God Knows Our Heart? But Do We?

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” [Jeremiah 17.9-10] 

I have come to believe that man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology are the leading idols of our day. In the last few years I have provided thorough, context-accurate, Scriptural arguments to support this belief but people still refuse to see it. I have spoken to more than one person about this subject of idolatry obvious throughout the Bible and, have met with varying degrees of negative response - from reluctant concession to bold disagreement. I had one "Christian" man seemingly agree with the implications that the human industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology were, in principle, idols, but flatly stated he was unwilling to risk living without them. On the other hand, I have had other "Christians" somewhat agree with the implications against these man-made industries while helplessly defending their unwillingness to reject them by saying, "God knows my heart..."

The fact is, God indeed knows our hearts! And, what He knows about them, we should know about them too - that they are the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.

While many sermons and teachings have found their basis in Jeremiah 17.9-10, few have explored the full context in which this passage is found. Unironically, that context is idolatry. One only has to skim over what precedes Jeremiah 17.9-10 to see this truth.

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. [Jeremiah 17.5-8]

What are the man-made industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology if indeed they are not bold displays of human strength? It is only natural that non-Christians vehemently defend these idols. But why then, do "Christians" so defend them?

Compared to non-Christians, "Christians" today are indeed the stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future that God spoke of above. They are cursed and powerless - a vivid and accurate description of most of the Church today (and, especially so in western civilization). No one is even questioning why the modern western Church carries virtually none of the distinguishing, indisputable power of God that Jesus both demonstrated and commanded of His true followers. It is no wonder the world sees western "Christianity" as laughable.

Okay, so enough about the problem, what is the solution? 

The solution is found in verses 7-8 of Jeremiah 17 above:

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. [Jeremiah 17.7-8]

God however jealously demands a literal observance of trusting in Him. He was not at all abstract when He laid out for all eternity what trusting in Him - trusting in Him ALONE - looks like:

“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]

We are left with no option but to reject and turn away from our idols - the world-trusted idol-industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology. But all we can think about is how devastated such a radical act would leave us, giving no consideration whatsoever of God's abundant promises for provision if only we trust Him...

Keeping with the context of Jeremiah 17, verse 11 continues:

Like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid, so are those who get their wealth by unjust means. At midlife they will lose their riches; in the end, they will become poor old fools. [Jeremiah 17.11]

The unjust means above are the means and ways of idolatry! The Bible teaches that idolaters are ultimately the losers!

For those who seem to think the New Testament puts "believers" on a different page today, let's just quote Jesus, Who talked about man's "way," shall we?

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)] 

Our "own way" is one and the same as the "unjust means" Jeremiah spoke of. Trusting in anything other than, or in addition to, God is highly "unjust" according to Exodus 20.2-7.

Oh, but we are far from done with this subject!

Just as Jesus was introduced above as relevant to this conversation, guess what Jeremiah finishes chapter 17 with! God has something to say about the Sabbath in the Jeremiah 17 context of idolatry!

This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and stand in the gates of Jerusalem, first in the gate where the king goes in and out, and then in each of the other gates. Say to all the people, ‘Listen to this message from the LORD, you kings of Judah and all you people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem. This is what the LORD says: Listen to my warning! Stop carrying on your trade at Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day. Do not do your work on the Sabbath, but make it a holy day. I gave this command to your ancestors, but they did not listen or obey. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or accept my discipline. “‘But if you obey me, says the LORD, and do not carry on your trade at the gates or work on the Sabbath day, and if you keep it holy, then kings and their officials will go in and out of these gates forever. There will always be a descendant of David sitting on the throne here in Jerusalem. Kings and their officials will always ride in and out among the people of Judah in chariots and on horses, and this city will remain forever. And from all around Jerusalem, from the towns of Judah and Benjamin, from the western foothills and the hill country and the Negev, the people will come with their burnt offerings and sacrifices. They will bring their grain offerings, frankincense, and thanksgiving offerings to the LORD’s Temple. “‘But if you do not listen to me and refuse to keep the Sabbath holy, and if on the Sabbath day you bring loads of merchandise through the gates of Jerusalem just as on other days, then I will set fire to these gates. The fire will spread to the palaces, and no one will be able to put out the roaring flames.’” [Jeremiah 17.19-27]

Why did God bring up the Sabbath in this context of idolatry? For the same reason He brought up the Sabbath in the Ten Commandments right after the context of idolatry:

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. [Exodus 20.8-11]

Jesus, Who said, "...give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me," IS THE SABBATH!

