YEAR 2, WEEK 28, Day 7, Sunday, 16 July 2023

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 16 July 2023:

Jeremiah 7:4 – Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.”

Claiming to be religious and going to church doesn’t make up for a person’s behavior which is a better revelation of what is truly in a person’s heart. God is not at all moved by unrepentant worship.

• Proverbs 20:11 — Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
• John 4:24 — God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
• James 1:22 — But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• Galatians 6:7 — Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

Jeremiah 7: 8-10 — Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, “We are delivered!”—only to go on doing all these abominations?

If someone thinks that grace through Jesus frees him or her to continue in sin without concern, that person may never have really received salvation through Jesus. Love is more powerful than the law and compels the Christian not to sin. (2 Cor 5:14) The only response to grace and saving faith is obedience, holiness, and joy. Any response to the sacrifice of Christ other than humble obedience and holiness leaves doubt as to what was actually received.

• 1 John 2:6 — …whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
• 1 John 3:9 — No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
• 1 John 3:24 — Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
• 1 John 2:4 — Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him….
• 1 John 4:20 — If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Jeremiah 7:16 — As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you.

God doesn’t honor the prayers of the unrepentant.

• Isaiah 1:15 — When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
• Proverbs 28:9 — If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
• Proverbs 15:29 — The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
• Psalm 66:18 — If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
• James 4:3 — You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
• 1 Peter 4:7 — The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
• 1 Peter 3:7 — Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
• Job 27:8-9 — For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

Jeremiah 7:23 — Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.

Jesus said it like this: “If you love me, you will obey me.” Obedience isn’t the path of salvation – we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus – obedience is the evidence of salvation, the fruit of salvation.

Jeremiah 7:24 — But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.

To be your Savior, Jesus must be your Lord and Savior. It is impossible to both humbly surrender to Jesus and also to take Him for granted or to treat the blood of His sacrifice carelessly by continuing in sin.

Jeremiah 7:27 — So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you.

Often, such as was the case with Moses, God sends His messengers to speak to a people He already knows will not listen. His word becomes a testimony against those who refuse to accept it. God’s word never returns void; it always accomplishes its purpose, whether to bless or to curse. You are Christ’s ambassador in this generation, called to proclaim the word of God, whether people will listen or not. Success for you is not measured in conversions but rather in commitment, in fidelity to your calling. Only the Holy Spirit can convict a person’s heart to receive salvation.

Jeremiah 7:27 — This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.

There is no political hope for our nation apart from repentance and revival.

Psalm 81: 9, 10 — There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am the Lord your God.

The modern Christian risks breezing by verses such as this one too quickly: “I’m a Christian; of course I don’t worship other gods.” However, the danger of idolatry is just as alive and well today for the Christian it was for the Jew in ancient Israel, only we have made idolatry more subtle and sophisticated. Our greatest idol is ourselves. Whenever we presume to place ourselves, our desires, our goals, our passions, our “needs” ahead of God’s will and commands, we introduce the “strangest god” of all into the equation, ourselves. We are a far worse idol than a carved image or any other created form – the inanimate object or god of imagination has a big thing over us: it has never sinned against God!

Uzzah died when he dared to touch the ark of the covenant in order to keep the holy ark from falling on the ground, presuming that his hand was cleaner than the dirt. (2 Samuel 6) How easy it is for us to forget from where we came. How easy it is for us to let pride rob God of His due glory, honor and praise and for us to lose sight of the wonderfulness of the grace He has poured out upon us through His One and Only Son Jesus Christ – “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (if you travel east on a globe, you never get to west). (Psalm 103:12) Even when we think about God, we tend to consider Him from our own perspective – “How does God relate to me?” The fullness of joy is the removal of “me” so that there is only Him – “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2) “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

• Colossians 3:5 — Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
• 1 Samuel 15:23 — For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
• Galatians 5:24 — And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
• Galatians 6:14 — But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Psalm 81:11-16 — But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.

Compare these verses to Romans 1. A person doesn’t realize what they have been “given over” in their disobedience. It is a terrible thing to be turned over by God. Trust and obey! Surrender totally to Jesus, and walk with Him, not the world. Look to God to supply your every need, not idols. Proclaim His praises to everyone!

Psalm 80:19 – Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Turn to the Lord for restoration every day.

Proverbs 16:2 — All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.

It is vital for Christians to understand that their hearts can be very deceptive. We tend to give ourselves more credit than we should. Paul warned, “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” (Romans 12:3) You must seek the daily Counsel of the Holy Spirit to be shown what you cannot see within your own heart. And you must remain in a state of humility and repentance, not sorrowfully but joyfully, knowing that you are growing in grace. Continually examine your heart (empowered by the Holy Spirit), considering the real motivation behind your actions, particularly your acts of worship. Are you truly motivated by selfless love or by fear, pride, or mere duty. Seek the heart of Jesus, a heart of pure love.

From Henry T. Blackaby – “How quick we are to question the motives of others, yet we are so slow to question our own! When others harm us, we may assume the worst of intentions. When we are guilty, we often excuse our offenses, concluding that others are far too sensitive! Regardless of how we monitor our motives, God weighs them in His scales of righteousness. It is futile to try to deceive God with our pious justifications, for He sees our hearts.

Is it possible to do the right thing for the wrong reason? Of course! You can attend worship services with a heart that is far from worshipful (Isa. 1:10-17). Could you show concern for the poor and yet have a heart that is opposed to God? Judas did (John 12:4-8). Could you make bold statements of love for Christ and actually be aiding the work of Satan? Peter did (Matt. 16:21-23). Could you offer sacrifices to God and be in total disobedience to Him? King Saul did (1 Sam. 13:8-9). Could you pray with the wrong motives? James said you can (James 4:3).

