How Do We Know If We Really Love Him or Not?

How do we know if we really love the L-rd?

The "litmus test", if you will, is as Jesus instructed His disciples in John 14:15:

"If ye love Me, keep My commandments."

The L-rd reiterated this important injunction again in verse 21:

"He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me:
and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father,
and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him."

That's pretty straight-forward, isn't it? Of course, the L-rd knows our hearts, whether we love Him or not. But He also knows that there will be evidence of our love! And too, how do we know that someone loves the L-rd, unless we see the evidence for it?

How is our love for our spouse, for our children evidenced? We desire to please them, don't we? We do things for them, care for their needs, spend time with them. We nurture those very precious relationships!

What if your spouse or children seldom considered you or your feelings in regard to how they lived or the decisions they made? What if they gave little notice or recognition for the things you did for them? Would you feel loved? Could they even convince you that they loved you?

When we see children neglected, we determine that they are not loved.

Contrast that with how we show our love for our L-rd!

How can we say we love the L-rd if we neglect Him, and neglect to obey Him?

Sadly, I believe most of us fall very short in this area. We put more thought and effort into the pursuit of our own happiness than we do the L-rd's. Our prayer life consists of a request list pages long, while giving little thought to what we can do for His good pleasure!

We are such selfish creatures. But you know, the word L-O-V-E does not have an "I" in it!

The proof of our love for the L-rd is in our obedience to Him, denying ourselves!

Notice the very precious promise if we keep G-d's commandments, thereby loving Him:

We will be loved by the Father and the L-rd Jesus will manifest Himself to us.

Wow---did you get that? The more love we show the L-rd by our obedience to Him, the more He reveals of Himself to us.

But doesn't that make sense? The more love someone shows us, the more we want to be with them, and the more we are willing to be "vulnerable" and share ourselves with them---right?

Except, it seems, when it comes to the L-rd. He showers His blessings upon us---over and above giving us our salvation; He proves His love to us every day! But we go merrily on our way, oblivious to the things of the L-rd, so caught up in our jobs, duties, pleasures, that we have little time for the L-rd!

Are you getting as convicted as I am about now??

Later on in verses 23, 24, the L-rd continues to explain about this cause and effect regarding loving and obeying:

"....If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and my Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

He that loveth Me not keepeth not my sayings...."

Boy, the L-rd doesn't mince words---pretty clear, huh?!!

The L-rd Jesus is very clear in spelling out the fact that if we do not obey Him, we do not love Him.

But, hey----we can't obey God's Word if we don't know what He says in it!
Daily Bible reading---really taking time to hear from the L-rd---is essential in being obedient to Him!

In Matthew 7:16 Jesus advised His disciples regarding others who claim to be of G-d,
"Ye shall know them by their fruits."

Verses 17-21 expand on this statement:

"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Not everyone that saith unto Me, L-rd, L-rd,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

There is no middle ground, no gray area here. We know if we love the L-rd, and we know if others love the L-rd, if our/their fruit----the way we/they talk, the things we/they do, the beliefs and attitudes we/they have----line up with G-d's Word!

If someone loves the L-rd, they will be living and obeying G-d's Words.

It's as simple as that!

Do We Love Him?

"Do you l-o-o-v-e me?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you l-o-o-v-e me?"

"Do I love you?
With our daughters getting married
And this trouble in the town
You're upset, you're worn out
Go inside, Go lie down!
Maybe its indigestion."

"Goldie, I'm asking you a question....
Do you love me?"

"You're a fool."

"I know....
But do you love me?"

"Do I love you?
For twenty-five years I've washed your clothes
Cooked your meals, cleaned your house
Given you children, milked the cow
After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?".................

.........

"I know...
But do you love me?"

"Do I love him?
For twenty-five years I've lived with him
Fought with him, starved with him
Twenty-five years my bed is his
If that's not love, what is?"

"Then you love me?"

"I suppose I do."

"And I suppose I love you, too."

So goes the conversation between Tevye and his wife, Goldie, in The Fiddler on the Roof.

