- araratchurch
- Nov 16, 2023
- 3 min read
“O Israel, return to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;”
Hosea 14:1 NKJV
When God created Lucifer, He made him perfect in all of his ways. Tragically, Lucifer’s pride caused him to rebel against his very Creator.
“Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created. “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. “By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.”
Ezekiel 28:12-17 NKJV
The prophet Isaiah gives further incite into Satan’s rebellion.
““How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.”
Isaiah 14:12-15 NKJV
And, we know, since Lucifer’s rebellion, he has tried to be the spoiler of God‘s plan for man. Yes, the one meant to bring light (Lucifer), has become the obstructor or accuser (Satan)!
Now, we know that Satan’s future end is destruction. But in the meantime, he’s going full scorched-earth, trying to take as many with him to destruction as he can, before his jig is up.
Make no mistake, the devil’s weapon of choice is to work through our lustful desires to provoke us to sin.
Indeed, James exhorts us to be aware of where sinful desires can lead.
“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”
James 1:12-15 NLT
Sin causes us to stumble away from God’s path. Indeed, sin IS deviating from God‘s way of being and doing.
The writer of Hebrews warns that sin trips us up as we navigate our “race” toward the Kingdom of God.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
Hebrews 12:1 NLT
Jesus came to offer forgiveness for our sins. Not only that, He gave a way to be set free from sin’s sway, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (the new nature!).
“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
Romans 8:12-14 NLT
Yes, there is a way to stay on God’s path. But that only happens as we are OBEDIENT to His Spirit.
In our opening scripture we see God (through the prophet Hosea) pleading with His people to return to Him. They have “stumbled” away from Him because of their iniquity (sin). And, they are paying dearly for their rebellion. But, there is a way to return!
We will discuss more about this tomorrow.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Nov 14, 2023
- 2 min read
In preparation for our discussion over the next five days, please carefully read and meditate on these passages of scripture:
“Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.”
Hosea 6:1-3 NKJV
“O Israel, return to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you, And return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’ For in You the fatherless finds mercy.” “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him. I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon. Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon. “Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’ I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in Me.” Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them.”
Hosea 14:1-9 NKJV
Throughout the Old Testament we see accounts of the backsliding of the children of Israel.
As well, we also see the Lord bidding His people to return, while offering wonderful blessings if they would do so.
Sadly, we know that Israel (as a nation) still rejects God’s Messiah. But make no mistake, they will return, and the Lord will fight for them.
Over the next several days we will use Israel’s backsliding as a lens through which to see the way to return to the Lord, as well as the benefits of doing so, and the terrible consequences that can come with not returning to the Him.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Nov 12, 2023
- 3 min read
“Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.” So Jacob told everyone in his household, “Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. Eventually, Jacob and his household arrived at Luz (also called Bethel) in Canaan. Jacob built an altar there and named the place El-bethel (which means “God of Bethel”), because God had appeared to him there when he was fleeing from his brother, Esau.”
Genesis 35:1-2, 6-7 NLT
For many years I have used a lighted magnifying mirror to look at when I “fix” my face.
Many years ago I began to notice that when I would try a new face product, I ended up looking worse than I had before I started the new regime.
Now, when this phenomenon happened for about the third time, I began to wonder what was really going on.
When I realized the truth explaining my conundrum, I had to laugh at myself.
You see, an intervening variable (something that changed of which I was not aware) was actually the cause of this “looking-worse-after-treatment” phenomenon I was observing.
I finally realized that after a few days of trying a new product, I would always wipe all the dust off the mirror to get a “good look” at my progress.
What I wasn’t taking into account was the “soft focus” effect the dust layer was providing. In other words, I looked worse than what I was seeing. I was not aware of the fact that when I wiped off the dust, what I was seeing in the mirror, was now me without the “soft focus.” So, the comparison of the image I was seeing on the dustless mirror, was certainly not an improvement of what I had been seeing through the soft-focus effect of the dusty mirror.
Did you follow all of that?
Is this a lesson on makeup application?
Obviously, you know I am employing a metaphor. In this case, the dusty mirror is illustrative of how we can be deceived in terms of the state of our soul.
You see, life happens. And, all we go through, leaves a “residue” that can serve to obscure the areas of our lives desperately needing purification.
“Ephraim mixes himself with the [Gentile] nations [seeking favor with one country, then another]; Ephraim is a cake not turned [worthless; ready to be thrown away]. Strangers have devoured his strength, Yet he does not know it; Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, Yet he does not know.”
Hosea 7:8-9 AMP
Here, God is speaking of the sad state of His people. They don’t know how bad off they are because they have become “mingled.” They were no longer comparing themselves to God’s standards. Rather, they have become like—and compare themselves with—the Godless nations with whom they fraternized.
“Ephraim” needed to return to the Lord and get the “dust” wiped off the mirror in which he assessed himself.
In our opening scripture we see that the Lord instructs Jacob to go back to Bethel, back to the place where he was first personally introduced to the God of his fathers. It was the place where the God of Abraham and Isaac had become the God of Jacob.
This time, Jacob would go back and come to know the God of the House of God. But first, he would lay aside all the accumulated “residue” of the ways of the heathen nations among whom he and his family had been living. Now, God would no longer be just an “experience.” God would become a Person Who is truly known.
You see, the same residue that obscures where we stand in terms of God’s will for us, also obscures God’s “face” from us so that we cannot see Him clearly.
Over the last several days we have looked at our spiritual journey through the lens of Jacob’s adventures with God.
In our brief journey with Jacob, we have watched as he went from an “operator,” to become the prince of God (Israel) through which the blessing would continue to flow that would bring the ultimate Blessing: the Lord Jesus Christ.
What we must garner from considering Jacob’s progression is that spiritual development is indeed a journey, a progressive journey through which we come to know God personally, and commit to Him completely.
Remember, if we are to become full grown sons of God, operating in His power, and pursued by His blessings, we must stay the course.
And, finally (for now), when we find ourselves falling away from our own steadfastness, we must be quick to lay aside the residue of the world and make a beeline back to Bethel.
Peace to you.
Jesus is Coming! Get ready for Him!