Idols Cannot Speak, See, Hear or Help You

Scripture: Psalms 115: 1-9

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Scripture Commentary: Don’t place idols above the intangible realities of God

The psalmist asked that God’s name, not the nation’s, be glorified. Too often we ask God to glorify His name with ours. We may pray for help to do a good job so that our work will be noticed. Or we may ask that a presentation go well so we get the applause. There is nothing wrong with looking good or impressing others. The problem comes when we want to look good no matter what happens to God’s reputation in the process. Many people worshiped idols: statues of wood, stone or metal. They took pride in what they could see and had contempt for what they couldn’t see.

Today we still may value tangible objects rather than intangible realities. Those who spend their time obtaining tangible objects are as foolish and empty as the idols themselves.

There are times when we feel isolated, alone and abandoned, even by God. Be encouraged when depressed by problems or struggling with self-worth. God keeps you in His thoughts.

Do you have the faith to trust God? Will you place yourself in His hands?

Who will get the credit when God answers your prayer? Because He will respond.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 115

Christ Is a Great Light Piercing the Darkness

Scripture: Isaiah 9: 2, 6

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.(2) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.(6)

Scripture Commentary: His life is the light that shines through the darkness*

In a time of great darkness, God promised to send the light to shine on everyone living in the shadow of sin and death. During times of gloom and despair, we fear that our sorrows and troubles will never end.

Take comfort in this certainty: although the Lord may not always take us around our troubles, if we follow Him and if we believe wholeheartedly, He will bring us safely through.

Do you really believe in Our Lord Jesus Christ?

He is both “Wonderful Counselor” and “The Mighty God.” God wants to protect us from bad choices, but he still gives us the freedom to choose.

When will you listen to God?

Must we be like Judah and suffer calamities before we will listen to the Word of God? Consider what God is telling you, and obey Him before your time runs out. Open your heart and soul and you will hear Him clearly telling you that He loves you.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Isaiah Chapter 9

*John 1: 5 (New International Version)

How Would You Answer the Call, “Whom Shall I Send?”

Scripture: Isaiah 6: 8-10

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Scripture Commentary: Isaiah was willing to answer the Lord’s call, “Whom shall I send?”

The more clearly Isaiah saw God, the more aware Isaiah became of his own powerlessness and inadequacy to do anything of lasting value without God. But he was willing to be God’s spokesman. Isaiah was willing to answer the Lord’s call, “Whom shall I send?”

God told Isaiah that the people would listen but not learn from his message because their hearts had become calloused beyond repentence. How is your heart? Are you so into yourself that when God calls you can’t hear Him?

God’s patience with their chronic rebellion was finally exhausted. His judgment was to abandon them to their rebellion and hardness of heart.

Why did God send Isaiah if he knew the people wouldn’t listen? Although the nation itself would not repent and would reap judgment, some individuals would listen. God is merciful even when He judges.

We can gain encouragement from God’s promise to preserve his people. If we are faithful to Him, we can be sure of His mercy. Consider what God may be telling you, and obey Him before time runs out.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Isaiah Chapter 6

Place Your Confidence in God Who Can Do All Things

Scripture: Psalms 118: 1-9

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever. I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Scripture Commentary: Where do you place your confidence?

Airline pilots put confidence in their planes. Commuters place confidence in trains, cars, or buses. Each day we must put our confidence in something or someone.

If you are willing to trust a plane or car to get you to your destination, are you willing to trust God to guide you here on earth and to your eternal destination?

Do you trust Him more than any human being? How futile it is to trust anything or anyone more than God.

Put your life in the hands of Jesus Christ, for He is the truth and the light to everlasting life.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 118

Praise God For All He Has Done For You

Scripture: Psalms 117: 1-2

O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

Scripture Commentary: Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord our God! When was the last time you praised Him? Have you ever thanked Him for all He has done for you?

If you are reading this, you should be praising Him. He woke you up this morning, and gave you the ability to learn, to read, and to understand.

We can go through life and take things for granted and not thank God, and not tell anyone what He has done for you.

This Psalm is not only the shortest chapter in the Bible; it is also the middle chapter.

Paul quotes from this psalm in Romans 15:11 that God’s salvation is for all people, not just the Jews. This psalm gives us reasons for praising God, His great love toward us, His faithfulness, and His grace and mercy.

Think about your life today. Where would you be without God in it, and what would you be doing? If He did nothing else for you, He would still be worthy of your highest praise.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 117

Who Knows the Fate of the Spirit of Man?

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3: 18-21

I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Scripture Commentary: What is the fate of the spirit of man?