This reminds me a little of the conversation between the L-rd and Peter in John 15:21-17.

Our L-rd had just dined with his disciples.....a close-knit group, especially after three years of following the L-rd together and going through the events of the crucifixion and resurrection. I'm sure it would be an understatement to say that the bonds that were forged went very deep and lasted a lifetime!

The L-rd Jesus put Peter on the spot:
"Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?"

Peter answered the L-rd, "Yea, L-rd; Thou knowest that I love Thee."

Jesus' reply to Peter: "Feed my lambs."

But, Jesus pursued this questioning further---
"He saith unto him a second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?"

Peter's answer the second time:
"Yea L-rd; Thou knowest that I love Thee."

Jesus answers, "Feed my sheep."

The L-rd was not finished with His questioning of Peter's love for Him. Remember that Peter had earlier denied the L-rd three times. It was three times that the L-rd questioned Peter if he loved Him!

"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?"

"Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me?
And he said unto Him, L-rd Thou knowest all things;
Thou knowest that I love thee."

Should it not, would it not it grieve us, too, if the L-rd had to ask us three times if we loved Him??

Jesus did not come up with a third option for Peter.
"Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

During the '70s, the big word in our society (other than "peace") was LOVE, sometimes written, LUV.

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of....", as the old song goes....

Churches picked up on that mantra, and soon the age of "easy-believism" burgeoned forth! Fewer pastors preached on sin, leaving behind the Ten Commandments (no wonder they were driven out of the schools!), giving way to sermons on social change and "loving" your neighbor. Holding hands, swaying to "Kumbaya", lots of hugs and shallow relationships.....this was the stuff of the 70's.

If anyone made doctrine an issue, they didn't have "love". Doctrine wasn't important....truth was cast aside in the name of "love". "Everybody get together. Try and love one another right now." That was the ultimate goal of the church in those days.

The focus was man-centered. Loving your fellow man, of course, would lead to pleasing your fellow man and all that implies. Somehow, though, the L-rd was relegated to second place in all that euphoric celebrating of "love".

What Jesus specifically told His disciples was explicitly ignored!

If you will recall, He reiterated to them the teaching of the First Commandment:

"The first of all the commandments is,
Hear O Israel; the L-rd our G-d is one L-rd:

And thou shalt love the L-rd thy G-d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

There is none other commandment greater than these."..............Matthew 12:29-31

How are we to really love others if we do not love the L-rd FIRST?! Sadly, I think our priorities get reversed. We love ourselves first, our families, our friends, and the L-rd is worked in there somewhere.

Do we l-o-o-v-e Him?

To be continued.......

Rejection

"And the L-RD said unto Samuel.........they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." I Samuel 8:7

Rejection is something that cuts to the heart. I think all of us have experienced rejection at some point in our lives. It is human nature to want to be loved, accepted, have our opinions considered and valued. Rejection hurts.

Our L-rd understands rejection.

Consider these Scriptures:

I Samuel 10:19a---"And ye have this day rejected your G-d, Who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations...."

II Kings 17:15a---"And they rejected His statutes and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He testified against them; and they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the L-RD had charged them, that they should not do like them."

Isaiah 53:3---"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not."

Jeremiah 8:9---"The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the Word of the L-RD; and what wisdom is in them?"

Luke 17:25---"But first He must suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation."

Mark 12:10---"....The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner...."

Those of us who are trying to do right and live for the L-rd are going to suffer rejection! If people reject the L-rd, they will reject us as well. We are in good company if we are rejected for doing right, and for speaking the truth of the Scriptures.

The thing to remember, though, is what G-d reminded Samuel----that the people were not rejecting him, but they were rejecting the L-rd G-d, Jehovah!!

And so it is today as well.

All of us who are saved are called of G-d to something. We may not all be in "the ministry" in an official capacity, but we are all called to be witnesses of the Truth. We are all called to be separate from the world and to live for the L-rd in whatever capacity He deems to use us.

