Tag: Nations

Worthless idols – delusions

“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.”

Psalms 96:5  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

Jeremiah 10:3-5    for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.  They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.  Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

Jeremiah 10:14-15     Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.  They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.

Genesis 1:1     In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Isaiah 42:5    Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it

There is quite a contrast between a worthless piece of stone, wood, or precious metal and our living God.  One is made by human hands and the other made everything from nothing.  One is worthless and a delusion the other is life, help, strength, might, power, and lives forever.  God will not share His glory and honor.  He alone is worthy of all praise, honor and glory.  Those who seek peace and hope from things made form human hands will find themselves empty and wanting.  Ultimately they will see the delusion but then it will be to late.  Their fate is sealed upon their death and cast into hell.  Those who choose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey the one and only living God will see eternal life.  God alone gives life.  God alone is worthy.  Our God lives.  Worthless idols capture  heart and mind, taking them captive, a delusion is believed and a chose is made.  Keep your heart and mind purely on God.  Do not allow false teachings and idols take you on paths apart from God.

Stand up and bless the LORD

Psalmsd 96:4  For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalms 18:3    I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Nehemiah 9:5     Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Psalms 145:3    Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

Psalms 66:3     Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

Jeremiah 10:6-7   There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might.  Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you.

Revelation 15:4     Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Psalms 76:7     But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?

Luke 12:5     But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Psalms 9:17     The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God.

Revelation 14:7    And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

2 Peter 2:4    For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

Daily we are either living in God fearing reverence giving God praise or complacent neglect or absolute denial.  When thinking about an average day in your life in line with this, is a mirror to our heart, mind, and soul.  Living in a state of mind that does not have humble reverence and praise for God leaves us open for days upon end without purpose other than self.  Self walks down a path of “here and now”, giving no thought to God or His love, judgement, or eternity.  This is a fight within our very being.  Our sinful nature, left on its own, will walk paths separated from God.  Living for God, staying in His word and learning from it yields a continual transformation in our lives.  This transformation starts with a new birth, a new beginning, a life with purpose found in forgiveness of sin, by faith, through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

“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.”

” Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

God is Great

“for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”

Psalms 95:3  For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Psalms 86:8-10   There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.  All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.  For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.

Psalms 96:4     For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalms 97:9    For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

Psalms 145:3     Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

Jeremiah 10:6-7     There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might.  Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you.

Jeremiah 10:10     But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.  Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”  It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.  When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.  Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.  They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.  Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name.

Isaiah 44:8    Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

People believe many things contrary to God.  Much of what they believe is found in various types of media.  (TV, radio, books, internet, magazine articles, video’s) All proclaiming there is no God.  All of these comments are placed in these various forms of media by someone.  No one would believe they just appeared there by chance or developed on their own.  These authors have placed their thoughts for others to see – to convey a message.  Many who read/watch these have no doubt the author exists even though they have not met or seen this person(s).  God has communicated in a much grander way -through creation of all there is.  One only has to look up into the sky at night, or at a seed sprouting in the spring, or a new born baby, or the mountains, or laws of physics.  There is no delusion in His creation – it it there for all to see the work of His hand.  And yet there are those who choose to believe a lie proclaimed in some form of media by a person they have never met.  These people see the work of God’s creation and choose to call a “chance happening”.  God is very much alive and very real and ever present.  See God through His creation, know God through His word, and desire to live to honor, glorify, serve, follow and obey Him.

Trust in the Everlasting arms of God

“I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalms 90:1   Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Exodus 33:14     And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.  For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”  And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”  Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”  And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

1 Timothy 6:11     But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

Psalms 71:3     Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalms 91:9     Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—

Deuteronomy 33:27     The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Ezekiel 11:16     Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’

1 John 4:16     So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

There is quite a bit to think about in these scriptures. “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here”.  Knowing we are in he purpose and plan in God reveals itself in comments like this.  Placing God in position of God over our life and yielding to His purpose for His plans gives peace to our soul.  Day after day, week after to week, month after month, and year after year in His presence becomes our dwelling place refreshing our knowledge and understanding of Him. We face each day in the presence of the rock of our salvation, our refuge, our hope, our fortress…  I wonder why there are days I live in the this world and worry about things I have no control over nor can I change. This worry leads often to being defeated and without hope over the situation.  These moments seem to just pop up least expected and, then, when I should be comforted in the power, might, strength, love, purpose, plan of the creator of all there is I give over to thoughts of worry.  He is bigger than anything we face no matter how gloomy it looks.  Is He enough – No – He is much more than enough, He is greater than what I can imagine and can do infinitely more than I ask.  Give your day to Him and live in His presence and be an encouragement to those who are floundering.

