Welcome to a new year! We made it through 2018.
As I thought about goals for the new year, I was reminded of God's word.
I realized, as believers, we don't need to make a bunch of promises that we know we can't keep. As believers, we only need to lean and depend on the living God. However, there are some things that hinder our relationship with the father.
Take a look at the following scripture from the book of Exodus:
"Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden image (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)"
Exodus 34:11-14
As we read these verses, we may think about the wooden images and the false gods that were designed by the people of those days. However, we have some idols and high places that need to come down in our own lives. We have some altars of worship that are not true worship.
When we define the terms, they give us more insight.
Pillars - as monument, personal memorial
Image - a statue
Altar - a place of worship
We notice they all represent something that is placed above or in high esteem. Again, this may not be what is done today, but we have some places of worship in our lives. There are some people individuals hold in high esteem, some sins that have become idols. There is a greater desire for that thing than God. There are also some things in from the past that people won't release. Therefore, they have become monuments.
What ever it is, that thing or person can hinder our walk with God. Notice that God instructed them to tear down their false gods and places of worship. God was saying those things would cause them to sin against him.
What do you need to tear down to draw closer to God? Tear it down in 2019 and draw near to Him.
As I thought about goals for the new year, I was reminded of God's word.
I realized, as believers, we don't need to make a bunch of promises that we know we can't keep. As believers, we only need to lean and depend on the living God. However, there are some things that hinder our relationship with the father.
Take a look at the following scripture from the book of Exodus:
"Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden image (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)"
Exodus 34:11-14
As we read these verses, we may think about the wooden images and the false gods that were designed by the people of those days. However, we have some idols and high places that need to come down in our own lives. We have some altars of worship that are not true worship.
When we define the terms, they give us more insight.
Pillars - as monument, personal memorial
Image - a statue
Altar - a place of worship
We notice they all represent something that is placed above or in high esteem. Again, this may not be what is done today, but we have some places of worship in our lives. There are some people individuals hold in high esteem, some sins that have become idols. There is a greater desire for that thing than God. There are also some things in from the past that people won't release. Therefore, they have become monuments.
What ever it is, that thing or person can hinder our walk with God. Notice that God instructed them to tear down their false gods and places of worship. God was saying those things would cause them to sin against him.
What do you need to tear down to draw closer to God? Tear it down in 2019 and draw near to Him.