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 bold added]

The Sabbath is the shadow of Jesus Christ! AND SO: the Ten Commandments point us to Jesus (the Sabbath) following the discussion of idolatry AND Jeremiah 17 points us to Jesus (the Sabbath) following the discussion of idolatry!

NOW! It can be perfectly understood, as we are effectively pointed to Jesus, why Jesus said "...give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me," He was very aware of just how infused idolatry would forever be in mankind and how devastating it would be to reject it - just like a death-wish - like giving up every self-preservation effort (man's way) and taking up a cross to follow Him! And, what did Jesus do? He walked out of His tomb in the same resurrection power He bestows on all who truly believe (trust in) Him! Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Oh, wow!

BUT! Man's deceitful heart will forever suggest otherwise... Will we believe our deceitful heart or will we believe God's Word about idolatry and Jesus Christ Who leads us out of idolatry?

Father, may these words strike a chord in all who read them as they are ringing true to me. May we find the courage to give up our own way (our idols), take up our cross (fearlessly pursuing resurrection life), and follow Jesus! So be it.

A Little Smack In The Face

And if these nations truly learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’ (just as they taught my people to swear by the name of Baal), then they will be given a place among my people. But any nation who refuses to obey me will be uprooted and destroyed. I, the LORD, have spoken!” [Jeremiah 12.16-17]

What does it mean to swear by the name of the LORD?

Our clue is found in the statement in parenthesis in Jeremiah 12.16-17 above. Swearing by the name of the LORD is the antithesis of swearing by the name of Baal, an idol. This would apply to any idol. With this in mind then, and because we know from the Word of God that swearing by the name of Baal means to trust in Baal instead of God, we can be sure that to swear by the name of the LORD means to trust in God ALONE.

Swearing however denotes a deeper meaning of the word "trust" than most people today comprehend. Swearing by the name of the LORD is a declaration of everything God is and wills over any given circumstance. It carries the distinguishing idea that God ALONE will be trusted irrespective of the circumstances of the one doing the trusting.

To swear by the name of the LORD is to give unreserved and undiluted allegiance to the first three of the Ten Commandments (in particular):

“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]

To swear by the name of Baal, in contrast, is to disregard everything the first three Commandments say about God. For this reason, trusting a little in God and a little in Baal is simply not possible. In this very regard, Jesus' words herald crystal clear principle on the topic of singular trust:

“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. [Matthew 6.24] 

Swearing by the name of the LORD carries with it a commitment beyond convenience - even a commitment unto death. Nowhere is this more profoundly declared than in Jesus' words to His would-be followers:

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 today's One Year Chronological Bible reading we find a damning description of those who claim to be committed to God, but are not:

Your name is on their lips, but you are far from their hearts. [Jeremiah 12.2b]

This is indeed the condition of idol-laden "believers" today. 

To swear by the name of the LORD is an all-in commitment to God and God ALONE. This level of commitment allows not even the chance of misunderstanding one's true devotion... And, this is where modern "believers" who claim that God uses man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology get smacked right in the face! To be sure, modern "believers" simply cannot defend or justify their idolatry when looking at all the Scriptures noted heretofore together. God's Word clearly calls His people to undivided trust in Him ALONE - anything else is idolatry (remember, God is a jealous God).

Father, as Your Word reveals, the subject of "our trust" is a serious matter to You. Help us to stop justifying our idolatry and instead start methodically rejecting it. May we be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

Is The Bible Outdated?

“Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: “‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back? Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around. I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”? No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle! Even the stork that flies across the sky knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know the LORD’s laws. [Jeremiah 8.4-7] 

While God's Word was indeed written to address issues contemporary to the time in which it was written, it MUST be understood that it was, by God's intentional design, actually written to be progressively more relevant with every passing generation - even up to this present day and beyond! Frankly, it is hardly possible that a person can progress in relationship with God without understanding this. Yes, they might know about God, but they cannot actually know God.

