God Helps Those Who Help Themselves (Not)

Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. 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 127.1-2] 

Most people do not really believe the words of Psalm 127.1-2. Regarding the topic of work, Christians' first thoughts usually go to these passages:

Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” [2 Thessalonians 3.10]

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. [1 Timothy 5.8]

 So...? What is the difference?

Here is the difference: man is to "work" out of obedience, not necessity.

Necessity is self-inspired. When man works out of necessity, that necessity drives him, not God. 

Obedience is God-inspired. When a man works out of obedience, that obedience drives him, not need. 

In 2 Thessalonians 3 and 1 Timothy 5 above, Paul was addressing laziness. In Psalm 127 the Psalmist (Solomon?) was addressing faithfulness. Laziness has everything to do with necessity and faithfulness has everything to do with obedience. 

A lazy person ignores necessity and does nothing about it. The faithless person recognizes necessity but ignores God in doing something about it. Both have similar outcomes.

The faithful person, on the other hand, recognizes necessity and, instead of being driven by the necessity, is intentionally obedient to God. In contrast, the necessity-inspired worker is just a hard worker whose efforts are wasted.

Jesus was not unclear on the topic of being necessity-inspired or being obedient to God:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. [Matthew 6.19-34]

If we can see it, this same theme of necessity-versus-obedience is repeated a little later in Matthew's Gospel:

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’  [Matthew 7.21-23]

There is an eternal difference between doing God's will (prophesying, casting out demons, and performing miracles) out of necessity and doing it out of obedience. 

A man who works hard all his life but does not bring his family into fellowship with God through Jesus Christ is a worse infidel than the man who refuses to provide for his family. Why is this so? The answer if found throughout the Bible in every direct and indirect reference to idolatry.

Idols are born of necessity. Idols are necessary when God is doubted and fear sets in. When a man works out of necessity, he has allowed himself to be driven by fear, not God's Word, making an idol of himself and his own efforts.

The truth is, every man could work much less than he does today. However, because idolatry has so subtly entrenched itself into the fabric of today's society, obedience to "self" (idolatry), rather than to God, has blinded mankind in an endless pursuit of fear-driven self-preservation and self-awareness. The result is society as we know it today. "Life" is endlessly "busy" being wastefully spent on mitigation of fear and on self-pandering in a non-ending campaign for "more."

All the while, every Bible passage and verse describing God's desire to provide for those who wholeheartedly trust Him is blasphemously ignored and even denied in the widespread Satanic belief that "God helps those who help themselves."

Jesus' words only confirm everything stated here:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

Father, we have believed lies instead of Your Word. The lies we have believed serve only ourselves making us disobedient to You. While religion tries to make us comfortable in our blasphemous condition of busy-ness, Your Word remains woefully unknown to most professing "Christians" today. May Your true believers come to the place of obedience to You that understands that their every necessity is Yours to meet and not theirs. May our focus be to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

What It Says Is What It Means

Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. The king made silver and gold as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. [2 Chronicles 1.14-16] 

Oh, to be rich and powerful and have lots of stuff!

Or, maybe not...

“The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the LORD has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself. [Deuteronomy 17.16-17] 

For all Solomon's glory, the end of his life would not be so dazzling. The entire book of Ecclesiastes confirms this fact. Hmm, should we wonder why?

The inherent problem with "stuff" is the tendency to trust in it. Combined with outright disobedience to God's specific instructions, "stuff" is not a blessing but becomes a curse.

The more "stuff" we have, the more stuff we are liable to take care of. When "stuff" becomes this liability, it has lost its blessing and has become a curse. The irony of this is that the "stuff" we amass is originally intended to bring power, but instead uncovers a vulnerability that needs to be protected.

It should not surprise us that, historically speaking, great prosperity is accompanied by great industrialization. Industrialization is where idolatry takes root. Man's own ways and efforts (industrialization) to make life easier for himself become the mechanism of idolatry that enslaves him. Let's look at some examples of man's industrialization:

Finance offers the benefit of having something quickly, but enslaves us with lingering debt and interest payments.

Insurance offers the benefit of quick recovery from loss, but enslaves us with oppressive premiums.

