worship and fellowship there was discernment. Now the study of the Word of God is watered down to a verse per day or some devotional pamphlet that has a nice short story tied to a verse. I might be generous here. There might not even be a daily look into God’s Word. More than likely it might just be once per week at church. Churches try to entice “bible study” by developing a plan of reading. This is not wrong but to read and not study is. New plans to engage are developed every year. New music is sung. New classes are taught. New sermons are preached. All in an effort to do what? To what end are we trying to achieve? 

If there is no personal conviction to repentance, no discernment between what is worldly and what is Godly, no recognition of the influences of the world, no desire to know God more and more, no continual growth in understanding the Holiness of God, no discernment of the sinfulness of sin, no means by which to gage maturity in God’s Word and things of God,  then people will do what seems right in their own eyes and soon will adopt things of this world into the church. In Revelations 3:20 Jesus was speaking to the church in Laodicea and said; “behold I stand at the door and knock”. Jesus wanted them to know that they had wandered away so far that he wanted to be allowed back into the church. How sad is this? How relevant is this today?  If Paul and the writer of Hebrews commented on the state of mind of the believers in the churches the letters were sent, calling them infants, eating baby food, and not able to digest solid food, what would he say now? 

The influences of this world are real and they will not be discerned by babies. Babies will put anything into their mouths and not know if it is good or bad for them.  Likewise, babies in the Word of God and things of God, believers will put things of this world into their lives not knowing if it is good or bad. 

44.a. “Wilderness” – 8.h. “Come up to the LORD” & the “Book of the Covenant”

 

Exo 24:1  Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.  Moses alone shall come near to the LORD, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”  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.”  And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.  And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

We are reminded that God spoke Exodus chapters 20:22 through 23:33 to Moses alone. Now others were to come up on the mountain and keep their distance.  When the people heard the law of God they responded with complete agreement (all the people answered with one voice). Then they verbally agreed to obey the LORD. Israel here was perhaps guilty of tremendous over-confidence. The way they seemed to easily say to God, “We will keep Your law” seemed to lack appreciation for how complete and deeply comprehensive God’s law is. However, a nation that had been terrified by God’s awesome presence at Sinai was in no state of mind to do anything but agree with God. In the previous verse (Exodus 24:3), Israel verbally agreed to a covenant-relationship with God; but there is a sense in which this is simply not good enough. They must do specific things to confirm their covenant with God. First, the word of God must be written. God’s word was important enough that it was not be left up to human recollection and the creative nature of memory.  Just as much as God would not negotiate His covenant with Israel, neither would He force it upon them. They must freely respond.  “Half of the blood being sprinkled on the ALTAR, and half of it sprinkled on the PEOPLE, showed that both GOD and THEY were mutually bound by this covenant.”

The blood of Jesus’ covenant saves us: this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. The blood of Jesus’ covenant is also the foundation for all our growth and maturity in Christ: Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Guzik)

For a moment, the people were ennobled, and obedience seemed easy. They little knew what they were saying in that brief spasm of devotion. It was high-water then, but the tide soon turned, and all the ooze and ugliness, covered now, lay bare and rotting. ‘Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ We may take the lesson to ourselves, and see to it that emotion consolidates into strenuous persistency, and does not die in the very excitement of the vow. *MacLaren)

God’s covenants and commands are so just in themselves, and so much for our good, that the more we think of them, and the more plainly and fully they are set before us, the more reason we may see to comply with them. (Henry)

43.j. “Wilderness” – 7.q. Sinai – “An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it”

 

Exodus 20:24  An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’

Deuteronomy 27:5-6   And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You shall wield no iron tool on them;  you shall build an altar to the LORD your God of uncut stones. And you shall offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God,

 Joshua 8:31    just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings.

 Hebrews 12:28-29  Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire

 The distinction between burnt offerings and peace offerings was given later in greater detail. Yet the mere mention of them at the outset of the giving of the law indicates that man cannot keep the law and must have sacrifice to deal with this inability. This was in expectation that Israel would break the laws God gave them, and need to atone for their sin by sacrifice, all with a view to the ultimate sacrifice God would ultimately provide. This wonderful promise was made in the context of sacrifice and atonement. Even in the Law of Moses, God often made the connection between trust in atoning sacrifice and the presence and blessing of God. Though there was blessing in keeping the law, we ultimately are only blessed by the law if we keep the entire law – therefore we seek and find blessing from God on the basis of His atoning sacrifice.

