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.

Handles I don’t need . . .

Some people call that extra poundage around the middle a ‘spare tire.’ Others more kindly call it ‘love handles.’ My brother had ears that stood out; my dad called them ‘handles’ and often used them that way.

Handles make many items easier to grasp. I have a flower vase that needs them because it is difficult to hold, even slippery and easy to drop. However, there are handles that I don’t need or want . . . Today’s devotional ends with an interesting quote. It says . . .

“Any place where a person sins, he puts handles on his soul for Satan to grasp. Repentance gets rid of the handles.” Author unknown.

I’ve never thought of handles that way but must agree. Any rebellion against God cannot be conquered as long as I cooperate with the enemy. All self-serving and sinful attitudes give the devil something to hold and keep me in his grasp.

Tozer gives the reason why this is true. He says God cannot do our repenting for us. The church, by trying to magnify grace, has conveyed the impression that repentance is a work of God, but that is an error. God commands repentance, but He does not do it for us. Even Christ could not do it. He could die for us, but He cannot do our repenting for us.

Tozer adds that God can push us in that direction and give us the idea we should repent. For instance, the Bible says, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)

However, I’m not sure of Tozer’s teaching. There are verses that say otherwise. For instance, one passage tells God’s worker to be kind and teach others, “correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:25-26)

From this, I understand that yes, Satan does grab us by our ‘handles’ yet God grants repentance, so we can come to our senses. This is the role of the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin, particularly the sin of not trusting Jesus. I so easily trust myself and build handles for the enemy to reinforce his lie that says I don’t need God!

Repentance is vital. It is turning from sin and all self-effort to trust God. Like any of the commands, this one tugs at my heart, yet I know that I cannot obey it without the power of the Holy Spirit. I’ve learned that the hard way.

Yet there is another prerequisite for repentance; I must want it, and to want it, I must hate sin, and to hate sin, I need the Spirit of God to show me how awful it is.

In my understanding every step and part of salvation is of God. That gives me no excuse for being uncooperative or for growing handles. God is right here to bestow on me what I need — as soon as I’m convinced to stop resisting it. Sin is such that I want to ‘do it myself’ but grace is of God, an incredible gift to one so undeserving.

This is part of the mystery of redemption. God does it, yet I must respond. He convicts of sin, yet I must confess it is true. He grants faith, yet I must believe. He grants repentance, yet I must repent. This is why Jesus said: “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I realize that there is ‘Your part’ and ‘my part’ and that I can never blame You for my failure to live as You desire. At the same time, I know that I cannot live Your way in my own strength. You grant the grace and the power to say NO to sin and YES to You. Thank You for the great blessing of being able to repent!