To know about God starts with knowing His Word. To know God is the progressive understanding that His Word is actually about me, for today, and requires my response to Him. This is true for the plurality of humanity as well: To know God is the progressive understanding that His Word is actually about us, for today, and requires our response to Him. Those who know God are His people.

Having established this, it is remarkable that God's people could read His Word without recognizing the glaring ancient and therefore contemporary warning against idolatry - placing trust in anything or anyone instead of, or in addition to, God ALONE. To deny this ancient and therefore contemporary warning against idolatry in the Bible can be associated with one error: not knowing God's Word (not knowing about God) which is foundational to knowing God. Proud rejection of God is revealed in the context of today's One Year Chronological Bible reading from Jeremiah:

“My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the LORD. [Jeremiah 9.3]

Actually, speaking for God, Jeremiah, explained the verse above immediately following this article's subject passage (Jeremiah 8.4-7): 

“‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the LORD,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies? These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness, for they have rejected the word of the LORD. Are they so wise after all? I will give their wives to others and their farms to strangers. From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that. They are all frauds. They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the LORD. I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the LORD, have spoken!’ [Jeremiah 8.8-13]

Jeremiah 8.8-13 reveals the ancient and therefore contemporary denial of idolatry. Idolatry is not only found in ignorance of God's Word, but, as seen above, even more so in the outright proud rejection of God's Word that originates with proud teachers twisting God's Word into lies. One only has to give a moment's thought to the myriads of books written today erroneously attempting to defend the Biblically inaccurate lie that 'bad things happen to good people' - They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound without even a mention of idolatry.

Who is wise enough to understand all this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it to others? Why has the land been so ruined that no one dares to travel through it? [Jeremiah 9.12] 

Only one who not only knows about God, but more importantly knows God understands that God's Word is very much about us, for today, and requires our response to Him.

Again, knowing about God is the start. Notice His undeniable and ageless warning against idolatry:

“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]

But knowing God is the timeless practice of responding to Him. And here is where, in His magnificently patient and enduring love for mankind, God sent His Son Jesus, Who, in perfect step with His Father defined all of God's Word with "bottom-line" clarity:

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)]

Idols have forever been self-destructive substitutes for God that unsurprisingly mask themselves as self-preserving alternatives to God. They have forever been man's way of taking care of himself independent of God. Idols have forever been man's way of rejecting God. Whether they look like the ancient idols of man's making or like the modern industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology, idols are man's way of trusting something other than, or in addition to, God.

Idolatry is everything that infectiously prevents one from following Jesus, Who is the Way to God. If we will see it, the whole Bible consistently and timelessly teaches this truth. 

Indeed, the Bible is not outdated as some suggest.

Father, Your Word is as true and relevant today as ever. In fact, Your Word is very much more relevant today than at any other time in history. May we recognize and confront our own idolatry today by giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

Wow. Just Wow

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the LORD’s Temple is here. They chant, “The LORD’s Temple is here! The LORD’s Temple is here!” But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. “‘Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie! Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the LORD, have spoken! [Jeremiah 7.3-11 bold added] 

Wow. Just wow.

God's people today proclaim, "We are the Church! We are the Church!" But they will not enjoy God's distinct power until they are distinguished as God's people...

Among all the other sinful things God's people continued to do in Jeremiah's day, they continued to worship idols. And, God said, those idols only brought harm to the people. It is no different today among those who chant, "We are the Church! We are the Church!" Unchecked sin, traceable to gross idolatry, exists in the very Church we claim to be. The Church embraces all the same idols of the world - man's self-made idols of finance, insurance, medicine and technology - idols that involve inordinate amounts of money - idols men trust instead of, or in addition to, God.

Should we not wonder why Jesus quoted this passage found in Jeremiah?

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. [Matthew 21.12-14 bold added]

I cannot even grasp all the thoughts that come to mind comparing Matthew 21.12-14 with Jeremiah 7.3-11! The money exchanged in the Temple caused Jesus to quote Jeremiah whose context was about idolatry!