Medicine offers the benefit of quick physical relief, but enslaves us with side-effects, addictions, and expensive repeating prescriptions.

Technology offers the benefit of convenience, but enslaves us with endless obsolescence guaranteeing the need for replacement. 

All of the examples above base their "benefits" on 1) man's fear of doing without those benefits or 2) is impatience with God to provide those benefits as needed otherwise.

Trusting in anything other than God is idolatry. Trusting in anything other than God is slavery.

Jesus said:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

We should not be surprised that Jesus also said:

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. [John 8.36]

I lived six years in a third-world country. I can attest that some of the most carefree people I ever knew lived in poverty (by American standards). 

Building up wealth and protection like Solomon did was also deemed unnecessary when Jesus spoke on the topic:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. [Matthew 6.19-34]

What does this all say to us? What do we want this to say to us? What are we willing to acknowledge this all says to us?

What it says is what it means.

Father, may we find the courage to take our eyes off our stuff and instead look only to You. So be it.

The Opposite Of Obedience To God Is Idolatry

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart. [2 Chronicles 7.14-16] 

Nearly everyone in Christendom is familiar with verse 14 from the passage above. Just about everyone knows what it is to obey the LORD. However, 2 Chronicles 7 also clearly defines what it is to disobey the LORD.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’ [2 Chronicles 7.19-21]

The opposite of obedience to God is idolatry.

The tragic consequence of idolatry is rejection by God (withdrawal of His power and protection yielding every hardship known to man). However, before going further, the question above ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’  must be answered:

“And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.’” [2 Chronicles 7.22] 

And yet the Church today has the audacity to try to explain "why bad things happen to good people" with all manner of religious baloney instead of acknowledging what the Bible clearly says. 

The opposite of obedience to God is idolatry!

The more I write about idolatry, the more I find that people simply do not want to hear it. People do not want to admit just how idolatrous today's society really is, and NO ONE even wants to see just how infected the Church is with this deadly disease. But, God's Word is true and every man a liar. There is a reason the Bible undeniably addresses idolatry over and over and over and, yes, over again: 

The opposite of obedience to God is idolatry!

And then, there are those who attempt to write off the Old Testament by making 'thankful' statements that, as believers in Jesus (New Testament), "we have grace."

Let us be very clear about grace...

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [Ephesians 2.8-9]

Those thankful for grace are quick to point out that salvation is not the result of the good things we have done.  But! That is NOT everything Paul says in Ephesians 2 above! Paul said that "good things we have done" ("works" in many translations) do not earn grace, but Paul also stated that God saved people "when you believed." FAITH is the absolutely necessary and non-negotiable act of obedience required to obtain grace.

Even though Jesus repeatedly scolded His followers for not "believing" and obtaining miraculous results, the writer of Hebrews 11 defined faith quite eloquently in people both living and dying by faith. What are living and dying if not something we do? What's more, Jesus Christ Himself spoke to this issue of living or dying:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

In living, a follower of Jesus is to intentionally and obediently give up his own way. Man's own way is the way of his own ingenuity and industry - his idols.

In dying, a follower of Jesus is to intentionally and obediently take up his cross. His cross is the death and destruction that idols threaten will occur if indeed man's ways are given up. Hebrews 11.35b addresses it precisely:

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. [Hebrews 11.35b]

A very popular quote from Jesus speaks directly to this fear tactic of idols regarding death and destruction:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

True Christians then are without excuse when it comes to trusting in anything other than God. But religion comes to their rescue! Religion comes, as an idol itself, with all manner of soothing explanations and religious mumbo-jumbo - cheap "grace." This cheap grace effectively excuses man for his gross idolatry allowing him to remain proud and even arrogant that his faith has secured grace even though his alleged faith and the grace he allegedly receives look nothing like the Bible says. Biblical faith moves mountains, heals the sick and raises the dead - all of which ARE evidence of distinctly Jesus-like, Biblical grace that is redemption from every curse (Deuteronomy 28.15-68).

