“I am the Lord; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols."  Isaiah 42:8

I've been thinking about the soldiers who were chasing the Israelites across the desert under the command of Pharaoh. (Ex. 14:9) They saw all of the amazingly powerful and awe-inspiring miracles that God did just prior to that point through the plagues. (Ex. 7-12) If they stopped for a moment to think about it, they might want to change teams. They might want to serve and obey the one true God instead of the man-made "god," Pharaoh. (Is. 45:5) But they didn't. They mindlessly kept serving the ruler of their little world instead of the Ruler of the universe. Some of them might have had their doubts that this was the right thing to do, but they went along with the crowd. They charged right into the dry bed of the Red Sea to their death.  (Ex. 15:4)  All because a false god told them to and they didn't even stop to question it, or they were too afraid of him. 

So what's my point?  It's this:  Who is the ruler of OUR little world?  Are we serving the one true God or a fake? Is the way of life that we call "the American Dream" honoring God or someone else?  Have we ever stopped to think of whether we really need all of this stuff that we work ourselves to death trying to afford? Did people in the Bible need treatment for anxiety and hypertension?  Not that I can tell... and yet we could consider their lives "hard" compared to ours. Pursuit of this "dream" has resulted in enslavement, to the detriment of our health.

Did Jesus set an example of living in comfort and affluence?  What did He say to people who put their wordly worries or anything else ahead of Him?  He said they were not worthy of Him.  (Matt. 10:37-38, Matt. 22:5)  Harsh, but true. Jesus said seek FIRST the kingdom of God and all these things will be given to you as well (Matt. 6:33). He wasn't talking about second homes here--He was talking about needs like food and clothing. He didn't even have a place to lay his head (Matt. 8:20).  The example He set for us was not one of living in luxury. If we're content with what we have and doing our best to help those who have needs, then we're doing well.  However, that is a big stretch from the current "American Dream" that we're all bombarded with ads every day to pursue.  True freedom is reliance on God, not ourselves.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.  Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"  Matthew 6:24-5

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  Philippians 4:11-12

Jesus also said the greatest command is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:29). Is that what we're doing?  Does God come first? We may not have wooden or stone idols that we worship, but whatever or whoever we love most and put first IS our God, or our god, whichever the case may be. Something to stop and think about before going along with any crowd, no matter how big it is:  Where does this lead?  The path to eternal life is narrow (Matt. 7:13-14). If everyone around you is headed in the same direction, you might want to question whether the road ends up where you think it does (Rom. 12:2). God never changes. The Word does not need "updating."  We need to know what the Bible says and care about that.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life John 14:6.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love Galatians 5:13.

Those soldiers at the Red Sea may have lost their lives at Pharaoh's hand if they had disobeyed him.  The price is not nearly so high for us today when we choose to follow God.  But according to the Bible, there is a day coming when the price to choose for yourself will be much higher. Today's world uses freedom and every other gift from God to please self instead of God (James 1:17, Gal. 5:13, Col. 3:5-6).

God-given freedoms are given up in the name of safety that is only found by obeying God. (Prov. 18;10, Gal. 3:22)  More and more control will be given away. Eventually it will reach the level where people are required to worship "pharaoh" (the "beast" in Revelation 13:11-18) and take a mark that allows those bearing it to buy and sell (and thus, obtain food and shelter, etc.) The Bible teaches that that many will lose their lives for refusing to worship the beast (Rev. 13:9-10).  However, anyone who takes the mark will suffer the wrath of God and forfeit His forgiveness FOREVER (Rev. 14:8-11).  If it's too hard to trust Him to provide for us when times are good, how much harder will it be during desperate times?

