secretly

53.e. Joshua 2:1-7

Jos 2:1-7 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.

The city of Jericho was relatively close to Israel’s planned crossing point of the Jordan River and it was one of the most secure and fortified cities in Canaan. It was wise for Joshua to send these spies secretly. A generation earlier, the public sending of spies into Canaan ended in disaster when most of the spies returned with a discouraging report of the land and its people. Only two of the twelve sent returned with a faith-filled, God-honoring report (Caleb and Joshua, Numbers 14:6-9). A generation later, Joshua sent only two spies instead of twelve.

Somehow, the leader of the city-state of Jericho learned that two Israelite men had come to the city as spies (to search out the country). This was of great concern, because the city was already on alert, fearful of the Israelite invasion.

The Bible simply reports Rahab’s lie; it does not praise it or excuse it. Rahab faced an ethical challenge: either option was bad. She decided that it was worse for her to betray the spies than to lie about their presence. Rahab’s protection of the spies was courageous. Despite her pagan upbringing, culture, and morally compromised profession, she allied herself with Israel and the God of Israel. (Guzik)

Those only are true believers, who find in their hearts to venture for God; they take his people for their people, and cast in their lot among them. The spies were led by the special providence of God, and Rahab entertained them out of regard to Israel and Israel’s God, and not for lucre or for any evil purpose. (Henry)

Their entering the house of such a person would not excite so much suspicion. Moreover, the situation of her house against or upon the town wall was one which facilitated escape. But the Lord so guided the course of the spies, that they found in this sinner the very person who was the most suitable for their purpose, and upon whose heart the tidings of the miracles wrought by the living God on behalf of Israel had made such an impression, that she not only informed the spies of the despondency of the Canaanites, but, with believing trust in the power of the God of Israel, concealed the spies from all the inquiries of her countrymen, though at the greatest risk to herself. (Keil)

God’s providence, provision, and purpose are not examined and understood by knowledge and understanding of every little detail of His plans, but rather by faith and steps of faith strengthened by trust and reliance in Him alone.

51.b. Wilderness – 15.h. “No longer be children, tossed to and fro”

Deu 13:6-11  “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known, some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other, you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him. But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.

Micah 7:5-7    Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;  for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.  But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Ephesians 4:14     so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Colossians 2:4    I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

2 Peter 2:1   But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies

1 John 2:26-27    I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

Revelation 12:9     And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

This demonstrates that God never puts highest priority on family relationships; if a family member forsakes the LORD, we are never to follow them away from the LORD. Jesus always comes first, as He said in Matthew 10:37: He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. This is how seriously God regards leading someone else into idolatry. Even if a sympathetic person entices you, and even if they do it in private, enticement to idolatry is not to be tolerated. Matthew 18:6: But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Anyone who leads one of God’s people astray is greatly offending the heart of God.

Many modern researchers and pundits say that capital punishment is no deterrent to crime. God says it is a deterrent (properly practiced, of course). (Guzik)

It is the policy of Satan to try to lead us to evil by those whom we love, whom we least suspect of any ill design, and whom we are desirous to please, and apt to conform to. The enticement here is supposed to come from a brother or child, who are near by nature; from a wife or friend, who are near by choice, and are to us as our souls. But it is our duty to prefer God and religion, before the nearest and dearest friends we have in the world. We must not, to please our friends, break God’s law. Thou shalt not consent to him, nor go with him, not for company, or curiosity, not to gain his affections. (Henry)

It seems harsh to us that “put to death” penalty be commanded for a little idolatry of other gods. We live in a time and culture that exalts “tolerance” over commitment to God. We tolerate sin to the point that it is not even called out as sin, but rather a right, personal preference, or another way to the same God. God wanted the Israelites to know it was very serious and worthy of capital punishment. It was not to be tolerated or marginalized no matter who the person was.

Neglect, complacency, and lack of commitment and reverence to God’s Word and things of God cultivate a fertile ground in our hearts and minds for seeds of this world to bud and grow. The Israelites were to go into the promised land and dispose of all the idols and people. They were to be the hands of Go’d judgment on them. They were not to be enticed by what these people worshipped or what they proclaimed as a deity. What in this world has been adopted, tolerated, or followed after that is not right in the eyes of God or in any way honor and glorify Jesus Christ? If you are seeking and desiring God’s Word for the purpose of following, obeying, trusting, and relying on God so that in all things you are honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart and mind giving you discernment to see the follies of this world. The problem is that much of what is being preached is baby food and feel good about your self dribble. The sinfulness of sin and the holiness of God are not preeminent. It is more about saving souls, baptisms, and butts in the pews. Saving souls and baptisms are critical and we are commissioned to do as such. We are also told to make disciples. That very act means we are to study, teach, encourage, and grow them in the whole every-expanding knowledge and understanding of the Word of God and things of God. We are to move on from the elementary teachings. How is this possible when the same baby food is being preached week after week. Line by line, precept by precept, here a little and there a little the Word of God is being fed over and over again. The elementary teaching that is essential to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to lost souls is not the same teaching required to grow disciples. And yet, this is what is happening and the result is baby understanding, baby commitment, baby understanding, and baby application. Over and over again Scripture tells us to study, work, meditate, so that we are firmly grounded and able to recognize the lies of Satan, enticements of this world, and things that are not right or good for the soul. If the teaching and preaching is baby food then the commitment and growth will be stunted and little sanctification will follow in the lives of those who are to be disciples.