Light shinning in the Darkness

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”

“I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

John 8:12  Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”  Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.  You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.  Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.  In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true.  I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”

Isaiah 42:6    “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Isaiah 60:1     Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Malachi 4:2    But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

Luke 1:78    because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high  to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Acts 13:47     For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Job 33:28     He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’

2 Peter 2:4     For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

How does the Light of the world shine into an individuals life?  The word of God is this light.  So how does this light shine in darkness?  Scripture says Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  These are the places of darkness, full of sinful intent. The light we are seeking and if we are seeking comes from the word of God.  His word does not return to Him void, it will accomplish His purpose.  Think about being in darkness and having a flashlight but choosing not to turn on the light.  If you are lost and trying to find your way in the darkness does this make any sense?  Not being able to see the obstacles and pitfalls in front of us leaves us in danger.  This is not a very good way to walk through life.  Yet we choose to neglect the light and walk the paths of this world in darkness.  Open up God’s word and read light into your life.  Share the light with others.  Give God honor, glory and praise with a thankful heart for this light.

Brought very low

Psalms 79:1  O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.   They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.   They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.   We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.   How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?   Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name!   For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.   Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.   Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!   Why should the nations say,   “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!   Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!   Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!   But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Being mindful of God and living for Him can advert many trials brought on by our actions.  Note the writer does not question the fact that their trials were because of their “Not living in line with God”.  The request for God’s compassion to over look past iniquities and come to their rescue is a heart that is ready to return to God.  Why is it we, like they,  run to God in times of trials and trouble but run/drift away from Him in times of blessing.  Stay close to God, and choose to live for Him.  Giving your whole mind, heart, and soul to honoring Him in what you say, think, and do will give present and lasting reward.

Wealth and Riches

“therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god,”

“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god”

Zechariah 9:2   Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets. But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire.

Isaiah 23:8    Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

Ezekiel 27:33    When your wares came from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your abundant wealth and merchandise you enriched the kings of the earth.

Ezekiel 28:4     by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;  by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth

Ezekiel 28:6  therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god, therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor.  They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas. Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who kill you, though you are but a man, and no god, in the hands of those who slay you?

Job 9:4     He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—

1 Corinthians 10:22   Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

James 1:11    For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

God asks us to humbly serve, honor, praise, worship, follow and obey Him.  In this we acknowledge His sovereignty, power, might, over all there is.  Our heart knows that all comes from Him and we live in such a way that all glory, honor and praise goes to Him.  It is up to us to continue to walk in this humble service.  Our hope is not set on things we can see, touch, or own.  Our hope is on Him who alone is able to save and redeem us for eternal life with Him.  He is also the one who condemns those of proud and hardened hearts to eternal judgement.  We all have seen the wealthy and proud people, leaders, and nations fall.  Is this not at the hand of God?  Trust not unto your own understanding but lean onto God who is steadfast in taking care of those who choose to humbly serve Him.

Walk among them

“as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

“ The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; “

“teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Zecharuag 2:10  Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.

John 14:23    Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Revelation 21:3    And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Leviticus 26:12     And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.

Ezekiel 37:27    My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Isaiah 40:9  Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”  Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.  He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Philippians 4:4    Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

God, the creator of all there is, has made His dwelling place with His people and He will walk among them. He will gently lead them who are willing to be led by Him.  He will guide those who desire Him.  He will give them hope and assurance. He will carry them through hard times.  He will teach us how to live to honor, glorify, follow, and obey Him if we are willing to grow in this knowledge.  With so much pulling at our time we must commit to this with urgency and heart deep desire.

I will hear

“Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.”

“All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.”

Psalms 65:2  O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

Psalms 66:19    But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalms 102:17    he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.

Psalms 145:18  The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

1 Kings 18:37   Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”

2 Chronicles 33:13    He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

Jeremiah 29:12  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Luke 11:9  And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

1 John 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Psalms 22:27     All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you

Isaiah 49:6     he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 66:23     From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD.

John 12:32     And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Sometimes I wonder if we have confidence in God and His promises.  I wonder if we know Him personally enough to know He is near and that He will answer our cry, pleas, and requests.  I wonder if we know what it means to seek Him.  I wonder if we know what it means to seek Him with all our heart, mind, and soul.  Do we spend enough time with Him to know Him? Do we live each day with a single purpose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him?  Are we growing in our knowledge of Him?  I think there are times when we have sought Him and know the presence of God.  I think there are times when we totally forget Him and live our life for other purposes.  When I think about this I realize one clear truth.  If we purpose to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him, and if we stay in His word for this purpose – I know His presence and Holy Spirit occupy our heart and mind.  Our day is not filled with the worries and cares of this world.  Our focus is on Him and serving Him however He leads us in this world.  Another truth I know is true.  If we spend no time in His word there is little chance of us hearing His whispers leading, guiding, directing, and using us.  His word has no root in our being and we lose connection with Him seemingly content with drifting further and further away from Him.  Choose to stay in His word and seek to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.