GOD HATE IDOLS

God hate idols. He is the ONLY God in the world. He does not want to share His glory with anybody or anyone in Heaven or on earth. God cast Satan down from Heaven because he had wanted to usurp his throne and share in glory.

The first commandment God gave the people of Israel is not to worship any other gods besides him.  Today, people worship fame, money, their businesses, television, properties and themselves instead of giving God His glory. We should know that whether we refuse to God His honour, He still remains God. We will one day bow down to worship Him.

The Bible in John 18:6 says ‘As Jesus said ‘I AM he,’ they all drew back and fell on the ground!’ This illustrates that even when Jesus was about to be crucified the soldiers worshipped him before handling him over to be trialed.

God is God, we are dust! We have no other business here on earth than to give him all the dew recognition and applause he deserves.

God or idols, why did people continually turn to idols instead of to God?

Idols are;

1.     Tangible

2.     Morally similar-have human characteristics

3.     Comprehensive

4.     Able to be manipulated

God is;

1.     Intangible-no physical form

2.     Morally dissimilar-have divine characteristics

3.     Incomprehensible

4.     Not able to be manipulated

Worshiping idols involves:

1.     Materialism

2.     Sexual immorality

3.     Doing whatever a person wanted

4.     Focusing on self

Worshiping God involves:

1.     Sacrifice

2.     Purity and commitment

3.     Doing what God wants

4.     Focusing on others

Lessons from the Suffering of Job

Children never tire of asking why. Yet the question produces a bitter taste the older we get. Children wonder about everything; adults wonder about suffering. We notice that the world seems to run by a system of cause and effect, yet there are some effects for which we can’t find a clear cause, and some causes that don’t lead to the expected effects.

We would expect Job’s wealth and family to give him a very happy life and, for while, they did. But the loss and pain he experience shock us. The first two chapters of his story are more than we can bear. To those so quick to ask why the smallest misfortune, Job’s faithfulness seems incredible. But even Job has something to learn. We can lean with him.

Our age of ‘instant’ everything has caused us to lose the ability to wait. We expect to learn patience instantly, and in our hurry, we miss the contradiction. Of all that we want now, relief from pain is at the top of our list. We want an instant cure for everything from toothaches to heartbreaks.

Although some pains have been cured, we still live in a world where many people suffer. Job was not expecting instant answers for the intense emotional and physical pain he endured. But in the end, what broke Job’s patience was not the suffering, but not knowing why he suffered.

When Job expressed his frustration, his friends were ready with their answers. They believed that the law of cause and effect applied to all people’s experiences. Their view of life boiled down to this: Good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people. Because of this, they felt their role was to help Job admit to whatever sin was causing his suffering.

Job actually looked at life almost the same way as his friends. What he couldn’t understand was why he was suffering so much when he was sure he had done nothing to deserve such punishment. The last friend, Elihu, did offer another explanation for the pain by pointing out that God might be allowing it to purify Job. But this was only partly helpful.

When God finally spoke, he didn’t offer Job an answer. Instead, he drove home the point that it is better to know God than to know answers.

Often we suffer consequences for the bad decisions and actions. Job’s willingness to repent and confess known wrongs is a good guideline for us. Sometimes suffering shapes us for special service to others. Sometimes suffering is an attack by Satan on our lives. And sometimes we don’t know why we suffer. At those times, are we willing to trust God in spite of unanswered questions?

Job’s story is told in the book of Job. He is also referred to in Ezekiel 14:14,20 and James 5:10-11

Encountering God in the Silence voice

Elijah’s single-minded commitment to God shocks and challenges us. He was sent to confront –not to comfort. And Elijah spoke God’s words to a King who often reject his message just because he brought it. Elijah chose to carry out his ministry for God alone and paid for that decision by experiencing isolation from others who were also faithful to God.

It is interesting to think about the amazing miracles God accomplished through Elijah, but we should do well to focus on the relationship they shared. All that happened in Elijah’s life began with the same miracle that is available to us-he responded to the miracle of being able to know God.   

For example, after God worked an overwhelming miracle through Elijah in defeating the prophets of Baal, Queen Jezebel retaliated by threatening Elijah’s life. And Elijah ran. He felt afraid, depressed, and abandoned.

Despite God’s provision of food and shelter in the wilderness, Elijah wanted to die. So God presented Elijah with an “audiovisual display” and a message he needed to hear. Elijah witnessed a windstorm, an earthquake, and a fire. But the Lord was not in any of those powerful things. Instead, God displayed his presence in a gentle whisper.

Elijah, like us, struggled with his feelings even after this comforting message from God. So God comforted Elijah’s emotions and commanded action. He told Elijah what to do next and informed him that part of his loneliness was based on ignorance: Seven thousand others in Israel were still faithful to God.     

