JEALOUS? GOD?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“For our God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:29

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire,

a jealous God.”

Deuteronomy 4:24

When we see verses stated more than one time in the Scriptures, it should make us stop and reflect.

In Deuteronomy 4:24, we see God is called a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29 echoes the same words as Deuteronomy 4:24. In Deuteronomy 4:24, the word “consuming” comes from the transliteration of the Hebrew word “akal.” The word “consuming” means to devour, burn up, devastate, ravage. In Hebrews 12:29, the transliteration of the Greek word is “katanaliskō” which means to be consumed, to burn up. Sin, wickedness, evil, and all those who are defiant against God will be burned up. He will show forth His glory like a consuming fire. These verses cannot be ignored as they are somber warnings against idolatry and the judgment soon to come.

What God showed me is not an image I can easily forget. When God had revealed to me Himself as a consuming fire, He showed me He is purging evil and wickedness and cleansing everything with His fire. He showed me destruction awaits those who oppose and rebel against Him.

It is a horrifying thought to be ravaged by fire or burned up. Yet, while the words of these verses are comforting to those who are believers, these words are downright terrifying to those who are practicing a life of sin. There is no comfort or peace for those who are not living a life surrendered to God.

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Yes, God is jealous for us, and He burns with passion and zeal for His children. He desires to communicate and have a relationship with us. He is the consuming fire who loves His children far more than we could ever imagine. The problem is when we are not serving Him, we are serving and living for self. Serving and living for self is pushing God out of His rightful place in our lives. When we push God out of His rightful place in our lives, we break the first commandment. “You must not have any other God but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any king or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods…” Exodus 20:3-5.

The nature and character of God is HOLINESS. The God we see in the Old Testament is the same God we see in the New Testament. God has not changed. His commands have not changed. We are commanded to be holy, and “…He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16. We are called to holiness. Therefore, as His children, we follow God’s instructions on how to be holy. We cannot be holy and take on the beliefs and philosophies of the world. Being holy and being worldly do not mix. We are either holy or worldly; we cannot be both.

God is the fire that refines. He is the One who is able to cleanse the stains of sin and shame. He is able to make a person complete. Because He is holy, He calls for repentance. If we do not have a holy fear of God and who He is, no act of worship will be acceptable to Him. If we do not have reverence for God, then we will not treat God with honor.

Linda A. Knowles

Destruction or Success?

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.” -Proverbs 12:3 NLT

The path of the wicked only leads to destruction.  The wicked continue to grow eviler, more contemptuous toward what is good and holy, and their hearts continue to harden.  Their deceptive words crush the spirit and they hate discipline. Their mouths spout foolishness.  They devise evil schemes.  Whatever success they do have is not permanent, and that temporal success costs them their integrity and honor.  That temporal success comes at the expense of their character. They are NOT successful according to God’s standards.

The godly, however, are successful by God’s standards.  They are deeply rooted in Christ and grounded in the Word of God.  They maintain their purity before God.  They walk in righteousness, and their words build up and encourage others.  The success they have gained in the sight of God and in living for Him is lasting because the godly live by God’s commands and laws; they walk uprightly before God, protecting truth, and keeping up their integrity. 

If you want true success that is lasting, then follow God’s ways and live by His standards. Obeying God and doing things His way will always bring about blessings.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, every good and perfect gift is from You.  You are my Lord and my God, and my desire is to live for you.  Remind me that true success comes by living for You and following Your laws and Your commands.  True freedom is found in surrendering to Your will and Your ways, walking in obedience to you.  Help me to maintain my integrity and to continue walking uprightly before You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Do Not Fear The Reproach Of Men

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.
For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
and the worm will eat them like wool,
but my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation to all generations.”

Isaiah 51:7-8 ESV

God’s Word is so awesome.  It is in the Word that we can find the truth of God.  His truth is not dependent on how man feels or think.  His truth speaks of His nature, His character, His warnings, His commands, and His promises.  His Word clearly defines who we are.  His Word tells us who we are in light of who God says we are, not a man says we are.

You, Child of the Most High God, have not been given the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind.  His laws are written in your heart, and His unfailing love banishes all fear.  Those who are persecuting and mocking you are mocking the God you serve, and they cannot prevail against you.  They cannot prevail against you because God’s truth always prevails.

Let God deal with those who oppose you.  In the end, remember God’s Word never fades away, and God is your defense.  The wicked do not prosper, and in the end, they will reap the wages of iniquity they have sown for hating God and for hating what is holy.

You need not fear anything when you are walking in obedience to God and when you are doing what He wants you to do.  So keep focused on serving and loving God and let Him fight your battles for you.  After all, the battle belongs to the Lord.  Keep your mind fixed on Him, and He will fill you with perfect peace because you trust in Him.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You alone are My Defense.  You are my Strength, and You are my Shield.  Lord, help me to always remain steadfast in following You and Your ways.  You are the One who has ordered my steps.  Thank You for being the Shepherd of my Heart.  Thank You, Father, that I am able to sit before a table You set before me in the presence of my enemies.  Thank You for Your truth that always prevails. Your Word says that if I fear You, I need not fear anything else. I do not fear anyone because You have not given me the spirit of fear, but You have given me the spirit of love and of power and of a sound mind.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Hope Always

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
PROVERBS 28

There is hope for the believer and for the sinner who has just repented and turned from their wicked ways.  Does the Lord reject the wicked?  Yes, He does as show to us in Psalm 1:4-5, “But not the wicked!  They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.  They will be condemned at the time of judgment.  Sinners will have no place among the godly.” For the sinner who responds to the call of God, who is truly remorseful for their transgressions, that comes humbly before God and calls on the name of the Lord, he/she is saved, and that one is now a believer and can have full assurance he/she belongs to God and will have eternal life. “For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved,'” (Romans 10:13NLT).

