Today's Idolarty

 

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God. Exodus 20:5

"It has been proven often in history that whoever entertains an unworthy conception of God is throwing his or her being wide open to the sin of idolatry, which is in essence a defamation of the divine character.

It is vitally important that we think soundly about God. Because He is the foundation of all our religious belief, it follows that if we err in our ideas of God, we will go astray in everything else.

We would like to believe that there are no longer false gods in the world, but actually we recognize some of them in our own society. What about the glorified "Chairman of the Board" of the modern businessman? Or the storytelling, backslapping god of some of the service clubs? Think of the dreamy-eyed god of the unregenerate poet—cozy, aesthetic and willing to fellowship with anybody who thinks high thoughts and believes in moral equality. We often encounter the tricky, unscrupulous god of the superstitious; and the list goes on!

Thankfully, we have found that to know and follow Christ is to be saved from all forms of idolatry!" Tozer

"Lord, it is definitely a challenge not to be swept up by the latest media craze or the hot-selling electronic gadget or the most recent fitness or diet program. I pray, Lord, that none of these "things" will ever supplant You as the focus and purpose of my life."  Tozer

... The bold emphasis is my doing...
I thought about this and pondered on what forms of idolatry I may be entertaining...
What do I love more than the Lord... although I dare never truly admit it... maybe gardening...
Whatever pulls me away from my time with the Lord can become a form of idolatry.  In today's society we don't offer sacrifices or have burning alters in the parks... but lets truly look into our homes.

What about sports and Hollywood in todays world... I always tend to think of this as such blatant idolatry. The world even calls them teen 'idols'  and sports 'idols'. 

Wake up Christians and look around you with an honest eye of self inspection...
One day we will all stand before the judgement seat of God and we will give account for all the bowing down to the worlds idols that we have engaged in.

Until next time,
Jean 

Getting God in Focus

 

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God. Acts 7:55

Today is Thanksgiving and we do have so much to be thankful for...
This was one of my daily devotions today...
The highlighted verse below was what spoke out to me most.  I thought on it and yes we can get so distracted with the things of the world... with the daily cares that are just a part of each of our lives. We need to remember that our Lord Jesus never walks away from us, He never forgets about us and He most certainly never gets distracted away from taking care of me and you.
We are the ones that wander away and get distracted. We are the ones that put Him on the back burner and think we'll get back to 'that' once this job or that responsibility is over with... 
What really happens is we get lazy and lax in our Christian walk.
But Hallelujah He is faithful and is waiting for our return...

If you have wandered away... if you are lonely and weary from the fight...  If you are standing there looking around thinking, "How did I get to this point?", it's not too late, He is there with out stretched arms ready and waiting for you to return...

The Lord loves a broken and contrite heart... reach out... He loves you.

"While many are busy trying to set forth satisfactory definitions of the word faith, we do well to simply consider that believing is directing the heart's attention to Jesus!
It is lifting the mind to "behold the Lamb of God," and never ceasing that beholding for the rest of our lives. At first this may be difficult, but it becomes easier as we look steadily at His wondrous Person, quietly and without strain.
Distractions may hinder, but once the heart is committed to Him, the attention will return again and rest upon Him like a wandering bird coming back to its window.
I would emphasize this one great volitional act which establishes the heart intention to gaze forever upon Jesus. God takes this intention for our choice and makes what allowances He must for the thousand distractions which beset us in this evil world. So, faith is a redirecting of our sight, getting God in our focus, and when we lift our inward eyes upon God, we are sure to meet friendly eyes gazing back at us!" Tozer

"Lord, this morning I pray that the inward eyes of my soul will put You in clear focus throughout this day." Tozer

Today if you will hear His voice harden not your hearts...
Until next time,
Jean

Will It Bloom?

When you walk through the garden, do you ever wonder if they are going to bloom?   Do you look at the beautiful bud and ever even dream it won't open into that magnificant rose you've been waiting to see... to smell... to touch... 

When you wake up in the morning do you wonder if the sun will rise?  Do you go through the day in a haze thinking if it will set?  I've sat on the edge of the lake and watched this magnificant wonder happen several times, and never once did I wonder is it would quit...

These are roses in my pergola garden... I planted it two years ago and they are by far my favorite. One morning as I was strolling through the gardens, this duo caught my eye... it was just perfect... It reminded me immediately of how I feel as I trust that the Lord Jesus is walking by my side...

