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Psalms 97:6-7 ESV
This reminds me a little bit of Romans 1:18-32 where we read that what can be known about God is plain to humankind, because God has shown it to humans via his creative works, i.e. via his creation. For God’s invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So all are without excuse who by their unrighteousness and ungodliness suppress the truth of what can clearly be known about God.
For, then it goes on and it says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:21-23). So, this, as well, is about idolatry and the worship of worthless idols in place of worship of the one true and only God of all creation.
So, what are some images which are being worshiped in the gatherings of what are called “church” in your country today? In America a big one is entertainment, via movies, games, videos, music, humor, cartoons, stage productions, books, stories, drama, fiction, social media, the news media, and the like. And smart phones (pocket computers) are what are giving people 24 hour a day access to these modes of entertainment, so these smart phones/computers are becoming people’s gods they worship, too.
And then continuing with Romans 1:24-25, we read, “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” And this is absolutely happening in America today, too, where politicians and famous people and movie actors and sports heroes and some preachers and book authors are being worshiped in place of worship of God. And they are exchanging the truth for a lie, absolutely!
And this is why so many people in America who profess faith in Jesus Christ are flocking to these institutional market-driven mega “churches,” for there they mostly have their itching ears tickled with feel-good messages which feed the lusts of the flesh and which do not honor God as the holy God that he is. For most of what is being called “church” here in America is not the body of Christ, but they are businesses of men which are appealing to the flesh of humans in order to draw large crowds of people of the world into their gatherings.
And so they are adapting those gatherings to the ways of the world and they are mostly not being led of the Spirit of God. For marketing books and schemes and business plans and goals and missions are replacing the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. So these “churches” are mostly following humanistic philosophy, psychology, and worldly methods to attract the people of the world to their gatherings. And so they are also altering the character of God/Jesus and the message of the gospel to make God/Jesus and the gospel message more acceptable and appealing to human flesh.
And so what this is resulting in is what is described for us in the rest of Romans 1, beginning with verse 26 thru verse 32. And here it talks about how God then gave them up to dishonorable passions, and to homosexuality, adultery, sexual immorality, all manner of evil, malice, wickedness, deceit, gossip, slander, pride, disobedience, murder, foolishness, and heartlessness, etc. For, “though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them” (verse 32). Sadly true.
So, what does all that result in? The Scriptures teach us that if we walk (in conduct, in practice) in sin, and not in righteousness, and not in obedience to our Lord, that we will not inherit eternal life with God. We will not enter God’s heavenly kingdom regardless of what our lips have professed. But if we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit, in walks of obedience to our Lord, in righteousness and in holiness, and not in sin, then we have the hope of eternal life, provided we continue in those walks of faith. So, worship God/Jesus only and not the things of the flesh.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
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“The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!”
This reminds me a little bit of Romans 1:18-32 where we read that what can be known about God is plain to humankind, because God has shown it to humans via his creative works, i.e. via his creation. For God’s invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So all are without excuse who by their unrighteousness and ungodliness suppress the truth of what can clearly be known about God.
For, then it goes on and it says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:21-23). So, this, as well, is about idolatry and the worship of worthless idols in place of worship of the one true and only God of all creation.
So, what are some images which are being worshiped in the gatherings of what are called “church” in your country today? In America a big one is entertainment, via movies, games, videos, music, humor, cartoons, stage productions, books, stories, drama, fiction, social media, the news media, and the like. And smart phones (pocket computers) are what are giving people 24 hour a day access to these modes of entertainment, so these smart phones/computers are becoming people’s gods they worship, too.
And then continuing with Romans 1:24-25, we read, “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” And this is absolutely happening in America today, too, where politicians and famous people and movie actors and sports heroes and some preachers and book authors are being worshiped in place of worship of God. And they are exchanging the truth for a lie, absolutely!
And this is why so many people in America who profess faith in Jesus Christ are flocking to these institutional market-driven mega “churches,” for there they mostly have their itching ears tickled with feel-good messages which feed the lusts of the flesh and which do not honor God as the holy God that he is. For most of what is being called “church” here in America is not the body of Christ, but they are businesses of men which are appealing to the flesh of humans in order to draw large crowds of people of the world into their gatherings.
And so they are adapting those gatherings to the ways of the world and they are mostly not being led of the Spirit of God. For marketing books and schemes and business plans and goals and missions are replacing the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. So these “churches” are mostly following humanistic philosophy, psychology, and worldly methods to attract the people of the world to their gatherings. And so they are also altering the character of God/Jesus and the message of the gospel to make God/Jesus and the gospel message more acceptable and appealing to human flesh.
And so what this is resulting in is what is described for us in the rest of Romans 1, beginning with verse 26 thru verse 32. And here it talks about how God then gave them up to dishonorable passions, and to homosexuality, adultery, sexual immorality, all manner of evil, malice, wickedness, deceit, gossip, slander, pride, disobedience, murder, foolishness, and heartlessness, etc. For, “though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them” (verse 32). Sadly true.
So, what does all that result in? The Scriptures teach us that if we walk (in conduct, in practice) in sin, and not in righteousness, and not in obedience to our Lord, that we will not inherit eternal life with God. We will not enter God’s heavenly kingdom regardless of what our lips have professed. But if we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit, in walks of obedience to our Lord, in righteousness and in holiness, and not in sin, then we have the hope of eternal life, provided we continue in those walks of faith. So, worship God/Jesus only and not the things of the flesh.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