The evil people who drowned in the flood didn't come back up alive out of that water. (Gen. 6:5) The soldiers who drowned chasing the Israelites into the Red Sea didn't come back up alive out of that water.  (Ex. 15:4)  They are all lost in their unbelief in God forever.  But when we're baptized into Christ, we do rise again, symbolizing the washing away of our sins (Acts 22:16), the drowning of our sinful nature and the resurrection into eternal life awaiting those who believe in Jesus. (Rom. 6:4, Col. 2:12)  However, it is not the baptism that saves, but the belief.

Yet it does go further, whether it's popular to talk about or not.  The Bible teaches that once we truly believe, we will be indwelled by the Holy Spirit.  He will give us the desire to please God, wisdom to know God's will, power to overcome sin and selfishness and everything else we need to live out our lives as a new creation and member of God's family.  All we have to do is yield to Him, moment by moment, every day.  If there are no fruits of the Spirit, we need to examine ourselves to see if we are truly born again and have Christ in us or not.  He knows who belongs to Him and he expects them to act like it. (2 TIm. 2:19)  He provides us with strength, as well as wisdom through the Word and His Spirit.

It says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Romans 10:8-11

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is in you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.  2 Corinthians 13:5

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that Jesus appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him.  1 John 3:4-6

And so the Lord says, “These people say they are Mine.  They honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.  And their worship of Me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.”  Isaiah 29:13

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  1 John 2:15

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:10-11

These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.  Isaiah 66:2b

It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.  Psalm 127:2 (NLT)

So as always, we need to check and make sure that the message here is not about earning salvation.  That is not possible.  We do not work for it, it's a gift.  This message is about what we do with this gift AFTER we receive it.  We are here to honor and glorify God, not ourselves or anyone or anything else.  God is not a magic genie and grace is not to be abused as a license to sin.  God said we can't serve both Him and the world.  So we need to choose one--hopefully, the right One.

Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.  John 5:23

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.  John 12:26

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  John 8:31-32

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  Philippians 4:19-20

kit: The Wild Side by Kristmess Designs, eyelets by Hummie's World, photos from Morgue File

He who made the Pleiades and Orion
And changes deep darkness into morning,
Who also darkens day into night,
Who calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
The Lord is His name.
Amos 5:8

kit: About a Fish by Marta van Eck

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 97:10

Come as you are does not mean "stay" as you are. God does love you just as you are, but we are to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. It is not "loving" to tell people only the first part of the message and leave off the rest because we want to seem "nice" to them. It's easier to go with the flow, but that is not what we were called to do. Jesus said the world would hate us for following Him, because they hated Him first.

"If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you." John 15:18-19

We are not trying to "earn our way to heaven" by obeying God after we come to faith in Jesus. We are loving Him by obeying Him. "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." John 14:21 He said the most important thing is to love God first and the second is to love your brother. Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 Nowhere did He say that the truth equals hate and lies (or partial truths) equal love. We are to speak the truth in love. This does not mean refraining from speaking. It means staying calm, sticking to what God's word says on the matter and caring for the soul of the person.

Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the Devil an opportunity. The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:26-29

The Bible is very clear that there is a difference between stumbling or slipping and deliberately, willfully practicing sin. One is unintentional due to our weak, sinful nature and the other is what God called "trodding on" His Son. (Hebrews 10:26-31) Don't trample the Son of God underfoot. Don't abuse grace. If we are truly born again, the Holy Spirit who dwells within us will help us overcome the sinful nature as we daily take up our cross and follow Jesus.

Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. John 17:14

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another. But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:4-6

So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. You also lived your lives in this way at one time, when you used to live among them. But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it. Colossians 3:5-10

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—-truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. Ephesians 4:14-25

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

So to re-cap: God loves people, but He hates sin. Whoever loves God should turn from sin. (2Tim.2:19-22) If they slip, they should confess it to God and repent of it. He is faithful to forgive. Ask Him to help you live in a way that pleases Him. He's worthy of all of our praise, thanks, worship and love. This life is short and then you get to meet Him (and be with Him forever if you have placed your trust in Jesus as your Savior). Don't trade heavenly, eternal treasures for worldly, temporary garbage.