38. The 1st Commandment

Is your belief enough? If this is your first time here! Please return and start from the beginning! Thank you!

   God often makes me giggle. He uses some of the strangest things to speak to me. He put it on my heart to go through the 10 Commandments. Like a getting back to basics kind of thing. I got all the way to the 10th Commandment, and as I was writing, He really told me to get back to basics! Asking if He was in involved in writing these entries!?!? Hmmm.... OUCH! 

    So, I returned to the 1st Commandment. Not only are we to go back to basics, but how do these rules from 2,000 years ago fit in today's world.  Well luckily for us, God's law 's do not have bi-laws, like government laws do. They are straight forward! So, let's dig in...  

    Exodus 20:3 "You must not have any other god but me. 

Naturally our minds either go straight to Greek Mythology, with Zues, Medusa, etc... 

Or they go to other religious groups, and to the gods that other religions believe in. 

 First of all- that is exactly what He is talking about! You cannot worship Buddha and God.

 Second- This is not about bashing any other religion! Each one of us has free will!! I am simply exercising my free will to follow Jesus Christ! I am exercising my free will to defend my faith, to defend my God, and to defend anyone that is on a quest for finding truth. It is in my faith that I know God Almighty is truth. Just as other religions want people to join them in their walk. So do I!! It is my heart's desire to bring people into relationship with Jesus Christ!

     Now there are other things that people worship as their god. A big one that has been growing in popularity for some time, is nature. Worshipping trees or specific animals. Folks if you can love creation in such a way, you can love the creator even more!

    Another one that is newly popular, and growing rapidly, is- ourselves. - Yes I said it!! Many people have put themselves on a pedestal! They care only about themselves, and what others can do for them. With the clever mantra's of "you do you" and "this is my truth" People are slowly blinding themselves not only to the truth of God!! But also, to the fact that other people inhabit the same world they live in. 

   If you go to google, and type in self-help books: A whole billion-dollar industry will pop up. "Building the life you want." "How to stop negative spirals." "Creating a happy life." "The secret to." "How to overcome..." "Embrace your true self..." etc... 

   The list goes on and on and on and on and on.... After scrolling and scrolling, I found NONE that said, "Jesus is the way." "Who you are in Christ Jesus." "The life God intended for you." 

We were never meant to be the god of our own hearts!!! God made each one of us for a purpose! His purpose! Not our own purpose!

   Isaiah 45:5-7 says, "I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though you don't even know me, 6. so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God. I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7. I create the light and make the darkness. I send the good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things."

   You cannot equip yourself for the hard times! You cannot equip yourself against the enemy!  No matter what all those books may say, and how much you search yourself! The fact is, God is out protector! He is our strength!

   Philippians 4:13, "For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." 

   When you glorify yourself, and only care about what happens to you and nobody else. You are leaving no room for God!  And when your deepest concerns are what you look like, and if you have the latest trends, you are leaving no room for God! And when your focus is on what others can and will do for you, then you are leaving no room for God! These actions are not glorifying to God! 

   God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit want to walk hand in hand with you! All day! All night!  As you go through your day, stop once in a while and ask yourself if your actions are worthy of holding God's hand! Are your words loving and kind? Even when you don't want to be loving and kind!? Speak to God throughout the day! Ask for help and guidance! None of us are perfect! But as long as we are human, we won't be! But our hearts should be constantly in contact with Jesus!!

   Until next time:

Numbers 6: 24-26

24. May the Lord bless you and protect you.

25. May the Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you.

26. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.