The problem is, that so many, many of us who call ourselves Christians have not grasped that; or we do not want to acknowledge it.

Instead of fearing G-d, and living accordingly, we fear the world and its rejection of us!

Hey--it's OK to be rejected by the world! It's far better to have favor with G-d!

But, sady, I think more often than not, we are like those in Samuel's day who:

"...followed vanity and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the L-RD had charged them, that they should not do like them."

That the Word of the L-rd is constantly being rejected by Christians is evidenced in the lives of us who claim to be believers!

Whether we realize it or not, most of us are Christians of convenience. Our priorities are self-centered, not G-d-centered. We are in the Word so little, that the enemy has blinded our eyes to our malnourished condition.

Look again at the above Scripture---the Israelites went after the heathen that lived around them even though G-d's command to them was to not do like them. They hated G-d's prophets and persecuted them terribly. But it really was G-d Whom they hated and rejected!

Just for the sake of consideration, let's observe what the heathen do today. You fill in the blanks here.

Now, think about the average Christian life today.

Are we doing any different than the heathen around us? Most of us today have a very cavalier attitude toward many things that the L-rd holds sacred:

* Meeting together on the first day of the week---this wasn't a duty or obligation of drudgery---this was the highlight of the week for the early believers! Hebrews even commands us to meet together even more often in the last days!

* Considering our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit----yet we abuse it with various substances and adorn it with pagan symbols and worldy attire that screams out anything but "Holy unto the L-rd"!

* Speaking things that bring reproach upon the Name of Christ, whether foul language, inappropriate joking, hateful things from our hearts, deriding those who try to do right.

* Aligning with causes and others who hate G-d and His laws in the name of tolerance.

* Participating in activities which draw our hearts away from G-d, and set us up to stumble.

We attack those who step on our toes spiritually. Pastors who preach against sin get maligned as too old-fashioned. Bible teachers who warn against worldy alignments are labeled as judgmental and unloving.

People flock to churches that provide entertainment and feel-good messages, while Bible-preaching churches find that Christians---even their own members---cannot endure G-d's Word because it is esteemed so little.

Those who would not think of missing work or being late Monday through Friday find it difficult to arrive for a 10:00 am Sunday School class.

Please, let's be honest with ourselves and with the L-rd, and repent----for the time is truly at hand, dear Friend.

Paul said, "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" Paul knew well how the Israelites treated G-d's prophets. He knew that the same held true for him. He reminded those Christians in the book of Galatians that they were not angry with him, but with the Truth of G-d's Word!

The Bible warns us of the consequences of this kind of rejection! Something we seldom consider. If we did, perhaps we would conduct our lives much differently.

I Samuel 15:23---"Because thou hast rejected the Word of the L-RD, He hath also rejected thee from being king."

II Kings 17:20---"And the L-RD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of the spoilers, until He had cast them out of His sight."

Jeremiah 6:19---"Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it."

To whom much is given, much is required!

Those of us who have been so blessed, should remember from Whom those blessings flow!

Our blessings are to be used for the L-rd, not squandered on our own lusts.

Those of us who have been given and entrusted with much need to remember that we also have much to lose, as did Israel!

Hosea 4:6---"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...."

This lack of knowledge was without excuse. The Israelites had the Scriptures and the Prophets of G-d. It wasn't that they were deprived; it was a lack of their own choosing. They heard the Words of G-d, but didn't listen.

Isn't this like so many of our churches? The Word of G-d is taught and preached---but where are G-d's people? Whether they are elsewhere physically or mentally, they are rejecting G-d's Word. But we, too, are without excuse!

The Israelites, G-d's chosen people, rejected the Word and refused to heed and obey it. Let's look at the rest of Hosea 4:6:

"....because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee....seeing thou hast forgotten the law of they G-d, I will also forget thy children."

Oh the consequences of rejecting G-d's Word in our lives!! Not only did the L-rd reject His own people.....but He also forgot their children!!!