Oh, to be sure, it is complicated. But it is only complicated to the same extent that we are idolatrous. Following Jesus is only complicated to the same extent that we desire to retain our own ways and refuse to take up our own cross. Otherwise, following Jesus is as simple as dying - the very thing idols encourage us to avoid literally at any cost (consider the costs of debt, insurance, medicine and technology)!

The Bible is not "going away" on the topic of idolatry. A true believer's daily goal should be to give up every man-made way of self-preservation with zero fear of consequence or death IN ORDER TO trust in, and follow Jesus ALONE, bringing the Kingdom of God to others as it was brought to him!

Father, help us to see and hear the Truth of Your Word today regarding our idols and the deadly outcome of trusting and worshiping them. May we be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus - ALONE. So be it.

Wholehearted Devotion

He prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. [2 Chronicles 6.14] 

What is wholehearted devotion?

At the dedication of the Temple that Solomon built, Solomon prayed this prayer as part of a larger prayer. The dedication ceremony revolved around the Ark of the Covenant being carried into the Most Holy Place.

The wholehearted devotion Solomon spoke of involved everything he prayed regarding the people's focus on the Temple and the Ark in it. Solomon prayed that when they encountered troubles, they should turn to the Temple and pray - specifically in repentance - and that God would forgive their sin in the form of restoring what they'd lost. 

Again, the Ark was central to everything because it contained the covenant:

And I have prepared a place there for the Ark, which contains the covenant that the LORD made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.” [1 Kings 8.21]

The covenant contained in the Ark was specifically the Ten Commandments:

Nothing was in the Ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Mount Sinai, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel when they left the land of Egypt. [1 Kings 8.9] 

Covenant is synonymous with the Ten Commandments. So, wholehearted devotion had everything to do with the Ten Commandments. This is known as the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant was all about wholehearted devotion.

Then, along comes Jesus with a New Covenant. And, the era of "grace" began. Somehow, over the years, this transition became misunderstood. Grace became associated with anything goes instead of wholehearted devotion. Nothing however, could be further from the truth because Jesus, the Truth, demanded wholehearted devotion not only to the Ten Commandments but beyond them:

Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” [Matthew 19.16-21]

Before the encounter above, Jesus had already defined wholehearted devotion as this:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

While many view the New Covenant with a sigh of relief, the relief brought by Jesus had nothing to do with negating the Ten Commandments but instead everything to do with eliminating the need for the Temple and the ceremony (sacrifices, rituals) surrounding it. Wholehearted devotion was NEVER up for negotiation then and is NOT up for negotiation today!

A child is not taught manners so he might grow up and act like a barbarian! A child is taught manners under strict governance as a child so that when he is grown and on his own, he might exercise those manners without governance. Likewise, wholehearted devotion is not a thing of the past, but very contemporary.

Training wheels on a bicycle could represent the Temple and its protocols. The bicycle represents the Ten Commandments and wholehearted devotion. Jesus did not take our bicycle away, but removed the cumbersome training wheels. What's more, and contrary to popular religious beliefs, we were not given "the bicycle" to go where we wish! We were given "the bicycle" to do God's will.

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22.34-40]

The Ten Commandments show us how to love God and how to love man. What's more, the Ten Commandments show us how to regard the Sabbath, Who, just happens to be Jesus: 

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. [Colossians 2.16-17]

Wholehearted devotion remains man's calling. This devotion has specific manifestations to God, to Jesus, and to man. Nothing in the entire Bible supports the loosey-goosey "grace" far too popular among alleged "Christians" today. And, for the record, it is this same watered-down "grace," and the idolatry it gives credence to, that is directly responsible for the gross powerlessness of the Church today.

If people would spend more time learning what the Bible actually says (wholehearted devotion) instead of learning what they want it to say (religion), there would be a revival like no other (albeit among only a few [Matthew 7.13-14]).

Father, may there be a return to Your Word and therefore a notably powerful (actual Jesus-like) revival among those who wholeheartedly devote themselves to It - to Jesus, Who told us to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. So be it.

It's Just Two Bronze Pillars, Right?

