Jesus Calling: July 11th
Worship Me only. Idolatry has always been the downfall of My people. I make no secrets about being a jealous God. Current idols are more subtle than ancient ones, because today's false gods are often outside the field of religion. People, possessions, status, and self-aggrandizement are some of the most popular deities today. Beware of bowing down before these things. False gods never satisfy; instead, they stir up lust for more and more.When you seek Me instead of the world's idols, you experience My Joy and Peace. These intangibles slake the thirst of your soul, providing deep satisfaction. The glitter of the world is tinny and temporal. The Light of My Presence is brilliant and everlasting. Walk in the Light with Me. Thus you become a beacon through whom others are drawn to Me.
RELATED SCRIPTURE:
Exodus 20:4-5 (NLT)
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 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. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
Additional insight regarding Exodus 20:1-6: The Israelites have just come from Egypt, a land of many idols and many gods. Because each god represented a different aspect of life, it was common to worship many gods to get the maximum number of blessings. When God told his people to worship and believe in him, that wasn't so hard for them - he was just one more god to add to their list. But when God said, "You must not have any other god but me," that was difficult for the people to accept. But if they didn't learn that the God who led them out of Egypt was the only true God, they could not be his people - no matter how faithfully they kept the other nine commandments. Thus, God made this his first commandment. Today we can allow many things to become gods to us. Money, fame, work, or pleasure can become gods when we concentrate too much on them for personal identity, meaning, and security. No one sets out with the intention of worshipping these things. But by the amount of time we devote to them they can grow into gods that ultimately control our thoughts and energies. Letting God hold the central place in our lives keeps these things from turning into gods.
2 Samuel 22:29 (NLT)
29 O Lord, you are my lamp.
The Lord lights up my darkness.
AMEN 🙏 THE LORD SHINES A BRIGHT LIGHT. LIGHT COVEES ALL DARKNESS.
ReplyDeleteI just want to thank you so much for posting the daily Jesus Calling! I have bought copies of JC for so many people over the past few years. Besides the WORD of GOD, it is the most life changing book I know. I also post this Facebook every day, where I know at least fifty people are reading them daily and I see the differences in their lives, since they've been reading Jesus Calling. God Bless Sara Young for her love for Jesus...
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