How many of us have prayed for our children's salvation, and then prayed for G-d's favor upon them as they grow up? As parents we all want our children to be happy, do right, have G-d's blessings. But, this doesn't happen because our children are so wonderful, and cute, and bright, and talented, and precious to us!

G-d's blessings upon us and our children are a direct result of how we respond to His Word.

Do we treasure it? Not as some sentimental good-luck charm, but as the true, Holy, powerful Word of G-d?

Do we read it? Do we heed and obey it's precepts and teachings? Do we make it our very life?

We would do well to consider what the L-rd says in Revelation 3:15, 16:

"I know thy works, that thou are neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

We are today, in this Laodicean age, lukewarm Christians. We want to ride the fence. We want the blessings of faithfulness without being faithful. We excuse ourselves and rationalize our behavior. A dangerous thing.

We reject the teaching and the preaching of the Word, perhaps without realizing that we are doing so. But the end result is the same.

Why do we do this? Because we despise G-d's Word and do not esteem the L-rd as we should. Our flesh wants to be pampered and to have the favor of the world. How unlike Moses we are! Hebrews 11 reminds us this of Moses:

"Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of G-d, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible."

When the time comes that we must either stand up for our faith and take rejection and even persecution, or do what is convenient, rationalizing our motives, just what do you think we lukewarm Christians of today will do?

We must examine our hearts! Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not eat of the king's meat. When the time of temptation came, Daniel withstood the temptation. He had already purposed in his heart----he didn't wait to make up his mind when temptation was thrust upon him.

G-d knows the truth of our hearts. After all, He is the One Whom we will stand before and give an account. We may fool others and even ourselves, but we cannot fool G-d!

If we are Christians who are on the fence, neither cold nor hot, going through the motions, not really in the battle contending for the faith alongside our other brethren, we are, in fact, rejecting G-d's Words. When the time of testing comes, we will be no different than the Israelites, offering up their prophets to the enemy, and trying to blend in with the heathen.

We need to remember Who we are rejecting.

Are you sleepy?

I Thessalonians 5:6---"Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."

Most would agree that we live in uncertain times. Not only is our economy in flux, but so are our laws by which we are governed! Not only in our own country, but in nations around the globe.

As someone once said, "The times, they are a changin'."

Normally, most folks resist change when it's thrust upon them. But it seems that many folks these days are hardly aware enough to resist the changes we are facing on the world scene! They just seem to go along with things as if everything is going to remain the same, and the status quo will be maintained.

Unfortunately, the church, the body of Christ, is caught up with the rest of the world in this strange malaise. Our eyelids are growing heavier and heavier; we struggle to stay awake to watch and pray, to stand and obey.

Remember when our L-rd Jesus Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane? He told his disciples to, ".....tarry ye here, and watch with me". What did they do? Not being able to stay awake, they slept!

The L-rd had been warning them recently about his death. He had tried to prepare them. But it just didn't sink in. Even though the L-rd had been their constant Companion for three years, they seemed clueless regarding His ultimate mission. They didn't sense the importance and significance of His request to watch with Him. So they slept.

It's interesting that we are commanded again and again, throughout the Scriptures, to watch!
Now, I ask you, How can one watch if one is asleep? Do you think a sleepy watchman is a good watchman? What happens when a guard falls asleep while on watch duty?

The consequences of sleeping on duty are serious, and the punishment also. The enemy is allowed to creep in and attack, wreaking havoc, gaining ground. A guard who falls asleep on duty is derelict in his responsibility which is a betrayal of his fellow-soldiers! His self-indulgent behavior risks the well-being and very life of his compatriots.

Are we not told that we're to be good soldiers of Christ? Yet, we sleep on.

I Corinthians 16:13---"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

Colossians 4:2---"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving."

II Timothy 4:5---"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions...."

Not only are we to watch, for our own sakes----but we are to watch for the welfare of others, also.

