What does the story of Micah’s idolatry teach us?
I recently read the story of Micah in the book of Judges, and was having trouble understanding what the story was trying to teach us. In the story Micah apparently takes eleven hundred shekels of silver from his mother without her knowledge. He then confesses and returns the money to his mother. She is overjoyed and gives a part of the silver to the founder to turn into a graven image or idol. Meanwhile a Levite from the tribe of Judah travel to the area Micah lives in. When Micah hears he is a Levite he asks him to become his own personal priest, and offers to give him lodging, food and a sum of money each year. The Levite is happy to take the offer and becomes a priest in Mica’s, “house of gods.” Micah proclaims, “Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.” It is mentioned that in those days there was no king in Israel, every man did what was right in his own eyes.
In the next chapter it states that the tribe of Dan was looking to fulfill there inheritance by conquering an area of land near the home of Micah. They come across the city of Laish. It is stated that the people who dwell there are a people secure, and there is no want of any good thing. They are also described as a people that were quiet and secure, they dwelt careless and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in anything. The tribe of Dan come across the home of Micah, they find the Levite living there with the false idols, and convince him it is better to be a priest to a tribe of Israel, then to one man. They take him and the graven images, destroy the city of Laish, and eventually make the Levite their high priest and set up the false idols in the land they come to possess.
I had a great deal of trouble making any sense of this story. In my mind I was trying to fit the tribe of Dan, who were instructed by God to overthrow the people dwelling in the promised land, as somehow doing the will of God, and the people of Laish as being evil. Instead I believe the story is a warning against false prophets, who we can come to trust because we believe more in the title and degrees they hold, then in the message they are delivering. Micah was not a man of particularly high morals. He stole money from his mother, and set up idols of worship in his home. He must have known the warnings against idols, because he thought it would be a blessing to have a Levite as his priest, and would have been familiar with one of the first and greatest commandments against false idols. The Levite, it is stated, was from the tribe of Judah. A Levite must be from the tribe of Levi, so we could assume he was an imposter. Micah, and eventually the entire tribe of Dan, believe they will be blessed by God, for having a Levite as their priest, regardless of what he preaches or practices. Even to the extent of practicing idol worship. We can be seduced by false preachers and prophets who hold degrees from theology institutes, or have titles given to them as, Priest or Father or Pastor, Minister etcetera. It is not the title a person holds, or how many hours they have studied to become a teacher of God’s word that is important, but rather what message they are teaching. God wants us to rest and trust in him, and in the finished work of the Lord Jesus, and not in the world, and its false idols. It is interesting how the people of Laish are described. They have so many of the good qualities of a people that the Bible describes. They are a people that live quiet and secure. They have no magistrate or judge to put them to shame. God wants us to be a people who are still and know he is God. Who do not care for the things of tomorrow, but trust in him to provide for our needs. He wants us to not judge ourselves or others, but to know our sins have been forgiven, and not live a life of guilt or shame. The people who live this way are destroyed of fire by the tribe of Dan. The Hebrew meaning of the word Dan, is remarkably, judged or he who judges. If we come across a false preacher or prophet in the pulpit or on TV, who is preaching a message of judgment, guilt or condemnation or are tempted to trust in the world and its false idols, we must reject it, and trust in the secure knowledge that we are Gods children, loved and forgiven of all our sins. Continue to trust God and his mercy, be joyful and thankful for his grace, protection and love, and don’t be deceived by false prophets preaching judgment and hell fire.
The meaning of the Bible story of Amnon and Tamar
In the second book of Samuel chapter 13 is recorded the story of Amnon and Tamar. Amnon is a son of King David. Tamar is King David’s daughter, and Amnon’s half sister, having different mothers. Amnon lusts after Tamar and desires to have her, and sleep with her. He devises a deceptive plan to be alone with her, and rapes her. Amnon in English means faithful, Tamar’s name means date palm. The date palm tree in ancient times was a source of food, shade and shelter. Amnon makes know his feelings to his friend Jonadab who conceives the plot to get Tamar to be alone with Amnon. Amnon pretends to be sick, King David comes to visit him, Amnon asks the King to send Tamar to comfort him and bake cakes for him. King David honors his request, and thus the plot is hatched.
