A Word From Karen: Worshipping God In Spirit & In Truth!

Monday's Devotion (6-18-07)

[And Moses said,] Now you heard the words, but you did not see any similitude; only you heard a voice. And the voice declared unto you the covenant, and he commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; he wrote them on two tables of stones. [Verse fifteen] Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for you saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb in the midst of the fire: Lest you would corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of any male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the air, The likeness of any thing that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes into heaven, when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the host of heaven, and you be driven to worship them (Deu 4:12-13, 15-19)

Moses points out to the congregation that when they heard the voice of God they didn't see any form of God deliberately so they would not make any kind of graven image made in the likeness of God where they would worship or pray to because all of the other nations around them had made their own images of idols that representing their gods. For God doesn't want us making any graven image or any kind of a representative likeness of Him. It's not to be done but even so there is still a compelling force within man to worship. It's a part of human nature. There's something within man that compels him to worship but God doesn't want you worshiping before any altar. God cannot be localized. Nor should we try to make any kind of a representation of God.

Jesus said, "The day is coming and now is when they that worship God will neither worship in this mountain nor in Jerusalem for God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth and God is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23-24).

Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant which God made with you, and you make a graven image, or a likeness of any thing, that the LORD thy God has forbidden you. For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God (Deu 4:23-24).

In the New Testament, the book of Hebrews declares, "For our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).

For you see, fire can, in the case of steel, transmit into permanency as it is forged in the fire, tempered by the fire, transmitting it into permanency. But that same fire can absolutely destroy and consume a piece of wood. The Bible says that our works are going to be tried by fire. And some of our works like wood, hay and stubble are going to go up in smoke. Those of us that can endure the purifying fire will be rewarded for "Our God is a consuming fire; our God is a jealous God."

(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) and he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them (Deu 4:31).

My prayer is that you would meditate on the Lord and keep in mind that He is a God of mercy, love, and power who always has a master plan for you and He is in control. No matter what the circumstances may be don't let that blind side you in forgetting that all things are possible in God. Yes, He's a consuming fire and those enemies of God shall be destroyed by that consuming fire. But that same fire transmits us (the children of God) into permanency because from us it consumes the dross and the impurities of our life. It's the refining fire of God burning within our hearts, consuming dross transmitting into permanency. It purifies all the garbage and unnecessary waste that interferes with our relationship with God and makes us into pure vessel of God we can be filled with the spirit of God and walk in the spirit of God. In our relationship with the Lord we have to seek Him with all our heart and all our soul. To seek God with your heart it should be done by passionately seeking Him, seeking Him because you really want to love the Lord. Seeking God with the soul has the idea of seeking God with your mind, will, and emotions; with giving all of your self to Him fully without holding back. When you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice: This shows that when we seek God with all our heart and all our soul, which shows itself in obedience. So may the Lord bless you as you walk in the spirit of the Lord receiving and believing all that the Lord God Almighty has for you. Be filled with His love and walk according to His ways; He is a God of mercy, love, understanding, forgiveness and compassion. In our flesh we can do nothing, but in the spirit of God we can do all things. Walk by faith not by feelings for the Lord is faithful to guide you and keep you at all times. He is our strength, our shield and our protector. Praise and worship to our glorious God!

God bless