Friends, we have a responsibility to be watchful for one another. Yet, what troubles me is that oftentimes there is such little concern for others within the body. Many of our congregations name our prayer requests in church each week. But how many of us really carry those requests with us throughout the weeks and months, faithfully bearing each others' burdens? We may take up space in a pew, sing a few hymns, listen to a sermon, but are we really part of the fellowship? Do we care for one another as the Bible instructs us?

Love is an action verb! The disciples said they loved the L-rd. He asked them to watch with Him....but they slept.

We say we love the L-rd. But are we any different in our behavior? It's one thing to say we love the L-rd, another to live it. We say we love one another, but do we demonstrate that love? Are we more concerned for others than ourselves?

We are also to watch for His appearing!

Are we asleep when it comes to that, too? I fear that many of us who call ourselves Christians think little about the L-rd coming in the clouds for us. Why, if more of us had that on our minds and hearts, wouldn't we see more faithfulness in church? Wouldn't we see more unselfishness among the brethren? Wouldn't we be living as if the L-rd were coming back any minute?

Instead, we are so caught up in this world system. Our jobs and pleasures and various other time-consuming (or wasting) activities consume our thoughts and energies. Meanwhile, we barely make time in our week to worship and think upon G-d and His Word. We are more busy earning a living, spending money, entertaining ourselves, being sidetracked by the enemy, that we, in all honesty, do not give the L-rd the priority He should have in our hearts and lives.

Not only do we suffer the spiritual consequences of that, but so do our families and churches.

No.....we indulge ourselves in sleep. Even though the L-rd has been trying to warn and prepare us.........we sleep on our watch.

Revelation 3:3---"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know the hour I will come upon thee."

I Peter 4:7---"But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

On One Condition.......

How many of us parents have used that phrase with our kids? When they want to know if they can do something or have some treat, we reply, "On one condition.......that you clean your room first." Or...."On one condition......that you eat your veggies first." Or....you fill in the blank! :-)

Oh yes, any of us who are parents or teachers of children are well-familiar with that phrase.

Did you know that G-d uses conditions in dealing with us?

How often have we quoted the Scripture, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."? We quote that, claim that, and practice that, but most of us ignore, forget, or don't realize that we are omitting a major component of that instruction!

Yes, Friends.......I'm here to tell ya-----"Resist the devil and he will flee from you.....on one condition......

Let's look at James 4:7 in its entirety to discover that missing piece: "Submit yourselves therefore to G-d. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

What does it take to really submit to G-d?

Well, the verse prior to James 4:7 says this: "But He giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, G-d resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

Hmmm......in order to submit to the L-rd, we have to humble ourselves. When we humble ourselves---put down our flesh, our pride, our self-will, stop demanding to have our own way---and really submit to G-d, then He will give us the grace to do right, to resist the devil.....and then the devil will flee from us.

Do you think the devil is going to flee just because we say so? No. He will flee when he realizes that we mean business with the L-rd: that we have died to self; that we stop being rebels; that our hearts are submitted to the will of the L-rd; that we get rid of the pride and stubbornness in our hearts. When we do that, the L-rd is good to give us the grace to be able to resist the devil.

Not in our own strength or in our own flesh, but in G-d's power. The devil knows the difference! He will flee when we stand in the power of G-d's might, as it says in Ephesians 6:10!!

You see, the armor listed in Ephesians 6:11-17 is G-d's armor----not our own!

Verse 11: "Put on the whole armor of G-d....." Verse 13: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of G-d...." Both verses tell us that putting on G-d's armor---His whole armor--- enables us to stand. We cannot stand---we cannot resist the devil---without G-d's whole armor on!

There is nothing having to do with our flesh: our talents, good looks, polished manners, clever thinking, IQ, etc. that will enable us to win that spiritual battle!

But did you know.....before we can put on G-d's armor, we have to take some things off!?

Romans 13:12 instructs us, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."

Ephesians 4:22, 23 commands, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after G-d is created in righteousness and true holiness."

Colossians 3:8-10 also commands us to ".....put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him;"

Colossians 3:12-15 continues in this same vein: "Put on therefore, as the elect of G-d, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forebearing one another, and forgiving one another.......And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

Submitting to G-d is the act of putting off the old man----the flesh, with the sins of the flesh---and putting on the new man.