Huram cast two bronze pillars, each 27 feet tall and 18 feet in circumference. For the tops of the pillars he cast bronze capitals, each 7 1⁄2 feet tall. Each capital was decorated with seven sets of latticework and interwoven chains. He also encircled the latticework with two rows of pomegranates to decorate the capitals over the pillars. The capitals on the columns inside the entry room were shaped like water lilies, and they were six feet tall. The capitals on the two pillars had 200 pomegranates in two rows around them, beside the rounded surface next to the latticework. Huram set the pillars at the entrance of the Temple, one toward the south and one toward the north. He named the one on the south Jakin, and the one on the north Boaz. The capitals on the pillars were shaped like water lilies. And so the work on the pillars was finished. [1 Kings 7.15-22] 

Is it just me, or do the two pillars Solomon had made sound like idols? If not, why would he name them?

A quick search for "pillar" in the Bible yields several references, all of which forbid "sacred pillars" used for worship. If these two pillars placed at the Temple entrance were not "sacred," what were they? Here are a few references revealing God's attitude about sacred pillars:

You must not worship the gods of these nations or serve them in any way or imitate their evil practices. Instead, you must utterly destroy them and smash their sacred pillars. [Exodus 23.24]

Instead, you must break down their pagan altars, smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles. [Exodus 34.13] 

“Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the LORD your God. [Leviticus 26.1] 

This is what you must do. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols. [Deuteronomy 7.5] 

Break down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles and cut down their carved idols. Completely erase the names of their gods! [Deuteronomy 12.3] 

And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the LORD your God hates them. [Deuteronomy 16.22] 

This link provides the full list of references to "pillar" in the Bible (in the NLT). It is worth taking the time to read through them all to get the general feel for what God thinks about sacred pillars (hint" it's not good).

So, is there any significance to the two pillars Solomon had built and named for the entrance to the Temple? 

The fact that Solomon had them built is one strike against them - Solomon's betrayal of God for idolatry is well-documented in the Bible. 

The fact that the pillars were "named" is another strike against them. 

Then, finally, when Babylon destroyed Solomon's Temple, the fact that the two pillars were mentioned in that "destruction" implies there were indeed "sacred." God's disdain for "sacred pillars" is well-documented.

What does this tell us today? It should alert the astute Bible student to the dangers of idol-infiltration into otherwise pure religion. It should alert us that, by its very nature, idolatry always stands ready to invalidate and disqualify pure trust in God alone. It confirms God's repeated warnings about the "things we make" becoming objects of trust and worship, thus provoking God's jealous anger. It warns us that idols could be in our very presence today and we think they are simply "part of the package" of our relationship with God. In every case, idols are responsible for a "disconnect" between God's people and His power rendering them just as vulnerable as Israel was when Babylon destroyed Solomon's Temple and took them into captivity.

While many would prefer we just leave this topic as "Old Testament," Jesus made it quite impossible to do so. Regarding the absence of "power," Jesus quoted Isaiah:

This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ [Matthew 13.14-15]

Everything to do with "eyes and ears" in the Bible is directly associated with idolatry (another study by itself). In particular, the Psalms address this very fact:

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 115.4-8] 

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 135.15-18] 

Could it be that idols have become part of the fabric of man's relationship with God today? What then could it be that exists within the very construct of man's relationship with God today that fits the Bible's description of idols? How would we identify these alleged idols? Good question...

First, the most telling characteristic of an idol is that it is man-made. It is the result of man's ingenuity, skill, craftsmanship, and industry. Consequently, idols today are just as refined as "man" who makes and trusts them. They are elaborate and complex in every way.

Next, idols always characteristically involve expense, whether gold and silver or just ordinary money, idols are never far removed from monetary value. And, the money-flow is overwhelmingly "one way" as idols "get" far more than they "give."

Another characteristic of an idol is that, even though God's people trust it, it is also popular among those who are not God's people, and, as such, it inherently reflects the values and morals of the world beginning with the inflated idea of "self" (self-love, self-gratification, self-preservation, self-help, and pretty much any and everything "self").

Perhaps the most telling quality of an idol is that it fully violates all three of the Godward Ten Commandments: it fails the God-only 1st Commandment test, it fails the no-idols 2nd Commandment test, and it fails the name of God 3rd Commandment test by blasphemously inserting itself (as a named thing) into connectivity with God ("used" by God, "endorsed" by God, "permitted" by God, etc...) thus effectively "blinding" and "deafening" its patrons.

