(If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, this one won’t make
as much sense so you should go back and read it first.)
Yesterday I
mentioned that some Christians give up God for Lent, spending the 40 days on
learning other belief/ non-belief systems.
This is a continuation of the reasons why we shouldn’t give up God for ANY reason, EVER.
The first two: Love
Doesn’t Leave
He is our Father, we are His children
The faithful before us didn’t ‘give up God’ even for a moment- even in
the face of pressure, suffering or death.
Here are a few:
Job- terrible suffering (Job)
Daniel- hungry lions- (Dn. 6)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego- fiery furnace (Dn. 3)
Jeremiah- prison (Jr. 37:16)
Stephen- martyred (Ac. 6:8-7:60)
James- martyred (Ac. 12:1,2)
Paul and Silas- prison (Ac. 16:23 ,24)
Jesus was always doing God’s will (Jh. 6:38 ;
4:34 ; 5:30 )
therefore never out of His will.
Hebrews speaks of the Old
Testament faithful who didn’t give up on God though they were:
-tortured, mocked, scourged,
imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, slain with sword, destitute, afflicted,
tormented Hb. 11:35-37
Seeking any other than God or after no God would be adultery.
You shall have no other gods
before Me. …For I Jehovah your God am a jealous God… Ex. 20:3,5
…they have committed adultery
with their idols… Ez. 23:37
Should we be looking into
atheism, humanism, agnosticism, etc?
The fool has said in his heart, There is no God! They acted corruptly; they have
done abominable works, there is none who
does good. Ps. 14:1
Let no man deceive you with vain*
words … And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them. Ep.
5:6,11 *empty, vain, devoid of truth
We are to seek/ draw close to God. (not others.)
Seek Jehovah and His strength; seek His face continually. 1Ch. 16:11
Dt. 4:29; Pr. 8:17; Jr. 29:13;
Mt. 7:7,8; Is. 55:6; Mt. 6:33; Hb. 11:6; Ps. 119:2; Ps. 27:8; Am. 5:4; Ps. 14:2;
Ac. 17:27; SoS. 3:1 etc. (some other seek God verses)
Draw near to God, and He will
draw near to you. Cleanse your hands,
sinners; and purify your hearts, double-minded ones. Jm. 4:8
let us draw near with a true
heart… Hb. 10:22
-if you draw away He will not
draw near
Man’s Ideas are Usually of the Flesh. We should walk in the Spirit.
(Gl. 5:16)
…you should not walk from now on as other nations walk, in
the vanity of their mind, having the
understanding darkened, being alienated from
the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness
of their heart. Ep. 4:17,18
Because, knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God,
neither were thankful. But they became
vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Rm. 1:21
And Jehovah saw that the
wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gn. 6:5
Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted* from God. For
God is not tempted by evils, and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted ~by
his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them.
Jm.1:13,14
*incl. to try whether a thing can be done, make a trial
of, for the purpose of learning what he thinks ~lured away by own desire,
craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust
But in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men." … Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man;
but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. Mt. 15:9-11
Man’s ways end in death.
There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of
it is the ways of death. Pr. 16:25 also
14:12
…They are blind leaders of the
blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Mt.
15:14
As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches
a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed. Gl. 1:9
…contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the
saints. Jude 1:3
Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole
of man. Ec. 12:13
Jesus therefore said…
If ye abide in my word, ye are truly my disciples;
and ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall set you free.
Jh. 8:31,32