If an altar were made of stone, it was possible or even likely that attention would be drawn, and glory would be given to the stone carver. God, at His altar, wanted to share glory with no man – the beauty and attractiveness would be found only in the provision of God, not in any fleshly display. (Guzik)

An altar thou shalt make for thy present use, or whilst thou art in the wilderness: this he commanded, partly, that they might easily and readily erect an altar upon all occasions, which it might be hard for them to do there of better materials; partly, to mind them how much more God regarded the inward holiness than the outward pomp of their devotions; partly, because God would make a conspicuous difference between them and idolaters, who used much cost and curiosity about their altars; partly, that the altars might, after they left them, fall down and moulder away, and not remain as lasting monuments, which might be afterward abused to idolatry by any persons that came thither; partly, because they were uncertain of their stay any where, except at Sinai, and therefore must raise such altars as they could suddenly do. But this command only concerned their wilderness state; for there were better and more durable altars in the tabernacle and temple. (Poole)

The alter, sacrifice/offering, and blessing – The cross, Jesus Christ, eternal life

33.r. “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump”

 

Matthew 16:5  When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 Luke 12:1   In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

 1 Corinthians 5:6-8   Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 Galatians 5:9   A little leaven leavens the whole lump

 2 Timothy 2:16-17   But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,  and their talk will spread like gangrene.

 Matthew 16:12    Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 “It was the Jewish metaphorical expression for an evil influence. To the Jewish mind leaven was always symbolic of evil…leaven stood for an evil influence liable to spread through life and to corrupt it.” (Barclay) 

 “False doctrine; which is fitly called leaven, because it soureth, swelleth, spreadeth, corrupteth the whole lump, and all this secretly.” (Trapp)

Then Jesus said, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees — That is, of their false doctrine; elegantly called leaven, for it spreads in the soul, or the church, as leaven does in bread. (Benson)

It passes secretly, silently, but certainly through the mass of dough. None can see its progress.” So it was with the doctrines of the Pharisees. They were insinuating, artful, plausible. They concealed the real tendency of their doctrines; they instilled them secretly into the mind, until they pervaded all the faculties like leaven.   It is secret, silent, steady; pervading all the faculties of the soul and all the kingdoms of the world, as leaven, or yeast, though hidden in the flour, and though deposited only in one place, works silently until all the mass is brought under its influence. (Barnes)

When God’s Word is neglected or when we become complacent with its influence in our daily lives, it is then we will begin to tolerate (by intentional choice) worldly or fleshly thoughts or actions that had no room in our heart, mind, and soul previously. By His Word and through the Holy Spirit we are given discernment into what is right, pure, good, and holy.  By its neglect, we allow leaven in and day by day it silently and surely influences what we say, think, and do. How sad it is that through neglect and complacency we intentionally choose to become blind and deaf to things of God and the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives.  None are immune to the effects of “leaven”. The key is to be ever seeking and desiring the Holy Spirit’s leading through God’s Word so that in all things we think, say, and do, they honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

2.z. But they were the ruin of him

2 Chronicles 28:22  In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.

Isaiah 1:5     Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Ezekiel 21:13    For it will not be a testing

Revelation 16:9-11   They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.  The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish  and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

Hosea 5:15    I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.

Psalms 52:7   “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

There are times of testing from God.  These times are for our growth in knowledge and understanding of our heart and mind.  These times of testing reveal our deepest thoughts, beliefs, and intents within our heart, mind, and soul.  God uses these, in love, to draw us into a closer, everlasting, and meaningful walk with Him.  We come out the other side of testing with more reliance, trust, and obedience.

Ahaz was not in a time of testing.  He was making decisions and leading people who willingly followed him straight into the wrath and anger of God.  God is not mocked.  What a man sows so shall he reap.  You reap what you sow means you get what you deserve, whatever you put your time, talent and energy into is what you get back. You reap what you sow means you must eventually face the consequences of your actions.

When we are neglectful and complacent in our commitment, listening, and obedience to God the world and our sinful nature will fill this void with things that do not honor or glorify Him.  It will fill us with promises of satisfaction, peace and rest but will never deliver on them.  It will walk arm and arm, hand in hand with us into darkness, confusion, anxiousness, and proclaiming false hopes.  When the light of Jesus Christ is all but a dim flicker in our soul we will make an intentional choice to either extinguish or to fan it into a brilliant flame.  We will either repent and turn away from our wayward path or go deeper into darkness and apart from Jesus Christ.

Do not follow family, friends, colleagues, culture, or society into darkness.  Make an intentional choice to humbly return to the Light of Jesus Christ and make this your heart, mind, and soul desire.  Live in His presence every moment of every day.  Keep the light of Jesus Christ held high to stay on the path of eternity with Him.  Keep this light held high for others to see.  Live in the Light of Jesus Christ.  Keep thoughts and actions and words exposed to the Light of Jesus Christ.

2.b. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him,

2 Chronicles 15:1  The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law, but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

As soon as Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded, he took courage and put away the detestable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was in front of the vestibule of the house of the Lord. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were residing with them, for great numbers had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. They sacrificed to the Lord on that day from the spoil that they had brought 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep. And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. They swore an oath to the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets and with horns. And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.

Even Maacah, his mother, King Asa removed from being queen mother because she had made a detestable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her image, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days. And he brought into the house of God the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels. And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

Asa listened to the prophet.  He had open ears and mind to hear because he sought God with all his heart.  We can know what to do and how to respond to many things from God’s word.  Asa took courage from God’s word and took action accordingly.  When God’s word is received by a person who is seeking God with all their heart, mind, and soul, they are moved by the leading of the Holy Spirit into action that would not have happened otherwise.  Their inner being is renewed, strengthened and that which was worrying them is now faced with courage.