Can we, then, identify these idols? Man's industries of his own ideas today are indeed idols and can be generalized in four broad categories: finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals, and technology. These industries fit perfectly into all four of the identifying characteristics of idols listed above and thereby blatantly violate the Godward Commandments.

Furthermore and conclusively, Jesus, God in the flesh, in simple words that effectively cover everything mentioned above, tells us what to do:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

If God's people miss the idol-implications of the two pillars Solomon built, what else are they missing? Ignorance of God's Word renders God's people powerless and vulnerable in every way:

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children. The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. They have exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols. [Hosea 4.6-7]

Father, forgive our lackadaisical attitude toward Your Word. Our ignorance has rendered us powerless and vulnerable in a way that "grace" cannot touch us because "grace" comes through "faith" and "faith" comes through Your Word Who is Jesus and Jesus demanded that we "deny ourselves" (or, "give up everything of our own way") to follow Him. And yet, in our grossly powerless (even laughable) existence as alleged "followers of Christ" we still don't "see" our idolatry and consequently, don't give it up. What's more, in direct opposition to Jesus' demand that we "take up our cross" (the very emblem of "death"), we instead defiantly take every measure to "live" vehemently defending the idols that (we think) help us do so. May a shift occur in the Church today - a shift to Your Word - a shift to unadulterated faith - a shift to giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

What Could Be Wrong With A Peace Alliance?

So the LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as he had promised. And Hiram and Solomon made a formal alliance of peace. [1 Kings 5.12] 

As discussed in Just A Small Thing... Solomon's alliances may not have been among his shining achievements even thought those alliances seem to have been attached to Solomon's great wisdom. Their mention at first seem harmless enough, but in time, the trust placed in (obligations made to) man instead of God would catch up to Solomon. All the foreign wives and concubines gained by Solomon, many of which (like with Pharaoh's daughter) were the product of alliances with foreign kings and countries (remember, Solomon was peace on all sides for a reason, 1 Kings 5.4), were indeed the downfall of Solomon.

Any trust placed in man instead of God will always end unfavorably. 

The thing is, a little trust placed in man instead of God is never the end of it. Idolatry is, and always will be, never satisfied. 

It is rarely noticed as having any relevance to idolatry, but Solomon's alliance with Hiram involved a LOT of money in the exchange of valuable goods for other goods and services. Unsurprisingly, today's idols involve exorbitant amounts of money in exchange for goods and services. Also unsurprisingly, modern idolatry involves contracts - alliances - obligations. It is here one should frankly consider his exchange of money (lots of it) with the industries of man's own ideas, finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals and technology.

In the New Testament, Paul gives the following instruction:

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. [Romans 13.8]

Man owes everything to God:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “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. 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. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

The only obligation (alliance) man is to have with man is to love him:

“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land  the LORD your God is giving you. “You must not murder. “You must not commit adultery. “You must not steal. “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor. “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” [Exodus 20.12-17] 

Jesus confirmed this:

“‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” [Matthew 22.37-40] 

And, Jesus also spoke firmly and directly to man's God-relationship as it pertains to man's needs. All the needs that the industries of man's own ideas (finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals and technology) otherwise compete for, are met in miraculous provision for the person in right relationship to God.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. [Matthew 6.31-34]

To seek the Kingdom of God above all else is to love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind (the first three of the Ten Commandments).

To live righteously is to love your neighbor as yourself (the last six of the Ten Commandments).

And, for those who realize that the love-God/love-man commandments only total nine of the Ten Commandments, it is amazing that the remaining Sabbath Commandment is fulfilled in Jesus Christ Who claimed complete lordship over the Sabbath:

For the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath! [Matthew 12.8]

And, here is what the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus, demands:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

What is man's own way that must be given up? It is his industry: his industries of his own ideas - his own making - his idols - his alliances with (obligations to) foreign gods (i.e. not "God") for goods and services in exchange for money. And, to what degree is a true follower of Christ obligated to give up his own way? To the death - taking up his own cross. It is that serious.