When Amnon is alone with Tamar he lets his true intentions be know, and tells her to lay with him. She refuses and says to him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. 2 Sam 13:12-13. Amnon does not listen and forces himself upon her. When he is finished the Bible tells us that Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred he hated her with, was greater then the love he had felt for her. Tamar essentially told Amnon to be patient and God, or King David, would give all of her to him if he would but ask. In the end Tamar’s full brother Absalom is so outraged when he hears the story, that he has Amnon killed for what he has done.
In the story we can think of ourselves as being Amnon, we faithfully ask God or King David, to give us our needs. God is more then happy to fulfill our request. Shimeah who name means, to give freely, represents the voice in our head, scheming ways and means to achieve a goal by force and deceptively. To get the thing we desire for free, stealing what is not rightfully ours. Tamar represents the physical world we live in, the needs and desires we have. When we ask God and believe, humbly relying on him, and not our own ways, we will receive. God is happy to give us both our needs and desires. Psalm 37:4 written by King David states, Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. The Bible tells us, Psalm 46:10 again written by King David, Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Amnon is the man who asks God for a thing he desires, then forces it to take place, through his own power and manipulation. He gets the goal of his desire, and in the end his hate for it is greater then the love he thought he felt for it in the beginning. The ultimate outcome in the story resulted in unpleasantness, and in the end death. Let our requests be made known to God, be patient, and faithful, and imagine we have possession of the thing we desire, and God, not our own force and manipulation will bring it to pass.
How to manifest blessing in your life.
We all would like to receive more blessing from God in our lives. But is there anything we can do to help increase the good things we receive? As God’s children, he wants to bless us and give us good things. It is his will for us to be blessed and happy. This is the place we must begin from. Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Once we believe God wants to bless us. We simply must project those thought of blessings onto our situation and importantly onto other. Luke 6:31 “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” If you want to begin to receive peace in your life, be sure you are creating peace and a peaceful situation wherever you go. In this day and age, be especially sure you are creating a peaceful situation and peace among others, when you go, On Line. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9. In all situations project the blessings you want to receive, into the world, or any situation you find yourself in. This is a universal spiritual law, like the law of gravity is a universal physical law. Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” If you want to be happier plant happiness wherever you go, peace, plant peacefulness, calm, calmness, joy, joyfulness, et cetera.
Many of us would like to receive more in the way of financial blessings. Sometimes it is difficult to make ends meet, and we may be living from paycheck to paycheck. The same spiritual law applies in finances, as it does in our inner world of peace and happiness. It is hard to be happy and at peace, when we are constantly stressed out about money. It does not matter how much you make, if your liabilities are greater then your assets, you will be stressed. Keeping this in mind remember, Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing let us be therewith content.” Contentment brings peace. If you want to receive more financially, apply the same spiritual law. Do not be stingy, with even the little it may appear that you have. Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Also in Proverbs we see this, Proverbs 11:25 ” The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be water also himself.” Spiritual laws often instruct us to do the opposite of what a carnal, or worldly mind, thinks we should do. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” The more we apply theses laws, the better and more impressive the results will be! Mark 4:28 “For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” Remember the Kingdom of God is within us. We manifest that Kingdom into the world, by thinking, and then acting, as though this world were that Kingdom. Try the opposite of what you may have been inclined to do in the past. Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you.” Resist you natural inclinations to withhold your money, time, love, goodness, respect, thankfulness, and you will see all those things manifested in your life!
How to effectively fight Satan’s attacks.
