No gods

The Lord appeared to Solomon a second time. . . . And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’ ” (1 Kings 9:2–9)

Although keeping the Law never was not nor could be the means of salvation, obeying God always is the means of blessing. This is because God's way is good for us. Just one example is the results of serving Him rather than other gods. He is Almighty and nothing is impossible for Him. As for other gods, what are they? Carved images? Imaginary creatures? Stone carvings? Forces of weather and nature controlled by what? (Or Who?) Mere humans? Me, myself, and I?

Other gods boil down to no gods, just human invention and imagination? The NT says as much, yet also attributes the idea of gods to demon forces and Satan. Jesus defines him, and other passages speak of demonic powers whose task is to discredit the truth He brings:

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:23)
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

Just writing these words makes me shiver. Satan whispering suggestions to rule my own life gives me more reasons to avoid anything that is not from my Lord and Savior. 

Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. (1 Corinthians 8:4–8)
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. (Galatians 4:8–11)

From Scripture and experience, the power of obedience is clear, as is the power of the enemy who disguises himself as an angel of light and uses subtle lies in his attempts  to destroy me.

Jesus, because of You, I cannot be destroyed, but my witness to the world and ability to glorify You can be messed up by disobedience. Today You again ask me to do several things I’d rather not do. I’m thankful for the encouragement to say yes, and to rely on You for all that I need to obey.

When times are tough

Today we fly home from the best vacation ever, two weeks with our daughter and son-in-law in a warmer part of the world amid 100-foot trees and a view out the window of four holes on a championship golf course. She is a perfect hostess but today is a tough day for them as her hubby is having surgery. MacArthur says that “focusing on heaven is the best way to endure difficulties on earth” but this will not work for everyone or in every situation. A focus on heaven for our SIL would be a focus on dying, likely adding to his anxiety. Besides, he is a doer and will not be able to do much for several weeks. He is asking God for patience.

Following God isn’t always easy. He is asking me for changes, not as scary as surgery but still challenging. He expects me to trust Him explicitly. He does not want my input on decisions that may impact me dramatically nor does He tell me His specific plans much ahead of time. I am not always sheltered from adversity and our SIL knows that for his situation too.

I also realize that God tests my faith to produce endurance and spiritual maturity. Those tests can be painful yet He says this:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

This thought has settled into my mind and asks for a trust that nothing happens to me without a good reason; God is working all things together for good, that I might be more like Jesus. I can pray for that for our dear SIL, even though he may not realize it for a time as his trial is far from being joyful right now.

For me, thinking about Abraham is helpful too. This man had no Bible, no pastor, no sermons, no commentaries, and no Christian encouragement or accountability. He did have the promise of a nation, a land, and a blessing and that promise sustained him:

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1–3)

Yet Abraham never settled in that land, nor did his son Isaac or his grandson Jacob. They lived in tents.  Abraham never built houses or cities and only possessed the land by faith. Yet he patiently looked to God and did what He asked. He looked forward — whether or not he ever saw it in his lifetime . . . 

By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:9–10)

The NT tells me to be heavenly minded. This is a cure for discouragement and spiritual fatigue: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1–4)

It also helps to think of God’s purposes for life here on earth. Jesus to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Matthew 16:23) and Paul said, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5–6)

This is the way to think in difficult times: God has a good purpose for this and in it, I can become more like Jesus so need to keep my mind on Him, facing the trial and trusting Him to do His transforming work.

PRAY: Jesus, You are my Savior. You save me from my fears and from giving in to self-centered thinking when life is tough and Your Spirit leads me to You in faith. You are a marvel, a wonderful help in times of need and a joy both then and in times of plenty. Be that for our SIL and surprise him with Your amazing grace.

PONDER: All the past trials and how God used them for His will to be done. Be thankful!