Doing that is an act of our will.

It's a choice.

It requires, first, a decision of our heart, then the action of our will.

When we do that, the L-rd sees that we mean business.......and the enemy does too!

Once we have put off the filthy rags of our old man, then we can put on G-d's armor, and stand, having done all to stand, in resisting the devil. And he will flee from us!

Our walk has to match our talk. We can know all the right things to say; we can even mean well. We can fool ourselves, and maybe even fool others; but we can't fool the L-rd and we can't fool the enemy.

We need to remember that!

In the end, it's humbling ourselves before G-d, truly submitting to Him in putting off our old man and our wicked, willful flesh so that we can put on G-d's whole armor that will help us win the victory.

Yes---on that one condition----we can resist the devil and he will flee from us!

Does the L-rd Hear Your Cry?

Why is it that when we really pour out our hearts to the L-rd, it's usually in a time of crisis or need? Any other time, we tend to bring the usual requests before the L-rd, hopefully remembering to also thank Him for answers to prayer and blessings He brings our way. We even become quite adept at "Nehemiah" prayers as we hurry and scurry here and there in our busy day-to-day lives.

But, do we truly, honestly have a heart-to-heart, one-on-one with the L-rd on a regular basis? Sad to say, I think for many, if not most of us, it's usually just when the trial and test of our faith comes that we get down and serious about talking with the L-rd!

Did you know that communication with the L-rd is a two-way street?

G-d desires to speak to us, too. Every day. He desires more than a quickie devotional read out of a paperback, or a perusal of a Psalm. The L-rd wants our hearts---He desires fellowship on a regular basis; a time when we are quiet before Him. Psalm 46:10 commands us to, "Be still and know that I am G-d:".

How can we truly get to know G-d----our Creator, Savior, Redeemer, the One we will be living and reigning with for eternity----if we do not take time to be still and listen to Him?

I know we live busy lives! I work full time, help my husband in the ministry, take time for family things, try to keep up with the housework (help!)---so I understand the time constraints, the weariness of the flesh that so many of us struggle with. It's a battle!

Hey---of course it's a battle, sisters!! Any time the Word of G-d is at the heart of a matter, it's gonna be a BATTLE!! How does G-d speak with us----usually, I mean? Through His Word, right? Yes, I know the Holy Spirit does speak to us in a still, small voice at times....but usually by bringing the WORD to our minds. That's why Scripture reading and memorization are sooooo important!

And that's why our flesh and the enemy fight it so hard!

How can the Word of Life come to our minds and hearts at crucial times if we do not spend time in the Word to get to know it......and to get to know G-d? Did not Jesus say that He is the Word?! Do you want to really get to know G-d, draw close to Him, know His heart for you?

Get in the Word!

Job said that he, "....esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."!! I bet Job found those words to be nourishing and healing and sustaining during his sore trial.

Jeremiah said, "Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy Name, O L-RD G-d of hosts."

David devoted his longest Psalm (119) to the Word of the L-rd.

Yes, when we are in fellowship with Him, the L-rd wants us to "come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" as it says in Hebrews 4:16.

But He also wants to speak to us, as well.

How can we please the L-rd in being obedient to Him if we do not know what He wants us to do, and how He wants us to behave? We won't know unless we get into the Word and find out!

The Jews of Zechariah's time knew what G-d expected of them. They had the Law and the oracles of G-d. But they ignored G-d's Word and commands. They knew G-d's character, His holiness, His demand for obedience and truth.

But they got comfortable----as we tend to do, too. They became prosperous. They liked the things of the world, and got so busy with all of those enticements and demands upon their time, that they spent less and less time at the Temple, hearing the Word. When they heard the Word of the L-rd from the mouth of the prophets G-d sent to them, they had little regard for it.

