Not Again?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“‘Am I the one they are hurting?’ asks the LORD. ‘Most of all they hurt themselves, to their shame.’”

Jeremiah 7:19

Idolatry… yes, once again we are confronted with the people of Judah who committed the act of idolatry. They were making sacrificial fires and cakes to Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility (Jeremiah 7:18); and they poured out liquid offerings before this false god.

Is it any wonder why God was infuriated? God was so infuriated He had told Jeremiah, “Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you,” (Jeremiah 7:16). God was not looking the other way. He saw they were breaking His commandment not to have any other gods before Him. They were to love God with all their heart. Instead, the people of Judah had hearts filled with unfaithfulness towards God. In other words, they were being disloyal towards God.

In sinning against God, disregarding His commands, and turning away from Him, they were hurting themselves. Isaiah 59:2 says this: “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” By committing the act of idolatry, they had committed spiritual suicide. They had cut themselves off from the Wellspring of Life, the Source of Strength, their Deliverer. They turned away from the Almighty Everlasting God.

Before we judge the people of Judah harshly, we need to look at ourselves. Are we being unfaithful to God in any way that would cause Him to look away from us?

Let’s go further. The purpose of the sacrificial system God put in place was not to please Him. The purpose of the sacrifices to be made would make the people recognize their sin, cause them to repent, and to refocus them back to living for God. The purpose of the sacrificial system was to spur the people on, to encourage them to take joy in obeying God.

In this passage of Scripture, the sacrifices the people of Judah were doing before God dishonored Him because they were doing the sacrifices out of duty and obligation, not out of love or wholehearted devotion to Him. They were making sacrifices to the goddess Ishtar while they were also making sacrifices to God. They had turned away from God, disregarding His command not to have any other gods before Him.

Remember this: God DOES NOT conform to our will and our ways. We MUST conform to what God wills and desires. God is to have first place in our lives. He will not share His glory with another, and He is not sharing first place in our lives with anything or anyone else. Either God is God in our life, or He is not.

Let’s choose Life by choosing God because He is life. He is the Giver of Life. He is the One who sustains us, and He alone is worthy of all the glory and praise. Think of all that He has done for You. Let’s bring honor to His name by walking in obedience after Him. Let’s walk uprightly with undivided hearts, giving Him first place in our lives. Whatever it is that we need to remove to progress in our relationship with Him, then let’s remove it and press on. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need,” Matthew 6:33.

Heavenly Father, You are still on the throne, and You are still sovereign. You are Lord, and You are Master. You are faithful and true. You know all things from beginning to the end. Nothing is hidden from Your sight, and everything is exposed before You. You, O God, truly know the depths of our heart. Father, when we walk away from You, we are only hurting ourselves. We are sorry for our wrongful ways and sinful attitudes before You. Lord, forgive us for our sins, and we ask that You cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let us not be as the people of Judah but let us remember that You alone must have first place in our lives and that You will not share Your glory with another. Remind us that we are to conform to Your will and to Your ways. Give us the wisdom and the insight to understand that sin separates us from You. Help us to understand that You do not tolerate sin, that we are to be holy as You are holy. Give us the strength to remain steadfast in You. Time is short, Father God, and the return of Christ is nearer than it ever has been. There is no time to straddle the fence, and You do not play games. Lord, let us be living sacrifices before You that are pleasing and honorable in Your sight. Use us to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

God Is The Jealous God

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

JEALOUS GOD 1

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame,” (Solomon 8:6).

Our God is a consuming fire, and He will NOT share His glory with another.  His jealousy is like fire.  He burns with a passion for His people who are to look to only Him as LORD and as GOD!

“So be careful not to break the covenant the Lord your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the Lord your God has forbidden this.  The Lord your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God,” (Deuteronomy 4:23-24).

This passage shows God’s demand for loyalty and faithfulness to Him.  His jealousy is the kind that is appropriate and good.  God defends His name, His words, and His honor.  His demand for loyalty and faithfulness from His children is as passionate as a consuming fire and is an exclusive one.  GOD is LORD, and no one else is to be treated as such.  In other words, there is NO other God besides your Heavenly Father who is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.  No one compares to Him, and no one ever will compare to Him.  God is jealous for you.Mankind is frail, made of nothing but the dust of the ground, fading away along with everything in this world, BUT GOD is everlasting, the Omnipresent LORD, who does NOT fail.  He is glorious and majestic in all His ways, and He is jealous for you.  Remember to be faithful to the LORD in all you do for our God is a consuming fire and does NOT share His glory with another.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the King of Glory, and You do not share Your glory with another.  There is no other god who can compare to You because You are the All-Knowing God worthy of all honor and praise.  Salvation belongs to You alone.  You are full of grace and mercy, and You are the Eternal One.  Help me to remember You are jealous for me and to set my affections on You alone.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Temptation

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

TEMPTATION 3

I wish people would stop putting themselves in temptation’s path.  It’s bad enough that temptation will find you, but why make it easy for the temptation to try to take hold by stepping in front of it?  It is one thing if the temptation comes to you, but to willingly throw yourself in its path is just foolish;  that would be like stepping into oncoming traffic expecting not to get run over.  Why give yourself the opportunity to find out whether or not you can handle it?  Why give yourself the opportunity to fail?

Let me just make one thing very, very clear:  BEING TEMPTED IS NOT A SIN.  The sin is when you take temptation’s bait and then commit the sinful act.

