The holy Sovereign God said (Exodus 20:3) you shall have no other gods before Me. Solomon began well, in subjection to the Lord and under His authority he took (1 Kings 6:38) 7 years to build the beautiful temple of God. Later he defiantly turned away from God to follow his own intentions. He surrendered to and served the gods of (1 Kings 11:1-3) the flesh, lust, and wealth. Then he took 13 years (1 Kings 7:1) to build his own house and deprived himself of nothing his indulgent flesh craved. When he was old, he was far from God.
Why did God Choose (1 Corinthians 1:27-28) the miserable, despised misfits to bring to nothing the things that exist? So that (1 Corinthians 1:29) no human would have a self-inflated excuse/reason to rob the glory which always belongs only to God.
The sin of prayerlessness and neglect of the Word of God must be a tremendous grief to the heart of God. I think they are the worst of sins because, if we choose them, we open ourselves up to any and every sin in Satan’s seductive arsenal. How could any Christian so hurt the Lord? Our motivating purpose should be that everything we do is done (1 Corinthians 10:31) for the glory of God.
God strongly warns us (Jeremiah 9:13) not to rely on or glory in our own wisdom, or strength or wealth or every and all temporary hopes of this world. God will not (Isaiah 42:8) share His glory with any other. It is very dangerous to venture into that forbidden territory and only a fool would be so blind as to boast of himself.
Every form of legalism is Satan’s attack on our freedom (Galatians 5:1) in Christ Jesus, our beloved Kinsman Redeemer.
If you live by rules you will break under the strain and go in the wrong direction. Pride has a major role in legalism. A clean victorious life in Jesus Christ is not about dead legalistic rules, but about a living, loving, intimate relationship with Jesus. Being free from the Law makes us free from (Romans 8:1) God’s condemnation. The good and holy Law was our teacher and guide (Galatians 3:24) to lead us to Jesus in Whom all the righteous requirements of the Law (Matthew 5:17) have been fulfilled. Because we are in Christ, they have been fulfilled in us also. We see the glory of God revealed in the Lamb of God Who restores us to the Divine Image. The Life of God in us expresses itself in God-likeness.
One day, as Jesus was teaching, He asked a question (Luke 18:8). When the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth? Hearing His question should galvanize us into living a life so fully surrendered to God, that we are the proof that Jesus will find faith on the earth when He comes.
I want my heart to be for Jesus a royal throne and for me a holy altar of worship and sacrifice. We look at Jesus and we see God. God looks at us and He sees Jesus. God has (2 Corinthians 4:6) illuminated us in the knowledge and glory of God manifested in the Person of Jesus Christ. God is revealed in the face of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. In God there is (James 1:17) no shadow of turning. I pray that, in me, whatever comes, there will be no shadow of turning away from steadfast loyalty to Jesus. God has (2 Corinthians 4:6) illuminated for us the knowledge and glory of God, manifested in the Person of Jesus Christ. God is revealed in the face of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. My love for God frees me from all enticement to disobey Him and my love for God enables me to joyfully obey Him in everything. We look at Jesus and we see God. God looks at us and He sees Jesus.
The worlds of succeeding ages (Hebrews 11:3) were framed out of nothing when God spoke them into being by the Word of His power.
He spoke (Psalms 33:9) and it was done. He spoke and instantly it was accomplished history. If we even begin to grasp the limitless power of God’s Word, we will (Isaiah 66:2) tremble at His Word and reverence His commands. When the Sovereign Lord speaks, He speaks the words of His limitless power. Only an arrogant fool would not believe the Words which God has spoken. If we truly believe what God says, then we will instantly obey everything He says as soon as He says it. Wisdom is (Job 28:28) the worshipful fear of the Lord and understanding is to depart from evil. Understanding is God-given discernment for us to see the danger of the slightest deviation from righteousness. As children of God (1 Peter 1:15) be holy because your God and Father are holy. Our conduct should reveal our family resemblance.
The Kingdom of God (Luke 17:21) is within me because King Jesus is in residence within me. He is enthroned on my heart and He is Sovereignly reigning in my life. Each day, every day, day after day, I am more thrilled with Jesus and the awesome privilege that I can call the Almighty Transcendent Ruler - - my Father.
My wonderful glorious God is terrifying in His holiness. We saw this clearly when He poured out His wrath – punishment – judgment on Jesus in Gethsemane and on the Cross of Calvary. He is overwhelming in His beauty and He is exceedingly precious in His loving closeness.
Is God being glorified in your life and mine?