The battle against Satan has already been won by Jesus on the cross. But Satan is a lying spirit. He lied to Eve in the garden, and he continues to lie. This is his only weapon, and can be extremely effective. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. John 8:44. Satan is the spirit of anti-Christ, because he opposes all that is true. Satan spews out lies, but God’s word is the truth that counters those lies. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8: 31-32 So we see that God’s word is truth, and this truth shall set us free from Satan’s attacks against us. All sickness, disease, fear, anger, lack, and any other problems we face are lies contrary to the word of God. Our battle against such attacks is not in our bodies, or our relationships, or our finances, it is in our minds, where spiritual warfare against the enemy of the truth is fought. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11-12. God’s temple in Jerusalem was the highest place on earth for God’s people for many centuries. But as Jesus prophesied, it was destroyed in 70AD by the Roman’s, and not one stone was left standing upon another. We are now God’s new eternal temple. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16. The Bible says we are daily loaded with blessing and benefits, but we receive according to our belief. If we believe Satan’s lies, we will limit the amount of good things God wants for us. He is not limiting the giving, but we can limit the receiving. Psalm 78: 40-41 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. If we believe God’s word, and not Satan’s lies we can effectively fight against Satan’s attacks. Hebrews 4:11 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. We can actually limit God and the good he wants for us, by observing, and putting more faith in what we observe with our senses, then in the truth of God’s word. Jonah 2: 7 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. This is why Paul wrote we must walk by faith and not by sight. David also wrote, ” I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord.” Psalm 31:6.
If you were to receive a negative diagnoses from your doctor, you can choose to believe the report, or God’s word concerning your health. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, you can choose to believe your bank statement, or repeat, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: !9 If your are fearful and full of anxiety, you can cower in a corner, or repeat, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy1:7. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have become children of God. As children and heirs, every good gift and benefit we find in God’s word, in the old or new testament are ours! I started a notebook several years ago, and every time I find a blessing mentioned in God’s word I write it down and claim it for myself. Walk in faith in God’s promises, and you can effectively fight against the attacks of the enemy.
How to cast out fear and be at peace.
I am writing this on the first day of 2022. And it seems like the world is a stressful and scary place. Jesus knew the times we would be living in when the words of the Bible were written, and he is intimately aware of them now. Matthew 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Which of us would presume to know the numbers of hair on our heads, but God is that aware of us. And how much do we think about, and how concerned are we with our children or other loved ones? But God has this to say about us. Psalm 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. God the Father and Jesus know with the greatest amount of detail, what we are feeling, and the difficulties we are going through. Knowing this is the starting point at living in peace, without fear. But I want to give you tools to precisely replace your feelings of fear with peace. Most people would consider fear to be an emotion. Not unlike sadness, or feeling happy. The Bible states fear is a spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Jesus cast out evil and unclean spirits, and in turn so did his followers. Matthew 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick. Fear comes from Satan, fear is a spirit, and spirits must be cast out. Jesus has given his followers authority over this world, and over unclean spirits of all type, including fear. Mark 13: 34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. We need to cast out the spirit of fear by the authority given to us by Jesus, as sons and daughter of God. Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Simply say, “In the name of Jesus I command this spirit of fear to leave me NOW!! Then give thanks to our Lord, and brother Jesus, and to God our Father, that it was done. But it is important to not stop there. Luke 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. After you have cast out the unclean spirit of fear, it is important to not leave your fresh new house, or attitude, or peace of mind, empty. You have to quickly begin filling it with a new spirit of peace, or the spirit of fear can come back seven fold worse then it was. This is the second part of the equation. The title of this article is, “How to cast out fear and be at peace.” Many people think they can be at peace by going to a peaceful park, or a mountain retreat. Or perhaps yoga or eastern meditation can bring them peace. But when you return from either, the world is still as it was or worse, fear returns and the temporary peace you may have achieved is gone. True lasting inner peace comes from knowing and meditating on the good promises of God, that transcend the turmoil of the world and this present age, and extend from now, forward into eternity.
When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can confidently know that we are loved and cared for from that time forward, by the very creator of the universe. When you read any good promise of blessing or protection in the Bible, that are given to a good person, or a holy person, or a righteous person or a perfect person, know with confidence that promise is yours. No man or women who is living, or who has ever lived, are these things, but Jesus is all of them and more. When God looks at you and all your imperfections he sees Jesus, and his righteousness. Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Our faith in Jesus is all we, as ungodly sinners, need to be seen as righteous by God, and worthy of all his blessing and protection. If you come across any curse or plague, or misfortune that is reserved for the wicked in the Bible, you can confidently know that it is no part of your life, or designed as a punishment or correction for you. Don’t be mistaken, actions have consequences, but all things out of your control are in God’s control. Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Jesus was beaten for your healing, crucified for your salvation, made poor that you might become rich, made a cures so you can be freed from all curses and evil. He took sin upon himself, that you have now become his righteousness. There is nothing left for us to do, he has done it all for us! Knowing theses things we begin to repent effortlessly of our old sins and habits. Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? We can begin to live more and more at peace with ourselves and the world, knowing with full assurance that God is at peace with us. When Jesus came into the world the angels proclaimed. Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. God is at peace with his children, and they can in turn live at peace with themselves and with others.