Oh that God’s Word was hungered and thirsted for with a desire to grow in understanding and knowledge of Him so that in all things we think, say, and do Jesus Christ is both honored and glorified.

43.u. “Wilderness” – 8.a. “You shall not spread a false report” – Lie

Exodus 23:1-3  “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.

Psalms 101:5     Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.

Proverbs 17:4   An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

Proverbs 6:19    a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 19:5    A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.

Proverbs 24:28   Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

1 Peter 3:16   having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Ephesians 4:25    Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

2 Timothy 3:3    heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,

Revelation 12:10  And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

John 8:44   You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

It has always been in the nature of man to follow a crowd to do evil. It is easy and dangerous to turn aside after many to pervert justice, to follow with our peers and popular opinion. This is why it is so important for us to choose our crowd carefully: Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” “The history of all right movements has been in the first place the history of lonely souls, who, having heard the authentic voice of God, have stood alone or in small minorities.” (Morgan)

Thou shalt not raise a false report,…. Of a neighbour, or of any man whatever, either secretly by private slanders, whispers, backbiting and tale bearing, by innuendos, detracting from his good name and credit, suggesting things false and wicked concerning him; or publicly in a court of judicature, bringing a false accusation, laying a false charge, and bearing a false testimony against him: or “thou shall not receive a false report” (p); if there were not so many, that say, Report, and we will report it, that are ready to receive every ill thing of their neighbours, there would not be so many that would raise such ill things of them; everything of this kind should be discountenanced, and especially by judges in courts of judicature, who are chiefly spoken to and of in the context; these should not easily admit every charge and accusation brought; nor bear, or endure a false report, as the word also signifies, but discourage, and even punish it. (Gill)

Following after the crowd is easy. We have heard it said; “wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it. and right is right if only one is doing it”. The past 3 years surely have demonstrated the effects of this. False witness, slander, lies, innuendos, false charges, accusations, etc…… It only takes one person to proclaim a lie as truth to convince the masses of it.

God’s Word is truth, full of righteous wisdom and understanding, and able to guide and lead a person in truth. The problem is that far too often this truth is neglected and time that could be spent on it is given over to news outlets and other social media talking heads who may or may not be committed to speaking the truth with their words. Far too often they will be led by the father of all lies in capturing ratings or more followers. Even when they have been caught in a lie they will spin it into a false claim about another. The world is full of this and it is good to stay away from it when it is obviously abounding in virtually every source.

Time spent in God’s Word is time well spent and will keep your heart, mind, and soul from being polluted with lies of this world and the people who are being led by the Father of All Lies.

43.e. “Wilderness” – 7.l. Sinai – “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”

Exodus 20:16  “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Leviticus 19:16    You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

Psalms 101:5-7    Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.  I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.  No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes

Proverbs 10:18   The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Proverbs 11:13   Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

Ephesians 4:31    Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

James 4:11    Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.

In an extended sense, we can break the ninth commandment through slander, tale bearing, creating false impressions, by silence, by questioning the motives behind someone’s actions, or even by flattery. The New Testament puts it simply. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. Lying and false representations belong to the old man, not to the new life we have in Jesus. Satan is always there to encourage a lie, he is the father of all lies. (Guzik)

The ninth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour’s good name. This forbids speaking falsely on any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising or designing to deceive our neighbour. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to hurt his reputation. Bearing false witness against him, or in common conversation slandering, backbiting, and tale-bearing; making what is done amiss, worse than it is, and in any way endeavouring to raise our reputation upon the ruin of our neighbour’s. How much this command is every day broken among persons of all ranks! (Henry)

Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Neither publicly in a court of judicature, by laying things to his charge that are false, and swearing to them, to his hurt and damage; nor privately, by whispering, tale bearing, backbiting, slandering, by telling lies of him, traducing his character by innuendos, sly insinuations, and evil suggestions, whereby he may suffer in his character, credit, and reputation, and in his trade and business. (Gill)

We may think it is far from us to bear false witness against another, but surely our society looks favorably upon it. Look at social and news media outlets. A good journalist can easily destroy the life of any person with both their mouth and pen. Day after day you read it and hear it and even expect it. It almost becomes so natural that it seems right and ok to do. There is nothing subtle about it. Twisting words and actions of others to fit a narrative and opinion is common. It is still wrong. It is equally bad to tell a lie by calling it the truth or tell a truth and have it called a lie about a person. Both are false and designed to harm someone in character or financially or both. As Christians, we see it wrong and doubt this type of sander and falseness would come from our mouths.