THINK! If Jesus went ballistic over the money-changers in the Temple for marketing sacrificial animals (supposedly for 'man's good'), how much more angry does it make Him today for the Church's unashamed embrace of finance, insurance, medicine and technology that also are for man's good? These industries of man are SUBSTITUTES (like the sacrifices) for the miracle-working power of God Jesus displayed and demanded of His followers! 

The Church should, based on God's Word, only engage God in fully-trusting prayer for its own good!

Prayer to God is man's refusal to act on his own behalf!

Dependence on idols (and the exchange of money involved with them) is everything God's Temple today (the hearts of believing men - the Church) should stand AGAINST! And still, God's people today come to God saturated with their idol substitutes bought with money declaring, "We are the Church! We are the Church!" not realizing that their idols are actually harming them. They don't see that God has abandoned them to their idols. They don't see their own powerlessness because they believe their substitutes are 'God's way' when, in fact, they are 'the way of man '...which should give alarming meaning to Jesus' demand:

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)]

Understand that Jesus' "den of thieves" quote from Jeremiah brings crystal clarity to why Jesus was so passionate (angry - jealous!) over the exchange of money-for-substitutes in the very place where distinguishing faith-filled prayer in God ALONE should be occurring. It was at this time and place that Jesus physically re-directed all of history to His authority as God to fulfill the Old Covenant with the New. Religion had transformed the Holy Old Covenant way into the 'way of man' evidenced by the money-changers setting up in the Temple. Sadly today, religion embraces the way of man evidenced by the exchange of money for substitutes for God's all-encompassing provisions.

Our substitutes - our idols - are only harming us. By virtue of our trust in them, the mighty miracle-working power of God's Holy Spirit within us is handicapped. God is not handicapped - but we are when we insist on our idol substitutes - man's way - the idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology (and there may well be more). As long as God's people hold to these idols, there is no distinction between them and the world. And so, God's name - the name of Jesus - is not revered HOLY in the lives and prayers of His people because they refuse to give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Him.

Wow. Just wow.

Father, Your Word is true. May we see the connection between Jeremiah 7.3-11 and Jesus' cleansing of the Temple. May we see 'the way of man' in our exchange of money for substitute provision, protection, health and convenience that all Your Word says we should depend only on You for. May we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

Never Before Acknowledged

“‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. [Jeremiah 19.4] 

There is a phrase in the passage above that tells a great deal about the nature of idols that few understand today. The phrase idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah reveals that idols are ever-changing. In other words, our understanding of idols should never be limited to the ancient depictions of them.

When discussing idols, one of the earliest presentations of an idol in the Bible is when Israel made the gold calf in the wilderness. Jeremiah 19.4 alerts (warns) us that modern idols will not remain identifiable by old definitions. They will, in fact, be something never before acknowledged. We should never take comfort that idolatry is not a problem today just because we don't have gold calves to worship!

The relevance of what is said up to this point is that, while idols are ever changing, there is one specific identifier of idols that remains unchanged throughout the span of history as we know it: killing innocent children. The modern word for this act is abortion.

Abortion (or, killing innocent children) does not reveal any specific idol but rather the presence of idolatry in general. It is up to the astute student of the Bible to determine what those ever-changing idols are (the likelihood of them being a gold calf is nil).

So, if unchecked abortion tells us there is an idol problem, how then do we identify those idols specifically? What are the specific identifiers of idols? There are several idol "identifiers" but mankind today (sadly including the Church) is not prepared to give them up based on their identification. Four identifiers are listed below:

The first identifier of an idol is that it is something man trusts instead of, or in addition to, God. The fact that God is indeed "God" and, as a rule, deserves undivided trust and adoration for that fact alone is one thing, but, the fact that God defined Himself as man's source for particular named facets of man's life is another altogether. God said, "I am your Healer" and is just one of those specific facets. For man to trust anything instead of, or in addition to, God for healing and health is idolatry. The Bible contains many other facets of man's life that God claims authority over...

The second identifier of an idol is that it is something valuable. In other words, although not exclusively so, money, more often than not, can lead us right to our idols. Ancient idols involved expensive materials (gold & silver) in their manufacture and maintenance, and modern idols involve money in their manufacture and maintenance. Along with this identifier, in the "manufacture" of idols, it must be recognized that idols don't create themselves - modern idols are identified by the fact that man makes them for himself and money is always involved.