Do you have to repent to receive Jesus?
I have often heard TV preachers proclaim you must repent, and then you can receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. They would say you must turn from your sinful ways, and God will forgive you. Did Jesus instruct those that heard him speak, to first stop sinning and then they would be right with God? “ And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mathew 9:10-13. Is this passage indicating that the righteous are already accepted by God, and Jesus has come to minister only to those in sin? Romans 3: 9-11 has this to say, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” And in the book of Isaiah it is written, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6. Jesus was fully aware that no man is righteouse in God’s holy eyes. To emphasize this point again Paul writes, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23. The so called righteous of Jesus day were the Pharisees. They were sure of their right standing with God, because of the meticulous way they attempted to keep the law of Moses. It is this attitude of self righteousness that Jesus was speaking of, when he told those around him they needed to repent. “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14
God does indeed want us to repent of all our sins, but it is in no way a pre-requisite to receiving Jesus into our life. God knows that all forms of sin are harmful, but God invites us into his family joyfully, with open arms, with hugs and kisses, just as the the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 illustrates. There are plenty of modern day Pharisees, who want to point out your sins and faults, and proclaim you have to get right with God, before he will forgive you. This is most certainly putting the cart before the horse. God wants you to come to him with a humble heart. He wants to begin to lavish upon you all his goodness, love and blessings. You are righteous and holy in His eyes the minute you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Romans 3: 21-22 “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe…” Both the Old Testament law and prophets, point toward a time when man is made right in God’s eyes through a personal Savior, who would die in their place. Jesus was the manifestation of the Old Covenant. No amount of good living, or good deeds, or right thinking will put you right with God. Unholy man without God’s Spirit is incapable of pleasing God. But we receive God’s Holy Spirit when we repent of our rebellion against His one and only plan of salvation, which is his Son Jesus. It is only then that we can begin to truly repent of all the other sins in our life, by first beginning to see His love for us all. John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
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How to properly fear God.
Most Christians are good at fearing God. We see him as a stern Father, who is pleased with us when we are good, and is ready to serve up quick and severe punishment when we sin, or are out of line. This is perhaps one of the biggest stumbling blocks that prevent us from receiving all the blessings our Father wants us to enjoy. It is impossible to please God in the flesh. No matter how hard we try, we cannot un-know, the knowledge of good and evil. Our conscience will always tell us when we fall short of a life that reflects Jesus. If we do not properly know how to fear God, we will always be nervously looking for the punishment that we expect to follow. Rom.3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
To properly fear God, is to believe the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus. To believe that our own efforts lead to death, and an eternity separated from God. But to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, leads to blessing in this life, and an eternity spent in the family of God. When Jesus was born the angels proclaimed, Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The angels were announcing peace and good will, toward men, not among them. God is not angry with anyone who has received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. When God looks at you, he sees Jesus perfect sacrifice on the cross. Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they recognized they were naked, and hid from the presence of God. Jesus took the shame and punishment upon himself. Now we can run to the open arms of a loving Father, in good times and in bad. When we do good, and when we fall short. We no longer have to fear our Father, and hide from his presence. We have made a conscious decision to partake of the tree of life, Jesus, and not of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is this knowledge that gives us a unhealthy fear of God. Phil. 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” We are righteous and holy in our Fathers eyes because of the righteousness of Jesus. We can relax and know God is not angry with us, and we have nothing to fear.
What did Jesus free us from?