Repeating gossip is a form of false witness. How many divisions in our churches have evolved because of this type of behavior? Did you hear……..? I think we should pray for ……… I just heard. Did you know that ……. cheats on his wife? Did you know that our pastor did……..? I heard that……. get’s drunk every night. And the list goes on and on. Soon the reputation and character of that person is destroyed. Unless we might get too comfortable and say we do not do this at church or with church members, can it be said about us that we don’t do it at our place of employment? Do we cause harm to our witness and to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ because we allow ourselves to be caught up in social norms?

Will what I say honor and glorify Jesus Christ? Should I repeat what I have heard? Discernment is a gift from God. Oh, that we would seek all we read and hear through the filter of God’s Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Don’t become blind to the ease at which our culture and society have approved bearing false witness in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts. Pray that God would lead you in proper discernment, speech, and deeds that Honor and Glorify Jesus Christ.

When we intentionally choose and commit to honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do our discernment and control of our thoughts, tongues, and actions will follow.

34.d. “Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!”

Matthew 18:8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

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

Ezekiel 18:31    Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die

Romans 13:12   The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9    in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

Revelation 20:15    And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

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.”

There are significant problems in taking these words as literal instruction instead of conveying an attitude. The problem is not only from the obvious physical harm that one might bring upon themselves, but more so in the problem that bodily mutilation does not go far enough in controlling sin. We need to be transformed from the inside out. Some people only keep from sin if it is easy or convenient to do it. Jesus warns us that we must be willing to sacrifice in fighting against sin, that nothing is worse than facing the wrath of a righteous God. It really is better to sacrifice in the battle against sin now than to face the punishment of eternity later. If I cut off my right hand, I can still sin with my left. If my left eye is gouged out, my right eye can still sin – and if all such members are gone, I can still sin in my heart and mind. God calls us to a far more radical transformation than any sort of bodily mutilation can address.

The meaning is, it is better to go to heaven without enjoying the things that caused us to sin than to enjoy them here and then be lost. The sense in all these instances is the same. Worldly attachments, friendships, and employments of any kind, that cannot be pursued without leading us into sin, be they ever so dear to us, must be abandoned, (Barnes)

It is more than implied in these scriptures that however strong the temptation(s), we are to abandon them with all urgency for everlasting eternal torment awaits those who do not. How many are lured away by a single look and allow thoughts of lust, hate, anger, or greed penetrate and reside in their hearts and minds, searing them, as it were, with a red-hot iron and forever leaving a scar on their soul, that, left unattended, will continue to fester and ooze more corrupt thoughts and actions into their life?

There is no honor or glory given to Jesus Christ when any temptation is allowed room in our hearts and minds.

21.m. “WATCH OUT”!!!!!

Romans 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Acts 15:24   Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds

1 Corinthians 3:3    for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

Jude 1:19    It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

Galatians 2:4    Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—

Philippians 3:2-3  Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers

Colossians 2:8    See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

2 Peter 2:1-2    But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies,

2 John 1:7-10   For many deceivers have gone out into the world

Watch out for those who cause division and create obstacles. Watch out for the dogs and evildoers. Watch out for empty philosophy, human tradition, and deceit. Watch out for false prophets and false teachers. Watch out for deceivers. It is often overlooked, but good to know and realize all of the verses in the bible that speak about being careful not to be drawn away from Christ by the craftiness of man. These are but a few and they are there for a reason so that we might walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ. It is one thing to say “watch out”, and an entirely different aspect to be able to recognize it. If there is one thing that limits the ability to recognize “watch out” signals it is the lack of God’s Word in our daily lives. When His Word is neglected, the clarity of these “watch out” signals becomes blurred and believed as truth or true enough that is possibly true. When this happens we are at the hands of Satan and not of God. Be in His Word, study it, hunger and thirst for it, and meditate on it. Know what you believe and why you believe it. Know there are those who will pervert the Word of God and draw many away from the blessings of honoring, following, obeying, trusting, and hoping in Jesus Christ alone.