The third identifier of an idol is its propensity toward sexual sin. This an identifier that no idol can escape. Idols ever so subtly (at first) entice man with seemingly harmless self-gratification for needs that eventually lures man into full-blown sexual sin and perversion. Among other things, unchecked sex leads to unwanted pregnancies. And here is where, in general application, the killing of innocent children becomes the ultimate tell-tale sign that idolatry is afoot. The astute Bible student will recognize that idols employ the market strategy of self-gratification that, more times than not, ends up as "sex sells" and then babies die.

The fourth, and most dangerous identifier of an idol, is that it attempts to attach itself to "God" thus cloaking its true identity. If an idol can convince people that it is an extension of God (a gift from God, etc...), it can effectively secure its existence undetected for what it truly is.

Jeremiah's timeless description of idols, idols never before acknowledged, is indeed a warning to God's people today that idols have advanced in step with mankind in their complexity. It should be no surprise to us that idols have crept into our daily lives undetected. This author challenges every reader to consider for himself or herself whether or not man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology indeed all display the identifiers listed above. They all exist to turn man away from trusting God ALONE. They all involve money. They all employ self-gratification to secure their victims. And, they are believed by God's people to be gifts from God. The implications of this are HUGE!

Before God, our only option, in light of the implications above, is found in Jesus' directives:

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

And, 

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)]

These directives identify a true believer. Any explanation of these two directives that begins with, "Yes, but..." or "Now, God knows..." is a proud religious defense of man's idolatry.

The Bible effectively describes idols contemporary to its writing. It is up to us to recognize and acknowledge idols never before acknowledged that are contemporary to our lives.

Father, ignorance of Your Word has left us helpless and vulnerable to idols never before acknowledged... while the lives of innocent children are being snuffed out in appalling numbers. May we Your people passionately return to Your Word - to You - giving up our own way (idols never before acknowledged), taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

No Repentance = No Forgiveness

Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings.” [Jeremiah 36.3] 

God's forgiveness is blocked by man's unrepentance.

No repentance = no forgiveness.

Jesus was clear about it too:

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” [Mark 1.15]

Father in heaven, we need Your forgiveness. Help us to see from Your Word that the pride we display in refusing to repent is the wall that prevents Your forgiveness from reaching us. So be it.

God Is Speaking, We're Just Not Listening

“Again and again the LORD has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention. Each time the message was this: ‘Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the LORD gave to you and your ancestors forever. Do not provoke my anger by worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you.’ “But you would not listen to me,” says the LORD. “You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer. [Jeremiah 25.4-7] 

Just because God's people were not listening did not mean God was not speaking.

Let's make this contemporary:

Just because you are not listening does not mean God is not speaking.

Or, let's make it a little more in-your-face:

God is speaking, we're just not listening.

What is God speaking about? He is speaking about His people not trusting in Him ALONE. He is speaking about idolatry - about any and every idol man trusts in that he has made for himself. The Bible would be content-less without the repeated subject of idolatry and God's jealousy provoked by it all under the promise of redemption - Jesus Christ.

An idol is not an idol because it is called an idol. It is an idol because of its function. The function of an idol is to do for man anything (real or perceived) that God specifically said He would do for man. 

The most undetected, and therefore the most dangerous, idols are those man makes with his own hands - those industries man has made for himself and justified by the fact that God gave man knowledge. The fallacy of this line of reasoning is revealed when we reason that God also gave man the knowledge of murder... but that is not God's endorsement to do it!

Cover to cover, the Bible is speaking still today - God is speaking RIGHT NOW. Even though His own Son walked the earth in the flesh revealing God's miraculous intentions toward those who simply believe, followed by eternal life, people today, just like God's ancient people, would rather trust the idols they make for themselves. And, so they do. And no one even questions why God's people today suffer all the same disasters the world suffers. God is speaking - we're just not listening.

Father, pierce our hard hearts with the truth of Your Word today. Show us our gross unbelief - our idolatry - that is provoking Your jealousy by our completely ignoring Your Son's call for undivided faith. Show us how we are indistinguishable from the world. May we be found turning away from our idols - giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.