Our bodies can’t live forever in this present state. In that sense humans and animals are alike. Soloman, however, acknowledged that God has given people the hope of eternity. We come from dust and to dust we will return. But what of the spirit of man? We will undergo judgment in the next life and this makes us different from animals.

Our purpose in life starts with whom we know, not what we know or how good we are. we are not here on earth to serve ourselves, but to serve God and others.

Because we are created in God’s image, we have a spiritual thirst and an eternal value. Nothing but the eternal God can truly satisfy us. He has built in us a restless yearning for the kind of perfect world that can only be found in his perfect rule.

God’s plan is for us to live forever with him. So live with eternal values in view, realizing that all contradictions will one day be cleared up by the creator himself. He has given us a glimpse; however, we cannot see into the future or comprehend everything. We must trust him now and do his work on earth.

Are you now living as God wants? Do you see life as a great gift from him?

He loves you.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ecclesiastes Chapter 3

Return To the Lord Your God

Scripture: Hosea 14: 1-3

O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. Assh’-us shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

Scripture Commentary: Return to God who cares for your and loves you continually

Return to God by asking for forgiveness of your sins. This solution worked in the time of Hosea, and it works today. Forgiveness begins with the destruction of sin. Once you understand the futility of life without God you become eligible for forgiveness.

We cannot save ourselves; our only hope is God’s mercy. Requesting forgiveness means recognizing that we do not deserve it and therefore cannot demand it. Our appeal must be for God’s love and mercy, not for his justice. Although we cannot demand forgiveness, we can confidently receive it.

God is gracious and loving, and wants to restore us to himself because he loves us. When our will is weak, when our thinking is confused, and when our conscience is burdened with a load of guilt, we must remember that God cares for us continually; his compassion never fails.

When we can’t see the way or hear God’s voice; when we lack courage to go on, God’s compassion never fails. We will fail him, but his love will never fail us.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Hosea Chapter 14

God Is My Strength; He Will Do What Is Right

Scripture: Habakkuk 3: 1-2, 19

A prayer of Ha-bak’-kuk the prophet upon Shig-i-o’-noth. O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.(1, 2) The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.(19)

Scripture Commentary: Live in the strength of God, confident in his ultimate victory

Habakkuk praised God for answering his questions. Evil will not triumph; God is in control. God is our strength; trust him to vindicate the faithful. God will give his followers surefooted confidence through difficult times.

Sometimes nothing makes sense. Sometimes we cannot hold the weight of our troubles. Remember that God gives strength. God is alive. He’s in control of the world and its events.

The spiritual war we are in today is for a reason. We cannot see or understand all that God is doing, and we cannot see or understand all that God will do. We just know he is God and will do what is right. God will bring about peace in his justice. He will completely rid the world of evil.

God’s people need to live in the strength of his Spirit, confident in his ultimate victory. Knowing this can give us confidence and hope in this confusing world. Take your eyes off your difficulties and look to God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Habakkuk Chapter 3

Have We Polluted Our City with False Praise?

Scripture: Zephaniah 3: 1-4

Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the marrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

Scripture Commentary: Have we rejected God in our hearts?

Have we polluted our cities, churches and lives, by not living the way God has told us?

Zephaniah had predicted the destruction of the nations surrounding the city of Jerusalem. He turned to the sinning in Jerusalem.

Are our cities becoming defiled and sinful as the pagan cities of yesterday? Are we pretending to falsely serve God? Have we rejected him in our hearts? Are we continuing to be complacent about our sins? Do we no longer care about the consequences of turning from God?

God has given us the way out. The Bible, His Word, His Son, Jesus Christ is the way. We experience events that tempt us to destruction or salvation.

God sent his Son to die on the cross for all our sins. He rose on the third day and went to heaven to prepare a place for us. God has given you the way. Are you going to take it?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Zephaniah Chapter 3

Turn From Your Sin, Do What is Right

Scripture: Ezekiel 33: 14-16

Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

Scripture Commentary: Past good deeds will not save you if you are living in sin today!

We are all born into sin, but we are not born into sinners.

In this chapter Ezekiel is telling us that God is warning us about our sinful living. God is telling us He will forgive us of our sins if we repent and live the life that is wholeheartedly full of love and obedience to God.

Those who persist in rebelling against God, take warning. Do not think because you lived a Godly life in the past that you will be saved. We cannot live a portion of our lives for God and think that is good enough for God.

Don’t appear to be following God, if in your heart you are following yourself. We are weak, but God will give us the strength if you have the faith. God looks at what we are and will become, not what we have been. Past good deeds will not save you if you are living in sin today!

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ezekiel Chapter 33