Tag: scatters

44.u. “Wilderness” – 9. “Whoever is not with me is against me”

 

Exodus 32:26  then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.

Matthew 12:30   Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me—The zeal and courage of Moses was astonishing, considering he opposed an intoxicated mob. The people were separated into two divisions, and those who were the boldest and most obstinate in vindicating their idolatry were put to death, while the rest, who withdrew in shame or sorrow, were spared. (Brown)

Being on the LORD’s side requires decision, action, and separation. (Guzik)

How many times a day do we choose sides? How much are we influenced by those around us or by what is spewed and vomited out in the news or social media outlets? Being influenced by those who do not fear God or revere His name can never be good for our souls. They make speak or write words with great compassion and eloquence to make their position and stance seem right. Yet, in all their words nothing God-honoring or God-glorifying is proclaimed.

I am amazed at how many people are influenced by what is on the news. When they speak they are nothing more than a repeating voice for the thoughts of those who give no thought to God. How much time is wasted upon the thoughts of those who deny God? Surly evil is present and filling the hearts and minds of many. 

To think killing babies is a right and granted by the Constitution is nothing but pure evil having its way in the minds of those given to it.  Thinking LGBQT lifestyles are in line with God’s Word and somehow approved by Him is pure evil. To think pornography is adult entertainment is ok and not damaging the soul can not be further from the truth. Evil is very present and all the more as we see the Return of Jesus Christ approaching. 

I do know this; when God’s Word is not in your life everyday, then something else is, and for sure, it is not honoring or glorifying to Jesus Christ.

32.s. “How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God”

Matthew 12:30  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

 Hebrews 10:26    For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

 Hebrews 10:29    How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

 Isaiah 1:18   “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

 Isaiah 55:7   let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

 Ezekiel 33:11    Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways

 Jesus removes all illusions about any neutral response to Him or His work. If one is not for Him, then that one is against Him. If one does not work with Jesus, by either active opposition or passive disregard, that one works against Jesus. There are only two forces at work in the world, gathering, and scattering.  Whoever does the one contradicts the other. Being neutral, non-committed, is as if in active and open opposition.

I struggle to fully know or understand the meaning of; “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven”. A distinction is made between what it means to commit blasphemy against the Son of Man (Jesus) versus the Holy Spirit.  On one hand, Jesus is saying that people, out of their lack of full knowledge and understanding, may partially or fully, knowingly or unknowingly, show contempt of or not revere God sufficiently or appropriately, will or can be forgiven.  Paul, in 1 Timothy 1:13 says; “though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief”. People, out of their lack of full knowledge and understanding, may wrongly commit blasphemy against Jesus and still receive forgiveness. A person is pardoned this/these sin(s) upon repentance, surrender, belief, trust, obedience, and reliance upon Jesus Christ for their redemption, salvation, and forgiveness. 

I struggle with “but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven”, not so much that it was said but what it says a person can do. Essentially, a person can, with full knowledge and understanding, have contempt for God’s Holy Spirit within them. Clearly, God’s Word speaks of such but I can not put my mind around how this happens in a person’s life. How does a person, who has been given wisdom and understanding and knowledge of God’s Holiness and their sin, and who has humbly come before the throne of grace and believed, then turn away in contempt and say the peace, joy, and rest they have experienced deep within their soul was meaningless and worthless, and they now openly have disrespect and contempt for it? It is like someone is able to say, “I know what you have done in my life God and I not only hate you for it but I despise you for even thinking of doing it in my life”. You see it is not just rejection of or lack of obedience to the Spirit of God working in their life. If this were the case we would all be guilty. But, here is a person whose rejection, contempt, and no fear or respect of God has cast out God’s grace, mercy, and love like it was rubbish.  I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around how a person can get to this place in their heart, mind, and soul, but they do. 

We must be mindful of the schemes of satan and be ever diligent in our walk with God through this life. Keep in His Word and set your mind to humbly serve, follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ, and in all you say, think, and do – make sure it is done for the honor and glory of Him. 

13.q. “He gives showers of rain to all people”

Zachariah 10:1  Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.

Psalms 65:9    You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.

Ezekiel 34:26     And I will make them and the places all around my hill a blessing, and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.

Job 36:27  For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain,  which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.  Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?  Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.  For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance.

