|
|
God/Father of Those Who Fear Him.
|
Lesson Eight: by turtle
Focusing on God’s perfection today and still thinking on man relationship to God and
His love for mankind, we must not over look the word holy. God is holy. God is so Holy
that who can really stand before Him and say we have truly followed Him all the days of
our life. How can we fully say we are Holy? God calls his people to be Holy and to choose
Him over any other God.
Joshua 24:19 KJV
(19) And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God;
he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
This verse would be easy to take out of context and say God does not forgive. The truth is
God does forgive. Joshua is warning the people in this verse in a speech that they have
not always followed God. That there ways have not always been God’s ways. The people’s
response is they will still serve the Lord. Israel struggled with worshiping God and
following His ways, instead they often took the gods of the nations around them. God
makes it clear from the beginning, He does not want his people following after false gods,
but only after Him. Why is that one begins to wonder I am sure. Why can I not worship
other gods. Are not all gods the same. In Romans Paul makes a good case why not, in his
opening speech, but it is often missed for some reason.
Romans 1:21-25 KJV
(21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
(22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
(23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
(24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own
hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
(25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Man created other gods to worship and choose not to worship the true and living God
because of vain imagination and foolish hearts were darkened. In other words their sin
nature, their own desire interfered with any relationship to God. I really get aggravated
with people that fail to understand why God has a right to jealousy or a right to say God
is the only one to worship. Though worshipping God is a choice, I do not know anyone
who likes to give credit for something they do to someone else. Most people desire to be
recognized for their work and not to have someone else take recognized for their efforts.
Yet when we take away God has Lord, creator we do just that to God. We give credit to
something that God did. It is not that God has an ego the size of a globe. God can not
stand for man to fail to see Him as provider and creator, or solution to their problems.
For God did create us. He knows how to solve all our problems and meet all our needs.
Objects we create as idols can not do these things for us. Idols sit and do nothing and can
not solve any problems. Money is often worshipped because people think it is the solution
to all their needs, but in reality it can not solve everything. God is able to take away what
we work hard for in a twinkling of an eye. Those who have face devastation can testify to
this fact. What one once thought was secure is no longer secure. People reach financial
ruin because of greed. Cancer seems to take more an more money and cost much more
expense then anyone can imagine unless they go through it.
Though trials and tribulation come and go, when one has faith in God, people often see
all their needs met. When one is forced to look at God’s provision, and ability one is
often met with a realization that God is in control. In Joshua people were looking and
seeing all that God had done in the journey across the wilderness. They were seeing God
provision. Though they knew that future generation would not necessarily follow after
God they knew for that moment in time they were committed tot he Lord. They
understood what God had done for them.
In I Samuel 2:1-11 we see now the praise of a new mother. Hannah recognized who God is
and that He is Holy. That He is in control. That God had solved the problem of her
inability to conceive a child. Her joy and realization and praise represents all she
understood God to be and really represents what I have been trying to say.
1 Samuel 2:1-11 KJV
(1) And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted
in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
(2) There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any
rock like our God.
(3) Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for
the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
(4) The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with
strength.
(5) They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry
ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed
feeble.
(6) The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
(7) The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
(8) He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to
set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of
the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.
(9) He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by
strength shall no man prevail.
(10) The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he
thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give
strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
(11) And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the
LORD before Eli the priest.
Understanding the awesomeness of God ability helps us to understand his holiness. This is
a subject of God being Holy that will take more then one lesson. It is one that possibly
take months and weeks to grasp and others might pick up on it in a few minutes. God
holiness is something to take time and meditate on. God perfection on how He does
things is something to take notes on. For when we view the God of the Old and New
Testament we see God’s perfection. However I do not doubt that if you could of gone
through any of the events in the Bible it would of been a struggle. Just like our own life,
we see only part of the picture, but the Bible gives us a glimpse of the whole picture of
people’s walk with God. The results that come from trusting God is visible in the Bible.
The results of disobedience to God is visible and the act of repentance is visible to see. A
perfect and Holy God working in the Lives of individuals. We will continue this subject
next week. And will continue to talk about God’s Holiness.
|
|
|
|
|
