Tag: the words for Jesus Christ

The Danger of Idolatry

~ servantone1 ~ 1 Comment

JESUS SPEAKING

        “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothing. But woe to those who are pregnant and nursing babies in those days. And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24: 15 – 21.)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

        Throughout Christ’s ministry he spoke of a day when great destruction and tribulation would befall the nation of Israel, and the world; (the prophet Daniel also spoke of such a day.) In the future there will be an unmistakable sign preceding the tribulation of all nations. This sign will appear within the reconstructed temple itself. An evil man will erect an object, image, or shrine in the ‘Holy of Holy’s;’ an abomination that many will come to worship in the place of God. Deep within the heart of every human being, there is a position of absolute supremacy reserved for what every person loves the most. When the Lord occupies this place all is well.. However, those who put other things in this position are guilty of idolatry; a sin that often precedes some manner of destruction.

        In the Old Testament there lived a rich and powerful ruler named Belshazzar who dwelt within the seemingly impenetrable city of Babylon (the walls of this city were rumored to be 300 feet high and 80 feet thick.) His Father Nebuchadnezzar had sacked Jerusalem decades earlier, stealing the gold and silver artifacts from within the Jewish temple. These relics sat inside of the Babylonian treasury for years, until one evening Belshazzar held a great feast. We read, “Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple […] and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them; they drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5: 3 – 4). Belshazzar worshiped precious metals rather than the living God. That night a haunting vision appeared before him. The king asked Daniel the prophet to interpret its meaning. Daniel prophesied saying “And you have praised the gods of silver and gold […] and the God who holds your breath in his hand and owns all of your ways you have not glorified […] Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” The sentence for his idolatry was carried out that very night; an invading army conquered the city and killed King Belshazzar. [Note: From the historical accounts it is believed that a giant river flowed through the city of Babylon. While Belshazzar was feasting, the Persian King Darius used a dam to divert the flow of the mighty river; his army then cleverly followed the dry riverbed under the giant walls, and conquered the vibrant metropolis in a single night.]

        Idolatry is dangerous and inevitably leads to destruction. Those who desire preservation must avoid putting anything in the place of God. The Lord must come first; before money, a career, a relationship, a business, or a hobby, etc. When we elevate God into His rightful position in our hearts, then we are truly free; when He is the most important person in our lives, then everything falls into place. Love God and you will find peace; put Him first and you will experience everlasting life; for “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

        “Lord Heavenly Father, may we love You with our whole hearts. May we always worship You in Spirit and in truth, and may we never forsake Your ways. If any form of idolatry has entered our lives, may You uproot it and cast it into the sea. May we be purified, and once again comprehend the goodness of humility and faith. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.”  God bless all of you.!

What is Possible?

~ servantone1 ~ Leave a comment

JESUS SPEAKING

“With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19: 26)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

God is not shackled by the limitations of human reasoning. There are no boundaries to what the Lord can accomplish. And so, those things which man perceives to be impossible, are entirely possible with God.

There came a time in the Old Testament when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was attacked by the Syrian Empire. The Syrians laid siege to the capital city of Samaria for quite some time; cutting off all of their supplies. The people struggled and began to starve. When the conditions became unbearable, King Joram and his men set out to find the Prophet Elisha and execute him. And yet when they attempted to arrest him, he prophesied that the very next day there would be an abundance of food for everyone in the city; so much food that the price of goods would return to their normal levels. One of the men accompanying the King scoffed at such a premise, saying, “if the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” In response Elisha prophesied that this man would observe the miracle but wouldn’t be able to consume any of the food. Later that night, God inundated the Syrian army with the sound of enemy chariots and soldiers marching against them; an illusion that served a greater purpose. The Syrians panicked and fled in haste, leaving all of their equipment, supplies, and food behind. The next day the Israelites discovered the empty camps and raided them; bringing an abundance of food back into the city. And thus the cost of food returned to its normal level. So the man who had previously scoffed at Elisha’s prophecy was trampled beneath the feet of the raging crowds near the city gate. Thus God’s prophecy was fulfilled; that evil scoffer witnessed the miracle but didn’t eat any of the food.

Like the man who was trampled, there is a danger in placing human limitations on what we believe God can achieve. When any difficult circumstance arises, may we remember that our God is able to accomplish impossible things.

. “Lord Heavenly Father, we know that with You, all things are possible. May we remain focused on Your power and your strength, no matter how difficult the circumstances might appear. May we never forget that You are a miracle worker. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.” God bless all of you!