This subject is not about legalism and it is not an offense to grace! It is about the undeniable, non-negotiable demand of God for our unadulterated trust in Him (through Jesus) found from beginning to end in the Bible. The Bible repeatedly points out man's downfall of trusting anything and/or anyone else besides Him. It should be understood that grace comes through faith, but it is not just any faith in anything... It is faith in God alone. If faith is not faith in God alone, it is not grace-securing, healing, providing, saving faith. Period.

If what is said here is indeed true - if the Bible actually means what it says - then it would mean that not many people actually have God-pleasing faith. Can that be right?

Unremarkably, Jesus provided that answer to the question above with the following:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Few find true Biblical grace because "grace" never was about "anything goes," but specifically about the God-pleasing, God-only faith that receives it. 

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [Ephesians 2.8-9]

When this finally rings true to us, suddenly all of Jesus' repeated demands for "faith" and to "be like Him" can be understood.

Sadly, organized religion today will reject what is said here just like organized religion rejected Jesus. Some things never change - Truth is never popular in organized religion. But the Truth remains the Truth and Jesus is that Truth.

Will we align with the Truth or will we align with idols? Like Solomon, our alliances will give the promise and appearance of "peace." But, such idolatry is anything and everything but peace in the eyes of God. Solomon was not given wisdom to seek peace outside of God alone, but to save his people (bringing peace) through undivided faith in God alone.

Father, may Your Word open our eyes to its Truth. Help us to see the gross idolatry all around us, and in which we are involved deeply - even if organized religion opposes us. May we find the courage to "deny ourselves" - to give up our own way - the way of man's ideas and alliances - so that we might trust ONLY in You. Help us to see that in taking up our cross we effectively remove "staying alive" out of the equation of obedience to You. Help us to see that true peace only comes when we no longer feel responsible for our own keep, and we unreservedly lay our lives at the feet of Jesus trusting in You ALONE. So be it.

Just A Small Thing...

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and married one of his daughters. He brought her to live in the City of David until he could finish building his palace and the Temple of the LORD and the wall around the city. [1 Kings 3.1] 

It is just a small thing, but for some reason, it was recorded in the Bible. Why?

In context, 1 Kings 3 does not specify whether Solomon's alliance with Pharaoh was good or evil, but such alliances are viewed as idolatrous offenses against God elsewhere in the Bible. God's demand for total trust in Him alone negates any need for such alliances - especially when they are with idolatrous nations like Egypt.

1 Kings 3.1 is easily overlooked because it is overshadowed by Solomon's most notable accomplishment before God in his request for wisdom. But, history cannot be changed... Even as the most wise man to ever live, Solomon did not stop establishing alliances and gaining foreign wives. It would appear that Solomon's wisdom, that would have justified every foreign alliance as practical, was his downfall. 1 Kings 3.1 is the opening statement of how that downfall started.

And, that is how idolatry works. It starts with a small indiscretion of not trusting God (often overshadowed by some great spiritual accomplishment) and grows from there. By the time Solomon had acquired hundreds of wives and concubines, many of them through foreign alliances, he had become so immersed in idolatry that he did not even recognize the difference.

This should sound familiar to the Church today because it is exactly what has happened to God's people. Trusting in the industries of man's own ideas (see Stern Warning From The Bible) has become so commonplace among "God's people" (with most defending this "way of man" by calling it "wisdom") that no one is decrying the gross idolatry it represents.

I am no one. But, it would appear I am in good company:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

Father, Your Word could not be more clear on Your warnings against idolatry, the "way of man," as was Jesus. And yet, the Church today is unconcerned. Faith has been made so "abstract" that no one sees Jesus' demand to "give up your own way" (or, to deny himself) as anything more than a "nice suggestion" that requires man's practical wisdom to determine "what it means to him." May today's idols be identified and rejected by Your people. May those who are truly Yours see the literal interpretation of Your jealousy regarding idols. May Your people have this distinct testimony that "God is my source and supply in every area of my life!" May Your people reject every idol so they might trust ONLY in You! So be it.