“…BUT I’M STRONG I CAN HANDLE IT”

When I have heard people make this statement, “…But I’m strong.  I can handle it,” I cringe EVERY single time.  For me, personally, I know that if I come to the point of saying “I can handle it” that’s when I know I cannot handle it and usually means to slow down, get a grip, and know the only reason I’m able to take anything on IS BECAUSE OF GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE.  I’m reminded pride comes before destruction and haughtiness before the fall.  For any of us to think we are standing strong is when we need to be careful, and to think we cannot fall is faulty thinking.

What are you entertaining?   The Scripture says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  That means, Folks, we can bring our thoughts under control.  We do not have to entertain sinful thoughts.  If sin actually showed itself to us in its actual appearance, rather than dressing itself up deliciously tantalizing, we would run clear in the other direction.

I can only speak for myself so I will.  Back in the middle of March of 2017, God had spoken to me about certain shows that were absolutely off limits and that He no longer wanted me to watch.  In keeping with honesty, my response to God was not one of enthusiasm, and it sort of went like, “Okay, God.”  The shows weren’t helpful nor were they beneficial, and most definitely, the shows would not help me at all in my spiritual growth, so television is never on during the day except at night to watch a family show.  I was confronted by God who gave me a command, and I chose obedience.  HOWEVER, I NOTICED WHEN I TOOK THE FIRST STEP OF OBEDIENCE, God removed any desire I had for those shows I previously watched.

It is amazing how God will fill you with the strength you need to carry out whatever command He has given you.  He knows when you are ready, and He knows exactly how to get your attention.  He deals with you on the level you are at.  Just as God dealt with me, He can deal with you.  He can reach you right where you are at your point of need.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, it states, “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.  We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.  We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

Do you struggle with temptation or a particular sin?  Then you need to ask yourself what you’re entertaining.  Whatever it is you are putting into your mind will affect you if not soon then later.

Do you want to draw closer to God?  Any show you watch that is not pleasing to God is definitely not going to be beneficial to your spiritual growth;  if anything, whatever you are taking through your ears and eyes,  may stop you from progressing in God and eventually finding yourself off to the wayside and/or separated from Him.  Your thoughts will not align with God’s thoughts unless you are spending time in the Word of God.

It is of great importance to read the Bible in order to have a storehouse of Scripture in your mind to combat carnal thoughts.  The Psalmist declared, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  For each carnal thought you have that opposes God and His Word, there is a biblical truth to combat each one.

Have you been rejecting the prompting of the Holy Spirit?  Do NOT say God has not spoken to you nor complain that He is silent when you haven’t opened your Bible to study or read it and if you are resisting the prompting and conviction of the Holy Spirit, and in Romans 8:12-14, it clearly states, “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.  For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.“

Will you choose to obey God and be led by the Holy Spirit, or will you live by your sinful nature and its dictates?

Choose you this day whom will you serve.

Much Love To You All,

L.A. Knowles

Digging Cracked Cisterns

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

CISTERN 3“For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me-the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!”  –Jeremiah 2:13

If we look at the first four chapters of Jeremiah, you will notice that Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry are used interchangeably.  In the eyes of God, these two issues are the same issue.  To commit spiritual adultery is to be unfaithful to God and to commit idolatry is to worship another god.  Both require no loyalty, commitment, faithfulness, or courage to stand for what’s right.

Looking at the above verse from Jeremiah, the people of Israel were digging cracked cisterns for themselves.  Cisterns hold water, but in this particular passage, the cracked cisterns were the false religious systems and their continual idolatry of false gods the pagan nations served.  Whenever the Israelites turned away from God to serve the gods of pagan nations, they were building cracked cisterns that could not hold the amount of spiritual adultery, the pagan rituals they adopted along with the adoration of foreign gods.  The cracked cisterns represented everything temporal which would eventually fade away or erode.

However, the Fountain of the Living Water holds Truth and Life, and the Fountain of Living Water is eternal, unbreakable, the Source of Our Hope, and the Source of Life.  The people of God traded in their God, The Creator of Heavens and Earth, for gods made out of the hands of man.  Note:  Not even the pagan nations traded in their national gods as we can see in verses 11-12 which states, “Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones even though they are not gods at all?  Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols!  The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay, says the Lord.”

Nowadays, we’re no different from the Israelites.  We could call them foolish people, but today, we’re just as foolish as they were.  We trade in the Fountain of the Living Water for cracked cisterns of our own making called money, power, wealth, prestige, religious systems, or whatever it is taking first place in our lives.  First place in our lives belongs to God and Him alone.  Why would we trade our glorious God for what is going to fade away?  Why would we trade our glorious God for what is broken and cracked when He offers what is whole and eternal?  Why should we cling to cracked cisterns when God is faithful to His promises of restoration and renewal, promises of hope?

God has shown us He does not change.  He is our Constant and Assurance.  He knows the motivations and intentions of the heart.  God does not look at the appearance of any man or woman.  He sees us digging cracked cisterns or if we are drinking from the Fountain of the Living Water.

If we have dug cracked cisterns for ourselves, then we must know we are being called back to a place of repentance.  God promises restoration for those who truly have a broken spirit and contrite heart before Him and does not turn away those who are humble and broken, truly repentant before Him.

What cracked cisterns do you have?  Are you truly willing to lay them down at the feet of God?  No one can answer those questions for you.  You must answer for yourself.

God must be First place in our life, our First Resource, not our last resort.  Let us come before God to be renewed, to be restored and purified.  Let us come bow our hearts before Him, seeing ourselves in light of who He is.

“You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.  You do not want a burnt offering.  The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.  You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” -Psalm 51:16-17

 

Much Love To You All,

L.A. Knowles