In time, G-d's people became much like the people of the world around them, becoming entrenched in the idolatry of the heathen.....as we do, too. We don't even think about the fact that all that we strive for and work for and lust after is idolatry, but it is. All "the rudiments of the world" as the Bible calls it, squeezes out what little time we have to read the Word and pray.

And then sometimes we wonder if the L-rd hears our cry!

Zechariah 8:13 is a warning that should wake us out of our spiritual malaise and smite our hearts:

"Therefore it is come to pass,
that as He cried, and they would not hear;
so they cried, and I would not hear,
saith the L-rd of hosts;"

May it not be so with us, dear friends!

Are You Practicing Witchcraft?

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." I Samuel 15:23a

The L-rd sure does have a different view of things than we do, doesn't He? We tend to make light of our sin; justify it; excuse it; call it "a mistake"; show it in a positive light. Take stubbornness, for instance. Don't we tend to think of that as a strength of character? If someone is stubborn, we generally define it along the line of tenaciousness: they aren't easily swayed or moved, something we tend to think of as an attribute. A stubborn person can have many good qualities, but as Proverbs 16:2 says, "All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes; but the L-RD weigheth the spirits."

The Bible is clear to remind us that G-d's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not like our thoughts: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isa. 55:9

In G-d's eyes, stubbornness is a wicked sin---akin to idolatry! If we think about it, that makes sense.

Stubbornness is saying that we think we know best; it isn't just a matter of being tenacious. Stubbornness digs in the heels, and is not reasonable, even when proved wrong! Stubbornness is like the proverbial donkey---it wants his own way, to do his own thing; disobedient!

Stubbornness prevents us from having an open mind and heart to the will of G-d. Stubbornness says MY way, MY opinion, MY will, MY decision.....stubbornness is very willful. Do you see the relation of stubbornness to idolatry when we put it in this context? Remember the discussion about pride being the same as idolatry? G-d says that stubbornness is as idolatry because of the prideful component inherent in the sin of stubbornness.

Stubbornness isn't something to brag about; it isn't to be worn like a badge of honor. If we have a heart to please G-d, we will want to repent of and root out this sin in our lives. When we see a stubborn streak in our children, we need to deal with that, and teach them that it is sin.

Rebellion is kin to stubbornness. G-d says it's as the sin of witchcraft. We wouldn't even think of dabbling in that wickedness, yet, we may be steeped in it within our hearts!

G-d does know our hearts.

Saul, King of Israel, was guilty of the sins of witchcraft and rebellion---and this was before he sought out the witch of Endor!

When the L-rd, through the prophet, Samuel, confronted him about his sin in I Samuel 15, Saul justified himself: "Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the L-RD, and have gone the way which the L-RD sent me..."--vs. 20. In vs. 21, Saul further insisted that it was all "to sacrifice unto the L-RD thy G-d in Gilgal."!

Oh boy---don't we do the same thing at times?! Justify a wrong attitude or justify doing something we know is not what the L-rd would have us to do by insisting we really did do the right thing, and even had the right motive! Why--we did it for the L-rd!! Doesn't that make it right?

G-d's ways are higher than our ways......Samuel rebuked Saul in vs. 22, 23---"Hath the L-RD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the L-RD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams."

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the L-RD, He hath rejected thee from being king."

What a sad, pitiful moment in the life of Saul, the first king of Israel! To be rejected by the L-rd! Too little, too late, Saul then admits his sin and seeks pardon. But G-d knew his heart.

Saul was sorry he got caught. Right up until the time Samuel pronounced G-d's judgment upon him, Saul insisted.....stubborn, rebellious man that he was.....that what he had done was not so bad, he had even done it for the L-rd (so he said, anyway)! Only when he was told the consequences of his wicked disobedience in rebellion and stubbornness did he try to make amends. But G-d would have none of it.

Friends, the L-rd does not take our rebellion and stubbornness lightly. These sins will destroy us; G-d will not use us because He cannot trust us to obey faithfully.

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts and show us if we harbor the sin of witchcraft within us.

May we truly pray with King David,

"Search me, O G-d, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psa. 139:23, 24