How often do we take rain as a given act of nature?  It is God who supplies it.  It is in God’s timing for His glory and honor, but how often do we thank Him for it?  This blessing of rain we take for granted is an opportunity each and every time to thank God.   How many times do we acknowledge the routine things in life as being from and provided by God?  How many times have you heard “boy we sure need some rain”?  Shouldn’t it rather be said, “God please send us rain”?  But we seem to think rain is an uncontrollable act of nature and God is not in control of it.  He sends the rain, and as well, He withholds it.  Both are for His plans and purposes.  By faith, we trust God for forgiveness, redemption, and salvation.  This mysterious act of grace, mercy, and love toward us is so far above our ability to understand that we can only believe and trust in God.  Like the early and late rains that are considered by many an act of nature and deny God His glory and honor for it, so are there many who deny the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They believe God is not in control of the very “nature” He created.  They believe either that God does not exist or that He is not in control of their eternal destiny.  There is nothing created in heaven or earth that God is not in control of.  Just as He sends showers of rain and man can deny or believe it is of God so it is when He sent His Son. We can either believe and thank, honor, and glorify Jesus Christ for His gift of salvation or deny it.  The only difference is to deny God sends the rain has no eternal consequences but to deny that He sent His Son to forgive and redeem has eternal “forever” consequences.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

108. Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!

1 Samuel 18:12  Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him.

Psalms 53:5     There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

Psalms 51:11     Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Hosea 9:12     Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!

Deuteronomy 31:17    Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?

2 Kings 17:18     Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight.

Jeremiah 15:7    I have destroyed my people; they did not turn from their ways.

Hosea 7:13     Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.

God’s warnings to man state very clearly God wants us to honor and serve Jesus, trust and obey Jesus, cling to and rely on Jesus with our whole heart, soul, and mind.  For those who live for Jesus, there are blessings of peace, rest, joy, courage, hope, refuge, strength, and steadfast love for life this side of eternity and the promise of eternity with Jesus.  For those who do not live for or believe in Jesus Christ, there is no inner peace, no inner rest, no lasting hope or satisfaction, no knowledge of His love now and for eternity.   Many want to and do believe lies that there is no God and no plan of salvation through Jesus Christ and their destiny is hell.  Many want to believe the lies that God’s love alone covers them without any need for repentance or forgiveness and their destiny also is hell.  

Chris Gowen, (Feb 2001) – You would think everyone wants to go to Heaven when the Lord comes. You would think everyone would take the steps to be ready to meet the Lord one day. Several years ago the warning went out for thousands of people living on the eastern coast about the coming of a Hurricane. Many people prepared by boarding up their homes, purchasing supplies, and making evacuations. There are some folks who did not take seriously the warnings and chose to go on as if nothing would happen. They are like many people who choose to disregard God’s warning in the Bible. The Warning is very plain from Scriptures. We must get the Word out! If you will look in your Bibles to Revelation, chapter 22, You will see God’s Final Warning! 10 And he said to me, ” Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.’’ 12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’’ 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

Some folks foolishly think somehow they will be warned at that moment prior to the coming of the Lord, and then they will make preparation. That’s why Jesus says, “Behold, I come quickly.” When Jesus comes it will be over. It won’t be like looking on the television and seeing the coming storm. People begin to prepare for the hurricane or the possible tornado. When Jesus comes, he will become and go before a person will know it happened and at that very moment they will spend eternity in separation from Jesus and torment of their soul forever.

So the warning is this, don’t wait to come to Jesus.  Don’t wait to live for Jesus.  Don’t wait to be in and study His word. Don’t wait thinking there is all the time in the world to start living with an intentional choice to humbly serve, honor, follow, and obey Jesus.  You know if Jesus is first in your life or not and whether you are in his word each day with a heart and mind deep desire to live for Him.    Do something NOW. The time to do something is now. Don’t think God will flash a neon sign across the heavens which reads…”I am coming for you tomorrow, so get ready this very day.”

Unless the Lord builds

“He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?”

“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?”

Malachi 1:2  “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.’” Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!”

Isaiah 9:9  and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:  “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”

James 4:13  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—  yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”  As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Job 12:14    If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open.

Job 34:29   When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—

Psalms 127:1  

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

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

Matthew 12:30   Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Revelation 3:15  “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

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.”

Pride, arrogance, strength and riches have been the fall of many.  They stand out and are easy to see.  They boast in what they have and what they have accomplished.  What is hard to see are those who are luke warm in humbly serving, complacent in giving their whole heart, mind and soul, , and negligent in following and obeying.  These are people who we see everyday and they pass through life on false hope, no joy, and little substance of faith.  Their mouth speaks of believing but their actions and maturity in God’s word reveal no depth, understanding, wisdom or discernment.  Those who boast with pride and arrogance absolutely know they have chosen live without God and reject Him in their life.  Those who are lukewarm deceive themselves into thinking their life is secure.  Satan has deceived them into thinking they can go through life with lukewarm commitment, being good or at least better than others, and spending no time in God’s word seeking understanding, wisdom, and discernment.  They actually feel safer living apart from full commitment to God.  This lie brings these who fall into it’s trap thinking they can pretend everything is ok or perform works that will make them right before God.  Commitment to God wether seen by others or not is most definitely seen and known by God.  Though others may be fooled He is not. Commit fully to Humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.  Spend time in His word and seek His guidance, leading and perfect plan for your life.