Last night I doubted... I laid in bed and I questioned... you see my little boy lost his glasses after only a week and we cannot find them. Evan and I held hands and we prayed and asked God to show us where they are... we still haven't found them... I laid in bed last night and questioned why... why wouldn't He answer this little boys prayer...  then this morning he gave me this...

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. Hebrews 3:12

 

"The Bible tells about man's being alienated from and an enemy to God. Should this sound harsh or extreme, you have only to imagine your closest friend coming to you and stating in cold seriousness that he no longer has any confidence in you.

"I do not trust you. I have lost confidence in your character. I am forced to suspect every move you make"—such a declaration would instantly alienate friends by destroying the foundation upon which every friendship is built. Until your former friend's opinion of you had been reversed, there could be no further communion.

People do not go boldly to God and profess that they have no confidence in Him, and they usually do not witness publicly to their low view of God. The frightful thing, however, is that people everywhere act out their unbelief with a consistency that is more convincing than words.

Christianity provides a way back from this place of unbelief and alienation: "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). God took the wrong upon Himself in order that the one who committed the wrong might be saved!" Tozer

 

"Father, You have pursued us passionately and diligently in order that our relationship with You might be restored. Yet so many have turned a cold shoulder to You. Jesus, I love You and appreciate all that You have done for me and my family and friends." Tozer

 

... we still haven't found them... but I believe with all my heart we will...

this is my testimony... He is faithful,

 

Until next time,

Jean

God Is on Our Side

"My five son's" by, Jean Smith

When the storms of life prove to be so strong and you just don't know where to turn... do you look up instead of around?
When the waves are all around and they are crashing in on you and you can't even lift your head to see what direction you are going, do you have the faith to keep walking?
Do we believe that we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us and He won't give us more than we can bear?
... we all have days where the storms and trials are so big and consuming, but we can move on with Him...
... we just need to follow and obey...
... we just need to trust and keep looking upward... knowing that the prize is worth it all.
Again, one of my devotions today... God is Good... He is Faithful... He does care...

"It was a gracious revelation to my human spirit when I discovered that the Word of God was actually on my side, operating in my behalf!
I was reading Psalm 71 and I came to this amazing statement: "Thou hast given commandment to save me!" (71:3). My heart has been warmed with that realization ever since. I believe that the Word of the living God has gone throughout all the earth to save me and keep me! Let the theological experts raise their eyebrows—I do not care! The living Word has charged Himself with responsibility to forgive, to cleanse and to keep me!
Let us not be guilty of underrating the Word of God operating on our behalf. I dare to say that there is not an uncontrolled stroke or force anywhere in all of God's mighty universe that can take eternal life away from a trusting, believing, obedient child of God.
Let us thank God for the Word! It is living and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword (see Hebrews 4:12)!" Tozer

"Lord, it is so obvious that the truth of Your Word, which is alive and powerful, is one of the keys to world evangelization. Help me and other Christians to spread Your Word among our personal spheres of influence."  Tozer

Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul. Psalm 71:13

Until next time,
Jean

 

Looking Beyond

"Still Moment", by Jean Smith

An elderly woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.  One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.  Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. . .
  After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.


'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?
That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.  Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'


Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding..   You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

Until next time,
Jean

RISE ABOVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES

Old Jim was such a faithful horse,
But he was growing old;
And Uncle Lem made up his mind
The horse should not be sold

But turned out in the pastureland
To roam and feed at will.
Or rest beneath a shady tree,
Down by the waters still.

Lem loved his faithful servant, Jim,
And watched him day by day;
And when he whistled for his horse,
Jim gave an answering Neigh.

One day the horse had disappeared,
And Lem went out to see
What had become of faithful Jim,
Where could the creature be?

Lem thought about an abandoned well,
Which had uncovered been;
Lem hurried down the path to see--
Yes! Jim had fallen in!

If he should try to pull him out.
A leg might be broken be;
So he would go and fetch his gun
And end Jim's misery.

He brought his gun, but couldn't bear
To shoot old faithful Jim;
So brought his shovel and his pick
With which to bury him.

He took a shovelful of dirt
And rolled it in the well;
It rolled onto the horse's back
And to the bottom fell.

As fast as every load was sent,
Old Jim would stamp it down;
And as they both thus worked away,
At last the well was gone!

Out jumped the horse, all whole and sound,
Kicked up his heals and ran.
Let's get from out this simple tale
A lesson, if we can.

When people try to crush us down
And cover us with dirt,
Let's stamp it underneath our feet
And never let it hurt.

Let's be like Jim and rise above
The troubles that beset;
If we are on the side of right,
We'll gain the victory yet.


Author Unknown