Many things cause us to do what we do. We can be motivated by good things, such as love for God, compassion, generosity, and faith. Or our actions can come from unhealthy motives such as pride, insecurity, ambition, lust, greed, guilt, anger, fear, and hurt. It is even possible to do the best things based on the worst motives. When the Lord measures our motives He looks for one thing: love. All that we do should proceed from our love for God and for others (1 Cor. 13). Take time to look past your actions to what lies behind them. Ask God to show you what He sees when He examines your motives.”

Proverbs 16:3 — “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

Don’t ask God to bless what you are doing. Ask God to show you how to be a part of what He is doing that you might join Him in it, grow closer to Him in the effort, glorify Him, and subsequently receive the blessing of being one with Him. Commit to being a part of what God is doing, and you will be truly blessed, not just with comfort but with the manifestation of His presence in your life.

Proverbs 16:4 — The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

God uses the ungodly for His purposes, often to discipline the godly. If you don’t like your political leaders, your employers, or other difficult people in your life, your first step might be prayerful repentance. God controls all circumstances and places people in your life to teach you something. Conversely, consider verse 7 — “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Proverbs 16:8 — Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.

Don’t sell out for instant, fleeting gain that can never satisfy. Don’t be like Esau who traded his birthright for a bowl of soup.

Proverbs 16:12 — It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness.

Make no mistake, all sin is an abomination, cosmic treason against the KING of Kings. Don’t take any sin lightly.

Proverbs 16:13 — Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.

God loves it when you speak the truth. Successful people and good leaders appreciate hearing the truth, no matter how difficult it is to receive. They don’t fight it or reject it but rather accept it and conform to it. When you live in accordance with the Truth (Jesus is the embodiment of truth), you are flowing with the currents of life and all creation rather than trying to swim against them. You are aligned with the perfect will of God and are ready to receive all His blessings.

Proverbs 16:21 — The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

Wise Christians know how to use gentle, gracious words to persuade others rather than arguing with them. What comes out of your mouth reveals your wisdom for lack of wisdom.

Proverbs 16:25 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Again, the Bible reminds us that only God can show us the way we should go; we cannot trust in our own understanding. If you are not following Jesus day by day, you are off course and going down a path that leads to death.

From Henry T. Blackaby — Things are not always what they seem. Proverbs warns that we can be deceived into believing we are going down the right path and yet be heading toward death, the opposite direction from God’s will. People do not naturally seek God or pursue righteousness (Rom. 3:10-18). Only as the Spirit awakens our hearts to the Person of Christ are we able to desire God’s will. If we make decisions apart from the guidance of the Spirit of God, we will be like a ship trying to sail without a compass. We will do what makes the most sense, based on our own wisdom. But what looks attractive may actually lead to sin, ultimately destroying what is precious to us, for our most profound human thinking is mere foolishness to God (1 Cor. 1:18-20). Only God knows the way that leads to life, and He wants to lead us to walk in it (Matt. 7:13-14). Don’t assume every opportunity that arises is from God. Satan will disguise himself as an “angel of light,” and his invitations will seem to be in your best interest (2 Cor. 11:14). Yet his way leads only to death (John 8:44). The word of God will be like a light to your path, guiding you in the ways of righteousness (Ps. 119:105). It can be perilous to follow a path that seems right without first consulting the Holy Spirit for guidance (John 16:13). Take time to seek the Holy Spirit’s direction when you face decisions. He knows the full ramifications of your choices. The Holy Spirit will assist you to understand truth and to experience abundant life. Trust Him as He leads you.

Proverbs 16:26 — A worker’s appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.

God wants you to stay hungry. There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone. Rejoice in your challenges. When you understand that challenges are required for growth, you will start to understand that adversity is as blessing too, and you will start to enjoy the struggle.

Proverbs 16:32 — Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

The greatest battle anyone will fight is the battle for self-control (which can only be won through the Holy Spirit). The mightiest person is the one who has overcome self. The greatest miracle on earth is genuine love displayed.

God designed His people to be a “kingdom of priests… [to] reign on the earth (Exodus 19, 6; Revelation 5:10).” However, before a ruler is worthy to rule anything else, he must be able to rule over self. In fact, it is an inability to rule self that disqualified God’s people for positions of leadership within His Kingdom throughout the Bible. To have and maintain the right to lead in the Kingdom, one must first demonstrate sustained personal self-control, discipline, obedience, holiness. The Kingdom of God submits to the authority and will of the King (“thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven).

Our first responsibility is to submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ in our own lives and then model that life to others. Jesus modeled obedience for us and then told us that if we truly loved Him we would obey Him completely; He then commanded that, from our position of total obedience, “Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Clearly, self-control is not accomplished of our own power but through the power of the Holy Spirit within us. Key though is to recognize that Christians already have been equipped with that power. Now we have the responsibility to live by the Spirit rather than selfishness (deny self), pick up our crosses (see ourselves as crucified with Christ), and choose to truly follow Jesus rather than asking Jesus to follow us (Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23). The problem we have with self-control is that we have not yet fully committed to live for God rather than self. However, we were created with the specific purpose of serving and loving God; apart from our purpose, our lives are meaningless and dead. Isn’t it time to choose to serve the Lord wholeheartedly and “rule our spirits” for His glory?

• Galatians 2:20 — I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
• 2 Timothy 2:11, 12 — The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him
• Numbers 32:11, 12 — Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 16 July 2023: “Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.” (Psalm 81:1, 2) This Sunday, ‘go to church’ all day long (and from this day forward), wherever you are and through whatever you are doing. Proclaim Jesus within your soul to yourself and with your words and deeds to everyone else everywhere you go.