John 8:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” We have all heard it said hundreds of times, “the truth shall make you free.” It is used by politicians, and religious leaders, TV commercials and anyone trying to get you to believe what they are selling. But what specifically was Jesus referring to? The Jews of that day were in bondage to the law, taste not, touch not. They were in constant fear of disobeying the law, but worse, they used the law of Moses to criticize and accuse others. Paul wrote this to the Galatians, Gal.5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Jesus wanted his followers to know that they could be freed from the Old Covenant rule of the law, and delivered into the New Covenant law of Grace. Phil. 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”
But is that all Jesus was referring to? Jesus said, “if you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” Jesus knew that it was through the study of his word, that we can learn to spot the lies of Satan, and come to know the promises of God. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, through lies and manipulation, the good life Jesus has paid for with his sacrifice on the cross. Satan wants us to focus on his material world, and deny, or be unaware, of the spiritual world, that Jesus would have us focus on. The Bible clearly states that Satan, is the god of this world. He uses the material world and everything in it, to distract us from who we are in Christ Jesus. Sickness, disease, poverty, mental and emotional despair, fear, anger, these things, and many others, are all things Jesus came to free us from. The Holy Bible is full of promises of deliverance from all these conditions, to those who have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. But it is only through reading the word, and believing those promises, and not the lies of Satan, and his world, that we can break free from the bondage of corruption, and enter into the Kingdom within us. Then we can begin to draw upon the living water, that is the perfect Spirit of God, that dwells inside a believer. A spirit of love, joy, peace, good health, prosperity, faith, balance, and all the good promises of a loving Father!
You have been taking the Lord’s name in vain.
The third commandment God gave to Moses was, to not take his name in vain. You might be surprised to find you, and I, and everyone you know, takes God’s name in vain multiple times every day! When God spoke to Moses, and appeared as a burning bush. He instructed Moses to lead the people of Israel, out of the land of Egypt. Moses asked God, whom shall I say sent me, when they ask? What is his name? And God told Moses to tell the people, I Am, has sent me unto you. Later in the New Testament, Jesus spoke, and tried to explain to his Jewish audience who he was. He concluded by saying, “before Abraham was, I am.” And they took up stones, to stone him. John 8:58. God has many names in the Holy Bible. They help us to understand his nature and character. God made man in his image and likeness. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We are born again. We are now part of the very family, of the great creator God. We have become holy and righteous, in the site of God. Every curse has been taken away. Christ became a curse for us. Galatians 3:13. Our righteousness is of Christ, and not our own. God looks down upon us, and sees Jesus in us! If Jesus is holy, we are holy. If Jesus is blessed, we are blessed. If Jesus is righteous, we are righteous. To say anything less, is to contradict the very word of God. Theses things are true, because God’s word proclaims them to be true. When as children of the most high, washed clean and made holy by the blood of our Lord Jesus, we say things like: I am a failure. I am no good. I am not worthy of this thing or that. I am poor. I am cursed. I am ugly. I am sick. We are taking the I Am name of the Lord, in vain! Let’s read God’s holy word, see who we are in Christ, and proclaim the truth about ourselves! I am beautiful! I am healthy! I am a lender and not a borrower! I am the head and not the tail! I am above and not beneath! I am blessed in everything my hand finds to do, because of my Lord Jesus!
For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
What did the Apostle Paul mean when he wrote in his letter to the Romans, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin?” I believe he was trying to convey the idea that apart from faith we can not please God. All we do, all our good deeds, despite what lofty thoughts we may have, are often consciously, or unconsciously, performed with ulterior motives. We are trying to find favor with God, or man, or simply trying to make us feel better about ourselves. Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” God is not pleased or displeased with us according to our actions, but according to our heart. Our righteous acts are not what put us right in his eyes. Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” It is our faith in Jesus that makes us right with God. He looks at a Christian, and sees the obedience and good works of His only begotten Son. If this were not the case, then we would have reason to be prideful of our actions, thinking we are earning our way to heaven. Romans 3: 27-28 “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” The law of Moses was given to us, so we could see our need for a Savior, not to save us! Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” When we come to an understanding that we are all sinners, in need of a Savior, we are at a place where God can begin to work with us. Matthew 9:13 “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” If we think we are righteous, we are delusional, we are fooling ourselves, but not God. Repentance begins with repenting of our pride and self worth, not of any actual sin. Knowing how much God loves us, being the sinners we are, gradually leads us to become more like him. Romans 2:4 “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
Saved By Faith In Christ 