Even today, God often speaks through the gentle and obvious rather than the spectacular and usual. God has work for us to do even when we feel fear and failure. And God always has more resources and people than we know about. Although we might wish to do amazing miracles for God, we should instead focus on developing a relationship with him. The real miracle of Elijah’s life was his very personal relationship with God. And that miracle is available to us.

Full Story: 1 Kings 17:1-2Kings 2:11

THE BIBLE

Unique among the books of the world is the BIBLE. The perennial best seller, the Bible is to the believer the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God- and the wayfaring man, though he be fool, can by reading it find the way of Salvation.

The Bible is the best-seller of all times. Part of it has been translated into more than 2400 languages and every year30 to 40 more translations are added. Worldwide 200 to 300 million Bibles or Bible parts are distributed year. This is amazing and the question is, ‘Why does the Bible find such a wide circulation?’- This question can be answered by the testimony of millions of people who say that the Bible has been a real help in various situations in Life.

Let us see what the Bible says about itself, ‘All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16)

LIVE THE WORD

It is extreme important that in reading the Bible we focus on living the Word. To obey God’s word, to practice it, to apply it to all areas of your life is the evidence that you love God and you live for Him (1 John 5:3). Applying God’s Word is the MOST IMPORTANT part of the Bible reading. The words of the Bible itself cry out to us, ‘Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourself. Do what it says’ (James 1:22)

APPLYING THE WORD

Successfully putting God’s Word into practice is a result of your disciplined obedience to God’s commands and the empowering of the Holy Spirit to carry out your obedience. You have a significant role to play in the process of application.

How to use the Bible

Every real Church accepts the Bible as the Word of God and endeavors to be govern by it. Christians have no discipline or Book of rules given by some council or other human authority, but believe the Bible to be sufficient rule of conduct for both the individual Christian and the local Church.

1.     Treat the Bible as the Word of God.

Accept it as such-there are three witnesses;

a.    Itself-it claims to be, for over 2,000 times the phrase of its equivalent occurs ‘Thus saith the Lord’

b.    Its writers – Luke 1:70, 2 Timothy 3:16

c.     The Lord Jesus-Mark 12:36

2.     Study the Bible as the Text –Book of Christian Doctrine- 2 Timothy 2:15

3.     Beware of Private Interpretation-Ephesians 4:14

4.     Read the Bible as the guide book of the Christian-Psalm 119:11

Conclusion: The best way to learn to use the Bible is to use it. Take this rule for your attitude toward the Bible: Believe it fully; study it reverently; trust it implicitly; read it regularly and use it confidently.

PERILOUS TIMES

We are in the last days, as a Christian you don’t need a Pastor or Preacher to emphasize this truth to you. The details in the news and the recent development are enough to keep us alert and watchful of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Word ‘Perilous’ can be simply be define as ‘To reduce the strength of an intended purpose’.

The Bible makes it clear in the Book of 2 Timothy 3:1-9

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

REALITY

Today’s generation wants everything except the Word of God. This generation spent billions on sports, sex, worldly activities that have no external value. This generation is working 100% for the devil and little for the Man who died on the cross to save their souls. It is just unfortunate that this generation seeks the things of the flesh and engages in lustful activities yet wants to go to Heaven.

Brethren, the Word of God is the Mind of God, do not think that God is just another subject. God is all we need, that is why He gave us His ONLY begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us.

The Word of God was written more than 2,000 years ago yet it is relevant like it was written this morning. People are seeking high education for promotion, fame, sex, money, contracts, business, and properties and have abandoned their faith. Indeed, the Word of God said in the last days even Christians (Chosen ones) will backslide .In all that you do, do not fulfill a negative prophecy.

Even in gospel times there would be perilous times; on account of persecution from without, still more on account of corruptions within. Men love to gratify their own lusts, more than to please God and do their duty.

When every man is eager for what he can get, and anxious to keep what he has, this makes men dangerous to one another. When men do not fear God, they will not regard man. When children are disobedient to their parents, that makes the times perilous.

Men are unholy and without the fear of God, because unthankful for the mercies of God. We abuse God's gifts, if we make them the food and fuel of our lusts. Times are perilous also, when parents are without natural affection to children. And when men have no rule over their own spirits, but despise that which is good and to be honoured. God is to be loved above all; but a carnal mind, full of enmity against him, prefers any thing before him, especially carnal pleasure.

A form of godliness is very different from the power; from such as are found to be hypocrites, real Christians must withdraw. Such persons have been found within the outward church, in every place, and at all times. There ever have been artful men, who, by pretences and flatteries, creep into the favour and confidence of those who are too easy of belief, ignorant, and fanciful. All must be ever learning to know the Lord; but these follow every new notion, yet never seek the truth as it is in Jesus. Like the Egyptian magicians, these were men of corrupt minds, prejudiced against the truth, and found to be quite without faith. Yet though the spirit of error may be let loose for a time, Satan can deceive the nations and the churches no further, and no longer, than God will permit.