Note how the people of Israel came to live under the rule of Asa because they saw the Lord God was with him.  Note how they responded with sacrifices unto God and entered into a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and all their souls.  Anyone who would not do so should be put to death.  They rejoiced over the oath that was given with all their heart and how they sought the Lord with their whole desire and He was found by them.  They were given rest from all around because the Lord gave it to them and His hand of protection was over them.

Asa removed his mother from being queen mother because she made a detestable image.  Asa was wholly true all his days.

It is one thing to commit to the Lord Jesus Christ, to come that first time loaded with sin and guilt, to come with a need to be forgiven, to come trusting in and relying on redemption, mercy, and grace through Jesus Christ.  It is another thing to be wholly true all your days.  What does it take to be wholly true?  First is a desire and seeking that comes from deep in your heart, mind, and soul for God.  Second, there is a desire and seeking to hear Him speak into your life.  Third, there is a willingness to follow and obey what He says or has said. Fourth there is a turning away from that which is not pleasing to God.  Following God with our whole heart, mind, and soul is not like making a New Years resolution that slowly drifts away after a time.  No, it is a commitment that is fueled by an absolute need and want to be in His presence and knowing Him and doing that which honors Him.  This commitment is renewed with each breath and brought into focus with each blink of the eye.  This commitment is both the bread of life and living water for the soul.  This commitment gives life to the heart and should and without it, no purpose and satisfaction are found.

1.i. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

1 Chronicles 21:9  And Jehovah spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying, Go and speak unto David, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Take which thou wilt: either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before thy foes, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of Jehovah, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of Jehovah destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall, I pray, into the hand of Jehovah; for very great are his mercies: and let me not fall into the hand of man. So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was about to destroy, Jehovah beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the destroying angel, It is enough; now stay thy hand. And the angel of Jehovah was standing by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Jehovah standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done very wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, O Jehovah my God, be against me, and against my father’s house; but not against thy people, that they should be plagued.

Then the angel of Jehovah commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and rear an altar unto Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of Jehovah. And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons that were with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshing-floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. Then David said to Ornan, Give me the place of this threshing-floor, that I may build thereon an altar unto Jehovah: for the full price shalt thou give it me, that the plague may be stayed from the people. And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen for burnt-offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meal-offering; I give it all. And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for Jehovah, nor offer a burnt-offering without cost. So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. And David built there an altar unto Jehovah, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and called upon Jehovah; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering. And Jehovah commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

At that time, when David saw that Jehovah had answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of Jehovah, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt-offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon. But David could not go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of Jehovah.

Proverbs 1:29-31    Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,  would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,  therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

Numbers 20:12     And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

Joshua 24:15   And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

We read of Moses, David, and Aaron who lost sight of following God for a brief moment and were disciplined by God for their unbelief and pride which led them to dishonor God.  It is important for us to understand when God says I want your whole heart, mind, and soul, He wants them all of the time.  He wants our first thought in the morning when we wake and the last thought before we sleep and everything in-between to be God-honoring humble submission, God-seeking, God-glorifying, God praising, God following, God trusting, and God Obeying.  When we lose sight for just a fraction of our day we are swept away with thoughts and actions that do not honor God.  When we do these things of this world will rob us of service to God and our ability to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to a dark and lost world.

God disciplines His children in love and mercy.  We see where He withheld from Aaron and Moses, put to death people under David’s kingdom, and others He let them eat of the fruit of their way and be filled with their own devices.  This I would think would be the worst discipline from God – to be let go and allowed to continue in sinful ways.

Bright sparkling things of this world will distract us if we are not able to recognize they are of this world and not God-honoring.  They will disguise themselves in what seems appropriate and allowable but they are not.  The only way we can know of these worldly illusions and deceptions is to have the word of God in our heart, mind, and soul with an intentional choice to have it there every moment of every day.

What is your snare

All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Judges 8:23
But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)
They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks. Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

1 Samuel 12:12
And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.

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

I keep reading these accounts of God’s greatness and how He allowed people to see it.  I sit back and wonder how could these people so easily fall away from what God truly expected of them.  Look at Exodus where the people saw God perform great power and wonders in their exodus from Egypt.  When Moses went to the mountain to be with God and be instructed for 40 days the people immediately made an idol to worship.  Again in Samuel we see where the people had God present with them and they asked God for a king when He was clearly their King.  There are numerous examples throughout scripture of God’s people choosing something other than God to worship and give honor to.  Is this still true today?  Do we give honor, glory, worth to something other than God?  Do our lives reflect humble submission and service to Him?  Is there both and outward and inward difference to our lives compared to those who regard God as a fairy tale?  The only way to answer these questions is to reflect on what God’s word says and speaks into your heart.  If there is no regular time spent in His word how are we able to (as instructed) “write it on our heart”, “write it on our door posts”, “meditate on it day and night”, “take it with us on our coming and going”.   The biggest error in any life is to disregard His word and having a deep heart desire to humbly serve Him.