16.s. “But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”

John 10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Jeremiah 23:16-17   Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.  They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”

Ecclesiastes 11:9     Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

2 Peter 2:1   But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

1 John 4:1    Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

There is but one gate, one way to eternal life and that is through Jesus Christ. All other attempts through any other means will result in Hell. Every day we face numerous gates that offer peace, satisfaction, health, wealth, etc….. There is only one gate that gives us assurance of peace of mind that passes all understanding. It is Jesus Christ alone. Trying to find a path to eternity apart from the gate of Jesus ends in missing the shepherd. There appears to be many preaching right now that try to fill the church with the promises of what this world has to offer rather than preaching what eternal life has to offer. This world is not our home. Things of this world are not our inheritance. Things in this world are not our satisfaction. Things in this world are not our hope. Things of this world do not offer eternal life. In fact, things of this world pull at us, confuse us, and try to entice us this is where we find hope, peace, eternal life, satisfaction, wealth, etc…..

There is one gate, one path, one way to eternal life – Jesus Christ

181. Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear

2 Kings 17:7 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger, and they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this.” Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God

Deuteronomy 31:27   For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death!

2 Chronicles 36:13     He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Jeremiah 7:26    Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.

Romans 2:4-5   Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Hebrews 3:7-8     Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice,  do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

The starting point for avoiding a hardened heart is to recognize and submit to God’s authority through His inspired Word. To learn from God, we must submit to His inspired Word. As Paul says, these things “were written for our instruction”. We disobey or ignore them to our own peril (harden our heart). The starting point is that we hear His voice with a heart soft to the voice of God, the word of God. Thus, to avoid hardness of heart, we must submit to the authority of God’s Word and we must do business with God on the heart level. The only way that we can know God’s ways are as He has revealed them to us in the Scriptures. We can’t plead ignorance. We can’t protest, “But, God, I didn’t know”. When we have time but choose to neglect His word in our life, in our thoughts, in our heart, we have chosen to harden our heart and stiffen our neck against God. We follow the crowd and what is approved by society/culture rather than being led by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Your heart is either hardening against God because you are resisting His sovereign ways with you, or it is growing softer toward God because you are submitting to His Word and His ways. For God’s word to be active in your life, it must be actively desired in your heart and in your daily life. If it is only an occasional reading there is no softening of your heart to His word. Choose to be led, encouraged, strengthened, empowered, and softened by His word each day

13. Don’t be influenced by any of these people or listen to them.

Deuteronomy 13:6-11     “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which neither you nor your fathers have known,  some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other,  you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him.  But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.  You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of egypt the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.

Exodus 20:3     “You shall have no other gods before me.

Proverbs 1:10     My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

1 John 5:21     Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Ephesians 5:11     Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Ezekiel 5:11     Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity.

God knows our intents and thoughts. He examines our heart, mind, and soul. There is no place a person can hide their thoughts or actions from God. “You shall not yield to him or listen to him” is a command from God. Don’t listen to the deceits, lies, and foolishness. Don’t yield to the temptation to listen, follow, or join in. You have to know that out of over the million Israelites that crossed the Red Sea there was one who spoke first complaining about no water. Again when they were hungry there had to be that first person who spoke complaining about no food. Again when Moses went up onto the mountain and God presence was with Him for 40 days, there had to be that one person who spoke up saying “make us a god that we can worship”.

The command is given to us as a warning. A warning about our nature and a want to be joined with others for a like cause. A warning that if we do not keep a heart deep desire to honor, serve, follow, and obey God it is natural for us to seek other things to fill that void. If God is not first and only in our life, we will never be truly satisfied and will sink deeper and deeper into a lifestyle that does not honor God, and farther and farther apart from Him with a high probability we will draw others down this same path.

His word is a safe harbor and shelter from the deceptions and lies this world proudly proclaims and so easily follows after. Stay in His word. Make Him first in your life. Humbly serve Him, listen to Him, follow Him, and obey Him.

“For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

2 Samuel 11:2-27 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’” So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Nehemiah 4:5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

There is no sin that God does not know. There is nothing done in secret no matter what we may believe. Why is it that we close our eyes to our sin. Sometimes I think we are so far from humbly serving, trusting, honoring, and obeying God that we have shut the door to our heart, and having any ability to hear God speaking to our mind and soul. Scripture tells us that His word is sharper than a two edged sword and able to divide the intent and will of our soul. We fill this void with everything but God’s word. Do we think we will not be held accountable for neglect of His word? Christ went to the cross, suffered and died and rose again. He did this to redeem all who would believe in, trust in, and rely on His sacrificial redemption. He did this so that we would be made whole and white as snow. He did this so that we would have forgiveness of our sin and in this forgiveness have a victorious life, peace, joy, hope, rest, faith, strength, and power. This victorious life grows with knowledge and understanding of God’s word, warnings, and promises. Our faith grows in line with the amount of time in His word, prayer, and obeying the still quiet voice speaking into our life in alignment with His word. Staying in His word speaks to our heart and soul. Apart from His word we allow the culture we live speak into our lives and nothing truly good comes from this. Commit to being in His word today. Stay in it, read it often, think about what you have read, and obey His leading.