.
If you want to be more fruitful, then delight yourself in the Lord.  The more you take delight in God, the more you will produce the fruit of the Spirit.  To delight yourself in the Lord is to take joy in the presence of God and taking pleasure in obeying God and walking in His ways.  
.
The purpose of studying and knowing the Word of God is to be able to follow God closely.  When you read His Word and study His Word, you will learn the nature and character of God as well as being able to know the attributes of God.  One cannot know the commands and expectations of God unless they are steadfast in their studying of the Word of God.
.

REFLECTION:  “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires,” (2 Peter 3:3ESV).  To follow the counsel of the wicked is foolish.  Never join in with scoffers and mockers because, in the end, God will have the last say.  God will not be mocked.  True friends will help you grow closer to God, and they will not hold you back.  Mockers and scoffers do NOT love God, and do NOT care about the things of God and will have their place in Hell.  However, You, Children of the Most High God, have been given eternal life and will be with Your Heavenly Father in Heaven for all eternity.

.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the Giver of Eternal Life, and You, O God, are the God of Salvation.  There is no one who compares to You for You are the Everlasting God, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.  Thank You for choosing me, for saving me.  Lord, teach me and show me what I need to do to gain eternal life.  Teach me Your commands and how to continually delight myself in You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

.
Linda A. Knowles

“Do not fret over doers of evil; do not envy those who do wrong.  For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.  He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.  Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; fret not when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm. For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land,” (Psalm 37:1-9BSB)

 

Sometimes I Wonder…

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

JOB

“Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?”

-Job 21:7 NLT

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; Do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

-Psalm 37:7-9 NLT

“I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.”

-Isaiah 48:10 NLT

Sometimes I wonder why it always looks like the wicked succeed, then I’m reminded that the wicked are not succeeding because they are perishing. One can be wealthy and successful by every worldly standard and yet be spiritually bankrupt. Success in the eyes of God is vastly different from how the world sees it. God takes you to heights unknown when you are following Him and He blesses those who are walking in obedience to Him.

There may be trials along the way to get to the destination God has for you, but those trials teach you endurance and perseverance. You are not refined in the times of good, but you are refined in the furnace of suffering. God is the one who will make you come out as gold. Just remember to keep your eyes and your mind fixed on the Author and Finisher of your faith, and He will be the One who gives you perfect peace as you keep trusting in Him.

REFLECTIVE PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You, O God, are the Author and the Finisher of my faith.  I will continue to keep my eyes and my mind fixed on You because in You alone there is hope and peace.  You are the True Joy Giver.  You are the One who upholds me with Your victorious right hand, and You have made me more than a conqueror.  Lord, help me to always remember that no matter what comes my way, no matter what circumstances I find myself in, You will be the One who shapes and refines me and brings me forth like gold.  Guide me as I walk along this narrow way for Your grace is the wall of protection around me, the netting that catches me when I’m falling, and Your grace is my covering.  Lead me to the destination You have for me.  Help me to carry out the tasks You have assigned me, and may my spirit always yield to You alone.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Much love to you all,

Linda A. Knowles

Let God Fight Your Battles For You

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

LION 1That’s right:  Let GOD fight your battles for you.  Our GOD is THE GOD of JUSTICE, and it is difficult to let go of whatever is going on around us that we’re facing.  However, letting go and letting GOD do what HE has to do is something we won’t regret.  I learned many years ago, never to repay evil with evil because the WORD OF GOD states, “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,” (1 Peter 1:17 ESV).  We conduct ourselves as GOD would have us to conduct ourselves.  GOD has set the standards of morality and ethics.  GOD has set the standard of holiness, and therefore, we need to conduct ourselves knowing GOD sees all we do and hears all we say.  Eventually, we will have to give an account to HIM for every idle word spoken (Matthew 12:36) and everything we have done (2 Corinthians 5:10).  “And he said, ‘Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.'” (2 Chronicles 20:15 ESV)

We simply need to take our position and stand our ground, fix our eyes on GOD, giving HIM glory and honor and obeying whatever command HE gives us.

DO NOT DEBATE your enemies and DO NOT ENGAGE your enemies.  The WORD OF GOD states clearly, “Not defending yourselves, dearly beloved; but rather give place unto the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord,” (Jubilee Bible 2000).  The wicked will perish, and GOD scoffs at the wicked (Proverbs 1:26);  and “However, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.  Do not be deceived:  God cannot be mocked.  Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life,” (Galatians 6:6-8 BSB)

ALWAYS REMEMBER:  THE LORD is your SHIELD and your DEFENSE, and He is the GOD WHO UPHOLDS YOU.  It is better to be a friend of GOD than to be HIS enemy (James 4:4), and GOD always takes care of HIS own children (Psalm 16:5).

“The LORD is my strength and my shield, In Him hath my heart trusted, And I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, And with my song will I praise Him,” (Psalm 28:7 JPS Tanakh 1917).  “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust,” (Psalm 91:2 KJV).

Much Love To You All,

L.A. Knowles